bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Consensus Statement on Advancing Research in Emergency Department Operations and Its Impact on Patient Care
Authors: Yiadom Maame Yaa A. B. , Ward Michael J. , Chang Anna Marie , Pines Jesse M. , Jouriles Nick , Yealy Donald M. ,   the Emergency Department Operations Study Group
Published: May 2015

AbstractThe consensus conference on “Advancing Research in Emergency Department (ED) Operations and Its Impact on Patient Care,” hosted by The ED Operations Study Group (EDOSG), convened to craft a framework for future investigations in this important but understudied area. The EDOSG is a research consortium dedicated to promoting evidence‐based clinical practice in emergency medicine. The consensus process format was a modified version of the NIH Model for Consensus Conference Development. Recommendations provide an action plan for how to improve ED operations study design, create a facilitating research environment, identify data measures of value for process and outcomes research, and disseminate new knowledge in this area. Specifically, we call for eight key initiatives: 1) the development of universal measures for ED patient care processes; 2) attention to patient outcomes, in addition to process efficiency and best practice compliance; 3) the promotion of multisite clinical operations studies to create more generalizable knowledge; 4) encouraging the use of mixed methods to understand the social community and human behavior factors that influence ED operations; 5) the creation of robust ED operations research registries to drive stronger evidence‐based research; 6) prioritizing key clinical questions with the input of patients, clinicians, medical leadership, emergency medicine organizations, payers, and other government stakeholders; 7) more consistently defining the functional components of the ED care system, including observation units, fast tracks, waiting rooms, laboratories, and radiology subunits; and 8) maximizing multidisciplinary knowledge dissemination via emergency medicine, public health, general medicine, operations research, and nontraditional publications.
3 Es nuestra tradicion: The Continuing Importance of Ballgames among Migrant Mixtec Communities in the United States
Authors: Stoll Marijke 
Published: May 2015

ABSTRACTThe pre‐Hispanic ballgame was integral in the lives of ancient Mesoamerican communities. Today, modern ballgames closely resembling their pre‐Hispanic antecedents are still played in different states throughout Mexico. Here I explore the links between the modern ballgame pelota Mixteca (Mixtec ball) and ethnic identity in Mixtecan communities in Oaxaca and the United States, using data from ethnographic interviews with pelota Mixteca players. I conclude that because cultural traditions are important influences in the (re)shaping of identity, participation in Oaxacan traditions like pelota Mixteca is critical to the creation of a pan‐Mixtecan identity among migrant Mixtec groups in the United States.
8 Configuring and Commoditizing the Archaeological Landscape: Heritage, Identity, and Tourism in the Tuxtla Mountains
Authors: Venter Marcie , Lyon Sarah 
Published: May 2015

ABSTRACTThis paper explores how the burgeoning tourism economy in the western Tuxtla Mountains is shaping the perception and presentation of archaeological heritage. We compare the divergent motives and representations of three groups: professional archaeologists, municipalities, and private entrepreneurs. A struggling local economy has contributed to inhabitants of the region increasingly perceiving the past as a potential economic stimulus. Narratives of the past, however, are unregulated and diverse, and the translocal politics of heritage management can have unintended by‐products, including conflicts between externally represented cultural values and locally imagined meanings and identities. The impact of this representational divergence on community and governmental support for the protection of cultural patrimony and heritage education is uncertain.
MTF database: A repository of students' academic performance measurements for the development of techniques for evaluating team functioning
Authors: Hsiung Chin‐Min , Zheng Xiang‐Xiang 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThe Measurements for Team Functioning (MTF) database contains a series of student academic performance measurements obtained at a national university in Taiwan. The measurements are acquired from unit tests and homework tests performed during a core mechanical engineering course, and provide an objective means of assessing the functioning of cooperative learning teams and the fit of each member within the team. The database currently includes three datasets, where each dataset contains the performance measurements obtained over an 18‐week semester. The performance measurements within the database provide valuable insights into the team dynamics within a cooperative learning environment. The features, results, limitations and future development of the database are discussed.
How the young generation uses digital textbooks via mobile learning terminals: Measurement of elementary school students in China
Authors: Sun Zhong , Jiang Yuzhen 
Published: May 2015

