bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of high mobility group box 1 protein as a presurgical diagnostic marker reflecting the severity of acute appendicitis
Authors: Wu Chuanxin , Sun Hang , Wang Hongliang , Chi Junmeng , Liu Qi , Guo Hui , Gong Jianping 
Published: September 2012

Abstract

Objectives
To validate the role of high mobility group box-1(HMGB1) in diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA) with different pathological severity.

Methods
According to the pathologically diagnosis, 150 patients underwent appendectomies between Jan. 2007 and Dec, 2010 were divided into acute simple, acute suppurative and acute gangrenous appendicitis as group 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Each patient group contains 50 sex and age matched cases to make comparison with 50 healthy volunteers. The mRNA and protein expression levels of serum HMGB1 were determined by real-time quantitative PCR and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were determined by rate nephelometric immunoassay.

Results
In comparison with health volunteers, relative HMGB1 mRNA levels in group 1, 2 and 3 were significantly increased 3.05 ± 0.51,8.33 ± 0.75 and 13.74 ± 1.09 folds, reflecting a tendency of augmented severity. In accordance, serum protein levels of HMGB1 were 10.97 ± 1.64, 14.42 ± 1.56 and 18.08 ± 2.41 ng/ml in 3 patient groups, which are significantly higher than that of healthy volunteers’ 5.47 ± 0.73 ng/ml. hs-CRP levels were 12.85 ± 3.41, 21.04 ± 1.98 and 31.07 ± 5.46 ng/ml in 3 patients groups compared with 2.06 ± 0.77 ng/ml in controls. The concentrations of HMGB1 and hs-CRP were both positively correlated with disease severity.

Conclusion
Serum HMGB1 constitutes as a valuable marker in diagnosis of AA. Positively correlated with hs-CRP level, mRNA and protein expression of HMGB1 to a certain extent reflected the severity of AA.
Evaluation of the Scandinavian guidelines for head injuries based on a consecutive series with computed tomography from a Norwegian university hospital
Authors: Strand Ingrid Haavde , Solheim Ole , Moen Kent Gøran , Vik Anne 
Published: September 2012

Abstract

Background
This study prospectively assesses clinical characteristics and management of consecutive minimal, mild and moderate head injury patients referred for CT scans. Compliance with the Scandinavian head injury guidelines and possible reasons for non-compliance is explored.

Methods
From January 16th 2006 to January 15th 2007, 1325 computed tomography (CT) examinations due to minimal, mild or moderate head injury according to the Head Injury Severity Scale (HISS) were carried out at our University Hospital. When ordering a CT scan due to head trauma, physicians were asked to fill out a questionnaire.

Results
Guideline compliance was impossible to assess in 49.5% of all cases. This was due to non-assessable or missing key variables necessary in the decision making algorithm. One or more key variables for HISS classification were not assessable in 34.4% as it was unknown whether there had been loss of consciousness (LOC), duration of LOC was unknown or it was impossible to assess amnesia or focal neurologic deficits. Definite compliance with both CT and admittance recommendations in guidelines was seen in only 31.2%. In 54.2% of patients with minimal head injuries who underwent CT scans, imaging was not necessary according to guidelines. 59.1% of all patients were admitted to hospital, however only 23.7% of these were admitted because of the head-injury alone. Age < 4 years, possible medical cause of injuries, severe headache/nausea or vomiting and the presence of non-traumatic CT findings were independently associated with non-assessable compliance with Scandinavian guidelines. Suspicion of influence of alcohol was inversely associated to non-compliance.

