bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prognostic and diagnostic value of eosinopenia, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and circulating cell-free DNA in critically ill patients admitted with suspicion of sepsis
Authors: Garnacho-Montero Jose , Huici-Moreno María J , Gutiérrez-Pizarraya Antonio , López Isabel , Márquez-Vácaro Juan Antonio , Macher Hada , Guerrero Juan Manuel , Puppo-Moreno Antonio 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
Introduction
The aims of this study were to assess the reliability of circulating cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) concentrations, compared with C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT) and eosinophil count, in the diagnosis of infections in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and their prognostic values in a cohort of critically ill patients.

Methods
We conducted a prospective cohort study in a medical-surgical intensive care unit of a university hospital. Eosinophil count and concentrations of cf-DNA, CRP, and PCT were measured in patients who fulfilled SIRS criteria at admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and a second determination 24 hours later. DNA levels were determined by a PCR method using primers for the human beta-haemoglobin gene.

Results
One hundred and sixty consecutive patients were included: 43 SIRS without sepsis and 117 with sepsis. Levels of CRP and PCT, but not cf-DNA or eosinophil count, were significantly higher in patients with sepsis than in SIRS-no sepsis group on days 1 and 2. PCT on day 1 achieves the best area under the curve (AUC) for sepsis diagnosis (0.87; 95% confidence interval = 0.81-0.94). Levels of cf-DNA do not predict outcome and the accuracy of these biomarkers for mortality prediction was lower than that shown by APACHE II score. PCT decreases significantly from day 1 to day 2 in survivors in the entire cohort and in patients with sepsis without significant changes in the other biomarkers.

Conclusions
Our data do not support the clinical utility of cf-DNA measurement in critical care patients with SIRS. PCT is of value especially for infection identification in patients with SIRS at admission to the ICU.
The diagnostic challenge of myocardial infarction in critically ill patients: do high-sensitivity troponin measurements add more clarity or more confusion?
Authors: Klouche Kada , Jonquet Olivier , Cristol Jean Paul 
Published: June 2014

AbstractIn ICU settings, the diagnosis and treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are challenging, partly because cardiac troponin increase occurs frequently. In the previous issue of Critical Care, Ostermann and colleagues reported that myocardial infarction (MI), screened by plasma troponin and electrocardiography changes, is common and often clinically unrecognized in the ICU. Although the clinical significance of underdiagnosed MIs remains unclear, this approach may help to target and further investigate the at-risk population for appropriate therapy.
Comparison of soil bacterial communities in a natural hardwood forest and coniferous plantations in perhumid subtropical low mountains
Authors: Lin Yu-Te , Hu Hsueh-Wen , Whitman William B , Coleman David C , Chiu Chih-Yu 
Published: June 2014

Abstract

Background
The bacterial community of forest soils is influenced by environmental disturbance and/or meteorological temperature and precipitation. In this study, we investigated three bacterial communities in soils of a natural hardwood forest and two plantations of conifer, Calocedrus formosana and Cryptomeria japonica, in a perhumid, low mountain area. By comparison with our previous studies with similar temperature and/or precipitation, we aimed to elucidate how disturbance influences the bacterial community in forest soils and whether bacterial communities in similar forest types differ under different climate conditions.

Results
Analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA gene clone libraries revealed that Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria were the most abundant phyla in the three forest soil communities, with similar relative abundance of various bacterial groups. However, UniFrac analysis based on phylogenetic information revealed differences of bacterial communities between natural hardwood forest and coniferous plantation soils. The diversities of bacterial communities of the replanted Calocedrus and Cryptomeria forests were higher than that in natural hardwood forest. The bacterial diversity of these three forest soil were all higher than those in the same forest types at other locations with less precipitation or with lower temperature. In addition, the distribution of some of the most abundant operational taxonomic units in the three communities differed from other forest soils, including those related to Acidobacteria, α-, β- and γ-Proteobacteria.

