bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of intracompartmental pressures in a rabbit model of open and closed tibial fractures
Authors: Altay M. A. , Ertürk C. , Altay N. , Öztürk I. A. , Baykara I. , Sert C. , Isikan U. E.
Published: January 2013

We compared the intracompartmental pressures (ICPs) of open and closed tibial fractures with the same injury pattern in a rabbit model. In all, 20 six-month-old New Zealand White male rabbits were used. They were randomised into two equal groups of ten rabbits; an open fracture group (group 1) and a closed fracture group (group 2). Each anaesthetised rabbit was subjected to a standardised fracture of the proximal half of the right tibia using a custom-made device. In order to create a grade II open fracture in group 1, a 10 mm segment of fascia and periosteum was excised. The ICP in the anterior compartment was monitored at six-hourly intervals for 48 hours. Although there was a statistically significant difference in ICP values within each group (both p < 0.001), there was no significant difference between the groups for all measurements (all p ≥ 0.089). In addition, in both groups there was a statistically significant increase in ICP within the first 24 hours, whereas there was a statistically significant decrease within the second 24 hours (p < 0.001 for both groups). We conclude that open tibial fractures should be monitored for the development of acute compartment syndrome to the same extent as closed fractures.

Cite this paper: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:111–14.
The incidence of secondary pathology after anterior cruciate ligament rupture in 5086 patients requiring ligament reconstruction
Authors: Sri-Ram K. , Salmon L. J. , Pinczewski L. A. , Roe J. P.
Published: January 2013

We reviewed 5086 patients with a mean age of 30 years (9 to 69) undergoing primary reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in order to determine the incidence of secondary pathology with respect to the time between injury and reconstruction. There was an increasing incidence of medial meniscal tears and chondral damage, but not lateral meniscal tears, with increasing intervals before surgery. The chances of requiring medial meniscal surgery was increased by a factor of two if ACL reconstruction was delayed more than five months, and increased by a factor of six if surgery was delayed by > 12 months. The effect of delaying surgery on medial meniscal injury was also pronounced in the patients aged < 17 years, where a delay of five to 12 months doubled the odds of medial meniscal surgery (odds ratio (OR) 2.0, p = 0.001) and a delay of > 12 months quadrupled the odds (OR 4.3, p = 0.001). Increasing age was associated with a greater odds of chondral damage (OR 4.6, p = 0.001) and medial meniscal injury (OR 2.9, p = 0.001), but not lateral meniscal injury. The gender split (3251 men, 1835 women) revealed that males had a greater incidence of both lateral (34% (n = 1114) vs 20% (n = 364), p = 0.001) and medial meniscal tears (28% (n = 924) vs 25% (n = 457), p = 0.006), but not chondral damage (35% (n = 1152) vs 36% (n = 665), p = 0.565). We conclude that ideally, and particularly in younger patients, ACL reconstruction should not be delayed more than five months from injury.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:59–64.
Heterotopic ossification following total hip replacement for acetabular fractures
Authors: Chémaly O. , Hebert-Davies J. , Rouleau D. M. , Benoit B. , Laflamme G. Y.
Published: January 2013

Early total hip replacement (THR) for acetabular fractures offers accelerated rehabilitation, but a high risk of heterotopic ossification (HO) has been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of HO, its associated risk factors and functional impact. A total of 40 patients with acetabular fractures treated with a THR weres retrospectively reviewed. The incidence and severity of HO were evaluated using the modified Brooker classification, and the functional outcome assessed. The overall incidence of HO was 38% (n = 15), with nine severe grade III cases. Patients who underwent surgery early after injury had a fourfold increased chance of developing HO. The mean blood loss and operating time were more than twice that of those whose surgery was delayed (p = 0.002 and p < 0.001, respectively). In those undergoing early THR, the incidence of grade III HO was eight times higher than in those in whom THR was delayed (p = 0.01). Only three of the seven patients with severe HO showed good or excellent Harris hip scores compared with eight of nine with class 0, I or II HO (p = 0.049). Associated musculoskeletal injuries, high-energy trauma and head injuries were associated with the development of grade III HO.

The incidence of HO was significantly higher in patients with a displaced acetabular fracture undergoing THR early compared with those undergoing THR later and this had an adverse effect on the functional outcome.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:95–100.
The importance of adequate stem anteversion for rotational stability in cemented total hip replacement
Authors: Kiernan S. , Hermann K. L. , Wagner P. , Ryd L. , Flivik G.
Published: January 2013

