bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breastfeeding Status on US Birth Certificates: Where Do We Go From Here?
Authors: Chapman Donna J. , Merewood Anne , Armah Robert Ackatia , Pérez-Escamilla Rafael
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVES. The objectives of this study were to assess the extent to which states collected breastfeeding data on the birth certificate, to verify the wording of the breastfeeding questions used, and to develop recommendations for future revisions of the breastfeeding question asked on the US Standard Certificate of Live Birth.

METHODS. Registrars of vital statistics in US states and territories were contacted via telephone with e-mail follow-up between April 2006 and May 2008 to determine whether their state/territory collected breastfeeding data on its birth certificate. Responses were categorized as follows: (1) breastfeeding data currently collected; (2) breastfeeding data not currently collected but implementation date set; or (3) breastfeeding data not currently collected and no implementation plans.

RESULTS. In May 2008, 56.6% (30 of 53) of US states and territories were collecting data on breastfeeding status at hospital discharge on their birth certificate. The questions used to collect breastfeeding data, however, had not been standardized. Approximately one quarter (12 of 53) reported that they were not yet collecting breastfeeding data on their birth certificate but that an implementation date had been set. Approximately one fifth (11 of 53) indicated that their state birth certificate did not plan to collect breastfeeding data by January 2010.

CONCLUSIONS. A total of 79% of the registrars reported that breastfeeding data were collected on the birth certificate or that the process would begin within the next 2 years. Future revisions to the Standard Certificate of Live Birth breastfeeding question should assess breastfeeding exclusivity. The revision process should include feedback from health professionals who collect these data, pretesting of the revised question for feasibility, and extensive training before data collection.
A Population-Based, Postlicensure Evaluation of the Safety of a Combination Diphtheria, Tetanus, Acellular Pertussis, Hepatitis B, and Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine in a Large Managed Care Organization
Authors: Zangwill Kenneth M. , Eriksen Eileen , Lee Martin , Lee Jennifer , Marcy S. Michael , Friedland Leonard R. , Weston Wayde , Howe Barbara , Ward Joel I.
Published: December 2008

BACKGROUND. Prelicensure studies of diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, inactivated polio virus vaccine suggested that there were higher rates of fever after its administration than when its component antigens were given separately.

METHODS. We conducted an open, controlled, cohort study to evaluate selected potential adverse events after receipt of diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, inactivated poliovirus vaccine in the Southern California Kaiser Permanente Health Care Plan. From April 2003 through June 2005, we identified 61004 infants who received ≥1 dose of vaccine (120000 total doses). This group was compared with a previous cohort of 58251 age-, gender-, and medical center–matched infants (116637 doses) who received diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis vaccine and separate doses of hepatitis B and inactivated poliovirus vaccines from January 2002 through March 2003. We compared the incidence of seizures, medically attended events that were associated with fever, and other selected adverse outcomes.

RESULTS. We identified 16 infants (8 with fever) who had a seizure in the diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, inactivated poliovirus cohort and 15 infants (6 with fever) among control subjects in the 8-day period after receipt of any dose of vaccine. The incidence of all seizures or seizures associated with fever was not significantly different between cohorts. The incidence of medically attended events that were associated with fever in the 4-day period after any dose of vaccine was also similar in both cohorts. As well, no significant differences between the diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, inactivated poliovirus and control cohorts, were noted in the incidence of allergic reactions within 48 hours of any dose of vaccine, outpatient visits within 21 days, hospitalizations within 21 days, or death within 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS. We did not observe a statistically significant increase in any of several clinically important safety events after diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, inactivated poliovirus vaccination compared with a historical cohort who received separate component vaccines.
Primary Care Physician Perspectives on Reimbursement for Childhood Immunizations
Authors: Freed Gary L. , Cowan Anne E. , Clark Sarah J.
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this research was to explore physicians’ attitudes and behaviors related to vaccine financing issues within their practice. Amid the increasing number of vaccine doses recommended for children and adolescents, anecdotal reports suggest that physicians are facing increasing financial pressures from vaccine purchase and administration and may stop providing vaccines altogether to privately insured children. Whether these sentiments are widely held among immunization providers is unknown.

METHODS. We conducted a cross-sectional mail survey from July to September 2007 of a random sample of 1280 US pediatricians and family physicians engaged in direct patient care. Main outcome measures included delay in the purchase of specific vaccines for financial reasons; reported decrease in profit margin from immunizations; and practice consideration of whether to stop providing all vaccines to privately insured children.

RESULTS. The response rate was 70% for pediatricians and 60% for family physicians. Approximately half of the respondents reported that their practice had delayed the purchase of specific vaccines for financial reasons (49%) and experienced decreased profit margin from immunizations (53%) in the previous 3 years. Twenty-one percent of respondents strongly disagreed that “reimbursement for vaccine purchase is adequate,” and 17% strongly disagreed that “reimbursement for vaccine administration is adequate.” Eleven percent of respondents said their practice had seriously considered whether to stop providing all vaccines to privately insured children in the previous year.

