bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Communication and Mass Vaccination Strategies After Pertussis Outbreak in Rural Amish Communities—Illinois, 2009–2010
Authors: Medina‐Marino Andrew , Reynolds Debra , Finley Carol , Hays Susan , Jones Jane , Soyemi Kenneth 
Published: March 2013

AbstractPurposeDuring January 2010, 2 infants from an Amish community in east‐central Illinois were hospitalized with pertussis. The local health department (LDH) intervened to control disease transmission, identify contributing factors, and determine best communications methods to improve vaccination coverage.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted using public health surveillance data to determine the extent of the outbreak; the standard Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists case definition for pertussis was used. The standardized Illinois Department of Public Health pertussis patient interview form was used to collect demographic, symptom, vaccination history, and treatment history information. To control disease transmission, LDH staff worked with the Amish community to promote a vaccination campaign during February 6–April 30, 2010.FindingsForty‐seven cases were identified, with onsets during December 2009–March 2010. Median age was 7 (interquartile range 1–12) years. Nineteen (40%) patients were male; 39 (83%) were aged <18 years; 37 (79%) had not received any pertussis‐containing vaccine. Presenting symptoms did not differ substantially between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. Duration of cough was longer among unvaccinated than vaccinated patients (32 vs 15.5 days, P = .002). Compared with vaccinated patients, proportionately more unvaccinated patients reported secondary household transmission (30% vs 72%; P = .012). Through enhanced vaccination campaigns, 251 (∼10%) Amish community members were administered 254 pertussis‐containing vaccines.ConclusionsTargeted health communication and outreach resulted in a successful vaccine campaign and long‐running monthly vaccination clinic. Amish do not universally reject vaccines, and their practices regarding vaccination are not static.
A guided feeding intervention for mothers of preterm infants: Two case studies
Authors: Brown Lisa F. , Pickler Rita 
Published: March 2013

AbstractPurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine how mothers of preterm infants perceive the feasibility and acceptability of a guided feeding intervention.Design and MethodsIn this multiple case study design, feasibility was assessed by retention of participants through all intervention sessions. Acceptability was assessed with a semi‐structured interview.ResultsParticipants found the intervention useful for demonstrating and explaining behaviors that facilitate feeding, and helpful in dispelling previous, erroneous understandings about infant behaviors.Practice ImplicationsThe results are encouraging. The intervention was found to be both feasible and acceptable. The effectiveness of this intervention needs to be assessed in a randomized controlled trial.
Efficacy of petrolatum jelly for the prevention of diaper rash: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Alonso Carmen , Larburu Isabel , Bon Esther , González Mari Mar , Iglesias María Teresa , Urreta Iratxe , Emparanza Jose I. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractPurposeTo assess the efficacy of petrolatum jelly for the prevention of diaper rash and to evaluate the relationship between the occurrence of diaper rash and certain treatments and type of nutrition.Design and MethodsA randomized clinical trial was carried out with two parallel groups (n = 213) at the neonatal care unit of Donostia University Hospital in San Sebastián, Guipuzcoa Province, Spain.ResultsThere was a lower incidence of diaper rash in the experimental group with petrolatum jelly (17.1%) than the control group (22.2%), but the difference was not statistically significant (p =.39). The use of antibiotics and oral 50% glucose as well as an increased number of stools are associated with a higher incidence of diaper rash, while breastfeeding and phototherapy are protective factors.Practice ImplicationsPrevention is strengthened by a better understanding of the risk factors.
Development of an in‐home standardized end‐of‐life treatment program for pediatric patients dying of brain tumors
Authors: Arland Lesley C. , Hendricks‐Ferguson Verna L. , Pearson Joanne , Foreman Nicholas K. , Madden Jennifer R. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractPurposeTo evaluate an end‐of‐life (EOL) program related to specific outcomes (i.e., number of hospitalizations and place of death) for children with brain tumors.Design and MethodsFrom 1990 to 2005, a retrospective chart review was performed related to specified outcomes for 166 children with admission for pediatric brain tumors.ResultsPatients who received the EOL program were hospitalized less often (n = 114; chi‐square = 5.001 with df = 1, p <.05) than patients who did not receive the program.Practice ImplicationsAn EOL program may improve symptom management and decrease required hospital admissions for children with brain tumors.
A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial of Vincristine versus Human Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Acute Adjunctive Management of Presumptive Primary Immune‐Mediated Thrombocytopenia in Dogs
Authors: Balog K. , Huang A.A. , Sum S.O , Moore G.E. , Thompson C. , Scott‐Moncrieff J.C. 
Published: March 2013