Progressive retroversion of a cemented stem is predictive of early loosening and failure. We assessed the relationship between direct post-operative stem anteversion, measured with CT, and the resulting rotational stability, measured with repeated radiostereometric analysis over ten years. The study comprised 60 cemented total hip replacements using one of two types of matt collared stem with a rounded cross-section. The patients were divided into three groups depending on their measured post-operative anteversion (< 10°, 10° to 25°, >  25°). There was a strong correlation between direct post-operative anteversion and later posterior rotation. At one year the < 10° group showed significantly more progressive retroversion together with distal migration, and this persisted to the ten-year follow-up. In the < 10° group four of ten stems (40%) had been revised at ten years, and an additional two stems (20%) were radiologically loose. In the ‘normal’ (10° to 25°) anteversion group there was one revised (3%) and one loose stem (3%) of a total of 30 stems, and in the > 25° group one stem (5%) was revised and another loose (5%) out of 20 stems. This poor outcome is partly dependent on the design of this prosthesis, but the results strongly suggest that the initial rotational position of cemented stems during surgery affects the subsequent progressive retroversion, subsidence and eventual loosening. The degree of retroversion may be sensitive to prosthetic design and stem size, but < 10° of anteversion appears deleterious to the long-term outcome for cemented hip prosthetic stems.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:23–30.
Factors affecting the outcome of fractures of the femoral neck in children and adolescents
Authors: Yeranosian M. , Horneff J. G. , Baldwin K. , Hosalkar H. S.
Published: January 2013

Fractures of the femoral neck in children are rare, high-energy injuries with high complication rates. Their treatment has become more interventional but evidence of the efficacy of such measures is limited. We performed a systematic review of studies examining different types of treatment and their outcomes, including avascular necrosis (AVN), nonunion, coxa vara, premature physeal closure (PPC), and Ratliff’s clinical criteria. A total of 30 studies were included, comprising 935 patients. Operative treatment and open reduction were associated with higher rates of AVN. Delbet types I and II fractures were most likely to undergo open reduction and internal fixation. Coxa vara was reduced in the operative group, whereas nonunion and PPC were not related to surgical intervention. Nonunion and coxa vara were unaffected by the method of reduction. Capsular decompression had no effect on AVN. Although surgery allows a more anatomical union, it is uncertain whether operative treatment or the type of reduction affects the rate of AVN, nonunion or PPC, because more severe fractures were operated upon more frequently. A delay in treatment beyond 24 hours was associated with a higher incidence of AVN.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:135-41.
Litigation after hip and knee replacement in the National Health Service
Authors: McWilliams A. B. , Douglas S. L. , Redmond A. C. , Grainger A. J. , O’Connor P. J. , Stewart T. D. , Stone M. H.
Published: January 2013

The results of hip and knee replacement surgery are generally regarded as positive for patients. Nonetheless, they are both major operations and have recognised complications. We present a review of relevant claims made to the National Health Service Litigation Authority. Between 1995 and 2010 there were 1004 claims to a value of £41.5 million following hip replacement surgery and 523 claims to a value of £21 million for knee replacement. The most common complaint after hip surgery was related to residual neurological deficit, whereas after knee replacement it was related to infection. Vascular complications resulted in the highest costs per case in each group.

Although there has been a large increase in the number of operations performed, there has not been a corresponding relative increase in litigation. The reasons for litigation have remained largely unchanged over time after hip replacement. In the case of knee replacement, although there has been a reduction in claims for infection, there has been an increase in claims for technical errors. There has also been a rise in claims for non-specified dissatisfaction. This information is of value to surgeons and can be used to minimise the potential mismatch between patient expectation, informed consent and outcome.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:122–6.
Security Concerns About Copying Clinical Letters to Patients
Authors: Somov P , Madden T , Wong K , Hamm R
Published: January 2013

In the last 12 years there has been a move to provide NHS patients with more information about their treatment. This began in 2000 with The NHS Plan, which declared that 'letters between clinicians about an individual patient's care will be copied to the patient as of right'. Although the implementation of this plan was to be achieved by April 2004, more than eight years down the line compliance with this regulation is still poor.
Sharing Expertise: What Can Surgery and Other Professions Learn from Each Other?
Authors: Shepherd Jonathan
Published: January 2013

On 27 June 2012, leaders of several national institutions gathered at the College to attend the inaugural professions summit, hosted by the President. The event brought together representatives from a wide range of professions to discuss common challenges, how these might be met and whether there is merit in sharing expertise. The summit was convened by Jonathan Shepherd and chaired by Michael Bichard, a cross-bench peer in the House of Lords.
The Road to Camp Bastion: Training to be a Military Surgeon
Authors: Reynolds Jonathan
Published: January 2013

November 2008. It is 4am and i am sitting in a shallow grave keeping watch at the perimeter of a harbour area, ostensibly keeping an eye out for the 'enemy'. This is a new and wholly unfamiliar aspect to my life starting out as an army surgeon. The situation is the heathland exercise area behind the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and the 'enemy' are the instructing staff, who assured us that they would be watching us with night vision scopes. 'Do NOT fall asleep,' they commanded. Well, i could not do so even if i wanted to, thanks to periodic unstoppable shivering.
The Current State of Paediatric Orthopaedic Venous Thromboprophylaxis
Authors: Wright J , Randhawa S , Gooding C , Lowery S , Eastwood D , Hashemi-Nejad A , Calder P
Published: January 2013

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is widely understood to be an important cause both of morbidity and mortality in hospital inpatients. This has led to the development of guidelines for the management of VTE prophylaxis in adults by the national institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. In acknowledgement of the importance of this issue, there are government incentives in the form of Commissioning for Quality and innovation payments that are dependent on the performance of hospital trusts in certain quality indicators, such as risk assessment for VTE in the adult patient.
Piloting the ISCP Surgical Skills Assessment: The Wales Deanery Experience
Authors: Shingler G , Ansell J , Goddard S , Warren N , Torkington J
Published: January 2013

