bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A sacro‐caudal spinal cord choroid plexus papilloma in a shar‐pei dog
Authors: Giannuzzi A. Pasquale , Gernone F. , Ricciardi M. , De Simone A. , Mandara M. Teresa
Published: June 2013

A seven‐year‐old shar‐pei dog was referred because of severe lumbosacral pain and faecal incontinence of 20 days’ duration. Neurological examination was characterised by plegic tail, absence of perineal reflex, dilated anus, perineum and tail analgesia, and severe lumbosacral pain. The neurological clinical signs were suggestive of a selective lesion involving sacral and caudal spinal cord segments and/or related nerve roots. A magnetic resonance imaging of lumbosacral spine was performed and was suggestive of an intradural lesion. Primary or secondary neoplasia was considered as the most probable differential diagnosis. The dog was euthanased upon the owner's request. Histopathological examination confirmed the presence of an intradural‐extramedullary neoplastic tissue enveloping intradural tract of spinal nerve roots. On the basis of histological and immunohistochemical findings, a diagnosis of well‐differentiated choroid plexus papilloma was made. To the authors's knowledge, this is the first case of primary or metastatic spinal choroid plexus papilloma in dogs.
Pulmonary lipoma in a dog
Authors: Lynch S. , Halfacree Z. , Desmas I. , Cahalan S. D. , Keenihan E. K. , Lamb C. R.
Published: June 2013

An eight‐year‐old, neutered, male German short‐haired pointer was presented for a chronic cough and an intrathoracic mass. Computed tomography revealed a mass with low attenuation in the right caudal lung lobe that invaded the principal bronchi. The mass was removed by right caudal and accessory lung lobectomy. The histopathological diagnosis was pulmonary lipoma. The clinical signs resolved following surgery. There was no evidence of recurrence or de novo lesions on computed tomography performed 12 months post‐surgery. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of a pulmonary lipoma in a dog.
Physical characterization of a suite of Buzzard Coulee H4 chondrite fragments
Authors: Fry C. , Melanson D. , Samson C. , McCausland P. J. A. , Herd R. K. , Ernst R. E. , Umoh J. , Holdsworth D. W.
Published: June 2013

On November 20, 2008, the Buzzard Coulee H4 chondrite fell to Earth outside of Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada. Eighteen fresh samples obtained by the National Meteorite Collection of Canada, ranging from 8.80 to 109.14 g, were investigated in this study. Physical properties of the samples were first obtained using a suite of nondestructive techniques. The bulk density (Archimedean bead method: 3.48 ± 0.04 g cm−3; 3‐D laser imaging: 3.46 ± 0.03 g cm−3; micro‐computed tomography: 3.44 ± 0.03 g cm−3), porosity (6.2 ± 0.1%), bulk magnetic susceptibility (log χ: 5.364 ± 0.056 × 10−9 m3 kg−1 at 825 Hz; 5.329 ± 0.052 × 10−9 m3 kg−1 at 19,000 Hz), and other derived magnetic properties (frequency dependence: 8.7 ± 6.2%; degree of anisotropy A%: 22.0 ± 2.0%; ellipsoid shape B%: −18.7 ± 8.7%) are typical of H chondrites. The coefficient of variation associated with the properties measured directly was low (0.10–1.15%), indicating that the samples are homogenous at the interfragment scale. The study then proceeded with detailed analyses at the intrafragment scale. Visual inspection of micro‐computed tomographic images allowed the identification of an anomalous large clast with low metal content in a fragment. Another fragment exhibited macroscopic shock veins that warranted further examination. These fragments were cut and polished thin sections prepared for petrological analysis by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Based on mineralogical and textural similarities with several chondrules, the large clast was interpreted to be a macrochondrule. In a larger context, this study proposes a protocol for the systematic investigation of extraterrestrial material that can be exported to other new meteorite falls and finds, and specimens from sample return mission.
Quantitative trait loci for partial resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Rant Jenni C. , Arraiano Lia S. , Chabannes Matthieu , Brown James K. M.
Published: June 2013

Segregation of partial resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola (Psm) ES4326 was studied in the recombinant inbred population created from accessions (ecotypes) Columbia (Col‐4), the more susceptible parent, and Landsberg (Ler‐0). Plants were spray inoculated with lux‐transformed bacteria in experiments to measure susceptibility. The amount of disease produced on a range of Col × Ler lines by spray inoculation was highly correlated with that produced by pressure infiltration of bacteria into the apoplast. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis identified four loci that contributed to partial resistance: QRps.JIC‐1.1, QRps.JIC‐2.1, QRps.JIC‐3.1 and QRps.JIC‐5.1 on chromosomes 1, 2, 3 and 5, respectively. QRps.JIC‐3.1, located 8.45 cM from the top of the consensus genetic map of chromosome 3, had a large, approximately additive effect on partial resistance, explaining 50% of the genetic variation in this population. Fine mapping narrowed the region within which this QTL was located to 62 genes. A list of candidate genes included several major classes of resistance gene.
Experiences of Thai individuals awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting: A qualitative study
Authors: Indratula Rujadhorn , Sukonthasarn Achara , Chanprasit Chawapornpan , Wangsrikhun Suparat
Published: June 2013

