bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using an alternating pressure mattress to offload heels in ICU
Authors: Masterson Sarah , Younger Caroline
Published: August 2014

The heel continues to be one of the most common sites of pressure damage. This article reviews the anatomy and physiology of the heel and explores significant risk factors, including those found in the critically ill patient. Interventions to prevent heel pressure ulceration by offloading the heel are explored. An evaluation of the Nimbus 4 alternating pressure mattress was undertaken within an intensive care unit (ICU) to consider the efficacy of its unique Wound Valve Technology, which is designed to help prevent heel pressure ulceration. During the evaluation period none of the patients using the Nimbus 4 developed a pressure ulcer. Staff observed that the Wound Valves provided effective pressure redistribution and, although the cells frequently needed to be adjusted, patient safety was maintained throughout. The Wound Valves were most effective on patients who were less prone to voluntary movement.
Equine Recurrent Airway Obstruction
Authors: Niedźwiedź Artur
Published: August 2014

Equine Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), also known as heaves or broken wind, is one of the most common disease in middle-aged horses. Inflammation of the airway is inducted by organic dust exposure. This disease is characterized by neutrophilic inflammation, bronchospasm, excessive mucus production and pathologic changes in the bronchiolar walls. Clinical signs are resolved in 3-4 weeks after environmental changes. Horses suffering from RAO are susceptible to allergens throughout their lives, therefore they should be properly managed. In therapy the most importanthing is to eliminate dust exposure, administration of corticosteroids and use bronchodilators to improve pulmonary function.
Is the Highway Patrol Really Tougher on Out-of-State Drivers? An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Roach Michael
Published: August 2014

Using speeding citations from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, this paper examines whether out-of-state drivers face different enforcement standards than in-state drivers. Discrimination effects are identified by assuming exogenous differences in license plate design affect troopers’ abilities to identify out-of-state drivers. The pattern of citations for difficult to identify out-of-state drivers is significantly different from (indeed, stricter than) the pattern for more easily identifiable out-of-state drivers. I take this as evidence of troopers attempting to apply different enforcement standards to out-of-state drivers. One explanation is troopers attempting to deter in-state speeders whose behavior may be more sensitive to enforcement.
S100B concentrations increase perioperatively in jugular vein blood despite limited metabolic and inflammatory response to clinically uneventful carotid endarterectomy
Authors: Arfvidsson Berndt , Nilsson Torbjörn K. , Norgren Lars
Published: August 2014

Our aim was to test the hypothesis that metabolic and inflammatory responses of the brain perioperatively during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) might affect blood brain barrier (BBB) integrity.

Twenty patients with >70% stenosis of internal carotid artery (ICA) were prospectively included. Surgery was performed under general anaesthesia. Blood was sampled from ipsilateral internal jugular vein and radial artery: just before, during, and after ICA clamping S100B protein, glucose, lactate, 20 amino acids, and key cytokines were analysed.

Jugular vein S100B increased during clamping and reperfusion, while a marginal systemic increase was recorded, unrelated to stump pressure during clamping. Glucose increased during clamping in jugular vein blood and even more systemically, while jugular lactate values were higher than systemic values initially. Most amino acids did not differ significantly between jugular vein and systemic levels: glutamic acid and aspartic acid decreased during surgery while asparagine increased. Jugular vein interleukin (IL)-6 showed a transient non-significant increase during clamping and decreased systemically. IL-8 and IL-10 increased over time.

Rising jugular vein S100B concentrations indicated reduced BBB integrity, and marginal secondary increase of S100B systemically. Limited ischaemic effects on the brain during cross-clamping, unrelated to S100B concentrations, were confirmed by lower brain glucose levels and higher lactate levels than in systemic blood. The lack of increased jugular vein glutamic acid disproves any major ischaemic brain injury following CEA. The inflammatory response was limited, did not differ greatly between jugular and systemic blood, and was unrelated to S100B.
Solvent-free multicomponent assembling of aldehydes, N,N′-dialkyl barbiturates and malononitrile: fast and efficient approach to pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidines
Authors: Elinson Michail N. , Ryzhkov Fedor V. , Merkulova Valentina M. , Ilovaisky Alexey I. , Nikishin Gennady I.
Published: August 2014

Potassium fluoride-catalyzed solvent-free multicomponent reaction of aldehydes, N,N′-dialkyl barbiturates and malononitrile results in the fast (15 min) and efficient (yields 89–95%) formation of substituted pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidines. The improved synthetic methodology for this class of bioactive compounds is important from the viewpoint of diversity-oriented large-scale processes and represents an environmentally benign solvent-free synthetic concept for multicomponent reactions strategy.
Small membrane proteins – elucidating the function of the needle in the haystack
Authors: Kemp Grant , Cymer Florian
Published: August 2014

