bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Within‐Year Concentration of Medical Care: Implications for Family Out‐of‐Pocket Expenditure Burdens
Authors: Selden Thomas M.
Published: March 2009

Objective. To examine the within‐year concentration of family health care and the resulting exposure of families to short periods of high expenditure burdens.

Data Source. Household data from the pooled 2003 and 2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) yielding nationally representative estimates for the nonelderly civilian noninstitutionalized population.

Study Design. The paper examines the within‐year concentration of family medical care use and the frequency with which family out‐of‐pocket expenditures exceeded 20 percent of family income, computed at the annual, quarterly, and monthly levels.

Principal Findings. On average among families with medical care, 49 percent of all (charge‐weighted) care occurred in a single month, and 63 percent occurred in a single quarter). Nationally, 27 percent of the study population experienced at least 1 month in which out‐of‐pocket expenditures exceeded 20 percent of income. Monthly 20 percent burden rates were highest among the poor, at 43 percent, and were close to or above 30 percent for all but the highest income group (families above four times the federal poverty line).

Conclusions. Within‐year spikes in health care utilization can create financial pressures missed by conventional annual burden analyses. Within‐year health‐related financial pressures may be especially acute among lower‐income families due to low asset holdings.
The Health Effects of Medicare for the Near‐Elderly Uninsured
Authors: Polsky Daniel , Doshi Jalpa A. , Escarce José , Manning Willard , Paddock Susan M. , Cen Liyi , Rogowski Jeannette
Published: March 2009

Objective. To determine whether Medicare enrollment at age 65 has an effect on the health trajectory of the near‐elderly uninsured.

Data Sources. Eight biennial waves (1992–2006) of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative panel survey of noninstitutionalized 51–61 year olds and their spouses.

Study Design. We use a quasi‐experimental approach to compare the health effects of insurance for the near‐elderly uninsured with previously insured contemporaneous controls. The primary outcome measure is overall self‐reported health status combined with mortality (i.e., excellent to very good, good, fair to poor, dead).

Results. The change in the trajectory of overall health status for the previously uninsured that can be attributed to Medicare is small and not statistically significant. For every 100 persons in the previously uninsured group, joining Medicare is associated with 0.6 fewer in excellent or very good health (95 percent CI: −4.8, 3.3), 0.3 more in good health (95 percent CI: −3.8, 4.1), 2.5 fewer in fair or poor health (95 percent CI: −7.4, 2.3), and 2.8 more dead (−4.0, 10.0) by age 73. The health trajectory patterns from physician objective health measures are similarly small and not statistically significant.

Conclusions. Medicare coverage at age 65 for the previously uninsured is not linked to improvements in overall health status.
Impact of Public Reporting on Quality of Postacute Care
Authors: Werner Rachel M. , Konetzka R. Tamara , Stuart Elizabeth A. , Norton Edward C. , Polsky Daniel , Park Jeongyoung
Published: March 2009

Objective. Evidence supporting the use of public reporting of quality information to improve health care quality is mixed. While public reporting may improve reported quality, its effect on quality of care more broadly is uncertain. This study tests whether public reporting in the setting of nursing homes resulted in improvement of reported and broader but unreported quality of postacute care.

Data Sources/Study Setting. 1999–2005 nursing home Minimum Data Set and inpatient Medicare claims.

Study Design. We examined changes in postacute care quality in U.S. nursing homes in response to the initiation of public reporting on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website, Nursing Home Compare. We used small nursing homes that were not subject to public reporting as a contemporaneous control and also controlled for patient selection into nursing homes. Postacute care quality was measured using three publicly reported clinical quality measures and 30‐day potentially preventable rehospitalization rates, an unreported measure of quality.

Principal Findings. Reported quality of postacute care improved after the initiation of public reporting for two of the three reported quality measures used in Nursing Home Compare. However, rates of potentially preventable rehospitalization did not significantly improve and, in some cases, worsened.

Conclusions. Public reporting of nursing home quality was associated with an improvement in most postacute care performance measures but not in the broader measure of rehospitalization.
Deconstructing the association between relationship maintenance and commitment: Testing two competing models
Authors: OGOLSKY BRIAN G.
Published: March 2009

In this study, the author compares 2 models: the information‐seeking model, in which perceptions of relationship maintenance predict subsequent commitment, and the motivational model, in which commitment predicts subsequent perceptions of relationship maintenance, by means of a daily, cross‐lagged, dyadic design. The moderating effects of relationship length and global commitment are also tested. A sample of 98 same‐sex couples from the United States completed an Internet daily diary for 14 consecutive days. The results of 2 hierarchical linear models showed that, as predicted, the information‐seeking model was characteristic of couples who had been together for a shorter amount of time whereas the motivational model better characterized couples who had been together longer.
Implementation of a two‐specimen requirement for verification of ABO/Rh for blood transfusion
Authors: Goodnough Lawrence T. , Viele Maurene , Fontaine Magali J. , Jurado Christine , Stone Nancy , Quach Peter , Chua Lee , Chin Mei‐Ling , Scott Robert , Tokareva Irina , Tabb Kevin , Sharek Paul J.
Published: March 2009

BACKGROUND: This study presents our implementation of a two‐specimen requirement with no prior record of ABO/Rh to verify patients' blood type before transfusion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood type verification was introduced, discussed, approved, and implemented over a 12‐month period (May 2007 to May 2008). Potential barriers and impact on benchmark indicators were identified and tracked.

