bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A General Framework for the Analysis of Animal Resource Selection from Telemetry Data
Authors: Johnson Devin S. , Thomas Dana L. , Ver Hoef Jay M. , Christ Aaron
Published: August 2008

SummaryWe propose a general framework for the analysis of animal telemetry data through the use of weighted distributions. It is shown that several interpretations of resource selection functions arise when constructed from the ratio of a use and availability distribution. Through the proposed general framework, several popular resource selection models are shown to be special cases of the general model by making assumptions about animal movement and behavior. The weighted distribution framework is shown to be easily extended to readily account for telemetry data that are highly autocorrelated; as is typical with use of new technology such as global positioning systems animal relocations. An analysis of simulated data using several models constructed within the proposed framework is also presented to illustrate the possible gains from the flexible modeling framework. The proposed model is applied to a brown bear data set from southeast Alaska.
Bayesian Nonparametric Meta‐Analysis Using Polya Tree Mixture Models
Authors: Branscum Adam J. , Hanson Timothy E.
Published: August 2008

SummaryA common goal in meta‐analysis is estimation of a single effect measure using data from several studies that are each designed to address the same scientific inquiry. Because studies are typically conducted in geographically disperse locations, recent developments in the statistical analysis of meta‐analytic data involve the use of random effects models that account for study‐to‐study variability attributable to differences in environments, demographics, genetics, and other sources that lead to heterogeneity in populations. Stemming from asymptotic theory, study‐specific summary statistics are modeled according to normal distributions with means representing latent true effect measures. A parametric approach subsequently models these latent measures using a normal distribution, which is strictly a convenient modeling assumption absent of theoretical justification. To eliminate the influence of overly restrictive parametric models on inferences, we consider a broader class of random effects distributions. We develop a novel hierarchical Bayesian nonparametric Polya tree mixture (PTM) model. We present methodology for testing the PTM versus a normal random effects model. These methods provide researchers a straightforward approach for conducting a sensitivity analysis of the normality assumption for random effects. An application involving meta‐analysis of epidemiologic studies designed to characterize the association between alcohol consumption and breast cancer is presented, which together with results from simulated data highlight the performance of PTMs in the presence of nonnormality of effect measures in the source population.
Bounds on Direct Effects in the Presence of Confounded Intermediate Variables
Authors: Cai Zhihong , Kuroki Manabu , Pearl Judea , Tian Jin
Published: August 2008

Summary This article considers the problem of estimating the average controlled direct effect (ACDE) of a treatment on an outcome, in the presence of unmeasured confounders between an intermediate variable and the outcome. Such confounders render the direct effect unidentifiable even in cases where the total effect is unconfounded (hence identifiable). Kaufman et al. (2005, Statistics in Medicine24, 1683–1702) applied a linear programming software to find the minimum and maximum possible values of the ACDE for specific numerical data. In this article, we apply the symbolic Balke–Pearl (1997, Journal of the American Statistical Association92, 1171–1176) linear programming method to derive closed‐form formulas for the upper and lower bounds on the ACDE under various assumptions of monotonicity. These universal bounds enable clinical experimenters to assess the direct effect of treatment from observed data with minimum computational effort, and they further shed light on the sign of the direct effect and the accuracy of the assessments.
Tests and Diagnostic Plots for Detecting Lack‐of‐Fit for Circular‐Linear Regression Models
Authors: Deschepper E. , Thas O. , Ottoy J. P.
Published: August 2008

Summary Regression diagnostics and lack‐of‐fit tests mainly focus on linear‐‐linear regression models. When the design points are distributed on the circumference of a circle, difficulties arise as there is no natural starting point or origin. Most classical lack‐of‐fit tests require an arbitrarily chosen origin, but different choices may result in different conclusions. We propose a graphical diagnostic tool and a closely related lack‐of‐fit test, which does not require a natural starting point. The method is based on regional residuals which are defined on arcs of the circle. The graphical method formally locates and visualizes subsets of poorly fitting observations on the circle. A data example from the food technology is used to point out the before‐mentioned problems with conventional lack‐of‐fit tests and to illustrate the strength of the methodology based on regional residuals in detecting and localizing departures from the no‐effect hypothesis. A small simulation study shows a good performance of the regional residual test in case of both global and local deviations from the null model. Finally, the ideas are extended to the case of more than one predictor variable.
Bayesian Optimal Design for Phase II Screening Trials
Authors: Ding Meichun , Rosner Gary L. , Müller Peter
Published: August 2008

Summary Most phase II screening designs available in the literature consider one treatment at a time. Each study is considered in isolation. We propose a more systematic decision‐making approach to the phase II screening process. The sequential design allows for more efficiency and greater learning about treatments. The approach incorporates a Bayesian hierarchical model that allows combining information across several related studies in a formal way and improves estimation in small data sets by borrowing strength from other treatments. The design incorporates a utility function that includes sampling costs and possible future payoff. Computer simulations show that this method has high probability of discarding treatments with low success rates and moving treatments with high success rates to phase III trial.
A Joint Model for Longitudinal Measurements and Survival Data in the Presence of Multiple Failure Types
Authors: Elashoff Robert M. , Li Gang , Li Ning
Published: August 2008