Membrane proteins are important mediators between the cell and its environment or between different compartments within a cell. However, much less is known about the structure and function of membrane proteins compared to water-soluble proteins. Moreover, until recently a subset of membrane proteins, those shorter than 100 amino acids, have almost completely evaded detection as a result of technical difficulties. These small membrane proteins (SMPs) have been underrepresented in most genomic and proteomic screens of both pro- and eukaryotic cells and, hence, we know much less about their functions in both. Currently, through a combination of bioinformatics, ribosome profiling, and more sensitive proteomics, large numbers of SMPs are being identified and characterized. Herein we describe recent advances in identifying SMPs from genomic and proteomic datasets and describe examples where SMPs have been successfully characterized biochemically. Finally we give an overview of identified functions of SMPs and speculate on the possible roles SMPs play in the cell.
Risk of eating disorders among university students in Bangladesh
Authors: Pengpid Supa , Peltzer Karl , Ahsan Gias Uddin
Published: August 2014

Objective: As there is a lack of information on eating disorders in Bangladesh, the aim of this study was to explore the eating disorder attitudes and behaviors among undergraduate university students in the country.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey and anthropometric measurement were conducted with undergraduate students who were recruited randomly from classes. The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was used to determine the prevalence of disordered eating attitudes. The sample included 800 university students (56.6% men and 43.4% women), with a mean age of 21.0 years (SD=32.5).

Results: Using the EAT-26, 37.6% of the students were classified as being at risk for an eating disorder. In multivariate analysis, being a late adolescent (17–19 years), high religious involvement, overweight body perception, low body appreciation, having had cosmetic surgery, and current binge drinking were found to be associated with an eating disorder risk.

Discussion: Very high rates of eating disorder risk were found. This result calls for increased awareness and understanding of eating disorders, and related risk factors and interventions in university students in Bangladesh.
Process Optimization and Quality Analysis of Carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) Wine
Authors: Paul Sanjib K. , Sahu Jatindra K.
Published: August 2014

The juice extracted from carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) fruits was used for wine production after reconstituting with distilled water, 50% (w/v) sugar syrup and 0.1 N oxalic acid at different concentrations to attain a range of different independent processing parameters. The processing conditions i.e., pH, fermentation temperature, inoculum size, and total soluble solids (TSS) were optimized on the basis of percentage of ethanol production. At optimum processing conditions of pH = 4.5, temperature = 26°C, inoculums size = 12% (v/v), and TSS = 24°B, the production of ethanol percentage in the wine was 12.15 ± 0.28% (v/v). At this optimum condition, the values of titratable acidity, total sugar, reducing sugar, and TSS were 0.76 ± 0.21% (w/w), 2.84 ± 0.22% (w/w), 2.65 ± 0.16% (w/w), and 4.6 ± 0.06°B, respectively. Color of the wine was observed to be light greenish yellow, but pH level which was 3.94 ± 0.17 was slightly higher than that of the acceptable limit. Sensory evaluation showed that the wine possessed very good taste, aroma, and clarity with moderately good body and aftertaste. It was also observed that the wine undergoes color changes during storage with more stability at lower storage temperature.
Can optical coherence tomography predict early retinal microvascular pathology in type 1 diabetic adolescents without minimal diabetic retinopathy? A single-centre study
Authors: Elhabashy Safinaz Adel , Elbarbary Nancy Samir , Nageb Karim Magdy , Mohammed Mai Mostafa
Published: August 2014

Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been proven useful in measuring retinal thickness and volumes in patients with diabetes.

Objective: To test whether OCT is able to identify early retinal changes and its potential correlations with metabolic parameters and other microvascular complications.

Patients and methods: Thirty patients with type 1 diabetes without minimal diabetic retinopathy (MDR) (17 males, 13 females, aged 14.3±2.4 years) compared with age-matched healthy volunteers were examined with OCT. Diabetes duration, anthropometric measurements, HbA1c, other microvascular complications (nephropathy, autonomic and peripheral neuropathy) and total serum cholesterol were determined.

Results: No statistically significant differences were found between patients with (n=15) and without microvascular complications (n=15) compared to controls regarding retinal volume, nerve fibre layer volume (temporal and nasal quadrants) and ganglion cell layer area in both eyes. No correlation was found between the ganglion cell layer area and the clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients, except a negative correlation with total serum cholesterol (r=–0.369, p=0.049). The best cut-off value of ganglion cell layer area to detect the level at which thinning of this layer occurs was >1900 pixels.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that there is no advantage in performing OCT routinely in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus without MDR. OCT did not show changes in retinal thickness in those patients compared to control. So OCT did not seem to be useful in the preclinical stages of diabetic retinopathy. Therefore, the conventional diagnostic methods are mandatory to detect early diabetic retinopathy.
Influence of catch-up growth on abdominal fat distribution in very low birth weight children – cohort study
Authors: Alves João Guilherme , Vasconcelos Sarita Amorim , de Almeida Tais Sá , Lages Raquel , Just Eduardo
Published: August 2014

A rapid catch-up growth in very low birth weight has been associated both with a higher height growth and a higher risk to metabolic disturbances, including insulin resistance and its consequences. Abdominal fat distribution in early postnatal life may play a role in these outcomes and can help in addressing this neonatal dilemma. This study aimed to compare abdominal fat distribution among very low birth weight (VLBW) children with and without rapid catch-up growth.