RESULTS: Inpatient identification and/or specimen labeling for nursing and laboratory phlebotomists baseline corrected error rates were 1:467 and 1:5555, respectively. This study therefore sought and obtained approval to initiate a new policy of blood type verification before blood transfusion. Compliance in turnaround time (TAT) before and after implementation for completion of STAT type and screen/crossmatch within 60 minutes worsened marginally, from 90% to 80%. The impact on use of O–, uncrossmatched blood was found to be manageable. Seven (of 25 total) recorded electronic complaints were received after implementation. The corrected error rate for nurse phlebotomy draws after implementation was 1:630.

CONCLUSION: Despite the lack of an instigating event, verification of blood type before blood transfusion was successfully implemented. An impact on resources and benchmark indicators such as TAT can be anticipated and managed. Further process improvement efforts will be needed to ensure safety (e.g., at time of blood transfusion) for patients receiving blood transfusions. ABO/Rh verification may be necessary even after future implementation of bar coding and/or RFID chips, because human errors continue to occur even with systems improvements.
The risk of dengue transmission by blood during a 2004 outbreak in Cairns, Australia
Authors: Seed Clive R. , Kiely Philip , Hyland Catherine A. , Keller Anthony J.
Published: March 2009

BACKGROUND: Dengue virus (DENV) is a Flavivirus transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. The related arbovirus, West Nile virus, has been shown to be transfusion transmitted, which, added to the four recorded dengue transfusion‐associated cases, indicates that DENV is also transfusion transmitted. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of transfusion‐transmitted DENV during a 2004 outbreak in the Australian city of Cairns.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A mathematical model was constructed to estimate the risk of transfusion‐transmitted dengue. The model's central premise is that the transmission risk is proportional to the frequency of dengue‐viremic donations and correlates with the incidence of asymptomatic dengue viremia among the population at large.

RESULTS: The modeling predicted that the total number of DENV infections (clinical plus subclinical) among the population at large during the entire outbreak ranged from 156 to 569 with the epidemic peak occurring between February 8 and March 6, 2004. The overall transmission risk during the entire outbreak was estimated as 1 in 19,759 (range, 1 in 3404 to 75,486) peaking at 1 in 5968 (range 1 in 1028 to 22,800).

CONCLUSION: By use of the most conservative estimates for key variables, the risk of collecting a viremic donation could have been as high as 1 in 1028 during the peak of the 2004 outbreak. The model can be used to determine transfusion transmission risk levels during DENV outbreaks and inform decisions as to when fresh component restriction measures are required to minimize transfusion transmission risk.
Coordination of Ti4+ Sites in Nanocrystalline TiO2 Films Used for Photoinduced Electron Conduction: Influence of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Thermal Necking
Authors: Hsiao Po‐Tsung , Teng Hsisheng
Published: March 2009

Nanocrystalline titania (TiO2) anatase films are widely utilized as substrates for electron conduction in photoelectrochemical devices. In this paper, we subjected the lattice disorder of TiO2 anatase nanoparticles and the resulting nanocrystalline films to analysis with X‐ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized from dehydration of a titanate and from a conventional sol–gel method. Although both specimens had similar first shell Ti4+ coordination numbers (CNs) of ca. 5.7, the titanate‐derivative TiO2 was shown to be phase‐pure anatase and the sol–gel TiO2 contained a minute amount of brookite impurity. After nanoparticle necking into films, the former TiO2 exhibited a negligible decrease in the CN, whereas the latter showed a significant decrease to a value of ca. 4.9. As a result, the titanate‐derivative film is more efficient than the sol–gel one in transmitting electrons injected from a photoexcited dye. Significant lattice distortion near the grain boundaries of films are believed to occur during necking of the nanoparticles containing impurities. We have demonstrated that the synthesis of phase‐pure nanoparticles is essentially important in fabricating films with a minimal degree of lattice disorder.
Thermodynamics and Kinetics of the Interaction of Carbon and Sulfur with Solid Oxide fuel Cell Anodes
Authors: Offer Gregory J. , Mermelstein Joshua , Brightman Edward , Brandon Nigel P.
Published: March 2009