CONCLUSIONS. Physicians who provide vaccines to children and adolescents report dissatisfaction with reimbursement levels and increasing financial strain from immunizations. Although large-scale withdrawal of immunization providers does not seem to be imminent, efforts to address root causes of financial pressures should be undertaken.
The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Pediatrics
Authors: Kemper Kathi J. , Vohra Sunita , Walls Richard ,   the Task Force on Complementary and Alternative Medicine,   the Provisional Section on Complementary, Holistic, and Integrative Medicine
Published: December 2008

The American Academy of Pediatrics is dedicated to optimizing the well-being of children and advancing family-centered health care. Related to these goals, the American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes the increasing use of complementary and alternative medicine in children and, as a result, the need to provide information and support for pediatricians. From 2000 to 2002, the American Academy of Pediatrics convened and charged the Task Force on Complementary and Alternative Medicine to address issues related to the use of complementary and alternative medicine in children and to develop resources to educate physicians, patients, and families. One of these resources is this report describing complementary and alternative medicine services, current levels of utilization and financial expenditures, and associated legal and ethical considerations. The subject of complementary and alternative medicine is large and diverse, and consequently, an in-depth discussion of each method of complementary and alternative medicine is beyond the scope of this report. Instead, this report will define terms; describe epidemiology; outline common types of complementary and alternative medicine therapies; review medicolegal, ethical, and research implications; review education and training for complementary and alternative medicine providers; provide resources for learning more about complementary and alternative medicine; and suggest communication strategies to use when discussing complementary and alternative medicine with patients and families.
Indeterminate Colitis: A Distinctive Clinical Pattern of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children
Authors: Romano Claudio , Famiani Annalisa , Gallizzi Romina , Comito Donatella , Ferrau' Valeria , Rossi Paolo
Published: December 2008

Inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis are frequently clinical conditions in children. Another clinical entity, indeterminate colitis, is considered a subgroup of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. It is generally characterized by early onset in the first years of life, and clinical behavior is rapidly progressive to pancolitis. The definition of indeterminate colitis has changed over the years, but it is usually used to identify severe colitis with overlapping features of ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease. Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is the surgical treatment of choice for patients with ulcerative colitis, but increased rates of complications have been found in indeterminate colitis. Therefore, it is better to be cautious in patients with indeterminate colitis who present with severe attacks and require surgery.
Application of the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale System to Pediatrics
Authors:   Committee on Coding and Nomenclature
Published: December 2008

With an increased focus on payment and productivity measurement in health care, it is essential to understand the genesis and principles behind the Medicare Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) physician fee schedule. The majority of third-party payers, including a growing number of Medicaid programs and commercial payers, use variations of the Medicare RBRVS as their basis for physician payment. Many group practices have also adopted this system to benchmark physician productivity and determine variable compensation and bonus payments. Because pediatric care is underrepresented in any Medicare-based payment system analysis, unique aspects of physician work and practice expense may not be accurately reflected in the total relative value units (RVUs) for certain pediatric services. Despite this potential limitation, the American Academy of Pediatrics supports the use of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes to report unique physician work and the RBRVS physician fee schedule as a uniform payment system. The American Academy of Pediatrics will continue to work to rectify perceived inequities of the RBRVS system as they pertain to pediatrics.
Red Reflex Examination in Neonates, Infants, and Children
Authors:   AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS,   Section on Ophthalmology,   AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY AND STRABISMUS,   AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY,   AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CERTIFIED ORTHOPTISTS
Published: December 2008

Red reflex testing is an essential component of the neonatal, infant, and child physical examination. This statement, which is a revision of the previous policy statement published in 2002, describes the rationale for testing, the technique used to perform this examination, and the indications for referral to an ophthalmologist experienced in the examination of children.
Pediatric Aspects of Inpatient Health Information Technology Systems
Authors: Kim George R. , Lehmann Christoph U. ,   and the Council on Clinical Information Technology
Published: December 2008

US adoption of health information technology as a path to improved quality of patient care (effectiveness, safety, timeliness, patient-centeredness, efficiency, and equity) has been promoted by the medical community. Children and infants (especially those with special health care needs) are at higher risk than are adults for medical errors and their consequences (particularly in environments in which children are not the primary patient population). However, development and adoption of health information technology tools and practices that promote pediatric quality and patient safety are lagging. Two inpatient clinical processes—medication delivery and patient care transitions—are discussed in terms of health information technology applications that support them and functions that are important to pediatric quality and safety. Pediatricians and their partners (pediatric nurses, pharmacists, etc) must develop awareness of technical and adaptive issues in adopting these tools and collaborate with organizational leaders and developers as advocates for the best interests and safety of pediatric patients. Pediatric health information technology adoption cannot be considered in terms of applications (such as electronic health records or computerized physician order entry) alone but must be considered globally in terms of technical (health information technology applications), organizational (structures and workflows of care), and cultural (stakeholders) aspects of what is best.
Briefing: Earthquake-resistant school buildings in India
Authors: Bhatia S.
Published: December 2008

