bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictive factors for difficult intravenous cannulation in pediatric patients at a tertiary pediatric hospital
Authors: Cuper Natascha J. , de Graaff Jurgen C. , van Dijk Atty T. H. , Verdaasdonk Rudolf M. , van der Werff Desirée B. M. , Kalkman Cor J.
Published: August 2011

Background:  It is generally believed that certain patient characteristics (e.g., Body Mass Index and age) predict difficulty of intravenous cannulation in children, but there is not much literature evaluating these risk factors. In this study, we investigated predictive factors for success rate at first attempt and time needed for intravenous cannulation.

Methods/Materials:  In a prospective cohort study, we observed characteristics of intravenous cannulations in pediatric patients at the operating room (n = 1083) and the outpatient care unit (n = 178) of a tertiary referral pediatric hospital. Time to successful intravenous cannulation, success at first attempt, and potential predictors for difficult cannulation (age, gender, skin color, BMI or weight‐to‐age z‐score, the child being awake or anesthetized, operator profession and surgical specialty) were recorded. Regression models were constructed to find significant predictors.

Results:  Success at first attempt was 73% and 81%, respectively. In the operating room age, operator and surgical specialty were predictive for a successful first attempt and time to successful cannulation. No significant predictive factors were found for the outpatient care unit. BMI or weight‐to‐age was not related to difficult intravenous cannulation.

Conclusions:  This study shows that in one‐fifth to one‐third of the patients, intravenous cannulation required more than one attempt. It is difficult to predict with accuracy the difficulty of intravenous cannulation solely with easily obtainable patient characteristics.
Optimizing weight gain in pregnancy to prevent obesity in women and children
Authors: Herring S. J. , Rose M. Z. , Skouteris H. , Oken E.
Published: August 2011

Pregnancy is now considered to be an important risk factor for new or persistent obesity among women during the childbearing years. High gestational weight gain is the strongest predictor of maternal overweight or obesity following pregnancy. A growing body of evidence also suggests that both high and low gestational weight gains are independently associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity, suggesting that influences occurring very early in life are contributing to obesity onset. In response to these data, the US Institute of Medicine (IOM) revised gestational weight gain guidelines in 2009 for the first time in nearly two decades. However, less than one third of pregnant women achieve guideline‐recommended gains, with the majority gaining above IOM recommended levels. To date, interventions to optimize pregnancy weight gains have had mixed success. In this paper, we summarize the evidence from human and animal studies linking over‐nutrition and under‐nutrition in pregnancy to maternal and child obesity. In addition, we discuss published trials and ongoing interventions to achieve appropriate gestational weight gain as a strategy for obesity prevention in women and their children.
Decision curve analysis assessing the clinical benefit of NMP22 in the detection of bladder cancer: secondary analysis of a prospective trial
Authors: Barbieri Christopher E. , Cha Eugene K. , Chromecki Thomas F. , Dunning Allison , Lotan Yair , Svatek Robert S. , Scherr Douglas S. , Karakiewicz Pierre I. , Sun Maxine , Mazumdar Madhu , Shariat Shahrokh F.
Published: August 2011

Study Type – Decision analysis (based on alternative scenarios)

Level of Evidence 2b

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Several studies have shown that abnormal levels of nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22) are associated with bladder cancer, and NMP22 has been approved by the FDA as a urinary biomarker for bladder cancer detection and surveillance. However, the benefit of adding NMP22 to the clinical care of patients remains unclear.

Decision curve analysis incorporates the consequences of clinical decisions, such as an increased number of unnecessary cystoscopies or missed cancers.

OBJECTIVE

To employ decision curve analysis to determine the impact of nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22) on clinical decision making in the detection of bladder cancer using data from a prospective trial.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included 1303 patients at risk for bladder cancer who underwent cystoscopy, urine cytology and measurement of urinary NMP22 levels.

We constructed several prediction models to estimate risk of bladder cancer. The base model was generated using patient characteristics (age, gender, race, smoking and haematuria); cytology and NMP22 were added to the base model to determine effects on predictive accuracy.

Clinical net benefit was calculated by summing the benefits and subtracting the harms and weighting these by the threshold probability at which a patient or clinician would opt for cystoscopy.

RESULTS

In all, 72 patients were found to have bladder cancer (5.5%). In univariate analyses, NMP22 was the strongest predictor of bladder cancer presence (predictive accuracy 71.3%), followed by age (67.5%) and cytology (64.3%).

In multivariable prediction models, NMP22 improved the predictive accuracy of the base model by 8.2% (area under the curve 70.2–78.4%) and of the base model plus cytology by 4.2% (area under the curve 75.9–80.1%).

Decision curve analysis revealed that adding NMP22 to other models increased clinical benefit, particularly at higher threshold probabilities.

CONCLUSIONS

NMP22 is a strong, independent predictor of bladder cancer.

Addition of NMP22 improves the accuracy of standard predictors by a statistically and clinically significant margin.