SummaryIn this article we study a joint model for longitudinal measurements and competing risks survival data. Our joint model provides a flexible approach to handle possible nonignorable missing data in the longitudinal measurements due to dropout. It is also an extension of previous joint models with a single failure type, offering a possible way to model informatively censored events as a competing risk. Our model consists of a linear mixed effects submodel for the longitudinal outcome and a proportional cause‐specific hazards frailty submodel (Prentice et al., 1978,Biometrics34,541–554) for the competing risks survival data, linked together by some latent random effects. We propose to obtain the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters by an expectation maximization (EM) algorithm and estimate their standard errors using a profile likelihood method. The developed method works well in our simulation studies and is applied to a clinical trial for the scleroderma lung disease.
Exploiting Gene‐Environment Independence for Analysis of Case–Control Studies: An Empirical Bayes‐Type Shrinkage Estimator to Trade‐Off between Bias and Efficiency
Authors: Mukherjee Bhramar , Chatterjee Nilanjan
Published: August 2008

SummaryStandard prospective logistic regression analysis of case–control data often leads to very imprecise estimates of gene‐environment interactions due to small numbers of cases or controls in cells of crossing genotype and exposure. In contrast, under the assumption of gene‐environment independence, modern “retrospective” methods, including the “case‐only” approach, can estimate the interaction parameters much more precisely, but they can be seriously biased when the underlying assumption of gene‐environment independence is violated. In this article, we propose a novel empirical Bayes‐type shrinkage estimator to analyze case–control data that can relax the gene‐environment independence assumption in a data‐adaptive fashion. In the special case, involving a binary gene and a binary exposure, the method leads to an estimator of the interaction log odds ratio parameter in a simple closed form that corresponds to an weighted average of the standard case‐only and case–control estimators. We also describe a general approach for deriving the new shrinkage estimator and its variance within the retrospective maximum‐likelihood framework developed byChatterjee and Carroll(2005,Biometrika92,399–418). Both simulated and real data examples suggest that the proposed estimator strikes a balance between bias and efficiency depending on the true nature of the gene‐environment association and the sample size for a given study.
Analysis of Longitudinal Data in the Presence of Informative Observational Times and a Dependent Terminal Event, with Application to Medical Cost Data
Authors: Liu Lei , Huang Xuelin , O'Quigley John
Published: August 2008

SummaryIn longitudinal observational studies, repeated measures are often taken at informative observation times. Also, there may exist a dependent terminal event such as death that stops the follow‐up. For example, patients in poorer health are more likely to seek medical treatment and their medical cost for each visit tends to be higher. They are also subject to a higher mortality rate. In this article, we propose a random effects model of repeated measures in the presence of both informative observation times and a dependent terminal event. Three submodels are used, respectively, for (1) the intensity of recurrent observation times, (2) the amount of repeated measure at each observation time, and (3) the hazard of death. Correlated random effects are incorporated to join the three submodels. The estimation can be conveniently accomplished by Gaussian quadrature techniques, e.g.,SAS Proc NLMIXED. An analysis of the cost‐accrual process of chronic heart failure patients from the clinical data repository at the University of Virginia Health System is presented to illustrate the proposed method.
Variable Selection in Penalized Model‐Based Clustering Via Regularization on Grouped Parameters
Authors: Xie Benhuai , Pan Wei , Shen Xiaotong
Published: August 2008

SummaryPenalized model‐based clustering has been proposed for high‐dimensional but small sample‐sized data, such as arising from genomic studies; in particular, it can be used for variable selection. A new regularization scheme is proposed to group together multiple parameters of the same variable across clusters, which is shown both analytically and numerically to be more effective than the conventionalL1penalty for variable selection. In addition, we develop a strategy to combine this grouping scheme with grouping structured variables. Simulation studies and applications to microarray gene expression data for cancer subtype discovery demonstrate the advantage of the new proposal over several existing approaches.
Modeling Longitudinal Spatial Periodontal Data: A Spatially Adaptive Model with Tools for Specifying Priors and Checking Fit
Authors: Reich Brian J. , Hodges James S.
Published: August 2008

Summary Attachment loss (AL), the distance down a tooth's root that is no longer attached to surrounding bone by periodontal ligament, is a common measure of periodontal disease. In this article, we develop a spatiotemporal model to monitor the progression of AL. Our model is an extension of the conditionally autoregressive (CAR) prior, which spatially smooths estimates toward their neighbors. However, because AL often exhibits a burst of large values in space and time, we develop a nonstationary spatiotemporal CAR model that allows the degree of spatial and temporal smoothing to vary in different regions of the mouth. To do this, we assign each AL measurement site its own set of variance parameters and spatially smooth the variances with spatial priors. We propose a heuristic to measure the complexity of the site‐specific variances, and use it to select priors that ensure parameters in the model are well identified. In data from a clinical trial, this model improves the fit compared to the usual dynamic CAR model for 90 of 99 patients' AL measurements.
The Sign of the Bias of Unmeasured Confounding
Authors: VanderWeele Tyler J.
Published: August 2008

