bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Column-Generation Approach for a Short-Term Production Planning Problem in Closed-Loop Supply Chains
Authors: Sahling Florian
Published: March 2014

We present a new model formulation for a multi-product lot-sizing problem with product returns and remanufacturing subject to a capacity constraint. The given external demand of the products has to be satisfied by remanufactured or newly produced goods. The objective is to determine a feasible production plan, which minimizes production, holding, and setup costs. As the LP relaxation of a model formulation based on the well-known CLSP leads to very poor lower bounds, we propose a column-generation approach to determine tighter bounds. The lower bound obtained by column generation can be easily transferred into a feasible solution by a truncated branch-and-bound approach using CPLEX. The results of an extensive numerical study show the high solution quality of the proposed solution approach.
Determinants of Advertising Effectiveness: The Development of an International Advertising Elasticity Database and a Meta-Analysis
Authors: Henningsen Sina , Heuke Rebecca , Clement Michel
Published: March 2014

Increasing demand for marketing accountability requires an efficient allocation of marketing expenditures. Managers who know the elasticity of their marketing instruments can allocate their budgets optimally. Meta-analyses offer a basis for deriving benchmark elasticities for advertising. Although they provide a variety of valuable insights, a major shortcoming of prior meta-analyses is that they report only generalized results as the disaggregated raw data are not made available. This problem is highly relevant because coding of empirical studies, at least to a certain extent, involves subjective judgment. For this reason, meta-studies would be more valuable if researchers and practitioners had access to disaggregated data allowing them to conduct further analyses of individual, e.g., product-level-specific, interests. We are the first to address this gap by providing (1) an advertising elasticity database (AED) and (2) empirical generalizations about advertising elasticities and their determinants. Our findings indicate that the average current-period advertising elasticity is 0.09, which is substantially smaller than the value 0f 0.12 that was recently reported by Sethuraman, Tellis, and Briesch (2011). Furthermore, our meta-analysis reveals a wide range of significant determinants of advertising elasticity. For example, we find that advertising elasticities are higher (i) for hedonic and experience goods than for other goods; (ii) for new than for established goods; (iii) when advertising is measured in gross rating points (GRP) instead of absolute terms; and (iv) when the lagged dependent or lagged advertising variable is omitted.
On Latent Trait Estimation in Multidimensional Compensatory Item Response Models
Authors: Wang Chun
Published: March 2014

Making inferences from IRT-based test scores requires accurate and reliable methods of person parameter estimation. Given an already calibrated set of item parameters, the latent trait could be estimated either via maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) or using Bayesian methods such as maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation or expected a posteriori (EAP) estimation. In addition, Warm’s (Psychometrika 54:427–450, 1989) weighted likelihood estimation method was proposed to reduce the bias of the latent trait estimate in unidimensional models. In this paper, we extend the weighted MLE method to multidimensional models. This new method, denoted as multivariate weighted MLE (MWLE), is proposed to reduce the bias of the MLE even for short tests. MWLE is compared to alternative estimators (i.e., MLE, MAP and EAP) and shown, both analytically and through simulations studies, to be more accurate in terms of bias than MLE while maintaining a similar variance. In contrast, Bayesian estimators (i.e., MAP and EAP) result in biased estimates with smaller variability.
Quantitative investigation of calcimimetic R568 on beta cell adhesion and mechanics using AFM single‐cell force spectroscopy
Authors: Siamantouras Eleftherios , Hills Claire E. , Younis Mustafa Y.G. , Squires Paul E. , Liu Kuo-Kang
Published: March 2014

In this study we use a novel approach to quantitatively investigate mechanical and interfacial properties of clonal β‐cells using AFM‐Single Cell Force Spectroscopy (SCFS). MIN6 cells were incubated for 48 h with 0.5 mM Ca2+ ± the calcimimetic R568 (1 μM). AFM‐SCFS adhesion and indentation experiments were performed by using modified tipless cantilevers. Hertz contact model was applied to analyse force–displacement (F–d) curves for determining elastic or Young's modulus (E). Our results show CaSR‐evoked increases in cell‐to‐cell adhesion parameters and E modulus of single cells, demonstrating that cytomechanics have profound effects on cell adhesion characterization.
Product configuration, ambidexterity and firm performance in the context of industrial equipment manufacturing
Authors: Salvador Fabrizio , Chandrasekaran Aravind , Sohail Tashfeen
Published: March 2014

The practice of configuring products to individual customer orders has found application in a variety of industry contexts, but little is known about the specific capabilities that firms develop to successfully compete when offering configurable products. Our research begins to fill this gap in the context of industrial equipment manufacturing. Drawing from the ambidexterity literature, we argue that firms have to balance dual goals of reducing variation and promoting variation in their product configuration activities by fostering two distinct firm‐level capabilities: product configuration effectiveness (PCE) and product configuration intelligence (PCI). Specifically, we hypothesize that the simultaneous presence of PCE and PCI—that is, product configuration ambidexterity (PCA)—drives superior firm responsiveness and, indirectly firm sales and operating margin. However, we also contend that responsiveness gains through PCA can diminish with product complexity and can increase operating cost. We test these hypotheses by collecting both primary and secondary data from a sample of 108 European industrial equipment manufacturing firms. Results from our analyses indicate that PCA has an indirect effect through responsiveness on sales and operating cost but not on operating margin, with this effect diminishing with product complexity. Taken together, our results suggest that investment in developing PCA may represent a conundrum for industrial equipment manufacturing firms, because it translates into market but not financial advantages, and it is intertwined with product design decisions. We conclude this study with a discussion of the findings for theory and practice.
Pseudoaneurysm of the Popliteal Artery after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Kwok-Wai Tam Kelvin , Yiu-Chung Wun , Chi-Yuk Lau , Yuk-Yin Chow
Published: March 2014

