bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mining data with random forests: current options for real‐world applications
Authors: Ziegler Andreas , König Inke R.
Published: December 2013

Random Forests are fast, flexible, and represent a robust approach to mining high‐dimensional data. They are an extension of classification and regression trees (CART). They perform well even in the presence of a large number of features and a small number of observations. In analogy to CART, random forests can deal with continuous outcome, categorical outcome, and time‐to‐event outcome with censoring. The tree‐building process of random forests implicitly allows for interaction between features and high correlation between features. Approaches are available to measuring variable importance and reducing the number of features. Although random forests perform well in many applications, their theoretical properties are not fully understood. Recently, several articles have provided a better understanding of random forests, and we summarize these findings. We survey different versions of random forests, including random forests for classification, random forests for probability estimation, and random forests for estimating survival data. We discuss the consequences of (1) no selection, (2) random selection, and (3) a combination of deterministic and random selection of features for random forests. Finally, we review a backward elimination and a forward procedure, the determination of trees representing a forest, and the identification of important variables in a random forest. Finally, we provide a brief overview of different areas of application of random forests. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2014, 4:55–63. doi: 10.1002/widm.1114

This article is categorized under:

Algorithmic Development > Statistics

Application Areas > Data Mining Software Tools

Technologies > Classification

Technologies > Machine Learning
The Role of Technology in Translational Science
Authors: May Larissa , Zatorski Catherine , Vora Darshan
Published: December 2013

Despite the foundation of the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program and the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS), the process to bring novel tools to the clinical setting is hindered by administrative challenges. Technology offers solutions to these obstacles and has the potential to drive the field of translational science forward. In this commentary, we discuss diagnostic technology, clinical informatics, and bioinformatics and their roles in the development of this field.
Office of Inspector General Review of Medicare Hospice Care: Hospices That Focus on Nursing Facility Residents
Authors: Goldberg Rose Carmen , Rubin Michael
Published: December 2013

Since the hospice benefit was introduced into the Medicare program, utilization has increased steeply. Previous research suggested that the use of hospice care is growing most rapidly in nursing facilities; however, little was known about the characteristics of the Medicare beneficiaries who receive hospice care in nursing facilities or the hospices that provide care in this setting. A synthesis of research from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) examined Medicare hospice care provided in nursing facilities. Findings are based on analysis of Medicare hospice claims data and medical record reviews. OIG findings suggest that some hospices may be seeking out beneficiaries with particular characteristics, including those with conditions associated with longer but less complex care. Such beneficiaries are often found in nursing facilities. By serving these beneficiaries for longer periods, the hospices receive more Medicare payments per beneficiary, which can contribute to higher profits. The OIG's recommendations for reform include modifying the payment system for hospice care in nursing facilities and targeting monitoring efforts on certain hospices.
Public Health Policy Options for Improving Well‐Water Quality in West Point, Liberia
Authors: Runkle Ken , LaFollette Sharron , Alamu Josiah
Published: December 2013

In an attempt to characterize the quality of drinking water drawn from local wells, sampling of well water was conducted in West Point, Monrovia, Liberia in January 2011 using nitrate–nitrite test strips and materials that allow for field sampling of water for bacteria. Sampling found elevated levels of nitrates, nitrites, total coliforms, and E. coli. Possible policy options that could improve drinking‐water quality in West Point include the installation of community latrines in areas downgradient and away from community wells; the installation of concrete lined, covered wells with hand pumps; or the provision of public water. Infrastructure analysis suggests that the most reasonable strategy for improved potable water and sanitation in West Point is a policy of incrementally implemented interventions. Residents of West Point have few resources and little political power, so the community can benefit from participating in an advocacy coalition with active nongovernment organizations and government agencies that not only plans for the provision of sustainable interventions, but looks for windows of opportunity to increase the awareness and the involvement of the Liberian government and the international community.
Translational reprogramming in cellular stress response
Authors: Liu Botao , Qian Shu‐Bing
Published: December 2013

Cell survival in changing environments requires appropriate regulation of gene expression, including translational control. Multiple stress signaling pathways converge on several key translation factors, such as eIF4F and eIF2, and rapidly modulate messenger RNA (mRNA) translation at both the initiation and the elongation stages. Repression of global protein synthesis is often accompanied with selective translation of mRNAs encoding proteins that are vital for cell survival and stress recovery. The past decade has seen significant progress in our understanding of translational reprogramming in part due to the development of technologies that allow the dissection of the interplay between mRNA elements and corresponding binding proteins. Recent genome‐wide studies using ribosome profiling have revealed unprecedented proteome complexity and flexibility through alternative translation, raising intriguing questions about stress‐induced translational reprogramming. Many surprises emerged from these studies, including wide‐spread alternative translation initiation, ribosome pausing during elongation, and reversible modification of mRNAs. Elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms underlying translational reprogramming will ultimately lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for human diseases.