Conclusions
Reforestation could increase the bacterial diversity. Therefore, soil bacterial communities could be shaped by the forestry management practices and climate differences in warm and humid conditions.
Intracellular immunity: finding the enemy within—how cells recognize and respond to intracellular pathogens
Authors: Tam Jerry C H , Jacques David A 
Published: June 2014

AbstractHistorically, once a cell became infected, it was considered to be beyond all help. By this stage, the invading pathogen had breached the innate defenses and was beyond the reach of the humoral arm of the adaptive immune response. The pathogen could still be removed by cell-mediated immunity (e.g., by NK cells or cytotoxic T lymphocytes), but these mechanisms necessitated the destruction of the infected cell. However, in recent years, it has become increasingly clear that many cells possess sensor and effector mechanisms for dealing with intracellular pathogens. Most of these mechanisms are not restricted to professional immune cells nor do they all necessitate the destruction of the host. In this review, we examine the strategies that cells use to detect and destroy pathogens once the cell membrane has been penetrated.
Layer-by-layer Assembly of Trivalent Metal Cation and Anionic Polymer in Nanoporous Anodic Aluminum Oxide with 35 nm Pore
Authors: Sada Takao , Fujigaya Tsuyohiko , Nakashima Naotoshi 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
The successful layer-by-layer assembly formation using a polyanion and trivalent ion, such as Fe3+, on the surfaces of the nanopores in an anodic aluminum oxide membrane with a pore diameter of 35 nm is demonstrated.
Spectral Phototherapy in Medical Rehabilitation of the Women with Essential Arterial Hypertension under Pressure of Climacteric Syndrome
Authors: Белоусова  , Belousova A. , Агасаров  , Agasarov Lev 
Published: June 2014

Due to the active professional activities of women aged 45-60, in the modern society, the after-care treatment of female patients with essential arterial hypertension (stages I-II , grades 1-2 ) under pressure of climacteric syndrome is of high social and economic importance. The specialists of medical rehabilitation are the problem of finding effective technologies of medical and non-medical series for improving the quality of life of women in this age group. This article presents the results of after-care treatment of women with essential arterial hypertension and mild or moderate climacteric syndrome (92 females aged 50±4.5) by means of the use of standard hypotensive pharmaceuticals (Candesartan, Bisoprolol, and Hydrochlorothiazide), non-hormonal pharmaceuticals (Klimadynon Uno), and spectral phototherapy as a physiotherapy approach. Such treatment resulted in reliable stabilization of blood pressure, vegetative functions, responsiveness, anxiety, encephalitic circulatory dynamics according to the REG data, and WAN indicators. The average clinical response of the control group amounts to 81.4 %, while that of the experimental group makes up 65.5 %. The key results are sustainable blood pressure stabilization, improved overall health, decreased frequency and severity of the climacteric syndrome along with stabilized vegetative functions, improved encephalitic circulatory dynamics, and psycho-emotional state.
Risk Factors of Malignant Neoplasms of Female Genital Organs (Review of Literature)
Authors: Сулейманова  , Suleymanova N. 
Published: June 2014

The scientific review discusses the correlation between the MN morbidity rate of the female genitalia and the factors of the external and internal environment of the body: genetic (hereditary) and environmental (exogenous and endogenous). The author notes that the significance of the factors in the development of oncological process is different depending on the form and localizations of malignant tumors. Identified genes are responsible for the appearance of hereditary ovarian cancer (however, the genes of predisposition to cancer of body and cervix of the uterus don’t identified so far). The role of human papillomavirus infection (in the genesis of pre-cancerous lesions and cervical cancer) in hormone homeostasis due to functional and anatomical changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian system (in formation of cancer of the womb and ovaries) is proved, including the background processes and pre-cancerous changes in the occurrence of all forms of genital cancer. A number of researchers consider benign tumors as an intermediate in the pathological process changes that lead with time under the influence of certain factors to be precancerous and malignant transformation. Significant fluctuations in the frequency of malignant tumors of female genital organs in different ethnic groups of the population are scientifically confirmed. Correlation frequency of cancer of the genitalia in women with age, and state of the immune system are noted.
Engineer&#180;s Graphic Literacy as a Way of Fundamental Professional Knowledge Obtaining
Authors: Волкова  , Volkova Margarita , Егорычева  , Egorycheva E. 
Published: June 2014

The paper is devoted to decision of actual task related
to analysis of engineer&#180;s graphic literacy foundations as a way
of fundamental professional knowledge obtaining. An attempt to
reveal the need of interconnection between a competent approach
to technical drawing’s qualitative performance and industrial product’s
graphic drawings as one of the ways to solve the problem
related to specialists&#180; training quality improving has been undertaken.
It is considered to be. The attention is paid to the fact that
awareness of importance of technical drawing basics as a design
stage allows improve the education process, aimed at improving of
interrelation between graphic and specialized disciplines.
Model line of production for automated design of technological processes
Authors: Данилов  , Danilov Aleksandr 
Published: June 2014