Fuel cells are likely to play a key role in any low‐carbon economy. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are currently capable of sustained and continuous operation on high‐purity fuels, but they must demonstrate that they can overcome a number of challenges before they are commercially viable on a large scale. Fuels such as natural gas, and those derived from renewable sources such as gasified biomass, contain many contaminants, typically sulfur‐ and carbon‐containing compounds. To address this it will be necessary to improve our understanding of failure modes in operating SOFCs, and act on this to reduce degradation rates. A combination of techniques will be needed to develop a rigorous approach to understanding and mitigating degradation. The intent of this article is to present a synopsis of the current state of the art in our understanding of the effect of carbon and sulfur on SOFC anodes. Emphasis is placed on the comparison between thermodynamic and kinetic models, and experimental validation of these. In particular the applicability of thermodynamic models to the study of such contaminants is questioned. Additionally the uses of multiscale kinetic models capable of predicting transient conditions are reviewed alongside recent analytical techniques necessary for their validation.
Geographic body size gradients in tropical regions: water deficit and anuran body size in the Brazilian Cerrado
Authors: Olalla‐Tárraga Miguel Á. , Diniz‐Filho José Alexandre F. , Bastos Rogério P. , Rodríguez Miguel Á.
Published: March 2009

A recent interspecific study found Bergmann's size clines for Holarctic anurans and proposed an explanation based on heat balance to account for the pattern. However, this analysis was limited to cold temperate regions, and exploring the patterns in warmer tropical climates may reveal other factors that also influence anuran body size variation. We address this using a Cerrado anuran database. We examine the relationship between mean body size in a grid of 1° cells and environmental predictors and test the relative support for four hypotheses using an AIC‐based model selection approach. Also, we considered three different amphibian phylogenies to partition the phylogenetic and specific components of the interspecific variation in body size using a method analogous to phylogenetic eigen vector regression (PVR). To consider the potential effects of spatial autocorrelation we use eigenvector‐based spatial filters. We found the largest species inhabiting high water deficit areas in the northeast and the smallest in the wet southwest. Our results are consistent with the water availability hypothesis which, coupled with previous findings, suggests that the major determinant of interspecific body size variation in anurans switches from energy to water towards the equator. We propose that anuran body size gradients reflect effects of reduced surface to volume ratios in larger species to control both heat and water balance.
Additive and synergistic integration of multimodal cues of both hosts and non‐hosts during host selection by woodboring insects
Authors: Campbell Stuart A. , Borden John H.
Published: March 2009

Host selection by herbivorous insects is primarily thought to depend on attraction to olfactory cues emitted from the host species. However, the discrimination of these hosts from non‐host species may also arise from the adaptive detection and avoidance of non‐host cues, including visual characteristics. Many generalist, conifer‐colonising beetles, for example, use characteristic volatiles to identify and discriminate against non‐host angiosperm trees such as aspens and birches while flying. These trees also differ in bark reflectance characteristics, which could also mediate host/non‐host discrimination by interacting with semiochemicals. We tested this hypothesis by evaluating the responses of eight species of polyphagous woodboring beetles to traps which simulated the visual appearance of coniferous hosts (black) and angiosperm non‐hosts (white), and which were baited with host or non‐host volatiles. As predicted, three species of large woodboring beetle and a woodboring wasp all avoided white, non‐host‐simulating traps that were baited with attractive kairomones, and preferred black, host‐simulating traps. Conversely, three ambrosia beetle species demonstrated weaker visual preferences, possibly because they preferentially colonise fallen hosts that would transmit less accurate visual information. However, the ambrosia beetle Trypodendron lineatum did show a greater preference for host‐coloured traps when these released host‐associated kairomones in addition to their pheromone, and also avoided white non‐host traps, but only when these released non‐host volatiles. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that multiple non‐host cues could synergistically mediate the adaptive discrimination of hosts and non‐hosts. Our results suggest that successful host location by generalists arises from the complex integration of cues in multiple sensory modes, and that foraging herbivores evaluate both hosts and non‐hosts during their search.
Symbiotic soil microorganisms as players in aboveground plant–herbivore interactions – the role of rhizobia
Authors: Kempel Anne , Brandl Roland , Schädler Martin
Published: March 2009

Rhizobia play a key role for performance of leguminous plants and ecosystem productivity. However, no studies to date have investigated the importance of the rhizobial symbiosis for legume–herbivore interactions. The additional nitrogen provided by the rhizobia improves the nutritional quality of plants, but may also be used for the synthesis of defence compounds. We performed greenhouse experiments with nodulating and non‐nodulating, as well as cyanogenic and acyanogenic strains of Trifolium repens to study the effects of rhizobia Rhizobium leguminosarum on plant growth and the performance of the chewing herbivore Spodoptera littoralis and the phloem‐sucking aphid Myzus persicae. We demonstrate that for nodulating strains of T. repens rhizobia increased plant growth and the performance of Spodoptera littoralis. However, this positive effect of rhizobia on the caterpillars did not occur in a cyanogenic clover strain. Reproduction of the phloem‐sucking aphid Myzus persicae was inconsistently affected by rhizobia. Our study provides evidence that the additional nitrogen provided by the rhizobia may be used for the production of nitrogen‐based defence compounds, thereby counteracting positive effects on the performance of chewing herbivores. The symbiosis with rhizobia is therefore an important driver of legume–herbivore interactions.
Exogenous melatonin positively influences follicular dynamics, oocyte developmental competence and blastocyst output in a goat model
Authors: Berlinguer Fiammetta , Leoni Giovanni G. , Succu Sara , Spezzigu Antonio , Madeddu Manuela , Satta Valentina , Bebbere Daniela , Contreras‐Solis Ignacio , Gonzalez‐Bulnes Antonio , Naitana Salvatore
Published: March 2009

