bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Using Syndromic Surveillance to Estimate Baseline Rates for Healthcare‐Associated Infections in Critical Care Units of Small Animal Referral Hospitals
Authors: Ruple‐Czerniak A. , Aceto H.W. , Bender J.B. , Paradis M.R. , Shaw S.P. , Van Metre D.C. , Weese J.S. , Wilson D.A. , Wilson J.H. , Morley P.S. 
Published: October 2013

BackgroundExpected rates of healthcare‐associated infections (HCAI) have not been established in veterinary hospitals. Baseline rates are critically needed as benchmarks for quality animal care.ObjectiveTo estimate the occurrence of events related to HCAI identified using a standardized syndromic surveillance system in small animals in critical care cases at referral hospitals.AnimalsWeaned dogs and cats (n = 1,951) that were hospitalized in the critical care unit of referral teaching hospitals during a 12‐week period.MethodsMulticenter, prospective longitudinal study. A survey was completed for all enrolled animals to record basic demographics, information about procedures and treatments that animals received, and to document the occurrence of defined nosocomial syndromes. Data were analyzed to identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of these nosocomial syndromes.ResultsControlling for hospital of admission, 16.3% of dogs (95% confidence intervals [CI], 14.3–18.5) and 12% of cats (95% CI, 9.3–15.5) were reported to have had ≥1 nosocomial syndrome occur during hospitalization. Risk factors found to have a positive association with the development of a nosocomial syndrome were longer hospital stays, placement of a urinary catheter, surgical procedures being performed, and the administration of antiulcer medications and antimicrobial drugs excluding those given perioperatively.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceSyndromic surveillance systems can be successfully standardized for use across multiple hospitals to effectively collect data pertinent to HCAI rates and risk factors for occurrence.
Creating Room for Manoeuvre: a Strategy to Generate Political Budget Cycles under Fiscal Rules
Authors: Benito Bernardino , Bastida Francisco , Vicente Cristina 
Published: October 2013

SummaryWe examine the effect of a balanced budget rule on the local political budget cycle. Specifically, we pay attention to the evolution of budget deficit, taxes and capital spending around elections. Using a sample of the Spanish largest municipalities in 1994–2009, we find that the balanced budget rule has not dampened the political budget cycle in budget deficit. Therefore, our results indicate that although governments are constrained by such rule they engage in electoral‐induced fiscal manipulation. In non‐electoral years, they create room for manoeuvre to implement expansionary fiscal policies in electoral years. Specifically, there is saving in the pre‐electoral year and deficit increase in the electoral year. This has been achieved largely through tax and fee increases during the pre‐electoral year and by shifting the bulk of the capital spending increased from the pre‐electoral year to the election year. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the balanced budget rule has succeeded in limiting the budget deficit.
Right‐Wing Extremism and the Well‐Being of Immigrants
Authors: Knabe Andreas , Rätzel Steffen , Thomsen Stephan L. 
Published: October 2013

SummaryThis study analyzes the effects of right‐wing extremism on the well‐being of immigrants based on data from the German Socio‐Economic Panel (SOEP) for the years 1984 to 2006 merged with state‐level information on election outcomes. The results show that the life satisfaction of immigrants is significantly reduced if right‐wing extremism in the native‐born population increases. Moreover, the life satisfaction of highly educated immigrants is affected more strongly than that of low‐skilled immigrants. This supports the view that policies aimed at making immigration more attractive to the high‐skilled have to include measures that reduce xenophobic attitudes in the native‐born population.
Hyperammonaemia induces hepatic injury with alteration of gene expression profiles
Authors: Jia Bin , Yu Zu‐Jiang , Duan Zhen‐Feng , Lü Xin‐Quan , Li Jing‐Jing , Liu Xiao‐Rui , Sun Ran , Gao Xiao‐Juan , Wang Yan‐Fang , Yan Jing‐Ya , Kan Quan‐Cheng 
Published: October 2013