This article is categorized under:

Translation > Translation Mechanisms

Translation > Translation Regulation
A Survey of Preferences Regarding Surgical Approach to Thyroid Surgery
Authors: Coorough Nicholas E. , Schneider David F. , Rosen Monica Woll , Sippel Rebecca S. , Chen Herbert , Schwarze Margaret L. , Mazeh Haggi
Published: December 2013

Background

Transaxillary thyroidectomy (TAT) has gained popularity in East Asian countries; however, to date there have been no attempts to evaluate the preferences regarding TAT in the US population. The aim of this study is to assess the preferences and considerations associated with TAT in an American cohort.

Methods

Self‐administered surveys were distributed to 966 adults at various locations in a single state. Questions assessed preferences for the surgical approach, acceptable risks and extra costs, and willingness to pursue TAT despite reduced cancer treatment efficacy.

Results

The response rate was 84 %, with a mean age of 40 ± 17 years. The majority of respondents were female. Of the respondents, 82 % preferred TAT to a cervical thyroidectomy (CerT), all risks being equal; 51 % of the respondents were willing to accept a 4 % complication rate with TAT, and 16 % stated they would agree to pay up to an additional $US5,000 for the TAT approach. When presented with thyroid cancer, 20 % of all respondents still preferred TAT, even if it would not cure their disease. Patients preferring TAT over CerT were younger, female, more willing to accept complications and spend additional money, and, most significantly, preferred the TAT approach, even if it was less likely to cure their cancer.

Conclusions

Although this survey presents a hypothetical question for people who do not have thyroid disease, the majority of respondents preferred TAT over CerT. Furthermore, a substantial number were willing to accept higher complication rates and increased costs for TAT.
Urinary and Erectile Function in Men After Total Mesorectal Excision by Laparoscopic or Robot‐Assisted Methods for the Treatment of Rectal Cancer: A Case‐Matched Comparison
Authors: Park Soo Yeun , Choi Gyu‐Seog , Park Jun Seok , Kim Hye Jin , Ryuk Jong‐Pil , Yun Sung‐Hwan
Published: December 2013

Background

Urinary and sexual dysfunction are recognized complications of rectal cancer surgery in men. This study compared robot‐assisted total mesorectal excision (RTME) and laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LTME) with regard to these functional outcomes.

Methods

A series of 32 men who underwent RTME between February 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010 were matched 1:1 with patients who underwent LTME. The matching criteria were age, body mass index, tumor distance from the anal verge, neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy, and tumor stage. Urinary and erectile function were evaluated using the International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS) and the five‐item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF‐5) scale. Data were collected from the two groups at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery and compared.

Results

The mean IPSS score did not differ between the two groups at baseline at any point of measurement. The mean baseline IIEF‐5 score was similar between the two groups and was decreased at 3 months. The mean IIEF‐5 score was significantly higher in the RTME group at 6 months than in the LTME group (14.1 ± 6.1 vs. 9.4 ± 6.6; p = 0.024). The interval decrease in IIEF‐5 scores was significantly higher in the LTME group than in the RTME group at 6 months (4.9 ± 4.5 vs. 9.2 ± 4.7; p = 0.030).

Conclusions

The men in the RTME group experienced earlier restoration of erectile function than did those in the LTME group. Bladder function was similar during the 12 months after RTME or LTME.
Task analysis method for procedural training curriculum development
Authors: Riggle Jakeb D. , Wadman Michael C. , McCrory Bernadette , Lowndes Bethany R. , Heald Elizabeth A. , Carstens Patricia K. , Hallbeck M. Susan
Published: December 2013

A central venous catheter (CVC) is an important medical tool used in critical care and emergent situations. Integral to proper care in many circumstances, insertion of a CVC introduces the risk of central line-associated blood stream infections and mechanical adverse events; proper training is important for safe CVC insertion. Cognitive task analysis (CTA) methods have been successfully implemented in the medical field to improve the training of postgraduate medical trainees, but can be very time-consuming to complete and require a significant time commitment from many subject matter experts (SMEs). Many medical procedures such as CVC insertion are linear processes with well-documented procedural steps. These linear procedures may not require a traditional CTA to gather the information necessary to create a training curriculum. Accordingly, a novel, streamlined CTA method designed primarily to collect cognitive cues for linear procedures was developed to be used by medical professionals with minimal CTA training. This new CTA methodology required fewer trained personnel, fewer interview sessions, and less time commitment from SMEs than a traditional CTA. Based on this study, a streamlined CTA methodology can be used to efficiently gather cognitive information on linear medical procedures for the creation of resident training curricula and procedural skills assessments.
Clinical Issues‐January 2014
Authors: Ogg Mary J.
Published: December 2013

This Month

Safe use of suture needles

Key words: sharps safety, no‐touch technique, work practice controls, engineering controls, administrative controls, bloodborne pathogens.

Increasing compliance with the use of safety measures to reduce sharps injuries

Key words: sharps safety, hands‐free zone, blunt suture needles, double gloving.

Reducing distractions during surgical counts

Key words: distractions, no‐interruption zone, surgical counts.

