bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: With or without Duodenal Switch? A Consecutive Series of 800 Cases
Authors: Biertho L. , Lebel S. , Marceau S. , Hould F.S. , Lescelleur O. , Marceau P. , Biron S.
Published: May 2014

Background: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) was originally performed as the restrictive and acid-reducing part of a biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD-DS). It is now recognized as a stand-alone procedure, but direct comparison between the two procedures is still lacking. The goal of this study is to compare the outcomes of the two procedures and their respective impact on obesity-related comorbidities. Methods: All patients who had a laparoscopic SG (n = 378) or a laparoscopic BPD-DS (n = 422) before 10/2011 were included in this study (n = 800). Data were obtained from our prospectively maintained electronic database and are reported as mean ± standard deviation comparing SG with BPD-DS patients. Results: SG patients were older (48 ± 11 vs. 40 ± 10 years, p < 0.001) with a higher prevalence of comorbidities (type 2 diabetes mellitus in 51 vs. 37%; hypertension 62 vs. 49%; sleep apnea 63 vs. 51%; all p < 0.001). Initial BMI was 48 ± 9 vs. 48 ± 6 (p = 0.8). There was one 30-day mortality in the BPD-DS group, from a pulmonary embolism, for an overall mortality rate of 0.13%. Thirty-day complications occurred in 6 vs. 8% of patients (p = 0.2), including gastric leaks in 4 (1%) vs. 0 patients (p = 0.049). Mean follow-up was 29 ± 10 months. Excess weight loss was 45 ± 14 vs. 62 ± 15% at 6 months, 53 ± 18 vs. 81 ± 14% at 12 months, 53 ± 23 vs. 87 ± 15% at 18 months, 50 ± 19 vs. 86 ± 15% at 24 months and 51 ± 24 vs. 83 ± 16% at 36 months (p < 0.05 for all time points). The surgery induced the remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus in 56 vs. 90% of patients, hypertension in 54 vs. 76% and sleep apnea in 43 vs. 74% (all p < 0.05). In type 2 diabetic patients, fasting plasma glucose decreased by -1.9 mmol/l after SG vs. -2.9 mmol/l after BPD-DS (p < 0.05) and hemoglobin A1C by -1.1 vs. -1.9% (p < 0.05). Conclusion: SG results in a significant 3-year weight loss and remission of comorbidities. BPD-DS provides further improvement of associated comorbidities and can be an option for the management of insufficient weight loss or residual comorbidities following SG.
Novel/Experimental Bariatric Techniques
Authors: Thorell Anders
Published: May 2014

Due to the documented effects regarding durable and pronounced weight loss as well as improvement/resolution of obesity-associated morbidity, the number of bariatric surgical procedures performed has increased in an ‘epidemiologic' fashion during the last decade. Most common/established procedures used today have well-documented effects but are all associated with technique-specific advantages as well as shortcomings. In particular, complications in the short as well as long term constitute a drive for continuous development of new techniques. A common feature of such new techniques is to reduce the degree of surgical trauma by being less invasive. Some of the new techniques used for bariatric treatment have been in clinical practice for a long time. However, due to the lack of controlled data with documentation of their efficacy and risk of complications, these are still to be considered as experimental. Other techniques are newly being introduced, and therefore data on their potential use for treatment of morbidly obese patients are limited. In this article, an overview of some of the most important of such new techniques is given. Some recently presented methodologies in which very sparse documentation is present, but which have been appreciated for being innovative and sometimes controversial, are also mentioned.
Where to Begin and Where to End? Preoperative Assessment for Patients Undergoing Metabolic Surgery
Authors: Bächler Thomas , Schiesser Marc , Lutz Thomas A. , le Roux Carel W. , Bueter Marco
Published: May 2014

Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment of obesity and its associated diseases like type 2 diabetes mellitus. Given the obesity epidemic and the efficacy of surgical treatment, the number of surgical weight loss procedures has grown in recent years. Nevertheless, there is little consensus regarding the extent of preoperative investigations required prior to patients undergoing surgery. This article aims to discuss the available evidence on which preoperative tests are useful for the detection and treatment of conditions such as venous thromboembolism, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and Helicobacter pylori-positive gastritis prior to an operation. The present literature suggests that only a few preoperative investigations are essential, but that preoperative multidisciplinary care is beneficial.
Technical Inventions That Enabled Artificial Infant Feeding
Authors: Obladen Michael
Published: May 2014

Artificial feeding of infants, called hand-feeding, was unsafe well into the 19th century. This paper aims to identify technical innovations which made artificial feeding less dangerous. In rapid succession from 1844 to 1886, the vulcanization of rubber, production of rubber teats, cooling machines for large-scale ice production, techniques for milk pasteurization, evaporation and condensation, and packing in closed tins were invented or initiated. Remarkably, most of these inventions preceded the discovery of pathogenic bacteria. The producers of proprietary infant formula made immediate use of these innovations, whereas in the private household artificial feeding remained highly dangerous - mostly because of ignorance about bacteria and hygiene, and partly because the equipment for safe storage, transport, preparation and application of baby food was lacking.
Operative Strategies for Patients with Failed Primary Bariatric Procedures
Authors: Buhmann Helena , Vines Larissa , Schiesser Marc
Published: May 2014