AbstractDigital textbooks that offer multimedia features, interactive controls, e‐annotation and learning process tracking are gaining increasing attention in today's mobile learning era, particularly with the rapid development of mobile learning terminals such as Apple's iPad series and Android‐based models. Accordingly, this study explores how elementary school students use digital textbooks via mobile learning terminals such as the iPad by mainly assessing relevant data resources. The participants of this study included 6211 students from 74 elementary schools in China. Several themes, such as demographic characteristics, self‐efficacy, technology acceptance model, learning process, behavior attention and attitude with regard to their usage of digital textbooks, were analyzed. The data of this study would aid policy makers and educators in conducting further research on the implementation of the K‐12 educational technology reform with digital textbooks via mobile learning terminals in formal school settings.
The effect of interventions aimed at improving participation outcomes for children with disabilities: a systematic review
Authors: Adair Brooke , Ullenhag Anna , Keen Deb , Granlund Mats , Imms Christine 
Published: May 2015

AimEnhancement of participation has been described as the ultimate outcome for health and educational interventions. The goal of this systematic review was to identify and critically appraise studies that aimed to improve the participation outcomes of children with disabilities.MethodNine databases that index literature from the fields of health, psychology, and education were searched to retrieve information on research conducted with children with disabilities aged between 5 years and 18 years. Articles were included if the author(s) reported that participation was an intended outcome of the intervention. The articles included were limited to those reporting high‐level primary research, as defined by Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council evidence hierarchy guidelines. No restrictions were placed on the type of intervention being investigated.ResultsSeven randomized controlled or pseudo‐randomized studies were included. Only three of these studies identified participation as a primary outcome. Both individualized and group‐based approaches to enhancing participation outcomes appeared to be effective. Studies of interventions with a primary focus on body function or activity level outcomes did not demonstrate an effect on participation outcomes.IntepretationFew intervention studies have focused on participation as a primary outcome measure. Approaches using individually tailored education and mentoring programmes were found to enhance participation outcomes, while exercise programmes, where participation was a secondary outcome, generally demonstrated little effect.
Inequality in oral health‐related quality of life before and after a major subsidization reform
Authors: Raittio Eero , Lahti Satu , Kiiskinen Urpo , Helminen Sari , Aromaa Arpo , Suominen Anna L. 
Published: May 2015

In Finland, a dental subsidization reform, implemented in 2001–2002, abolished age restrictions on subsidized dental care. We investigated income‐related inequality in oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) and its determinants among adult Finns before and after the reform. Three cross‐sectional postal surveys, focusing on perceived oral health and the use of dental services among people born before 1971, were conducted in 2001 (n = 2,046), 2004 (n = 1,728), and 2007 (n = 1,560). Five measures, based on the Oral Health Impact Profile‐14, were used as indicators of OHRQoL. Income‐related inequality and associated factors were analysed using the concentration index and its decomposition. Prevalence, extent, and severity of oral health impacts were slightly lower in 2007 than in 2001. The oral health impacts were concentrated, at all study time points, among individuals with lower income. Most of the inequality was related to self‐perceived general health, tooth loss, and income. Contributions of time since the last dental visit and satisfaction with the last treatment period to the inequality decreased from 2001 to 2007. However, the contributions of these factors were already small (10–20%) in 2001. In general, OHRQoL improved slightly; however, no clear or dramatic change in inequality in OHRQoL was seen after the reform.
Electrocaloric Behavior and Temperature‐Dependent Scaling of Dynamic Hysteresis of Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.9Zr0.1O3 Ceramics
Authors: Patel Satyanarayan , Chauhan Aditya , Vaish Rahul 
Published: May 2015

This article presents electrocaloric effect in Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.9Zr0.1O3 (BCTZO) using an indirect approach based on Maxwell's relations. The peak electrocaloric performance is found to be an adiabatic temperature change of 0.41 K with electrocaloric strength of 19 mK cm/kV and a heat carrying capacity of ~0.17 J/g under an electric field of 0–21.5 kV/cm. The ferroelectric hysteresis scaling relations for coercive field (EC), remnant polarization (Pr), and hysteresis area (<A>) as a function of temperature (T) are also systematically investigated. The power‐law temperature exponents are obtained for all the hysteresis parameters. The scaling relations are established as Ec ∝ T−0.6584, Pr ∝ T−1.59, and <A> ∝ T−1.01623. The presented scaling relations are compared with those reported in the literature for other ferroelectric materials.
Clinical outcomes of prostate cancer patients in Yokosuka City, Japan: A comparative study between cases detected by prostate‐specific antigen‐based screening in Yokosuka and those detected by other means
Authors: Sakai Naoki , Taguri Masataka , Kobayashi Kazuki , Noguchi Sumio , Ikeda Shigeru , Koh Hideshige , Satomi Yoshiaki , Furuhata Akihiko 
Published: May 2015