A cohort study followed 86 VLBW (<1500) children born in Brazil, during the first 3 years of life. Rapid catch-up growth was considered as an increased in length >2

A total of 79 VLBW children completed the study, of whom 22 (27.8%) showed rapid catch-up growth. Abdominal subcutaneous and preperitoneal fat thickness showed no differences among children with or without rapid catch-up growth at 3.3 mm vs. 3.8 mm, respectively (p=0.79) and 4.0 mm vs. 4.0 mm (p=0.55), respectively. VLBW children with rapid catch-up growth were also taller.

Rapid catch-up growth during the first year of life in VLBW children does not seem to change abdominal fat distribution until the third year of life.
Sound change in the individual: Effects of exposure on cross-dialect speech processing
Authors: Clopper Cynthia G.
Published: August 2014

Speech perception is highly robust to variation, but familiarity with a particular source of variation can nevertheless lead to significant processing benefits. In the domain of cross-dialect speech perception, familiar local and standard varieties have been shown to facilitate lexical and semantic processing relative to unfamiliar dialects. However, more recent research suggests that individuals with exposure to both a local non-standard variety and a regional or national standard variety exhibit a mix of lexical processing costs and benefits, suggesting that familiarity with multiple different linguistic systems can result in both independent processing benefits for each variety as well as competition among variable multi-dialect representations. In an exemplar model of language processing, this complex pattern of results suggests several loci for sound change within an individual language user. Although the processing benefits associated with the local variety may contribute to long-term maintenance of variation through divergence from a regional or national standard, the processing benefits associated with the standard may contribute to dialect leveling and convergence towards the standard. Competition between these forces for maintenance and leveling will be observed most strongly in individuals with extensive exposure to both a non-standard local variety and a regional or national standard.
Novelty and social preference in phonetic accommodation
Authors: Babel Molly , McGuire Grant , Walters Sophia , Nicholls Alice
Published: August 2014

Phonetic imitation is the unintentional, spontaneous acquisition of speech characteristics of another talker. Previous work has shown that imitation is strongly moderated by social preference in adults, and that social preference affects children's speech acquisition within peer groups. Such findings have led to the suggestion that phonetic imitation is related to larger processes of sound change in a change-by-accommodation model. This study examines how preferential processing of particular voice types affects spontaneous phonetic accommodation, interpreting the results in the context of how sound change can be propagated through a speech community. To explore this question eight model talkers previously rated as attractive, unattractive, typical, and atypical for each gender were used in an auditory naming paradigm. Twenty participants completed the task, and an AXB measure was used to quantify imitation. Female participants imitated more than male participants, but this varied across model voices. Females were found to rely more on social preference than men, while both groups imitated the atypical voices. The results suggest that females adapt their speech to auditory input more readily, but the nature of the accommodation does not qualify as direct evidence for a change-by-accommodation model given the constrained context of the task.
Aligning the timelines of phonological acquisition and change
Authors: Beckman Mary E. , Li Fangfang , Kong Eun Jong , Edwards Jan
Published: August 2014

This paper examines whether data from a large cross-linguistic corpus of adult and child productions can be used to support an assumed corollary of the Neogrammarian distinction between two types of phonological change. The first type is regular sound change, which is assumed to be incremental and so should show continuity between phonological development and the age-related variation observed in the speech community undergoing the change. The second type is dialect borrowing, which could show an abrupt discontinuity between developmental patterns before and after the socio-historical circumstances that instigate it. We examine the acquisition of two contrasts: the Seoul Korean contrast between lax and aspirated stops which is undergoing regular sound change, and the standard Mandarin contrast between retroflex and dental sibilants which has been borrowed recently into the Sōngyuán dialect. Acquisition of the different contrasts patterns as predicted from the assumed differences between continuous regular sound change and potentially abrupt dialect borrowing. However, there are substantial gaps in our understanding both of the extent of cross-cultural variability in language socialization and of how this might affect the mechanisms of phonological change that must be addressed before we can fully understand the relationship between the time courses of the two.
Incipient tonogenesis in Phnom Penh Khmer: Computational studies
Authors: Kirby James P.
Published: August 2014

In the colloquial Phnom Penh dialect of Khmer (Cambodian), lexical use of F
An identity bias in phonotactics: Evidence from Cochabamba Quechua
Authors: Gallagher Gillian
Published: August 2014

Speakers of Cochabamba Quechua (CQ) participated in two tasks involving phonotactically illegal nonce forms with pairs of identical (e.g., [p'ap'u]) and non-identical ejectives (e.g., [k'ap'u]). In a repetition task, speakers were more accurate on identical than non-identical ejective pairs, though no asymmetry was found in an ABX discrimination task, nor in acoustic analysis of nonce roots with identical and non-identical ejective pairs. The latent preference for identical ejectives is unexpected given the phonotactics of CQ, which categorically disallows both identical and non-identical ejective pairs. The asymmetry is in accord with the typology, however. Many languages systematically exempt identical segments from a phonotactic restriction that applies to non-identical segments. It is argued that this cross-linguistic identity preference has its roots in a synchronic bias in favor of identical segments.
An experimental study of the role of social factors in language change: The case of loanword adaptations
Authors: Lev-Ari Shiri , Peperkamp Sharon
Published: August 2014