The evidence for using surgical simulators in training and assessment is growing rapidly. A systematic review has demonstrated the validity of different simulators for a range of procedures. Research suggests that skills developed on simulators can be transferred to the operating theatre. The increased interest in simulation comes as a result of the need to streamline surgical training. This is reflected by the numerous simulation-based courses that have become an essential part of modern surgical training.
The Team Doesn't Work: Trialling an EWTR. Compliant, Firm - Based Junior Doctor Rota
Authors: Williams R , Wilcox J , Wilkins A , Marchbank A
Published: January 2013

The current restrictions in junior doctors' working conditions began in 1991 when the New Deal defined maximum lengths of shift and minimum rest periods for doctors in training posts. The european WorkingTime Regulations (EWTR) state that no employee can be forced to work more than 48 hours per week as averaged over 17 weeks. The current limit of 48 hours per week has been in force since August 2009, following interim limits of 72 and 56 hours per week.
Squaring the Circle: Registrar Training and Experience in an EWTR - Compliant Rota
Authors: Ramiah RD , Owen J M , Williamson DM , Brooks RA
Published: January 2013

The European WorkingTime Regulations (EWTR) have been introduced over the past five years despite opposition from the surgical community. The stated aim of EWTR-compliant rotas for all staff is to reduce fatigue by having adequate rest periods and shorter working time, thereby improving patient safety as well as work–life balance. Concerns have been voiced that reduction in working periods for trainee surgeons will impair surgical experience and continuity of care for patients.
I went to the urologist and this is what i brought
Authors: Sahnan Kapil , Blakey Sarah , Ball Kathryn , Bagenal Jessamy , Patel Biral
Published: January 2013

Historical use of urine varies greatly from the production of gunpowder, as a fertiliser, dyeing wool in the textile industry and wound healing. The ancient Egyptians used to have a pregnant woman urinate on bags of wheat and bags of barley. if wheat sprouted, it was a girl; if barley did, it was a boy; if neither did, there was no pregnancy! However, it was Carl Friedrich Gartner (1772–1850) who towards the end of the 18th century pioneered urine testing at the bedside.
Transcultural Spaces of a Vanishing Hong Kong: Johnnie To's Sparrow
Authors: Williams Tony
Published: January 2013

When Sparrow premiered in Hong Kong during early 2008 and later at the Berlin Film Festival, most audiences and critics noted a distinct difference from the other types of films associated with Johnnie To Kei-fung. the director made a surprisingly lightweight romantic comedy thriller
far removed from his usual style and themes. Sparrow is also a film requiring that its audiences see the presence of familiar landmarks which may no longer exist. Sparrow also expects audiences to actively hear familiar songs from the past, both Cantonese and Western, that may also be transitory
in a changing world characterized by a cultural clash between past and present values.
By Way of Melancholia: Remembrance of Tiananmen Square Incident in Summer Palace
Authors: Huang Yiju
Published: January 2013

How should a traumatic historical event be approached, remembered, and represented in retrospect? The Tiananmen Square Incident that occurred two decades ago has remained an ineffable topic in China due to both political censorship and the brutality of the event. Lou Ye's Summer Palace
(2007) is significantly the first Chinese film dealing with the remembrance of the incident. This paper suggest that the representation of historical trauma in an unmediated form ultimately partakes in the violence of the dominant language that has caused the trauma in the first place. By
way of melancholia impasse, Lou Ye directs the gaze from the present and firmly dwells on the historical ruins from the past for the past's sake alone. Through a close reading of Summer Palace, this paper aims to unravel the power of melancholia in defiance of the triumphant historical culture.
Film review: The Taste of Tea (2004), directed by Ishii Katsuhito
Authors: Amano Ikuho
Published: January 2013

Cha no aji (aka. The Taste of Tea, 2004) by Ishii Katsuhito (1966-) is a daring attempt at visualizing nonsensical dreams while masquerading its outlook as a portrayal of a gentle, even traditional Japanese family, the Harunos. Its markedly off-beat narrative corresponds to Japanese
people's yearning for "iyashi" (healing), a desire widespread since the end of the Bubble Economy in the mid-1990s
Conversations with Actress Devika Rani Roerich and Painter Svetoslav Roerich (1980)
Authors: Lent John A.
Published: January 2013

I had been in New Delhi only a day or so in mid-July 1980 when this beautiful, 70-ish lady caught my eye. She was being escorted into the dining hall of the Imperial Hotel where our group (Columbia University Group Study in India for Journalism Faculty) was staying. Her almost regal-like
demeanor and the way her escorts doted on her set her apart. I asked a waiter who she was and was told she was one of India's most famous actresses, Devika Rani Roerich. I off-handedly said I'd like to meet her.
What Is Hauntology?
Authors: Fisher Mark
Published: January 2013

Consideration of the idea of hauntology encompassing Jacques Derrida’s introduction of the term in Specters of Marx; Fredric Jameson’s analyses of postmodernism and The Shining; and a British tradition of literature, film, and television by such authors as John Akomfrah, Alan Garner, M. R. James, Patrick Keiller, Nigel Kneale, David Peace, and Chris Petit.
Boardwalk Empire: America Through a Bifocal Lens
Authors: Nochimson Martha P.
Published: January 2013