Conclusions
Despite the prospective study design, guideline compliance was not assessable in nearly half of the patients. Patients with isolated head injuries and available and obtainable complete clinical information necessary for guideline-based decision making are not dominating in a head injury population.
Tamanu oil - an alternative fuel for variable compression ratio engine
Authors: Raj Mohan T , Kandasamy Murugumohan Kumar K 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
Biodiesel can be produced from vegetable oils and also from waste fats. Biodiesel is a mono-alkyl-ester of long chain fatty acids derived from renewable feedstock such as vegetable oils by transesterification process. The esterified cotton seed oil, pungam oil, rice bran oil, and tamanu oil are chosen as the alternative fuels. Among these oils, tamanu oil is considered for the first time as an alternative fuel. An experiment is conducted to obtain the operating characteristics of the variable compression ratio (VCR) engine run by chosen esterified oils, and the results are compared with esterified tamanu oil. From the comparison of results, it is inferred that the engine performance is improved with significant reduction in emissions for the chosen oils without any engine modification. The effective compression ratio can be fixed based on the experimental results obtained in the engine since the findings of the present research work infer that the biodiesel obtained from tamanu oil is a promising alternative fuel for direct-injection four-stroke VCR engine.
A Kinetic Study on Nucleophilic Displacement Reactions of Phenyl Y-Substituted-Phenyl Carbonates with Alkali Metal Ethoxides: Metal Ion Effect and Reaction Mechanism
Authors: Um Ik-Hwan , Seo Ji-Yoon , Kang Ji-Sun , An Jun-Sung 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
Pseudo-first-order rate constants (kobsd) have been measured for reactions of phenyl Y-substituted-phenyl carbonates with alkali metal ethoxides (EtOM, M = Li, Na, and K). The plot of kobsd vs. [EtOM] curves upward for the reaction of diphenyl carbonate with EtOM but is linear for that with EtOK in the presence of 18-crown-6-ether (18C6), indicating that the reaction is catalyzed by M+ ions and the catalytic effect disappears in the presence of 18C6. The kobsd values for the reactions with EtOK have been dissected into kEtO and kEtOK, i.e., the second-order rate constants for the reactions with dissociated EtO− and ion-paired EtOK, respectively. The Hammett plots correlated with σ− and σ constants exhibit highly scattered points, while the Yukawa–Tsuno plots result in an excellent linear correlation with ρ = 2.11 and r = 0.21 for kEtO -, and ρ = 1.62 and r = 0.26 for kEtOK, implying that the reaction proceeds through a concerted mechanism. The catalytic effect (i.e., the kEtOK/kEtO - ratio) is independent of the electronic nature of the substituent Y. Thus, it has been concluded that K+ ion catalyzes the reaction by increasing the electrophilicity of the reaction center.
Comparative Spectroscopic Studies of Iron(III) and Manganese(III) Salen Complexes Having a Weakly Coordinating Triflate Axial Ligand
Authors: Kurahashi Takuya , Fujii Hiroshi 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
We thoroughly compared spectroscopic and magnetic properties of mononuclear iron(III) and manganese(III) complexes with symmetric and nonsymmetrical salen ligands, in order to investigate the relation between spectroscopic properties and electronic structures. Magnetic susceptibility and dual-mode electron paramagnetic resonance data show the assignment of [FeIII(salen)(OTf)] and [MnIII(salen)(OTf)] as high-spin S = 5/2 and S = 2 electronic configurations, respectively, irrespective of the electron-donating properties and symmetry of the salen ligand. Further insights into electronic structures of central metal are obtained from 2H NMR spectra of selectively deuterated complexes, in which [FeIII(salen)(OTf)] and [MnIII(salen)(OTf)] exhibit well-resolved paramagnetic NMR signals of quite different shift patterns, due to the presence or absence of the unpaired electron in the dx2 - y2 orbital expected for S = 5/2 iron(III) or S = 2 manganese(III) centers.
Intellectual poverty and theory building in African mass communication research
Authors: M’ Bayo Ritchard Tamba , Sunday Oloruntola , Amobi Ifeoma 
Published: September 2012