There is great variation in whether foreign sounds in loanwords are adapted or retained. Importantly, the retention of foreign sounds can lead to a sound change in the language. We propose that social factors influence the likelihood of loanword sound adaptation, and use this case to introduce a novel experimental paradigm for studying language change that captures the role of social factors. Specifically, we show that the relative prestige of the donor language in the loanword’s semantic domain influences the rate of sound adaptation. We further show that speakers adapt to the performance of their ‘community', and that this adaptation leads to the creation of a norm. The results of this study are thus the first to show an effect of social factors on loanword sound adaptation in an experimental setting. Moreover, they open up a new domain of experimentally studying language change in a manner that integrates social factors.
A summary of the taxonomy and distribution of the red giant flying squirrel, Petaurista petaurista (Sciuridae, Sciurinae, Pteromyini), in mainland Southeast Asia with the first record from Lao PDR
Authors: Sanamxay Daosavanh , Douangboubpha Bounsavane , Bumrungsri Sara , Satasook Chutamas , Bates Paul J.J.
Published: August 2014

The occurrence of the red giant flying squirrel,
Eliminating the Outside Good Bias in Logit Models of Demand with Aggregate Data
Authors: Huang Dongling , Rojas Christian
Published: August 2014

The logit model is the most popular tool in estimating demand for differentiated products. In this model, the outside good plays a crucial role because it allows consumers to stop buying the differentiated good altogether if all brands simultaneously become less attractive (e.g. if a simultaneous price increase occurs). But practitioners lack data on the outside good when only aggregate data are available. The currently accepted procedure is to assume a “market potential” that implicitly defines the size of the outside good (i.e. the number of consumers who considered the product but did not purchase); in practice, this means that an endogenous quantity is approximated by a reasonable guess thereby introducing the possibility of an additional source of error and, most importantly, bias. We provide two contributions in this paper. First, we show that structural parameters can be substantially biased when the assumed market potential does not approximate the outside option correctly. Second, we show how to use panel data techniques to produce unbiased structural estimates by treating the market potential as an unobservable in both the simple and the random coefficients logit demand model. We explore three possible solutions: (a) controlling for the unobservable with market fixed effects, (b) specifying the unobservable to be a linear function of product characteristics, and (c) using a “demeaned regression” approach. Solution (a) is feasible (and preferable) when the number of goods is large relative to the number of markets, whereas (b) and (c) are attractive when the number of markets is too large (as in most applications in Marketing). Importantly, we find that all three solutions are nearly as effective in removing the bias. We demonstrate our two contributions in the simple and random coefficients versions of the logit model via Monte Carlo experiments and with data from the automobile and breakfast cereals markets.
Stability analysis of the first-order periodic autoregressive
diagonal bilinear model
Authors: Aknouche Abdelhakim , Bentarzi Wissem
Published: August 2014

This paper studies stability problems and their consequences for
the first-order S-periodic autoregressive diagonal bilinear (PBL(1, 0, 1, 1))
model in which the parameters vary periodically over time. Necessary and
sufficient conditions for strict periodic stationarity and periodic
stationarity up to the rth-order (r ≥ 1) of the PBL equation are provided. As
a consequence, the autocovariance structure of the model is shown to have
the periodic ARMA autocovariance structure and the S kurtoses of the
rth-order periodically stationary solution are revealed. In addition, almost
sure invertibility and mean-square invertibility of the PBL(1, 0, 1, 1) model
are also considered. The paper gives a unified framework of stability that
encompasses most of probability properties studied for the PBL model.
Fully coupled forward backward stochastic differential equations driven by
Lévy processes and application to differential games
Authors: Baghery Fouzia , Khelfallah Nabil , Mezerdi Brahim , Turpin Isabelle
Published: August 2014

We consider a fully coupled forward backward stochastic differential equation
driven by a Lévy processes having moments of all orders and an independent
Brownian motion. Under some monotonicity assumptions, we prove the existence
and uniqueness of solutions on an arbitrarily fixed large time duration. We use
this result to prove the existence of an open-loop Nash equilibrium point for
non-zero sum stochastic differential games.
Synthesis and molecular dynamics simulation of hyperbranched poly(amine-ester)/neodymium nanocomposites
Authors: Mo Zunli , Zhu Xiaobo , Liu Yanzhi , Guo Ruibin
Published: August 2014