BackgroundDogs with immune‐mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP) are at risk of hemorrhage when platelet count is <50,000/μL. Treatment with vincristine (VINC) or human intravenous immunoglobulin (hIVIG) decreases platelet recovery time compared with treatment with corticosteroids alone.ObjectivesTo compare the effect ofhIVIGversus VINC on platelet recovery in dogs withITP.MethodsProspective, randomized study. Twenty dogs with idiopathic ITP (platelet count <16,000/μL) were enrolled. All dogs were treated with corticosteroids. Dogs were randomly assigned to receive a single dose ofhIVIG(0.5 g/kg) or VINC (0.02 mg/kg). Outcome measures were platelet recovery time, duration of hospitalization, and survival to discharge.ResultsThere was no significant difference in age, sex, weight, or initial platelet count between dogs treated withhIVIG(n = 10) and dogs treated with VINC (n = 10). Median platelet recovery time for both groups was 2.5 days (P = .51). Median hospitalization time for all dogs that survived to discharge was 4 days and not different between groups (P = .29). Seven of 10 dogs in thehIVIGgroup and 10 of 10 in the VINC group survived to discharge. Survival analysis did not identify any significant difference between the groups at discharge, 6 months, and 1 year after entry into the study. No adverse effects were reported in either group.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceVincristine should be the first‐line adjunctive treatment for the acute management of canine ITP because of lower cost and ease of administration compared with human intravenous immunoglobulin (hIVIG).
The role of transient elastography in the detection of liver disease in patients with chronic pancreatitis
Authors: Frossard Jean Louis , Giostra Emiliano , Rubbia‐Brandt Laura , Hadengue Antoine , Spahr Laurent 
Published: March 2013

AbstractBackground & AimsQuantification of liver stiffness with transient elastography (TE) is validated for staging hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C infection. The current study was aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of liver stiffness measurement for the determination of fibrosis stage in patients with chronic pancreatitis.MethodsThirty consecutive patients with chronic pancreatitis and increased liver enzyme were enrolled over a 2.5‐year period. Eight liver living donor candidates were recruited to serve as internal controls. The TE values were compared with non‐invasive fibrosis scoring systems including aspartate transaminase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio, APRI, non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD score, FIB‐4 index and to liver histology.ResultsTE was successful in all patients. Stiffness values ranged from 3.1 to 69 kPa (mean 16.9). Liver stiffness was correlated with fibrosis stage (Spearman's correlation 0.73, P < 0.0001). Areas under receiver operator characteristics curves for fibrosis F = 4 were 0.92 for TE, 0.87 for FIB‐4 index, 0.81 for APRI, 0.73 for NAFLD score and 0.71 for AST/ALT ratio. Optimal stiffness cut‐off values for diagnosis fibrosis F = 4 was 10.9 kPa, with 90% sensitivity, 85% specificity and 86% accuracy.ConclusionOur study provides for the first time evidence that liver stiffness in patients with chronic pancreatitis and concomitant cholestasis can be measured by TE.
TAM Split Ergativity, Part I
Authors: Coon Jessica 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThis article surveys empirical and theoretical work on Tense‐Aspect‐Mood (‘‘TAM’’) based split ergativity, and offers an account for how it arises. While these splits are typically assumed to represent a unified phenomenon, I demonstrate that non‐ergative portions of split systems exhibit different patterns. I argue that these patterns reflect at least two different triggers of split ergativity: (i) non‐perfective aspects are more likely to be built on complex auxiliary constructions, and (ii) imperfectivity is associated with demoted objects or lower transitivity. Both causes trigger the same result: in the ‘‘split’’ portions of the grammar the transitive subject is not marked with ergative case because it is not a transitive subject. This structural account of split ergativity allows us to avoid positing variable feature inventories on the same functional head (cf. Ura 2006), and also provides a straight‐forward account of the so‐called ‘‘counter‐universal’’ splits (Gildea and de Castro Alves 2010), which cause problems for purely functionalist accounts (e.g. DeLancey 1981). Furthermore, it is shown that the factors which trigger these splits are not limited to ergative languages, but are present cross‐linguistically—they are not visible in nominative‐accusative systems because (by definition) there is no visible difference between transitive and intransitive subjects. The prevalence of splits in ergative systems is thus not taken to reflect any deep instability of ergativity.
Input to Language: The Phonetics and Perception of Infant‐Directed Speech
Authors: Cristia Alejandrina 
Published: March 2013