This qualitative descriptive study, underpinned by the naturalistic inquiry, explored the lived experiences of individuals awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting in Thailand. Eleven northern Thai individuals volunteered to participate. Data were gathered through in‐depth interviews and analyzed using content analysis. Two major themes arose: uncertainty of life and striving to balance well‐being. The first of these themes is presented in this paper. Uncertainty of life was recognized as a dynamic emotional state of being unsure or insecure in life, but its occurrence depended on the individual situation; it was described through two subthemes that had a profound effect on the participants: fear of death and fear of disability. Participants' uncertainty of life encompassed being unsure about the risks of dying from illness, both prior to and following the surgery, and surviving the surgery with a disability. These findings provide insight into the experiences of individuals awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting and will assist nurses and other healthcare providers in creating timely programs and appropriate interventions to reduce uncertainty of life while awaiting surgery.
Electrical Failure of an ICD Lead due to a Presumed Insulation Defect Only Diagnosed by a Maximum Output Shock
Authors: GOLDSTEIN MATTHEW A. , BADRI MARWAN , KOCOVIC DUSAN , KOWEY PETER R.
Published: June 2013

A 55‐year‐old male patient presented after a single shock caused by oversensing of isolated nonphysiologic signals on both the distal HV and pace‐sense channels. No other abnormalities were found. He subsequently returned complaining of device “vibration” and his St. Jude implantable defibrillator (ICD; St. Jude Medical, St. Paul, MN, USA) was found to be in VVI backup mode and could not be interrogated. Direct testing in the electrophysiology lab showed normal lead impedances and thresholds with an inability to reproduce the abnormal signals. Detailed cine fluoroscopy of the leads found no abnormalities. A new ICD was connected and successfully delivered a 20‐joule shock but failed to deliver a maximum output (39‐joule) shock. The new ICD was again found to be in backup mode. A new Endotak Reliance G lead (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA, USA) was implanted and a maximum‐output shock was successful using a new Fortify DR ICD. This case likely represents a Durata lead insulation defect in the form of an inside‐out abrasion under the distal HV coil. Increased awareness of this defect is warranted, particularly since routine interrogation and submaximum‐output shocks may fail to detect the problem.
Pulsed ultrasound promotes melanoblast migration through upregulation of macrophage colony‐stimulating factor/focal adhesion kinase autocrine signaling and paracrine mechanisms
Authors: Liao Yi‐Hua , Huang Yu‐Ting , Deng Jhu‐Yun , Chen Wen‐Shiang , Jee Shiou‐Hwa
Published: June 2013

Repigmentation of vitiliginous lesions relies on the proliferation and migration of melanoblasts from hair follicles to the epidermis. Pulsed ultrasound has been demonstrated to have stimulatory effects on cell proliferation and migration and has been applied clinically to enhance tissue repair. To clarify the biologic effects and signaling mechanisms of pulsed ultrasound on melanoblast proliferation and migration, two melanoblast cell lines, the undifferentiated NCCmelb4 cells and the differentiated NCCmelan5 cells, were examined. We demonstrated that pulsed ultrasound increased cell migration in a dose‐dependent manner without altering cell proliferation. Pulsed ultrasound enhanced autocrine secretion of macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF), which subsequently activated the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) pathway to promote melanoblast migration. Furthermore, conditioned medium from mouse embryonic fibroblasts NIH 3T3 and primary human keratinocytes treated with pulsed ultrasound could stimulate melanoblast migration through a paracrine effect. Our results provide a novel mechanism to promote migration of melanoblasts by pulsed ultrasound stimulation.
Naphthoxazole‐Based Singlet Oxygen Fluorescent Probes
Authors: Ruiz‐González Rubén , Zanocco Renzo , Gidi Yasser , Zanocco Antonio L. , Nonell Santi , Lemp Else
Published: June 2013

In this study, we report the synthesis and photochemical behavior of a new family of photoactive compounds to assess its potential as singlet oxygen (1O2) probes. The candidate dyads are composed by a 1O2 trap plus a naphthoxazole moiety linked directly or through an unsaturated bond to the oxazole ring. In the native state, the inherent great fluorescence of the naphthoxazole moiety is quenched; but in the presence of 1O2, generated by the addition and appropriate irradiation of an external photosensitizer, a photooxidation reaction occurs leading to the formation of a new chemical entity whose fluorescence is two orders of magnitude higher than that of the initial compound, at the optimal selected wavelength. The presented dyads outperform the commonly used indirect fluorescent 1O2 probes in terms of fluorescence enhancement maintaining the required specificity for 1O2 detection in solution.
Natural Establishment of Specialist Plant Species after Topsoil Removal and Soil Perturbation in Degraded Calcareous Sandy Grassland
Authors: Olsson Pål Axel , Ödman Anja Madelen
Published: June 2013