After years of heated controversy over philosophical orientations among communication researchers, a consensus seems to have emerged that recognizes the value of both the American and Europeans traditions. It was in the wake of the ‘ferment’ debates among communication scholars
in the late 1970s and early 1980s that African communication scholars also started to take stock of their field and take a closer look at their historical and cultural experiences. In trying to situate their own unique perspectives within the study of communication, these scholars lamented
the paucity of authentic African theoretical perspectives.
All human communication behaviour is grounded in culture. Hence, authentic African communication theories attempt to explain such behaviour from the African cultural context. Over the years, however, African communication researchers
engaged more in ‘reactive scholarship’ than in original theory building and relied largely on Eurocentric theories to explain African realities. Our study seeks to assess what progress has been made towards theory building among African communication scholars, and to determine
whether such efforts still remain largely ‘reactive’, consist-ing mainly of criticisms of Eurocentric models and theories.
The data revealed that after 30 years of debate on the ferment in communication research, there is still a gaping hole in African communication research,
one that is devoid of authentic African communication theories that reflect the cultural, linguis-tic and social cleavages of the African society.
Dependence properties of dynamic credit risk models
Authors: Bäuerle Nicole , Schmock Uwe 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
We give a unified mathematical framework for reduced-form models for portfolio credit risk and identify properties which lead to positive dependence of default times. Dependence in the default hazard rates is modeled by common macroeconomic factors as well as by inter-obligor links. It is shown that popular models produce positive dependence between defaults in terms of association. Implications of these results are discussed, in particular when we turn to pricing of credit derivatives. In mathematical terms our paper contains results about association of a class of non-Markovian processes.
Attributable Risks for Childhood Overweight: Evidence for Limited Effectiveness of Prevention
Authors: Plachta-Danielzik Sandra , Kehden Britta , Landsberg Beate , Schaffrath Rosario Angelika , Kurth Bärbel-Maria , Arnold Christiane , Graf Christine , Hense Sabrina , Ahrens Wolfgang , Müller Manfred James 
Published: September 2012

OBJECTIVE:
Calculation of attributable risks (ARs) of childhood overweight to estimate effectiveness of prevention strategies.

METHODS:
We used pooled data of 4 population-based German studies including 34 240 children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years to calculate the impact of familial, social, “early life”, and lifestyle factors on overweight. ARs (joint for all determinants as well as partial risks) were calculated.

RESULTS:
The prevalence of childhood overweight was 13.4%. Successfully tackling all determinants can reduce overweight by 77.7% (ie, from 13.4% to 3.0%; = joint AR) with partial effects of treating parental overweight (42.5%); improving social status (14.3%); reducing media time to &lt;1 hour per day (11.4%); and not smoking during pregnancy, low weight gain during pregnancy, and breastfeeding (together 9.5%), respectively. Improving all preventable risk factors (ie, early life factors and lifestyle) the effect is 9.2%. Media time has the strongest effect.

CONCLUSIONS:
The determinants identified explained 78% of the prevalence of overweight. Taking into account the partial ARs, the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions to prevent overweight in children is limited. Our data argue in favor of interventions aimed at families and social environments, with a major focus on promoting a lower screen time and computer use in children.
Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome and Functional and Structural Brain Impairments in Adolescence
Authors: Yau Po Lai , Castro Mary Grace , Tagani Adrian , Tsui Wai Hon , Convit Antonio 
Published: September 2012

BACKGROUND:
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) parallels the rise in childhood obesity. MetS is associated with neurocognitive impairments in adults, but this is thought to be a long-term effect of poor metabolism. It would be important to ascertain whether these brain complications are also present among adolescents with MetS, a group without clinically manifest vascular disease and relatively short duration of poor metabolism.

METHODS:
Forty-nine adolescents with and 62 without MetS, matched on age, socioeconomic status, school grade, gender, and ethnicity, received endocrine, MRI, and neuropsychological evaluations.

RESULTS:
Adolescents with MetS showed significantly lower arithmetic, spelling, attention, and mental flexibility and a trend for lower overall intelligence. They also had, in a MetS-dose–related fashion, smaller hippocampal volumes, increased brain cerebrospinal fluid, and reductions of microstructural integrity in major white matter tracts.

CONCLUSIONS:
We document lower cognitive performance and reductions in brain structural integrity among adolescents with MetS, thus suggesting that even relatively short-term impairments in metabolism, in the absence of clinically manifest vascular disease, may give rise to brain complications. In view of these alarming results, it is plausible that obesity-associated metabolic disease, short of type 2 diabetes mellitus, may be mechanistically linked to lower the academic and professional potential of adolescents. Although obesity may not be enough to stir clinicians or even parents into action, these results in adolescents strongly argue for an early and comprehensive intervention. We propose that brain function be introduced among the parameters that need to be evaluated when considering early treatment of childhood obesity.
Communication During Pediatric Asthma Visits and Self-Reported Asthma Medication Adherence
Authors: Sleath Betsy , Carpenter Delesha M. , Slota Catherine , Williams Dennis , Tudor Gail , Yeatts Karin , Davis Stephanie , Ayala Guadalupe X. 
Published: September 2012

OBJECTIVE:
Our objectives were to examine how certain aspects of provider-patient communication recommended by national asthma guidelines (ie, provider asking for child and caregiver input into the asthma treatment plan) were associated with child asthma medication adherence 1 month after an audio-taped medical visit.

