bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Shared Care: A Quality Improvement Initiative to Optimize Primary Care Management of Constipation
Authors: Mallon Daniel , Vernacchio Louis , Trudell Emily , Antonelli Richard , Nurko Samuel , Leichtner Alan M. , Lightdale Jenifer R. 
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND:
Pediatric constipation is commonly managed in the primary care setting, where there is much variability in management and specialty referral use. Shared Care is a collaborative quality improvement initiative between Boston Children’s Hospital and the Pediatric Physician’s Organization at Children’s (PPOC), through which subspecialists provide primary care providers with education, decision-support tools, pre-referral management recommendations, and access to advice. We investigated whether Shared Care reduces referrals and improves adherence to established clinical guidelines.

METHODS:
We reviewed the primary care management of patients 1 to 18 years old seen by a Boston Children’s Hospital gastroenterologist and diagnosed with constipation who were referred from PPOC practices in the 6 months before and after implementation of Shared Care. Charts were assessed for patient factors and key components of management. We also tracked referral rates for all PPOC patients for 29 months before implementation and 19 months after implementation.

RESULTS:
Fewer active patients in the sample were referred after implementation (61/27 365 [0.22%] vs 90/27 792 [0.36%], P = .003). The duration of pre-referral management increased, and the rate of fecal impaction decreased after implementation. No differences were observed in documentation of key management recommendations. Analysis of medical claims showed no statistically significant change in referrals.

CONCLUSIONS:
A multifaceted initiative to support primary care management of constipation can alter clinical care, but changes in referral behavior and pre-referral management may be difficult to detect and sustain. Future efforts may benefit from novel approaches to provider engagement and systems integration.
Effectiveness of Pediatric Pill Swallowing Interventions: A Systematic Review
Authors: Patel Amee , Jacobsen Laura , Jhaveri Ravi , Bradford Kathleen K. 
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Pediatric patients commonly have difficulty swallowing pills. Targeted interventions have shown to improve medication administration and treatment compliance. The objective was to evaluate studies performed on pill swallowing interventions in the pediatric population since 1987.METHODS:We performed a comprehensive PubMed search and a bibliography review to identify articles for our review. We selected articles published in English between December 1986 and December 2013 that included &gt;10 participants aged 0 to 21 years with pill swallowing difficulties without a comorbid condition affecting their swallowing. Reviewers extracted the relevant information and rated the quality of each study as “poor,” “fair,” or “good” based on the sample size and study design.RESULTS:We identified 4 cohort studies and 1 case series that met our criteria. All 5 studies found their intervention to be successful in teaching children how to swallow pills. Interventions included behavioral therapies, flavored throat spray, verbal instructions, specialized pill cup, and head posture training. Quality ratings differed between the articles, with 3 articles rated as “fair,” 1 article as “good,” and 1 article as “poor.”CONCLUSIONS:Pill swallowing difficulties are a barrier that can be overcome with a variety of successful interventions. Addressing this problem and researching more effective ways of implementing these interventions can help improve medication administration and compliance in the pediatric population.
Intensity of Perinatal Care for Extremely Preterm Infants: Outcomes at 2.5 Years
Authors: Serenius Fredrik , Blennow Mats , Maršál Karel , Sjörs Gunnar , Källen Karin ,   for the EXPRESS Study Group
Published: April 2015

OBJECTIVE:
To examine the association between intensity of perinatal care and outcome at 2.5 years’ corrected age (CA) in extremely preterm (EPT) infants (&lt;27 weeks) born in Sweden during 2004–2007.

METHODS:
A national prospective study in 844 fetuses who were alive at the mother’s admission for delivery: 707 were live born, 137 were stillborn. Infants were assigned a perinatal activity score on the basis of the intensity of care (rates of key perinatal interventions) in the infant’s region of birth. Scores were calculated separately for each gestational week (gestational age [GA]–specific scores) and for the aggregated cohort (aggregated activity scores). Primary outcomes were 1-year mortality and death or neurodevelopmental disability (NDI) at 2.5 years’ CA in fetuses who were alive at the mother’s admission.