Arterial injury after arthroscopic surgery remains a rare, but devastating, complication. We describe the case of a 28-year-old male patient who presented with a popliteal artery pseudoaneurysm 8 days after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with symptoms of a delayed onset of painful calf swelling and compartment syndrome. Subsequent investigations and findings during surgery confirmed a punctured popliteal artery which had resulted in a leaking pseudoaneurysm.
Bicipitoradial Bursitis: A Review of Clinical Presentation and Treatment
Authors: Tsz-Lung Choi , Tun-Hing Lui
Published: March 2014

The bicipitoradial bursa lies at the insertion of the biceps tendon on the radial tuberosity. It is an unusual site for chronic bursitis and most often results from repetitive mechanical trauma or overuse. Other causes include tuberculosis, immunological complications of rheumatological disease and synovial chondromatosis. Accurate diagnosis requires imaging studies and sometimes histological study. It can be treated conservatively with aspiration and steroid injection. Surgical excision of the bursa is indicated in the case of infection cause, failed conservative treatment with recurrence of the enlarged bursa and pain after aspiration, presence of nerve compression with neurological impairment, mechanical limitation to flexion, and extension of the elbow or biceps tendon degeneration and/or functional impairment.
Virgil in the Renaissance
Authors: Wilson-Okamura David Scott
Published: March 2014

The disciplines of classical scholarship were established in their modern form between 1300 and 1600, and Virgil was a test case for many of them. This book is concerned with what became of Virgil in this period, how he was understood, and how his poems were recycled. What did readers assume about Virgil in the long decades between Dante and Sidney, Petrarch and Spenser, Boccaccio and Ariosto? Which commentators had the most influence? What story, if any, was Virgil's Eclogues supposed to tell? What was the status of his Georgics? Which parts of his epic attracted the most imitators? Building on specialized scholarship of the last hundred years, this book provides a panoramic synthesis of what scholars and poets from across Europe believed they could know about Virgil's life and poetry.
Hesiodic Voices
Authors: Hunter Richard
Published: March 2014

This book selects central texts illustrating the literary reception of Hesiod's Works and Days in antiquity and considers how these moments were crucial in fashioning the idea of 'didactic literature'. A central chapter considers the development of ancient ideas about didactic poetry, relying not so much on explicit critical theory as on how Hesiod was read and used from the earliest period of reception onwards. Other chapters consider Hesiodic reception in the archaic poetry of Alcaeus and Simonides, in the classical prose of Plato, Xenophon and Isocrates, in the Aesopic tradition, and in the imperial prose of Dio Chrysostom and Lucian; there is also a groundbreaking study of Plutarch's extensive commentary on the Works and Days and an account of ancient ideas of Hesiod's linguistic style. This is a major and innovative contribution to the study of Hesiod's remarkable poem and to the Greek literary engagement with the past.
Foreign and Domestic Investment in Argentina
Authors: Post Alison E.
Published: March 2014

Political economy scholarship suggests that private sector investment, and thus economic growth, is more likely to occur when formal institutions allow states to provide investors with credible commitments to protect property rights. This book argues that this maxim does not hold for infrastructure privatization programs. Rather, differences in firm organizational structure better explain the viability of privatization contracts in weak institutional environments. Domestic investors - or, if contracts are granted subnationally, domestic investors with diverse holdings in their contract jurisdiction - work most effectively in the volatile economic and political environments of the developing world. They are able to negotiate mutually beneficial adaptations to their contracts with host governments because cross-sector diversification provides them with informal contractual supports. The book finds strong empirical support for this argument through an analysis of fourteen water and sanitation privatization contracts in Argentina and a statistical analysis of sector trends in developing countries.
Disturbances of the Mind
Authors: Draaisma Douwe
Published: March 2014

Sergei Korsakoff, Alois Alzheimer, James Parkinson, Hans Asperger and other eminent scientists, are all names which have become synonymous with a disease, a syndrome, or an autistic disorder. Although the names of these psychiatrists and neurologists are familiar, we often know little about the individuals themselves and the circumstances surrounding their discoveries. What exactly did they discover, and who were their patients? Douwe Draaisma expertly reconstructs the lives of these and eight other 'names' from the science of mind and brain. Disturbances of the Mind provides a fascinating, illuminating, and at times touching insight into the history of brain research. Thanks to Draaisma's unerring eye and elegant, engaging style, the case histories of Asperger, Bonnet, Capgras, Clérambault, Korsakoff and Gilles de la Tourette syndromes; Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases; the areas of Broca and Brodmann; Jackson's epilepsy; and the Gage matrix are all brought to life and transformed into unforgettable tales.
Mean structure of one-dimensional unstable detonations with friction
Authors: Sow Aliou , Chinnayya Ashwin , Hadjadj Abdellah
Published: March 2014