Bariatric surgery is the most effective therapy to treat obesity and its sequelae. With the increasing incidence of obesity, the number of bariatric procedures has dramatically increased in recent years. The perioperative morbidity reached a very low level, and nearly all revisional bariatric procedures are primarily minimally invasive today. About 10-25% of the patients undergoing bariatric surgery require a revision at some point after their initial operation. Consequently, revisional bariatric surgery has emerged as a distinct practice, performed mainly at tertiary centers, to resolve complications caused by the primary operation and to provide satisfactory weight loss. In this review, our personal experience with revisional bariatric surgery is discussed against the background of the available literature. We further attempt to define major indications for revisional bariatric surgery and balance them with perioperative and long-term morbidity as well as the surgical outcome.
Gastric Bypass: Current Results and Different Techniques
Authors: Vines Larissa , Schiesser Marc
Published: May 2014

Obesity has been steadily increasing over the last three decades and is one of the leading causes of increased health costs due to its associated comorbidities. Unfortunately, conservative treatment including lifestyle changes did not achieve the desired results. Bariatric surgery, on the other hand, has emerged as an effective and safe treatment for obesity and its related comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes. Much time has passed since the first Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was performed in the 1960s, and the operation technique has since evolved. New variations such as the distal gastric bypass as well as the omega loop bypass have been developed. Today, the laparoscopic gastric bypass is still the most widely applied bariatric operation technique, followed by laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. The refinement of the surgical technique and the introduction of laparoscopy have resulted in low perioperative morbidity and mortality after gastric bypass surgery. In this article, we will be discussing the history of gastric bypass surgery as well as presenting current data on excessive weight loss and resolution of comorbidities with a focus on diabetes. We will be looking into newer techniques such as omega loop bypass and their efficacy compared to the standard gastric bypass. Furthermore, we will be addressing the most important early and long-term complications, their diagnostic strategies as well as their management.
The Role of Dopamine D1 and D2 Receptors in Adolescent Methylphenidate Conditioned Place Preference: Sex Differences and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
Authors: Cummins Elizabeth D. , Griffin Stephen B. , Duty Chase M. , Peterson Daniel J. , Burgess Katherine C. , Brown Russell W.
Published: May 2014

This study analyzed the role of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in methylphenidate (MPH) conditioned place preference (CPP) in adolescent male and female rats, in addition to the role of these receptors in the effects of MPH on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the dorsal striatum and nucleus accumbens. Using a nonbiased CPP procedure, the animals were conditioned from postnatal day (PD) 33 to 37. On conditioning trials, animals were first administered saline or their respective antagonist (0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg SCH-23390; 0.01 or 0.03 mg/kg eticlopride HCl), followed by MPH (5 mg/kg). Approximately 10 min after MPH administration, the rats were placed into the paired context for a 10-min trial. One day after conditioning on PD38, a preference test was administered with dividers removed. One day following the preference test on PD39, brain tissue was removed, and the nucleus accumbens and striatum were analyzed for BDNF. Results revealed that MPH conditioning resulted in an increased preference that was blocked by either dose of SCH-23390, but generally not affected by either dose of eticlopride. Further, the higher dose of SCH-23390 resulted in a conditioned place aversion in males, presumably due to an increased number of dopamine D1 receptors in adolescent males. MPH produced a significant increase of striatal and accumbal BDNF alleviated by SCH-23390 or eticlopride. These results show that MPH results in CPP in adolescent male and female rats and these effects appear to be mediated by the dopamine D1 receptor, but the effects of MPH on BDNF appear to be mediated by both dopamine receptor families.
Familial Disseminated Comedones without Dyskeratosis: Report of an Affected Family and Review of the Literature
Authors: Cheng Mao-Jie , Chen Wen-Chieh , Happle Rudolf , Song Zhi-Qiang
Published: May 2014

Familial dyskeratotic comedones is a well-known genodermatosis with autosomal dominant inheritance, characterized by numerous comedones with dyskeratosis in histology and scar formation in consequence. In contrast, cases of familial disseminated comedones without dyskeratosis appear to be extremely rare. So far, only three reports could be found in the literature. Here we describe a large family affected with disseminated comedones superimposed by moderate to severe acne. Remarkably, no signs of dyskeratosis were found in the histology taken from 2 of the 15 affected family members. We propose the diagnostic term ‘familial disseminated comedones without dyskeratosis' to underline its familial and disseminated characteristics and discuss the differentiation with other similar entities.
Prenatal Drug Exposure Moderates the Association between Stress Reactivity and Cognitive Function in Adolescence
Authors: Buckingham-Howes Stacy , Bento Samantha P. , Scaletti Laura A. , Koenig James I. , Granger Douglas A. , Black Maureen M.
Published: May 2014