Fully atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to examine the static and dynamic characteristics of hyperbranched poly(amine-ester) (HPAE). In this work, use of G2, G3, and G4 HPAE as a template and stabilizer to prepare HPAE/neodymium (Nd) nanocomposites was studied. The results of transmission electron microscopy showed that Nd particles were deposited on the surface of HPAE within nanoscales, the size of nanoparticles was uniform, and there was better dispersion with high generation of hyperbranched polymer. Virtual Materiale software was applied to research the MD simulation of HPAE/Nd nanocomposites. The stability of the system and mechanism was studied from the perspective of molecular structure and energy change in canonical system (constant NVT). G4 HPAE is more suitable for use as template and stabilizer in MD simulation, which is consistent with experimental results.
Crystal structures of 1-hydroxylimidazole and imidazole 1-oxide derivatives
Authors: da Silva Ramon Borges , da Silva Edson Ferreira , Carvalho Samir Aquino , Fraga Carlos Alberto Manssour , Wardell Solange M.S.V. , Wardell James L.
Published: August 2014

The N-oxide or 1-hydroxy forms of four solid 1-hydroxy-5-(4-methyl-2-nitroimidazol-2-yl)-4-phenyl-2-(X-phenyl)-imidazole derivatives, 6, have been studied by X-ray crystallography. Compounds, (6: X=4-Br) and (6: X=2-O2N), both recrystallized from EtOH, and (6: X=4-F), recrystallized from EtOCH2CH2OH, were isolated in the 1-hydroxyimidazole form. In contrast, (6: X=H), recrystallized from EtOCH2CH2OH, was obtained in the imidazole N-oxide form. Two independent molecules, Mol A and Mol B, rotamers, are present in the asymmetric unit of the imidazole N-oxide compound, (6: X=H) and are linked into chains of alternating compounds, mainly by N–H···O hydrogen bonds, but also by N–H···N and C–H···O hydrogen bonds and π···π interactions. These chains are linked by other C–H···O and C–H···N hydrogen bonds and π···π interactions into a 3-D arrangement. In the 1-hydroxyimidazole compound, (6: X=2-O2N), classical hydrogen bonds, O1–H1···N3, are the major interactions linking molecules into C(5) chains: weak π···π stacking interactions also link the molecules within the chains. These chains are linked by C–H···O and hydrogen bonds and by N–O···π interactions into a three- dimensional array. The other 1-hydroxyimidazole compounds, (6: X=4-Br) and (6: X=4-F), have similar structures, which differ from that of (6: X=2-O2N). In (6: X=4-Br) and (6: X=4-F), pairs of classical O–H···N hydrogen bonds link molecules into symmetric dimers: these dimers are further stabilized by π···π interactions. Other intermolecular interactions found in both (6: X=4-Br) and (6: X=4-F) are C–H···O hydrogen bond and N–O···π interactions, which link the O–H···N hydrogen bonded dimers into a 3-dimensional array.
Fine Mapping and Evolution of the Major Sex Determining Region in Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)
Authors: Taboada Xoana , Hermida Miguel , Pardo Belén G , Vera Manuel , Piferrer Francesc , Viñas Ana , Bouza Carmen , Martínez Paulino
Published: August 2014

Fish sex determination (SD) systems are varied, suggesting evolutionary changes including either multiple evolution origins of genetic SD from nongenetic systems (such as environmental SD) and/or turnover events replacing one genetic system by another. When genetic SD is found, cytological differentiation between the two members of the sex chromosome pair is often minor or undetectable. The turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), a valuable commercial flatfish, has a ZZ/ZW system and a major SD region on linkage group 5 (LG5), but there are also other minor genetic and environmental influences. We here report refined mapping of the turbot SD region, supported by comparative mapping with model fish species, to identify the turbot master SD gene. Six genes were located to the SD region, two of them associated with gonad development (sox2 and dnajc19). All showed a high association with sex within families (P = 0), but not at the population level, so they are probably partially sex-linked genes, but not SD gene itself. Analysis of crossovers in LG5 using two families confirmed a ZZ/ZW system in turbot and suggested a revised map position for the master gene. Genetic diversity and differentiation for 25 LG5 genetic markers showed no differences between males and females sampled from a wild population, suggesting a recent origin of the SD region in turbot. We also analyzed associations with markers of the most relevant sex-related linkage groups in brill (S. rhombus), a closely related species to turbot; the data suggest that an ancient XX/XY system in brill changed to a ZZ/ZW mechanism in turbot.
Complex Cooperative Functions of Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans Shape Nervous System Development inCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Díaz-Balzac Carlos A , Lázaro-Peña María I , Tecle Eillen , Gomez Nathali , Bülow Hannes E
Published: August 2014