Specialist plant species in calcareous sandy grasslands are threatened by acidification and high nutrient levels in the topsoil. We investigated whether topsoil removal and soil perturbation in degraded sandy grasslands could lead to establishment of specialist species belonging to the threatened xeric sand calcareous grassland habitat. Restoration actions performed in 2006 resulted in increased soil pH and reduced nitrogen availability. We found early colonisztion of the perennial key species Koeleria glauca after both deep perturbation and topsoil removal, and high seedling establishment in topsoil removal plots 5 and 6 years following the restoration treatment (2011–2012). After topsoil removal, overall vegetation composition in 2012 had developed toward the undegraded community, with target species accounting for 20% of the community after topsoil removal, compared to 30% in the undegraded vegetation, and less than 1% in untreated controls. Deep perturbation led to 7% target species, while there were almost no effects of shallow perturbation 6 years following treatment. These results demonstrate that topsoil removal can promote colonization of target species of calcareous sandy grassland and highlights the importance of considering the regeneration niche for target species when implementing restoration measures.
Exploring united airways
Authors: Bardin Philip G. , Holmes Peter W. , Hamilton Garun
Published: June 2013

See article, page 948
Preventing intercostal vessel trauma: Ultrasound to the rescue once more?
Authors: Hew Mark , Rahman Najib
Published: June 2013

See article, page 942
Effect of granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor on neutrophil function in idiopathic bronchiectasis
Authors: Ruchaud‐Sparagano Marie‐Hélène , Gertig Helen , Hester Katy L.M. , Macfarlane James G. , Corris Paul A. , Simpson A. John , De Soyza Anthony
Published: June 2013

Background and objective

Neutrophils are consistently found in inflamed and infected airways in idiopathic bronchiectasis, but relatively little is known about the function of blood neutrophils in this condition. We hypothesized that peripheral blood neutrophil (PBN) phagocytosis and superoxide generation are impaired in bronchiectasis, and that granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) is capable of improving neutrophil function.

Methods

Neutrophils were isolated from the peripheral blood of patients with idiopathic bronchiectasis who were free of exacerbation, and from healthy controls of similar age (n = 21 in both groups). Ingestion of serum‐opsonized zymosan by neutrophils was used to quantify phagocytic capacity. Superoxide generation in neutrophils was measured in response to addition of platelet activating factor and formyl‐methionyl‐leucyl‐phenylalanine. Experiments were performed in the presence or absence of GM‐CSF.

Results

No differences were observed in either phagocytic capacity (P = 0.99) or superoxide generation (P = 0.81) when comparing patients and controls. However, a significant increase in phagocytic capacity above baseline levels in both patients (P < 0.005) and controls (P < 0.005) was induced by GM‐CSF. Similarly, the superoxide generation in patients (P < 0.005) and controls (P = 0.001) was significantly increased by GM‐CSF.

Conclusions

PBN function was preserved in idiopathic bronchiectasis. Enhancement of neutrophil phagocytosis and superoxide generation by GM‐CSF requires further study.
Genetic variants in HHIP are associated with FEV1 in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Kim Woo Jin , Oh Yeon‐Mok , Lee Jin Hwa , Park Choon‐Sik , Park Sung Woo , Park Jong Sook , Lee Sang Do
Published: June 2013

Background and objective

 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex disease in which multiple genes and their interaction with environmental factors contribute to disease development. Recent genome‐wide association studies in COPD revealed the chromosome 4 region near hedgehog interacting protein (HHIP). However, these studies were mostly performed in Caucasians, and additional studies in multiple ethnic groups are needed. We investigated genetic associations of HHIP in Korean COPD and control subjects.

Methods

 Two separate case–control studies were performed. Firstly, 139 subjects with COPD and 199 control subjects were selected from the Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital Biobank. Secondly, 219 individuals with COPD were recruited from the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease (KOLD) cohort. The control subjects consisted of 305 smokers or ex‐smokers with normal lung function who were registered in the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study. Associations between COPD susceptibility and single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes were tested by logistic regression. Associations between lung function and SNP genotypes were tested by linear regression.

Results

 In the first study, the mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) of these COPD subjects was 1.32 L. None of 15 SNP was significantly associated with COPD susceptibility. However, four SNP associated significantly with FEV1 in subjects with COPD. In the KOLD cohort study, two SNPs (rs11938704 and rs10013495) near HHIP were significantly associated with FEV1 (P = 0.0001 and 0.001, respectively) in subjects with COPD.

Conclusions

 Genetic variants in HHIP are associated with lung function in subjects with COPD.
Volatility Spillovers between the Equity Market and Foreign Exchange Market in South Africa in the 1995‐2010 Period
Authors: Bonga‐Bonga Lumengo , Hoveni Jamela
Published: June 2013

This paper attempts to assess the extent of volatility spillovers between the equity market and the foreign exchange market in South Africa. Multistep family of the General Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity models are used for this end, whereby volatility shocks obtained from the mean equation estimation in each market are included in the conditional volatility of the other market, respectively. The paper selects the appropriate volatility models for each market following criteria such as covariance stationarity, persistence in variance and leverage effects. The finding of the paper indicates that there is a unidirectional relationship in terms of volatility spillovers from the equity market to the foreign exchange market. The paper supports the view that the extent of foreign participation in the South African equity market possibly contributes to this phenomenon.
Transportation and The International Trade of Eastern and Southern Africa
Authors: Macphee Craig , Cook Peter , Sattayanuwat Wanasin
Published: June 2013