Abstract:  The role of melatonin in modulating mammalian reproduction is of particular interest; however, its effects on ovarian follicles and their oocytes still remain to be characterized. This study determined the influence of melatonin treatment on follicular growth patterns and on in vitro oocyte developmental competence. In a first experiment, the effects of melatonin supplementation on follicular dynamics were evaluated using daily transrectal ultrasonographies for 21 days, in 7 multiparous Sarda goats receiving a subcutaneous implant of 18 mg of melatonin and in 5 control untreated does. Melatonin caused more follicular waves (5.2 ± 0.2 versus 4 ± 0.3; P < 0.05) as the waves were shortened at around 2 days when compared with the non‐melatonin treated control goats (P < 0.001). Oocyte developmental competence was evaluated in a second experiment by applying procedures for in vitro embryo production. There were no significant differences in the total number of oocytes obtained from 6 control (n = 192) and 7 melatonin‐treated (n = 265) goats given follicle stimulating hormone to induce follicular development. Differences in oocyte developmental competence between the two groups became evident after in vitro fertilization and culture; melatonin increased the rate of cleaved oocytes in comparison with control animals (82.5 versus 63.4%; P < 0.001), advanced timing of embryo development and enhanced blastocyst output (31.5 versus 16.3%; P < 0.01). However, blastocyst quality, as evaluated by cryotolerance and gene expression analysis, was not found to be different between the groups. In conclusion, in vivo melatonin treatment is beneficial for increasing ovarian follicle turnover and improving oocyte developmental competence and kinetics of the blastocyst.
Distance‐dependent effects of soil‐derived biota on seedling survival of the tropical tree legume Ormosia semicastrata
Authors: Li Ruibo , Yu Shixiao , Wang Yongfan , Staehelin Christian , Zang Runguo
Published: March 2009

Question: How do seed germination and subsequent seedling survival of O. semicastrata (Hance forma litchiifolia How) vary with respect to distance from parent trees and conspecific density in different types of tropical forest? Are there effects of soil biota on O. semicastrata that systematically depend on distance from parent trees and conspecific density? Do soil pathogens differently affect survival of O. semicastrata in different types of tropical forest?

Location: Tropical lowland rain forest and tropical montane rain forest in Jianfengling National Nature Reserve, Hainan Island, China.

Methods: Individual adult O. semicastrata trees were selected in lowland rain forest and montane rain forest. Soil was collected at a distance of 0‐5 m or 15‐20 m from the parent tree. Soil samples from each distance were combined into a bulk sample. Half of the soil sample was sterilized by autoclaving. Surface‐sterilized seeds were then added to the soil material in shade‐houses at both forests.

Results: Germination of O. semicastrata seeds at low‐ or high‐seed density was barely affected by the sterilization procedure. In both forests, seedlings grown in non‐sterilized soil collected close to parent trees had significantly higher mortality compared to those in sterilized soil. In contrast, seedling survival with soil collected far from parent trees was not affected by the soil sterilization procedure.

Conclusions: Host‐specific pathogens concentrated in the soil around parent trees may regulate community structure of tropical trees at the stage of seedling development.
Herb layer response to broadleaf tree species with different leaf litter quality and canopy structure in temperate forests
Authors: Wulf Monika , Naaf Tobias
Published: March 2009

Question: How do broadleaf tree species affect humus characteristics, herb layer composition and species diversity through their leaf litter quality and canopy structure?

Location: Mixed broadleaf forests in Brandenburg, NE Germany.

Methods: We studied the herb and tree layer composition in 129 undisturbed stands using a 10‐degree cover‐abundance and percentage scale, respectively. The main floristic gradients were extracted by non‐metric multidimensional scaling. Effects of tree species on the herb layer were analysed with partial Spearman rank correlation. We assessed affinities for specific tree species using indicator species analysis.

Results: Both beech and oak influenced herb layer composition mainly through their litter quality, which resulted in deep Ol and Of horizons, respectively. The less dense canopy of oak, in contrast to the dense beech canopy, enhanced species diversity in favour of indifferent herb species (species not closely tied to forests). Lime was correlated with a distinct floristic gradient, but a direct effect on the herb layer cannot be proven with the available data. Effects of hornbeam were less pronounced.

