bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Silico Log P Prediction for a Large Data Set with Support Vector Machines, Radial Basis Neural Networks and Multiple Linear Regression
Authors: Chen Hai‐Feng
Published: June 2009

Oil/water partition coefficient (log P) is one of the key points for lead compound to be drug. In silico log P models based solely on chemical structures have become an important part of modern drug discovery. Here, we report support vector machines, radial basis function neural networks, and multiple linear regression methods to investigate the correlation between partition coefficient and physico‐chemical descriptors for a large data set of compounds. The correlation coefficient r 2 between experimental and predicted log P for training and test sets by support vector machines, radial basis function neural networks, and multiple linear regression is 0.92, 0.90, and 0.88, respectively. The results show that non‐linear support vector machines derives statistical models that have better prediction ability than those of radial basis function neural networks and multiple linear regression methods. This indicates that support vector machines can be used as an alternative modeling tool for quantitative structure–property/activity relationships studies.
Methods for Computer‐Aided Chemical Biology. Part 5: Rationalizing the Selectivity of Cathepsin Inhibitors on the Basis of Molecular Fragments and Topological Feature Distributions
Authors: Ahmed Hany E. A. , Bajorath Jürgen
Published: June 2009

We report a fragment‐based approach to analyze the target selectivity of active compounds. Sets of inhibitors were studied having different activity and selectivity for cathepsins, a family of therapeutically relevant thiol proteases. A systematic analysis was carried out of molecular fragments and atom environment features and their frequency of occurrence for compounds with different selectivity. Fragments extracted from target‐selective compounds and independently derived topological features were matched and selectivity markers were identified. Because there is only little overlap between selectivity and other compound set markers, combinations of selectivity set markers could be utilized to predict the selectivity of new cathepsin inhibitors.
The Text‐Performance Relation in Theater
Authors: Hamilton James
Published: June 2009