Decision curve analysis suggests that integration of NMP22 into clinical decision making helps avoid unnecessary cystoscopies, with minimal increased risk of missing a cancer.
Analysis of regional lymph nodes in periprostatic fat following robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy
Authors: Yuh Bertram , Wu Huiqing , Ruel Nora , Wilson Timothy
Published: August 2011

Study Type – Therapy (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?

A few publications have reported on the presence of lymph nodes in the anterior prostate lymphofatty tissue. This is important as increasing emphasis is placed on extending the overall limits of lymph node dissection in prostate cancer.

For a large group of patients treated with robotic prostatectomy we continue to routinely remove and examine this tissue in order to provide additional staging information for patients. In a comprehensive cancer centre, the long‐term oncologic ramifications of excising tumour containing lymph nodes will continue to be studied.

OBJECTIVE

• To determine the incidence and significance of lymph nodes in the anterior prostatovesicular lymphofatty tissue.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

• One hundred and twenty patients with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent robot‐assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy with excision of anterior prostatovesicular tissue at a single institution over a 6‐month period.

• Tissue was sent for pathological analysis.

• Separate pelvic lymph node dissection was carried out in moderate‐risk and high‐risk patients.

RESULTS

• A total of 20 out of 120 patients (16.7%) had lymph nodes in the anterior lymphofatty tissue.

• Average lymph node number when present was 1.5 (one to three).

• Pathological assessment of the lymph nodes revealed metastatic prostate cancer in 3 out of 120 (2.5%) patients, each of whom had adverse pathological features.

• Patients with metastatic lymph nodes in the anterior tissue did not have cancer involvement of the pelvic lymph nodes.

• Patients with lymph nodes found in the anterior lymphofatty tissue were slightly younger but were otherwise similar with respect to other demographics, prostate‐specific antigen, biopsy Gleason score, clinical stage, pathological stage, pathological Gleason score, seminal vesicle invasion, and margin status.

CONCLUSIONS

• Anterior lymphofatty tissue overlying the prostate occasionally contains lymph nodes that can harbour malignant disease and routine excision may eradicate regional tumour burden.

• Of patients with nodes, 15% were found to have malignant involvement.

• The long‐term impact on progression‐free and overall survival requires further study.
Evaluation of different lymph node (LN) variables as prognostic markers in patients undergoing radical cystectomy and extended LN dissection to the level of the inferior mesenteric artery
Authors: Jensen Jørgen B. , Ulhøi Benedicte P. , Jensen Klaus M.‐E.
Published: August 2011

Study Type – Therapy (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Different lymph node variables have been suggested as prognostic factors to improve substratification of lymph node positive patients undergoing cystectomy.

In this uniform surgery only series the classical TNM classification still provided the most relevant stratification, whereas several other tested variables proved to have little or no relevant influence regarding prognosis.

OBJECTIVE

• To evaluate the prognostic impact of lymph node (LN) variables in patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) and extended LN dissection.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

• From January 2004 to January 2009, 167 patients with bladder cancer underwent RC and extended LN dissection to the level of the inferior mesenteric artery in a surgery‐only series with no neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy.

• Correlation to prognosis of different LN variables according to presence of LN metastasis, number, localization, extracapsular extension (ECE), size, volume, LN density and N‐stage according to two different Tumour‐Node‐Metastasis (TNM) classifications were analysed.

RESULTS

• In all, 43 patients (26%) had LN metastases.

• In univariate analysis, gender, T‐stage and several different LN variables stratified by presence of LN metastasis, number of positive LNs, anatomical localisation, ECE, LN density, size and volume of positive LNs, were significant prognostic predictors.

• Female gender, advanced T‐stage, presence of LN metastasis, non‐regional LN metastases (M‐positive) and number of positive LNs (1 vs >1) were significant adverse prognostic predictors in multivariate analysis, whereas the other LN variables were not.

• Inclusion of the common iliac LNs in the regional LNs as suggested in the seventh edition of the TNM classification was relevant regarding prognosis. However, subclassification based on location was not correlated to prognosis. The new N3 category therefore seems superfluous.

CONCLUSIONS

• LN‐positive patients have a poor prognosis, especially if >1 positive LN is present.

• Despite several different suggestions of new LN‐dependent prognostic factors, none of the tested variables were independently significant in the present series.
Long‐term efficacy and tolerability of once‐yearly histrelin acetate subcutaneous implant in patients with advanced prostate cancer
Authors: Shore Neal , Cookson Michael S. , Gittelman Marc C.
Published: August 2011

Study Type – Therapy (individual cohort)

Level of Evidence 2b

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Androgen deprivation therapy with a gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonist is an effective option for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

This study demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the histrelin acetate implant over successive one year treatment cycles for up to four years in an open‐label extension trial.

OBJECTIVE

• To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a once‐yearly histrelin implant during an open‐label extension of a pivotal study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

• Men with advanced prostate cancer and a clinical response to 52 weeks of treatment with the histrelin implant.

• Implants were placed annually. The primary efficacy variable was achievement of serum testosterone levels of ≤50 ng/dL. Secondary efficacy variables were disease progression, analgesia use, performance status and tolerability of therapy.