AbstractOver the first year of life, infant perception changes radically as the child learns the phonology of the ambient language from the speech she is exposed to. Since infant‐directed speech attracts the child's attention more than other registers, it is necessary to describe that input in order to understand language development, and to address questions of learnability. In this review, evidence from corpora analyses, experimental studies, and observational paradigms is brought together to outline the first comprehensive empirical picture of infant‐directed speech and its effects on language acquisition. The ensuing landscape suggests that infant‐directed speech provides an emotionally and linguistically rich input to language acquisition.
A pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) metacaspase 9 (Camc9) plays a role in pathogen‐induced cell death in plants
Authors: Kim Su‐Min , Bae Chungyun , Oh Sang‐Keun , Choi Doil 
Published: March 2013

SummaryMetacaspases, which belong to the cysteine‐typeC14 protease family, are most structurally similar to mammalian caspases than any other caspase‐like protease in plants.Atmc9 (Arabidopsis thalianametacaspase 9) has a unique domain structure, and distinct biochemical characteristics, such asCa2+binding,pH, redox status,S‐nitrosylation and specific protease inhibitors. However, the biological roles ofAtmc9in plant–pathogen interactions remain largely unknown. In this study, a metacaspase gene present as a single copy in the pepper genome, and sharing 54% amino acid sequence identity withAtmc9, was isolated and namedCapsicum annuummetacaspase 9 (Camc9).Camc9 encodes a 318‐amino‐acid polypeptide with an estimated molecular weight of 34.6 kDa, and shares approximately 40% amino acid sequence identity with known typeIImetacaspases in plants. Quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction analyses revealed that the expression ofCamc9was induced by infections ofXanthomonas campestrispv.vesicatoriarace 1 and race 3 and treatment with methyl jasmonate. Suppression ofCamc9expression using virus‐induced gene silencing enhanced disease resistance and suppressed cell death symptom development following infection with virulent bacterial pathogens. By contrast, overexpression ofCamc9by transient or stable transformation enhanced disease susceptibility and pathogen‐induced cell death by regulation of reactive oxygen species production and defence‐related gene expression. These results suggest thatCamc9is a possible member of the metacaspase gene family and plays a role as a positive regulator of pathogen‐induced cell death in the plant kingdom.
Atrial fibrillation and warfarin use in haemodialysis patients: An individualized holistic approach is important in stroke prevention
Authors: Thet Zaw , Vilayur Eswari 
Published: March 2013