This essay is a survey of positions on the relation between texts and performances in theater. It proposes a simple framework within which to compare and evaluate these positions. The framework also allows us to see a pattern of thinking that reflects the historical fact of the importance of the literary tradition in theater. The essay points out certain challenges facing the positions surveyed and concludes with a brief sketch of the most recent views that have been put on offer. The latest positions re‐situate the literary theater as a species of the more general phenomena of theatrical performance.
North Carolina Tobacco Farmers’ Changing Perceptions of Tobacco Control and Tobacco Manufacturers
Authors: Crankshaw Erik C. , Beach Robert H. , Austin W. David , Altman David G. , Jones Alison Snow
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT: 
Purpose: To examine tobacco farmers’ attitudes toward tobacco control, public health, and tobacco manufacturers in order to determine the extent to which rapidly changing economic conditions have influenced North Carolina tobacco farmer attitudes in ways that may provide tobacco control advocates with new opportunities to promote tobacco control policies in tobacco‐dependent US communities. Methods: We used data from a longitudinal sample of North Carolina tobacco farmers across 5 waves of data collection (1997‐2005) (baseline N = 749 farmers). Generalized linear mixed models were used to examine changes in attitudes toward tobacco control and tobacco manufacturers, controlling for economic dependence on tobacco, and demographic factors. Results: Over the study period there was reduction in tobacco farmers’ perceptions of threat from tobacco control initiatives. Conclusions: These changes in attitude may signal an opportunity for successful tobacco control activity in traditionally tobacco‐dependent states and rural communities.
Prevalence of Rural Intimate Partner Violence in 16 US States, 2005
Authors: Breiding Matthew J. , Ziembroski Jessica S. , Black Michele C.
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT: 
Context: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem that affects people across the entire social spectrum. However, no previous population‐based public health studies have examined the prevalence of IPV in rural areas of the United States. Research on IPV in rural areas is especially important given that there are relatively fewer resources available in rural areas for the prevention of IPV. Methods: In 2005, over 25,000 rural residents in 16 states completed the first‐ever IPV module within the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The BRFSS is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‐sponsored annual random‐digit‐dialed telephone survey. The BRFSS provides surveillance of health behaviors and health risks among the non‐institutionalized adult population of the United States and several US territories. Findings: Overall, 26.7% of rural women and 15.5% of rural men reported some form of lifetime IPV victimization, similar to the prevalence found among men and women in non‐rural areas. Within several states, those living in rural areas evidenced significantly higher lifetime IPV prevalence than those in non‐rural areas. Conclusion: IPV is a significant public health problem in rural areas, affecting a similar portion of the population as in non‐rural areas. More research is needed to examine how the experience of IPV is different for rural and non‐rural residents.
Characteristics and Recruitment Paths of Certified Nursing Assistants in Rural and Urban Nursing Homes
Authors: Probst Janice C. , Baek Jong‐Deuk , Laditka Sarah B.
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT: 
Context: Most nursing home care is provided by certified nursing assistants (CNAs), but little is known about rural CNAs. Purpose: To develop a representative geographic profile of the CNA workforce, focusing on paths leading to present job. Methods: Cross‐sectional analysis of data from the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey (NNAS), a nationally representative survey of 3,017 CNAs; analysis was restricted to 2,897 currently working CNAs. Location was categorized as metropolitan, micropolitan, or neither (other rural county). Demographics included age, sex, race, education, income, and years at present job. Analyses were weighted to reflect the complex sampling design. Findings: CNAs in micropolitan and other rural nursing homes were more likely to be white and US citizens than were urban CNAs. Rural or micropolitan CNAs were more likely to note “job close to home” as a reason for becoming a CNA than were urban CNAs (70.8%, 66.3%, and 43.6%, respectively; P < .001). Over half of CNAs (52.2%) entered the field from a different job category. CNAs in micropolitan and small rural counties were more likely than urban CNAs to report being trained at a nursing facility (61.4%, 65.4%, 52.5%; P < .001) rather than community college or other site. Informal means (family and friends) were the most common recruitment path. Conclusions: Career‐changers (individuals entering the CNA role from another job) represent a major recruitment target. The prevalence of informal networks in CNA recruitment history suggests that nursing homes seeking to become “employers of choice” will be advantaged when recruiting.
Factors That Influence Physicians to Practice in Rural Locations: A Review and Commentary
Authors: Ballance Darra , Kornegay Denise , Evans Paul
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT:  Rural populations remain underserved by physicians, despite various efforts by medical schools and other institutions/organizations to correct this disparity. We examined the literature on factors that influence rural practice location decisions by physicians to determine what opportunities exist along the entire educational pipeline to entice physicians to, and retain them in, rural areas. Results reported in the literature favor a multidisciplinary or multi‐faceted approach that results in more residents and physicians locating their practices in rural areas. The need to define proven strategies is not the pressing issue; rather, the needs are to define the commitments necessary to implement proven strategies, as well as the will to make physician distribution a priority issue in medical education.
Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, and Personal Practices Regarding Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Health Care Professionals in Rural Colorado: A Pilot Survey
Authors: Rim Sun Hee , Zittleman Linda , Westfall John M. , Overholser Linda , Froshaug Desireé , Coughlin Steven S.
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT: 
Purpose: This study reports the baseline knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and personal practices of health care professionals regarding colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in the High Plains Research Network (HPRN) of rural Colorado prior to a community‐based educational intervention. It also examines the association between health care staff members’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and personal practices for CRC screening and patient screening levels by practice. Methods: Surveys were mailed to health care professionals in the HPRN. Participating clinics (n = 21) distributed patient surveys on CRC screening to persons aged ≥50 for a 2‐week period in 2006. Results: The survey response rate was 81% for providers (n = 46) and 90% for nursing staff (n = 63). Only 54% of health care professionals knew CRC is a leading cause of cancer deaths. When surveyed on their attitudes toward colon cancer, 92%“strongly agreed” or “agreed” that colon cancer is preventable. About 99% (n = 107) of providers and nurses “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that testing could identify problems before colon cancer starts. Most health care professionals (61%) aged ≥50 years had previously been tested and were up‐to‐date (52%) with screening. Provider knowledge was significantly associated with higher patient screening (P = .02), but provider attitudes and beliefs were not. Moreover, personal screening practices of health care professionals did not correlate with more patients screened. Conclusion: Background knowledge of CRC among HPRN health care professionals could be improved. The results of this pilot study may help focus effective approaches such as increasing provider knowledge to enhance CRC screening in the relevant population.
Multifaceted Inpatient Psychiatry Approach to Reducing Readmissions: A Pilot Study
Authors: Lang Timothy P. , Rohrer James E. , Rioux Pierre A.
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT: 
Context: Access to psychiatric services, particularly inpatient psychiatric care, is limited and lacks comprehensiveness in rural areas. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact on readmission rates of a multifaceted inpatient psychiatry approach (MIPA) offered in a rural hospital. Methods: Readmissions within 30 days of patients who were admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit using a MIPA model of care (N = 147) were compared to readmissions of a comparison group of patients who were admitted prior to the adoption of the MIPA (N = 37). Case mix differences were adjusted using multiple logistic regression analysis (N = 184). Findings: Patients treated in the MIPA model of care had lower odds of readmission within 30 days (odds ratio 0.14, 95% CI 0.02‐0.87, P < .03). Conclusions: Effective inpatient psychiatric care can be provided in rural hospitals.
A Financial Ratio Analysis of For‐Profit and Non‐Profit Rural Referral Centers
Authors: McCue Michael J. , Nayar Preethy
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT: 
Context: National financial data show that rural referral center (RRC) hospitals have performed well financially. RRC hospitals' median cash flow margin ratio was 10.04% in 2002 and grew to 11.04% in 2004. Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the ratio analysis of key operational and financial performance measures of for‐profit RRCs to those of private, non‐profit RRCs. Methods: To control for accounting aberrations within a given year, we selected RRCs that reported 3 consecutive fiscal years of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) cost report data, starting with fiscal year 2004 and ending with fiscal year 2006. Given a limited sample size of 28 for‐profit RRCs and 127 non‐profits, we used the non‐parametric median test to assess median differences in operational and key financial measures between the 2 groups. Findings: For‐profit RRCs treated less complex cases and reported fewer discharges per bed and fewer occupied beds than did non‐profits. However, for‐profit RRCs staffed their beds with fewer full‐time‐equivalent (FTE) personnel and served a higher proportion of Medicaid patients. For‐profit RRCs generated operating cash flow margins in excess of 19%, compared to only 8.1% for non‐profits, and maintained newer plant and equipment. Conclusion: For‐profit RRCs generated a substantially higher cash flow margin by controlling their operating costs.
Exceptional Brain Aging in a Rural Population‐Based Cohort
Authors: Kaye Jeffrey , Michael Yvonne , Calvert James , Leahy Marjorie , Crawford Debbie , Kramer Patricia
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT: 
Context: The 2000 US Census identified 50,454 Americans over the age of 100. Increased longevity is only of benefit if accompanied by maintenance of independence and quality of life. Little is known about the prevalence of dementia and other disabling conditions among rural centenarians although this information is important to clinicians caring for them. Purpose: To determine the prevalence of disabling conditions, including cognitive impairment, among the very elderly in a rural setting to guide clinicians in their care. Methods: We performed a population‐based cohort study of all residents 97 years and older in the Klamath Basin, a rural region in southern Oregon. The prevalence of disabling conditions was determined by in‐person examination. Findings: About 100% of the target sample was identified. Of the eligible 67 individuals ≥97 years old, 31 were evaluated in‐person. The prevalence of dementia (probable or possible Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia) was 61.3% (95% CI: 43.8, 76.2), mild cognitive impairment was 29.0% (95% CI: 16.1, 46.6), and no dementia was 9.7% (95% CI: 3.4, 25.0). Parkinsonism and the APOEe4 allele were rare. Systemic vascular disease was almost universally present. Conclusions: While cognitive impairment was nearly universal in this rural population of very elderly persons, almost 40% had not progressed to full dementia. Determining risk factors for dementia in this population can identify strategies to prevent progression to dementia among younger elderly populations.
Linking Spatial Pattern and Ecological Responses in Human‐Modified Landscapes: The Effects of Deforestation and Forest Fragmentation on Biodiversity
Authors: Kupfer John A. , Franklin Scott B.
Published: June 2009

