bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Drawing a Line between European Waste and Chemicals Regulation
Authors: Alaranta Joonas , Turunen Topi 
Published: July 2017

This article analyses the fine line between the application of waste legislation and the application of chemicals regulation. If a substance or object ceases to be waste, or is originally a by‐product, how is chemicals regulation applied to the non‐waste material? The article also examines the effects that provisions of chemicals legislation can have with respect to waste legislation and the regulatory possibilities to exclude substances or objects from the concept of waste. The regulation of the residual materials is successful when it promotes the reuse and recovery, reduces the detrimental health and environmental effects of those residual materials, and reduces the costs and environmental harm incurred by the obtaining of the raw materials. Combining the diverging objectives of waste and chemical legislation is challenging but necessary to achieve the transition to a circular economy and the best overall outcome in terms of sustainability.
Corrosion Control of Modern Light Rail Transit (LRT) Systems
Authors: Berman Michael , Williams Quentin P. 
Published: July 2017

Since the introduction of electrified transit systems in the United States there has been a number of advancements in the field of corrosion control related to light rail transit (LRT) systems. Modern day direct current (dc) powered LRT systems have been designed with a variety of corrosion control features built-in.
Most of the research into corrosion control and the mitigation of stray currents known as electrolysis in the early days of electrified transit systems first appeared extensively in papers prepared and presented by personnel of the National Bureau of Standards. This research has led to better protection against corrosion of transit systems and nearby structures throughout the years.
Due to the ever increasing number of transit systems being built or upgraded, it’s essential to incorporate the installation, testing and monitoring of corrosion control measures in these transit systems. By integrating these corrosion control features into the design of LRT systems and subsystems, it will help to prevent premature corrosion failures on LRT fixed facilities and other structures. This paper identifies the main causes of corrosion and how corrosion control can be implemented into the design of LRT systems to prevent damage to the transit system and other structures.
Development of an Intelligent Module Used in Railway Level Crossings to Solve the Safety and Punctuality Issues in Urban Area
Authors: Lin Tu-Huan , Shih Yu-Lin , Jong Jyh-Cherng , Suen Chian-Shan 
Published: July 2017

In urban area, frequent train services during peak hours often keep interrupting roadway traffic approaching level crossings (LXs). In Taiwan, more than 24 trains per hour pass the LXs in peak hours, and it leads to more than 40% time blocked by the barriers. To mitigate the potential risk of accidents between trains and roadway vehicles, almost 20% LXs had been installed with obstacle detection devices. It, however, leads to the following issues: (1) when the level crossings open and then close within a short period of time, the vehicles would likely be trapped in the dangerous area; (2) if the closing time at level crossings is not adjusted effectively, it would seriously impact the traffic flow and increase the possibility of trespassing; (3) the false alarm triggered by the obstacle detection devices has serious impact on train punctuality.
To mitigate the influence on roadside traffic and improve the safety, this study developed an intelligent module which consists of the following functions: (1) transmitting real-time videos of level crossings to the approaching trains, (2) constant alarm time for trains with different approaching speeds, and (3) extending alarm time for trains from the opposite directions within short time periods. A level crossing located on curved line in urban area was selected to test the performance of these functions in an actual scenario. Alternative solutions were also adopted in the tests to compare the performance for reference. The results show that the module can be viable in practice, but needs further works to ensure the safety, such as developing a fail-safe mechanism and overcoming the software security issues.
A Joint Rail Conference Grand Challenge: Developing a Culture of Student/Rail Industry Problem Solving
Authors: Placencia Greg 
Published: July 2017