RESULTS:
Each 5-point increment in GA-specific activity score reduced the stillbirth risk (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83–0.97) and the 1-year mortality risk (aOR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.78–0.91) in the primary population and the 1-year mortality risk in live-born infants (aOR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.79–0.93). In health care regions with higher aggregated activity scores, the risk of death or NDI at 2.5 years’ CA was reduced in the primary population (aOR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.50–0.96) and in live-born infants (aOR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.48–0.95). Risk reductions were confined to the 22- to 24-week group. There was no difference in NDI risk between survivors at 2.5 years’ CA.

CONCLUSIONS:
Proactive perinatal care decreased mortality without increasing the risk of NDI at 2.5 years’ CA in EPT infants. A proactive approach based on optimistic expectations of a favorable outcome is justified.
Bayley-III Cognitive and Language Scales in Preterm Children
Authors: Spencer-Smith Megan M. , Spittle Alicia J. , Lee Katherine J. , Doyle Lex W. , Anderson Peter J. 
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND:This study aimed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III), Cognitive and Language scales at 24 months for predicting cognitive impairments in preterm children at 4 years.METHODS:Children born &lt;30 weeks’ gestation completed the Bayley-III at 24 months and the Differential Ability Scale, Second Edition (DAS-II), at 4 years to assess cognitive functioning. Test norms and local term-born reference data were used to classify delay on the Bayley-III Cognitive and Language scales. Impairment on the DAS-II Global Conceptual Ability, Verbal, and Nonverbal Reasoning indices was classified relative to test norms. Scores &lt; −1 SD relative to the mean were classified as mild/moderate delay or impairment, and scores &lt; −2 SDs were classified as moderate delay or impairment.RESULTS:A total of 105 children completed the Bayley-III and DAS-II. The sensitivity of mild/moderate cognitive delay on the Bayley-III for predicting impairment on DAS-II indices ranged from 29.4% to 38.5% and specificity ranged from 92.3% to 95.5%. The sensitivity of mild/moderate language delay on the Bayley-III for predicting impairment on DAS-II indices ranged from 40% to 46.7% and specificity ranged from 81.1% to 85.7%. The use of local reference data at 24 months to classify delay increased sensitivity but reduced specificity. Receiver operating curve analysis identified optimum cut-point scores for the Bayley-III that were more consistent with using local reference data than Bayley-III normative data.CONCLUSIONS:In our cohort of very preterm children, delay on the Bayley-III Cognitive and Language scales was not strongly predictive of future impairments. More children destined for later cognitive impairment were identified by using cut-points based on local reference data than Bayley-III norms.
Cost-Effectiveness of Treatment of Acute Otorrhea in Children With Tympanostomy Tubes
Authors: van Dongen Thijs M.A. , Schilder Anne G.M. , Venekamp Roderick P. , Ardine de Wit G. , van der Heijden Geert J.M.G. 
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND:
Acute otorrhea is a common problem in children with tympanostomy tubes. We recently demonstrated that treatment with antibiotic-glucocorticoid eardrops is clinically superior to oral antibiotics and initial observation. The aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of these three common treatment strategies for this condition.

METHODS:
We performed an open-label pragmatic trial in which 230 children with acute uncomplicated tympanostomy-tube otorrhea were randomly allocated to receive 1 of 3 treatments: hydrocortisone-bacitracin-colistin eardrops, oral amoxicillin-clavulanate suspension, and initial observation (no assigned medication prescription to fill). Parents kept a daily diary capturing ear-related symptoms, health care resource use, and non–health care costs for 6 months. At 2 weeks and 6 months, the study doctor visited the children at home performing otoscopy. Using a societal perspective, treatment failure (otoscopic presence of otorrhea at 2 weeks) and number of days with otorrhea as reported in the daily diary were balanced against the costs.

RESULTS:
Antibiotic-glucocorticoid eardrops were clinically superior to oral antibiotics and initial observation both at 2 weeks and 6 months. At 2 weeks, mean total cost per patient was US$42.43 for antibiotic-glucocorticoid eardrops, US$70.60 for oral antibiotics, and US$82.03 for initial observation. At 6 months, mean total cost per patient was US$368.20, US$420.73, and US$640.44, respectively. Because of the dominance of eardrops, calculating incremental cost-effectiveness ratios was redundant.