Conclusions: The relationship between the tree and herb layer must be partly attributed to pH differences. However, tree species effects on humus characteristics and on light flux to the ground were largely responsible as well. The results suggest that tree species can influence herb layer composition and diversity, but the missing correlation with lime and hornbeam raise questions requiring further detailed investigation.
Sperm transfer, sperm storage, and sperm digestion in the hermaphroditic land snail Succinea putris (Gastropoda, Pulmonata)
Authors: Dillen Lobke , Jordaens Kurt , Backeljau Thierry
Published: March 2009

Abstract. Many hermaphroditic species are promiscuous, have a sperm digesting organ and an allosperm storage organ (i.e., spermatheca) with multiple compartments (i.e., spermathecal tubules) providing opportunities for sperm competition. The relative paternity of a sperm donor drives the evolution of mating behaviors that allow manipulation of the sperm receiver's reproductive behavior or physiology. We studied the relationship between sperm transfer, sperm storage, sperm digestion, and copulation duration in the hermaphroditic land snail Succinea putris, in which an active individual mates on top of a passive individual. Specifically, we examined (i) whether the entire copulation duration was required to complete reciprocal sperm transfer, (ii) sperm transfer patterns and their relationship with activity role, and (iii) the timing of sperm storage and sperm digestion. We found that reciprocal sperm transfer was completed within the first 5 h of copulation, which is ∼2–3 h before the end of copulation. Sperm transfer was mainly sequential, meaning that one individual donated all his ejaculate before its partner started to reciprocate. The initiation of sperm transfer did not depend on the activity role. The presence of allosperm in the spermatheca before sperm transfer suggests that individuals remate before they are allosperm depleted. No sperm was digested during copulation but sperm digestion took place 0–72 h after copulation. Our results suggest that contact mate guarding is a likely manipulation strategy in S. putris, because partners cannot immediately remate. In addition, staying in copula after sperm transfer is completed seems to prevent the immediate digestion of sperm and therefore may promote sperm displacement and allosperm storage.
Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci for Rice Quality in a Population of Chromosome Segment Substitution Lines
Authors: Hao Wei , Zhu Mei‐Zhen , Gao Ji‐Ping , Sun Shi‐Yong , Lin Hong‐Xuan
Published: March 2009

The demand for high quality rice represents a major issue in rice production. The primary components of rice grain quality include appearance, eating, cooking, physico‐chemical, milling and nutritional qualities. Most of these traits are complex and controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTLs), so the genetic characterization of these traits is more difficult than that of traits controlled by a single gene. The detection and genetic identification of QTLs can provide insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying quality traits. Chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) are effective tools used in mapping QTLs. In this study, we constructed 154 CSSLs from backcross progeny (BC3F2) derived from a cross between ‘Koshihikari’ (an Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica variety) as the recurrent parent and ‘Nona Bokra’ (an O. sativa L. ssp. indica variety) as the donor parent. In this process, we carried out marker‐assisted selection by using 102 cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence and simple sequence repeat markers covering most of the rice genome. Finally, this set of CSSLs was used to identify QTLs for rice quality traits. Ten QTLs for rice appearance quality traits were detected and eight QTLs concerned physico‐chemical traits. These results supply the foundation for further genetic studies and breeding for the improvement of grain quality.
MTA pulpotomy of human permanent molars with irreversible pulpitis
Authors: Eghbal Mohammad Jafar , Asgary Saeed , Baglue Reza Ali , Parirokh Masoud , Ghoddusi Jamileh
Published: March 2009

The histological success of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) pulpotomy for treatment of irreversible pulpitis in human teeth as an alternative treatment was investigated in this study. Fourteen molars which had to be extracted were selected from patients 16–28 years old. The selection criteria include carious pulp exposure with a history of lingering pain. After isolation, caries removal and pulp exposure, MTA was used in pulpotomy treatment. Patients were evaluated for pain after 24 h. Two patients were lost from this study. Twelve teeth were extracted after 2 months and were assessed histologically. Recall examinations confirmed that none of the patients experienced pain after pulpotomy. Histological observation revealed that all samples had dentin bridge formation completely and that the pulps were vital and free of inflammation. Although the results favour the use of MTA as a pulpotomy material, more studies with larger samples and a longer recall period are suggested to justify the use of MTA for treatment of irreversible pulpitis in human permanent teeth.
Incongruent Counterparts and the Reality of Space
Authors: Nerlich Graham
Published: March 2009