AbstractObjectivesTo investigate whether prostate‐specific antigen‐based screening reduced the prostate cancer mortality rate in Yokosuka, Japan.MethodsWe carried out a cohort study, in which we compared clinical outcomes between patients detected by prostate‐specific antigen‐based screening (S group n = 524) versus those detected by other means (NS group n = 1044). Clinical and pathological factors were evaluated using Cox regression analyses and the Kaplan–Meier method.ResultsA total of 1.5% (8/524) of patients in the S group and 6.7% (70/1044) of those in the NS group died from prostate cancer during follow up. A total of 8.0% (42/524) of patients in the S group and 11.4% (119/1044) in the NS group died from other causes. The 10‐year cancer specific survival rates of the S and NS groups were 97% and 86%, respectively (P < 0.001). The median age was significantly lower in the S group than the NS group: 71 and 73 years, respectively (P < 0.001). The rate of Gleason score 8–10 was significantly lower in the S group than the NS group: 9.7% and 16.7%, respectively (P < 0.001). The rate of patients with metastasis or prostate‐specific antigen 100 ng/mL or more was significantly lower in the S group than the NS group: 7.8% and 23.0%, respectively (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, Gleason score 8–10 compared with Gleason score 6 was independently associated with cancer‐specific survival (hazard ratio 4.808, 95% confidence interval 1.044–22.14, P = 0.044).ConclusionsProstate‐specific antigen‐based population screening in Yokosuka City might help to reduce the prostate cancer mortality rate.
Scale development study: The Fluid Control in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Albayrak Cosar Arife , Cinar Pakyuz Sezgi 
Published: May 2015

AbstractAimThe aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable measurement instrument to identify knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes of hemodialysis (HD) patients about fluid control as these patients are inadequate in ensuring and sustaining fluid control.MethodsThe sample of this methodological study consisted of 276 HD patients who are being treated in two public and two private hemodialysis centers. The validity of the scale was assessed through content validity, construct validity, and similar scale validity, and its reliability through item analysis, internal consistency coefficient and test–retest. For the content validity of the scale, expert views were assessed, and opinions of a Turkish language specialist were obtained.ResultsAccording to the exploratory factor analysis, the scale had 24 items and three subdimensions, namely, knowledge, behavior, and attitude. The total variance explained was found to be 51.15%. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of the Fluid Control in Hemodialysis Patients Scale (FCHPS) turned out to be 0.88 and Cronbach's alpha for its subdimensions were 0.92, 0.80, and 0.67, respectively. The correlation value between test and retest was 0.94 (P < 0.001). A moderate significant correlation (r = 0.58, P < 0.001) was found between the scale scores and the scores of the Dialysis Diet and Fluid Restrictions Non‐adherence Questionnaire.ConclusionThe FCHPS that was developed has good validity and reliability. This scale can be used to measure knowledge, behavior, and attitude of hemodialysis patients about fluid restriction.
Experience with recombinant activated factor VII for severe post‐partum hemorrhage in Japan, investigated by Perinatology Committee, Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Authors: Murakami Maki , Kobayashi Takao , Kubo Takahiko , Hata Toshiyuki , Takeda Satoru , Masuzaki Hideaki 
Published: May 2015