METHODS:
Children ages 8 through 16 with mild, moderate, or severe persistent asthma and their caregivers were recruited at 5 pediatric practices in nonurban areas of North Carolina. All medical visits were audio-tape recorded. Children were interviewed 1 month after their medical visits, and both children and caregivers reported the child’s control medication adherence. Generalized estimating equations were used to determine if communication during the medical visit was associated with medication adherence 1 month later.

RESULTS:
Children (n = 259) completed a home visit interview ∼1 month after their audio-taped visit, and 216 of these children were taking an asthma control medication at the time of the home visit. Children reported an average control medication adherence for the past week of 72%, whereas caregivers reported the child’s average control medication adherence for the past week was 85%. Child asthma management self-efficacy was significantly associated with both child- and caregiver-reported control medication adherence. When providers asked for caregiver input into the asthma treatment plan, caregivers reported significantly higher child medication adherence 1 month later.

CONCLUSIONS:
Providers should ask for caregiver input into their child’s asthma treatment plan because it may lead to better control medication adherence.
EEG for Predicting Early Neurodevelopment in Preterm Infants: An Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Hayashi-Kurahashi Naoko , Kidokoro Hiroyuki , Kubota Tetsuo , Maruyama Koichi , Kato Yuichi , Kato Toru , Natsume Jun , Hayakawa Fumio , Watanabe Kazuyoshi , Okumura Akihisa 
Published: September 2012

OBJECTIVE:To clarify the prognostic value of conventional EEG for the identification of preterm infants at risk for subsequent adverse neurodevelopment in the current perinatal care and medicine setting.METHODS:We studied 780 EEG records of 333 preterm infants born &lt;34 weeks’ gestation between 2002 and 2008. Serial EEG recordings were conducted during 3 time periods; at least once each within days 6 (first period), during days 7 to 19 (second period), and days 20 to 36 (third period). The presence and the grade of EEG background abnormalities were assessed according to an established classification system. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed at a corrected age of 12 to 18 months.RESULTS:Of the 333 infants, 33 (10%) had developmental delay and 34 (10%) had cerebral palsy. The presence of EEG abnormalities was significantly predictive of developmental delay and cerebral palsy at all 3 time periods: the first period (n = 265; odds ratio [OR], 4.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2–9.4), the second period (n = 278; OR, 7.6; 95% CI, 3.6–16), and the third period (n = 237; OR, 5.9; 95% CI, 2.8–13). The grade of EEG abnormalities correlated with the incidence of developmental delay or cerebral palsy in all periods (P &lt; .001). After controlling for other clinical variables, including severe brain injury, EEG abnormality in the second period was an independent predictor of developmental delay (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.1–9.7) and cerebral palsy (OR, 6.8; 95% CI 2.0–23).CONCLUSIONS:EEG abnormalities within the first month of life significantly predict adverse neurodevelopment at a corrected age of 12 to 18 months in the current preterm survivor.
Breast Cancer Classification Using Nanochannel Arrays
Authors: Flanagan Kelly , Vattipalli Krishna , Selvam Anjan Panneer , Prasad Shalini 
Published: September 2012