CONCLUSIONS:
Antibiotic-glucocorticoid eardrops are clinically superior and cost less than oral antibiotics and initial observation in children with tympanostomy tubes who develop otorrhea.
Production and characterization of Al-Cu and Al-Ni nanoparticles
Authors: Vorozhtsov Alexander , Lerner Marat , Radkevich Nikolay , Bondarchuk Sergey , Wen Dongsheng 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTThe present work deals with the production and characterization of metal and bimetallic nanopowders.The electric explosion wire method for production of metal nanopowders is presented. The method enables to produce both metal and bimetallic nanoparticles (BMNP) with controlled content of metals within one particle. An alternative method to obtain bimetallic nanoparticles is also suggested using a spontaneous electrochemical process from salt solutions. BMNP for both Al-Cu and Al-Ni have been prepared and studied.The oxidation, ignition and thermal reactivity of the BMNP of Al-Cu and Al-Ni in a simultaneous thermogravimetric (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments have been carried out. The microstructure has been characterized with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The phase compositions of the reaction products have been investigated with X-ray diffraction.By comparing the peak temperature of the first exothermic reaction in DSC and the phase transition temperatures in the respective binary systems, it has been found that for Al-Cu BMNP the melting of an alloy played a pivotal role for the early ignition reaction. The comparison of the reactivity of BMNP with that of aluminum nanoparticles has shown a greater reactivity of BMNP Al-Cu and Al-Ni.
Regional Variation in Identified Cancer Care Needs of Early-Career Oncologists in China, India, and Pakistan
Authors: Lyerly H. Kim , Fawzy Maria R. , Aziz Zeba , Nair Reena , Pramesh C.S. , Parmar Vani , Parikh Purvish M. , Jamal Rozmin , Irumnaz Azizunissa , Ren Jun , Stockler Martin R. , Abernethy Amy P. 
Published: April 2015

Abstract

Background.
Cancer incidence and mortality is increasing in the developing world. Inequities between low-, middle-, and high-income countries affect disease burden and the infrastructure needs in response to cancer. We surveyed early-career oncologists attending workshops in clinical research in three countries with emerging economies about their perception of the evolving cancer burden.

Methods.
A cross-sectional survey questionnaire was distributed at clinical trial concept development workshops held in Beijing, Lahore, Karachi, and Mumbai at major hospitals to acquire information regarding home-country health conditions and needs.

Results.
A total of 100 respondents participated in the workshops held at major hospitals in the region (India = 29, China = 25, Pakistan = 42, and other = 4). Expected consensus on many issues (e.g., emergence of cancer as a significant health issue) was balanced with significant variation in priorities, opportunities, and challenges. Chinese respondents prioritized improvements in cancer-specific care and palliative care, Indian respondents favored improved cancer detection and advancing research in cancer care, and Pakistani respondents prioritized awareness of cancer and improvements in disease detection and cancer care research. For all, the most frequently cited opportunity was help in improving professional cancer education and training.

Conclusion.
Predominantly early-career oncologists attending clinical research workshops (in China, India, and Pakistan) identified needs for increasing clinical cancer research, professional education, and public awareness of cancer. Decision makers supporting efforts to reduce the burden of cancer worldwide will need to factor the specific needs and aspirations of health care providers in their country in prioritizing health policies and budgets.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Excision of Congenital Bilateral Persistent Pupillary Membrane in a Child with Exotropia
Authors: Iida Michiko , Mimura Tatsuya , Goto Mari , Kamei Yuko , Kondo Aki , Saito Yusuke , Okuma Hiroko , Matsubara Masao 
Published: April 2015

Purpose :To report the clinical and histopathological findings of a patient who had bilateral persistent pupillary membrane with exotropia and high hyperopia.Methods :Case Report: A 7-year-old boy presented with a persistent pupillary membrane in both eyes. His best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/20 in the right eye and 20/32 in the left eye with exotropia of 18 prism diopters. He underwent surgical resection of both membranes. At 5 months postoperatively, BCVA was 20/20 with final bilateral refraction of +6.5 D in both eyes. Exotropia and photophobia showed improvement immediately after surgery. Histopathological examination revealed typical features of normal iris tissue in the excised membranes.Conclusion :Bilateral persistent pupillary membranes were excised successfully without injury to other ocular tissues, including the crystalline lens. Surgical treatment may be required for the management of persistent pupillary membrane associated with visual impairment such as exotropia or photophobia.
The Causes of Hyperreflective Dots in Optical Coherence Tomography Excluding Diabetic Macular Edema and Retinal Venous Occlusion§§
Authors: Turgut Burak , Yildirim Hakan 
Published: April 2015

Purpose :
To investigate the causes of hyperreflective dots (HRDs) in spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) excluding diabetic macular edema (DME) and RVO (retinal vein occlusion).