A feature on the HBO gangster saga Boardwalk Empire combining analysis of the show, a set report, and interviews with series creator and writer Terence Winter and writer Howard Korder.
Power and Discourse: Silence as Rhetorical Choice in Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior
Authors: Parrott Jill M.
Published: January 2013

Relying heavily on Michel Foucault's discussions of meaning-making artifacts and Cheryl Glenn's 2004 book-length work on silence, this essay places Kingston in the context of post-structuralism while also emphasizing that her “silent” form reflects the culture and power structure within which her characters live and from which Kingston comes. Kingston's The Woman Warrior expresses silence in three distinct ways: suppression by self-restraint, suppression by force, and suppression in translation. Using these three avenues of exploration, I argue that rhetorical theorists must address the silence(d) parts of language exchange in order to create fuller understandings of the meaning-making attributes of signified language use and as a means of reducing the privilege of the spoken/written. A re-exploration of a previously discussed text such as Kingston's is relevant to provide insight into this newly rejuvenated conversation about silence in rhetorical play.
hMRAPa increases αMSH-induced hMC1R and hMC3R functional coupling and hMC4R constitutive activity
Authors: Kay Emma I , Botha Rikus , Montgomery Johanna M , Mountjoy Kathleen G
Published: January 2013

Human melanocortin 2 receptor accessory protein (hMRAPa) is hypothesised to have functions beyond promoting human melanocortin 2 receptor (hMC2R) functional expression. To understand these potential functions, we exogenously co-expressed hMRAPa-FLAG with each of the five hMCR subtypes in HEK293 cells and assessed hMCR subtype coupling to adenylyl cyclase. We also co-expressed each HA-hMCR subtype with hMRAPa-FLAG to investigate their subcellular localisation. hMRAPa-FLAG enhanced α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated hMC1R and hMC3R but reduced NDP-α-MSH-stimulated hMC5R, maximum coupling to adenylyl cyclase. hMRAPa-FLAG specifically increased hMC4R constitutive coupling to adenylyl cyclase despite not co-localising with the HA-hMC4R in the cell membrane. hMRAPa-FLAG co-localised with HA-hMC1R or HA-hMC3R in the perinuclear region, in cytoplasmic vesicles and at the plasma membrane, while it co-localised with HA-hMC2R, HA-hMC4R and HA-hMC5R predominantly in cytoplasmic vesicles. These diverse effects of hMRAPa indicate that hMRAPa could be an important modulator of the central and peripheral melanocortin systems if hMRAPa and any hMCR subtype co-express in the same cell.
Cervical Insufficiency: A New Issue for Guidelines on Prevention of Perinatal Group B Streptococcal Disease?
Authors: Natale Fabio , Brunelli Roberto , Bizzarri Bianca , Castronovo Antonella , De Curtis Mario
Published: January 2013

The updated Guidelines on Prevention of Perinatal Group B Streptococcal Disease, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, actually represent the mainstay in the prevention of neonatal early-onset group B streptococcal (GBS) sepsis. According to these guidelines, patients with possible preterm delivery are screened for GBS colonization and offered intrapartum prophylaxis only if they enter preterm labor or experience preterm premature rupture of the membranes. Nonetheless, the fulfillment of these recommendations seems to be suboptimal in clinical practice, as it is heavily influenced by the knowledge of the colonization status. We report here 2 cases of blood culture–proven, early-onset neonatal GBS sepsis involving preterm infants delivered by mothers who had midtrimester cervical insufficiency and bulging membranes. Midtrimester acute cervical insufficiency strongly predicts preterm delivery. These women are liable to miss intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis because they typically have shorter labor, and the test results for GBS status are unlikely to be available before delivery. We believe that women with midtrimester cervical insufficiency and bulging membranes should be screened for GBS infection soon after hospital admittance if the gestational age is close to the threshold of fetal viability. A timely diagnosis of GBS colonization may not only increase the number of patients receiving targeted intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis but would also allow consideration of the administration of antepartum antibiotic prophylaxis. Indeed, as further outlined in this report, GBS intraamniotic infection may dramatically occur before the onset of preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of the membranes.
Pediatric Resident Debt and Career Intentions
Authors: Frintner Mary Pat , Mulvey Holly J. , Pletcher Beth A. , Olson Lynn M.
Published: January 2013

OBJECTIVE:

To examine current levels of educational debt among pediatric residents and the relationship between educational debt and career intentions.

METHODS:

Annual national random samples of 1000 graduating pediatric residents from 2006 through 2010 were surveyed. Responses were combined. We used t tests and 1-way analysis of variance to compare debt, linear regression to examine factors associated with educational debt, and logistic regression to assess the influence of debt on clinical practice goal. Response rate was 61%.