Uttar Pradesh is a province in northern India, close to the Himalayas that has a population of 180 million (Census 2001). The province has 125,000 government primary schools that cater to 23·5 million children. Three quarters of the province is located in seismic zones III and IV with a moderate to severe risk of earthquake. Earthquake resistant measures have not been incorporated in the design of many of these school buildings rendering them likely to collapse during earthquakes and thereby endangering the lives of many children.
The absorbent city: urban form and flood risk management
Authors: White I.
Published: December 2008

Cities have always been built in hostile and harsh environments. Technological advances have helped increase the safety and security of their inhabitants and, to a large extent, have divorced the urban area from local environmental constraints. However, the dominance of economic issues in the development of urban form has created a legacy of exposure and vulnerability to flood risk, and a growing recognition of the limitations of this methodology has led to a desire to manage flooding in a way more in harmony with nature. This paper contends that, with regard to flood risk management, there has been a transition from self-protection to engineered defence to the current ideology of natural management, which provides a driver for consideration of the nature of an idealised urban form that is more resilient to flood risk, designed to absorb water and minimise damage. The paper identifies reflexivity, knowledge and adaptation as the three underlying principles of a theoretical ‘absorbent city’ and aims to stimulate debate by describing the potential urban form of a flood-resilient urban area, according to geographical and climatic constraints. Adaptive measures needed to help increase resilience are also discussed.
Building assessment during disaster response and recovery
Authors: Peña-Mora F. , Aziz Z. , Chen A. Y. , Plans A. , Foltz S.
Published: December 2008

During disaster response and recovery operations, civil engineers can be assigned a multitude of tasks including triage of building search priorities, identification and evaluation of structural hazards, as well as the development of appropriate structural hazard mitigation techniques and monitoring of hazards, while coordinating and reporting this information to the incident command centre (ICC). This paper reviews the role of civil engineers in disaster response with a focus on existing building assessment and marking systems and highlights various limitations of existing approaches. A mobile information technology (IT)-based collaborative framework is discussed to facilitate a coordinated disaster response and recovery operation. It enables engineers to assess building damage better and to make this information available to personnel more quickly and easily within the disaster area and thereby improve disaster response. The deployed architecture is composed of various components including radio frequency identification (RFID)-based structural assessment, a field engineer’s mobility and information support platform and geographic information systems (GIS)-based resource optimisation. Deployed infrastructure enables the on-site and on-demand information provisioning, data processing and computational support required by engineers in the aftermath of a disaster.
Relocalising disaster risk reduction for urban resilience
Authors: Kelman I.
Published: December 2008

‘Relocalisation’ is defined as aiming to return communities to a more local basis, including in disaster risk reduction. In 2005, Boulder Valley, Colorado, USA formed a non-profit, non-governmental organisation to implement relocalisation. In late 2006 and early 2007, the group’s leaders decided to pursue relocalisation as a for-profit venture and effectively eliminated disaster risk reduction from the relocalisation agenda. This paper analyses these actions and the consequences for relocalisation through the framework of good governance, which involves the principles of participation, transparency, accountability, rule of law, effectiveness and equity.
Toxicity of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (de-71) in chicken (Gallus gallus), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), and American kestrel (Falco sparverius) embryos and hatchlings
Authors: McKernan Moira A. , Rattner Barnett A. , Hale Robert C. , Ottinger Mary Ann
Published: December 2008

Embryonic survival, pipping and hatching success, and sublethal biochemical, endocrine, and histological endpoints were examined in hatchling chickens (Gallus gallus), mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and American kestrels (Falco sparverius) following air cell administration of a pentabrominated diphenyl ether (penta-BDE; DE-71) mixture (0.01–20 μg/g egg) or poly-chlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener 126 (3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl; 0.002 μg/g egg). The penta-BDE decreased pipping and hatching success at concentrations of 10 and 20 μg/g egg in kestrels but had no effect on survival endpoints in chickens or mallards. Sublethal effects in hatchling chickens included ethoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (EROD) induction and histological changes in the bursa, but these responses were not observed in other species. Polychlorinated biphenyl congener 126 (positive control) reduced survival endpoints in chicken and kestrel embryos and caused sublethal effects (EROD induction, reduced bursal mass and follicle size) in chickens. Mallards were clearly less sensitive than the other species to administered penta-BDE and PCB 126. In a second experiment, the absorption of penta-BDE (11.1 μg/g egg, air cell administered during early development) into the contents of chicken and kestrel eggs was determined at various intervals (24 h postinjection, midincubation, and pipping). By pipping, 29% of the penta-BDE administered dose was present in the egg contents in chickens, and 18% of the administered dose was present in kestrel egg contents. Based on uptake in kestrels, the lowest-observed-effect level on pipping and hatching success may be as low as 1.8 μg total penta-BDE/g egg, which approaches concentrations detected in eggs of free-ranging birds. Because some penta-BDE congeners are still increasing in the environment, the toxic effects observed in the present study are cause for concern in wildlife.
PREFERENCE FOR REINFORCERS UNDER PROGRESSIVE‐ AND FIXED‐RATIO SCHEDULES: A COMPARISON OF SINGLE AND CONCURRENT ARRANGEMENTS
Authors: Glover Ashley C. , Roane Henry S. , Kadey Heather J. , Grow Laura L.
Published: December 2008