Studies of forest loss and fragmentation provide clear examples of the linkages between ecological pattern and process. Reductions in forest area lead to higher within‐patch extinction rates, the eventual loss of area‐sensitive species, and declines in species richness and diversity. Forest loss also results in increased isolation of remnants, lower among‐patch immigration rates, and less ‘rescue’ from surrounding populations. Specific responses, however, are sometimes counterintuitive because they depend on life‐history tradeoffs that influence population dynamics and species co‐existence in heterogeneous landscapes, not just forest remnants. Thus, while fragmentation generally favours r‐selected, generalist strategies, such as high dispersal and a wide niche breadth, ecological outcomes may be confounded by species‐specific responses to conditions in the human‐dominated matrix and the ways in which forest edges shape cross‐landscape movements. Given that pressures on global forestlands continue to intensify due to growing population sizes, economic pressures, and needs for space and resources, successfully maintaining or restoring species will necessitate a combination of short‐ and long‐term actions that address both habitat protection and restoration. Doing so will require an interdisciplinary approach that gives adequate attention to the manners by which forest loss and fragmentation affect population dynamics through changes in forest area, isolation, habitat quality, matrix properties, and edge effects as well as the synergistic interactions of fragmentation with climate change, human‐altered disturbance regimes, species interactions and other drivers of species population declines.
Born to Be Wild? Non‐governmental Organisations, Politics and the Environment
Authors: Bryant Raymond L.
Published: June 2009

The ways in which non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) pursue environmental agendas via political processes have been a subject of growing interest to geographers, anthropologists, sociologists and political scientists. This article examines how and why that interest has grown by assessing selected different approaches to the study of NGOs, environments and politics that characterise such research. Against a backdrop of growing debate over the ultimate significance of NGO action, I discuss three broad if interlinked approaches: ideology‐related accounts, critical perspectives, and scholarship that ‘normalises’ NGOs as objects of study with the latter standing the best chance of capturing the contested and multifaceted contemporary significance of this actor.
Physicochemical Studies of Demetalation of Light‐harvesting Bacteriochlorophyll Isomers Purified from Green Sulfur Photosynthetic Bacteria
Authors: Hirai Yuki , Tamiaki Hitoshi , Kashimura Shigenori , Saga Yoshitaka
Published: June 2009