RESULTS

• Of 104 patients enrolled, over 70% received three consecutive histrelin implants, and the longest, single treatment period was greater than 4 years. Serum testosterone was consistently suppressed below 50 ng/dL in all patients and mean testosterone levels were 13.1, 14.8 and 10.8 ng/dL after 104 weeks (year 2), 156 weeks (year 3) and 208 weeks (year 4) of treatment, respectively.

• Most patients showed no clinical worsening of their disease, were able to continue normal daily activities, and did not require analgesic medication during the extension period.

• Mean (sd) time to place the histrelin implant was 4.5 (6.2) min, with only three patients having insertions that were considered difficult.

• Adverse events were reported in 100 (96.2%) patients. The eight deaths and 28 (26.9%) serious adverse events were judged as unrelated to the study drug. The most commonly reported drug‐related adverse events was hot flashes in 67 (64.4%) patients. Most of these cases was judged as mild or moderate.

CONCLUSIONS

• The once‐yearly histrelin implant maintained testosterone suppression for repeated treatment cycles and was generally well tolerated.

• The histrelin implant provides a clinically attractive option for long‐term androgen deprivation therapy in patients with advanced prostate cancer seeking fewer office visits and repeated injections.
Renoprotective effect of pulsatile perfusion machine RM3: pathophysiological and kidney injury biomarker characterization in a preclinical model of autotransplanted pig
Authors: Codas Ricardo , Thuillier Raphael , Hauet Thierry , Badet Lionel
Published: August 2011

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Machine perfusion of kidney graft improves short term outcome. However, the technique still requires optimization, as the rate of delayed graft function remains high.

Machine perfusion of kidney graft has significant benefits on chronic outcome in terms of interstitial fibrosis and kidney function. Improvement of the technique is possible using alternative perfusion fluids, such as fourth generation preservation solutions containing polyethylene glycol.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effect of machine perfusion (MP) on renal function recovery vs kidney preservation in static cold storage (CS), in a large animal preclinical model.

To assess whether MP benefits are dependent on the preservation solution used.

METHODS

Using an established autotransplantation pig kidney model associated with a contralateral nephrectomy we studied the impact of MP against the deleterious effects of warm ischaemia (WI; 60 min), then 22 h of cold ischaemia using MP or static CS, followed by autotransplantation.

We used Berzer MP solution (MPS), recommended for MP, and Institut Georges Lopez preservation solution (IGL‐1), designed for CS.

The pigs were divided into four study groups: MPS‐CS: static CS with MPS (n = 7); MPS‐MP: renal perfusion with MPS using the Waters Medical Systems (Rochester, MN, USA) RM3 pulsatile machine (n = 7); IGL‐CS: static CS with IGL‐1 solution (n = 7); IGL‐MP: renal perfusion with IGL‐1 solution (n = 7).

The effect of ischaemia was determined using different variables: pig survival; plasma creatinine; proteinuria; oxidative stress; tubular sodium reabsorption rate; and tissue damage at 1 month.

RESULTS

Pig survival was higher in MP and IGL groups compared to MPS‐CS.

Plasma creatinine levels did not differ among the groups, but proteinuria assay showed significant benefits for the MP vs static CS groups.

Histological evaluation of kidney grafts showed more injury in the CS groups than in the MP groups.

Urinary measurement of tubular enzyme activity differed substantially among the groups, highlighting the benefits of MP in maintaining brush border integrity.

CONCLUSIONS

In our model reproducing the conditions of deceased after cardiac arrest donors we show that MP decreases the risk of renal dysfunction and preserves kidney parenchyma.

A non‐invasive urinary enzyme assay can provide valuable information on graft integrity.

The preservation solution used is important as the wrong solution can decrease the benefits of MP.
Nerve sparing can preserve orgasmic function in most men after robotic‐assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy
Authors: Tewari Ashutosh , Grover Sonal , Sooriakumaran Prasanna , Srivastava Abhishek , Rao Sandhya , Gupta Amit , Gray Robert , Leung Robert , Paduch Darius A.
Published: August 2011

Study Type – Therapy (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Orgasm has a major influence on patients’ satisfaction with the overall sexual experience, and alternations in orgasm are associated with significant reductions in emotional and physical satisfaction, which in turn may lead to sexual avoidance behaviour, disharmonious relationships and relationship breakdowns. Studies have found a reduction in orgasmic function after retropublic radical prostatectomy. While open radical prostatectomy inevitably damages some pelvic neuronal circuitry, which will thus impact on orgasmic responses, there is a paucity of data investigating the effect on robotic assisted radical prostatectomy on this.

To our knowledge this study represents the largest analysis of orgasmic function in the robotic prostatectomy literature, and therefore would be of value to surgeons in counseling candidates for RALP about orgasmic outcomes. In our series, young men (age ≤60 years) and those who underwent bilateral nerve sparing approaches had a better recovery of their premorbid orgasmic function when compared to older men or men with no nerve sparing.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate orgasmic outcomes in patients undergoing robotic‐assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) and the effects of age and nerve sparing on these outcomes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between January 2005 and June 2007, 708 patients underwent RALP at our institution.