Progressive‐ratio (PR) schedules were used to identify the break point (i.e., the last schedule value completed) for 2 reinforcers under single and concurrent schedules. After the respective break points were established, the same reinforcers were presented under concurrent fixed‐ratio (FR) schedules that were yoked to the break points obtained with the PR schedules. Results suggested that the participants responded more for the high‐preference item than for the low‐preference item, regardless of the presentation arrangement (single or concurrent presentations). This pattern of responding was maintained when the reinforcers were presented under dissimilar FR schedules. The results suggest that responding for differentially preferred stimuli may vary as a function of differences in schedule requirements.
EVALUATION OF ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE REINFORCER VALUE USING PROGRESSIVE‐RATIO SCHEDULES
Authors: Francisco Monica T. , Borrero John C. , Sy Jolene R.
Published: December 2008

We evaluated behavior exhibited by individuals with developmental disabilities using progressive‐ratio (PR) schedules. High‐ and low‐preference stimuli were determined based on the results of a paired‐stimulus preference assessment and were evaluated in subsequent reinforcer and PR assessments using concurrent and single schedules of presentation. In Experiment 1, results showed that for 2 of 3 participants, stimuli determined to be low‐preference functioned as reinforcers when evaluated independent of high‐preference stimuli. Further, the results from Experiment 2 showed that low‐preference stimuli also functioned as reinforcers under gradually increasing PR requirements. Results suggest that for cases in which a high‐preference stimulus is unavailable or impractical, the contingent delivery of relatively less preferred stimuli may maintain appropriate behavior, even as schedule requirements increase.
REINFORCEMENT MAGNITUDE: AN EVALUATION OF PREFERENCE AND REINFORCER EFFICACY
Authors: Trosclair‐Lasserre Nicole M. , Lerman Dorothea C. , Call Nathan A. , Addison Laura R. , Kodak Tiffany
Published: December 2008

Consideration of reinforcer magnitude may be important for maximizing the efficacy of treatment for problem behavior. Nonetheless, relatively little is known about children's preferences for different magnitudes of social reinforcement or the extent to which preference is related to differences in reinforcer efficacy. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the relations among reinforcer magnitude, preference, and efficacy by drawing on the procedures and results of basic experimentation in this area. Three children who engaged in problem behavior that was maintained by social positive reinforcement (attention, access to tangible items) participated. Results indicated that preference for different magnitudes of social reinforcement may predict reinforcer efficacy and that magnitude effects may be mediated by the schedule requirement.
REINFORCING EFFICACY OF INTERACTIONS WITH PREFERRED AND NONPREFERRED STAFF UNDER PROGRESSIVE‐RATIO SCHEDULES
Authors: Jerome Jared , Sturmey Peter
Published: December 2008

Research has not systematically assessed and validated preferences for staff in adults with developmental disabilities. Three adults with developmental disabilities (aged 32 to 43 years) identified preferred and nonpreferred staff using verbal and pictorial preference assessments. During break‐point analyses with progressive‐ratio schedules, all 3 had higher break points when working for positive social interaction with their preferred staff mamber than with their nonpreferred staff member.
USING JOINT ACTIVITY SCHEDULES TO PROMOTE PEER ENGAGEMENT IN PRESCHOOLERS WITH AUTISM
Authors: Betz Alison , Higbee Thomas S. , Reagon Kara A.
Published: December 2008

We assessed the use of a joint activity schedule to increase peer engagement for preschoolers with autism. We taught 3 dyads of preschoolers with autism to follow joint activity schedules that cued both members of the pair to play a sequence of interactive games together. Results indicated that joint activity schedules increased peer engagement and the number of games completed for all dyads. Schedule following was maintained without additional prompting when activities were resequenced and when new games were introduced for 2 of the 3 dyads.
FURTHER EVALUATION OF A BRIEF, INTENSIVE TEACHER‐TRAINING MODEL
Authors: Lerman Dorothea C. , Tetreault Allison , Hovanetz Alyson , Strobel Margaret , Garro Joanie
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to further evaluate the outcomes of a model program that was designed to train current teachers of children with autism. Nine certified special education teachers participating in an intensive 5‐day summer training program were taught a relatively large number of specific skills in two areas (preference assessment and direct teaching). The teachers met the mastery criteria for all of the skills during the summer training. Follow‐up observations up to 6 months after training suggested that the skills generalized to their classrooms and were maintained for most teachers with brief feedback only.
EVALUATION OF AN EFFICIENT METHOD FOR TRAINING STAFF TO IMPLEMENT STIMULUS PREFERENCE ASSESSMENTS
Authors: Roscoe Eileen M. , Fisher Wayne W.
Published: December 2008