Proper attire for the nurse receiving the infant during Cesarean deliveries

Key words: Cesarean delivery, surgical attire, personal protective equipment.
Partnerships and New Learning Models to Create the Future Perioperative Nursing Workforce
Authors: Gregory Sabrina , Bolling Deborah R. , Langston Nancy F.
Published: December 2013

To create new and sustainable approaches for development of the perioperative nursing workforce, perioperative nursing leaders at a hospital collaborated with administrators and faculty at a school of nursing to create an innovative learning model that reintroduces perioperative experiences to students in a nursing baccalaureate program. Key components of the initial approaches included an externship for nursing students and a revised internship for experienced nurses who wished to work in perioperative nursing. Project leaders then expanded the nursing student learning opportunity by adding two additional elective perioperative courses to the curriculum. Formation of perioperative clinical placement sites within the senior‐level adult acute care course was an additional positive outcome of these initial initiatives. These initiatives resulted in decreased use of agency nurses at the clinical site where the externships take place and increased numbers of younger nurses working in the perioperative areas where they externed, with high levels of satisfaction reported by nurses involved in the program. Through this innovative collaboration, the perioperative nurse shortage at the hospital has abated, and the opportunity to continually recruit new colleagues into the practice of perioperative nursing has been established.
Implementing AORN Recommended Practices for Sharps Safety
Authors: Ford Donna A.
Published: December 2013

Prevention of percutaneous sharps injuries in perioperative settings remains a challenge. Occupational transmission of bloodborne pathogens, not only from patients to health care providers but also from health care providers to patients, is a significant concern. Legislation and position statements geared toward ensuring the safety of patients and health care workers have not resulted in significantly reduced sharps injuries in perioperative settings. Awareness and understanding of the types of percutaneous injuries that occur in perioperative settings is fundamental to developing an effective sharps injury prevention program. The AORN “Recommended practices for sharps safety” clearly delineates evidence‐based recommendations for sharps injury prevention. Perioperative RNs can lead efforts to change practice for the safety of patients and perioperative team members by promoting the elimination of sharps hazards; the use of engineering, work practice, and administrative controls; and the proper use of personal protective equipment, including double gloving.
Droplets walking in a rotating frame: from quantized orbits to multimodal statistics
Authors: Harris Daniel M. , Bush John W. M.
Published: December 2013

We present the results of an experimental investigation of a droplet walking on the surface of a vibrating rotating fluid bath. Particular attention is given to demonstrating that the stable quantized orbits reported by Fort et al. (Proc. Natl Acad. Sci., vol. 107, 2010, pp. 17515–17520) arise only for a finite range of vibrational forcing, above which complex trajectories with multimodal statistics arise. We first present a detailed characterization of the emergence of orbital quantization, and then examine the system behaviour at higher driving amplitudes. As the vibrational forcing is increased progressively, stable circular orbits are succeeded by wobbling orbits with, in turn, stationary and drifting orbital centres. Subsequently, there is a transition to wobble-and-leap dynamics, in which wobbling of increasing amplitude about a stationary centre is punctuated by the orbital centre leaping approximately half a Faraday wavelength. Finally, in the limit of high vibrational forcing, irregular trajectories emerge, characterized by a multimodal probability distribution that reflects the persistent dynamic influence of the unstable orbital states.
Population ecology, life history and diet of the shorthead drum Larimus breviceps in a tropical bight in southeastern Brazil
Authors: Bessa Eduardo , Santos Flávia Borges , Pombo Maíra , Denadai Márcia , Fonseca Mariana , Turra Alexander
Published: December 2013

The population biology, life history parameters and diet of the shorthead drum Larimus breviceps were assessed in Caraguatatuba Bight, a shallow non-estuarine environment. Two homogeneous areas, South and North, were selected, avoiding major sources of continental waters. Monthly from October 2003 to October 2004, three random samples were taken by trawling from 800 to 1600 m outward from the waterline. Larimus breviceps was the third most abundant species during the study period, and was considerably more abundant from February to May 2004. Smaller individuals were also more abundant during this period, which we therefore considered the main recruitment period of the species. The predominance of individuals of a limited size range (6–12 cm total length) seems to indicate that the area functions as a nursery for L. breviceps, sheltering late-juvenile individuals. This feature complicated the estimation of life history parameters, but by taking into account the peculiarities of the area and the identification of similar modal progressions during the sampling period, we obtained reasonable values for the parameterization of the von Bertalanffy Growth Model (L∞ = 32.25 cm, K = 0.72, tmax 4.38 y, Z = 12.104). The total mortality index does not reflect mortality rates only, but also the migration of older individuals to other, probably deeper, areas. The diet was based mainly on Crustacea, specifically Decapoda shrimps, with slight seasonal alterations.
The Touch of Midas: Money, Markets, and Morality
Authors: Skidelsky Edward
Published: December 2013