We analysed postoperative potency and orgasmic outcomes in the 408 men, of the 708, who were potent, able to achieve orgasm preoperatively and available for follow‐up.

RESULTS

Of men aged ≤60 years, 88.4% (198/224) were able to achieve orgasm postoperatively in comparison to 82.6% (152/184) of older men (P < 0.001).

Of patients who received bilateral nerve sparing (BNS) during surgery, 273/301 (90.7%) were able to achieve orgasm postoperatively compared with 46/56 (82.1%) patients who received unilateral nerve sparing and 31/51 (60.8%) men who received non‐nerve‐sparing surgery (P < 0.001).

In men ≤60 years who also underwent BNS, decreased sensation of orgasm was present in 3.2% of men, and postoperative orgasmic rates were significantly better than men ≤60 years who underwent unilateral or no nerve sparing (92.9% vs 83.3% vs 65.4%, respectively; P < 0.001).

Potency rates were also significantly higher in men ≤60 years and in those who underwent BNS.

CONCLUSIONS

Age and nerve sparing influence recovery of orgasm and erectile function after RALP.

Men ≤60 years old and those who undergo BNS are most likely to maintain normal sexual function.
Geographic variation in network structure of a nearctic aquatic food web
Authors: Baiser Benjamin , Gotelli Nicholas J. , Buckley Hannah L. , Miller Thomas E. , Ellison Aaron M.
Published: August 2011

Aim  The network structure of food webs plays an important role in the maintenance of diversity and ecosystem functioning in ecological communities. Previous research has found that ecosystem size, resource availability, assembly history and biotic interactions can potentially drive food web structure. However, the relative influence of climatic variables that drive broad‐scale biogeographic patterns of species richness and composition has not been explored for food web structure. In this study, we assess the influence of broad‐scale climatic variables in addition to known drivers of food web structure on replicate observations of a single aquatic food web, sampled from the leaves of the pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea), at different geographic sites across a broad latitudinal and climatic range.

Location  Using standardized sampling methods, we conducted an extensive ‘snapshot’ survey of 780 replicated aquatic food webs collected from the leaves of the pitcher plant S. purpurea at 39 sites from northern Florida to Newfoundland and westward to eastern British Columbia.

Methods  We examined correlations of 15 measures of food web structure at the pitcher and site scales with geographic variation in temperature and precipitation, concentrations of nutrients from atmospheric nitrogen deposition, resource availability, ecosystem size and the abundance of the pitcher plant mosquito (Wyeomyia smithii), a potential keystone species.

Results  At the scale of a single pitcher plant leaf, linkage density, species richness, measures of chain length and the proportion of omnivores in a web all increased with pitcher volume. Linkage density and species richness were greater at high‐latitude sites, which experience low mean temperatures and precipitation and high annual variation in both of these variables. At the site scale, variation in 8 of the 15 food web metrics decreased at higher latitudes, and variation in measures of chain length increased with the abundance of mosquitoes.

Main conclusions  Ecosystem size and climatic variables related to latitude were most strongly correlated with network structure of the Sarracenia food web. However, in spite of large sample sizes, thorough standardized sampling and the large geographic extent of the survey, even the best‐fitting models explained less than 40% of the variation in food web structure. In contrast to biogeographic patterns of species richness, food web structure was largely independent of broad‐scale climatic variables. The large proportion of unexplained variance in our analyses suggests that stochastic assembly may be an important determinant of local food web structure.
Examining the knowledge base and status of commercially exploited marine species with the RAM Legacy Stock Assessment Database
Authors: Ricard Daniel , Minto Cóilín , Jensen Olaf P , Baum Julia K
Published: August 2011

Meta‐analyses of stock assessments can provide novel insight into marine population dynamics and the status of fished species, but the world’s main stock assessment database (the Myers Stock‐Recruitment Database) is now outdated. To facilitate new analyses, we developed a new database, the RAM Legacy Stock Assessment Database, for commercially exploited marine fishes and invertebrates. Time series of total biomass, spawner biomass, recruits, fishing mortality and catch/landings form the core of the database. Assessments were assembled from 21 national and international management agencies for a total of 331 stocks (295 fish stocks representing 46 families and 36 invertebrate stocks representing 12 families), including nine of the world’s 10 largest fisheries. Stock assessments were available from 27 large marine ecosystems, the Caspian Sea and four High Seas regions, and include the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and Antarctic Oceans. Most assessments came from the USA, Europe, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Assessed marine stocks represent a small proportion of harvested fish taxa (16%), and an even smaller proportion of marine fish biodiversity (1%), but provide high‐quality data for intensively studied stocks. The database provides new insight into the status of exploited populations: 58% of stocks with reference points (n = 214) were estimated to be below the biomass resulting in maximum sustainable yield (BMSY) and 30% had exploitation levels above the exploitation rate resulting in maximum sustainable yield (UMSY). We anticipate that the database will facilitate new research in population dynamics and fishery management, and we encourage further data contributions from stock assessment scientists.
Hong Kong English and the professional world
Authors: EVANS STEPHEN
Published: August 2011