We use new data on transportation to determine its effect on the international trade of eastern and southern Africa (ESA). The effects were estimated with gravity models using alternative techniques to check for robustness. Freight forwarders provided information on freight charges (price), average duration of shipment (time) and variability in time. The new transportation variables and the more commonly used distance variable appear to have smaller effects overall than some previous research indicated, although our distance coefficient is identical to that of Coulibaly and Fotagné for West Africa. In contrast to other research critical of distance as a proxy for transport impediments, we find similar effects from distance and our measure of transport time, but both of these variables have significantly larger coefficients than price and variability. Landlocked ESA countries are twice as dependent on trade as the whole region after accounting for control variables, but they are not significantly more affected by changes in price and time, and they are less affected by distance and variability. The relative size of the time coefficients suggests that measures to lessen delays in shipping, for instance, faster border clearance, might encourage more trade than cost cutting measures that lowered price proportionately.
Africa's Money in Africa
Authors: Osabuohien Evans Stephen , Efobi Uchenna Rapuluchukwu
Published: June 2013

Workers' remittance and compensation of employees received in Sub‐Sahara Africa (SSA) increased from USD 1.398 billion in 1980 to USD 4.834 billion in 2000 and soared to USD 21.101 billion in 2010. The impact of remittance on recipient economy requires further empirical investigation as there has not been consensus on whether remittance induces “financial prodigality” or investment in Africa. Differing from extant studies, this study employed rule of law, regulatory quality and government effectiveness as indicators of institutional quality. This is with a view to exploring how institutional quality and financial depth interact with remittance to influence investment in 44 African countries (1995‐2010). The major finding from the study, inter alia, is that institutional quality and financial depth play complimentary role in influencing remittance for investment in Africa. This study concludes that the impact of Africa's money in Africa will be enhanced in the presence of reliable institutional quality and viable financial sector. Thus, the side effect of “financial prodigality” that might be associated with remittance can be ameliorated.
The Strategic Unity of Heidegger's The Fundamental Concepts of Metaphysics
Authors: Withy Katherine
Published: June 2013

This paper unifies the disparate analyses in Heidegger's lecture course, The Fundamental Concepts of Metaphysics: World, Finitude, Solitude, in a single therapeutic and philosophical project. By taking seriously the text's claim to lead us towards authenticity, I show how Heidegger's analysis of boredom works together with his comparative analysis of man and animal to diagnose and lead us out of our contemporary complacency about being. This reading puts both analyses in a new light, reveals the hidden strategic unity of the lecture course, and brings out the therapeutic dimension of Heidegger's phenomenology.
On Some Recent Attempts to Resolve the Debate between Internalists and Externalists
Authors: Mabrito Robert
Published: June 2013

An important debate in moral philosophy concerns the thesis of internalism, of which the characteristic idea is that there is a conceptual link between moral judgment and motivation. According to the internalist, to judge that something is right is to be motivated to do it (at least under certain conditions). Externalists are those who deny the truth of internalism. There are two ways that either party to this debate may argue for their preferred position. The indirect approach requires defending an account of moral judgment and showing (for internalists) that it entails there is a conceptual link between moral judgment and motivation or (for externalists) that it entails there is no such link. In contrast, the direct approach requires arguing in favor of one position without assuming any particular account of moral judgment. In this paper, I examine two attempts—one by Michael Smith and one by Sigrún Svavarsdóttir—to resolve this debate between internalists and externalists by using the direct approach. Smith attempts to do so in favor of internalism while Svavarsdóttir makes the attempt in favor of externalism. I conclude that both attempts fail.
Names and Obstinate Rigidity
Authors: Murday Brendan
Published: June 2013

Names are rigid designators, but what kind of rigidity do they exhibit? Both “obstinately” and “persistently” rigid designators pick out O at every world at which they pick out anything at all. They differ in that obstinately rigid designators also pick out O at worlds at which O fails to exist; persistently rigid designators have no extension whatsoever at worlds at which O fails to exist. The question whether names are obstinate or persistent arises in two contexts: in arguments against rigidified descriptivism (on the grounds that names and rigidified descriptions exhibit different kinds of rigidity) and in considerations about what it means for an expression to be “directly referential.” This paper contends that names are persistent, not obstinate. The position thus clarifies the relationship between Millian theories of names and rigid designation, in addition to undermining attempts to rehabilitate the modal argument against rigidified descriptivism.
Work, Performance, and the Social Ethic of Global Capitalism: Understanding Religious Practice in Contemporary India
Authors: Singh Vikash
Published: June 2013

This ethnographic essay focuses on the relationship between religious performances and the “strong discourse” of contemporary global capitalism. It explores the subjective meaning and social significance of religious practice in the context of a rapidly expanding mass religious phenomenon in India. The narrative draws on Weber's insights on the intersections between religion and economy, phenomenological theory, performance studies, and Indian philosophy and popular culture. It shows that religion here is primarily a means of performing to and preparing for an informal economy. It gives the chance to live meaningful social lives while challenging the inequities and symbolic violence of an imposing global capitalist social ethic. Unlike exclusive formal institutions that are increasingly governed by neoliberal rationalities, the religious event provides an open and freely accessible yet challenging stage for participants to practice and prove their resolve, gifts, and sincerity. In contrast to the focus on social anomie and the reactionary characterization of contemporary religion in identity‐based arguments, this essay demonstrates that religious practice here is simultaneously a way of performing to and performing against a totalizing capitalist social order.
Who Can Tell? Network Diversity, Within‐Industry Networks, and Opportunities to Share Job Information
Authors: Marin Alexandra
Published: June 2013