AbstractIncidence and prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is higher in haemodialysis (HD) population than general population. AF is associated with higher morbidity and mortality than sinus rhythm in this population. The purpose of this review is to summarize all available evidence regarding use of warfarin in HD patients with AF for stroke prevention. The enormous heterogeneity of available studies does not allow pooling of the data in the form of meta‐analysis or systematic review. Current evidence regarding use of warfarin for AF in terms of risk benefit ratio in this population is limited and conflicting. Randomized control trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of anticoagulation in this population by means of risk/benefit assessment tools are urgently needed. However, suitable HD patients with AF should be counselled on their likelihood of reduction of stroke risk and experiencing side‐effects before initiating anticoagulant therapy. It is particularly important to incorporate the patient's preferences and willingness to trade off benefit and risk in stroke prevention. An individualized holistic approach optimizing all potential risk factors of bleeding and ischemic stroke in HD patients with AF is recommended.
Parental factors associated with obesity in children with disability: a systematic review
Authors: McGillivray J. , McVilly K. , Skouteris H. , Boganin C. 
Published: March 2013

SummaryThe current literature on obesity in typically developing children shows that the family context, and specifically the way parents parent their children are major determinants of childhood obesity. The influence of these factors on obesity in children with disability, however, remains unclear. A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to identify the parental and parenting risk factors associated with obesity in children and adolescents with disability. Articles were identified through Medline, Academic Search Complete, PsycINFO, ProQuest, ISI, CINAHL, Cochrane and Scopus databases. There was no restriction on publication dates. The inclusion criteria were empirical papers that tested associations between parental and parenting risk factors and obesity in children and adolescents with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. Only 11 studies met the selection criteria and subsequently included in this review. Results suggest that obesity in children and adolescents with disability may be associated with socioeconomic status; parents' body mass index, perception and attitude towards their children's weight and physical activity; and levels of activity in both parents and children. Firm conclusions about these associations cannot be reached, however, due to mixed findings and methodological limitations of the studies. Recommendations for future research are provided.
Molecular markers for late blight resistance breeding of potato: an update
Authors: Tiwari Jagesh K. , Siddappa Sundaresha , Singh Bir Pal , Kaushik Surinder K. , Chakrabarti Swarup K. , Bhardwaj Vinay , Chandel Poonam 
Published: March 2013

AbstractLate blight is the most devastating disease of the potato crop that can be effectively managed by growing resistant cultivars. Introgression of resistance (R) genes/quantitative trait loci (QTLs) from the Solanum germplasm into common potato is one of the plausible approaches to breed resistant cultivars. Although the conventional method of breeding will continue to play a primary role in potato improvement, molecular marker technology is becoming one of its integral components. To achieve rapid success, from the past to recent years, several R genes/QTLs that originated from wild/cultivated Solanum species were mapped on the potato genome and a few genes were cloned using molecular approaches. As a result, molecular markers closely linked to resistance genes or QTLs offer a quicker potato breeding option through marker‐assisted selection (MAS). However, limited progress has been achieved so far through MAS in potato breeding. In near future, new resistance genes/QTLs are expected to be discovered from wild Solanum gene pools and linked molecular markers would be available for MAS. This article presents an update on the development of molecular markers linked to late blight resistance genes or QTLs by utilization of Solanum species for MAS in potato.
Nutrient discharge from aquaculture operations in function of system design and production environment
Authors: Verdegem Marc C. J. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractIn aquaculture, nutrient loading is defined as the difference between nutrients supplied with fertilizers and feed and nutrients harvested in the form of finfish, crustaceans, molluscs and seaweeds. On average, the production of finfish and crustaceans results in a net nutrient loading, while for the production of molluscs and seaweeds the nutrient loading is negative. In marine and brackish water aquaculture, on a global scale, more nutrients are extracted than added to the environment. However, in freshwater, more nutrients are loaded than extracted. In 2008, the global aquaculture production of finfish and crustaceans resulted in an environmental loading of 1.7 million metric tonnes of nitrogen (N) and 0.46 million metric tonnes of phosphorus (P). This nitrogen loading represents 0.9% of the human input to the N‐cycle and 0.4% of the global N‐cycle. For phosphorus, the loading from finfish and crustacean aquaculture represents 2.3% of the global annual fertilizer supply. With cage aquaculture, nutrients are directly discharged to the environment. Mitigation measures should be shared equally between all polluters involved. For land‐based aquaculture, the development of water re‐use systems is still in its infancy. Although still a minor contributor to global aquaculture production, recirculation technology shows that control and mitigation of pollution from aquaculture is possible. A 15–20 year goal should be to have all inland aquaculture operations applying water re‐use and purification technology and generating useful (waste) outputs in addition to standard aquaculture products.
Southward expansion of the Chilean salmon industry in the Patagonian Fjords: main environmental challenges
Authors: Niklitschek Edwin J. , Soto Doris , Lafon Alejandra , Molinet Carlos , Toledo Pamela 
Published: March 2013