Summary Unmeasured confounding variables are a common problem in drawing causal inferences in observational studies. A theorem is given which in certain circumstances allows the researcher to draw conclusions about the sign of the bias of unmeasured confounding. Specifically, it is possible to determine the sign of the bias when monotonicity relationships hold between the unmeasured confounding variable and the treatment, and between the unmeasured confounding variable and the outcome. Some discussion is given to the conditions under which the theorem applies and the strengths and limitations of using the theorem to assess the sign of the bias of unmeasured confounding.
Stepwise Confidence Intervals for Monotone Dose–Response Studies
Authors: Peng Jianan , Lee Chu‐In Charles , Davis Karelyn A. , Wang Weizhen
Published: August 2008

SummaryIn dose–response studies, one of the most important issues is the identification of the minimum effective dose (MED), where the MED is defined as the lowest dose such that the mean response is better than the mean response of a zero‐dose control by a clinically significant difference. Dose–response curves are sometimes monotonic in nature. To find the MED, various authors have proposed step‐down test procedures based on contrasts among the sample means. In this article, we improve upon the method ofMarcus and Peritz(1976,Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B38, 157–165) and implement the dose–response method ofHsu and Berger(1999,Journal of the American Statistical Association94, 468–482) to construct the lower confidence bound for the difference between the mean response of any nonzero‐dose level and that of the control under the monotonicity assumption to identify the MED. The proposed method is illustrated by numerical examples, and simulation studies on power comparisons are presented.
Order‐Preserving Dimension Reduction Procedure for the Dominance of Two Mean Curves with Application to Tidal Volume Curves
Authors: Lee Sang Han , Lim Johan , Vannucci Marina , Petkova Eva , Preter Maurice , Klein Donald F.
Published: August 2008

Summary The paper here presented was motivated by a case study involving high‐dimensional and high‐frequency tidal volume traces measured during induced panic attacks. The focus was to develop a procedure to determine the significance of whether a mean curve dominates another one. The key idea of the suggested method relies on preserving the order in mean while reducing the dimension of the data. The observed data matrix is projected onto a set of lower rank matrices with a positive constraint. A multivariate testing procedure is then applied in the lower dimension. We use simulated data to illustrate the statistical properties of the proposed testing procedure. Results on the case study confirm the preliminary hypothesis of the investigators and provide critical support to their overall goal of creating an experimental model of the clinical panic attack in normal subjects.
Comparing Treatments in the Presence of Crossing Survival Curves: An Application to Bone Marrow Transplantation
Authors: Logan Brent R. , Klein John P. , Zhang Mei‐Jie
Published: August 2008

SummaryIn some clinical studies comparing treatments in terms of their survival curves, researchers may anticipate that the survival curves will cross at some point, leading to interest in a long‐term survival comparison. However, simple comparison of the survival curves at a fixed point may be inefficient, and use of a weighted log‐rank test may be overly sensitive to early differences in survival. We formulate the problem as one of testing for differences in survival curves after a prespecified time point, and propose a variety of techniques for testing this hypothesis. We study these methods using simulation and illustrate them on a study comparing survival for autologous and allogeneic bone marrow transplants.
Improving Efficiency of Inferences in Randomized Clinical Trials Using Auxiliary Covariates
Authors: Zhang Min , Tsiatis Anastasios A. , Davidian Marie
Published: August 2008

Summary The primary goal of a randomized clinical trial is to make comparisons among two or more treatments. For example, in a two‐arm trial with continuous response, the focus may be on the difference in treatment means; with more than two treatments, the comparison may be based on pairwise differences. With binary outcomes, pairwise odds ratios or log odds ratios may be used. In general, comparisons may be based on meaningful parameters in a relevant statistical model. Standard analyses for estimation and testing in this context typically are based on the data collected on response and treatment assignment only. In many trials, auxiliary baseline covariate information may also be available, and it is of interest to exploit these data to improve the efficiency of inferences. Taking a semiparametric theory perspective, we propose a broadly applicable approach to adjustment for auxiliary covariates to achieve more efficient estimators and tests for treatment parameters in the analysis of randomized clinical trials. Simulations and applications demonstrate the performance of the methods.
A KPSS Test for Stationarity for Spatial Point Processes
Authors: Guan Yongtao
Published: August 2008

SummaryWe propose a formal method to test stationarity for spatial point processes. The proposed test statistic is based on the integrated squared deviations of observed counts of events from their means estimated under stationarity. We show that the resulting test statistic converges in distribution to a functional of a two‐dimensional Brownian motion. To conduct the test, we compare the calculated statistic with the upper tail critical values of this functional. Our method requires only a weak dependence condition on the process but does not assume any parametric model for it. As a result, it can be applied to a wide class of spatial point process models. We study the efficacy of the test through both simulations and applications to two real data examples that were previously suspected to be nonstationary based on graphical evidence. Our test formally confirmed the suspected nonstationarity for both data.
A Note on Sliced Inverse Regression with Regularizations
Authors: Bernard‐Michel C. , Gardes L. , Girard S.
Published: August 2008