RESULTS:

Three in 4 residents reported having educational debt. The mean debt (in 2010 dollars) among all residents, which included spouse’s debt if married, increased 34% from $104 000 in 2006 to $139 000 in 2010. Among the subgroup who reported having any debt, the mean debt increased 24% from $146 000 in 2006 to $181 000 in 2010. Residents had varied clinical practice goals; 43% had goals that required fellowship training (subspecialty and combined primary-subspecialty) and 57% had goals not typically requiring fellowship training (primary care and hospitalist). In multivariate analyses, debt level (low, medium, high) remained an independent predictor of practice goal. Residents with medium debt (adjusted odds ratio: 1.46, 95% confidence interval: 1.16–1.84) and high debt (adjusted odds ratio: 1.51; 95% confidence interval: 1.20–1.90) had higher odds than residents with low debt of having a practice goal that does not typically require fellowship training. Other factors also had an independent association with career choice.

CONCLUSIONS:

Multiple factors shape decisions about careers. Higher educational debt is one factor that may push residents toward primary care or hospitalist practice, rather than pursuing fellowship training.
A Model to Determine the Likely Age of an Adolescent’s First Drink of Alcohol
Authors: Kuperman Samuel , Chan Grace , Kramer John R. , Wetherill Leah , Bucholz Kathleen K. , Dick Danielle , Hesselbrock Victor , Porjesz Bernice , Rangaswamy Madhavi , Schuckit Marc
Published: January 2013

OBJECTIVE:

With the use of a new cohort of adolescent subjects, predictors from the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism (SSAGA) interview and the Achenbach Youth Self Report (YSR) were combined to model age of first drink (AFD).

METHODS:

Subjects consisted of 820 adolescents (ages 14–17) drawn from the current phase of the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism. Three Cox proportional hazards models were considered. Model 1 contained SSAGA variables equivalent to AFD predictors from our previous study: interview age, family history of alcohol dependence, and number of conduct disorder symptoms. Model 2 incorporated 2 additional SSAGA questions (best friends drink and smoked a cigarette before a reported AFD) plus 8 YSR-derived scale scores. Model 3 was a reduced version of model 2, retaining only significant predictors.

RESULTS:

Model 2 was a significant improvement over model 1. Model 3 was the best and the most parsimonious of the 3 with respect to likelihood ratio and Wald χ2 tests and retained only 5 variables from model 2. Included variables were the following: (1) best friends drink, (2) membership in a high-risk alcohol dependence family, (3) number of conduct disorder symptoms, (4) YSR externalizing score, and (5) YSR social problems score.

CONCLUSIONS:

Adding variables to those from our original study improved our ability to model the likely age of alcohol initiation. In addition to the SSAGA, the YSR appears to have utility as a research tool to predict the age of alcohol initiation.
Change in Prevalence of Congenital Defects in Children With Prader-Willi Syndrome
Authors: Torrado M. , Foncuberta M.E. , Perez M.F. de Castro , Gravina L.P. , Araoz H.V. , Baialardo E. , Chertkoff L.P.
Published: January 2013

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of congenital defects observed in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and to compare this prevalence with that described in the general population. In addition, these findings were correlated with the different etiologic subtypes.

METHODS:

A total of 180 children with PWS followed for 13 years were included in this study. Diagnosis was confirmed by the methylation test, and genetic subtypes were established by using fluorescence in situ hybridization or multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and microsatellite analyses. The prevalence of congenital defects was compared with national and international registries of congenital defects in the general population (Estudio Colaborativo Latinoamericano de Malformaciones Congénitas, European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies, and the New York Registry).

RESULTS:

Twenty-two percent of the patients presented congenital defects with a risk of 5.4 to 18.7 times higher than that of the general population. The most frequent congenital defects were heart defects, renoureteral malformations, vertebral anomalies, hip dysplasia, clubfoot, and agenesis/hypoplasia of the corpus callosum. Each of these congenital defects was significantly more frequent in the children with PWS than in the general population. The congenital heart defects were more frequent in girls than in boys with PWS. No significant differences were found when the defects were correlated with the different etiologic subtypes.

CONCLUSIONS:

An increased prevalence of congenital defects was found in our PWS patients. This finding suggests the need for further studies in PWS children that allow physicians to detect the congenital defects found in this series and, thus, to anticipate complications, with the ultimate aim of enhancing the management of PWS patients.
Growth of Extremely Preterm Survivors From Birth to 18 Years of Age Compared With Term Controls
Authors: Roberts Gehan , Cheong Jeanie , Opie Gillian , Carse Elizabeth , Davis Noni , Duff Julianne , Lee Katherine J. , Doyle Lex ,   on behalf of the Victorian Infant Collaborative Study Group
Published: January 2013

OBJECTIVES:

To determine changes in height, weight, and BMI of extremely preterm (EPT; gestational age <28 completed weeks) survivors from birth to 18 years of age, compared with term controls.

METHODS:

Birth, discharge, and follow-up at ages 2, 5, 8, and 18 years of consecutive EPT survivors and contemporaneous term controls born in 1991–1992 in Victoria, Australia. Weight, height, and BMI were converted to z scores and compared between groups. Height z scores at age 2 and midparental height z scores were examined as predictors of height z score at age 18 years.

RESULTS:

Follow-up rates were >90% until 18 years, when 166 (74%) of 225 EPT subjects and 153 (60%) of 253 controls were assessed. EPT subjects had lower weight z scores than controls at birth, with a much greater difference at discharge, which reduced progressively until age 18 years. EPT children were shorter than controls at all ages, and this difference did not alter greatly over time. BMI z scores were lower in EPT children at younger ages, but by age 18 were similar between groups. Height at age 2 was a better predictor of height at age 18 in EPT participants, compared with midparental height.