Prenatal drug exposure (PDE) can undermine subsequent health and development. In a prospective longitudinal study we examine whether PDE moderates the link between stress reactivity and cognitive functioning in adolescence. Participants were 76 prenatally drug-exposed and 61 nonexposed (NE) community comparison African American youth (50% male, mean age 14.17 years) living in an urban setting. All participants completed neuropsychological and academic achievement tests (Children's Memory Scales, the California Verbal Learning Test - Children's version and the Wide Range Achievement Test 4) over the course of 1 day in a laboratory setting. Two mild stressors (Balloon Analog Risk Task - Youth and Behavioral Indicator of Resilience to Distress) were administered, with saliva samples (assayed for cortisol) collected pre- and poststress task. A higher percentage in the NE group, compared to the PDE group (26% vs. 12%, χ2 = 4.70, d.f. = 1, n = 137, p = 0.03), exhibited task-related increases in salivary cortisol. PDE moderated the association between stress reactivity and 11 of 15 cognitive performance scales. In each case, the NE stress reactive group had better cognitive performance than either the NE lower cortisol reactive group or the PDE group regardless of stress reactivity status. Stress-related reactivity and regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in adolescence may be disrupted by PDE, and the disruption may be linked to lower cognitive performance.
Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Imaging Mass Spectrometry: New Technology for Vascular Pathology
Authors: Zaima Nobuhiro , Goto-Inoue Naoko , Moriyama Tatsuya
Published: May 2014

The use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) for the assessment of vascular pathology is attracting attention as a new valuable tool for diagnosing disease and finding new markers. MALDI-IMS is a molecular imaging technique whereby the simultaneous measurement of multiple samples directly from clinical tissue sections is possible. The versatility of MALDI-IMS has opened a new frontier in vascular pathology. In this review, we describe the principle and applications of MALDI-IMS.
Genomic Structures of the kW1 Loci on the Z and W Chromosomes in Ratite Birds: Structural Changes at an Early Stage of W Chromosome Differentiation
Authors: Ishijima Junko , Uno Yoshinobu , Nishida Chizuko , Matsuda Yoichi
Published: May 2014

The W chromosome of ratite birds shows minimal morphological differentiation and retains homology of genetic linkage and gene order with a substantial stretch of the Z chromosome; however, the molecular structure in the differentiated region is still not well known. The kW1 sequence was isolated from the kiwi as a W-specific DNA marker for PCR-based molecular sexing of ratite birds. In ratite W chromosomes, this sequence commonly contains a ∼200-bp deletion. To characterize the very early event of avian sex chromosome differentiation, we performed molecular cytogenetic analyses of kW1 and its flanking sequences in paleognathous and neognathous birds and reptiles. Female-specific repeats were found in the kW1-flanking sequence of the cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), and the repeats have been amplified in the pericentromeric region of the W chromosomes of ratites, which may have resulted from the cessation of meiotic recombination between the Z and W chromosomes at an early stage of sex chromosome differentiation. The presence of the kW1 sequence in neognathous birds and a crocodilian species suggests that the kW1 sequence was present in the ancestral genome of Archosauria; however, it disappeared in other reptilian taxa and several lineages of neognathous birds.
Go West or Rest! Die Behandlung chronischer Erschöpfungssyndrome im Wandel der Zeiten
Authors: Gaab Jens
Published: May 2014

Die Behandlung chronischer Erschöpfungssyndrome wurde und wird kontrovers diskutiert, was trotz aller Eindeutigkeit der empirischen Faktenlage auf die divergierenden Annahmen zu den Ursachen der chronischen Erschöpfung und auf die Zielsetzungen der abgeleiteten therapeutischen Vorgehensweisen zurückzuführen ist. Interessanterweise lassen sich die wirksamen Behandlungen nicht durch die von ihnen postulierten Mechanismen erklären. Unter Berücksichtigung früherer und historischer Behandlungsansätze chronischer Erschöpfungssyndrome soll das Rational aktueller Vorgehensweisen kritisch hinterfragt und die Notwendigkeit weiterer Forschung zu den Veränderungsmechanismen hervorgehoben werden.
Obturator Hernia with Ureteral Entrapment
Authors: Izzo Matteo , Regusci Luca , Fasolini Fabrizio
Published: May 2014

Obturator hernia of the ureter is uncommon. Computed tomography of a 77-year-old woman with sudden-onset lower left abdominal pain and urinary symptoms showed an obturator hernia with ureteral entrapment. Obturator hernia is a diagnostic challenge because the hernial mass is very insidious. It should be suspected in emaciated, multiparous, elderly women presenting with unexplained pain in the groin, hip, thigh or knee. High levels of clinical suspicion of high-risk patients and recourse to investigation by computed tomography are important, as delay in diagnosis and treatment is associated with increased morbidity and mortality.
Myostatin Regulates Energy Homeostasis in the Heart and Prevents Heart Failure
Authors: Biesemann Nadine , Mendler Luca , Wietelmann Astrid , Hermann Sven , Schäfers Michael , Krüger Marcus , Boettger Thomas , Borchardt Thilo , Braun Thomas
Published: May 2014

Rationale
:

Myostatin is a major negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass and initiates multiple metabolic changes, including enhanced insulin sensitivity. However, the function of myostatin in the heart is barely understood, although it is upregulated in the myocardium under several pathological conditions.