Summary In Li and Yin (2008, Biometrics64, 124–131), a ridge SIR estimator is introduced as the solution of a minimization problem and computed thanks to an alternating least‐squares algorithm. This methodology reveals good performance in practice. In this note, we focus on the theoretical properties of the estimator. It is shown that the minimization problem is degenerated in the sense that only two situations can occur: Either the ridge SIR estimator does not exist or it is zero.
The Statistical Analysis of Recurrent Events by COOK, R. J. and LAWLESS, J. F.
Authors: Huang Chiung‐Yu , Luo Xianghua
Published: August 2008

The Statistical Analysis of Recurrent Events

(R. J. Cook and J. F. Lawless)     Chiung‐Yu Huang and Xianghua Luo

Introduction to Empirical Processes and Semiparametric Inference

(M. R. Kosorok)     Changyong Feng

Uncertain Judgements: Eliciting Experts' Probabilities

(A. O'Hagan, C. E. Buck, A. Daneshkhah, J. R. Eiser, P. H. Garthwaite, D. J. Jenkinson, J. E. Oakley, and T. Rakow)     James M. Dickey

Models for Intensive Longitudinal Data

(T. A. Walls and J. L. Schafer, editors)     Daniel Farewell

Quantitative Environmental Risk Analysis for Human Health

(R. A. Fjeld, N. A. Eisenberg, and K. L. Compton)     Scott M. Bartell

Reliable Reasoning: Induction and Statistical Learning Theory

(G. Harman and S. Kulkarni)     Oliver Schulte

Modeling Infectious Diseases in Humans and Animals

(M. J. Keeling and P. Rohani)     Carol Y. Lin

Cluster and Classification Techniques for the Biosciences

(A. H. Fielding)     Morven Leese

Modern Applied U‐Statistics

(J. Kowalski and X. M. Tu)     Jesse Frey

Handbook of Statistical Genetics, 3rd edition

(D. J. Balding, M. Bishop, and C. Cannings, editors)     Karin Bammann, Ronja Foraita, Frauke Günther

Quality of Life: The Assessment, Analysis, and Interpretation of Patient‐Reported Outcomes, 2nd edition

(P. M. Fayers and D. Machin)     Jeff A. Sloan, Amylou Dueck, Rui Qin, Wenting Wu, Pamela J. Atherton, Paul Novotny, Heshan Liu, Kelli N. Burger, Angelina D. Tan, Daniel Szydlo, Victor M. Johnson, Sara J. Felten, Xinghua Zhao, and Brent Diekmann

Advanced Distance Sampling: Estimating Abundance of Biological Populations

(S. T. Buckland, D. R. Anderson, K. P. Burnham, J. L. Laake, C. L. Borchers, and L. Thomas)     Carl James Schwarz

Brief Reports by the Editor

The Construction of Optimal Stated Choice Experiments: Theory and Methods

(D. J. Street and L. Burgess)

Design and Analysis of Experiments, Volume 1: Introduction to Experimental Design, 2nd edition

(K. Hinkelmann and O. Kempthorne)

Introduction to Bayesian Statistics, 2nd edition

(W. M. Bolstad)

Asymptotic Theory of Statistics and Probability

(A. Dasgupta)

Bootstrap Methods: A Guide for Practitioners and Researchers, 2nd edition

(M. R. Chernick)
Foreign Object Damage Phenomenon by Steel Ball Projectiles in a SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composite at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures
Authors: Choi Sung R.
Published: August 2008

Foreign object damage (FOD) phenomenon of a gas‐turbine grade SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) was determined at 25° and 1316°C using impact velocities ranging from 115 to 440 m/s by 1.59‐mm diameter steel ball projectiles. Two types of target‐specimen support were employed at each temperature: fully supported and partially supported. For a given temperature, the degree of impact damage increased with increasing impact velocity, and was greater in partial support than in full support. The elevated‐temperature FOD resistance of the composite, particularly in partial support at higher impact velocities ≥350 m/s, was significantly less than the ambient‐temperature counterpart, attributed to a weakening effect of the composite. In full support, frontal contact stresses played a major role in generating composite damage; whereas, in partial support both frontal contact and backside tensile stresses were combined sources of damage generation. Formation of cone cracks initiating from impact site was also one of the key damage features. The SiC/SiC composite was able to survive higher energy impacts without complete structural failure, as compared with gas‐turbine grade AS800 and SN282 monolithic silicon nitrides.
Thermally Stimulated Relaxation in Fe‐Doped SrTiO3Systems:I. Single Crystals
Authors: Liu Wayne , Randall Clive A.
Published: August 2008

Thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) measurements were carried out on 0.1% and 1% iron (Fe)‐doped SrTiO3crystals to study various effects that are not detected from other electrical characterization methods such as impedance spectroscopy. Using this TSDC technique, the origins of different relaxations in Fe‐doped SrTiO3crystals were identified, and activation energy of the orientated dipole, energy depth of trap site, and trap density in the polarized samples were then estimated from TSDC measurements. From the resulting activation energy of 0.65±0.08 eV of trap charges, these traps are assigned to oxygen vacancy‐iron defect complexes. The high‐temperature peak at temperature ∼190°C is assigned to the relaxation current of oxygen vacancies and the calculated activation energy of 0.91±0.05 eV is in good agreement with the literature data.
Dielectric Abnormities in Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3–MgAl2O4 Composite Ceramics
Authors: Zhang Jingji , Zhai Jiwei , Chou Xiujian , Yao Xi
Published: August 2008

(1−x)Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3–xMgAl2O4 ceramics with x=10, 20, 30, and 40 wt% prepared by the mixed‐oxide route at 1500°C display two crystalline phases, a cubic perovskite structure Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 (BST) and a face‐centered‐cubic spinel structure MgAl2O4 (MA). A significant agglomeration of BST grains is observed with increasing x, accompanying obvious changes in the dielectric response. A dielectric peak with very strong frequency dispersion is observed with high MA content, and exhibits dielectric abnormalities that the Curie temperature initially shifts to a higher temperature and then to a lower temperature with increasing frequency. Through the analysis of activation energies of the relaxation peaks, it is strongly believed that the dielectric abnormities are mainly attributed to the strong response of the grain boundary of agglomerated BST.
Thermally Stimulated Relaxation in Fe‐Doped SrTiO3 Systems: II. Degradation of SrTiO3 Dielectrics
Authors: Liu Wayne , Randall Clive A.
Published: August 2008

Thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) measurements were carried out on degraded SrTiO3 crystals and ceramics to investigate the relationship between depolarization effects and degradation phenomena. Using this technique, the origins of dielectric relaxations in Fe‐doped SrTiO3 crystals and ceramics have been verified; the physical origins of relaxation mechanisms were later linked to the transient leakage behavior of the samples undergoing degradation from oxygen vacancy migration. In the course of degradation in a single crystal system, the migration of oxygen vacancies, , and the build‐up of an internal bias are detected through the TSDC measurements on samples with different degradation levels. Using a curve fitting method, trap charge concentration on the order of 1014 cm−3 is obtained in the single crystal system. Other than those relaxation mechanisms identified in the single crystal system, extra relaxation mechanism was found in the polycrystalline systems and was attributed to the relaxation of oxygen vacancies across grain boundaries. Using the initial rise method, the activation energies estimated for the relaxation of defect dipoles, the in‐grain oxygen vacancies pile up at grain boundaries, and relaxation of oxygen vacancies across grain boundaries are 0.73±0.03, 0.86±0.07, and 1.1±0.09 eV, respectively. An ionic demixing model is applied to account for the evolution of TSDC spectra and to bridge changes to the leakage behavior of the degraded samples. In the case of the polycrystalline system, it is suggested that a strong degradation to the insulation resistance occurs when oxygen vacancies migrate across grain boundaries and start to pile up at the cathode region of metallic electrodes. Before that point, the vacancies accumulate at partial blocking grain boundaries in each of the crystallites.
Current Isolation in Spark Plasma Sintering of Conductive and Nonconductive Ceramics
Authors: Carney Carmen M , Mah Tai‐Il
Published: August 2008

A systematic study of current path in spark plasma sintering was conducted to determine its effect on the sintering of an insulating material. The current, voltage, temperature, and densification characteristics of Al2O3 held under constant pressure in a graphite die were determined. A comparison was made between samples in a graphite die with and without a BN coating. The BN coating prevented the current from flowing through the graphite punches and into the die body so that no indirect heating could occur. When no BN coating was used, the sample densified as expected; however, when a BN coating was used, no heating of the sample was observed. A brief comparison between the use of a BN coating with insulating and conductive samples is made using powders of HfB2–24 vol% SiC as an example.
Intraarticular Lidocaine versus Intravenous Procedural Sedation with Narcotics and Benzodiazepines for Reduction of the Dislocated Shoulder: A Systematic Review
Authors: Fitch Robert Warne , Kuhn John E.
Published: August 2008

Background:  Anterior shoulder dislocations commonly present to the emergency department (ED). The time associated with procedural sedation for the reduction of anterior shoulder dislocations can be lengthy and may require use of additional personnel. Complications associated with intravenous (IV) medications for procedural sedation are well documented.

Objectives:  The aim was to determine if intraarticular lidocaine (IAL) injection is as effective as IV procedural sedation with narcotics and benzodiazepines for reduction of anterior shoulder dislocations.

Methods:  This was a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The authors performed a PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane database search using key words: “shoulder dislocation” and “reduction” and retrieved every RCT published that compared the use of IV sedation to IAL as medication for reduction. Each manuscript was reviewed and the results of each was compared regarding medications used, success of reduction, complications, pain perceived, ease of reduction, and time spent in the ED.