AbstractBackgroundHyperammonaemia is a serious metabolic disorder commonly observed in patients with hepatic failure. However, it is unknown whether hyperammonaemia has a direct adverse effect on the hepatocytes and thereby serves as both a cause and effect of hepatic failure.AimsThe purposes were to determine whether hepatic injury can be caused by hyperammonaemia, and if so, screen the key genes involved in hyperammonaemia.MethodsHyperammonaemic rats were established via intragastric administration of the ammonium chloride solution. The liver tissues were assessed via biochemistry, histology, immunohistochemistry and microarray analysis. Selected genes were confirmed by quantitative RT‐PCR.ResultsAdministration of the ammonium chloride caused the hyperammonaemia, accompanied with the changes of plasma markers indicating hepatic injury. A pathological assessment demonstrated increased apoptosis and higher level of cyclin D1 and cyclin A in hyperammonaemic rat liver. Microarray was performed on the liver samples and 198 differentially expressed genes were identified in hyperammonaemic rats and validated by quantitative RT‐PCR. These genes were associated with many vital functional classes and belonged to different signal transduction pathways.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that hyperammonaemia can directly induce hepatic injury via the hepatocyte apoptosis. Gene expression profile may provide the possible explanations and mechanisms for the hepatic injury induced by hyperammonaemia.
Anti‐coagulation, anti‐platelets or no therapy in haemodialysis patients with atrial fibrillation: A decision analysis
Authors: Wyld Melanie LR , Clayton Philip A , Morton Rachael L , Chadban Steven J 
Published: October 2013

AbstractBackgroundOptimal treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the haemodialysis population is uncertain due to the exclusion of this group from randomized trials. The risk‐benefit profile for anticoagulation and anti‐platelet therapy in haemodialysis differs from the general population due to platelet dysfunction from uraemia, altered pharmacokinetics and increased falls risk.MethodsThis decision analysis used aMarkov‐state transition model that took a patient perspective over a 5 year timeframe. TheMarkov model compared life‐years gained and quality‐adjusted life‐years gained (QALY) for threeAFtreatment strategies: warfarin, aspirin and no treatment. The base case was a 70‐year‐old man on haemodialysis with non‐valvularAF.ResultsIn the base case, the total health outcomes in life‐years andQALYwere 2.37 and 1.47 respectively for warfarin, 2.38 and 1.61 respectively for aspirin, and 2.39 and 1.61 respectively for no treatment. Thus, warfarin led to 0.14 fewerQALYor 1.7 fewer months of life lived in full health, compared with either aspirin or no therapy. The finding that warfarin generated the lowest expectedQALYwas robust to one‐way, two‐way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.ConclusionsOur results suggest that warfarin should not be the default choice for older haemodialysis patients with non‐valvularAFas it provides the fewestQALYcompared with aspirin or no therapy.
Challenges in interpreting allergen microarrays in relation to clinical symptoms: A machine learning approach
Authors: Prosperi Mattia C. F. , Belgrave Danielle , Buchan Iain , Simpson Angela , Custovic Adnan 
Published: October 2013

AbstractBackgroundIdentifying different patterns of allergens and understanding their predictive ability in relation to asthma and other allergic diseases is crucial for the design of personalized diagnostic tools.MethodsAllergen‐IgE screening using ImmunoCAP ISAC® assay was performed at age 11 yrs in children participating a population‐based birth cohort. Logistic regression (LR) and nonlinear statistical learning models, including random forests (RF) and Bayesian networks (BN), coupled with feature selection approaches, were used to identify patterns of allergen responses associated with asthma, rhino‐conjunctivitis, wheeze, eczema and airway hyper‐reactivity (AHR, positive methacholine challenge). Sensitivity/specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) were used to assess model performance via repeated validation.ResultsSerum sample for IgE measurement was obtained from 461 of 822 (56.1%) participants. Two hundred and thirty‐eight of 461 (51.6%) children had at least one of 112 allergen components IgE > 0 ISU. The binary threshold >0.3 ISU performed less well than using continuous IgE values, discretizing data or using other data transformations, but not significantly (p = 0.1). With the exception of eczema (AUROC~0.5), LR, RF and BN achieved comparable AUROC, ranging from 0.76 to 0.82. Dust mite, pollens and pet allergens were highly associated with asthma, whilst pollens and dust mite with rhino‐conjunctivitis. Egg/bovine allergens were associated with eczema.ConclusionsAfter validation, LR, RF and BN demonstrated reasonable discrimination ability for asthma, rhino‐conjunctivitis, wheeze and AHR, but not for eczema. However, further improvements in threshold ascertainment and/or value transformation for different components, and better interpretation algorithms are needed to fully capitalize on the potential of the technology.
Current Evidence of Percutaneous Nucleoplasty for the Cervical Herniated Disk: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wullems Jorgen A. , Halim Willy , van der Weegen Walter 
Published: October 2013