Objective
:

Here, we aimed to decipher the role of myostatin and myostatin-dependent signaling pathways for cardiac function and cardiac metabolism in adult mice. To avoid potential counterregulatory mechanisms occurring in constitutive and germ-line–based myostatin mutants, we generated a mouse model that allows myostatin inactivation in adult cardiomyocytes.

Methods and Results
:

Cardiac MRI revealed that genetic inactivation of myostatin signaling in the adult murine heart caused cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, partially recapitulating effects of the age-dependent decline of the myostatin paralog growth and differentiation factor 11. We found that myostatin represses AMP-activated kinase activation in the heart via transforming growth factor-β–activated kinase 1, thereby preventing a metabolic switch toward glycolysis and glycogen accumulation. Furthermore, myostatin stimulated expression of regulator of G-protein signaling 2, a GTPase-activating protein that restricts Gaq and Gas signaling and thereby protects against cardiac failure. Inhibition of AMP-activated kinase in vivo rescued cardiac hypertrophy and prevented enhanced glycolytic flow and glycogen accumulation after inactivation of myostatin in cardiomyocytes.

Conclusions
:

Our results uncover an important role of myostatin in the heart for maintaining cardiac energy homeostasis and preventing cardiac hypertrophy.
Three new species of Tuberepyris Lanes et Azevedo (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae), with amended diagnosis of the genus
Authors: AZEVEDO CELSO O. , MUGRABI DANIELE F.
Published: May 2014

Three new species of the Afrotropical Tuberepyris are described and illustrated, T. nihilus Azevedo et Mugrabi, sp. nov. (Madagascar), T. codex Azevedo et Mugrabi, sp. nov. (South Africa), and T. hamus Azevedo et Mugrabi, sp. nov. (Central African Republic). The male of Tuberepyris is described for the first time. T. basibrevis Lanes et Azevedo from Tanzania is evaluated and the genus is redefined. A key to species of Tuberepyris is provided.
A new genus of Podonominae (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Late Eocene Rovno amber from Ukraine
Authors: BARANOV VIKTOR , ANDERSEN TROND , PERKOVSKY EVGENY
Published: May 2014

The genus Palaeoboreochlus Baranov et Andersen, n. gen. is erected based on P. inornatus Baranov et Andersen, n. sp. described from a male found in Late Eocene Rovno amber. The new genus groups with Boreochlus Edwards in the tribe "Boreochlini".
Rainfall, Convection, and Latent Heating Distributions in Rapidly Intensifying Tropical Cyclones
Authors: Zagrodnik Joseph P. , Jiang Haiyan
Published: May 2014

Tropical cyclone (TC) rainfall, convection, and latent heating distributions are compiled from 14 years of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation radar overpasses. The dataset of 818 Northern Hemisphere tropical storms through category 2 hurricanes is divided by future 24-h intensity change and exclusively includes storms with at least moderately favorable environmental conditions. The rapidly intensifying (RI) category is further subdivided into an initial [RI (initial)] and continuing [RI (continuing)] category based on whether the storm is near the beginning of an RI event or has already been undergoing RI for 12 or more hours prior to the TRMM overpass. TCs in each intensity change category are combined into composite diagrams orientated relative to the environmental vertical wind shear direction. Rainfall frequency, defined as the shear-relative occurrence of PR near-surface reflectivity >20 dBZ, is most strongly correlated with future intensity change. The rainfall frequency is also higher in RI (continuing) TCs than RI (initial). Moderate-to-deep convection and latent heating only increase significantly after RI is underway for at least 12 h in the innermost 50 km relative to the TC center. The additional precipitation in rapidly intensifying TCs is composed primarily of a mixture of weak convective and stratiform rain, especially in the upshear quadrants. The rainfall frequency and latent heating distributions are more symmetric near the onset of RI and continue to become more symmetric as RI continues and the rainfall coverage expands upshear. The relationship between rainfall distributions and future TC intensity highlights the potential of 37-GHz satellite imagery to improve real-time intensity forecasting.
Large-Scale Runoff from Landmasses: A Global Assessment of the Closure of the Hydrological and Atmospheric Water Balances*
Authors: Lorenz Christof , Kunstmann Harald , Devaraju Balaji , Tourian Mohammad J. , Sneeuw Nico , Riegger Johannes
Published: May 2014