This investigation deals with the study of the mean structure of a mildly unstable non-ideal detonation wave. The analysis is based on the integration of one-dimensional reactive Euler equations with friction forces using a third-order Runge–Kutta scheme and a fifth-order weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO5) spatial discretization. A one-step Arrhenius reaction mechanism is used for modelling the chemical reaction. When the frictional forces are active, the limit cycle based on the post-shock pressure reveals an enhanced pulsating behaviour of the downstream subsonic reaction zone compared to the ideal case. The results show that the detonation-velocity deficit increases as the mean reaction zone becomes thicker compared to the generalized ZND model. A new master equation, based on the Favre-averaged quantities, is derived and analysed along with new sonicity and thermicity conditions. The analysis of the species, momentum and energy balances reveals that the presence of mechanical fluctuations within the reaction zone constitutes another source of energy withdrawal, meaning that the detonation deviates from its laminar structure. Furthermore, the compressibility of the flow is analysed and the relationships between the fluctuations of temperature, velocity and reactive scalar are discussed in terms of strong Reynolds analogies.
Intragenus generalized transduction in Staphylococcus spp. by a novel giant phage
Authors: Uchiyama Jumpei , Takemura-Uchiyama Iyo , Sakaguchi Yoshihiko , Gamoh Keiji , Kato Shin-ichiro , Daibata Masanori , Ujihara Takako , Misawa Naoaki , Matsuzaki Shigenobu
Published: March 2014

Bacteriophage (phage)-mediated generalized transduction is expected to contribute to the emergence of drug-resistant staphylococcal clones in various environments. In this study, novel phage S6 was isolated from sewage and used to test generalized transduction in human- and animal-derived staphylococci. Phage S6 was a novel type of giant myophage, which possessed a DNA genome that contained uracil instead of thymine, and it could infect all of the tested staphylococcal species. The phage S6 appeared to be similar to the transducing phage PBS1, which infects Bacillus spp. Moreover, phage S6 facilitated the transduction of a plasmid in Staphylococcus aureus and from S. aureus to non-aureus staphylococcal species, as well as vice versa. Transduction of methicillin resistance also occurred in S. aureus. This is the first report of successful intragenus generalized transduction among staphylococci.
Zebrafish yap1 plays a role in differentiation of hair cells in posterior lateral line
Authors: Loh Siau-Lin , Teh Cathleen , Muller Julius , Guccione Ernesto , Hong Wanjin , Korzh Vladimir
Published: March 2014

The evolutionarily conserved Hippo signaling pathway controls organ size by regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis and this process involves Yap1. The zebrafish Yap1 acts during neural differentiation, but its function is not fully understood. The detailed analysis of yap1 expression in proliferative regions, revealed it in the otic placode that gives rise to the lateral line system affected by the morpholino-mediated knockdown of Yap1. The comparative microarray analysis of transcriptome of Yap1-deficient embryos demonstrated changes in expression of many genes, including the Wnt signaling pathway and, in particular, prox1a known for its role in development of mechanoreceptors in the lateral line. The knockdown of Yap1 causes a deficiency of differentiation of mechanoreceptors and this defect can be rescued by prox1a mRNA. Our studies revealed a role of Yap1 in regulation of Wnt signaling pathway and its target Prox1a during differentiation of mechanosensory cells.
Erratum: Construction of parallel grides acting as semitransparent flat mirrors in the far infrared [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 49, 926 (1978)]
Authors: Sentz A. , Pyee M. , Gastaud C. , Auvray J. , Letur J. P.
Published: March 2014

Since publication of this paper, we became aware of the paper by Costley, Hursey, Neill, and Ward entitled “Free-standing fine-wire grids: Their manufacture, performance, and use at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths” [J. Opt. Soc. Am. 67, 979 (1977)] and the fact that such wire grids are commercially available from the Spectroscopic Accessories Co., St. Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent, England.
Dynamic processes and polarizability of sodium atom in Debye plasmas
Authors: Qi Yue-Ying , Ning Li-Na
Published: March 2014