Results:  Six Level 1 RCTs were identified. No studies showed a statistically significant difference in success rate between IAL versus IV sedation. The complication rate was significantly higher in the IV sedation groups (p < 0.001), and the total time spent in the ED was longer for the IV sedation group.

Conclusions:  The use of IAL for reduction of anterior shoulder dislocations should be strongly considered as a first line therapy because it is effective and safe and may potentially reduce time spent in the ED.
Mitigation potential and costs for global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions1
Authors: Beach Robert H. , DeAngelo Benjamin J. , Rose Steven , Li Changsheng , Salas William , DelGrosso Stephen J.
Published: August 2008

Agricultural activities are a substantial contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for about 58% of the world's anthropogenic non‐carbon dioxide GHG emissions and 14% of all anthropogenic GHG emissions, and agriculture is often viewed as a potential source of relatively low‐cost emissions reductions. We estimate the costs of GHG mitigation for 36 world agricultural regions for the 2000–2020 period, taking into account net GHG reductions, yield effects, livestock productivity effects, commodity prices, labor requirements, and capital costs where appropriate. For croplands and rice cultivation, we use biophysical, process‐based models (DAYCENT and DNDC) to capture the net GHG and yield effects of baseline and mitigation scenarios for different world regions. For the livestock sector, we use information from the literature on key mitigation options and apply the mitigation options to emission baselines compiled by EPA.
Costs and benefits of controlling quarantine diseases: a bio‐economic modeling approach
Authors: Breukers Annemarie , Mourits Monique , Werf Wopke van der , Lansink Alfons Oude
Published: August 2008

This article describes a bio‐economic model to quantify the costs and benefits of controlling plant quarantine diseases. The model integrates the epidemiology and economic consequences of a quarantine disease. It allows for ex ante evaluation of control scenarios for their cost‐effectiveness, taking into account potential export losses resulting from presence of the disease. The model is applied to brown rot of potato in the Dutch potato production chain. Simulation results show that under the current (2006) control policy, the average yearly costs of brown rot are 7.7 million euros. Reducing monitoring frequency increases the costs to 12.5 million euros, 60% of which are export losses. It is also shown that, due to potential long‐term effects of a strategy, conclusions on cost‐effectiveness of a strategy depend on the length of the period over which that strategy is observed. These applications illustrate the potential of the bio‐economic model to facilitate the development of cost‐effective and soundly based control policies.
Potential impacts of Bt eggplant on economic surplus and farmers' health in India
Authors: Krishna Vijesh V. , Qaim Matin
Published: August 2008

In this article, the potential impacts of Bt eggplant technology in Indian agriculture are analyzed. Several proprietary Bt hybrids are likely to be commercialized in the near future. Based on field trial data, it is shown that the technology can significantly reduce insecticide applications and increase effective yields. Comprehensive farm‐survey data are used to project farm‐level effects and future adoption rates. Simulations show that the aggregate economic surplus gains of Bt hybrids could be around US$108 million per year. Consumers will capture a large share of these gains, but farmers and the innovating company will benefit too. As the company has also shared its technology with the public sector, Bt open‐pollinated varieties might become available with a certain time lag. This would make the technology more accessible, especially for resource‐poor farmers, entailing further improvements in welfare and distribution effects. The wider implications of the private–public technology transfer are discussed. Furthermore, the potential benefits for farmers' health resulting from reduced insecticide applications are examined, using an econometric model and a cost‐of‐illness approach. These benefits are worth an additional $3–4 million per year, yet they constitute only a small fraction of the technology's environmental and health externalities. More research is needed for comprehensive impact analysis.
A spatial high‐resolution model of the dynamics of agricultural land use
Authors: Flores Luis Ambrosio , Martínez Luis Iglesias , Ferrer Carmen Marín , Gallego Valero Pascual , Bermejo Arturo Serrano
Published: August 2008

An area model is presented for agricultural land use, based on a generalized linear mixed model. This model is spatially explicit and dynamic and, although it uses aggregated data, allows for heterogeneity of behavior among individual farmers. The parameters of the fixed component of the model are obtained using an estimation equations approach, and the structure of spatiotemporal correlation is assessed using empirical semivariograms. The model is illustrated using as an example the dynamics of agricultural land use in the Lower Guadalquivir area in Spain. A simulation study indicates that the model gives poor results if the heterogeneity of individual behavior and spatiotemporal autocorrelation are ignored.
Intracutaneous injection of the macrophage‐activating lipopeptide‐2 (MALP‐2) which accelerates wound healing in mice – a phase I trial in 12 patients
Authors: Niebuhr Margarete , Mühlradt Peter F. , Wittmann Miriam , Kapp Alexander , Werfel Thomas
Published: August 2008