The performance of hydrological and hydrometeorological water-balance-based methods to estimate monthly runoff is analyzed. Such an analysis also allows for the examination of the closure of water budgets at different spatial (continental and catchment) and temporal (monthly, seasonal, and annual) scales. For this analysis, different combinations of gridded observations [Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC), Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP), Climate Prediction Center (CPC), Climatic Research Unit (CRU), and University of Delaware (DEL)], atmospheric reanalysis models [Interim ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim), Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), and Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA)], partially model-based datasets [Global Land Surface Evaporation: The Amsterdam Methodology (GLEAM), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Global Evapotranspiration Project (MOD16), and FLUXNET Multi-Tree Ensemble (FLUXNET MTE)], and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite-derived water storage changes are employed. The derived ensemble of hydrological and hydrometeorological budget–based runoff estimates, together with results from different land surface hydrological models [Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) and the land-only version of MERRA (MERRA-Land)] and a simple predictor based on the precipitation–runoff ratio, is compared with observed monthly in situ runoff for 96 catchments of different sizes and climatic conditions worldwide. Despite significant shortcomings of the budget-based methods over many catchments, the evaluation allows for the demarcation of areas with consistently reasonable runoff estimates. Good agreement was particularly observed when runoff followed a dominant annual cycle like the Amazon. This holds true also for catchments with an area far below the spatial resolution of GRACE, like the Rhine. Over catchments with low or nearly constant runoff, the budget-based approaches do not provide realistic runoff estimates because of significant biases in the input datasets. In general, no specific data combination could be identified that consistently performed over all catchments. Thus, the performance over a specific single catchment cannot be extrapolated to other regions. Only in few cases do specific dataset combinations provide reasonable water budget closure; in most cases, significant imbalances remain for all the applied datasets.
On the Limits of Estimating the Maximum Wind Speeds in Hurricanes
Authors: Nolan David S. , Zhang Jun A. , Uhlhorn Eric W.
Published: May 2014

This study uses an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) approach to test the limitations of even nearly ideal observing systems to capture the peak wind speed occurring within a tropical storm or hurricane. The dataset is provided by a 1-km resolution simulation of an Atlantic hurricane with surface wind speeds saved every 10 s. An optimal observing system consisting of a dense field of anemometers provides perfect measurements of the peak 1-min wind speed as well as the average peak wind speed. Suboptimal observing systems consisting of a small number of anemometers are sampled and compared to the truth provided by the optimal observing system. Results show that a single, perfect anemometer experiencing a direct hit by the right side of the eyewall will underestimate the actual peak intensity by 10%–20%. Even an unusually large number of anemometers (e.g., 3–5) experiencing direct hits by the storm together will underestimate the peak wind speeds by 5%–10%. However, the peak winds of just one or two anemometers will provide on average a good estimate of the average peak intensity over several hours. Enhancing the variability of the simulated winds to better match observed winds does not change the results. Adding observational errors generally increases the reported peak winds, thus reducing the underestimates. If the average underestimate (negative bias) were known perfectly for each case, it could be used to correct the wind speeds, leaving only mean absolute errors of 3%–5%.
Weather or Not? Examining the Impact of Meteorological Conditions on Public Opinion regarding Global Warming
Authors: Borick Christopher P. , Rabe Barry G.
Published: May 2014

Public opinion surveys in the United States have shown a substantial shift in American public views on global warming between 2008 and 2012. During the period between 2008 and 2010, surveys tracked a significant decline in the number of Americans that believed there was evidence that global warming was occurring. Then, during 2011 and 2012, surveys began to show a rebound in belief among Americans that global warming was indeed happening. This study serves to further establish the significant role that weather played in the short-term fluctuations in public opinion regarding global warming that has been observed since 2008. First, the study shows that individuals regularly refer to weather-related factors when explaining how they arrived at their conclusion that the planet is either warming or not warming and that these explanations correspond with broad weather patterns observed over the 2008–12 time frame. The study also finds that actual weather conditions, and specifically seasonal snowfall, shape the process by which individuals arrive at their conclusions regarding the existence of global warming. In particular, snowfall levels during the winters between 2009 and 2012 appear related to an individual’s beliefs regarding the existence of global warming, expanding upon previous studies that have shown a link between weather conditions at or near the time of an interview and respondent views regarding the existence of global warming. The study also finds evidence that the effect of weather on perceptions of global warming is modified by factors such as party affiliation and educational attainment.
The Impact of Ethanol Lock Therapy on Length of Stay and Catheter Salvage in Pediatric Catheter-Associated Bloodstream Infection
Authors: Chaudhary Manu , Bilal Muhammad Fawad , Du Wei , Chu Roland , Rajpurkar Madhvi , McGrath Eric J.
Published: May 2014