CONCLUSIONS:

EPT survivors were substantially lighter than term controls from birth to late adolescence, although the gap in weight steadily decreased over time from a peak at the time of discharge. The height disadvantage in EPT children compared with controls remained constant over time and BMI scores were similar at age 18 years.
Maternal Characteristics and Perception of Temperament Associated With Infant TV Exposure
Authors: Thompson Amanda L. , Adair Linda S. , Bentley Margaret E.
Published: January 2013

OBJECTIVE:

This study examines the development of television (TV) behaviors across the first 18 months of life and identifies maternal and infant predictors of infant TV exposure.

METHODS:

We used longitudinal TV exposure, maternal sociodemographic, and infant temperament data from 217 African-American mother-infant pairs participating in the Infant Care and Risk of Obesity Study. Longitudinal logistic models and ordered regression models with clustering for repeated measures across subjects adjusted for infant gender and visit were used to assess maternal and infant predictors of TV exposure and to test whether infants with both maternal and infant risk factors had higher odds of more detrimental TV exposure.

RESULTS:

Infants as young as 3 months old were exposed to an average of 2.6 hours of TV and/or videos daily, and nearly 40% of infants were exposed to >3 hours of TV daily by 12 months of age. Maternal TV viewing and maternal obesity and infant activity, fussiness, and crying were associated with greater infant TV exposure, whereas maternal education and infant activity were associated with having the TV on during most meals. Infants perceived as being more active or fussier had higher TV exposure, particularly if their mothers also had risk factors for higher TV exposure.

CONCLUSIONS:

Understanding the characteristics that shape TV exposure and its biological and behavioral sequelae is critical for early intervention. Maternal perception of infant temperament dimensions is related to TV exposure, suggesting that infant temperament measures should be included in interventions aimed at limiting early TV.
Group B Streptococcus Late-Onset Disease: 2003–2010
Authors: Berardi Alberto , Rossi Cecilia , Lugli Licia , Creti Roberta , Bacchi Reggiani Maria Letizia , Lanari Marcello , Memo Luigi , Pedna Maria Federica , Venturelli Claudia , Perrone Enrica , Ciccia Matilde , Tridapalli Elisabetta , Piepoli Marina , Contiero Raffaella , Ferrari Fabrizio ,   on behalf of the GBS Prevention Working Group, Emilia-Romagna
Published: January 2013

BACKGROUND:

There is insufficient population-based data on group B streptococcus (GBS) late-onset disease (LOD). Risk factors and routes of GBS transmission are poorly understood.

METHODS:

A prospective, cohort study was conducted to collect incidence data on LOD and evaluate GBS infections over an 8-year period (2003–2010). Starting from January 2007, maternal rectovaginal and breast milk cultures were routinely collected on confirmation of the LOD diagnosis to assess maternal GBS culture status.

RESULTS:

The incidence rate of LOD was 0.32 per 1000 live births (1.4 and 0.24 per 1000 live births for preterm and term newborns, respectively). The registered cases of LOD (n = 100) were classified as sepsis (n = 57), meningitis (n = 36), or focal infection (n = 7). Thirty neonates were preterm (2 had recurrent infection); 68 were term. Four infants died (3 early preterm, 1 term). At the time the LOD diagnosis was confirmed, 3 (6%) of 53 mothers had GBS mastitis, and 30 (64%) of 47 carried GBS at the rectovaginal site. Early (7–30 days) LOD presentation was associated with neonatal brain lesions or death (odds ratio: 0.96 [95% confidence interval: 0.93–0.99]). Intrapartum antibiotic exposure was significantly associated with mild (12 of 22) rather than severe (11 of 45; P = .03) LOD.

CONCLUSIONS:

Preterm neonates had the highest rates of LOD and mortality. Most mothers carried GBS at the time of the LOD diagnosis, whereas 6% had mastitis. Intrapartum antibiotics were associated both with delayed presentation of symptoms and milder LOD.
Simulating pressure-induced compaction by grain rearrangement
Authors: Sands C. M. , Chandler H. W.
Published: January 2013

This article presents a novel model of the compaction of loose sand, or other granular material, incorporating two dilatancy terms. One is negative, reflecting the general tendency of an assembly to collapse under a combination of shear stress and pressure. The other develops during shear straining and, at the critical state, is sufficiently large and positive to counter the negative contribution. The existence of a term producing negative dilatancy, however, suggests the concept of ‘self-cancelling shear deformation’. These shears contribute to the shear–volume coupling, producing densification, but not to the macroscopic shear deformation. They only occur when there is a small amount of damage. This produces pressure-induced densification by granule rearrangement, resulting in a model where compaction is possible under a hydrostatic load but the model can still simulate cyclic deformation and critical state behaviour.
Barodesy for clay
Authors: Medicus G. , Fellin W. , Kolymbas D.
Published: January 2013