Money has always inspired obsession, both in those who amass it and in those who think about it. “Man will never be able to know what money is any more than he will be able to know what God is,” wrote the French financier Marcel Labordère to his friend John Maynard Keynes. The analogy is apt. Money, like God, injects infinity into human desires. To love it is to embark on a journey without end.
Evolution of households' responses to the groundwater arsenic crisis in Bangladesh: information on environmental health risks can have increasing behavioral impact over time
Authors: Balasubramanya Soumya , Pfaff Alexander , Bennear Lori , Tarozzi Alessandro , Ahmed Kazi Matin , Schoenfeld Amy , van Geen Alexander
Published: December 2013

A national campaign of well testing through 2003 enabled households in rural Bangladesh to switch, at least for drinking water, from high-arsenic wells to neighboring lower arsenic wells. We study the well-switching dynamics over time by re-interviewing, in 2008, a randomly selected subset of households in the Araihazar region who had been interviewed in 2005. Contrary to concerns that the impact of arsenic information on switching behavior would erode over time, we find that not only was 2003–2005 switching highly persistent but also new switching by 2008 doubled the share of households at unsafe wells who had switched. The passage of time also had a cost: 22 per cent of households did not recall test results by 2008. The loss of arsenic knowledge led to staying at unsafe wells and switching from safe wells. Our results support ongoing well testing for arsenic to reinforce this beneficial information.
WHAT IS DRIVING FINANCIAL DOLLARIZATION IN TRANSITION ECONOMIES? A DYNAMIC FACTOR ANALYSIS
Authors: Kishor Narayan K. , Neanidis Kyriakos C.
Published: December 2013

This paper investigates the impact of institutions on the dollarization of the domestic banking system using a unique policy experiment: the process of accession of countries to the European Union (EU). Using a dynamic factor model, we decompose fluctuations in financial dollarization for 24 transition economies into a common factor, an EU factor, a non-EU factor, and country-specific factors. The EU factor, which proxies for improvements in institutions under the set criteria for eventual membership, reveals the importance of institutions for the extent of financial dollarization over time. The results also indicate the asymmetric impact of improved institutions on the domestic bank's balance sheets by inducing higher loan dollarization and lower deposit dollarization. The relative importance of the EU factor to the financial dollarization of a country is associated to the degree of comovement of its business cycle with that of the EU.
Ligand-free hydroboration of alkynes catalyzed by heterogeneous copper powder with high efficiency
Authors: Zhao Jie , Niu Zhiqiang , Fu Hua , Li Yadong
Published: December 2013

Regioselective hydroboration of terminal and internal alkynes is realized by using copper powder (0.3–1 μm) as a catalyst without any ligand.
The genesis of a heterogeneous catalyst: in situ observation of a transition metal complex adsorbing onto an oxide surface in solution
Authors: Hervier Antoine , Blanchard Juliette , Costentin Guylène , Regalbuto John , Louis Catherine , Boujday Souhir
Published: December 2013

Transition metal complex adsorption onto an oxide surface was observed in situ using a quartz crystal microbalance at the solid–liquid interface.
Double Smiles rearrangement of Passerini adducts towards benzoxazinones
Authors: Martinand-Lurin E. , Dos Santos A. , El Kaim L. , Grimaud L. , Retailleau P.
Published: December 2013

A new straightforward access to benzoxazinones based on a three-component coupling is presented here.
Ligand-controlled E/Z selectivity and enantioselectivity in palladium-catalyzed allylation of benzofuranones with 1,2-disubstituted allylic carbonates
Authors: Ohmatsu Kohsuke , Ito Mitsunori , Ooi Takashi
Published: December 2013

The first highly E- and enantioselective allylic alkylation of prochiral carbon nucleophiles with 1,2-disubstituted allylic carbonates is reported. The key is the ability of modular ion-paired chiral ligands to simultaneously control the E/Z selectivity and enantioselectivity.
Template-free and green sonochemical synthesis of hierarchically structured CuS hollow microspheres displaying excellent Fenton-like catalytic activities
Authors: Deng Chonghai , Ge Xinqing , Hu Hanmei , Yao Li , Han Chengliang , Zhao Difang
Published: December 2013

Hollow CuS architectures have been fabricated via a template-free and green sonochemical process displaying superior Fenton-like catalytic activities.
Pillar[5]arene-based diglycolamides for highly efficient separation of americium(iii) and europium(iii)
Authors: Wu Lei , Fang Yuyu , Jia Yiming , Yang Yuanyou , Liao Jiali , Liu Ning , Yang Xinshi , Feng Wen , Ming Jialin , Yuan Lihua
Published: December 2013

Pillar[5]arenes were functionalized with ten diglycolamide (DGA) arms on both sides of the pillar framework and were found to exhibit excellent separation and extraction efficiency towards Am(iii) and Eu(iii) at high acidity.
Profile Orientation and Social Distance in Portrait Painting
Authors: Coles P R
Published: December 2013

A study of portrait paintings by various artists revealed that the sitter's face is more likely to be illuminated by a light source to the artist's left than to his right. Although the sitter's face may be turned towards the artist's left or right side with equal frequency, the interaction of illumination and profile orientation does not appear to be arbitrary. This finding is interpreted in the context of other findings on left and right in picture perception, and a new explanation of the relationship between profile orientation and the personality of the sitter is offered.
Eye Movement Strategies Involved in Face Perception
Authors: Walker-Smith Gail J , Gale Alastair G , Findlay John M
Published: December 2013

Recordings were made of the eye fixations of three subjects in two tasks involving black-and-white photographs of faces. In the first task, subjects matched a test face with a previously viewed target face; in the second task, subjects compared two simultaneously presented faces. The eye movements were recorded with a corneal reflection technique.