Background. Ethanol lock therapy (ELT) with systemic antimicrobial therapy (SAT) is a treatment for catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CABSI). However, its impact on hospital length of stay (LOS) is unknown. Objectives. Assess the impact of ELT on LOS, LOS attributable to CABSI (ALOS), and catheter salvage in pediatric hematology, oncology, stem cell transplant (HOSCT) CABSI. Methods. Retrospective review of HOSCT CABSI from January 2009 to July 2011. Results. A total of 124 CABSI episodes were reviewed in 66 patients. Mean LOS with ELT after 1 positive blood culture (BC) was 7.1 versus 12.3 days after ≥2 positive BC ( P = .014). Mean ALOS was 1.6 days with ELT versus 2.9 days without ELT ( P = .018). Mean ALOS with ELT after 1 positive BC was 3.75 days versus 5.8 days after ≥2 positive BC ( P = .022). Catheter salvage rate: 41 of 48 (85%) with ELT versus 49 of 68 (72%) without ELT ( P = .169). Conclusion. Earlier initiation of ELT may decrease ALOS.
Shoes, Dues, and Other Barriers to College Attainment
Authors: Drotos Stephanie M. , Cilesiz Sebnem
Published: May 2014

Facilitating economically disadvantaged students’ access to higher education is an important goal of educational policy. However, some practices toward this goal are based on theories and assumptions not informed by the students’ conditions or needs. The purpose of this study was to understand the challenges faced by students from high poverty, urban high schools in their yearning for a college education. Analyses of interview and observation data from a yearlong study in six high-poverty schools revealed that economically disadvantaged students face contextual challenges that necessitate additional efforts and resources not required by others, including money, time, knowledge, courage, sacrifice, and taking risks. The findings are discussed in light of Bourdieu’s theory of capital in education. Implications for educational policy and practice are outlined, including increased attention to non-psychological, structural factors impacting college attainment such as systemic and cumulative disadvantage resulting from lack of various forms of capital.
Trade Integration and Revealed Comparative Advantages of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asian Merchandize Export
Authors: Beyene Hailay Gebretinsae
Published: May 2014

Policy issues related to trade are influenced through research outputs that draw on the concept of comparative advantage of nations/regions. The facilitation of economic integration in a region is influenced with the prevailing reality of comparative advantage of a country or region. This article investigates the revealed comparative advantages (RCAs) of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia on the export of merchandise subsectors (Food, Agricultural Raw Materials, Fuels, Ores and Metals and Manufactures) for the period 1995–2010. The study has used RCA indices, and examined the regions’ trade share in the world in relation to their respective population sizes.

 The study reveals that trade in the world is skewed towards the high-income economies limiting economic integration of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia regions with the world. Sub-Saharan Africa has RCAs on Food, Agricultural Raw Materials, Fuels, Ores and Metals export. South Asia has shown a change from RCA to comparative advantage position in export of Ores and Metals. Sub-Saharan Africa has very high competitive position in four of the five subsectors, while South Asia has improved from three to four subsectors in high competitive position. Interestingly, the study reveals that both regions have lower competitive position in manufactured goods export. Sub-Saharan Africa’s revealed competitive position is stronger than South Asia in merchandise export except in manufactured goods.
A Constant Market Share Analysis of India’s Export Performance
Authors: Singh Kulwinder
Published: May 2014

In the light of substantial improvement in export growth and changing internal and external economic environment, this article investigates the major sources of India’s exports performance during the post-liberalization period (1991–2011) by using constant market share model. It is found that growth of India’s exports found to be outstanding as it was remained well above the growth of world exports as well as export growth of the majority of the giant exporters except China during this period. The analysis reveals that export performance was mainly attributed to their competitive strengths in the global export market, however world demand for exports also proved as its important source. It is also emphasized that competiveness of India’s export remained prone to high inconsistencies arising out of changing external environment. Consistently negative composition effect came out as the most disturbing aspect of India’s export performance. On the other hand, market distribution has laid marginally positive impact on export performance. Given the export promotion outward orientation as strategy of development, inconsistent competitiveness and wrong specialization pattern of exports could adversely influence their performance in particular and also have wider implications for the external sector in general.
Prospects for the UK Economy
Authors: Kirby Simon , Meaning Jack , Warren James
Published: May 2014

The production of this forecast is supported by the Institute's Corporate Members: Bank of England, HM Treasury, Mizuho Research Institute Ltd, Santander (UK) plc and by the members of the NiGEM users group.
Football as a Status System in U.S. Higher Education
Authors: Lifschitz Arik , Sauder Michael , Stevens Mitchell L.
Published: May 2014

Sociologists have focused almost exclusively on academic aspects of status in higher education, despite the prominence of nonacademic activities, specifically athletics, in U.S. colleges and universities. We use the case of football to investigate whether intercollegiate sports influence the distribution of status in U.S. higher education. Analyzing data on conference affiliations and other organizational characteristics of 287 schools over time, we find evidence of an athletic status system. Our work expands understanding of status in U.S. higher education, enriches prior explanations for the prominence of football, and generates tractable insights about the ongoing evolution of the intercollegiate conference system.
Governing beyond the metropolis: Placing the rural in city-region development
Authors: Harrison John , Heley Jesse
Published: May 2014