We used a brief training procedure that incorporated feedback and role‐play practice to train staff members to conduct stimulus preference assessments, and we used group‐comparison methods to evaluate the effects of training. Staff members were trained to implement the multiple‐stimulus‐without‐replacement assessment in a single session and the paired‐stimulus method in another single session. In all 16 cases (2 assessments for 8 trainees), correct responding increased to over 80% accuracy; in 14 of those 16 cases, it increased to over 90% accuracy. Thus, training produced mastery‐level performance in a single training session in almost all cases.
USING A STIMULUS CORRELATED WITH REPRIMANDS TO SUPPRESS AUTOMATICALLY MAINTAINED EYE POKING
Authors: McKenzie Scott D. , Smith Richard G. , Simmons Jason N. , Soderlund Michael J.
Published: December 2008

A functional analysis indicated that chronic eye poking exhibited by a woman with profound mental retardation persisted in the absence of social contingencies. We initiated a procedure in which a therapist delivered a punisher (mild reprimand) contingent on eye poking in the presence, but not the absence, of a neutral stimulus (wristbands). Subsequently, eye poking was suppressed when the participant wore the wristbands in novel environments without the reprimand contingency.
USING CHOICE TO INCREASE ON‐TASK BEHAVIOR IN INDIVIDUALS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
Authors: Tasky Kim K. , Rudrud Eric H. , Schulze Kimberly A. , Rapp John T.
Published: December 2008

An ABA′B design was used to evaluate the effects of choice on task engagement for 3 adults who had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. A yoked‐control condition, in which tasks that were selected by each participant were assigned subsequently to that participant by a trainer, was implemented to help distinguish between the effects of task preference and choice. The results for all 3 participants indicated that permitting individuals to choose from a list of tasks increased on‐task behavior.
TEACHING PRESCHOOL CHILDREN TO AVOID POISON HAZARDS
Authors: Dancho Kelly A. , Thompson Rachel H. , Rhoades Melissa M.
Published: December 2008

We evaluated the effectiveness of group safety training and in situ feedback and response interruption to teach preschool children to avoid consuming potentially hazardous substances. Three children ingested ambiguous substances during a baited baseline assessment condition and continued to ingest these substances following group safety training. In situ feedback and response interruption resulted in a decrease in opening ambiguous containers; this decrease was maintained when ambiguous novel containers were presented and when assessments occurred in a novel setting and with a novel experimenter. For 2 children, these gains were also maintained during a brief follow‐up period. Twelve children did not ingest ambiguous substances prior to training, and group safety training did not evoke inappropriate ingestion.
INCREASING ACTIVITY ATTENDANCE AND ENGAGEMENT IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DEMENTIA USING DESCRIPTIVE PROMPTS
Authors: Brenske Shasta , Rudrud Eric H. , Schulze Kimberly A. , Rapp John T.
Published: December 2008

The effects of providing descriptive prompts to increase activity attendance and engagement in 6 individuals with dementia were evaluated using a reversal design. The results showed that providing descriptive prompts increased activity attendance and engagement for all participants. The results support the use of antecedent interventions for increasing appropriate behavior by individuals with dementia.
FIXED‐TIME TEACHER ATTENTION TO DECREASE OFF‐TASK BEHAVIORS OF TYPICALLY DEVELOPING THIRD GRADERS
Authors: Austin Jennifer L. , Soeda Jennifer M.
Published: December 2008

Evidence to validate the use of fixed‐time (FT) reinforcer delivery (i.e., noncontingent reinforcement) with typically developing populations has been relatively rare in the behavioral literature. In those studies that have provided validation, reinforcer delivery schedules appeared to be prohibitively dense for sustained implementation of procedures. This study demonstrated the efficacy of using FT reinforcer delivery to reduce off‐task behavior of 2 typically developing third graders using a teacher‐selected schedule (FT 4 min). Immediate reductions in off‐task behavior were observed for both children. Challenges in identifying the operative mechanism of FT schedules in natural settings are discussed.
AN ANALYSIS OF VOCAL STEREOTYPY AND THERAPIST FADING
Authors: Athens Elizabeth S. , Vollmer Timothy R. , Sloman Kimberly N. , Pipkin Claire St. Peter
Published: December 2008

A functional analysis for a boy with Down syndrome and autism suggested that vocal stereotypy was maintained by automatic reinforcement. The analysis also showed that instructions and noncontingent attention suppressed vocal stereotypy. A treatment package consisting of noncontingent attention, contingent demands, and response cost effectively reduced vocal stereotypy. The treatment package remained effective even when noncontingent attention was removed, making the procedure easier to implement. Also, the presence of the therapist in the room with the participant was faded systematically. After completion of fading, vocal stereotypy remained low during conditions similar to the no‐consequence phase of the functional analysis.
DEVELOPING STIMULUS CONTROL OF YOUNG CHILDREN'S REQUESTS TO TEACHERS: CLASSWIDE APPLICATIONS OF MULTIPLE SCHEDULES
Authors: Cammilleri Anthony P. , Tiger Jeffrey H. , Hanley Gregory P.
Published: December 2008