Each subject showed an individual fixation strategy for the tasks; in particular each subject had one or more preferred facial features which were viewed foveally in both tasks. The subjects also showed some tendency to use a regular sequential pattern of eye movements. However, the sequences used differed from one task to the other. Although some aspects of the results support the scanpath hypothesis of Noton, it is suggested that an alternative interpretation is possible.
Comparison of Eye Movements over Faces in Photographic Positives and Negatives
Authors: Luria Saul M , Strauss Mark S
Published: December 2013

Eye movements were recorded while subjects viewed ordinary portraits and photographic negatives of those portraits. Under both conditions they first studied sixteen portraits and then tried to decide which of forty-eight portraits they had just seen. They made more errors of recognition while viewing negatives, and their fixation patterns were significantly altered: there was a decrease in the percentage of fixations directed to the eyes, nose, and mouth, and an increase for such details as the ears, cheeks, chin, cap, and necktie. There was also a decrease in the ratio of fixations to the most fixated detail compared to the least fixated detail.
Looking at Faces: First-Order and Second-Order Features as Determinants of Facial Appearance
Authors: Rhodes Gillian
Published: December 2013

The encoding and relative importance of first-order (discrete) and second-order (configural) features in mental representations of unfamiliar faces have been investigated. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (KYST) was carried out on similarity judgments of forty-one photographs of faces (homogeneous with respect to sex, race, facial expression, and, to a lesser extent, age). A large set of ratings, measurements, and ratios of measurements of the faces was regressed against the three-dimensional KYST solution in order to determine the first-order and second-order features used to judge similarity. Parameters characterizing both first-order and second-order features emerged as important determinants of facial similarity. First-order feature parameters characterizing the appearance of the eyes, eyebrows, and mouth, and second-order feature parameters characterizing the position of the eyes, spatial relations between the internal features, and chin shape correlated with the dimensions of the KYST solution. There was little difference in the extent to which first-order and second-order features were encoded. Two higher-level parameters, age and weight, were also used to judge similarity. The implications of these results for mental representations of faces are discussed.
Preferential Inspection of Views of 3-D Model Heads
Authors: Harries Mark H , Perrett David I , Lavender Alan
Published: December 2013

The importance of different perspective views for the recognition of model heads was studied. In experiment 1 subjects were instructed to learn the appearance of six heads placed individually on a turntable free to rotate through 360°. Subjects did not distribute their time evenly but focussed their inspection on particular views (the full face view and a view close to the profile). Despite differential inspection of these two views during the learning phase, the face, half profile, and profile views were recognized with equal efficiency in a subsequent recognition task with static views. Experiment 2 used the inspection paradigm to investigate view preference during the recognition of heads from memory. In this experiment subjects were asked to learn the appearance of three heads each seen rotating at an even speed. In a subsequent retrieval task the subjects actively inspected six model heads on the turntable and were asked to differentiate the three heads previously seen rotating from three novel heads. The pattern of inspection in this retrieval task was equivalent to that in experiment 1. Results suggest that during the encoding into memory subjects construct descriptions of specific prototypical views of the head and that descriptions of these same views are preferentially utilised during recognition.
Recognising Facial Surfaces
Authors: Bruce Vicki , Healey Patrick , Burton Mike , Doyle Tony , Coombes Anne , Linney Alf
Published: December 2013

The extent to which faces depicted as surfaces devoid of pigmentation and with minimal texture cues (‘head models’) could be matched with photographs (when unfamiliar) and identified (when familiar) was examined in three experiments. The head models were obtained by scanning the three-dimensional surface of the face with a laser, and by displaying the surface measured in this way by using standard computer-aided design techniques. Performance in all tasks was above chance but far from ceiling. Experiment 1 showed that matching of unfamiliar head models with photographs was affected by the resolution with which the surface was displayed, suggesting that subjects based their decisions, at least in part, on three-dimensional surface structure. Matching accuracy was also affected by other factors to do with the viewpoints shown in the head models and test photographs, and the type of lighting used to portray the head model. In experiment 2 further evidence for the importance of the nature of the illumination used was obtained, and it was found that the addition of a hairstyle (not that of the target face) did not facilitate matching. In experiment 3 identification of the head models by colleagues of the people shown was compared with identification of photographs where the hair was concealed and eyes were closed. Head models were identified less well than these photographs, suggesting that the difficulties in their recognition are not solely due to the lack of hair. Women's heads were disproportionately difficult to recognise from the head models. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the use of such three-dimensional head models in forensic and surgical applications.
Dynamic Properties Influence the Perception of Facial Expressions
Authors: Kamachi Miyuki , Bruce Vicki , Mukaida Shigeru , Gyoba Jiro , Yoshikawa Sakiko , Akamatsu Shigeru
Published: December 2013