ABSTRACT:  One of the dominant themes of the literature on language in Hong Kong is the belief that English, particularly its spoken form, plays a limited role in the lives of the territory's mainly Cantonese‐speaking Chinese community. For this reason, it is argued, there is no societal basis for the development of a nativised variety of English. One of the limitations of the case against Hong Kong English is that it is based on expert opinion rather than empirical evidence about the nature and extent of English use in the lives of Hong Kong bilinguals. This paper examines the results of a survey involving more than 2,000 English users in Hong Kong which sought to generate much‐needed baseline data about patterns of language choice and use in one centrally important and hitherto overlooked domain: the professional workplace. The findings indicate that Hong Kong professionals spend a significant proportion of their working lives reading and writing English texts. Although Cantonese is the usual medium of oral communication, spoken English also plays an important role, particularly in formal situations. The findings also suggest that the need for English increases as a professional rises through the ranks.
‘Crossing’ in Singapore
Authors: VAISH VINITI , ROSLAN MARDIANA
Published: August 2011

ABSTRACT:  This paper explores the way a group of pre‐teens in Singapore use Malay, Chinese and English to perform identity. It is based on one case study of a Malay girl, Syafiqah, from a larger project called The Sociolinguistic Survey of Singapore 2006, and does not claim to be generalizable. The data are transcripts of recordings made on the speech patterns of Syafiqah in the domain of family and friends. Though Malay and Mandarin are out‐group languages in the language ideology of Singapore, we find that among this group of friends, the Malay and Chinese pre‐teens cross over into these languages to create solidarity between different ethnicities. They use Malay and Mandarin to perform and display identity. Patterns of exclusion in this group are based on personality and not ethnicity. Though a language of solidarity in Singapore's language ideology, these pre‐teens perceive Standard English as an exclusionary language of status and accept Singlish as the language of solidarity.
Sustainability seen from the perspective of consumers
Authors: Hanss Daniel , Böhm Gisela
Published: August 2011

An important step in promoting sustainable consumption is to find out how consumers understand the concept of sustainability. In this paper, we report on a study among Norwegian consumers in which we explored their understanding of sustainability at two levels. First, we investigated consumers' understanding of the general sustainability concept; specifically, we studied how important the following five sustainability dimensions are in consumers' conception of sustainability: the environmental, social, economic, temporal and the developmental dimension. Second, we investigated how consumers' understanding of sustainability manifests itself in consumption decisions: We studied consumers' opinions about how important various attributes are for sustainable products and which product labels they consider indicative of sustainable products. We found that all five sustainability dimensions occurred as elements of consumers' understanding of the sustainability concept. The environmental dimension, the social dimension and the developmental dimension were particularly outstanding. With regard to attributes that are important for sustainable products, consumers placed high emphasis on recyclability of the packaging, fair payment of producers, low energy use and low carbon dioxide emissions during production and shipping. Humane animal treatment was also considered an important attribute of sustainable products. The product labels that were considered most indicative of sustainable products were the Nordic Swan and the Norwegian Debio label. Consumers' judgments of how indicative the labels are of sustainable products were related positively to familiarity with the labels.
Can food calorie be an index for poverty in a rural economy? An extrapolation from farm households in Ogun State, Nigeria
Authors: Ayinde Idris A. , Akerele Dare , Adewuyi Samuel A. , Oladapo Moshood O.
Published: August 2011

The study assessed poverty in rural areas of Ogun State, Nigeria through the food energy (calorie) intake approach. A sample of 60 households (comprising of 346 members) were selected using a multistage sampling technique and were interviewed with the aid of well‐structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using nutrient estimation techniques, cost of calorie method and poverty index. The estimated food poverty line was 64.72 naira. The incidence, intensity and severity of poverty were consistently higher among female‐headed households and households that lack access to credit facilities with values 0.290, 0.359, 0.160 and 0.313, 0.371, 0.160 for the poverty measures respectively. Incidence of poverty reduces with educational level and age of household heads, but the corresponding intensity and severity were higher for households whose heads are between 46‐ and 55‐year brackets and those who have secondary school education. All measures of poverty decline with farm size. Multipronged strategies involving improvement of educational level of household heads, improved access to agricultural land and credit facilities, as well as fair distribution of resources towards women, among others, are recommended for poverty and hunger reduction and for sustained agricultural production.
Effects of age, territoriality and breeding on survival of Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata
Authors: HERNÁNDEZ‐MATÍAS ANTONIO , REAL JOAN , PRADEL ROGER , RAVAYROL ALAIN , VINCENT‐MARTIN NICOLAS
Published: August 2011