Abstract:  Chronic skin ulcers, such as leg ulcers, pressure sores and diabetic foot ulcers, are a challenge to physicians and medical personnel and a cause of tremendous discomfort and ensuing loss of quality of life to the patients. Wound healing involves production and action of various growth factors. A novel approach, distinct from the application of single growth factors, is the administration of the macrophage stimulator macrophage‐activating lipopeptide‐2 (MALP‐2). The rationale is based on the finding that macrophages are the main source of several growth factors required for wound healing, which are sequentially released during this process. MALP‐2 has previously been shown to be effective in an established animal model with diabetic mice. The purpose of the present phase I study was to establish tolerability of MALP‐2 when applied into small cutaneous wounds in human beings. Twelve patients (six females and six males; mean age 66.8 years; range 52–87 years) with different diagnoses were enrolled into the study. An artificial wound was created with a 2‐mm diameter skin biopsy punch and a volume of 30 μl MALP‐2 (0.125–1 μg) or vehicle control, respectively, was injected intracutaneously into the wound and closed with a water‐resistant transparent adhesive. Photos were taken daily from every patient up to 6 days, and skin biopsies were performed after 1 week from six patients. We could show in the present study for the first time that MALP‐2 caused a transient erythema and was tolerated without any systemic side effects up to a dose of 1 μg per wound in human beings. In healthy as well as in diabetic patients, MALP‐2 induced local inflammation that faded after 48 h. The effectiveness of MALP‐2 in the healing of chronic wounds in humans, e.g. in chronic skin ulcers, such as leg ulcers, pressure sores and diabetic foot ulcers, could now be addressed in further studies.
RESPONSE
Authors: Howe William J. , McIsaac Hugh
Published: August 2008

This is a response to “A Comment on William J. Howe and Hugh McIsaac's Article ‘Finding the Balance’ Published in the January 2008 Issue of Family Court Review.”
CERVICAL CANCER PREVENTION: MANDATING THE HPV VACCINE AS A CONDITION OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
Authors: Aguanno Giuseppe
Published: August 2008

This Note advocates that states require all females entering the sixth grade to be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine Gardasil, as a means of preventing cervical cancer deaths in the United States. States that do pass such a mandate would receive federal funding to help disperse the cost of the expensive three‐dose vaccine, especially to those females most in need. Subject to each individual state's mandate, parents would be allowed to opt their children out of such a mandate for religious, medical, and/or philosophical reasons.
Coining and Defining Novel Nursing Terminology. Part 1: Critical Incident Nursing Diagnosis
Authors: Wong Elizabeth
Published: August 2008

PURPOSE.  In the first of a three‐part series, a novel nursing terminology is introduced and proposed for inclusion in the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) International Classification—Critical incident nursing diagnosis (CIND)—defined as the recognition of an acute life‐threatening event that occurs as a result of disease, surgery, treatment, or medication.

DATA SOURCES.  The literature, research studies, and meta‐analyses from a variety of disciplines, and personal clinical experience serve as the data sources for this article.

DATA SYNTHESIS.  The current nursing diagnoses in the NANDA International Classification are inaccurate or inadequate for describing nursing care during life‐threatening situations. The lack of standardized nursing terminology creates a barrier that may impede critical communication and patient care during life‐threatening situations.

CONCLUSIONS.  Coining and defining a novel nursing terminology, CIND, for patient care during life‐threatening situations are important and fill the gap in the current standardized nursing terminology.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE.  Refining the NANDA International Classification will permit nursing researchers, among others, to conduct studies on nursing diagnoses in conjunction with the proposed novel nursing terminology: CIND. Parts 2 and 3 of this series will propose additional nursing terminology: critical incident nursing intervention and critical incident control, respectively.
Accuracy and Efficiency of Computer‐Aided Nursing Diagnosis
Authors: Kurashima Sachiko , Kobayashi Kuriko , Toyabe Shin‐ichi , Akazawa Kouhei
Published: August 2008

PURPOSE.  This study aims to determine whether a computer‐aided nursing (CAN) diagnosis system improves diagnostic accuracy and efficiency.

METHODS.  A randomized crossover trial was performed using two kinds of case studies with 42 nurses as subjects. The subjects were divided into a group using the CAN diagnosis system and a group using a handbook of nursing diagnosis. Degree of accuracy was judged by using Lunney's seven‐point interval scale, while efficiency was evaluated by time required for diagnosis.

FINDINGS.  There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of diagnostic accuracy; however, time required for diagnosis was significantly shorter for subjects who used the CAN diagnosis system than for those who did not. Multiple regression analysis showed that the use of the CAN diagnosis system was the only factor associated with the time required for making the nursing diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS.  The use of the CAN diagnosis system improved the efficiency of the diagnostic process without reducing the level of accuracy of nursing diagnoses.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.  The use of a computerized system should be a useful tool for implementation of standardized nursing terminologies.
A Validation Study of the Nursing Diagnosis Anxiety in Brazil
Authors: Oliveira Neusa , Chianca Tania , Rassool G. Hussein
Published: August 2008

PURPOSE.  This study aims to validate the nursing diagnosis of anxiety among expert Brazilian nurses and clinicians using NANDA International defining characteristics and to compare the clinical judgments of the experts and the clinicians.