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the role played by dynamic information in identifying facial expressions of emotion. Dynamic expression sequences were created by generating and displaying morph sequences which changed the face from neutral to a peak expression in different numbers of intervening intermediate stages, to create fast (6 frames), medium (26 frames), and slow (101 frames) sequences. In experiment 1, participants were asked to describe what the person shown in each sequence was feeling. Sadness was more accurately identified when slow sequences were shown. Happiness, and to some extent surprise, was better from faster sequences, while anger was most accurately detected from the sequences of medium pace. In experiment 2 we used an intensity-rating task and static images as well as dynamic ones to examine whether effects were due to total time of the displays or to the speed of sequence. Accuracies of expression judgments were derived from the rated intensities and the results were similar to those of experiment 1 for angry and sad expressions (surprised and happy were close to ceiling). Moreover, the effect of display time was found only for dynamic expressions and not for static ones, suggesting that it was speed, not time, which was responsible for these effects. These results suggest that representations of basic expressions of emotion encode information about dynamic as well as static properties.
The Descriptive Epidemiology of Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infection among Patients in Non-Intensive Care Unit Settings
Authors: Tedja Rudy , Gordon Steven M. , Fatica Cynthia , Fraser Thomas G.
Published: December 2013

Objective.

To review and describe device utilization and central line-associated bloodstream (CLABSI) events among patients in a non-intensive care unit (ICU) setting and to examine the morbidity and mortality associated with these events.

Design.

One-year descriptive review.

Setting.

A single tertiary center with a 1,200-bed hospital and 209 adult ICU beds.

Patients.

Hospitalized patients identified as having a CLABSI event attributed to a non-ICU setting.

Methods.

The cohort was identified from a prospective infection prevention database. Charts and administrative data sets were reviewed to further characterize the patients. Device utilization ratios (DURs) and CLABSI rates were calculated using National Health and Safety Network (NHSN) CLABSI definitions. Need for ICU stay and crude mortality rates were recorded.

Results.

A total of 136 patients with 156 CLABSIs were identified, of whom 78 (57%) were being treated for a hematological malignancy (HM). The overall DUR was 0.27. A tunneled line was in place for 118 (76%) of the CLABSI events, and a peripherally inserted central catheter was in place for 32 (21%) of the CLABSI events. The non-ICU CLABSI rate was significantly higher than the concurrent ICU rate (2.1 CLABSIs per 1,000 catheter-days vs 1.5 CLABSIs per 1,000 catheter-days; P = .02). Hospital mortality was 23% in the affected group and was significantly higher in patients with HM.

Conclusions.

CLABSI rates over a 1-year period were higher in patients outside the ICU at our hospital and were associated with significant mortality.
The Mabuchi metric and the Kähler-Ricci flow
Authors: McFeron Donovan
Published: December 2013

In this paper we show that on a Fano manifold the convergence of the Kähler-Ricci flow to a Kähler-Einstein metric follows from the integrability of the

L
2

L^2

norm of the Ricci potential for positive time.
Peptidoglycan from Staphylococcus aureus has an anti‐apoptotic effect in HaCaT keratinocytes mediated by the production of the cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein‐2
Authors: Vázquez‐Sánchez Ernesto Antonio , Rodríguez‐Romero Magdalena , Sánchez‐Torres Luvia Enid , Rodríguez‐Martínez Sandra , Cancino‐Diaz Juan Carlos , Rodríguez‐Cortes Octavio , García‐López Eduardo Stalin , Cancino‐Diaz Mario Eugenio
Published: December 2013

Colonization of epithelium by microorganisms leads to inflammatory responses. In some cases an anti‐apoptotic response involving the cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein‐2 (cIAP‐2) also occurs. Although strong expression of cIAP‐2 has been observed in lesional skin from psoriatic patients and in HaCaT keratinocytes treated with peptidoglycan (PGN) from Staphylococcus aureus, anti‐apoptotic responses induced in the skin by cIAP‐2 have seldom been studied. In this study, the effect of PGN on TNF‐α‐induced apoptotic HaCaT keratinocytes was assessed. Morphological analysis, quantification of cells with DNA fragmentation and active caspase‐3 detection was performed to assess apoptotic cell death. Greater LL‐37 and cIAP‐2 production was found in keratinocytes stimulated with PGN than in non‐treated cells (P < 0.05). In comparison with cells treated with TNF‐α only, a significant reduction in apoptotic cell death was observed when HaCaT were pretreated with PGN before inducing apoptosis with TNF‐α (P < 0.05). In addition, an inhibitor of cIAP‐2 activity (LCL161) stopped the PGN effect. These findings show that PGN from S. aureus has an anti‐apoptotic effect in keratinocytes mediated by cIAP‐2 production, suggesting that this anti‐apoptotic activity could favor proliferation of keratinocytes in psoriasis.
Thrips' responses to thermogenic associated signals in a cycad pollination system: the interplay of temperature, light, humidity and cone volatiles
Authors: Terry L. Irene , Roemer Robert B. , Walter Gimme H. , Booth David
Published: December 2013