Dynamic processes including excitation and ionization, and spectrum parameters including the oscillator strengths, dipole polarizabilities from the orbital 3s,3p of sodium atom embedded in weakly coupled plasma are investigated in the entire energy range of a non-relativistic regime. The interaction between the valence electron and the atomic core is simulated by a model potential, and the plasma screening of the Coulomb interaction between charged particles is described by the Debye-Hückel model. The screening of Coulomb interactions reduces the number of bound states, decreases their binding energies, broadens their radial distribution of electron wave functions, and significantly changes the continuum wave functions including the amplitudes and phase-shift. These changes strongly affect the dipole matrix elements between the bound-bound and bound-continuum states, and even the oscillator strengths, the photo-ionization cross sections and the dipole polarizabilities. The plasma screening effect changes the interaction between the valence electron and the atomic core into a short-range potential. The energy behaviors of photo-ionization cross sections are unfolded, for instance, its low-energy behavior (obeying Wigner threshold law), and the appearance of multiple shape and virtual-state resonances when the upper bound states emerge into the continuum. The Combet-Farnoux and Cooper minima in the photo-ionization cross sections are also investigated, and here, the Cooper minima appear not only for the l→l+1 channel but also for l→l−1 one, different from that of hydrogen-like ions in a Debye plasma, which appear only in the l→l+1 channel. The total static electric dipole polarizabilities monotonously and dramatically increase with the plasma screening effect increasing, which are similar to those of hydrogen-like ions and lithium atom. Comparison of calculated results for the oscillator strength, the photo-ionization cross section and polarizability with the results of other authors, when available, is made.
Evidence of magnetoelectric coupling on calcium doped bismuth ferrite thin films grown by chemical solution deposition
Authors: Costa L. V. , Ranieri M. G. , Cilense M. , Longo E. , Simões A. Z.
Published: March 2014

Magnetoelectric coupling was observed at room temperature in calcium modified bismuth ferrite BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films deposited on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si (100) substrates by the chemical solution deposition. Undoped and Ca-doped BiFeO3 films were coherently grown at a temperature of 500 °C for 2 h. The highest doped BFO film has a tetragonal structure with P4mm space group, while BFO has a rhombohedral structure with space group R3c, which can be treated as a special triclinic structure. Room temperature magnetic coercive field indicates that the undoped film is magnetically soft with maximum magnetoelectric coefficient in the longitudinal direction was about 12 V/cm. Adding Ca2+ ions to BFO in high concentration decreases the remnant polarization and stabilizes the charged domain walls which interact with oxygen vacancies reducing coercive field.
Single-crystal cubic boron nitride thin films grown by ion-beam-assisted molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: Hirama Kazuyuki , Taniyasu Yoshitaka , Karimoto Shin-ichi , Krockenberger Yoshiharu , Yamamoto Hideki
Published: March 2014

We investigated the formation of cubic boron nitride (c-BN) thin films on diamond (001) and (111) substrates by ion-beam-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The metastable c-BN (sp3-bonded BN) phase can be epitaxially grown as a result of the interplay between competitive phase formation and selective etching. We show that a proper adjustment of acceleration voltage for N2+ and Ar+ ions is a key to selectively discriminate non-sp3 BN phases. At low acceleration voltage values, the sp2-bonded BN is dominantly formed, while at high acceleration voltages, etching dominates irrespective of the bonding characteristics of BN.
Vortex state in ferromagnetic nanoparticles
Authors: Betto Davide , Coey J. M. D.
Published: March 2014

The evolution of the magnetic state of a soft ferromagnetic nanoparticle with its size is usually thought to be from superparamagnetic single domain to blocked single domain to a blocked multidomain structure. Néel pointed out that a vortex configuration produces practically no stray field at the cost of an increase in the exchange energy, of the order of RJS2lnR/c, where JS2 is the bond energy, R is the particle radius, and c is of the order of the exchange length. A vortex structure is energetically cheaper than single domain when the radius is greater than a certain value. The correct sequence should include a vortex configuration between the single domain and the multidomain states. The critical size is calculated for spherical particles of four important materials (nickel, magnetite, permalloy, and iron) both numerically and analytically. A vortex state is favored in materials with high magnetisation.
Layer-structured hexagonal (BN)C semiconductor alloys with tunable optical and electrical properties
Authors: Uddin M. R. , Majety S. , Li J. , Lin J. Y. , Jiang H. X.
Published: March 2014

Hexagonal boron nitride carbon, h(BN)1-x(C2)x, semiconductor alloys have been grown on sapphire substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. Bandgap tuning through compositional variation has been demonstrated via optical absorption measurements. Furthermore, an enhancement of approximately 10 orders of magnitude in the electrical conductivity has been attained by increasing the carbon concentration (x) from 0 to 0.21. Experimental results revealed evidences that the critical carbon concentration xc to form the homogenous h(BN)1-x(C2)x alloys, or the carbon solubility in hBN is about 3.2% at a growth temperature of 1300 °C before carbon clusters form. Based on the predicted phase diagram of cubic (BN)1-x(C2)x and the excellent matches in the structural and thermal properties of hBN and graphite, it is expected that homogenous h(BN)1-x(C2)x alloys with higher x can be achieved and the alloy miscibility gap can be reduced or completely removed by increasing the growth temperature. This is a huge advantage over the InGaN alloy system in which InN decomposes at high temperatures and high growth temperature cannot be utilized to close the miscibility gap. The results indicate that the h(BN)1-x(C2)x alloy system has the potential to tackle the challenging issues facing the emerging two-dimension materials beyond graphene, which include realizing the bandgap engineering, conductivity control, and large wafers of homogeneous films.
Rapid generation of a mouse model for Middle East respiratory syndrome
Authors: Zhao Jincun , Li Kun , Wohlford-Lenane Christine , Agnihothram Sudhakar S. , Fett Craig , Zhao Jingxian , Gale Michael J. , Baric Ralph S. , Enjuanes Luis , Gallagher Tom , McCray Paul B. , Perlman Stanley
Published: March 2014