METHOD.  A semistructured questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample of 120 nurses. NANDA International defining characteristics of the Brazilian Portuguese version were used. The analysis of the ratings was based on the framework of the Diagnostic Content Validation model. Brazilian nurses considered the anxiety definition established by NANDA International to be appropriate and experts’ and clinicians’ judgments were similar for both groups of nurses.

FINDINGS.  The results showed that among the 71 characteristics of anxiety, 8 were identified as critical defining characteristics of anxiety (score ≥ 0, 80) by the expert nurses.

CONCLUSIONS.  Brazilian nurses accepted the NANDA International definition for nursing diagnosis of anxiety although some defining characteristics might differ due to cultural differences. Future research could address the limitations of the study and examine validations by both the experts and the clinicians.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE.  The adequate preparation of undergraduate and postgraduate nurses in nursing diagnosis is important in improving the quality of care given to patients.
Qualitative Comparison and Synthesis of Nursing Presence and Caring
Authors: Finfgeld‐Connett Deborah
Published: August 2008

PURPOSE.  To better understand the concepts nursing presence and caring.

METHOD.  Qualitative concept comparison and synthesis.

FINDINGS.  There are substantive similarities and a notable lack of differences among the antecedents, attributes, and outcomes of nursing presence and caring. Presence and caring comprise an intentional therapeutic process that involves expert nursing practice and intimate interpersonal sensitivity. Outcomes of the process are improved mental and physical well‐being among recipients and improved mental well‐being among nurses.

CONCLUSIONS.  Based on the preponderance of references to presence and caring in the nursing literature, it is inferred that they are important concepts, albeit substantively redundant.

IMPLICATIONS.  To decrease confusion, nurses are urged to recognize the synonymous nature of presence and caring. Additional comparative studies are recommended to avoid redundant terminology and to promote clarity within the lexicon of nursing.
Ultrastructural features of the trophonema and oogenesis in the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis (Edwardsiidae)
Authors: Eckelbarger Kevin J. , Hand Cadet , Uhlinger Kevin R.
Published: August 2008

Abstract. The starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis Stephenson 1935, is a burrowing, estuarine species that has become a model organism for fundamental studies of cnidarian and metazoan development. During early oogenesis, oocytes appear in the basal region of the gastrodermis in the reproductive mesenteries and gradually bulge into the adjacent connective tissue space (mesoglea) where the majority of oocyte growth and vitellogenesis occurs. However, oocytes do not physically contact the cellular and amorphous matrix of the mesogleal compartment due to a thin, intervening basal lamina. Oocytes retain limited contact with the basal gastrodermal epithelium via groups of ultrastructurally modified gastrodermal cells called trophocytes. Trophocytes are monociliated accessory cells of somatic origin that collectively form a structure called the trophonema, a unique accessory cell/oocyte association not observed outside the Cnidaria. The trophonema consists of 50–60 trophocytes that maintain contact with <1% of the oocyte surface and forms a circular, bowel‐shaped depression on the luminal surface of the gastrodermis as they sink into the mesoglea with the oocyte. The oocyte remains highly polarized throughout oogenesis with the germinal vesicle positioned near the trophonema and presumably representing the future animal pole of the embryo. Contact between the trophonema and the oocyte is restricted to cell junctions connecting peripheral trophocytes and narrow extensions from the oocyte. Previous studies suggest that the trophonema plays a role in transport of extracellular digestive products from the gastrovascular cavity to the oocyte, and the ultrastructural features described in this study are consistent with that view. Vitellogenesis is described for the first time in a sea anemone. Yolk synthesis involves both autosynthetic and heterosynthetic processes including the biosynthetic activity of the Golgi complex and the uptake of extraoocytic yolk precursors via endocytosis, respectively.
Modeling Interaction of Fluid and Salt in an Aquifer/Lagoon System
Authors: Fujinawa Katsuyuki , Iba Takahiro , Fujihara Yohichi , Watanabe Tsugihiro
Published: August 2008

To simulate the dynamic interaction between a saline lagoon and a ground water system, a numerical model for two‐dimensional, variable‐density, saturated‐unsaturated, and coupled flow and solute transport (saltwater intrusion by finite elements and characteristics [SIFEC]) was modified to allow the volume of water and mass of salt in the lagoon to vary with each time step. The modified SIFEC allows the stage of a lagoon to vary in accordance with a functional relation between the stage and water volume of the lagoon, and also allows the salt concentration of the lagoon to vary in accordance with the salt budget of the lagoon including chemical precipitation and dissolution of salt. The updated stage and salt concentration of the lagoon are in turn used as transient boundary conditions for the coupled flow and solute transport model. The utility of the modified model was demonstrated by applying it to the eastern Mediterranean coastal region of Turkey for assessing impacts of climate change on the subsurface environment under scenarios of sea level rise, increased evaporation, and decreased precipitation.