Survival typically contributes most to population trends in long‐lived birds and its accurate estimation is therefore vital for population management and conservation. We evaluated the effects of age, territoriality and reproduction on survival in Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata through multistate capture‐mark‐recapture analyses on a long‐term dataset. Monitoring was carried out in southeast France (1990–2008) and involved the surveying of territorial Eagles, the marking of fledged chicks, and the recording of resightings and recoveries of marked non‐territorial and territorial birds. Survival improved with age, but territoriality was not retained in the best model; yearly survival was estimated at 0.479 for fledglings (to 1 year of age), 0.570 for 1‐ and 2‐year‐olds, and 0.870 for 3‐year‐old and older individuals. The second best model supported a further increase in survival from 3‐year‐olds (0.821) to older individuals (0.880). In the third best supported model, territoriality enhanced survival, but only in 2‐year‐olds (0.632 vs. 0.562 for non‐territorial). We found no correlation between the previous breeding stage and future survival, consistent with the long lifespan of the study species. Nevertheless, 4‐year‐old and older successful breeders were more likely to breed the following year than failed adult breeders (0.869 vs. 0.582), suggesting that the cost of reproduction is small in comparison with the variation in quality among individuals or their territories.
Health Monitoring of Aerospace Structures Using Fibre Bragg Gratings Combined with Advanced Signal Processing and Pattern Recognition Techniques
Authors: Panopoulou A. , Roulias D. , Loutas T. H. , Kostopoulos V.
Published: August 2011

Abstract:  The main purpose of this work is to develop an innovative system for structural health monitoring of aerospace composite structures based on real‐time dynamic strain measurements. The dynamic response of a composite panel, which represents a section of a typical aeronautical structure, is measured using fibre Bragg grating (FBG) dynamic sensors. Damage is simulated by slightly varying locally the mass of the panel at different zones of the structure. A finite element model of the structure has been developed to simulate the dynamic behaviour based on the modal superposition principle. The numerical model was calibrated against experimental results, and it was used for the placement of the FBG sensors. The proposed damage detection algorithm utilises the collected dynamic response data, and through various levels of data processing, an artificial neural network identifies the damage size and location. Feature extraction is the first step of the algorithm. Novel digital signal processing techniques, such as the wavelet transform, are used for feature extraction. The extracted features are effective indices of damage location and its extension. The classification step comprises a feed‐forward back propagation network, whose output determines the simulated damage location. Finally, dedicated training and validation activities are carried out by means of numerical simulations and experimental procedures.
MINERALOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF MEDIEVAL BRICK SAMPLES FROM BÉKÉS COUNTY (SE HUNGARY)
Authors: KRISTÁLY F. , KELEMEN É. , RÓZSA P. , NYILAS I. , PAPP I.
Published: August 2011

Brick samples from nine archaeological sites representing seven contemporary medieval settlements in Békés County (SE Hungary) were analysed by quantitative X‐ray powder diffraction, optical microscopic, scanning electron microscopic and coupled thermal analytical – evolved gas analytical methods. The aims of this study were to give a mineralogical–petrographical characterization of the brick samples, to gain possible information on the raw clay and the admixed materials, and to determine the firing techniques applied in medieval southeastern Hungary. The mineralogical composition of the samples suggests that the locally extracted clay was mixed with fluvial sand and wheat (Triticum monococcum L.) chaff. The moulded bricks were fired in clamps. The different degrees of calcite consumption suggest that the firing temperature ranged from ∼750°C to ∼950°C. Moreover, the well‐developed reaction coronas on calcite grains indicate long firing times, lasting perhaps several days.
Investor Sentiment and Pro Forma Earnings Disclosures
Authors: BROWN NERISSA C. , CHRISTENSEN THEODORE E. , ELLIOTT W. BROOKE , MERGENTHALER RICHARD D.
Published: August 2011

We examine the influence of investor sentiment on managers’ discretionary disclosure of “pro forma” (adjusted) earnings metrics in earnings press releases. We find that managers’ propensity to disclose an adjusted earnings metric (especially one that exceeds the GAAP earnings number) increases with the level of investor sentiment. Furthermore, our analyses suggest that, as investor sentiment increases, managers: (1) exclude higher levels of both recurring and nonrecurring expenses in calculating the pro forma earnings number and (2) emphasize the pro forma figure by placing it more prominently within the earnings press release. Additional analyses indicate that the association between investor sentiment and managers’ pro forma disclosure decisions at least partly reflects opportunistic motives. Finally, we find that managers’ own sentiment‐driven expectations also play a role in their pro forma disclosure decisions.
Titanium–zirconium alloy narrow‐diameter implants (Straumann Roxolid®) for the rehabilitation of horizontally deficient edentulous ridges: prospective study on 18 consecutive patients
Authors: Chiapasco M. , Casentini P. , Zaniboni M. , Corsi E. , Anello T.
Published: August 2011

Aim of the study

(i) To evaluate the survival and success rates of the new Roxolid narrow diameter implant placed in horizontally deficient ridges; and (ii) to evaluate the incidence of prosthetic complications.

Materials and methods

In a 24‐month period (2009–2010) 18 partially or totally edentulous patients received 51 Straumann Roxolid (13 tissue level, 38 bone level) implants. Prosthetic loading of implants was either immediate (four implants; one patient) or delayed (2–12 months after placement; 47 implants; 17 patients). The patients were rehabilitated with either fixed (16 patients; 45 implants) or removable (two patients; six implants) prostheses.