ABSTRACTThe ability to design a diagnostics platform that can achieve cellular level as well as molecular level classification of targeted biomarkers may be critical toward understanding the fundamental basis of disease initiation and proliferation in breast cancer. In this context, we have looked at breast cancer diagnostics and present the design of a biomedical microdevice for evaluating and classifying cellular samples based on their risk towards metastasis. Primary breast cancer tumors have been shown to contain heterogeneous populations of neoplastic cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that subpopulations of these cells can cooperate in the initiation of collective invasion and metastasis. The role of the sensor we present is to identify the type of cells as non-invasive/”follower” cells that do not result in metastasis or invasive “leader” cells that are thought to be responsible for metastasis, from breast cancer cell lysate samples, thus enabling more selective classification of samples, with the eventual goal of early diagnosis. The device is an electrical immunoassay that incorporates the PDGF- receptor to screen the cell lysate samples for the PGDF binding protein that is preferentially expressed in the invasive, “leader” cells. The sensor comprises of alumina nanochannel arrays integrated on to a microelectronic platform operating on the principle of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to quantify the PGDF protein from the cell lysates.
A New Species of Sclerodermus (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) Parasitizing Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from China, with a Key to Chinese Species in the Genus
Authors: Yang Zhong-Qi , Wang Xiao-Yi , Yao Yan-Xia , Gould Juli R , Cao Liang-Ming 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
A new parasitoid reared from Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Sclerodermas pupariae n. sp. (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), is described from China. S. pupariae was reared from A. planipennis in China attacking velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina Torr. ), a tree native to North America. Life-history studies of S. pupariae in the field and laboratory indicated it is a gregarious idiobiont ectoparasitoid of pupa and larva of A. phnipennis and has up to five generations per year. Parasitism rate in the field was 13%. Adult wasps reared from single host pupa or mature larva ranged from 24 to 56 individuals. Based on laboratory rearing, the emerging adult female to male ratio was 22:1. The new parasitoid species has a high potential as a biocontrol agent for emerald ash borer. Diagnosis of the new species with comparisons to Sclerodermas harmandi (Buysson) and a key to Sclerodermas known in China are provided.
Redescription of the Holotype of Sinea sericea, Supplemented with Description of Additional Males and First Description of Females
Authors: McPherson J E 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
I here redescribe, and expand the original description of, the holotype of Sinea sericea Hussey; correct misinformation based on the holotype; supplement the original description with additional males; and add the first description of adult females.
Laboratory Rearing of Callitettix versicolor (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha: Cercopidae), with Descriptions of the Immature Stages
Authors: Chen Xu , Liang Ai-Ping 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
Callitettix versicolor (F., 1794) (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha: Cercopidae) was reared from egg to adult under controlled laboratory conditions and the immature stages were described. Adults of this spittlebug were collected from a maize field and were reared in the laboratory on fruits of Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabales: Fabaceae). Nymphs were reared on roots of rice seedlings. Adults, eggs, and nymphs were all maintained in an artificial climate chamber at 27 ± 1°C, photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h, and 70 ± 5% relative humidity. The incubation period averaged 102.63 d. The five stadia averaged 5.36, 5.48, 7.06, 7.92, and 12.67 d, respectively. Instars can be distinguished by differences in morphological features, body size, and body color.
New and Simple Methods for Studying Hemipteran Stylets, Bacteriomes, and Salivary Sheaths in Host Plants
Authors: Ammar El-Desouky , Hall David G 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
Many hemipteran insects are important agricultural pests because they cause direct feeding damage to their host plants and / or transmit plant disease agents including viruses and bacteria. Microscopic and behavioral studies on five hemipteran species from four families (Psyllidae, Aphididae, Cicadellidae, and Aleyrodidae) showed that their exuviae (molted skins) normally had either fully or partially extended stylets in a feeding-like position. In most cases these stylets were still partially embedded in their host plants after ecdysis, which indicated that plant-feeding hemipteran nymphs use their stylets to anchor themselves to host plants during molting. This phenomenon was used here to study the stylet length and ultrastructure in exuviae of various instars, which is normally more difficult in nymphs than in adults because of the fragility and smaller size of nymphs. Additionally, autofluorescence was used for studying the hemipteran salivary sheaths of nymphs and adults in their host plants. This method is based on fixation of free hand sections of plant parts on which hemipteran insects have been feeding, then mounting and examination of these sections with epifluorescence or confocal microscopy. No embedding, microtomy, or staining is necessary for this method that makes it much faster and simpler than other methods. Autofluorescence was also used to study the location and size of bacteriomes/mycetomes (organs containing symbionts) in hemipteran eggs and nymphs. The above methods were applied successfully with the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama), melaleuca psyllid (Boreioglycaspis melaleucae Moore), oleander aphid (Aphis nerii Boyer de Fonscolomb), the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), and/or the glassy-winged sharpshooter leafhopper (Homalodisca vitripennis Germar).