Most functions postulated for thermogenesis in plant reproductive organs are associated with pollination and pollinator activity. During thermogenesis other chemical changes occur, and these also may affect pollinator activity.

We address how cone thermogenesis and the associated chemical emissions influence pollinator behaviour in the obligate mutualist Macrozamia lucida and M. macleayi cycad – Cycadothrips chadwicki thrips pollination system. Cones of these dioecious gymnosperms have a diel, mid‐day metabolic burst that is associated with increased cone temperatures, volatile emissions (primarily β‐myrcene), and CO2 and water vapour emissions. Concurrently, thrips leave cones en masse and then return to cones later in the day. We investigated the effects of these cues, individually and in combinations, on their potential to induce thrips to leave cones in the dark and light with a suite of Y‐tube behavioural experiments.

The results suggest that ambient light, and high cone temperatures, humidity, and β‐myrcene levels, but not CO2, each induce Cycadothrips to leave cones. At typical overnight temperatures (14 °C) thrips were relatively inactive and negatively phototactic. At typical daytime ambient temperatures, 22–26 °C (lower than typical thermogenic temperatures), thrips were active and positively phototactic. Thrips moved away from or avoided thermogenic temperatures and high concentrations of β‐myrcene, and they preferred dry (<8% RH) to humidified (~88% RH) air.

Whereas several variables individually induce thrips to leave a cone's darker interior towards the daytime light, these signals are presented simultaneously during thermogenesis. There thus seems to be enhanced or redundant signalling that enforces thrips departure from pollen cones thus increasing the chances of vectoring pollen to ovulate cones. While high temperature appears necessary to mediate thrips movement, its concurrence with other plant signals that produce similar responses, suggests a dynamic multimodal signalling system that operates as a functional unit.
What drives foraging behaviour of the intertidal limpetCellana grata? A quantitative test of a dynamic optimization model
Authors: Santini Giacomo , Ngan Avis , Burrows Michael T. , Chelazzi Guido , Williams Gray A.
Published: December 2013

State‐dependent models (SDMs) of behaviour, based on dynamic fitness‐maximizing optimality routines, offer a powerful approach to understanding the plasticity and complexity in the timing of behaviour of foraging animals; yet, they are rarely developed for individual species. Such models permit evaluation of the sensitivity of predicted behavioural patterns to parameters that describe the main elements of environmental risk and the dynamics of internal states, such as energy stores, that determine motivational state.

Here, we develop a state‐dependent dynamic model for the temporal organization of foraging in a cyclic environment, using the intertidal grazing limpetCellana grataas a test species. Estimates of relevant parameter values were obtained wherever possible and a sensitivity analysis performed to estimate the relative importance of these parameters.

The results demonstrated the value of constructing an optimality model of the combined effects of gut processing and food supply, alongside the costs and risks of foraging. The dynamic model was able to satisfactorily reproduce the foraging behaviour of the limpet and highlighted several emergent details of behaviour that were not immediately apparent or predicted using a more simple, static model.

Ranking the importance of the different parameters in the foraging behaviour of the limpet helped to identify research priorities for further studies on these grazers. Among the investigated parameters, standing crop and gut volume appeared to be of greatest importance, while energy costs and ingestion rates were of relatively lower importance. Risks of mortality during the different phases also played a fundamental role, dictating the main temporal limits within which activity occurred.

Even with the great number of parameters required with respect to simpler static models, the benefits of following such a dynamic approach were evident and outweighed the additional effort needed for their estimation, supporting the use of dynamic modelling approaches in future research into the behaviour of mobile consumers.
G20 Endorsement in Post Crisis Global Governance: More Than a Toothless Talking Shop?
Authors: Eccleston Richard , Kellow Aynsley , Carroll Peter
Published: December 2013

Research Highlights and Abstract

This article

Highlights how G20 ‘endorsement’ promotes and enhances the legitimacy of specialist technical agencies and organisations Provides a case study highlighting the impact of G20 endorsement on the OECD's international tax transparency agenda Develops a mid-level theory of G20 endorsement in order to analyse this emerging form of authority in global governance