Significance

The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-coronavirus, a newly identified pathogen, causes severe pneumonia in humans, with a mortality of nearly 44%. Human-to-human spread has been demonstrated, raising the possibility that the infection could become pandemic. Mice and other small laboratory animals are not susceptible to infection. Here, we describe the development of a small-animal model for MERS, in which we use an adenovirus expressing the human host-cell receptor to sensitize mice for infection. We show that these mice are useful for determining immune responses and for evaluation of an anti-MERS vaccine and an antiviral therapy. This approach will be generally useful for the rapid (2–3 wk) development of relevant mouse and other animal models for emerging viral infections.
Clinical Microbiology Costs for Methods of Active Surveillance for Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase–Producing Enterobacteriaceae
Authors: Mathers Amy J. , Poulter Melinda , Dirks Dawn , Carroll Joanne , Sifri Costi D. , Hazen Kevin C.
Published: March 2014

Objective.

To compare direct laboratory costs of different methods for perirectal screening for carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) colonization.

Design.

Cost-benefit analysis.

Setting.

A university hospital and affiliated long-term acute care hospital (LTACH).

Participants.

Inpatients from the hospital or LTACH.

Methods.

Perirectal samples were collected from inpatients at risk for exposure to CPE. In 2009, we compared the accuracy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended CPE screening method with similar methods incorporating a chromogenic agar (CA). We then performed a cost projection analysis using 2012 screening results for the CA method, the CDC method, and a molecular assay with wholesale pricing based on the 2009 analysis. Comparisons of turnaround and personnel time were also performed.

Results.

A total of 185 (2.7%) of 6,860 samples were confirmed as CPE positive during 2012. We previously found that the CDC protocol had a lower sensitivity than the CA method and predicted that the CDC protocol would have missed 92 of the CPE-positive screening results, whereas the modified protocol using CA would have missed 26, assuming similar prevalence and performance. Turnaround time was 3 days using the CDC and CA-modified protocols compared with 1 day for molecular testing. The estimated annual total program cost and total technologist's hours would be the following: CA-modified protocol, $37,441 and 376 hours; CDC protocol, $22,818 and 482 hours; and molecular testing, $224,596 and 343 hours.

Conclusions.

The CDC screening protocol appeared to be the least expensive perirectal screening method. However, expense must be weighed against a lower sensitivity and extra labor needed for additional work-up of non-CPE isolates. The molecular test has the shortest turnaround time but the greatest expense.
Establishment of a Statewide Network for Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Prevention in a Low-Incidence Region
Authors: Pfeiffer Christopher D. , Cunningham Margaret C. , Poissant Tasha , Furuno Jon P. , Townes John M. , Leitz Andrew , Thomas Ann , Buser Genevieve L. , Arao Robert F. , Beldavs Zintars G.
Published: March 2014

Objective.

To establish a statewide network to detect, control, and prevent the spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in a region with a low incidence of CRE infection.

Design.

Implementation of the Drug Resistant Organism Prevention and Coordinated Regional Epidemiology (DROP-CRE) Network.

Setting and Participants.

Oregon infection prevention and microbiology laboratory personnel, including 48 microbiology laboratories, 62 acute care facilities, and 140 long-term care facilities.

Methods.

The DROP-CRE working group, comprising representatives from academic institutions and public health, convened an interdisciplinary advisory committee to assist with planning and implementation of CRE epidemiology and control efforts. The working group established a statewide CRE definition and surveillance plan; increased the state laboratory capacity to perform the modified Hodge test and polymerase chain reaction for carbapenemases in real time; and administered surveys that assessed the needs and capabilities of Oregon infection prevention and laboratory personnel. Results of these inquiries informed CRE education and the response plan.

Results.

Of 60 CRE reported from November 2010 through April 2013, only 3 were identified as carbapenemase producers; the cases were not linked, and no secondary transmission was found. Microbiology laboratories, acute care facilities, and long-term care facilities reported lacking carbapenemase testing capability, reliable interfacility communication, and CRE awareness, respectively. Survey findings informed the creation of the Oregon CRE Toolkit, a state-specific CRE guide booklet.

Conclusions.

A regional epidemiology surveillance and response network has been implemented in Oregon in advance of widespread CRE transmission. Prospective surveillance will determine whether this collaborative approach will be successful at forestalling the emergence of this important healthcare-associated pathogen.
Statewide Surveillance of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Michigan
Authors: Brennan Brenda M. , Coyle Joseph R. , Marchaim Dror , Pogue Jason M. , Boehme Martha , Finks Jennie , Malani Anurag N. , VerLee Kerrie E. , Buckley Bryan O. , Mollon Noreen , Sundin Daniel R. , Washer Laraine L. , Kaye Keith S.
Published: March 2014

Background.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are clinically challenging, threaten patient safety, and represent an emerging public health issue. CRE reporting is not mandated in Michigan.

Methods.