Left and right hands are incongruent counterparts. Yet each replicates the intrinsic properties of the other. This suggests that differing relations to space make the difference. Kant's and Weyl's discussions of the problem are critically discussed. It emerges that spatial relationism fails to explain how its relations may be interpreted. An excursion into visual geometry explains the basis of handedness in the orientable structure of space.
A Population‐Based Survival Assessment of Categorizing Level III and IV Rural Hospitals as Trauma Centers
Authors: Arthur Melanie , Newgard Craig D. , Mullins Richard J. , Diggs Brian S. , Stone Judith V. , Adams Annette L. , Hedges Jerris R.
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT: 
Context: Patients injured in rural areas are hypothesized to have improved outcomes if statewide trauma systems categorize rural hospitals as Level III and IV trauma centers, though evidence to support this belief is sparse. Purpose: To determine if there is improved survival among injured patients hospitalized in states that categorize rural hospitals as trauma centers. Methods: We analyzed a retrospective cohort of injured patients included in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1997 to 1999. We used generalized estimating equations to compare survival among injured patients hospitalized in states that categorize rural hospitals as Level III and IV trauma centers versus those that do not. Multivariable models adjusted for important confounders, including patient demographics, co‐morbid conditions, injury severity, and hospital‐level factors. Findings: There were 257,044 admitted patients from 7 states with a primary injury diagnosis, of whom 64,190 (25%) had a “serious” index injury, 32,763 (13%) were seriously injured (by ICD‐9 codes), and 12,435 (5%) were very seriously injured (by ICD‐9 codes). There was no survival benefit associated with rural hospital categorization among all patients with a primary injury diagnosis or for those with specific index injuries. However, seriously injured patients (by ICD‐9 codes) had improved survival when hospitalized in a categorizing state (OR for mortality 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.53‐0.97; OR for very seriously injured 0.68, 95% CI 0.52‐0.90). Conclusions: There was no survival benefit to categorizing rural hospitals among a broad, heterogeneous group of hospitalized patients with a primary injury diagnosis; however the most seriously injured patients did have increased survival in such states.
Perspectives on Safety and Health Among Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers in the United States and México: A Qualitative Field Study
Authors: Stallones Lorann , Acosta Martha S. Vela , Sample Pat , Bigelow Philip , Rosales Monica
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT: 
Context: A large number of hired farmworkers in the United States come from México. Understanding safety and health concerns among the workers is essential to improving prevention programs. Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to obtain detailed information about safety and health concerns of hired farmworkers in Colorado and in México. Methods: A total of 10 migrant farmworkers from northern Colorado and 5 seasonal farmworkers from Guanajuato, México, were interviewed using a semi‐structured interview process. The social cognitive theory (SCT) served as a framework to gain understanding of safety and health among workers. Findings: Topics of concern identified included causes of farm, home and motor vehicle injuries, and treatment preferences for injuries and illnesses. Four main themes emerged: safety and health concerns, personal control and prevention strategies, factors affecting control and prevention strategies, and the importance of family. Conclusions: Further study of the themes using a revised semi‐structured interview will be done in a larger study among hired farmworkers. The results add to the current work to understand specific health and safety concerns among these workers.
Network Inference by Combining Biologically Motivated Regulatory Constraints with Penalized Regression
Authors: Parisi Fabio , Koeppl Heinz , Naef Felix
Published: March 2009

Reconstructing biomolecular networks from time series mRNA or protein abundance measurements is a central challenge in computational systems biology. The regulatory processes behind cellular responses are coupled and nonlinear, leading to rich dynamical behavior. One class of reconstruction algorithms uses regression and penalized regression to impose sparseness on the solution, as requested biologically. Motivated by the five‐gene challenge in the Dialogue for Reverse Engineering Assessments and Methods 2 (DREAM2) contest, we extend and test penalized regression schemes both on data from simulations and real qPCR measurements. The methods showing best performance are the Adaptive Ridge (AR) regression and a new extension thereof, in which we impose a biological constraint to the reconstructed network. Specifically, we request from the solutions that the outgoing links have the same regulatory sign, which is a reasonable approximation for most prokaryotic transcriptional networks. In other words, a given regulator must be either an activator or a repressor but not both. The constraints can be implemented with quadratic programming, and we show that this improves the reconstruction performance significantly. While linear models are not sufficiently general to encompass most complex behaviors, they offer powerful tools for network reconstruction, particularly for systems operating near a steady state. In particular, the optimization problems are well behaved and methodologies allow finding global optima efficiently. Adding constraints reflecting biological circuit designs is one of the most important aspects of network inference. We propose one such constraint, namely the consistency in the signs of outgoing links, which will facilitate the inference of transcriptional regulatory networks.
Inferring Direct Regulatory Targets of a Transcription Factor in the DREAM2 Challenge
Authors: Vega Vinsensius B. , Woo Xing Yi , Hamidi Habib , Yeo Hock Chuan , Yeo Zhen Xuan , Bourque Guillaume , Clarke Neil D.
Published: March 2009

In the DREAM2 community‐wide experiment on regulatory network inference, one of the challenges was to identify which genes, in a list of 200, are direct regulatory targets of the transcription factor BCL6. The organizers of the challenge defined targets based on gene expression and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments (ChIP‐chip). The expression data were publicly available; the ChIP‐chip data were not. In order to assess the likelihood that a gene is a BCL6 target, we used three classes of information: expression‐level differences, over‐representation of sequence motifs in promoter regions, and gene ontology annotations. A weight was attached to each analysis based on how well it identified BCL6‐bound genes as defined by publicly available ChIP‐chip data. By the organizers’ criteria, our group, GenomeSingapore, performed best. However, our retrospective analysis indicates that this success was dominated by a gene expression analysis that was predicated on a regulatory model known to be favored by the organizers. We also noted that the 200‐gene test set was enriched only in genes that are upregulated, while genes bound by BCL6 are enriched in both upregulated and downregulated genes. Together, these observations suggest possible model biases in the selection of the gold‐standard gene set and imply that our success was attained in part by adhering to the same assumptions. We argue that model biases of this type are unavoidable in the inference of regulatory networks and, for that reason, we suggest that future community‐wide experiments of this type should focus on the prediction of data, rather than models.
A Network Inference Workflow Applied to Virulence‐Related Processes in Salmonella typhimurium
Authors: Taylor Ronald C. , Singhal Mudita , Weller Jennifer , Khoshnevis Saeed , Shi Liang , McDermott Jason
Published: March 2009