AbstractAimTo investigate the utility of recombinant activated Factor VII (rFVIIa) for severe post‐partum hemorrhage (PPH) in Japan.MethodsWe studied 69 patients treated with rFVIIa for severe PPH; 44 patients were from the registry of Japan Society of Obstetrical, Gynecological and Neonatal Hematology, and 25 were identified by a survey of the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.ResultsOverall, the mean and median blood loss were 11 835 mL and 8639 mL, respectively. Treatment before rFVIIa included transarterial embolization in 23 patients and hysterectomy in 38. Forty‐two patients had a single dose, 17 had two doses, and four had three doses. The mean (± SD) single dose was 81.60 ± 16.25 µg/kg. Sixty‐five patients survived, and four died. The cause of PPH in patients who died was uterine rupture plus amniotic fluid embolism in two patients, uterine cervical laceration in one, and placental abruption in one. The amount of blood loss in cases of death was 6428–43 810 mL. This suggested that whether a patient survives or not was more dependent on her general condition before and after rFVIIa treatment than on the amount of blood loss. Four patients had thromboembolic events after rFVIIa treatment (deep vein thrombosis; deep vein thrombosis plus pulmonary embolism; acute myocardial infarction; and pulmonary embolism); all of these patients recovered.ConclusionThe present promising results may support the utility of rFVIIa for severe PPH in Japan.
The acute phase response induced by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide modifies the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of florfenicol in rabbits
Authors: Pérez R. , Palma C. , Burgos R. , Jeldres J. A. , Espinoza A. , Peñailillo A. K. 
Published: May 2015

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced acute phase response (APR) on the pharmaco‐kinetics and biotransformation of florfenicol (FFC) in rabbits. Six rabbits (3.0 ± 0.08 kg body weight (bw)) were distributed through a crossover design with 4 weeks of washout period. Pairs of rabbits similar in bw and sex were assigned to experimental groups: Group 1 (LPS) was treated with three intravenous doses of 1 μg/kg bw of E. coli LPS at intervals of 6 h, and Group 2 (control) was treated with an equivalent volume of saline solution (SS) at the same intervals and frequency of Group 1. At 24 h after the first injection of LPS or SS, an intravenous bolus of 20 mg/kg bw of FFC was administered. Blood samples were collected from the auricular vein before drug administration and at different times between 0.05 and 24.0 h after treatment. FFC and florfenicol‐amine (FFC‐a) were extracted from the plasma, and their concentrations were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography. A noncompartmental pharmacokinetic model was used for data analysis, and data were compared using the paired Student t‐test. The mean values of AUC0–∞ in the endotoxaemic rabbits (26.3 ± 2.7 μg·h/mL) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than values observed in healthy rabbits (17.2 ± 0.97 μg·h/mL). The total mean plasma clearance (CLT) decreased from 1228 ± 107.5 mL·h/kg in the control group to 806.4 ± 91.4 mL·h/kg in the LPS‐treated rabbits. A significant increase (P < 0.05) in the half‐life of elimination was observed in the endotoxaemic rabbits (5.59 ± 1.14 h) compared to the values observed in healthy animals (3.44 ± 0.57 h). In conclusion, the administration of repeated doses of 1 μg/kg E. coli LPS induced an APR in rabbits, producing significant modifications in plasma concentrations of FFC leading to increases in the AUC, terminal half‐life and mean residence time (MRT), but a significant decrease in CLT of the drug. As a consequence of the APR induced by LPS, there was a reduction in the metabolic conversion of FFC to their metabolite FFC‐a in the liver, suggesting that the mediators released during the APR induced significant inhibitory effects on the hepatic drug‐metabolizing enzymes.
Short‐Term Heparin Kinetics during Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: GABUS VINCENT , ROLLIN ANNE , MAURY PHILIPPE , FORCLAZ ANDREI , PASCALE PATRIZIO , DHUTIA HARSHIL , BISCH LAURENCE , PRUVOT ETIENNE 
Published: May 2015