The Michigan Department of Community Health–led CRE Surveillance and Prevention Initiative enrolled 21 facilities (17 acute care and 4 long-term acute care facilities) across the state. Baseline data collection began September 1, 2012, and ended February 28, 2013 (duration, 6 months). Enrolled facilities voluntarily reported cases of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli according to the surveillance algorithm. Patient demographic characteristics, laboratory testing, microbiology, clinical, and antimicrobial information were captured via standardized data collection forms. Facilities reported admissions and patient-days each month.

Results.

One-hundred two cases over 957,220 patient-days were reported, resulting in a crude incidence rate of 1.07 cases per 10,000 patient-days. Eighty-nine case patients had test results positive for K. pneumoniae, whereas 13 had results positive for E. coli. CRE case patients had a mean age of 63 years, and 51% were male. Urine cultures (61%) were the most frequently reported specimen source. Thirty-five percent of cases were hospital onset; sixty-five percent were community onset (CO), although 75% of CO case patients reported healthcare exposure within the previous 90 days. Cardiovascular disease, renal failure, and diabetes mellitus were the most frequently reported comorbid conditions. Common ris k factors included surgery within the previous 90 days, recent infection or colonization with a multidrug-resistant organism, and recent exposures to antimicrobials, especially third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins.

Conclusions.

CRE are found throughout Michigan healthcare facilities. Implementing a regional, coordinated surveillance and prevention initiative may prevent CRE from becoming hyperendemic in Michigan.
The Effectiveness of Routine Daily Chlorhexidine Gluconate Bathing in Reducing Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase–Producing Enterobacteriaceae Skin Burden among Long-Term Acute Care Hospital Patients
Authors: Lin Michael Y. , Lolans Karen , Blom Donald W. , Lyles Rosie D. , Weiner Shayna , Poluru Kavya B. , Moore Nicholas , Hines David W. , Weinstein Robert A. , Hayden Mary K. ,   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epicenter Program
Published: March 2014

We evaluated the effectiveness of daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing in decreasing skin carriage of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase–producing Enterobacteriaceae (KPC) among long-term acute care hospital patients. CHG bathing reduced KPC skin colonization, particularly when CHG skin concentrations greater than or equal to 128 μg/mL were achieved.
Approximating amoebas and coamoebas by sums of squares
Authors: Theobald Thorsten , de Wolff Timo
Published: March 2014

Amoebas and coamoebas are the logarithmic images of algebraic varieties and the images of algebraic varieties under the arg-map, respectively. We present new techniques for computational problems on amoebas and coamoebas, thus establishing new connections between (co-)amoebas, semialgebraic and convex algebraic geometry and semidefinite programming.

Our approach is based on formulating the membership problem in amoebas (respectively coamoebas) as a suitable real algebraic feasibility problem. Using the real Nullstellensatz, this allows us to tackle the problem by sums of squares techniques and semidefinite programming. Our method yields polynomial identities as certificates of non-containment of a point in an amoeba or coamoeba. As the main theoretical result, we establish some degree bounds on the polynomial certificates. Moreover, we provide some actual computations of amoebas based on the sums of squares approach.
Mathematical modelling of adult hippocampal neurogenesis: effects of altered stem cell dynamics on cell counts and bromodeoxyuridine-labelled cells
Authors: Ziebell Frederik , Martin-Villalba Ana , Marciniak-Czochra Anna
Published: March 2014

In the adult hippocampus, neurogenesis—the process of generating mature granule cells from adult neural stem cells—occurs throughout the entire lifetime. In order to investigate the involved regulatory mechanisms, knockout (KO) experiments, which modify the dynamic behaviour of this process, were conducted in the past. Evaluating these KOs is a non-trivial task owing to the complicated nature of the hippocampal neurogenic niche. In this study, we model neurogenesis as a multicompartmental system of ordinary differential equations based on experimental data. To analyse the results of KO experiments, we investigate how changes of cell properties, reflected by model parameters, influence the dynamics of cell counts and of the experimentally observed counts of cells labelled by the cell division marker bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). We find that changing cell proliferation rates or the fraction of self-renewal, reflecting the balance between symmetric and asymmetric cell divisions, may result in multiple time phases in the response of the system, such as an initial increase in cell counts followed by a decrease. Furthermore, these phases may be qualitatively different in cells at different differentiation stages and even between mitotically labelled cells and all cells existing in the system.
A streptolysin S homologue is essential for β-haemolytic Streptococcus constellatus subsp. constellatus cytotoxicity
Authors: Tabata Atsushi , Sato Yuji , Maya Kentaro , Nakano Kota , Kikuchi Ken , Whiley Robert A. , Ohkura Kazuto , Tomoyasu Toshifumi , Nagamune Hideaki
Published: March 2014