Patients and Methods :
The medical records of 56 patients with HRDs documented by OCT were reviewed retrospectively. The patients with DME and RVO were excluded from the study in order to prevent misdiagnosing hard exudates or HRDs. The causes, unilaterality or bilaterality of HRD and demographic properties of the patients with HRD were evaluated.

Results :
Sixty four eyes of 56 patients having HRDs were included in this study. Of the patients with HRD, 17 (30.36%) were women and 39 (69.64%) were men. The ages of patients were between 13 to 84 years (median 60.18 years). The causes of HRD were as follows: papilledema in 4 eyes (6.25%), active neovascular age related macular degeneration (AMD) in 33 eyes (51.56%), familial dominant drusen in 2 eyes (3.13%), central serous chorioretinopathy in 19 eyes (29.69%) and commotio retina in 2 eyes (3.13%), choroidal folds in one eye (1.56%), branch retinal artery occlusion in one eye (1.56%), central retinal artery occlusion in one patient (1.56%) and Best vitelliform macular dystrophy in one eye (1.56%). The most common cause of HRD was AMD. The causes of HRDs in both eyes were AMD and papilledema.

Conclusion :
The most common causes of HRDs excluding DME and RVO seem as active exudative AMD. The presence of HRDs in retinal diseases might affect the decisions and the results of the treatment and the prognosis of diseases.
Preparation and Ion Recognition Characteristics of a Trichloroacetic Acid Surface‐Imprinted Material
Authors: Gao Baojiao , Zhang Tintin , Chen Tao 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACT: In this work, a trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) surface‐imprinted material with high performance was prepared. In an aqueous solution, the molecules of the cationic monomer acryloyloxyethyl‐trimethyl ammonium chloride (DAC) arranged around the template TCAA anion via electrostatic interaction. By initiating of the surface‐initiating system of –NH2/S2O82−, the graft/cross‐linking polymerization of DAC and the crosslinker N,N′‐Methylenebisacrylamide and the TCAA surface‐imprinting were simultaneously carried out on SiO2 particles, forming TCAA anion surface‐imprinted material IIP‐PDAC/SiO2. With monochloroacetic acid (MCAA) and phenylacetic acid (PAA) as two contrast acids, the recognition character of the imprinted material IIP‐PDAC/SiO2 was investigated. This imprinted material possesses special recognition selectivity and excellent binding affinity for TCAA anion. The binding amount of IIP‐PDAC/SiO2 particles for TCAA reaches 0.93mmol/g, whereas their binding amounts for MCAA and PAA are only 0.48 mmol/g and 0.15 mmol/g, respectively. The selectivity coefficients of IIP‐PDAC/SiO2 for TCAA relative to MCAA and PAA anions are 3.61and 9.12, respectively.
Photocatalytic Degradation of p‐Nitrophenol in an Annular Column Photoreactor and the Intermediates
Authors: Heibati Masoumeh , Jalilnejad Elham , Vahabzadeh Farzaneh 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACT: The photocatalytic degradation of p‐nitrophenol using a titanium dioxide suspension was studied in an annular column photoreactor operating in batch recycle mode with an aerated reservoir tank. The dependency of the process efficiency on the initial PNP concentration was quantitatively defined using an exponential function. The degradation rate was highest at pH 7‐7.2. The appearance of p‐benzoquinone, p‐hydroquinone, and phenol during the degradation process was confirmed by high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis. The formation of similar intermediates during the microbial degradation of PNP has been reported previously. The formation of hydroxyl radicals is predominant in the PNP photodegradation route, and fluctuations of the chemical oxygen demand may be indicative of the appearance of unidentified and probably nonbiodegradable intermediates formed during photocatalysis. These compounds likely contribute to the COD variations. Herein, the results of PNP removal via photocatalytic degradative reactions are discussed, and the intermediates are compared to those observed in enzymatic reactions.
Catalytic Roles of Mn(II) and Fe(III) in the Reduction of Cr(VI) by Mandelic Acid under an Irradiation of Simulated Solar Light