AbstractBackgroundAlthough percutaneous cervical nucleoplasty (PCN) has been shown to be both safe and effective, its application is still debated. PCN applied in disk herniation has not been systematically reviewed before, resulting in a limited insight into its effectiveness and safety, and the quality of available evidence. Therefore, we systematically reviewed the evidence on the efficacy and safety of PCN in patients with a (contained) herniated disk.MethodsMEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library (Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and nonrandomized studies using the following keywords: “Nucleoplasty,” “Cervical,” “Hernia,” “Herniation,” “Prolapse,” “Protrusion,” “Intervertebral disk,” and “Percutaneous disk decompression.” First, all articles were appraised for methodological quality, and then, RCTs were graded for the level of evidence according a best‐evidence synthesis, because a meta‐analysis was not possible. Finally, the RCTs' applicability and clinical relevance also was assessed.ResultsOf 75 identified abstracts, 10 full‐text articles were included (3 RCTs and 7 nonrandomized studies). These studies represented a total of 1021 patients: 823 patients (≥ 892 disks) were treated by PCN. All studies showed low methodological quality, except for two. The level of evidence of the RCTs was graded as moderate, with low to moderate applicability and clinical relevance.ConclusionAll included studies showed PCN to be an effective and safe procedure in the treatment of (contained) herniated disks at short‐, mid‐, and long‐term follow‐up. However, the level of evidence is moderate and shows only low to moderate applicability and clinical relevance.
Estimates of variance components and repeatability for total forage yield in rye: implications for breeding
Authors: Webb Stephen L. , Mosali Jagadeesh , Baker Jerry L. , Newell Mark A. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractCereal rye (Secale cereale L.) is an important forage crop in the USA for stocker cattle (Bos sp.) production, thus making forage yield an important breeding objective for the crop. However, little information is known about the repeatability for forage yield in this crop. The objectives of this research were to: (i) estimate variance components for forage yield from long‐term variety trials, (ii) estimate the repeatability for forage yield and (iii) relate this to breeding strategies for increased forage yield in rye. Trials were conducted over 14 years where 97 USA open‐pollinated varieties (OPVs) were evaluated. Repeatability ranged from 0.57 to 0.86 when the data were analysed by year for the 3 years with significant genotype main effects. Possible explanations for the lack of significant genotype main effects are discussed. Practical implications of these findings indicate that the development of improved cultivars with greater forage yield will require improved methods of selection based on family performance rather than the current methods based primarily on single plant visual selection.
Immunology of lymphatic filariasis
Authors: Babu S. , Nutman T. B. 
Published: October 2013