Streptococcus constellatusis a member of the Anginosus group streptococci (AGS) and primarily inhabits the human oral cavity.S. constellatusis composed of three subspecies:S. constellatussubsp.constellatus(SCC),S. constellatussubsp.pharyngisand the newly described subspeciesS. constellatussubsp.viborgensis. Although previous studies have established that SCC contains β-haemolytic strains, the factor(s) responsible for β-haemolysis in β-haemolytic SCC (β-SCC) has yet to be clarified. Recently, we discovered that a streptolysin S (SLS) homologue is the β-haemolytic factor of β-haemolyticStreptococcus anginosussubsp.anginosus(β-SAA), another member of the AGS. Furthermore, because previous studies have suggested that other AGS species, except forStreptococcus intermedius, do not possess a haemolysin(s) belonging to the family of cholesterol-dependent cytolysins, we hypothesized that, as with β-SAA, the SLS homologue is the β-haemolytic factor of β-SCC, and therefore aimed to investigate and characterize the haemolytic factor of β-SCC in the present study. PCR amplification revealed that all of the tested β-SCC strains were positive for thesagAhomologue of SCC (sagASCC). Further investigations using β-SCC strain W277 were conducted to elucidate the relationship betweensagASCCand β-haemolysis by constructingsagASCCdeletion mutants, which completely lost β-haemolytic activity. This loss of β-haemolytic activity was restored bytrans-complementation ofsagASCC. Furthermore, a co-cultivation assay established that the cytotoxicity of β-SCC was clearly dependent on the presence ofsagASCC. These results demonstrate thatsagASCCis the factor responsible for β-SCC β-haemolysis and cytotoxicity.
Meteorological conditions influence short-term survival and dispersal in a reinforced long-lived bird population.
Authors: Hardouin Loïc A. , Robert A. , Nevoux M. , Gimenex O. , Lacroix F. , Hingrat Yves
Published: March 2014

A high immediate mortality rate of released animals is an important cause of translocation failure (“release cost”). Post-release dispersal (i.e. the movements from the release site to the first breeding site) has recently been identified as another source of local translocation failure. In spite of their potential effects on conservation program outcomes, little is known about the quantitative effects of these two sources of translocation failure and their interactions with environmental factors and management designs.

Based on long-term monitoring data of captive-bred North African houbara bustards (hereafter, houbaras) over large spatial scales, we investigated the relative effects of release (e.g., release group size, period of release), individual (e.g., sex and body condition) and meteorological (e.g., temperature and rainfall) conditions on post-release survival (N = 957 houbaras) and dispersal (N = 436 houbaras).

We found that (i) rainfall and ambient air temperature had respectively a negative and a positive effect on houbara post-release dispersal distance, (ii) in interaction with the release period, harsh meteorological conditions had negative impact on the survival of houbaras, (iii) density dependent processes influenced the pattern of departure from the release site and (iv) post-release dispersal distance was male-biased, as natal dispersal of wild birds (although the dispersal patterns and movements may be influenced by different processes in captive-bred and in wild birds).

Synthesis and applications.Overall, our results demonstrate that post-release dispersal and mortality costs in translocated species may be mediated by meteorological factors, which in turn can be buffered by the release method. As the consequences of translocation programs on population dynamics depend primarily upon release costs and colonisation process, we suggest that their potential interactions with meteorological conditions be carefully addressed in future programs.
Applicant, rater, and job factors related to weight-based bias
Authors: Contreras Krueger Dianna , L. Stone Dianna , Stone-Romero Eugene
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The aim of this paper was to assess the main and interactive effects of job applicant conscientiousness, and nurturing job demands on ratings of overweight female applicants on job suitability and a hiring recommendation. It also examined relations between rater ethnicity and ratings of the job suitability of normal and overweight applicants.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study used a 2×2×2 experimental design and data from 400 individuals (201 Anglos and 199 Hispanics) with hiring experience to test the study's hypotheses. Participants were randomly assigned to conditions, and asked to review a resume and picture of a normal or overweight applicant. Then, they were asked to rate the applicant's job suitability and make a hiring recommendation.

Findings

– The results revealed that: overweight female applicants were rated as more suitable for jobs and more likely to be recommended for hire when they had high rather than low conscientiousness; Hispanics were more likely to recommend overweight applicants for hire than Anglos; and there was a three-way interaction among applicant weight, rater ethnicity, and nurturing job demands for the hiring recommendation criterion.

Research limitations/implications

– The study was conducted in a simulated hiring context. Thus, research is needed to determine if the results generalize to actual work settings.

Practical implications

– The results suggest that organizations should provide decision makers with detailed information about applicants' conscientiousness, and the nurturing demands of jobs. When these types of information are presented, raters are less likely to display weight-based bias.

Originality/value

– Previous research on weight-based bias was not based on a theoretical model, but the present study used a theoretical framework to guide the development of hypotheses (Stone and Colella, 1996; Stone et al., 1992). In addition, it is the first study to examine the effects of overweight applicant conscientiousness and stereotype-job fit on ratings of job suitability, and differences between Hispanic and Anglo views of overweight applicants.
Pregnancy in women with a history of Kawasaki disease: management and outcomes
Authors: Gordon CT , Jimenez‐Fernandez S , Daniels LB , Kahn AM , Tarsa M , Matsubara T , Shimizu C , Burns JC , Gordon JB
Published: March 2014

Objective

To characterise the obstetrical management and outcomes in a series of women with a history of Kawasaki disease (KD) in childhood.

Design

Retrospective case series.

Setting

Tertiary healthcare setting in the USA.

Population

Women with a history of KD in childhood.