Demetalation kinetics of bacteriochlorophylls (BChls) c, d and e from green sulfur photosynthetic bacteria were studied under weakly acidic conditions. Demetalation rate constants of BChl e possessing a formyl group at the 7‐position were significantly smaller than those of BChls c and d, which had a methyl group at this position. The activation energy of demetalation of 31R‐8,12‐diethyl([E,E])‐BChl e was 1.5‐times larger than that of 31R‐[E,E]‐BChl c. 15N‐labeled 31R‐[E,E]‐BChls c and e were purified from cells of green sulfur bacteria grown in a medium containing 15NH4Cl, and their 15N NMR spectra were measured. The chemical shifts of N21, N22 and N23 atoms of 31R‐[E,E]‐BChl e were lower‐field shifted than those of 31R‐[E,E]‐BChl c, respectively, and especially the difference in chemical shifts of N22 was significantly large. These results suggest that the electron‐withdrawing formyl group at the 7‐position of BChl e affected an electronic state of the chlorin macrocycle and caused BChl e to be more tolerant for removal of the central magnesium compared with BChls c and d.
Photophysics and Photochemistry of z‐Chlorprothixene in Acetonitrile†
Authors: Piñero Luis E. , García Carmelo , Lhiaubet‐Vallet Virginie , Oyola Rolando , Miranda Miguel A.
Published: June 2009

Chlorprothixene (CPTX, Taractan®) is a low potency antipsychotic mainly used for the treatment of psychotic disorders (e.g. schizophrenia) and acute mania occurring as part of bipolar disorders. As in the case of other numerous drugs used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, CPTX presents geometric isomerism. Therefore, in vitro irradiation induces a rapid Z/E isomerization, which can affect its pharmacokinetic properties. This photoisomerization is not dependent on the oxygen concentration. The Z/E quantum yields determined for zCPTX in acetonitrile are 0.22 and 0.21 in anaerobic and aerobic environments, respectively. In the presence of water, both isomers decompose to produce 2‐chlorothioxanthone (CTX) after prolonged irradiation. This process strongly depends on the water concentration and the irradiation time, i.e. it is autocatalyzed by the CTX through a triplet‐energy transfer mechanism. The protonation state of the terminal amino group, on the other hand, has no effect on the isomerization process, but inhibits the formation of CTX. These results indicate that the phototoxicity of zCPTX is somehow affected by the formation of CTX.
ASH Position Paper: Dietary Approaches to Lower Blood Pressure
Authors: Appel Lawrence J. ,   on Behalf of the American Society of Hypertension Writing Group
Published: June 2009

A substantial body of evidence has implicated several aspects of diet in the pathogenesis of elevated blood pressure (BP). Well‐established risk factors for elevated BP include excess salt intake, low potassium intake, excess weight, high alcohol consumption, and suboptimal dietary pattern. African Americans are especially sensitive to the BP‐raising effects of excess salt intake, insufficient potassium intake, and suboptimal diet. In this setting, dietary changes have the potential to substantially reduce racial disparities in BP and its consequences. In view of the age‐related rise in BP in both children and adults, the direct, progressive relationship of BP with cardiovascular‐renal diseases throughout the usual range of BP, and the worldwide epidemic of BP‐related disease, efforts to reduce BP in nonhypertensive as well as hypertensive individuals are warranted. In nonhypertensives, dietary changes can lower BP and delay, if not prevent, hypertension. In uncomplicated stage I hypertension, dietary changes serve as initial treatment before drug therapy. In hypertensive individuals already on drug therapy, lifestyle modifications can further lower BP. The current challenge is designing and implementing effective clinical and public health interventions that lead to sustained dietary changes among individuals and more broadly in the general population.
Social Movement Strategy, Tactics, and Collective Identity1
Authors: Smithey Lee A.
Published: June 2009

Tactical choices and their execution are closely related to the construction of collective identities in social movements. Studying collective identity has helped scholars understand why people participate in collective action, but the array of tactics that constitute action has not been fully explored. An emerging interest in culture and strategy that situates social movement actors in a field of contention with opponents, allies, and bystanding publics raises questions about the tactics that are used and the construction of collective identity, which is formed in interaction with others. Strategies and tactics reflect collective identities but also provide opportunities for reaffirming or challenging them. Innovative methods can create tension as activists work to resolve what they do with who they feel they are. Conflict studies, nonviolent action studies, and sociological research using concepts such as framing, discourse, protest events, and tactical repertoires offer tools with which to bridge tactics and collective identity.
The Death Penalty in the Post‐FurmanEra: A Review of the Issues and the Debate
Authors: Poveda Tony G.
Published: June 2009

This is a review of the issues and debate over capital punishment in the United States during the post‐Furmanera (since 1972). It encompasses a review of the legal issues, highlighting major U.S. Supreme Court cases in which the constitutionality of the death penalty has been challenged. These constitutional challenges have included issues of arbitrariness and race discrimination in the application of the death penalty. Also considered is the Court's ‘evolving standards of decency’ test in terms of what constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment – relative to the execution of juveniles and the mentally retarded and whether lethal injection is cruel and unusual. The post‐Furmanera death penalty debate is comprised of two phases, both raised questions about public confidence in the criminal justice system. Phase one, occurring in the 1980s and early 1990s, was concerned with the lengthy appeal process and the lack of finality in capital cases. Phase two emerged in the late 1990s and 2000s and focused on the accuracy (wrongful convictions) and fairness (arbitrariness and discrimination) of the administration of capital punishment. The DNA revolution and a parade of high‐profile exonerations in the United States contributed to this latter phase. Finally, the death penalty debate is considered from an international and human rights perspective.
Protocol for Quantitative Detection of Elemental Sulfur and Polysulfide Zero‐Valent Sulfur Distribution in Natural Aquatic Samples
Authors: Kamyshny Alexey , Borkenstein Clemens G. , Ferdelman Timothy G.
Published: June 2009