AbstractChile is the second largest producer of farmed salmon in the world. After reaching a peak harvest of 631 000 tonnes in 2008, a severe sanitary and production crisis triggered a major legal and operational reorganization, and an imminent expansion of the industry into the Aysén Fjords System (AFS). This expansion has caused increasing national and international concern about its potential negative impact upon this pristine area, which holds a mosaic of unique ecosystems and three World Biosphere Reserves. This paper reviews and provides some upper bounds to potential impacts under two feasible production scenarios. It is concluded that severe but highly localized mid‐term damage to the sea‐floor bottom may affect up to 6200 ha. Although this surface area represents only 0.5% of the AFS, the high heterogeneity and limited scientific knowledge of local ecosystems increase the risks of damaging sensitive habitats, communities or populations. While additional inputs of up to 60 000 t of nitrogen and 8000 t of phosphorus can be predicted, the estimation of carrying capacities is a pendant and urgent task to be accomplished in this area. If current escape rates are not reduced, the average number of escaped salmon may exceed 4.4 million individuals each year, able to consume up to 6600 t of pelagic prey from local ecosystems. We recommend following a strict precautionary approach, not granting new farming leases until sufficient information about the risk and magnitude of these impacts is obtained and transformed into effective management actions.
Non‐invasive biomarkers in exacerbations of obstructive lung disease
Authors: Warwick Geoffrey , Thomas Paul S , Yates Deborah H 
Published: March 2013

AbstractBackground and objectiveCurrent methods of diagnosing exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) shed little light on their aetiology or pathophysiology. This study aimed to define the inflammatory biomarker profile of subjects with obstructive lung disease and to compare these with control subjects also with respiratory infections, using exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and induced sputum biomarker analysis.MethodsEBC, induced sputum and C‐reactive protein were collected from subjects with exacerbations of asthma (n = 28), exacerbations of COPD (n = 29) and otherwise healthy controls with symptoms of respiratory tract infection (n = 28). Subjects were tested again after recovery. EBC and induced sputum were analysed for protein, hydrogen peroxide, interferon gamma inducible protein‐10 (IP‐10), neopterin, interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐8, leukotriene B4 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α. Sputum cell counts and EBC pH were also analysed.ResultsEBC pH was significantly lower in exacerbation compared with recovery (5.54 0.07 vs 6.04 ± 0.08; P < 0.001). The novel markers IP‐10 and neopterin were significantly increased in induced sputum supernatant (pooled groups pre and post exacerbation: IP‐10: 188.6 ± 102.1 vs 5.40 ± 1.28 pg/mL, P = 0.006; neopterin: 15.81 ± 2.50 vs 5.38 ± 0.45 nmol/L, P < 0.0001), as was TNF‐α (137.8 ± 49.64 vs 71.56 ± 45.03 pg/mL, P = 0.018). Few other biomarkers proved significantly different in exacerbation, although C‐reactive protein was raised.ConclusionsNon‐invasive biomarker assessment may provide useful information in exacerbation of obstructive lung diseases, particularly sputum IP‐10 and neopterin and EBC pH.