This article examines opportunities to share job information. It adds to the growing body of research on information holders and complements existing research that explains what kinds of networks and network positions provide the greatest benefit to job seekers. Data from an exploratory study of entry‐level, white‐collar workers are used to relate opportunities to share information—defined to consist of both knowledge of a job opening and awareness of a potential applicant among one's network members—with information holders’ network composition. The data show that information holders with strong within‐industry networks have more opportunities to share information and do share more information. Information holders with diverse networks more often identify potential applicants for jobs and thus have more opportunities to share information. However, despite having more opportunities to do so, they do not share information more often than those with less diverse networks. These findings, combined with the growing literature on information holders, suggest that different aspects of network composition affect the flow of job information at different stages and thus by different mechanisms.
Transformative Events and Generational Memory: A Case Study Over Time in Lithuania
Authors: Corning Amy , Gaidys Vladas , Schuman Howard
Published: June 2013

Research on the distribution of collective memories in national populations has often been conducted in relatively stable societies, where most individuals have experienced a limited range of event types. We examine collective memories in Lithuania, a society that has seen substantial change, using three surveys conducted during the two decades since Lithuanian protests against Soviet rule began in the late 1980s. We identify two types of events that individuals may recall, drawing on Sewell's () distinction between structure‐transforming events and other events that are significant but less momentous, and we find that the two types of events exhibit different patterns of change over time: in particular, transformative events may absorb other events through assimiliation and are likely to be the focus of commemoration. Recall of transformative events also shows a distinctive relation to birth cohort. Our results support the need to take into account the nature of events in order to understand which events are remembered as important and by whom.
Pericarditis mediated by respiratory syncytial virus in a hematopoietic stem cell transplant patient
Authors: Rubach M.P. , Pavlisko E.N. , Perfect J.R.
Published: June 2013

We describe a case of pericarditis and large pericardial effusion in a 63‐year‐old African‐American man undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant for multiple myeloma. Pericardial tissue biopsy demonstrated fibrinous pericarditis, and immunohistochemistry stains were positive for respiratory syncytial virus. The patient improved with oral ribavirin and intravenous immune globulin infusions.
Promoting skin‐to‐skin care for low birthweight babies: findings from the Ghana Newhints cluster‐randomised trial
Authors: Vesel Linda , ten Asbroek Augustinus H.A. , Manu Alexander , Soremekun Seyi , Tawiah Agyemang Charlotte , Okyere Eunice , Owusu‐Agyei Seth , Hill Zelee , Kirkwood Betty R
Published: June 2013

Objective

To evaluate whether the Newhints home visits intervention increased the adoption of skin‐to‐skin care (SSC), in particular, among low birthweight (LBW) (<2.5 kg) babies.

Methods

A cluster‐randomised trial, with 49 Newhints zones and 49 control zones, was conducted in seven districts in the Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana. It included all live births between November 2008 and December 2009. In Newhints zones, existing community‐based surveillance volunteers were trained to conduct home visits during which they weighed babies and counselled mothers of LBW babies on SSC. Performance of any SSC and SSC for more than 2 h was evaluated.

Results

Of 15,615 live births, 68.5% had recorded birthweights; 10.1% were LBW. Any SSC was 19.4% higher among babies in Newhints vs. control zones (risk ratio, RR: 1.81; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.40–2.35). Performance of SSC for more than 2 h was, however, low, at only 7.5%, although more than double compared with control zones (RR: 2.72; 95% CI: 1.80–4.10). LBW babies visited and weighed by a volunteer were more likely to receive SSC (PAny = 0.005; P > 2 h = 0.021), greater for LBW babies, particularly for more than 2 h of SSC (Pinteraction = 0.050).

Conclusion

Newhints successfully promoted the uptake of SSC in rural Ghana. Although findings are encouraging, promotion in rural community settings in sub‐Saharan Africa is challenging. Lessons learned can help shape SSC promotion in efforts to increase adoption and save newborn lives.
Disengagement from care in a decentralised primary health care antiretroviral treatment programme: cohort study in rural South Africa
Authors: Mutevedzi Portia C. , Lessells Richard J. , Newell Marie‐Louise
Published: June 2013

Objective

To determine rates of, and factors associated with, disengagement from care in a decentralised antiretroviral programme.

Methods

Adults (≥16 years) who initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Hlabisa HIV Treatment and Care Programme August 2004–March 2011 were included. Disengagement from care was defined as no clinic visit for 180 days, after adjustment for mortality. Cumulative incidence functions for disengagement from care, stratified by year of ART initiation, were obtained; competing‐risks regression was used to explore factors associated with disengagement from care.