A HPLC‐based protocol has been developed for the determination of zero‐valent sulfur (ZVS) speciation, including solid, colloidal elemental sulfur and individual inorganic polysulfides in natural aquatic samples. The protocol includes four experimental procedures: (1) determination of polysulfide speciation by rapid single‐phase derivatisation with methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate; (2) determination of the sum of polysulfide and colloidal sulfur by reaction with hydrogen cyanide (cyanolysis); (3) determination of total zero‐valent sulfur by treatment with zinc chloride followed by extraction with chloroform; and (4) chromatographic determination of polythionates without sample pre‐treatment. With proper sampling and preservation techniques in the field or on board ship, this combination of methods allowed the quantitative determination of: (a) individual polysulfide species; (b) dispersed colloidal sulfur; (c) dispersed solid elemental sulfur; and (d) tetra‐, penta‐ and hexathionates. With minor modification, the method could be expanded to include other polythionates. Sixteen various wet chemical and liquid chromatographic methods were tested on nine synthetic reference samples (including solid elemental sulfur, colloidal elemental sulfur, inorganic polysulfides and polythionates) to establish the optimal protocol. The protocol was further evaluated by analysing the zero‐valent sulfur content in microbially‐produced sulfur and in sulfur from two natural samples of sulfide‐rich seawater from tidal flats pools of the Wadden Sea (Germany).
Primary Language Spoken at Home and Children's Dental Service Utilization in the United States
Authors: Noyce Matthew , Szabo Aniko , Pajewski Nicholas M. , Jackson Scott , Bradley T. Gerard , Okunseri Christopher
Published: June 2009

Objective: Language barriers have been well documented as a contributing factor to disparities in the receipt of medical services, especially for Hispanic children. However, there is a paucity of information on the effect of language barriers on children's dental service utilization. We examined the association of primary language spoken at home with the receipt of preventive and routine dental care for children in the United States. Methods: We analyzed data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2002‐2004), which contains data on 21,049 children weighted to represent 75.8 million children nationally. Results: Among children aged 1‐18 years, 13 percent spoke a language other than English at home. Whites, females, children between the ages of 7 and 12 years, and those whose parents spoke English at home had the highest marginal rates of preventive and routine dental visits. However, the large marginal effect of language, even among Hispanics, was not significant after adjusting for other covariates. Parental education and having a primary provider were the strongest predictors of preventive and routine dental visits. Conclusion: Children that did not speak English at home were less likely to receive preventive or routine dental care. However, after adjusting for other socio‐economic factors, our study suggests that language barriers may not play as pronounced a role in the receipt of dental care as that documented for medical services.
Failure of tooth eruption in two patients with cerebral palsy and bruxism—a 10‐year follow‐up: a case report
Authors: Staufer Kirsten , Hamadeh Sinan , Gesch Dietmar
Published: June 2009

The aim of this paper was to analyze delayed tooth eruption in two children with cerebral palsy who had severe bruxism and to determine whether treatment could influence tooth eruption and alignment. Extraction of primary teeth was carried out and orthodontic treatment was considered due to severe tooth wear of primary teeth, lack of space, and development of a class III malocclusion.

Analysis was based on clinical examination, photographs, radiographs, and dental casts.

In both patients, early mixed dentition was delayed for more than 5 years. Calcification and root development of posterior permanent teeth corresponded with the chronological age. Root resorption of the severely abraded primary teeth and eruption of their successors were delayed or failed. Eruption of permanent teeth occurred slowly after primary teeth were extracted. Orthodontic treatment succeeded in one patient, achieving a normal overjet in combination with a successful orofacial therapy.

The disturbed exfoliation of abraded primary teeth and failure of tooth eruption of the posterior teeth could be linked to the systemic pathology and to bruxism. At age 20, eruption of the canines and premolars remained questionable.
Drooling of saliva in children with cerebral palsy—etiology, prevalence, and relationship to salivary flow rate in an Indian population
Authors: Hegde Amitha M. , Pani Sharat Chandra
Published: June 2009

The prevalence of drooling, the impact of various etiological factors on its severity, and its relationship to salivary flow rate were assessed in 113 individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). In this study, there were 74 males and 39 females with an age range of 6–18 years who were attending a special school in Chennai, India. The severity of drooling was assessed by visual examination; demographics and data regarding severity and control of drooling were collected via a questionnaire. Data regarding the type of CP and drugs taken by the children were obtained from the medical records maintained by the school. The unstimulated salivary flow rate of these children was determined through a passive method. The overall incidence of drooling was 48.7%, with 17.7% having severe drooling. Individuals with athetosis had the least severe amount of drooling. There was a significant relationship between ability to close the mouth and the severity of drooling. The severity of drooling was reduced with age. There was no significant difference in the mean salivary flow rate of those children who drooled and those who did not.
Knowledge and practices of dentists in preventing infective endocarditis in children
Authors: Coutinho Ana Claudia , Castro Gloria Fernanda , Maia Lucianne Cople
Published: June 2009