Despite a select group of urban centres generating a disproportionate amount of global economic output, significant attention is being devoted to the impact of urban-economic processes on interstitial spaces lying between metropolitan areas. Nevertheless, there remains a noticeable silence in city-region debate concerning how rural spaces are conceptualised, governed and represented. In this paper we draw on recent city-region developments in England and Wales to suggest a paralysis of city-region policymaking has ensued from policy elites constantly swaying between a spatially-selective, city-first, agglomeration perspective on city-regionalism and a spatially-inclusive, region-first, scalar approach which fragments and divides territorial space along historical lines. In the final part we provide a typology of functionally dominant city-region constructs which we suggest offers a way out from the paralysis that currently grips city-region policymaking.
Length of Stay at Multiple Destinations of Tourism Trips in Brazil
Authors: Santos Glauber Eduardo de Oliveira , Ramos Vicente , Rey-Maquieira Javier
Published: May 2014

This study applied a shared heterogeneity duration model to tourists’ length of stay at different locations of multidestination trips. This analysis helps to understand tourists’ behaviors and to predict their length of stay according to relevant variables. Such information can be applied to the development of efficient marketing strategies aiming to push the average length of stay to the desired direction, and to develop “on the fly” service provision and revenue management strategies. The focus on multiple destination trips offers an innovative analytical perspective. A large data set of 309,000 visits to Brazilian destinations was analyzed. Several empirical findings regarding determinants of tourists’ length of stay were obtained. Positively skewed distributions for duration and hazard functions were found to best fit observed data. Shared heterogeneity was found to statistically improve the explanatory capacity of duration models when multidestination tourism trips data are analyzed.
Contemporary Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Greeting Cards
Authors: Auster Carol J. , Auster-Gussman Lisa A.
Published: May 2014

Mother’s and Father’s Day greeting cards were analyzed for (a) ideologies of motherhood and fatherhood in the themes and objects/pictures; (b) color palette, color, and lettering; and (c) the impact of the sender’s gender and relationship to the recipient. The sample consisted of 442 cards on the Hallmark website. Ritualized holidays tend to support the status quo, and traditional ideologies of motherhood and fatherhood, namely a nurturing role for mothers and an instrumental role for fathers, were reflected in the themes and the objects/pictures on the cards. A pastel color palette, pink and purple, and script lettering characterized Mother’s Day cards, whereas a bold color palette, blue, tan, black, brown and red, and whimsical lettering characterized Father’s Day cards. There were variations across the cards that revealed the salience of the sender’s gender and relationship to the recipient. The limitations of this research and suggestions for future research are discussed.
State of the Science
Authors: Newlin Lew Kelley , Nowlin Sarah , Chyun Deborah , Melkus Gail D’Eramo
Published: May 2014

Over the past decade, diabetes self-management (DSM) interventions have become increasingly heterogeneous to address the needs of diverse populations. The purpose of this integrative review is to summarize the state of the science regarding DSM interventions led by nurse principal investigators. The Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework informed identification, selection, and appraisal of the literature. A total of 44 national and international studies (RCTs [randomized controlled trial] and quasi-experimental studies) were identified for inclusion. Across national studies, diverse ethnic groups (Latinos, African Americans, Asians, and Native Americans) were most frequently sampled (67%). Review findings identified (a) DSM intervention typologies (primary DSM intervention, DSM reinforcement intervention, and primary DSM intervention plus reinforcement intervention) and selection of blended or bundled intervention components; (b) DSM intervention translation to community-based, electronic, and home settings; and (c) DSM intervention delivery (interventionists, dosages, and fidelity).
The Impact of Caregiving on Caregivers’ Medication Adherence and Appointment Keeping
Authors: Wang XiaoRong , Robinson Karen M. , Hardin Heather K.
Published: May 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between care demands and caregivers’ medication adherence and health appointment keeping. A cross-sectional correlational design was used to survey a convenience sample of 45 informal caregivers of persons with dementia. Pearson product–moment correlations and hierarchical multiple regressions were used to examine the relationships among study variables. Nearly one third of caregivers reported frequently or occasionally missing medication doses and nearly a half reported not being able to fully keep appointments with health care providers. Female gender, care duration, and care-recipient activities of daily living were significant predictors for medication adherence and appointment keeping. Caregivers’ education and weekly caregiving hours contributed significantly to their medication adherence. Interventions are needed to help caregivers keep health appointments and adhere to their medications.
Enhancing the Professional Mindset of Future Sales Professionals
Authors: Marcos-Cuevas Javier , Critten Peter , Squire Phil , Speakman James I. F.
Published: May 2014