Children may recruit their teachers' attention at undesirably high rates or at inconvenient times. Tiger and Hanley (2004) described a multiple‐schedule procedure to reduce ill‐timed requests, which involved providing children with two distinct continuous signals that were correlated with periods in which teacher attention was either available or unavailable. The current study extended the application of multiple schedules by evaluating the effectiveness of the procedure when implemented by private‐school teachers in 3 elementary classrooms. Following the introduction of the multiple schedules, student approaches toward their teacher were maintained during desirable periods but were minimized during undesirable periods.
RELATIONAL LEARNING IN CHILDREN WITH DEAFNESS AND COCHLEAR IMPLANTS
Authors: Almeida‐Verdu Ana Claudia , Huziwara Edson M. , De Souza Deisy G. , De Rose Julio C. , Bevilacqua Maria Cecilia , Lopes Jair , Alves Cristiane O. , McIlvane William J.
Published: December 2008

This four‐experiment series sought to evaluate the potential of children with neurosensory deafness and cochlear implants to exhibit auditory‐visual and visual‐visual stimulus equivalence relations within a matching‐to‐sample format. Twelve children who became deaf prior to acquiring language (prelingual) and four who became deaf afterwards (postlingual) were studied. All children learned auditory‐visual conditional discriminations and nearly all showed emergent equivalence relations. Naming tests, conducted with a subset of the children, showed no consistent relationship to the equivalence‐test outcomes. This study makes several contributions to the literature on stimulus equivalence. First, it demonstrates that both pre‐ and postlingually deaf children can acquire auditory‐visual equivalence relations after cochlear implantation, thus demonstrating symbolic functioning. Second, it directs attention to a population that may be especially interesting for researchers seeking to analyze the relationship between speaker and listener repertoires. Third, it demonstrates the feasibility of conducting experimental studies of stimulus control processes within the limitations of a hospital, which these children must visit routinely for the maintenance of their cochlear implants.
COMBINATIONS OF RESPONSE‐DEPENDENT AND RESPONSE‐INDEPENDENT SCHEDULE‐CORRELATED STIMULUS PRESENTATION IN AN OBSERVING PROCEDURE
Authors: DeFulio Anthony , Hackenberg Timothy D.
Published: December 2008

Pigeons pecked a response key on a variable‐interval (VI) schedule, in which responses produced food every 40 s, on average. These VI periods, or components, alternated in irregular fashion with extinction components in which food was unavailable. Pecks on a second (observing) key briefly produced exteroceptive stimuli (houselight flashes) correlated with the component schedule currently in effect. Across conditions within a phase, the dependency between observing and presentation of the stimuli was decreased systematically while the density of stimulus presentation was held constant. Across phases, the proportion of session time spent in the VI component was adjusted from 0.5 to 0.25, and then to 0.75. Results indicate that rate of observing decreased as the dependency between responses and stimulus presentations was decreased. Further, discriminative control by the schedule‐correlated stimuli was systematically weakened as dependency was decreased. Increasing the proportion of session time spent in VI decreased the rate of observing. This effect was additive with the manipulation of the dependency between observing and presentation of the stimuli. Overall, these results show that conditioned reinforcers function similarly to unconditioned reinforcers with respect to response‐consequence dependencies, and that stimulus control is enhanced under conditions in which the relevant stimuli are produced by an organism's behavior.
The Epidemic of Pediatric Traffic Injuries in South Florida: A Review of the Problem and Initial Results of a Prospective Surveillance Strategy
Authors: Hameed S. Morad , Popkin Charles A. , Cohn Stephen M. , Johnson E. William ,   the Miami Pediatric Traffic Injury Task Force
Published: December 2008

This study identified specific regional risk factors for the high rate of pediatric pedestrian trauma in Florida. Of the 29 cases studied prospectively, 3 (10%) occurred near ice cream trucks and 13 (45%) involved “dart-outs”; mean hospital charges were $24 478 ±$43 939. Recommendations included an engineering change for a dangerous intersection, and a population-based recommendation was to equip ice cream trucks with extending stop signs.
Flood regimes in the Southern Caucasus: the influence of precipitation on mean annual floods and frequency curves
Authors: Sutcliffe J. V. , Farquharson F. A. K. , Tate E. L. , Folwell S. S.
Published: December 2008