SummaryThe immune responses to filarial parasites encompass a complex network of innate and adaptive cells whose interaction with the parasite underlies a spectrum of clinical manifestations. The predominant immunological feature of lymphatic filariasis is an antigen‐specific Th2 response and an expansion of IL‐10 producing CD4+ T cells that is accompanied by a muted Th1 response. This antigen‐specific T‐cell hyporesponsiveness appears to be crucial for the maintenance of the sustained, long‐standing infection often with high parasite densities. While the correlates of protective immunity to lymphatic filariasis are still incompletely understood, primarily due to the lack of suitable animal models to study susceptibility, it is clear that T cells and to a certain extent B cells are required for protective immunity. Host immune responses, especially CD4+ T‐cell responses clearly play a role in mediating pathological manifestations of LF, including lymphedema, hydrocele and elephantiasis. The main underlying defect in the development of clinical pathology appears to be a failure to induce T‐cell hyporesponsiveness in the face of antigenic stimulation. Finally, another intriguing feature of filarial infections is their propensity to induce bystander effects on a variety of immune responses, including responses to vaccinations, allergens and to other infectious agents. The complexity of the immune response to filarial infection therefore provides an important gateway to understanding the regulation of immune responses to chronic infections, in general.
U–Pb and Re–Os Geochronology of Karamay Porphyry Mo–Cu Deposit in Western Junggar, NW China
Authors: Wang Ran , Li Yong‐Jun , Han Xin , Wang Jun‐Nian , Yan Jing , Zhao Yu‐Mei 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThe Karamay porphyry Mo–Cu deposit, discovered in 2010, is located in the West Junggar region of Xinjiang of northwest China. The deposit is hosted within the Karamay granodiorite porphyry that intruded into Early Carboniferous sedimentary strata and its exo‐contact zone. The LA‐ICPMS U–Pb method was used to date the zircons from the granodiorite samples of the porphyry. Analyses of 12 spots of zircons from the granodiorite samples yield a U–Pb weighted mean age of 300.8 ± 2.1 Ma (2σ). Re–Os dating for five molybdenite samples obtained from two prospecting trenches and three outcrops in the deposit yield a Re–Os isochron age of 294.6 ± 4.6 Ma (2σ), with an initial 187Os/188Os of 0.0 ± 1.1. The isochron age is within the error of the Re–Os model ages, demonstrating that the age result is reliable. The Re–Os isochron age of the molybdenite is consistent with the U–Pb age of the granodiorite porphyry, which indicates that the deposit is genetically related with an Early Permian porphyry system. The ages of the Karamay Mo–Cu deposit and the ore‐bearing porphyry are similar to the ages of intermediate‐acid intrusions and Cu–Mo–Au polymetallic deposits in the West Junggar region. This consistency suggests the same geodynamic process to the magmatism and related mineralization.
Women, Children and Patience: Experimental Evidence from Indian Villages
Authors: Bauer Michal , Chytilová Julie 
Published: October 2013

AbstractResearchers have observed that women in developing countries often make more development friendly choices than men. We implemented experimental tasks among a large and diverse sample of married individuals in rural India and found women to make on average more patient and more risk‐averse choices than men. We find important heterogeneity in gender differences in patience: there is no difference for spouses with no children but patience levels diverge if there are small children in a family. The findings imply that conflicting spousal preferences are most likely in poor families with children.
Regulatory Barriers and Entry into a New Competitive Industry
Authors: Bennett John , Estrin Saul 
Published: October 2013

AbstractWe model the effects of license fees and bureaucratic delay on firm entry into a new competitive industry, whose profitability is initially unknown. A license fee alone reduces the number of first movers and the steady‐state number of firms. The combination of license fee and delay may cause some entrepreneurs to purchase licenses speculatively, only using them to enter production later if profitability is revealed to be sufficiently favourable. Alternatively, some entrepreneurs may wait, possibly buying a license only after profitability is revealed; but it is never found that some entrepreneurs adopt one of these strategies and some the other.
Agricultural Productivity and Poverty Reduction in Nepal
Authors: Devkota Satis , Upadhyay Mukti 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThis paper provides for the first time a clear quantitative link between agricultural productivity and poverty among rural households in Nepal. Using data from a nationwide Nepal Living Standard Survey 2004, we first estimate household‐specific productivity per worker under both Cobb–Douglas and translog production functions. Second, the paper identifies the determinants of productivity. Third, we explore a theoretical link between productivity and poverty using Sen's poverty index and find empirically that productivity growth substantially helps poverty reduction. Finally, the integrated effects of changes in productivity determinants are found to be stronger than the outcomes of sectoral policies taken in isolation.
Effects of rocuronium bromide on globe position and respiratory function in isoflurane‐anesthetized dogs: a comparison between three different dosages
Authors: Briganti Angela , Barsotti Giovanni , Portela Diego A. , Di Nieri Camilla , Breghi Gloria 
Published: October 2013