Results

A total of 4,674 individuals (median age 34 years, 29% male) contributed 13 610 person‐years of follow‐up. After adjustment for mortality, incidence of disengagement from care was 3.4 per 100 person‐years (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.1–3.8). Estimated retention at 5 years was 61%. The risk of disengagement from care increased with each calendar year of ART initiation (P for trend <0.001). There was a strong association between disengagement from care and higher baseline CD4+ cell count (subhazard ratio (SHR) 1.94 (P < 0.001) and 2.35 (P < 0.001) for CD4+ cell count 150–200 cells/μl and >200 cells/μl respectively, compared with CD4 count <50 cells/μl). Of those disengaged from care with known outcomes, the majority (206/303, 68.0%) remained resident within the local community.

Conclusions

Increasing disengagement from care threatens to limit the population impact of expanded antiretroviral coverage. The influence of both individual and programmatic factors suggests that alternative service delivery strategies will be required to achieve high rates of long‐term retention.
The effects of leg crossing and applied tension on blood donor return
Authors: Ditto B. , Gilchrist P. T. , Holly C. D. , Dubuc S. , Delage G. , France C. R.
Published: June 2013

Background and Objectives

Repeated isometric muscle tension (applied tension) during blood donation reduces vasovagal symptoms in many donors. Experiencing vasovagal symptoms has been found to reduce blood donor return. However, does practicing applied tension improve blood donor return? Follow‐up results from a randomized controlled trial are presented.

Methods

Data were collected in mobile clinics held in several colleges and universities. During the baseline donation, participants either (1) practiced ‘standard’ applied tension consisting of repeated 5 s cycles of whole‐body isometric muscle tension in the donation chair (N = 133), (2) practiced tension with legs crossed (N = 131), or (3) gave blood as usual (N = 140). Subsequent blood donations in the following 2 years were determined.

Results

Applied tension had no effect on immediate (at the end of the baseline blood donation) rating of intention to give blood or the dichotomous measure of whether or not the participant gave blood again in the following 2 years. However, men asked to practice applied tension with legs crossed gave approximately one unit more during the follow‐up period compared with men in the control group (F1,106 = 5·32, P = 0·023). This was associated significantly with adherence – men assigned to the applied tension with legs crossed condition who did not practice as instructed were no more likely to return than controls.

Conclusion

The results provide modest support for the idea that applied tension may increase subsequent blood donation though the results were limited to men who practiced the technique as instructed.
The Surrender of Oakland: The 2012 National Agreement between the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions and Kaiser Permanente
Authors: Borsos John
Published: June 2013

A new, controversial agreement negotiated by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions (CKPU), led by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) with Kaiser Permanente, the nation's largest health maintenance organization, may portend a dangerous shift in labor relations in the U.S. In this case, it is the unconditional surrender of a union to a corporation's agenda. The Surrender of Oakland—embodied in the 2012 Kaiser–CKPU national agreement—represents the complete capitulation of labor to management: in production, in marketing and capitalization, and even by allowing the employer to control Kaiser workers' lives outside the workplace through an invasive wellness program. Abdicating their role as patient advocates, the new agreement requires SEIU and other coalition unions to promote wellness programs that may not be in anyone's best interest except for employers trying to shift healthcare costs onto employees.
Ergodicity for infinite periodic translation surfaces
Authors: Hubert Pascal , Weiss Barak
Published: June 2013

For a $ \mathbb{Z} $-cover $\widetilde {M} \rightarrow M$ of a translation surface, which is a lattice surface, and which admits infinite strips, we prove that almost every direction for the straightline flow is ergodic.
The Low Emission Turbogas Hybrid Vehicle Concept—Preliminary Simulation and Vehicle Packaging
Authors: Capata R. , Sciubba E.
Published: June 2013

The paper presents a comprehensive review of the gas turbine hybrid vehicle (GTHV) under development at the University of Roma “Sapienza.” A GHTV is an electric vehicle (traction entirely electric on 1 or 2 axles) equipped with a small turbogas operating as a range extender and –when needed- as a recharger for other auxiliaries. After a brief review of the history of the GTHV technology, a few configurations proposed in the past by different Authors are described and critically analyzed. Then, a complete feasibility assessment of a prototype configuration of a GTHV is presented and discussed in detail. Two possible implementations are studied: one for a small city car (peak power 4–8 kW) and one for a sport GT or passenger sedan (50–100 kW). All issues related to the system and component design, packaging, identification of the “optimal” hybridization ratio, performance of the conversion chain (gas turbine + batteries + electrical motor), kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS), mechanical and electric storage devices (flywheels, capacitors, advanced batteries), monitoring and control logic, compliance with the European vehicular ECE emission regulations, are explicitly addressed. One of the most important results of this analysis is though that there are several “nearly optimal” solutions and the final choice for a possible future industrialization would be dictated by manufacturing, commercial or marketing considerations. It because not only the system performance, but also the absolute and relative sizes (i.e., nameplate power) of the turbines and of the battery package depend substantially on the type of driving mission the car is required to perform. In the paper, both theoretical and practical issues are addressed, and on the basis of the analysis of the existing state of the art, it is argued that the GTHV is an environmentally friendly, technically and economically feasible product based on mature components.
Foreign object detection and removal to improve automated analysis of chest radiographs
Authors: Hogeweg Laurens , Sánchez Clara I. , Melendez Jaime , Maduskar Pragnya , Story Alistair , Hayward Andrew , van Ginneken Bram
Published: June 2013

Purpose:

Chest radiographs commonly contain projections of foreign objects, such as buttons, brassier clips, jewellery, or pacemakers and wires. The presence of these structures can substantially affect the output of computer analysis of these images. An automated method is presented to detect, segment, and remove foreign objects from chest radiographs.