Relations between mean annual flood estimates and basin area and precipitation, as well as dimensionless flood frequency curves, have been derived from a number of groups of gauging stations in the southern Caucasus. Total precipitation and its seasonal distribution are extremely variable at this location. The importance of antecedent soil moisture deficit (closely linked to the seasonal distribution of precipitation) in determining the shape of flood frequency curves is discussed through previous empirical studies and recent sensitivity analyses. The varying shape of regional curves from the southern Caucasus is related to the variations in soil moisture deficit.
Seasonal groundwater storage anomaly and vadose zone soil moisture as indicators of precipitation recharge in the piedmont region of Taihang Mountain, North China Plain
Authors: Han Shumin , Yang Yonghui , Lei Yuping , Tang Changyuan , Moiwo Juana P.
Published: December 2008

Precipitation has been recognized as one of the most important sources of groundwater recharge in the piedmont region of Taihang Mountain, North China Plain. However, a number of recent studies suggest the possibility of precipitation recharge in this region. This is because evapotranspiration from the intensive irrigated farming is several orders of magnitude of the annual precipitation. To reappraise potential precipitation recharge in the region, observed changes in seasonal groundwater storage and soil moisture of three soil core samples (each exceeding 10 m deep) from a large soil-probe machine were analysed. Our analysis showed that groundwater storage in the winter/dry season (in the piedmont region) is influenced mainly by lateral recharge and the amount of precipitation in the preceding year. In the summer/rainy seasons, groundwater storage differs with precipitation year. With the exception of extraordinary rainstorm years (e.g. 1996 after the storm with 30 year return period), precipitation recharge is not apparent. Soil field capacity analysis also revealed a possibility of precipitation recharge, with a wide margin between actual soil moisture and soil moisture content at field capacity. Precipitation recharge is only feasible when a single or successive precipitation is in excess of the minima (170 mm), a very rare condition in the piedmont region, where precipitation is easily depleted by the water-scavenging field crops, which cover two-thirds of the total land area.
The effect of climate change on design floods of high hazard dams in Finland
Authors: Veijalainen Noora , Vehviläinen Bertel
Published: December 2008

The effects of climate change on design floods of high hazard dams were studied in Finland. Design floods were calculated with model simulation methods where design precipitation was combined with 40 years of weather data. The combination of design precipitation and baseline weather that produced the largest flood was researched and this flood was used as the design flood of the dam with a return period of 5,000–10,000 years. Design floods were first simulated for the baseline period (1961–2000) and for a future period (2070–2100) and these two floods were compared. The baseline temperatures and precipitations were changed with delta-change approach using five climate scenarios for 2070–2100 and the design precipitation was changed according to two projections. Of the 34 dams included in this study, the effect of climate change varied depending on the location of the dam, the type of the basin and the primary cause of the flood. In northern Finland, where the simulated design floods were mainly caused by spring snowmelt, the design floods did not change significantly. In southern and western Finland, the design floods were mostly summer floods which increased mainly due to the increase in the design precipitation.
Thin-Film Heat Flux Sensor for Measuring the Film Coefficient of Rubber Components of a Rolling Tire
Authors: Assaad M. C. , Kimble B. , Huang Y.-M. , Burgan R. , Fralick G. C. , Wrbanek J. D. , Gonzalez J. M.
Published: December 2008

Heat flux is one of a number of parameters, together with pressure, temperature, flow, etc., of interest to tire engineers, engine designers and fluid dynamicists. The ability to measure heat flux magnitude and direction was incorporated into a resistance bridge design fabricated using thin-film techniques to allow fast response. The result is a sensor that does not need the large area and stiff packaging required for the thermopile design, nor does it have a low output, but has nearly as fast response. The development of this sensor offers a new laboratory procedure to establish heat transfer coefficients for different regions of a tire. Testing generated heat transfer coefficients that were within the range reported in the literature, and the numerically predicted temperatures from this data agree well with the experimentally generated values.
Analytical Solution for the Stresses Arising in +/− Angle Ply Belts of Radial Tires
Authors: McGinty R. D. , Rhyne T. B. , Cron S. M.
Published: December 2008

Stresses arising in the belts of radial ply tires, particularly those at the belt edge, are known to be critical to tire durability. Belt edge stresses are commonly calculated using finite element (FE) methods that provide estimates of the levels but do not necessarily give significant insight into the underlying mechanics. In contrast, analytical models can provide physical insight into the mechanisms affecting tire durability but are currently incomplete due to the challenges faced in obtaining closed-form mathematical solutions. Nevertheless, analytical solutions remain important to tire design and development because they can expose the entire design space, show the mathematical relationships between the variables, and allow rapid parameter studies.

This work develops an analytical description of the belt deformations and stresses, particularly at the belt edge. The formulation captures all the first-order mechanics pertinent to finite width, antisymmetric +/− angle belt packages present in radial tires. It incorporates interply shear stresses already recognized in the literature and adds to that a new mechanism controlling the interaction of the plies via a Poisson effect. The analytical model is validated by comparison to FE simulations and is also contrasted with a classical analytical model in the literature. The design space for the belt composite is then explored by parameter variation. Finally, since all these solutions depend on homogenization of the belt layers, the analytical solution is compared to a FE model of discrete cables embedded in rubber to explore the accuracy of the homogenization step.
Examination of synovial fluid hyaluronan quantity and quality in stifle joints of dogs with osteoarthritis
Authors: Venable Rachel O. , Stoker Aaron M. , Cook Cristi R. , Cockrell Mary K. , Cook James L.
Published: December 2008

Objective—To determine the quantity (concentration) and quality (molecular weight) of synovial fluid hyaluronan with respect to presence and severity of osteoarthritis in stifle joints of dogs.