Sales education has grown in importance, particularly throughout the last decade, with an increasing number of university sales centers offering programs to prepare new generations of sales professionals. In this article, we describe how work-based learning, action research, and reflective practice used in a sales master program can be used in undergraduate sales education to facilitate the emergence of a new mindset of professional selling in future practitioners. This mindset is characterized by enhanced awareness and personal transformation that lead to improved relationships through the discovery of new ways of identifying and creating customer value. We argue this mindset is required to respond to the unprecedented level of change and increased complexity in professional selling. Sales education is vital to ensure that future and practicing sales professionals continuously develop the competences required to perform in demanding contexts. Universities and business schools alike now play a pivotal role in developing sales talent by combining in unique ways academic research in sales, advances in pedagogy, and practitioner experience. The findings of our study reveal the significance of student-centered pedagogies in sales curricula. We discuss how the experience gathered from educating practicing sales professionals can be applied to educating novice sales students adopting work-based pedagogies.
Leader–Member Conversational Quality
Authors: Jian Guowei , Shi Xiaowei , Dalisay Francis
Published: May 2014

The continuing development of leadership research calls for measurement instruments that can tap into the communication process between leaders and members. The purpose of this present research is to develop and validate a Leader–Member Conversational Quality (LMCQ) scale—an instrument that measures the quality of conversations between leaders and members in the workplace. A series of three studies were conducted. Study I involved item generation and content validity assessment. Study II undertook the task of scale construction and reliability assessment. Study III tested the convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity of the scale. These studies resulted in a nine-item instrument with sufficient psychometric properties. The ability of the instrument to assess conversational practices quantitatively will help generate greater insights into leader–member communication dynamics and their consequences.
Organizational Challenges of Community Associations
Authors: Harris Margaret E.
Published: May 2014

Can voluntary and nonprofit research be helpful for local community associations (CAs) seeking to respond to organizational challenges and problems? This article builds on a study of an organizational crisis in an English CA to explore this question. The events that precipitated and prolonged the crisis seemed inexplicable to outside observers. Yet the study found that much of what occurred could be explained in the light of earlier theories and research. The article concludes that voluntary and nonprofit scholarship, as well as generic organizational theories, has the potential to be helpful for community association members and activists in anticipating and responding to organizational problems. But scholars need to do more to disseminate existing research findings, to make them accessible and to adapt them to the distinctive needs and real-world problems of community associations.
Intra-operative tumour localisation in robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery: A review
Authors: Li Min , Liu Hongbin , Jiang Allen , Seneviratne Lakmal D , Dasgupta Prokar , Althoefer Kaspar , Wurdemann Helge
Published: May 2014

Robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery has many advantages compared to conventional open surgery and also certain drawbacks: it causes less operative trauma and faster recovery times but does not allow for direct tumour palpation as is the case in open surgery. This article reviews state-of-the-art intra-operative tumour localisation methods used in robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery and in particular methods that employ force-based sensing, tactile-based sensing, and medical imaging techniques. The limitations and challenges of these methods are discussed and future research directions are proposed.
Towards a theory of sporadic rhyming
Authors: Tartakovsky Roi
Published: May 2014

A surprising amount of 20th-century (and earlier) English-language poetry employs rhyme, but not the rhyme we normally think of, which marks the end of the line in metrical poetry, but a kind of half-intentional half-accidental rhyme that can appear anywhere within the text. This type of rhyming, which I term ‘sporadic’ and distinguish from ‘systematic,’ has illuminating potential as it relies on, but also departs from traditional rhyme functions. As such, it asks for a new theorization. In this essay I elaborate the core characteristics of sporadic rhyming, and then exemplify and qualify these through a series of readings.
How is Mrs Ramsay thinking? The semantic effects of consciousness presentation categories within free indirect style
Authors: Rundquist Eric
Published: May 2014

The stylistic categories available for presenting consciousness have important semantic implications for the interpretation of fictional minds in narratives. Free indirect style, the broadest and most stylistically problematic of those categories, is particularly important because of the exceptional degree to which it grants readers access to characters’ mental experience. However, recent work in cognitive narratology (e.g. Herman, 2011a, 2011b; Palmer, 2004, 2011; Zunshine, 2006) has de-prioritized the category approach to consciousness presentation, and with it free indirect style, by adopting a cognitive science-based methodology that is less grounded in linguistic analysis. In this article I argue that a departure from consciousness presentation categories is not advantageous to the progression of narratological scholarship, and that a continued focus on the linguistic constructs that individuate the categories should be integrated with developments in the cognitive approach. This is because different categories and sub-categories have different semantic effects in terms of the extent to which they express verbal or non-verbal mental activity, as well as the aspects of consciousness that they evoke. The broad category of free indirect style in particular has a distinct semantic effect in relation to other techniques: it brings about what is best described as a representational relationship between the narrative discourse and the fictional consciousness. In order to substantiate these claims, I analyse a passage from Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse (1927), in which frequent shifts between and manipulations of consciousness presentation categories provide a context for elucidating their semantic implications.