Inference of the structure of mRNA transcriptional regulatory networks, protein regulatory or interaction networks, and protein activation/inactivation‐based signal transduction networks are critical tasks in systems biology. In this article we discuss a workflow for the reconstruction of parts of the transcriptional regulatory network of the pathogenic bacterium Salmonella typhimurium based on the information contained in sets of microarray gene‐expression data now available for that organism and describe our results obtained by following this workflow. The primary tool is one of the network‐inference algorithms deployed in the Software Environment for Biological Network Inference (SEBINI). Specifically, we selected the algorithm called context likelihood of relatedness (CLR), which uses the mutual information contained in the gene‐expression data to infer regulatory connections. The associated analysis pipeline automatically stores the inferred edges from the CLR runs within SEBINI and, upon request, transfers the inferred edges into either Cytoscape or the plug‐in Collective Analysis of Biological Interaction Networks (CABIN) tool for further postanalysis of the inferred regulatory edges. The following article presents the outcome of this workflow, as well as the protocols followed for microarray data collection, data cleansing, and network inference. Our analysis revealed several interesting interactions, functional groups, metabolic pathways, and regulons in S. typhimurium.
Dualism Persists in the Science of Mind
Authors: Demertzi Athena , Liew Charlene , Ledoux Didier , Bruno Marie‐Aurélie , Sharpe Michael , Laureys Steven , Zeman Adam
Published: March 2009

The relationship between mind and brain has philosophical, scientific, and practical implications. Two separate but related surveys from the University of Edinburgh (University students, n= 250) and the University of Liège (health‐care workers, lay public, n= 1858) were performed to probe attitudes toward the mind–brain relationship and the variables that account for differences in views. Four statements were included, each relating to an aspect of the mind–brain relationship. The Edinburgh survey revealed a predominance of dualistic attitudes emphasizing the separateness of mind and brain. In the Liège survey, younger participants, women, and those with religious beliefs were more likely to agree that the mind and brain are separate, that some spiritual part of us survives death, that each of us has a soul that is separate from the body, and to deny the physicality of mind. Religious belief was found to be the best predictor for dualistic attitudes. Although the majority of health‐care workers denied the distinction between consciousness and the soma, more than one‐third of medical and paramedical professionals regarded mind and brain as separate entities. The findings of the study are in line with previous studies in developmental psychology and with surveys of scientists’ attitudes toward the relationship between mind and brain. We suggest that the results are relevant to clinical practice, to the formulation of scientific questions about the nature of consciousness, and to the reception of scientific theories of consciousness by the general public.
Synchrony in the Interconnected Circuitry of the Thalamus and Cerebral Cortex
Authors: Jones Edward G.
Published: March 2009

The corticothalamic system is organized to play a key role in synchronizing the activities of thalamic and cortical neurons. Its synapses dominate the inputs to relay cells and to the GABAergic cells of the reticular nucleus; its organization in focused and diffuse projections promotes both coherent activity of relay neurons and the spread of activity across the cortex and thalamus. The capacity of relay neurons to operate in voltage‐dependent tonic or burst mode permits corticothalamic inputs to directly excite the relay cells or indirectly inhibit them via the reticular nucleus. This enables the corticothalamic projection to synchronize high‐ or low‐frequency oscillatory activity, respectively, in the thalamo–corticothalamic network. Differences in the subunit composition of AMPA receptors at synapses formed by branches of the same corticothalamic axon in the reticular nucleus and dorsal thalamus are an important element in the capacity of the cortex to synchronize low‐frequency oscillations in the network. Intrinsic voltage‐gated calcium channels of different kinds expressed in the relay neurons form a substrate for corticothalamic interactions with the relay cells that promote high‐ or low‐frequency oscillations. Focused corticothalamic axons arising from layer VI cortical cells and diffuse corticothalamic axons arising from layer V cortical cells, in conjunction with the core and matrix cells of the dorsal thalamus, form a substrate for synchronization of widespread populations of cortical and thalamic cells during high‐frequency oscillations that underlie discrete conscious events.
The Religious Dimension of Politics in Maoist China1
Authors: Gamsa Mark
Published: March 2009

This article presents four main approaches to research on the dissemination of Marxist ideology in China: those of intellectual history, political or social history, history of religion and discourse analysis. Rather than argue for the theoretical applicability of the term ‘political religion’ to the case of China under the rule of Mao Zedong (1949–76), it offers a broader consideration of the relevance of religion to politics in modern China. It suggests that a ‘religious dimension’ was consistently present in the propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party as well as in people's minds.
Serial Verb Constructions
Authors: Bisang Walter
Published: March 2009