We examine how establishing a competitive Joint Rail Conference Grand Challenges Initiatives can harness the potential of college and possibly high school students to develop solutions or new insight into technical and safety problems plaguing the rail industry, including safety.
The rail industry has tended to solve issues internally. However, solutions can often be found in other industries that are either similar or have faced similar concerns. For example, the immediate predecessor of Positive Train Control (PTC), the Advanced Railroad Electronics System (ARES), was conceived in the mid 1980’s by then Burlington Northern Railroad (BN) CEO Richard Bressler, who had read how flight safety and efficiency had been improved by air traffic control systems and avionics developed by Rockwell Collins for the Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft. The information age has further increased the potential for sparking innovation as ideas can spread literally overnight via the internet.
Some of the most talented and creative problems solvers are college and high school students, who have been greatly enabled by the “democratization” of information that has given them access to knowledge and skills as never before. Teens can learn nearly any skill watching reputable online videos or even “attend” classes offered by top universities around the world simply using a smart phone or tablet. This has prompted educators like Michigan Tech’s Dr. Pasi Lautala and other to develop extensive online rail educational resources to spark interest in the industry. However, simply passing on information has its limitation, which is why initiatives like the Grand Challenges, and Engineers without Borders have been instrumental in harnessing students to examine key global challenges in engineering, energy, and health care. Moreover, these initiatives have encouraged many students to pursue careers in those fields, even in low- and medium-income countries. For example, in 2012, a high school sophomore developed a new method to detect pancreatic cancer that is quick to administer and detects the disease much more quickly than previous methods, allowing much better chances for successful treatment. We will examine how establishing a competitive JRC Grand Challenges Initiatives can harness the potential of college and possibly high school students to develop solutions or establish new insight into technical and safety problems plaguing the rail industry, including safety. In addition, it will look at how developing a dialog among the rail industry, including the Class 1 railroads, students, and academia can encourage a more top notch, talented students to consider careers in the rail industry.
Snap deconvolution: An informatics approach to high-throughput discovery of catalytic reactions
Authors: Troshin Konstantin , Hartwig John F. 
Published: July 2017

A triple search for coupling reactions
Coupling reactions are, in principle, good candidates for high-throughput discovery: Simply mix a diverse set of reagents and then look for products that combine two or three of their masses. In practice, however, numerous different products might have masses that are too similar to distinguish quickly. Troshin and Hartwig circumvented this problem by screening three pools of reagents in parallel that shared the same reactive functionality but differed in mass by carefully chosen increments. Specific products could then be identified in a noisy distribution by their distinctive expected mass differences across the three pools.

Science
, this issue p.
175
An
In Vitro
Chicken Gut Model Demonstrates Transfer of a Multidrug Resistance Plasmid from
Salmonella
to Commensal
Escherichia coli
Authors: Card Roderick M. , Cawthraw Shaun A. , Nunez-Garcia Javier , Ellis Richard J. , Kay Gemma , Pallen Mark J. , Woodward Martin J. , Anjum Muna F. 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACT

The chicken gastrointestinal tract is richly populated by commensal bacteria that fulfill various beneficial roles for the host, including helping to resist colonization by pathogens. It can also facilitate the conjugative transfer of multidrug resistance (MDR) plasmids between commensal and pathogenic bacteria which is a significant public and animal health concern as it may affect our ability to treat bacterial infections. We used an
in vitro
chemostat system to approximate the chicken cecal microbiota, simulate colonization by an MDR
Salmonella
pathogen, and examine the dynamics of transfer of its MDR plasmid harboring several genes, including the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase
bla
CTX-M1
. We also evaluated the impact of cefotaxime administration on plasmid transfer and microbial diversity. Bacterial community profiles obtained by culture-independent methods showed that
Salmonella
inoculation resulted in no significant changes to bacterial community alpha diversity and beta diversity, whereas administration of cefotaxime caused significant alterations to both measures of diversity, which largely recovered. MDR plasmid transfer from
Salmonella
to commensal
Escherichia coli
was demonstrated by PCR and whole-genome sequencing of isolates purified from agar plates containing cefotaxime. Transfer occurred to seven
E. coli
sequence types at high rates, even in the absence of cefotaxime, with resistant strains isolated within 3 days. Our chemostat system provides a good representation of bacterial interactions, including antibiotic resistance transfer
in vivo
. It can be used as an ethical and relatively inexpensive approach to model dissemination of antibiotic resistance within the gut of any animal or human and refine interventions that mitigate its spread before employing
in vivo
studies.