BackgroundPercutaneous catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (CA‐AF) is a treatment option for symptomatic drug‐refractory atrial fibrillation (AF). CA‐AF carries a risk for thromboembolic complications that has been minimized by the use of intraprocedural intravenous unfractionated heparin (UFH). The optimal administration of UFH as well as its kinetics are not well established and need to be precisely determined.Methods and ResultsA total 102 of consecutive patients suffering from symptomatic drug‐refractory AF underwent CA‐AF. The mean age was 61 ± 10 years old. After transseptal puncture of the fossa ovalis, weight‐adjusted UFH bolus (100 U/kg) was infused. A significant increase in activated clotting time (ACT) was observed from an average value of 100 ± 27 seconds at baseline, to 355 ± 94 seconds at 10 min (T10), to 375 ± 90 seconds at 20 min (T20). Twenty‐four patients failed to reach the targeted ACT value of ≥300 seconds at T10 and more than half of these remained with subtherapeutic ACT values at T20. This subset of patients showed similar clinical characteristics and amount of UFH but were more frequently prescribed preprocedural vitamin K1 than the rest of the study population.ConclusionsIn a typical intervention setting, UFH displays unexpected slow anticoagulation kinetics in a significant proportion of procedures up to 20 minutes after infusion. These findings support the infusion of UFH before transseptal puncture or any left‐sided catheterization with early ACT measurements to identify patients with delayed kinetics. They are in line with recent guidelines to perform CA‐AF under therapeutic anticoagulation.
Wireless Ultrasound Guidance for Femoral Venous Cannulation in Electrophysiology: Impact on Safety, Efficacy, and Procedural Delay
Authors: RODRÍGUEZ MUÑOZ DANIEL , FRANCO DÍEZ EDUARDO , MORENO JAVIER , LUMIA GIUSEPPE , CARBONELL SAN ROMÁN ALEJANDRA , SEGURA DE LA CAL TERESA , MATÍA FRANCÉS ROBERTO , HERNÁNDEZ MADRID ANTONIO , ZAMORANO GÓMEZ JOSÉ LUIS 
Published: May 2015

BackgroundUltrasound (US) guidance increases safety and efficacy in vascular cannulation and is considered the standard of care. However, barriers including workflow interference and the need to be assisted by a second operator limit its adoption in clinical routine. The use of wireless US (WUS) may overcome these barriers. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a novel WUS probe during its initial implantation in an electrophysiology (EP) laboratory.MethodsThirty‐six patients requiring femoral venous cannulation for EP procedures were included in this single center, prospective, observational study, comparing WUS guidance with the anatomical landmark approach. The primary endpoint was time to successful cannulation. Secondary endpoints included rate of unsuccessful punctures, accidental arterial punctures, and workflow interference.ResultsCompared with anatomical landmark approach, WUS guidance significantly reduced mean time to successful cannulation (87.3 ± 94.3 vs 238.1 ± 294.7 seconds, P < 0.01). Workflow interference was predominantly nonexistent or mild and decreased after the first three weeks of use. In addition, WUS guidance improved safety and efficacy, reducing the rate of accidental arterial punctures (0.02 ± 0.1 vs 0.25 ± 0.5 arterial punctures per cannulation, P < 0.05) and unsuccessful attempts (0.26 ± 0.8 vs 1.75 ± 2.1 attempts per cannulation, P < 0.01).ConclusionsWUS guidance resulted in faster, safer, and more effective femoral venous cannulation than the anatomical landmark approach without adding significant workflow interference. The application of wireless technology in this setting contributed to overcoming some of the barriers preventing a more widespread clinical use of US guidance.
Systems biology and metabolic modelling unveils limitations to polyhydroxybutyrate accumulation in sugarcane leaves; lessons for C4 engineering
Authors: McQualter Richard B. , Bellasio Chandra , Gebbie Leigh K. , Petrasovits Lars A. , Palfreyman Robin W. , Hodson Mark P. , Plan Manuel R. , Blackman Deborah M. , Brumbley Stevens M. , Nielsen Lars K. 
Published: May 2015

SummaryIn planta production of the bioplastic polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is one important way in which plant biotechnology can address environmental problems and emerging issues related to peak oil. However, high biomass C4 plants such as maize, switch grass and sugarcane develop adverse phenotypes including stunting, chlorosis and reduced biomass as PHB levels in leaves increase. In this study, we explore limitations to PHB accumulation in sugarcane chloroplasts using a systems biology approach, coupled with a metabolic model of C4 photosynthesis. Decreased assimilation was evident in high PHB‐producing sugarcane plants, which also showed a dramatic decrease in sucrose and starch content of leaves. A subtle decrease in the C/N ratio was found which was not associated with a decrease in total protein content. An increase in amino acids used for nitrogen recapture was also observed. Based on the accumulation of substrates of ATP‐dependent reactions, we hypothesized ATP starvation in bundle sheath chloroplasts. This was supported by mRNA differential expression patterns. The disruption in ATP supply in bundle sheath cells appears to be linked to the physical presence of the PHB polymer which may disrupt photosynthesis by scattering photosynthetically active radiation and/or physically disrupting thylakoid membranes.