The G20 Leaders' Forum has been touted as ‘The world's premier forum for promoting global cooperation’, yet beyond this rhetoric the track record of the G20 is varied leading critics to claim sit is little more than a ‘toothless talkshop’. We argue that such sweeping generalisations are difficult to sustain in the light of evidence from some issue arenas in which the G20 has been active. This article draws on the extant literature on the ‘Gs'and network governance in an attempt to theorise and explain the G20's endorsement function, or its capacity to promote and legitimise the work of specialised organisations and networks. We build on the extant literature using a semi-inductive method focusing on the G20's endorsement of the OECD's international tax transparency agenda to develop a mid-level framework for analysing this important source of authority in global governance.
Demand for maize hybrids and hybrid change on smallholder farms in Kenya
Authors: Smale Melinda , Olwande John
Published: December 2013

Kenya is a globally recognized maize “success story.” As the overall percentage of maize farmers growing hybrids tops 80% and the seed industry matures, the slow pace of hybrid replacement on farms, and the continued dominance of the seed industry by Kenya Seed Company, may dampen productivity. Our econometric analysis identifies the factors that explain farmer demand for hybrid seed, and the age of hybrids they grow, considering hybrid seed ownership. Male‐headed households with more education, more assets, and more land plant more hybrid seed. Scale of seed demand per farm is differentiated by agroecology. We find a strong farmer response to the seed‐to‐grain price ratio, which we interpret as evidence of a commercial orientation even on household farms. However, despite the dramatic increase in the number of hybrids sold and the breadth of seed suppliers as seed markets liberalize, an older hybrid still dominates national demand.
Repair of Segmental Long Bone Defect in a Rabbit Radius Nonunion Model: Comparison of Cylindrical Porous Titanium and Hydroxyapatite Scaffolds
Authors: Zhang Ming , Wang Guang‐lin , Zhang Hong‐fang , Hu Xu‐dong , Shi Xiao‐yuan , Li Sen , Lin Wei
Published: December 2013

A segmental long bone defect in a rabbit radius nonunion model was repaired using cylindrical porous titanium (Ti) and hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds. Each scaffold was produced using the same method, namely, a slurry foaming method. Repairing ability was characterized using x‐radiographic score 12 and 24 weeks postprocedure; failure load of the radius–ulna construct, under three‐point bending, 12 weeks postprocedure; and the percentage of newly formed bone within the implant, 12 and 24 weeks after postprocedure. For each of these parameters, the difference in the results when porous Ti scaffold was used compared with when HA scaffolds were used was not significant; both porous scaffolds showed excellent repairing ability. Because the trabecular bone is a porous tissue, the interconnected porous scaffolds have the advantages of natural bone, and vasculature can grow into the porous structure to accelerate the osteoconduction and osteointegration between the implant and bone. The porous Ti scaffold not only enhanced the bone repair process, similar to porous HA scaffolds, but also has superior biomechanical properties. The present results suggest that porous Ti scaffolds may have promise for use in the clinical setting.
Slc26a3 deficiency is associated with loss of colonic HCO3− secretion, absence of a firm mucus layer and barrier impairment in mice
Authors: Xiao F. , Yu Q. , Li J. , Johansson M. E. V. , Singh A. K. , Xia W. , Riederer B. , Engelhardt R. , Montrose M. , Soleimani M. , Tian D. A , Xu G. , Hansson G. C. , Seidler U.
Published: December 2013

Aim

Downregulated in adenoma (DRA, Slc26a3) is a member of the solute carrier family 26 (SLC26), family of anion transporters, which is mutated in familial chloride‐losing diarrhoea (CLD). Besides Cl−‐rich diarrhoea, CLD patients also have a higher‐than‐average incidence of intestinal inflammation. In a search for potential explanations for this clinical finding, we investigated colonic electrolyte transport, the mucus layer and susceptibility against dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)‐induced colitis in Slc26a3−/− mice.

Methods

HCO3− secretory (JHCO3−) and fluid absorptive rates were measured by single‐pass perfusion in vivo and in isolated mid‐distal colonic mucosa in Ussing chambers in vitro. Colonocyte intracellular pH (pHi) was assessed fluorometrically, the mucus layer by immunohistochemistry and colitis susceptibility by the addition of DSS to the drinking water.

Results

HCO3− secretory (JHCO3‐) and fluid absorptive rates were strongly reduced in Slc26a3−/− mice compared to wild‐type (WT) littermates. Despite an increase in sodium/hydrogen exchanger 3 (NHE3) mRNA and protein expression, and intact acid‐activation of NHE3, the high colonocyte pH in Slc26a3−/− mice prevented Na+/H+ exchange‐mediated fluid absorption in vivo. Mucin 2 (MUC2) immunohistochemistry revealed the absence of a firm mucus layer, implying that alkaline secretion and/or an absorptive flux may be necessary for optimal mucus gel formation. Slc26a3−/− mice were highly susceptible to DSS damage.

Conclusions

Deletion of DRA results in severely reduced colonic HCO3− secretory rate, a loss of colonic fluid absorption, a lack of a firmly adherent mucus layer and a severely reduced colonic mucosal resistance to DSS damage. These data provide potential pathophysiological explanations for the increased susceptibility of CLD patients to intestinal inflammation.