Results

All implants successfully achieved osseointegration and all patients completed the planned prosthetic rehabilitation. Peri‐implant bone resorption values ranged from 0 to 1 mm at the end of the observation period (range: 3–19 months). Implant survival and success rates were therefore 100%. No prosthetic complications occurred and all implants are still in function; therefore the prosthesis success rate was 100%.

Conclusion

Narrow diameter implants fabricated with the new titanium–zirconium alloy were demonstrated to be reliable in supporting both fixed and removable prosthetic rehabilitations in horizontally deficient ridges. Implant survival, peri‐implant bone resorption, and prosthetic complication rates were consistent with those reported in the literature for standard diameter implants placed in non‐deficient edentulous ridges.
Foot pressure and center of pressure in athletes with ankle instability during lateral shuffling and running gait
Authors: Huang P.‐Y. , Lin C.‐F. , Kuo L.‐C. , Liao J.‐C.
Published: August 2011

This study evaluates foot pressure and center of pressure (COP) patterns in individuals with ankle instability during running and lateral shuffling. Eleven participants with ankle instability (AI) and 11 normal subjects (Normal) performed running and lateral shuffling tasks. The outcome measures were foot progression angle, peak pressure, and displacement of COP during stance phase. During running, the foot progression angle, that is, the angle of foot abduction, was lower in the AI group (Normal: 13.46° ± 4.45°; AI: 8.78° ± 3.91°), and the 1st metatarsal contact pressure (Normal: 0.76 ± 0.47 N/cm2·kg; AI: 1.05 ± 0.70 N/cm2·kg) and the 3rd metatarsal peak pressure were higher in the AI (Normal: 0.96 ± 0.60 N/cm2·kg; AI: 1.54 ± 0.68 N/cm2·kg). The medial‐lateral (M‐L) COP in the late‐stance phase of running for the AI group transferred faster from lateral to medial foot than the Normal group. For lateral shuffling, the AI group had greater peak pressure at the 1st (Normal: 0.76 ± 0.67 N/cm2·kg; AI: 1.49 ± 1.04 N/cm2·kg), 2nd (Normal: 0.57 ± 0.39 N/cm2·kg; AI: 0.87 ± 0.68 N/cm2·kg), 3rd (Normal: 0.70 ± 0.54 N/cm2·kg; AI: 1.42 ± 0.87 N/cm2·kg), and 4th (Normal: 0.52 ± 0.38 N/cm2·kg; AI: 1.12 ± 0.78 N/cm2·kg) metatarsal areas than the Normal group. The M‐L COP located more laterally from the early to mid‐stance phase in the AI compared with the Normal group. The findings suggest that COP displacement during lateral shuffle may be a factor in ankle instability while the foot progression angle during running may be a compensatory strategy.
Association between preseason functional tests and injuries in youth football: A prospective follow‐up
Authors: Frisch A. , Urhausen A. , Seil R. , Croisier J. L. , Windal T. , Theisen D.
Published: August 2011

This prospective cohort study aimed at identifying player‐related risk factors for injuries in youth football as determined by extensive preseasonal screening. All male U15–U19 players from a regional football school (season 2007–2008; n = 67) underwent preseason evaluations assessing physical fatigue, emotional stress and injury history (questionnaire), anthropometric variables, general joint laxity (Beighton score), lower limb coordination (functional hop tests), aerobic fitness (shuttle run test), strength of knee extensor and flexor muscles (isokinetic tests), static and dynamic balance (force plate tests), and explosive strength (jump tests on force plate). Football exposure and all football‐related injuries (n = 163) were recorded during the entire subsequent season (44 weeks). Total injury incidence was 10.4 injuries/1000 h and was higher in competition than in training [relative risk = 3.3; CI95% (2.39; 4.54); P < 0.001]. Lower limb injuries were most frequent (87%). Acute contact injuries represented 37%, while intrinsic (noncontact and chronic) injuries amounted to 63%. Of all the variables tested, only physical fatigue was significantly associated with injury, as revealed by univariate and multivariate analyses. The same result was observed when considering only intrinsic injuries as outcome. A single preseason test session may be of limited interest in the framework of an injury prevention strategy.
Inflammation and oxidative stress are lower in physically fit and active adults
Authors: Shanely R. A. , Nieman D. C. , Henson D. A. , Jin F. , Knab A. M. , Sha W.
Published: August 2011

The objective of this study was to determine if the inverse relationship between perceived physical fitness (pFIT) and exercise frequency (ExFreq) levels and chronic inflammation and oxidative stress exists after making statistical adjustments for confounders including body mass index (BMI), age, gender, and cigarette smoking. Study participants (60% female and 40% male; n = 998) varied widely in age (18–85 years) and BMI (16.7–52.7 kg/m2) completed an extensive medical/health and lifestyle questionnaire, and data were used to establish pFIT and ExFreq tertiles. Biomarkers included serum C‐reactive protein (CRP), total blood leukocytes, five plasma cytokines [interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐10, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP1), and granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (GCSF)], F2‐isoprostanes, ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). A general linear model was used to examine relationships between pFIT and ExFreq with inflammation and oxidative stress while controlling for age, gender, BMI, and smoking. Benjamini–Hochberg method for false discovery rate correction was used for multiple testing corrections. Significant tests (P < 0.05) for trend were found for the effect of pFIT and ExFreq on CRP, white blood cell, IL‐6, TNF‐α, GCSF, and F2‐isoprostanes, but not MCP1, IL‐10, FRAP, and ORAC, after adjustment for confounders. These data indicate that an inverse relationship exists among chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and pFIT and ExFreq at the community level even after adjustment for important confounders.
Female soccer knee injury: Observed knowledge gaps in injury prevention among players/parents/coaches and current evidence (the KNOW study)
Authors: Orr B. , Brown C. , Hemsing J. , McCormick T. , Pound S. , Otto D. , Emery C. A. , Beaupre L. A.
Published: August 2011