Animals—21 purpose-bred dogs and 6 clinically affected large-breed dogs (cranial cruciate ligament [CrCL] disease with secondary osteoarthritis).

Procedures—Research dogs underwent arthroscopic surgery in 1 stifle joint to induce osteoarthritis via CrCL transection (CrCLt; n = 5 stifle joints), femoral condylar articular cartilage groove creation (GR; 6), or meniscal release (MR; 5); 5 had sham surgery (SH) performed. Contralateral stifle joints (n = 21) were used as unoperated control joints. Synovial fluid was obtained from research dogs at time 0 and 12 weeks after surgery and from clinically affected dogs prior to surgery. All dogs were assessed for lameness, radiographic signs of osteoarthritis, and pathologic findings on arthroscopy as well as for quantity and quality of hyaluronan.

Results—Clinically affected dogs had significantly greater degrees of pathologic findings, compared with dogs with surgically induced osteoarthritis (ie, those with CrCLt, GR, and MR stifle joints), and with respect to lameness scores, radiographic signs of osteoarthritis, pathologic findings on arthroscopy, and synovial fluid hyaluronan concentration. Synovial fluid from stifle joints of dogs with surgically induced osteoarthritis had hyaluronan bands at 35 kd on western blots that synovial fluid from SH and clinically affected stifle joints did not.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Synovial fluid hyaluronan quantity and quality were altered in stifle joints of dogs with osteoarthritis, compared with control stifle joints. A specific hyaluronan protein fragment may be associated with early pathologic changes in affected joints.
Assessment of a dimethyl sulfoxide–stabilized frozen canine platelet concentrate
Authors: Guillaumin Julien , Jandrey Karl E. , Norris Jeffrey W. , Tablin Fern
Published: December 2008

Objective—To assess platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), metabolic characteristics, and platelet function in a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)–stabilized canine frozen platelet concentrate (PC).

Sample Population—11 units of a commercial frozen PC in 6% DMSO and fresh plateletrich plasma from 6 healthy control dogs.

Procedures—PCs were thawed, and the following data were collected: thaw time, platelet count, MPV, pH, PCO2, and PO2 and HCO3−, glucose, and lactate content. Phosphatidylserine translocation was determined by use of flow cytometry. Fresh platelet-rich plasma from healthy dogs served as a source of control platelets for flow cytometric analysis.

Results—At thaw, the platelet count in the frozen PC ranged from 243,000 to 742,000 platelets/μL. Median platelet count of paired samples was 680,000 platelets/μL and decreased significantly to 509,000 platelets/μL at 2 hours after thaw. Median MPV at thaw was 11.15 femtoliters and was stable after 2 hours. Compared with fresh platelets, frozen PC had increased amounts of phosphatidylserine in the outer leaflet of the platelet membrane in the resting (ie, not treated with thrombin) state (19% vs 99%, respectively) and alterations in cellular morphology, all of which were consistent with platelet activation.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results of this in vitro study indicated that there was a decrease in platelet quantity and function as well as an increase in platelet activation during the freeze-and-thaw process in DMSO-stabilized canine frozen PC. In vivo effects on PC remain to be determined.
Risk factors for development of neurologic disease after experimental exposure to equine herpesvirus-1 in horses
Authors: Allen George P.
Published: December 2008

Objective—To identify risk factors associated with development of clinical neurologic signs in horses exposed to equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1).

Animals—36 adult horses.

Procedures—Blood samples collected before and after challenge inoculation with nonneuropathogenic or neuropathogenic EHV-1 were analyzed for leukocyte-associated viremia, serum neutralizing antibody, and EHV-1–specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursors (CTLPs). Associations between variables and neurologic disease and correlations between age category or breed and development of neurologic disease were examined.

Results—9 horses developed CNS signs (ataxia, hind limb paresis or paralysis, bladder atony, or recumbency). Neurologic deficits were correlated with infection by a neuropathogenic strain of EHV-1, age > 20 years, high postexposure viremic load, and low preexposure concentration of CTLPs. No significant correlations were observed between preinfection titers or horse breed and postinfection development of neurologic signs.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Horses with high concentrations of preexisting CTLPs, regardless of age, strain of virus, or titer, were more likely to control the magnitude of postinfection leukocyte-associated viremia and subsequent development of neurologic disease; therefore, CTLPs appear to be a critical requirement for protective immunity against EHV-1–induced myeloencephalopathy. The importance of achieving immunity related to high concentrations of vaccine-induced CTLPs in horses at high risk for exposure to neuropathogenic strains of EHV-1 is indicated.