Methods:

Detection is performed using supervised pixel classification with a kNN classifier, resulting in a probability estimate per pixel to belong to a projected foreign object. Segmentation is performed by grouping and post‐processing pixels with a probability above a certain threshold. Next, the objects are replaced by texture inpainting.

Results:

The method is evaluated in experiments on 257 chest radiographs. The detection at pixel level is evaluated with receiver operating characteristic analysis on pixels within the unobscured lung fields and anAz value of 0.949 is achieved. Free response operator characteristic analysis is performed at the object level, and 95.6% of objects are detected with on average 0.25 false positive detections per image. To investigate the effect of removing the detected objects through inpainting, a texture analysis system for tuberculosis detection is applied to images with and without pathology and with and without foreign object removal. Unprocessed, the texture analysis abnormality score of normal images with foreign objects is comparable to those with pathology. After removing foreign objects, the texture score of normal images with and without foreign objects is similar, while abnormal images, whether they contain foreign objects or not, achieve on average higher scores.

Conclusions:

The authors conclude that removal of foreign objects from chest radiographs is feasible and beneficial for automated image analysis.
Electrochemical activation of chemotherapeutic prodrugs that mimic P450-catalyzed oxidation: proof-of-concept for a focal approach to chemical cancer treatment
Authors: Boudreau Jordache , Viloria-Petit Alicia , Bunce Nigel J.
Published: June 2013

The electrochemical oxidation of substrates cyclophosphamide and acetaminophen at Ti/RuO2 or (preferably) graphite anodes parallels P450-catalyzed oxidation in that both mechanisms involve transfer of an oxygen atom to the substrate. The aim of this work was to use this parallel to provide proof-of-concept for a localized approach to tumor chemotherapy using electrochemical oxidation to activate chemotherapeutic prodrugs ex situ. Cyclophosphamide and acetaminophen were electroactivated in batch and flow electrolytic cells and the products were tested against EMT6 mouse mammary adenocarcinoma cells. Cell viability was determined using a tetrazolium dye assay that monitored NADPH concentrations; microscopic examination showed consistent morphological differences between viable and nonviable cells. No cytotoxicity was observed in nonelectrolyzed control samples. The electrolyzed prodrugs demonstrated cytotoxicity up to the IC99 level at 5 mmol L−1 initial prodrug concentrations but not at 1 mmol L−1. The long-term objective of the work is to develop an ex situ electrochemical system for activating prodrugs to cause lethal toxicity to the cells of solid tumors, many of which lack sufficient P450s to bioactivate the toxicant themselves.
Anticipating adaptation: a mechanistic approach for linking policy and stock status to recreational angler behavior
Authors: Abbott Joshua K. , Fenichel Eli P.
Published: June 2013

We use techniques from economic recreation demand modeling to develop a mechanistic model of individual recreational fishing behavior and estimate it using license-frame survey data. By consistently integrating individuals’ seasonal decisions of where, whether, and how much to fish, the model generates predictions of aggregate indicators such as angler-days and fishing mortality as phenomena arising from individual behavior. We use the model to simulate alternative future scenarios by altering policy variables or measures of fishing quality, such as catch rates. The mechanistic nature of the model incorporates anglers’ adaptive behavior to these stimuli, generating scenarios that are likely more robust to shifts in the decision context than many commonly used phenomenological models. We utilize the model to examine the sensitivity of total catch and catch per unit effort (CPUE) to changes in fish stocks, revealing substantial nonlinearities in this relationship. We also simulate total fishing trips, participation, CPUE, and total catch for a seasonal fishing permit versus a per-trip fee, finding dramatic differences across the two policies that call into question the wisdom of permit fees as management tools.
A comparison of hierarchical models for relative catch efficiency based on paired-gear data for US Northwest Atlantic fish stocks
Authors: Miller Timothy J.
Published: June 2013

Selectivity and catch comparison studies are important for surveys that use two or more gears to collect relative abundance information. Prevailing model-based analytical methods for studies using a paired-gear design assume a binomial model for the data from each pair of gear sets. Important generalizations include nonparametric smooth size effects and normal random pair and size effects, but current methods for fitting models that account for random smooth size effects are restrictive, and observations within pairs may exhibit extra-binomial variation. I propose a hierarchical model that accounts for random smooth size effects among pairs and extra-binomial variation within pairs with a conditional beta-binomial distribution. I compared relative performance of models with different conditional distribution and random effects assumptions fit to data on 16 species from an experiment carried out in the US Northwest Atlantic Ocean comparing a new and a retiring vessel. For more than half of the species, conditional beta-binomial models performed better than binomial models, and accounting for random variation among pairs in the relative efficiency was important for all species.
Molecular factors that are associated with early developmental arrest of intraerythrocyticPlasmodium falciparum
Authors: Asahi Hiroko , Tolba Mohammed Essa Marghany , Tanabe Masanobu , Ohmae Hiroshi
Published: June 2013