The development of the nervous system is a complex process requiring the integration of numerous molecular cues to form functional circuits. Many cues are regulated by heparan sulfates, a class of linear glycosaminoglycan polysaccharides. These sugars contain distinct modification patterns that regulate protein–protein interactions. Misexpressing the homolog of KAL-1/anosmin-1, a neural cell adhesion molecule mutant in Kallmann syndrome, in Caenorhabditis elegans causes a highly penetrant, heparan sulfate–dependent axonal branching phenotype in AIY interneurons. In an extended forward genetic screen for modifiers of this phenotype, we identified alleles in new as well as previously identified genes involved in HS biosynthesis and modification, namely the xylosyltransferase sqv-6, the HS-6-O-sulfotransferase hst-6, and the HS-3-O-sulfotransferase hst-3.2. Cell-specific rescue experiments showed that different HS biosynthetic and modification enzymes can be provided cell-nonautonomously by different tissues to allow kal-1-dependent branching of AIY. In addition, we show that heparan sulfate proteoglycan core proteins that carry the heparan sulfate chains act genetically in a highly redundant fashion to mediate kal-1-dependent branching in AIY neurons. Specifically, lon-2/glypican and unc-52/perlecan act in parallel genetic pathways and display synergistic interactions with sdn-1/syndecan to mediate kal-1 function. Because all of these heparan sulfate core proteins have been shown to act in different tissues, these studies indicate that KAL-1/anosmin-1 requires heparan sulfate with distinct modification patterns of different cellular origin for function. Our results support a model in which a three-dimensional scaffold of heparan sulfate mediates KAL-1/anosmin-1 and intercellular communication through complex and cooperative interactions. In addition, the genes we have identified could contribute to the etiology of Kallmann syndrome in humans.
Reducing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections: A Quality-Improvement Initiative
Authors: Davis Katherine Finn , Colebaugh Ann M. , Eithun Benjamin L. , Klieger Sarah B. , Meredith Dennis J. , Plachter Natalie , Sammons Julia Shaklee , Thompson Allison , Coffin Susan E.
Published: August 2014

BACKGROUND:

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most common health care–associated infections in the United States, yet little is known about the prevention and epidemiology of pediatric CAUTIs.

METHODS:

An observational study was conducted to assess the impact of a CAUTI quality improvement prevention bundle that included institution-wide standardization of and training on urinary catheter insertion and maintenance practices, daily review of catheter necessity, and rapid review of all CAUTIs. Poisson regression was used to determine the impact of the bundle on CAUTI rates. A retrospective cohort study was performed to describe the epidemiology of incident pediatric CAUTIs at a tertiary care children’s hospital over a 3-year period (June 2009 to June 2012).

RESULTS:

Implementation of the CAUTI prevention bundle was associated with a 50% reduction in the mean monthly CAUTI rate (95% confidence interval: −1.28 to −0.12; P = .02) from 5.41 to 2.49 per 1000 catheter-days. The median monthly catheter utilization ratio remained unchanged; ∼90% of patients had an indication for urinary catheterization. Forty-four patients experienced 57 CAUTIs over the study period. Most patients with CAUTIs were female (75%), received care in the pediatric or cardiac ICUs (70%), and had at least 1 complex chronic condition (98%). Nearly 90% of patients who developed a CAUTI had a recognized indication for initial catheter placement.

CONCLUSIONS:

CAUTI is a common pediatric health care–associated infection. Implementation of a prevention bundle can significantly reduce CAUTI rates in children.
Identifying Very Preterm Children at Educational Risk Using a School Readiness Framework
Authors: Pritchard Verena E. , Bora Samudragupta , Austin Nicola C. , Levin Karelia J. , Woodward Lianne J.
Published: August 2014

OBJECTIVES:

Children born very preterm (VPT) are at high risk of educational delay, yet few guidelines exist for the early identification of those at greatest risk. Using a school readiness framework, this study examined relations between preschool neurodevelopmental functioning and educational outcomes to age 9 years.

METHODS:

The sample consisted of a regional cohort of 110 VPT (≤32 weeks’ gestation) and 113 full-term children born during 1998–2000. At corrected age 4 years, children completed a multidisciplinary assessment of their health/motor development, socioemotional adjustment, core learning skills, language, and general cognition. At ages 6 and 9, children’s literacy and numeracy skills were assessed using the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement.

RESULTS:

Across all readiness domains, VPT children were at high risk of delay/impairment (odds ratios 2.5–3.5). Multiple problems were also more common (47% vs 16%). At follow-up, almost two-thirds of VPT children were subject to significant educational delay in either literacy, numeracy or both compared with 29% to 31% of full-term children (odds ratios 3.4–4.4). The number of readiness domains affected at age 4 strongly predicted later educational risk, especially when multiple problems were present. Receiver operating characteristic analysis confirmed ≥2 readiness problems as the optimal threshold for identifying VPT children at educational risk.

CONCLUSIONS:

School readiness offers a promising framework for the early identification of VPT children at high educational risk. Findings support the utility of ≥2 affected readiness domains as an effective criterion for referral for educational surveillance and/or additional support during the transition to school.
Hospitalizations for Severe Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
Authors: Greenbaum Adena H. , Chen Jufu , Reed Carrie , Beavers Suzanne , Callahan David , Christensen Deborah , Finelli Lyn , Fry Alicia M.
Published: August 2014

BACKGROUND:

Hospitalization for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) among children have been well characterized. We characterized hospitalizations for severe LRTI among children.

METHODS:

We analyzed claims data from commercial and Medicaid insurance enrollees (MarketScan) ages 0 to 18 years from 2007 to 2011. LRTI hospitalizations were identified by the first 2 listed International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision discharge codes; those with ICU admission and/or receiving mechanical ventilation were defined as severe LRTI. Underlying conditions were determined from out- and inpatient discharge codes in the preceding year. We report insurance specific and combined rates that used both commercial and Medicaid rates and adjusted for age and insurance status.