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the effect on globe position and respiration of three dosages of intravenous rocuronium in isoflurane‐anesthetized dogs.Animal studiedThirty‐two dogs anesthetized for ophthalmic procedures.ProceduresThe dogs were divided into four groups, each of eight animals (G1‐G4). G1, G2, G3 received 0.075, 0.05, 0.03 mg/kg of IV rocuronium, respectively; G4 received 0.9% NaCl IV; all the treatments were administered when an end‐tidal isoflurane of 1.1–1.2% was reached. Anesthesia was obtained with dexmedetomidine (2.5 mcg/kg IV), methadone (0.1 mg/kg IV), propofol (2 mg/kg IV), and isoflurane in oxygen. Neuromuscular function was assessed with acceleromyography by stimulation of the peroneal nerve using the train‐of‐four (ToF) and the ToF ratio (ToFR). Monitoring of cardiovascular and respiratory functions was performed. Changes in globe position were recorded.ResultsAll three dosages of rocuronium produced centralization of the globe. Duration was 24.3 ± 4.2, 23.4 ± 3.6, and 8.7 ± 2.8 min, for G1, G2, and G3, respectively. The control group did not show globe centralization. No significant differences were found among the four groups in cardiovascular and respiratory parameters. Minute volume and ToFR were significantly lower in G1 compared with baseline values.ConclusionsAll doses of rocuronium resulted in globe centralization. The higher dose provoked a transient respiratory depression and some degree of skeletal muscular blockade detectable with ToFR. No alterations in respiratory activity were present when 0.05 mg/kg was used. The 0.03 mg/kg dosage could be useful for very short ophthalmic procedures.
An investigation to enhance understanding of the stimulation of weed seedling emergence by soil disturbance
Authors: Schutte B J , Tomasek B J , Davis A S , Andersson L , Benoit D L , Cirujeda A , Dekker J , Forcella F , Gonzalez‐Andujar J L , Graziani F , Murdoch A J , Neve P , Rasmussen I A , Sera B , Salonen J , Tei F , Tørresen K S , Urbano J M 
Published: October 2013

SummaryEnhanced understanding of soil disturbance effects on weed seedling recruitment will help guide improved management approaches. Field experiments were conducted at 16 site‐years at 10 research farms across Europe and North America to (i) quantify superficial soil disturbance (SSD) effects on Chenopodium album emergence and (ii) clarify adaptive emergence behaviour in frequently disturbed environments. Each site‐year contained factorial combinations of two seed populations (local and common, with the common population studied at all site‐years) and six SSD timings [0, 50, 100, 150, 200 day‐degrees (d°C, base temperature 3°C) after first emergence from undisturbed soil]. Analytical units in this study were emergence flushes. Flush magnitudes (maximum weekly emergence per count flush) and flush frequencies (flushes year−1) were compared between disturbed and undisturbed seedbanks. One year after burial, SSD promoted seedling emergence relative to undisturbed seedbanks by increasing flush magnitude rather than increasing flush frequency. Two years after burial, SSD promoted emergence through increased flush magnitude and flush frequency. The promotional effects of SSD on emergence were strongest within 500 d°C following SSD; however, low levels of SSD‐induced emergence were detected as late as 3000 d°C following SSD. Accordingly, stale seedbed practices that eliminate weed seedlings should occur within 500 d°C of disturbance, because few seedlings emerge after this time. However, implementation of stale seedbed practices will probably cause slight increases in weed population densities throughout the year. Compared with the common population, local populations exhibited reduced variance in total emergence measured within sites and across SSD treatments, suggesting that C. album adaptation to local pedo‐climatic conditions involves increased consistency in SSD‐induced emergence.