The article considers one-product and multi-product production Lee-research institutes. Given model, which is the basis for building systems of automated design of production facilities; optimality criteria that can be changed when creating this type of industrial enterprises. Analyzed approaches allow to reduce production times and increase productivity.
Keywords - mass production, the rhythm of production, the optimality criterion, idle time, the load factor.
A Branch-and-Price-and-Cut Algorithm for Heterogeneous Pickup and Delivery Problems with Configurable Vehicle Capacity
Authors: Qu Yuan , Bard Jonathan F. 
Published: June 2014

This paper presents a mixed-integer programming model for a variant of the pickup and delivery problem with time windows. The fleet is assumed to be heterogeneous with a novel feature that allows the vehicles to be configured before service begins to handle various types of demand. The work was motivated by a daily route planning problem arising at a senior activity center. A fleet of configurable vans is available each day to transport participants to and from the center, as well as to secondary facilities for rehabilitative and medical treatment. The number of participants and support equipment that a van can accommodate depends on how it is configured. An exact method is introduced based on branch and price and cut. At each node in the search tree, the master problem is solved by column generation to find a lower bound. To improve the bound, subset-row inequalities are applied to the variables of the master problem. Columns are generated by solving the pricing subproblems with a labeling algorithm enhanced by new dominance conditions. Local search on the current set of columns is used to quickly find promising additions. Implementation details and ways to improve the performance of the overall procedure are discussed. Testing was done on a set of real instances as well as a set of randomly generated instances with up to 50 customer requests. The results show that optimal solutions are obtained in the majority of cases.
The distance walked daily as a post-operative measure after pulmonary endarterectomy
Authors: Polastri Massimiliano , Bacchi-Reggiani Maria Letizia , Cefarelli Mariano , Jafrancesco Giuliano , Martìn-Suàrez Sofia 
Published: June 2014

Background Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is recognized as the best surgical choice for treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension caused by pulmonary vascular occlusion in eligible patients. This study aims to describe correlations between the daily walk (DW), and the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients undergoing pulmonary endarterectomy. Methods This was a cross-sectional study using data from 32 consecutive patients who had undergone PEA operations and were admitted to the cardiac ward to complete their post-operative rehabilitation. Results Those with a body mass index of ≥25 walked a greater distance during the post-operative rehabilitation phase after PEA compared with those with body mass index <25. We also found differences in daily walk distances between women and men: by day 3, the men had already walked a median distance of 240 metres, while women had walked a median distance of 15 metres. Conclusions The authors found that estimation of the DW was a simple, inexpensive, and reliable measure that can help professionals to evaluate patients' post-operative course after PEA.
An insight into adolescents' knowledge and attitudes on low back pain and its occurrence
Authors: Lobo Michelle Emelia , Kanagaraj Rengaramanujam , Jidesh Viswambharan 
Published: June 2014

Background/aims This study aims to assess adolescents' level of knowledge and attitudes towards low back pain (LBP) as this is required for effective prevention. As knowledge and attitude can influence occurrence, this study correlates adolescents' level of knowledge and attitude towards LBP with its occurrence in Mangalore, India. Methods A cross-sectional survey with a self-administered questionnaire was conducted among 605 students from four pre-university colleges to evaluate their knowledge of, attitude to, and the occurrence of LBP. Results This study revealed a moderate level of knowledge (45.39%) and a good attitude (61.95%) towards LBP. The lifetime prevalence of LBP among adolescents is 30.5%. No correlation was found between knowledge and the occurrence (χ2=5.03, P=0.17) but a correlation exists between adolescents' attitudes and the occurrence of LBP (χ2=14.64, P=0.002). Conclusion Even with a moderate knowledge and a good attitude, the number of adolescents with LBP is considerable in this region and, therefore, prevention strategies need to be initiated.
Learning styles of allied health sciences students at Kuwait University
Authors: Manee Fahad , Nadar Mohammed , Jahrami Haitham 
Published: June 2014