RESULTS:

During 2007–2011, we identified 16 797 and 12 053 severe LRTI hospitalizations among commercial and Medicaid enrollees, respectively. The rates of severe LRTI hospitalizations per 100 000 person-years were highest in children aged <1 year (commercial: 244; Medicaid: 372, respectively), and decreased with age. Among commercial enrollees, ≥1 condition increased the risk for severe LRTI (1 condition: adjusted relative risk, 2.68; 95% confidence interval, 2.58–2.78; 3 conditions: adjusted relative risk, 4.85; 95% confidence interval, 4.65–5.07) compared with children with no medical conditions. Using commercial/Medicaid combined rates, an estimated 31 289 hospitalizations for severe LRTI occurred each year in children in the United States.

CONCLUSIONS:

Among children, the burden of hospitalization for severe LRTI is greatest among children aged <1 year. Children with underlying medical conditions are at greatest risk for severe LRTI hospitalization.
Variation in Emergency Department Admission Rates in US Children’s Hospitals
Authors: Bourgeois Florence T. , Monuteaux Michael C. , Stack Anne M. , Neuman Mark I.
Published: August 2014

OBJECTIVE:

To measure the hospital-level variation in admission rates for children receiving treatment of common pediatric illnesses across emergency departments (EDs) in US children’s hospitals.

METHODS:

We performed a multi-center cross sectional study of children presenting to the EDs of 35 pediatric tertiary-care hospitals participating in the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS). Admission rates were calculated for visits occurring between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2012, associated with 1 of 7 common conditions, and corrected to adjust for hospital-level severity of illness. Conditions were selected systematically based on frequency of visits and admission rates.

RESULTS:

A total of 1 288 706 ED encounters (13.8% of all encounters) were associated with 1 of the 7 conditions of interest. After adjusting for hospital-level severity, the greatest variation in admission rates was observed for concussion (range 5%–72%), followed by pneumonia (19%–69%), and bronchiolitis (19%–65%). The least variation was found among patients presenting with seizures (7%–37%) and kidney and urinary tract infections (6%–37%). Although variability existed in disease-specific admission rates, certain hospitals had consistently higher, and others consistently lower, admission rates.

CONCLUSIONS:

We observed greater than threefold variation in severity-adjusted admission rates for common pediatric conditions across US children’s hospitals. Although local practices and hospital-level factors may partly explain this variation, our findings highlight the need for greater focus on the standardization of decisions regarding admission.
Climate Change and Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae): Impacts of Temperature and Carbon Dioxide on Life History
Authors: Curnutte Levi B , Simmons Alvin M , Abd-Rabou Shaaban
Published: August 2014

Climate change is relevant to life around the globe. A rise in ambient temperature and carbon dioxide (CO2) may have various impacts on arthropods such as altered life cycles, modified reproductive patterns, and changes in distribution. The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is a global pest responsible for significant losses of agricultural yields annually. This study was conducted to determine the impacts of changing temperature and CO2 levels on selected life history parameters of B. tabaci biotype B. Populations were established at three temperature regimes (25,28, and 33°C), and each population was evaluated in all three environments. Collard, Brassica oleracea ssp. acephala de Condolle (Brassicaceae), was used as the host. These results were based on data from 5 to ≈30 generations. Oviposition, nymphal survival, and reproduction were significantly affected by temperature, with net reproductive success declining to 36.4% at 33°C. Overall, 28°C was most favorable for whitefly fitness. However, the optimal temperature for B. tabaci reproduction may be between 28 and 33°C. There were no temperature effects on total nonstructural carbohydrate concentrations in collard, and impacts of the host plant on whitefly development in the different environments were determined to be minimal. An environment of enriched CO2 (750 ppm) was not observed to have an adverse effect on whitefly reproduction. Temperature was negatively correlated with adult body size. Length and width of males and females were affected by temperature. Data regarding population dynamics of B. tabaci in response to climate change are important for accurate predictions and improving management practices.
Smart glass facade subjected to wind loadings
Authors: Santos Filipe Amarante dos , Gonçalves Pedro F. , Cismaşiu Corneliu , Gamboa-Marrufo Mauricio
Published: August 2014

The design of a modern glass facade translates an architectural aspiration for transparency. Innovative technological solutions have made it possible to materialise a transparent planar surface, exploring the load-bearing capabilities of the glass itself. Facades also need to have back-up structures, which are designed to withstand seismic and wind actions. This paper analyses the behaviour of a ‘smart' glass facade, based on a bow-string truss solution, which is able to continuously adapt its shape in order to compensate for the wind dynamic displacements, affecting the structural appearance. The wave superposition method is used to generate samples of the wind distributions, using sinusoidal functions. A proportional–integral–derivative control strategy enables a significant reduction of the displacements shown by the facade during wind events. This design approach yields an optimised structural solution in terms of weight, allowing the materialisation of a very light facade.
Basic Aspects of the Pharmacodynamics of Tolperisone, A Widely Applicable Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxant
Authors: Tekes Kornelia
Published: August 2014