This preliminary study assessed the knowledge and practices of dentists in the prevention of infective endocarditis (IE). The study included 21 dentists working at two public hospitals in Brazil who cared for children with special needs who also have cardiac conditions. The data from a semistructured interview were processed for qualitative and quantitative analysis. All subjects defined IE correctly. Most subjects (81%) said they had treated patients with a previous history of IE and 7 (33%) stated that many guardians seemed to be afraid to mention that their child had a previous history of IE. The main risk of infectivity was the oral cavity according to 16 subjects (76%). Nine subjects (43%) considered a dental procedure involving any amount of bleeding as being a risk, and periodontal/endodontic treatments were mentioned by 5 (24%) as procedures that needed antibiotic prophylaxis. As for prophylactic treatment, only 7 subjects (33%) said they followed the American Heart Association guidelines. The authors concluded that the subjects’ knowledge and practices in preventing IE were inadequate.
Assessment of loci for DNA barcoding in the genus Thrips (Thysanoptera:Thripidae)
Authors: GLOVER R. H. , COLLINS D. W. , WALSH K. , BOONHAM N.
Published: June 2009

Identification of the juveniles of economically important thrips species on imports by morphology alone can be challenging and culturing is usually required. In the case of EU quarantine species such as Thrips palmi, rapid and accurate identification is essential. DNA barcoding using the Cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene has become a popular technique for species identification; however, in some invertebrate genera COI has been shown to provide insufficient variability for species discrimination. This study presents a comparison of five different loci to investigate their ability to discriminate a small number of Thrips species. All five loci discriminated the species by neighbour‐joining tree and varying degrees of discrimination were determined upon further investigation of the intraspecific and interspecific distances. Two distinct COI clades were observed for T. Palmi and judged to be COI haplotypes when data from the other four additional loci and geographical collection data were taken into consideration. COI was shown to provide sufficient variation to be used in future DNA barcoding efforts within the genus Thrips.
Acute phase proteins in the diagnosis of bovine subclinical mastitis
Authors: Safi Shahabeddin , Khoshvaghti Ameneh , Jafarzadeh Seyed Reza , Bolourchi Mahmoud , Nowrouzian Iradj
Published: June 2009

Background:The California mastitis test (CMT) and somatic cell count (SCC) are commonly used for diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in cattle. Acute phase proteins (APPs), as alternative biomarkers of mastitis, may increase in concentration in the absence of macroscopic changes in the milk, or may precede the onset of clinical signs.

Objective:The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of APPs measured in milk and in serum with bacterial culture for the diagnosis of bovine subclinical mastitis.

Methods:One hundred and seventy‐five Holstein cows were randomly selected from 7 dairy farms. Quarter milk and serum samples were taken from all cows. Milk samples were analyzed using a CMT and SCC, and for haptoglobin (MHp) and amyloid A (MAA) concentrations, and were also submitted for bacterial culture. Serum samples obtained concurrently were analyzed for haptoglobin (SHp) and amyloid A (SAA). Two‐sample Wilcoxon (Mann–Whitney) test was used to compare SCC, MAA, MHp, SAA, and SHp concentrations between culture‐positive and culture‐negative animals. Receiver‐operating characteristic analysis was used to assess the performance of each test using bacterial culture as the reference method.

Results:MAA concentration was the most accurate of the 5 tests, with a sensitivity of 90.6% and specificity of 98.3% at concentrations >16.4 mg/L. MAA and MHp had significantly larger areas under the curve than the respective serum proteins, SAA and SHp.

Conclusions:The results suggest that measuring haptoglobin and amyloid A in milk is more accurate than serum analysis for the diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in Holstein cows.
Thrombelastography in dogs admitted to an intensive care unit
Authors: Wagg Catherine R. , Boysen Søren R. , Bédard Christian
Published: June 2009

Background: Underlying conditions in dogs admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) can cause hemostatic dysfunction. Thrombelastography (TEG) may be useful in detecting hemostatic alterations as compared with standard coagulation tests.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare TEG results and those of standard coagulation tests in identifying hemostatic dysfunction in dogs admitted to an ICU and to investigate associations among the variables measured.

Methods: Tissue factor‐activated TEG analysis, d‐dimer and fibrinogen concentrations, antithrombin (AT) activity, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and platelet count were measured using standard techniques on 27 dogs admitted to ICU with a disease known to be associated with hemostatic dysfunction and in 31 clinically healthy control dogs. Results were compared between groups using nonparametric tests and κ analysis; principal component analysis (PCA) and Spearman rank correlation were used to measure associations among variables.

Results: Fourteen of 27 ICU dogs had abnormal TEG tracings, which were used to classify the dogs as hypercoagulable (n=11), hypocoagulable (n=3), or normocoagulable (n=13). Hypercoagulable dogs had significantly increased d‐dimer (P=.03) and fibrinogen (P=.01) concentrations compared with normocoagulable dogs. In ICU dogs, positive associations were identified between maximum amplitude (MA), α‐angle, fibrinogen concentration, and platelet count, and between PT, aPTT, and reaction time (R). Significant correlations were found between MA and fibrinogen (rs=.76, P<.001) and between reaction time (R) and PT (rs=.51, P=.003).