Methods

Women completed a detailed health questionnaire and participated in research imaging studies as part of the San Diego Adult KD Collaborative Study.

Main outcome measures

Obstetrical management, complications during pregnancy and delivery, and infant outcomes.

Results

Ten women with a history of KD in childhood carried a total of 21 pregnancies to term. There were no cardiovascular complications during labour and delivery despite important cardiovascular abnormalities in four of the ten subjects. Pregnancy was complicated by pre‐eclampsia and the post‐partum course was complicated by haemorrhage in one subject each. Two of the 21 progeny subsequently developed KD.

Conclusions

Women with important cardiovascular sequelae from KD in childhood should be managed by a team that includes both a maternal–fetal medicine specialist and a cardiologist. Pre‐pregnancy counselling should include delineation of the woman's current functional and structural cardiovascular status and appropriate adjustment of medications, but excellent outcomes are possible with appropriate care. Review of the English and Japanese literature on KD and pregnancy revealed the occurrence of myocardial infarction during pregnancy in women with missed KD and aneurysms that were not diagnosed until their acute event. Our study highlights the need for counselling with regard to the increased genetic risk of KD in offspring born to these mothers.
Piezoelectric Electrocardiographic Artifact in a Patient after Surgery with Bradycardia and Hypotension
Authors: Cheng Richard , Chakravarty Tarun
Published: March 2014

A 64‐year‐old man was evaluated by a rapid response team for altered mental status shortly after an uncomplicated surgery. He was found to be hypotensive and bradycardic, and an emergent electrocardiogram showed extra “P” wave complexes, ultimately found to be piezoelectric artifacts from a fluid infusion pump. Equipment‐related artifacts have been known to mimic arrhythmias prompting unnecessary therapeutic interventions including antiarrhythmics and direct current shocks. Timely recognition of the unusual properties of the complexes resulted in the avoidance of atropine, epinephrine, or transcutaneous pacing in a rapid response team scenario.
Implementation of a medical command and control team in Switzerland
Authors: Carron Pierre‐Nicolas , Reigner Philippe , Vallotton Laurent , Clouet Jean‐Gabriel , Danzeisen Claude , Zürcher Mathias , Yersin Bertrand
Published: March 2014

In case of a major incident or disaster, the advance medical rescue command needs to manage several essential tasks simultaneously. These include the rapid deployment of ambulance, police, fire and evacuation services, and their coordinated activity, as well as triage and emergency medical care on site. The structure of such a medical rescue command is crucial for the successful outcome of medical evacuation at major incidents. However, little data has been published on the nature and structure of the command itself. This study presents a flexible approach to command structure, with two command heads: one emergency physician and one experienced paramedic. This approach is especially suitable for Switzerland, whose federal system allows for different structures in each canton. This article examines the development of these structures and their efficiency, adaptability and limitations with respect to major incident response in the French‐speaking part of the country.
Community‐based preparedness programmes and the 2009 Australian bushfires: policy implications derived from applying theory
Authors: MacDougall Colin , Gibbs Lisa , Clark Rachel
Published: March 2014

The Victorian Country Fire Authority in Australia runs the Community Fireguard (CFG) programme to assist individuals and communities in preparing for fire. The objective of this qualitative research was to understand the impact of CFG groups on their members' fire preparedness and response during the 2009 Australian bushfires. Social connectedness emerged as a strong theme, leading to an analysis of data using social capital theory. The main strength of the CFG programme was that it was driven by innovative community members; however, concerns arose regarding the extent to which the programme covered all vulnerable areas, which led the research team to explore the theory of diffusion of innovation. The article concludes by stepping back from the evaluation and using both applied theories to reflect on broad options for community fire preparedness programmes in general. The exercise produced two contrasting options for principles underlying community fire preparedness programmes.
Lesions of dorsal striatum eliminate lose‐switch responding but not mixed‐response strategies in rats
Authors: Skelin Ivan , Hakstol Rhys , VanOyen Jenn , Mudiayi Dominic , Molina Leonardo A. , Holec Victoria , Hong Nancy S. , Euston David R. , McDonald Robert J. , Gruber Aaron J.
Published: March 2014

We used focal brain lesions in rats to examine how dorsomedial (DMS) and dorsolateral (DLS) regions of the striatum differently contribute to response adaptation driven by the delivery or omission of rewards. Rats performed a binary choice task under two modes: one in which responses were rewarded on half of the trials regardless of choice; and another ‘competitive’ one in which only unpredictable choices were rewarded. In both modes, control animals were more likely to use a predictable lose‐switch strategy than animals with lesions of either DMS or DLS. Animals with lesions of DMS presumably relied more on DLS for behavioural control, and generated repetitive responses in the first mode. These animals then shifted to a random response strategy in the competitive mode, thereby performing better than controls or animals with DLS lesions. Analysis using computational models of reinforcement learning indicated that animals with striatal lesions, particularly of the DLS, had blunted reward sensitivity and less stochasticity in the choice mechanism. These results provide further evidence that the rodent DLS is involved in rapid response adaptation that is more sophisticated than that embodied by the classic notion of habit formation driven by gradual stimulus–response learning.