Barodesy is a new hypoplastic frame for constitutive models to describe granular materials. It has already been introduced for sand, and this article adjusts barodesy for clay. Common concepts of soil mechanics, such as critical states, barotropy (i.e. the dependence of stiffness and strength on the stress level), pyknotropy (i.e. the dependence of stiffness and strength on density) and a stress–dilatancy relation can easily be included in the presented model. Despite its mathematical simplicity, barodesy is able to describe many aspects of clay behaviour. Only four material constants are required, which can be determined by means of a single consolidated undrained triaxial test.
Discrete element modelling of a flexible membrane for triaxial testing of granular material at high pressures
Authors: de Bono J. , Mcdowell G. , Wanatowski D.
Published: January 2013

The discrete element method (DEM) has been used to simulate triaxial tests on a bonded material at high pressures. A key feature of the model is the use of a flexible membrane that allows the correct volumetric deformation and the true failure mode to develop while applying constant confining pressure to the triaxial sample. The correct pattern of behaviour has been observed across a wide range of confining pressures, with both shear planes and barrelling failure being observed. The radial pressure applied by the membrane remains constant after large strains and deformation.
Theoretical basis of ultimate limit state design
Authors: Smith C. C.
Published: January 2013

This letter proposes a fundamental theoretical framework for undertaking ultimate limit state design based on the use of an interaction diagram or yield surface. Conceptually (using Eurocode terminology), the design state is obtained from the characteristic state, not by applying partial factors, but by applying a perturbation force or stress probe within this yield surface until factored actions become equal to factored resistances. This robustly ensures mechanical rigour at all times. The method gives clarity as to how calculations should be carried out and removes ambiguity about factoring actions not in the direction of the perturbing force. Several examples are given to illustrate its application.
Identifying common pressure pathways from a complex network of human activities to support ecosystem‐based management
Authors: Knights Antony M. , Koss Rebecca S. , Robinson Leonie A.
Published: January 2013

The marine environment is heavily exploited, but unintentional consequences cause wide‐ranging negative effects to its characteristics. Linkage frameworks (e.g., DPSIR [driver–pressure–state–impact–response]) are commonly used to describe an interaction between human activities and ecological characteristics of the ecosystem, but as each linkage is viewed independently, the diversity of pressures that affect those characteristics may not be identified or managed effectively. Here we demonstrate an approach for using linkages to build a simple network to capture the complex relationships arising from multiple sectors and their activities. Using data‐analysis tools common to ecology, we show how linkages can be placed into mechanistically similar groups. Management measures can be combined into fewer and more simplified measures that target groups of pressures rather than individual pressures, which is likely to increase compliance and the success of the measure while reducing the cost of enforcement. Given that conservation objectives (regional priorities) can vary, we also demonstrate by way of a case study example from the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, how management priorities might change, and illustrate how the approach can be used to identify sectors for control that best support the conservation objectives.
Greater sexual reproduction contributes to differences in demography of invasive plants and their noninvasive relatives
Authors: Burns Jean H. , Pardini Eleanor A. , Schutzenhofer Michele R. , Chung Y. Anny , Seidler Katie J. , Knight Tiffany M.
Published: January 2013

An understanding of the demographic processes contributing to invasions would improve our mechanistic understanding of the invasion process and improve the efficiency of prevention and control efforts. However, field comparisons of the demography of invasive and noninvasive species have not previously been conducted. We compared the in situ demography of 17 introduced plant species in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, to contrast the demographic patterns of invasive species with their less invasive relatives across a broad sample of angiosperms. Using herbarium records to estimate spread rates, we found higher maximum spread rates in the landscape for species classified a priori as invasive than for noninvasive introduced species, suggesting that expert classifications are an accurate reflection of invasion rate. Across 17 species, projected population growth was not significantly greater in invasive than in noninvasive introduced species. Among five taxonomic pairs of close relatives, however, four of the invasive species had higher projected population growth rates compared with their noninvasive relative. A Life Table Response Experiment suggested that the greater projected population growth rate of some invasive species relative to their noninvasive relatives was primarily a result of sexual reproduction. The greater sexual reproduction of invasive species is consistent with invaders having a life history strategy more reliant on fecundity than survival and is consistent with a large role of propagule pressure in invasion. Sexual reproduction is a key demographic correlate of invasiveness, suggesting that local processes influencing sexual reproduction, such as enemy escape, might be of general importance. However, the weak correlation of projected population growth with spread rates in the landscape suggests that regional processes, such as dispersal, may be equally important in determining invasion rate.
Plant–soil feedback links negative distance dependence and light gradient partitioning during seedling establishment
Authors: McCarthy-Neumann Sarah , Ibáñez Inés
Published: January 2013