Conclusions: TEG was useful in detecting hemostatic dysfunction in dogs in an ICU. Positive associations among variables may provide insight as to how overall coagulation status reflects alterations in clot strength and coagulation time. Dogs with TEG tracings indicative of hypercoagulability are likely in procoagulant states. Future studies of the incidence of thrombotic complications in dogs with hypercoagulable TEG tracings are warranted.
Sarcocystis sp. encephalomyelitis in a cat
Authors: Bisby Tricia M. , Holman Patricia J. , Pitoc George A. , Packer Rebecca A. , Thompson Craig A. , Raskin Rose E.
Published: June 2009

Abstract: A 5‐month‐old male neutered domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for spinal pain, ataxia, and anisocoria. Neuroanatomic localization indicated diffuse or multifocal central nervous system disease. On cerebrospinal fluid analysis, neutrophilic pleocytosis and intracellular protozoal merozoites were observed. The merozoites were oval, 2–4 μm in width and 4–6 μm in length, and had linear arrays of nuclear material concentrated at one pole. Serum was positive for Sarcocystis sp. antibodies and negative for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. The organism was determined to be either Sarcocystis neurona or Sarcocystis dasypi based on sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 1 ribosomal RNA genomic region. Clinical disease resolved following treatment with 3 different protocols for protozoal infection. This case is the first to demonstrate the antemortem diagnosis and survival of a domestic cat with Sarcocystis sp.‐associated encephalomyelitis. Clinicians and cytopathologists should include Sarcocystis sp. as a differential for feline inflammatory central nervous system disease characterized by neutrophilic pleocytosis.
Fully Lagrangian Modeling of Dynamics of MEMS With Thin Beams—Part I: Undamped Vibrations
Authors: Ghosh Ranajay , Mukherjee Subrata
Published: June 2009

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMSs) often use beam or plate shaped conductors that can be very thin—with h/L≈O(10–2–10–3) (in terms of the thickness h and length L of the beam or side of a square plate). Such MEMS devices find applications in microsensors, micro-actuators, microjets, microspeakers, and other systems where the conducting beams or plates oscillate at very high frequencies. Conventional boundary element method analysis of the electric field in a region exterior to such thin conductors can become difficult to carry out accurately and efficiently—especially since MEMS analysis requires computation of charge densities (and then surface traction) separately on the top and bottom surfaces of such beams. A new boundary integral equation has been proposed to handle the computation of charge densities for such high aspect ratio geometries. In the current work, this has been coupled with the finite element method to obtain the response behavior of devices made of such high aspect ratio structural members. This coupling of electrical and mechanical problems is carried out using a Newton scheme based on a Lagrangian description of the electrical and mechanical domains. The numerical results are presented in this paper for the dynamic behavior of the coupled MEMS without damping. The effect of gap between a beam and the ground, on mechanical response of a beam subjected to increasing electric potential, is studied carefully. Damping is considered in the companion paper (Ghosh and Mukherjee, 2009, “Fully Lagrangian Modeling of Dynamics of MEMS With Thin Beams—Part II: Damped Vibrations,” ASME J. Appl. Mech. 76, p. 051008).
Dynamic Fracture of Shells Subjected to Impulsive Loads
Authors: Song Jeong-Hoon , Belytschko Ted
Published: June 2009

A finite element method for the simulation of dynamic cracks in thin shells and its applications to quasibrittle fracture problem are presented. Discontinuities in the translational and angular velocity fields are introduced to model cracks by the extended finite element method. The proposed method is implemented for the Belytschko–Lin–Tsay shell element, which has high computational efficiency because of its use of a one-point integration scheme. Comparisons with elastoplastic crack propagation experiments involving quasibrittle fracture show that the method is able to reproduce experimental fracture patterns quite well.
Integrated Experimental, Atomistic, and Microstructurally Based Finite Element Investigation of the Dynamic Compressive Behavior of 2139 Aluminum
Authors: Elkhodary K. , Sun Lipeng , Irving Douglas L. , Brenner Donald W. , Ravichandran G. , Zikry M. A.
Published: June 2009

The objective of this study was to identify the microstructural mechanisms related to the high strength and ductile behavior of 2139-Al, and how dynamic conditions would affect the overall behavior of this alloy. Three interrelated approaches, which span a spectrum of spatial and temporal scales, were used: (i) The mechanical response was obtained using the split Hopkinson pressure bar, for strain-rates ranging from 1.0×10−3 s to 1.0×104 s−1. (ii) First principles density functional theory calculations were undertaken to characterize the structure of the interface and to better understand the role played by Ag in promoting the formation of the Ω phase for several Ω-Al interface structures. (iii) A specialized microstructurally based finite element analysis and a dislocation-density based multiple-slip formulation that accounts for an explicit crystallographic and morphological representation of Ω and θ′ precipitates and their rational orientation relations were conducted. The predictions from the microstructural finite element model indicated that the precipitates continue to harden and also act as physical barriers that impede the matrix from forming large connected zones of intense plastic strain. As the microstructural FE predictions indicated, and consistent with the experimental observations, the combined effects of θ′ and Ω, acting on different crystallographic orientations, enhance the strength and ductility, and reduce the susceptibility of 2139-Al to shear strain localization due to dynamic compressive loads.
Comment on “Experimental Test of Self-Shielding in Vacuum Ultraviolet Photodissociation of CO”
Authors: Federman S. R. , Young E. D.
Published: June 2009