This study sought to determine if knowledge regarding the risk for knee injuries and the potential for their prevention is being translated to female adolescent soccer players (13–18 years), their parents, and coaches. Eligible participants in the 2007 indoor soccer season were surveyed to determine their knowledge of the risk for and the potential to prevent knee injuries, and their knowledge of effective prevention strategies, if they felt that injury prevention was possible. Team selection was stratified to be representative of both competitive and recreational level play and age group distributions within the selected soccer association. Of the study subjects, 773/1396 (55.4%) responded to the survey: 408 (53%) players, 292 (38%) parents, and 73 (9%) coaches. Most respondents (538 [71%]) were aware of the risk for knee injury. Coaches and parents were more likely than players to view knee injuries as preventable; however, appropriate prevention strategies were often not identified. Four hundred eighty‐four (63.8%) respondents reported that they had never received information on knee injuries. Substantial knowledge gaps regarding knee injury prevention and effective preventative strategies were identified. Given the predominance of knee injuries in female adolescent soccer players, there is an urgent need for knowledge translation of prevention strategies to decrease both incidence and long‐term consequences of knee injuries.
Optimal management of mental health patients in Australian emergency departments: Barriers and solutions
Authors: Weiland Tracey J , Mackinlay Claire , Hill Nicole , Gerdtz Marie F , Jelinek George A
Published: August 2011

Objectives: The study aimed to describe: (i) the perceived barriers faced by emergency clinicians in the assessment and management of patients presenting with a mental health complaint to Australian hospital EDs; and (ii) perceived strategies to optimize care of the mentally unwell in the ED.

Methods: Semistructured interviews with open and closed question formats were used to explore the barriers perceived by ED doctors and nurses in assessing and managing patients with mental health presentations. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically coded by two researchers using the Framework Approach.

Results: Thirty‐six interviews were conducted with 20 members of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and 16 members of the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia representing the various Australian jurisdictions. Thematic analyses revealed that a range of resource, environmental, staff and patient factors contribute to difficulties in managing mental health patients. Solutions suggested by interviewees included improved resources, ED redesign and improved links to resources outside the ED. An overwhelming majority of participants perceived the need for more educational opportunities in mental health.

Conclusion: Although the provision of timely and quality care is expected for all patients attending EDs, there exist multiple barriers to provision of adequate care for ED patients presenting with mental illness. Many of these are systems‐based and thus require systems‐based solutions. ED clinician's perceive that improved educational opportunities in mental health, however, might alleviate some barriers they face. Consideration should be given to a comprehensive, quantitative mental health‐related learning needs analysis of ED clinicians.
A Transient Inhibition and Permanent Lack of Catechol‐O‐Methyltransferase have Minor Effects on Feeding Pattern of Female Rodents
Authors: Schendzielorz Nadia , Männistö Pekka T. , Karayiorgou Maria , Gogos Joseph A. , Raasmaja Atso
Published: August 2011

Abstract:  Abnormal feeding behaviours have long been linked to disruptions in brain dopaminergic activity. Dopamine is metabolized, amongst others, by catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT). Normally, COMT only plays a subordinate role in dopamine metabolism. However, changes in COMT activity, especially in the prefrontal cortex, become more important during events that evoke dopamine release. The current study investigated the effect of acute COMT inhibition on feeding in Wistar rats and C57BL/6 mice using a selective, brain penetrating COMT inhibitor (OR‐1139). Furthermore, the effect of a long‐term lack of COMT on feeding behaviour was studied in COMT‐deficient (COMT −/−) mice. Apart from following the gross feeding behaviour of fasted rats and mice, the first 4 hr of re‐feeding were recorded with a video camera to allow a more detailed analysis of feeding microstructure. In the acute study, rats and mice received a single injection of OR‐1139 (3, 10 or 30 mg/kg), just before the experiment. We found that rats and mice receiving OR‐1139 had fewer very short meals but more long meals than the controls. Treated mice even ate more frequently than the controls, but other feeding parameters remained unchanged. Conversely, COMT −/− mice displayed an increased latency to initiate the first meal and spent less total time eating than wild‐type mice. In conclusion, although decreased/lack of COMT activity did not robustly alter feeding behaviour of female rodents, we observed some alterations in the microstructure of feeding. However, these minor changes were highly dependent on the extent and fashion in which COMT was manipulated.