Tree species coexistence has often been explained through either negative distance‐dependent/density‐dependent (NDD) mortality or resource‐based niche partitioning. However, these two influential mechanisms for structuring community dynamics have rarely been investigated simultaneously. Negative conspecific effects, like those caused by plant–soil feedbacks (PSF), could link these two mechanisms by being restricted to low‐light environments and determined by seedling shade intolerance. We conducted a 10 week long greenhouse experiment where we assessed survivorship of eight temperate tree species that varied in local adult abundance and seedling shade tolerance, to non‐sterile vs. sterile soils collected under the canopy of conspecific vs. heterospecific adult trees grown at low and high light. We found that half of our species experienced strong negative conspecific feedbacks. For three out of four species, the PSF were biotic mediated. However, their effects on survival were often restricted to low‐light conditions. Species sensitivity to negative PSF also increased with local adult rarity and with seedling shade intolerance. Our findings taken together indicate that biotic‐mediated PSF may enhance the variety of recruitment niches among coexisting species via NDD processes as well as through intensifying light gradient partitioning among tree species.
Contribution of Anaerobically Incubated Nitrogen to the Diagnosis of Nitrogen Status in Spring Wheat
Authors: Reussi Calvo Nahuel I. , Sainz Rozas H. , Echeverría H. , Berardo A.
Published: January 2013

Current wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) N fertility diagnosis models do not take into account organic N provided by mineralization. Anaerobically incubated N (Nan) could contribute to assess this N pool for crops. The aim of this research was to assess the Nan contribution to spring wheat yield without added N (GY0N), to grain N export (GNE), and to N fertilization response. A total of 28 N fertilization experiments were conducted in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 in southeastern Buenos Aires Province (Argentina). At sowing, soil organic matter (SOM) content, Nan, and NO3−–N availability varied between 44 and 68 g SOM kg−1, 34 and 94 mg NH4+–N kg−1, and 39 and 130 kg NO3−–N ha−1, respectively. Average grain yield and protein content without N added were 3450, 4330, 5020, 5288 and 6262 kg ha−1, and 116, 97, 95, 91, and 90 g kg−1, for 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, respectively. Initial NO3−–N availability explained only 24% of GY0N variation, but R2 increased to 66% when Nan was integrated into the model. Soil NO3−–N content and Nan explained 58% of GNE variation, with a higher partial contribution of Nan to GNE than to GY0N (51 and 41%, respectively). A model was developed to predict the response to N (RN = –625.7 + 7.2Pp – 31.6Nan + 0.28GY0NPp, where Pp is total precipitation from July to December; R2 = 0.58). Soil Nan determination and initial NO3−–N content should be taken into account together when assessing spring wheat N needs.
Twin Rows Minimally Impact Irrigated Maize Yield, Morphology, and Lodging
Authors: Novacek M. J. , Mason S. C. , Galusha T. D. , Yaseen M.
Published: January 2013

Twin rows are being promoted as a means to increase maize yield through increased interception of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and plant morphology modification. The objective of this research was to explore the interactive effects of maize hybrid, plant population, and row configuration on grain yield and grain yield components, interception of PAR during vegetative growth, plant morphology, and percent lodging. Twin‐row irrigated maize produced the same grain yield as single‐row production. Small changes in plant morphology and grain yield components and 2.3 to 4.2% increased interception of PAR at the V9 (nine leaves with visible collars) stage were documented for twin rows, but the sum of these did not result in changes in grain yield. Twin‐row production increased lodging by 3.5%. Few interactions between row configuration and hybrid and target population were found, leading to the conclusion that twin‐row production of maize affords little opportunity to increase maize grain yields. Hybrid and plant population had a much larger effect on grain yield and lodging. Increasing the maize target population to 93,000 plants ha−1 maximized grain yield at 14.3 Mg ha−1, and led to small changes in plant morphology that increased lodging from 6.8 to 14.9%. Ear height had the highest direct effect on lodging in both the low (2009) and high (2010) percent lodging years. Based on these results, current promotion of twin rows is not justified for irrigated maize production in the western Maize Belt.
Dryland Malt Barley Yield and Quality Affected by Tillage, Cropping Sequence, and Nitrogen Fertilization
Authors: Sainju Upendra M. , Lenssen Andrew W. , Barsotti Joy L.
Published: January 2013

Malt barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) yield and quality have been evaluated using various cultivars and N rates but little is known about the effects of tillage and cropping sequence. We evaluated the effects of tillage, cropping sequence, and N fertilization on dryland malt barley yield, grain characteristics, N uptake, and N use‐efficiency from 2006 to 2011 in eastern Montana. Treatments were no‐till continuous malt barley (NTCB), no‐till malt barley–pea (Pisum sativum L.) (NTB–P), no‐till malt barley–fallow (NTB–F), and conventional till malt barley–fallow (CTB–F), with split application of N rates (0,40, 80, and 120 kg N ha–1) in randomized complete block with three replications. As N rates increased, malt barley grain yield, protein concentration, and N uptake increased in NTB–F, NTB–P, and NTCB, but test weight, plumpness, and N‐use efficiency decreased in all tillage and cropping sequence treatments. Similarly, plant stand, biomass (stems and leaves) yield, and N uptake increased with increased N rates. Grain and biomass yields, N uptake, and N‐use efficiency were greater in CTB–F than in NTB–P and NTCB but tillage had no effect on these parameters. Malt barley yield and N uptake varied with cropping sequences and N rates among years. Although grain yield increased with increased N rates, NTB–P with N rates between 40 and 80 kg N ha−1 may be used to sustain dryland malt barley yield and quality (protein concentration < 135 g kg−1, plumpness > 800 g kg−1), thereby helping to reduce the potentials for soil erosion and N leaching and increase soil organic matter in the northern Great Plains.