IMPORTANCE
The spread of antimicrobial resistance presents a grave threat to public health and animal health and is affecting our ability to respond to bacterial infections. Transfer of antimicrobial resistance via plasmid exchange is of particular concern as it enables unrelated bacteria to acquire resistance. The gastrointestinal tract is replete with bacteria and provides an environment for plasmid transfer between commensals and pathogens. Here we use the chicken gut microbiota as an exemplar to model the effects of bacterial infection, antibiotic administration, and plasmid transfer. We show that transfer of a multidrug-resistant plasmid from the zoonotic pathogen
Salmonella
to commensal
Escherichia coli
occurs at a high rate, even in the absence of antibiotic administration. Our work demonstrates that the
in vitro
gut model provides a powerful screening tool that can be used to assess and refine interventions that mitigate the spread of antibiotic resistance in the gut before undertaking animal studies.
Interpretation of CIs in clinical trials with non-significant results: systematic review and recommendations
Authors: Gewandter Jennifer S , McDermott Michael P , Kitt Rachel A , Chaudari Jenna , Koch James G , Evans Scott R , Gross Robert A , Markman John D , Turk Dennis C , Dworkin Robert H 
Published: July 2017

ObjectivesInterpretation of CIs in randomised clinical trials (RCTs) with treatment effects that are not statistically significant can distinguish between results that are ‘negative’ (the data are not consistent with a clinically meaningful treatment effect) or ‘inconclusive’ (the data remain consistent with the possibility of a clinically meaningful treatment effect). This interpretation is important to ensure that potentially beneficial treatments are not prematurely abandoned in future research or clinical practice based on invalid conclusions.DesignSystematic review of RCT reports published in 2014 inAnnals of Internal Medicine,New England Journal of Medicine,JAMA,JAMA Internal MedicineandThe Lancet(n=247).Results85 of 99 articles with statistically non-significant results reported CIs for the treatment effect. Only 17 of those 99 articles interpreted the CI. Of the 22 articles in which CIs indicated an inconclusive result, only four acknowledged that the study could not rule out a clinically meaningful treatment effect.ConclusionsInterpretation of CIs is important but occurs infrequently in study reports of trials with treatment effects that are not statistically significant. Increased author interpretation of CIs could improve application of RCT results. Reporting recommendations are provided.
Predictors of emergency department use by adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Lunsky Yona , Weiss Jonathan A , Paquette-Smith Melissa , Durbin Anna , Tint Ami , Palucka Anna M , Bradley Elspeth 
Published: July 2017

ObjectivesTo determine predictors of emergency department (ED) visits in a cohort of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).DesignProspective cohort study.SettingCommunity-based study from Ontario, Canada.ParticipantsParents reported on their adult sons and daughters with ASD living in the community (n=284).Main outcome measuresED visits for any reason, ED visits for medical reasons and ED visits for psychiatric reasons over 1 year.ResultsAmong individuals with ASD, those with ED visits for any reason were reported to have greater family distress at baseline (p<0.01), a history of visiting the ED during the year prior (p<0.01) and experienced two or more negative life events at baseline (p<0.05) as compared with those who did not visit the ED. Unique predictors of medical versus psychiatric ED visits emerged. Low neighbourhood income (p<0.01) and living in a rural neighbourhood (p<0.05) were associated with medical but not psychiatric ED visits, whereas a history of aggression (p<0.05) as well as being from an immigrant family (p<0.05) predicted psychiatric but not medical emergencies.ConclusionsA combination of individual and contextual variables may be important for targeting preventative community-based supports for individuals with ASD and their families. In particular, attention should be paid to how caregiver supports, integrative crisis planning and community-based services may assist in preventing or minimising ED use for this vulnerable population.
Predictors of repeat visits to hospital psychiatric emergency departments in Malaga (Spain) and in Lisbon (Portugal)
Authors: Moreno-Küstner Berta , Warnke Ingeborg , Nordt Carlos , Fernandez Gemma , Ramos José , Paulino-Matos Pedro , Rössler Wulf , Cardoso Graça 
Published: July 2017