Tolperisone (2-methyl-1-(4-methylphenyl)-3-piperidin-1-ylpropan-1-one hydro-chloride) was introduced in the
clinical practice more than forty years ago and is still evaluated as a widely applicable compound in pathologically elevated
skeletal muscle tone (spasticity) and related pains of different origin. In the present review, basic pharmacodynamic
effects measured on whole animals, analyses of its actions on cell and tissue preparations and molecular mechanism of action
on sodium and calcium channels are summarized as recently significantly new data were reported.
Patient Outcome in Pregnancy Requiring Dialysis: A Case Series
Authors: Sulaiman Karina , Vuppali Madhavilatha , Abreo Kenneth
Published: August 2014

The optimal management of pregnant dialysis patients remains a great challenge for nephrologists, end-stage renal disease being a predictor of adverse outcomes in this condition. We report a single-center experience of four patients requiring dialysis during pregnancy, all of which resulted in successful delivery of viable infants. Our success rate may reflect an overall improvement in management of this population, with special attention paid to multiple risk factors. These include blood pressure and volume control, anemia management with erythropoietin analogues, nutritional intake and total dose of dialysis.
Methamphetamine Use among Rural White and Native American Adolescents: An Application of the Stress Process Model
Authors: Eitle David J. , Eitle Tamela McNulty
Published: August 2014

Memamphetamine use has been identified as having significant adverse health consequences, yet we know little about the correlates of its use. Additionally, research has found that Native Americans are at the highest risk for methamphetamine use. Our exploratory study, informed by the stress process model, examines stress and stress buffering factors associated with methamphetamine use among a cross-sectional sample of rural White and Native American adolescents ( n = 573). Results of logistic regression analyses revealed mixed support for the stress process model; while stress exposure and family methamphetamine use predicted past year methamphetamine use, the inclusion of these variables failed to attenuate the association between race and past year use.
The Impact of Science Education Games on Prescription Drug Abuse Attitudes among Teens: A Case Study
Authors: Klisch Yvonne , Bowling Kristi G. , Miller Leslie M. , Ramos Miguel A.
Published: August 2014

Two online science education games, in which players learn about the risks of prescription drug abuse in the context of investigating crimes, were evaluated to determine shifts of prescription drug abuse attitudes attributable to game exposure. High school students from grades 11 and 12 ( n = 179) were assigned to one of the games and participated in a pretest, two game-play sessions, and a delayed posttest. Students in both groups demonstrated more negative attitudes toward prescription drug abuse after playing the game, driven by changes of students' normative beliefs and their ability to make the connection between prescription drug abuse and illicit drugs. A secondary aim was to assess gains in science knowledge; however, due to low internal consistency reliabilities of content measures, students' knowledge acquisition could not be determined.
“No Justice, No Peace” and the Right to Self-Determination: An Interview with Gary Grant and Naeema Muhammed of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network
Authors: Slatin Craig , Scammell Madeleine Kangsen
Published: August 2014

This is an interview with Gary Grant and Naeema Muhammed, leaders of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network. Each of them talks about where they grew up, their politicization, how their paths crossed, their work together after Hurricane Floyd, and the unique challenges of organizing for social justice for black communities in the South. We learn of their fight against concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), primarily for the hog trade, and they take us up to North Carolina's Moral Monday protests of 2013 against legislation that threatens voting rights, public education, access to medical services, unemployment benefits, workers rights, occupational and environmental health, and women's access to reproductive health care. We are grateful to these two friends of New Solutions for their contribution to the journal, and we hope that their insights regarding struggles for social and environmental justice can serve as guides for us all.
On a first-order semipositone boundary value problem on a time scale
Authors: Goodrich Christopher
Published: August 2014

We consider the existence of a positive solution to the first-order dynamic
equation y?(t)+p(t)y?(t) = ?f (t, y?(t)), t?(a, b)T, subject to the
boundary condition y(a) = y(b) + ?T1,T2 F(s, y(s)) ?s for ?1,?2 ? [a,b]T.
In this setting, we allow f to take negative values for some (t; y). Our
results generalize some recent results for this class of problems, and
because we treat the problem on a general time scale T we provide new
results for this problem in the case of differential, difference, and
q-difference equations. We also provide some discussion of the applicability
of our results.
On the generation of bipartite grids in 2 and 3 dimensional regions
Authors: Morales Fernando , Osorio Mauricio
Published: August 2014

We present a procedure to generate bipartite grids for simply connected
domains in 2-D and 3-D of prescribed size and controlled regularity elements.
The mesh elements K of the triangulation satisfy ?K ? C where ?K is the
regularity and C is a constant depending on the shape parameters of the
initial mesh. Bipartite grids permit a well-posed mixed-mixed variational
formulation of problems such as the porous media flow equation and other
linear physical phenomena as well as Galerkin-type discontinuous relaxations.