Chakraborty
et al
. (Reports, 5 September 2008, p. 1328) suggested that experimental results provide support for CO photodissociation having caused the oxygen isotope ratio associated with the early solar nebula. We point out that further analysis is required before other mechanisms, such as self-shielding, are shown to be of little importance.
Fossil Plant Relative Abundances Indicate Sudden Loss of Late Triassic Biodiversity in East Greenland
Authors: McElwain Jennifer C. , Wagner Peter J. , Hesselbo Stephen P.
Published: June 2009

Extinction Distinction

The Triassic-Jurassic extinction approximately 200 million years ago is one of the five major extinctions in Earth's history. It has been primarily recognized through the loss of marine species, as well as the subsequent emergence of dinosaurs, but its pace, both on land and in sea, has been unclear.

McElwain
et al.

(p.
1554
) now provide evidence from the plant fossil record from rocks in East Greenland. The total number of taxa and the number of common taxa decreased across the extinction boundary. The decrease was fairly abrupt and seemed to coincide with a period with increased atmospheric CO
2
levels.
Aggregation-Induced Dissociation of HCl(H
2
O)
4
Below 1 K: The Smallest Droplet of Acid
Authors: Gutberlet Anna , Schwaab Gerhard , Birer Özgür , Masia Marco , Kaczmarek Anna , Forbert Harald , Havenith Martina , Marx Dominik
Published: June 2009

Minimally Acidic

Acidity is usually construed in the context of a bulk liquid solvent: billions of trillions of molecules such as HCl, added to hundreds of billions of trillions of water molecules. What happens under sparser conditions, for example, in atmospheric or interstellar environments, when a single HCl molecule might interact with just three or four water molecules?

Gutberlet
et al.

(p.
1545
; see the Perspective by

Zwier

) explored this question using theoretical simulations together with vibrational spectroscopy in ultracold helium droplets that effectively isolated small aqueous HCl clusters. HCl remained intact upon solvation by one, two, or three water molecules. Dissociation into an ion pair, as occurs in bulk water, required the approach of a fourth water molecule and was facilitated by the geometry of the existing (H
2
O)
3
cluster.
A Chronic Need for IL-21
Authors: Johnson Lisa D. S. , Jameson Stephen C.
Published: June 2009

A cytokine produced by helper T cells enables CD8
+
T cells to control viral infection.
Report Calls for Grassroots But Comprehensive Changes
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: June 2009

A $1.5 million study from the Carnegie Corporation of New York offers specific recommendations for improving U.S. math and science education that, if adopted, would also "do school differently."
After Outcry, Government Backpedals Over Internet-Filtering Software
Authors: Xin Hao
Published: June 2009

After a firestorm of criticism, it appears that the Chinese government is backing down from its announcement that starting 1 July, all computers sold in China must have a new software program meant to filter pornographic images and block content that offends government sensibilities, such as discussion of the banned sect Falun Gong.
Short-Term Reproducibility of a Commercial Interferon Gamma Release Assay
Authors: Detjen A. K. , Loebenberg L. , Grewal H. M. S. , Stanley K. , Gutschmidt A. , Kruger C. , Du Plessis N. , Kidd M. , Beyers N. , Walzl G. , Hesseling A. C.
Published: June 2009

Interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) have been shown to be sensitive and highly specific for the detection of immune memory against
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
. Little is known about the reproducibility and within-person variability of these assays. Various aspects of short-term reproducibility of a commercial IGRA, the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) assay, were assessed. The QFT-IT assay was performed twice within 3 days in 27 health care workers in Cape Town, South Africa. Two sets of tests were performed by different operators on day 1, and one set was performed on day 3. Aspects such as interoperator, intraoperator, day-to-day variability, and test-retest variability as well as different the storage methods of plasma were investigated. Seventeen of 27 (63%) of participants had at least one positive QFT-IT text; six had discordant results. The agreement of all aspects studied was high, with kappa values between 0.82 and 1.00 for dichotomous measures, and interclass correlations (ICC) of 0.809 to 0.965 were observed for continuous gamma interferon (IFN-γ) measures. The variability of the magnitude of response was highest comparing measures obtained from individuals on different days (ICC of 0.809). The magnitude of the IFN-γ responses between assays performed for individual participants was variable, with ranges from 0.03 to 11 IU/ml, resulting is discordant results for five participants. The results indicate that the QFT-IT assay is a robust and highly reproducible assay. Considerable intraindividual variability occurs in the magnitude of IFN-γ responses, which may influence the interpretation of serial measures.