ObjectiveThis study describes the profile of people with mental disorders attending emergency departments (EDs) in two countries and to identify specific mental disorders associated with repeat emergency visits.MethodsRetrospective analyses of 1 year of EDs data from two hospitals with psychiatric departments, one in Amadora/Sintra (Lisbon, Portugal, 2008) and the other in Malaga (Spain, 2009), were carried out. To determine which mental disorders were associated with repeat visits in each setting, negative binomial models were calculated.ResultsThere were 5141 visits for a mental disorder made by 3667 patients. Patients with affective disorder were the most frequent (32.2%). Among all mental health patients, 19.9% had at least one repeat visit during the year. For the two EDs setting combined, patients with personality disorders (incidence rate ratio (IRR)=3.79, 95% CI: 2.39 to 6.02) and psychotic disorders (IRR=1.46, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.89) were more likely to have repeat visits compared with patients with affective disorders, whereas mental disorders due to psychoactive substance use (IRR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.73) was associated with lower likelihood of repeat visits. Nearly all significant differences were attributable to the Malaga sample, where patients with personality disorders were four times more likely to have repeat EDs visits compared with patients with affective disorders. However, at both sites, patients with mental disorders due to psychoactive substance use were less likely to have repeat visits.ConclusionsCertain mental disorders may be predictive of more frequent ED visits. The different results for each country suggest that further studies might focus not only on the characteristics of patients, but also on local healthcare organisation.
Profile and outcomes of critically ill children in a lower middle-income country
Authors: Habib Muhammad Irfan , Khan Khalid Mehmood A 
Published: July 2017

ObjectiveTo determine the clinical profile and outcome of critically ill children presenting to a paediatric ED in a lower middle-income country.MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of children (<14 years) presenting to the ED of the National Institute of Child Health, Karachi, between January and December 2014 who were assigned to acuity 1 (requiring immediate life-saving interventions) according to the Emergency Severity Index. Data included demographic variables, presenting complaints, interventions and outcomes in the ED.ResultsThere were 172 162 visits during the year. Of these, 13 551 (8%) were level 1. 64% of level 1 patients were transported to the ED without ambulance service. Neonates (0–28 days) constituted 48% of level 1 children; their most frequent presenting complaints were respiratory symptoms, followed by fever and reluctance to feed. Above the neonatal age group, the most common presenting complaints were gastrointestinal symptoms (with signs of hypoperfusion), followed by seizures, reluctance to feed and respiratory symptoms. 64% of children of >28 days presenting were malnourished. Interventions included cardiopulmonary resuscitation, application of bubble continuous positive airway pressure and endotracheal intubation. Overall mortality was 13%; 63% of all deaths were in the neonatal age group.ConclusionChildren with the highest triage acuity represent 8% of all visits to a paediatric ED. In this group, neonates account for nearly half of all the children, and more than half of all the deaths among critically ill children came in ED. A large proportion of high-acuity children are malnourished.
Introduction of a new imaging guideline for suspected renal colic in the ED reduces CT urography utilisation
Authors: Blecher Gabriel , Meek Rob , Egerton-Warburton Diana , McCahy Philip 
Published: July 2017