Malaria continues to be a devastating disease. We investigated the factors that control intraerythrocytic development of the parasite Plasmodium falciparum by using a chemically defined medium (CDM) containing non-esterified fatty acid(s) (NEFA) and phospholipids with specific fatty acid moieties, to identify substances crucial for parasite development. Different NEFAs in the CDM played distinct roles by altering the development of the parasite at various stages, with effects ranging from complete growth to growth arrest at the ring stage. We used genome-wide transcriptome profiling to identify genes that were differentially expressed among the different developmental stages of the parasite, cultured in the presence of various NEFAs. We predicted 26 transcripts that were associated with the suppression of schizogony, of which 5 transcripts, including merozoite surface protein 2, a putative DEAD/DEAH box RNA helicase, serine repeat antigen 3, a putative copper channel, and palmitoyl acyltransferase, were particularly associated with blockage of trophozoite progression from the ring stage. Furthermore, the involvement of copper ions in developmental arrest was detected by copper-ion-chelating methods, implying a critical function of copper homeostasis in the early growth stage of the parasite. These results should help to elucidate the mechanisms behind the development of P. falciparum.
ON GROMOV–WITTEN INVARIANTS OF DEL PEZZO SURFACES
Authors: SHOVAL MENDY , SHUSTIN EUGENII
Published: June 2013

We compute Gromov–Witten invariants of any genus for Del Pezzo surfaces of degree ≥ 2. The genus zero invariants have been computed a long ago [P. Di Francesco and C. Itzykson, Quantum intersection rings, in The Moduli Space of Curves, eds. R. Dijkgraaf et al., Progress in Mathematics, Vol. 129 (Birkhäuser, Boston, 1995), pp. 81–148; L. Göttsche and R. Pandharipande, The quantum cohomology of blow-ups of ℙ2 and enumerative geometry, J. Differential Geom.48(1) (1998) 61–90], Gromov–Witten invariants of any genus for Del Pezzo surfaces of degree ≥ 3 have been found by Vakil [Counting curves on rational surfaces, Manuscripta Math.102 (2000) 53–84]. We solve the problem in two steps: (1) we consider curves on [Formula: see text], the plane blown up at one point, which have given degree, genus, and prescribed multiplicities at fixed generic points on a conic that avoids the blown-up point; then we obtain a Caporaso–Harris type formula counting such curves subject to arbitrary additional tangency conditions with respect to the chosen conic; as a result we count curves of any given divisor class and genus on a surface of type [Formula: see text], the plane blown up at six points on a given conic and at one more point outside the conic; (2) in the next step, we express the Gromov–Witten invariants of [Formula: see text] via enumerative invariants of [Formula: see text], using Vakil's extension of the Abramovich–Bertram formula.
STRUCTURAL DISTORTION IN LUDWIGITES
Authors: VALLEJO E. , CALDERON G.
Published: June 2013

Structural distortion in a three-leg-ladder is studied in connection with Ludwigites, in particular the Fe and Co homometallic ones. Static impurities in t2g-orbitals as infinite repulsion potentials randomly located in the three-leg-ladder and a Su–Schrieffer–Heeger like tight-binding Hamiltonian are proposed and discussed. It is found that such potentials block itinerant electrons and diminish a structural staggered order parameter, related with structural distortion, as 3-M being M the number of impurities. This diminution is in detriment of Peierls like distortion that occurs in these ladders as in the case of Fe -Ludwigite. On the other hand, this diminution could explain the lack of structural distortion as in the case of Co -Ludwigite.
ON A DISPERSIVE MODEL FOR THE UNZIPPING OF DOUBLE-STRANDED DNA MOLECULES
Authors: CALVO J. , NIETO J. , SOLER J. , VÁSQUEZ M. O.
Published: June 2013

The paper deals with the analysis of a nonlinear Fokker–Planck equation modeling the mechanical unzipping of double-stranded DNA under the influence of an applied force. The dependent variable is the probability density of unzipping m base pairs. The nonlinear Fokker–Planck equation we propose here is obtained when we couple the model proposed in [D. K. Lubensky and D. R. Nelson, Pulling pinned polymers and unzipping DNA, Phys. Rev. Lett.85 (2000) 1572–1575] with a transcendental equation for the applied force. The resulting model incorporates nonlinear effects in a different way than the usual models in kinetic theory. We show the well-posedness of this model. For that we require a combination of techniques coming from second-order kinetic equations and compensated compactness arguments in conservation laws.
MATCHED ASYMPTOTIC EXPANSION METHOD FOR A HOMOGENIZED INTERFACE MODEL
Authors: GEYMONAT GIUSEPPE , HENDILI SOFIANE , KRASUCKI FRANÇOISE , VIDRASCU MARINA
Published: June 2013

Our aim is to demonstrate the effectiveness of the matched asymptotic expansion method in obtaining a simplified model for the influence of small identical heterogeneities periodically distributed on an internal surface on the overall response of a linearly elastic body. The results of several numerical experiments corroborate the precise identification of the different steps, in particular of the outer/inner regions with their normalized coordinate systems and the scale separation, leading to the model.