The present article aims to give a survey of the typology of serial verb constructions (SVCs) and the criteria that are needed for defining them. For that purpose, it starts with a detailed account of Aikhenvald and Dixon (2006) and their comprehensive cross‐linguistic account of SVCs. In a critical discussion of this approach, this article will then address the following three issues. (i) The concept of single eventhood is a more general concept from which a number of Aikhenvald and Dixon's (2006) criteria can be iconically derived. The macro‐event property and time‐positional operators (Bohnemeyer et al. 2007) provide a good basis for a more coherent definition of what makes an event as far as events are independent of cultural factors. (ii) Some languages like Kalam also use the morphosyntactic expression format of serialization for discourse purposes. Because the narrative use of that construction clearly violates single eventhood, it should not be discussed as an instance of SVC. (iii) Historically, the unmarked juxtaposition of verbs can induce processes of grammaticalization and lexicalization. This article ends with the question of how far the label of ‘serial verb construction’ actually refers to a cross‐linguistically coherent phenomenon.
Intensive Monitoring of Adherence to Treatment Helps to Identify “True” Resistant Hypertension
Authors: De Souza Walnéia Aparecida , Sabha Maricene , De Faveri Favero Fabrício , Bergsten‐Mendes Gun , Yugar‐Toledo Juan Carlos , Moreno Heitor
Published: March 2009

Intensive monitoring of adherence in patients with uncontrolled hypertension was evaluated over a 6‐month period. After that period, only patients well characterized as having resistant hypertension were followed for 12 months. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether adherence to a drug regimen helps to identify patients with resistant hypertension. Forty‐four hypertensive patients resistant to a 3‐drug regimen (average blood pressure [BP] mm Hg, mean ± standard deviation) were studied prospectively. Each patient was followed for a 12‐month period. Adherence to treatment was evaluated through self‐report, applying Morisky’s questionnaire and the pill count method. Ambulatory BP monitoring and office BP measures were performed. By pill count, 63.6% of the patients were adherent to treatment at the start of the survey and 94% at the end, although 59% of the patients still did not reach normal BP levels. We found that non‐adherence was not associated with resistance to antihypertensive treatment. Therefore, after investigation, we concluded that patients who presented with uncontrolled arterial BP may be truly resistant hypertensive to treatment.
Post‐operative oral surgery pain: a review
Authors: Coulthard P.
Published: March 2009

This review article describes the scientific basis of contemporary management of pain after oral surgery. Management can be challenging but significant improvement can be made to the patient's experience by patient education, staff education and the use of an evidence‐based analgesic protocol.
Polymorphic microsatellite markers in the Melon Fruit Fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: WU YI , LI ZHIHONG , WU JIAJIAO
Published: March 2009

Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) is an important insect pest of melon fruit causing extensive losses of production in Asia and Pacific areas. Twelve polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated from an enriched DNA library of this species and their amplification characteristics are described. Genetic parameters were estimated on 80 individual flies from four natural populations. Allele numbers per locus ranged from three to 20. These microsatellite markers have potential utility in population structure and gene flow studies of B. cucurbitae.
Static and Dynamic Pricing of Excess Capacity in a Make‐to‐Order Environment
Authors: Hall Joseph M. , Kopalle Praveen K. , Pyke David F.
Published: March 2009

We consider a make‐to‐order manufacturer that serves two customer classes: core customers who pay a fixed negotiated price, and “fill‐in” customers who make submittal decisions based on the current price set by the firm. Using a Markovian queueing model, we determine how much the firm can gain by explicitly accounting for the status of its production facility in making pricing decisions. Specifically, we examine three pricing policies: (1) static, state‐independent pricing, (2) constant pricing up to a cutoff state, and (3) general state‐dependent pricing. We determine properties of each policy, and illustrate numerically the financial gains that the firm can achieve by following each policy as compared with simpler policies. Our main result is that constant pricing up to a cutoff state can dramatically outperform a state‐independent policy, while at the same time achieving most of the increase in revenue achievable from general state‐dependent pricing. Thus, we find that constant pricing up to a cutoff state presents an attractive tradeoff between ease of implementation and revenue gain. When the costs of policy design and implementation are taken into account, this simple heuristic may actually out‐perform general state‐dependent pricing in some settings.
Questioning the Stability of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety and Motivation Across Different Classroom Contexts
Authors: Kim Sung‐Yeon
Published: March 2009

Abstract: This study examined whether foreign language learner anxiety and motivational goal orientations remained stable across two different classroom contexts: a reading course and a conversation course. The researcher measured anxiety and four types of motivational goal orientations by surveying 59 Korean college students learning English in both courses. A repeated‐measures MANCOVA was used to analyze the responses. The findings indicated that levels of anxiety can vary according to instructional contexts. The study found a significant difference for anxiety, with the students reporting higher levels of anxiety in the conversation course than in the reading course. By contrast, for goal orientation, students exhibited similar patterns across contexts. These Korean students displayed a high tendency toward a utilitarian goal regardless of context. The article also suggests teaching implications for reducing anxiety and enhancing motivation.