BackgroundPatients presenting to the ED with suspected renal colic are frequently imaged with CT urography (CTU), which rarely alters diagnosis or management. To reduce use of CTU in this population, we instigated a new imaging and management guideline in our ED.MethodsThis was a quasi-experimental prospective study, whereby a new guideline was commenced at the intervention site (Monash Medical Centre) and the existing guideline continued at the control site (Dandenong Hospital). The new guideline promotes focused ultrasound for diagnosing renal colic and restricts CT to those with poor response to analgesia or ‘red flags’. A consecutive series of patients with suspected renal colic were prospectively enrolled and outcomes compared between the sites. The primary outcome was CTU utilisation and secondary outcomes were radiation exposure, stone rate on CTU, admission, ED length of stay and rates of urological intervention and returns to ED at 4-week follow-up.ResultsPreintervention CTU rates were 76.7% at Monash and 72.1% at Dandenong. 324 patients were enrolled; 148 at Monash and 176 at Dandenong. Median age 47 years vs 49 years, males 76.4% vs 66.5% and medianSex, Timing, Origin, Nausea, Erythrocytes (STONE) score 10 vs 10 for Monash and Dandenong, respectively. CTU was performed in 54.1% vs 75.0% (p<0.001), median radiation exposure 2.8 vs 4.0 mSv (p<0.001) and urological intervention occurred in 16.4% vs 15.7% for Monash and Dandenong, respectively.ConclusionsWe found that use of CTU for renal colic was significantly reduced by introduction of a guideline promoting ultrasound and encouraging selective CTU. Although intervention rates were similar between the two sites, further prospective study is needed to ensure other patient-centred outcomes do not differ.
Dissecting patterns of preparatory activity in the frontal eye fields during pursuit target selection
Authors: Raghavan Ramanujan T. , Joshua Mati 
Published: July 2017

We investigated the composition of preparatory activity of frontal eye field (FEF) neurons in monkeys performing a pursuit target selection task. In response to the orthogonal motion of a large and a small reward target, monkeys initiated pursuit biased toward the direction of large reward target motion. FEF neurons exhibited robust preparatory activity preceding movement initiation in this task. Preparatory activity consisted of two components, ramping activity that was constant across target selection conditions, and a flat offset in firing rates that signaled the target selection condition. Ramping activity accounted for 50% of the variance in the preparatory activity and was linked most strongly, on a trial-by-trial basis, to pursuit eye movement latency rather than to its direction or gain. The offset in firing rates that discriminated target selection conditions accounted for 25% of the variance in the preparatory activity and was commensurate with a winner-take-all representation, signaling the direction of large reward target motion rather than a representation that matched the parameters of the upcoming movement. These offer new insights into the role that the frontal eye fields play in target selection and pursuit control. They show that preparatory activity in the FEF signals more strongly when to move rather than where or how to move and suggest that structures outside the FEF augment its contributions to the target selection process. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We used the smooth eye movement pursuit system to link between patterns of preparatory activity in the frontal eye fields and movement during a target selection task. The dominant pattern was a ramping signal that did not discriminate between selection conditions and was linked, on trial-by-trial basis, to movement latency. A weaker pattern was composed of a constant signal that discriminated between selection conditions but was only weakly linked to the movement parameters.
The Effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation on Inflammatory Response in Patients Undergoing Limb Ischemia-Reperfusion
Authors: Mo Yunchang , Chen Sijia , Yang Lili , Huang Ledan , Jin Dan , Yu Zhi , Wang Leilei , Wang Liangrong , Luo Shan , Wang Junlu 
Published: July 2017

Reperfusion after tourniquet use can induce inflammation and cause remote organ injury. We evaluated the therapeutic effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on inflammatory mediators and lung function in patients receiving lower limb tourniquets. Forty patients undergoing unilateral lower extremity surgery with tourniquet were randomly assigned to two groups: the TEAS group and ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) group. The C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and arterial blood gas analysis were measured preoperatively and 6 h after tourniquet removal. The levels of CXCL8, IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and CCL2 were significantly increased compared to baseline values in both groups, but the increase was significantly smaller in the TEAS group. In the TEAS group, the partial pressure of oxygen and arterial-alveolar oxygen tension ratio were significantly decreased, and the alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference and respiratory index were significantly increased, compared to those in the I/R group at 6 h after reperfusion. In conclusion, TEAS diminished the upregulation of proinflammatory factors in response to lower limb ischemia-reperfusion and improved pulmonary gas exchange.