Authors: Li Ying , Li Hui , Zhong Ning , Quan Guixiang , Lan Yeqing 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACT: The catalytic roles of manganese(II) [Mn(II)] and iron(III) [Fe(III)] in the reduction of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] by mandelic acid, both with and without the presence of light, was investigated through a series of batch experiments. The results demonstrated that both Mn(II) and Fe(III) could markedly accelerate the photoreduction of Cr(VI) by mandelic acid; additionally, the catalysis of Fe(III) was superior to that of Mn(II). Without the presence of light, Mn(II) still enhanced the reduction of Cr(VI) by mandelic acid, but Fe(III) did not exert any impact on the reaction. When compared with the activities of phenylacetic acid, it was concluded that the catalytic roles of both Mn(II) and Fe(III) in the reduction of Cr(VI) were directly related to the α‐OH group and not to the carboxyl group. The photoreduction of Cr(VI) by mandelic acid, assisted by Mn(II), followed pseudo‐first‐order kinetics at the initial stage of the reaction, but in the presence of Fe(III) it followed a pseudo‐zero‐order model.
Influence of MgO on the phase equilibria in the CuxO–FeOy–MgO –SiO2 system in equilibrium with copper alloy – Part II: Results and discussion
Authors: Crivits Tijl , Hayes Peter C. , Jak Evgueni 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
Phase equilibria in the ‘Cu2O’–‘Fe2O3’–MgO – SiO2 system in equilibrium with copper alloy have been investigated at temperatures between 1 075 and 1 250 °C. A high-temperature equilibration/quenching/electron probe micro-analysis technique has been used to accurately determine the liquid and solid compositions. Results on phase equilibria in the pyroxene and olivine primary phase fields are reported, providing new data on the effect of MgO on the liquidus temperatures in these fields. It was found that increasing MgO concentrations increases the liquidus temperatures in the olivine and pyroxene primary phase fields. The cuprite–delafossite–tridymite–pyroxene eutectic temperature of the quaternary system was determined to be between 1 075 and 1 080 ± 5 °C.
Evolution of Fe-rich compounds in a secondary Al–Si–Cu alloy: influence of cooling rate
Authors: Fabrizi Alberto , Timelli Giulio , Ferraro Stefano , Bonollo Franco 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
The influence of cooling rate on the chemical composition and morphological structure of Fe-rich intermetallics in a secondary Al–Si–Cu alloy has been investigated by using several analysis techniques such as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spec-troscopy and backscattered electron diffraction. Mor-phological, chemical composition and size evolution of α-Al(Fe, Mn, Cr)Si have been observed and characterized under different solidification conditions. By varying the cooling rate, α-Al(Fe, Mn, Cr)Si blocky crystals, as well as chinese-script, branched structures and dendrites form, while coarse β-Al(Fe, Mn)Si needles appear at lower cooling rates.
Objectiver le débat sur le financement de la transition énergétique : quelles leçons tirer du cas français ?
Authors: Cochran Ian , Leguet Benoît , Morel Romain 
Published: April 2015

Cet article traite des enjeux liés à la question du financement de la lutte contre le changement climatique et plus largement de la transition énergétique. Il s'agit d'un débat passionné et passionnant à la fois au niveau national et au niveau mondial. Néanmoins, il s'appuie sur des bases méthodologiques et des données parfois insuffisamment connues ou maîtrisées. Partant de ce constat, cet article reprend les récents résultats d'une étude recensant les flux financiers dédiés à la lutte contre le changement climatique en France. Il aborde ensuite les limites d'un tel exercice, notamment dans le fait de ne traiter qu'une partie de la question en occultant celle, plus générale, de la redirection des flux vers les dépenses cohérentes avec une économie future peu carbonée et résiliente aux événements climatiques extrêmes. Dans ce but, l'article évoque la possibilité d'un changement de paradigme pour raisonner en termes de cohérence et d'incohérence avec une transition plutôt que de se concentrer sur des investissements « dédiés » à la lutte contre le changement climatique. Le recours à des scénarios prospectifs fiables et partagés illustrant une économie peu carbonée et résiliente au climat futur paraît prometteur – et nécessaire. Classification JEL : H54, O44, Q01, Q51, Q54, Q56.