Background/aim Little is known about learning style preferences of allied health students in the Middle East as the majority of learning style studies have been conducted in the western world. This study examined the learning styles of undergraduate allied health students at Kuwait University. Methods A stratified sampling method was used to compare the learning styles of 256 students enrolled in five allied health programs at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences Centre at Kuwait University. The students completed the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI-IIa) questionnaire in the first weeks of their course. Results The response rate was 73.1% (n=256). All of the allied health students from the five educational programs were highest in the areas of abstract conceptualization (AC). All the other allied health students, except physical therapists (PT), also indicated a preference for reflective observation (RO). Conclusion This study's participants' learning style preferences were ‘assimilator’, which is formed by an intersection of the AC and RO learning styles. Healthcare educators working in the Arab cultures are encouraged to modify their teaching styles in order to improve learning among their students.
Essex and Herts Air Ambulance: a focused case series for pre-hospital practice Case 2: tension pneumothorax
Authors: Robinson Jonty , Ley Erica , Chesters Adam 
Published: June 2014

A tension pneumothorax is an important reversible cause of deterioration in the multiply-injured patient, but it is not always easy to make the diagnosis. Features that indicate the development of a tension pneumothorax can be subtle in the spontaneously breathing patient. The ‘classical’ features may not all be present and in addition, the clinical signs of tension may develop over time with increasing patient compromise. This is a life-threatening situation, which requires relief in order to save the patient's life. A tension pneumothorax can be managed in one of three ways: needle decompression, insertion of an intercostal chest drain or by open thoracostomy. Needle decompression can be performed quickly and safely by paramedic crews using well-established techniques in both the conscious and unconscious patient. We describe a case of a 55-year-old male who was ejected from his motorcycle at high speed. He was conscious with a Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 15 and complaining of difficulty breathing. In contrast to the often quoted classical features of a tension pneumothorax, we review the more common clinical findings in tension pneumothoraces as illustrated in this case study. We aim to show that the diagnosis can be reached by careful history taking, examination, and attention to patient physiology. The case study also shows that a tension pneumothorax can be a dynamic developing situation in which patient compromise develops over time. We highlight that much can be done in the pre-hospital phase to treat such a patient while expediting transfer to hospital. We review the pre-hospital management of a tension pneumothorax and also describe our procedure for pre-hospital chest drain insertion in the context of effective teamwork between a paramedic road crew and an attending helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS).
Nursing the feline hyperthyroid patient
Authors: Donovan Michele 
Published: June 2014

Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrinopathy in middle aged to older cats. Dogs and cats are affected very differently by this disease. This article will focus on feline hyperthyroidism.The disorder is characterised by excess production and circulation of active thyroid hormones in almost all cats. These hormones induce a hypermetabolic state, with clinical signs such as weight loss despite increased appetite, and muscle wasting. Other common signs include palpable thyroid gland, diarrhoea, vomiting, tachycardia, hyperthermia, restlessness, and behavioural changes.Thyroxine (total T4 (TT4) ) is the hormone test used to diagnose feline hyperthyroidism. However, since a high metabolic rate can mask other diseases a range of diagnostic tests are necessary for a thorough assessment of the patient.The recommended treatment approach is to first establish euthyroidism by the use of oral anti-thyroid drugs, such as methimazole. Surgery or radioiodine therapy can be considered for definitive, long-term control if renal function remains adequate following re-establishment of euthyroidism.
The Supports Intensity Scale–Children's Version: Preliminary Reliability and Validity
Authors: Thompson James R. , Wehmeyer Michael L. , Hughes Carolyn , Shogren Karrie A. , Palmer Susan B. , Seo Hyojeong 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
This article introduces the Supports Intensity Scale–Children's Version (SIS-C) designed and normed to be used with children across multiple contexts, including home, school, and community life. Steps taken to develop the scale are described, and findings from data collected on a field test version of the SIS-C are shared. Preliminary findings in regard to reliability and validity suggest that the SIS-C has strong psychometric properties.
File sharing: Reading the index in Rosalind Krauss and Wim Crouwel
Authors: Aubert Danielle 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
As reading formats have become more varied, the moment of encounter between a reader and a text has also shifted. Readers of printed matter might take notes in margins, underline passages, or leave other handwritten traces of their interaction with a text. Electronic devices, however, tend to lend themselves less easily to mark making, and despite options for making digital notations and comments, the visual record of the moment of reading is lost more often than not. The PDF is a form of electronic text that can bear interesting traces and point to a text’s past life as a printed object through visual cues like page dimensions and typographic layout. We often see traces of the life of a text during that period after it has been authored, but before it reaches a reader, as it passed through the hands of designers, computers, printers, scanners, librarians and other ‘file sharers’. This is especially true for texts that were first published in print before the advent of digital publishing, and were scanned in and converted to PDF. This visual essay examines two kinds of marks – those made by readers and those made by the ‘intermediaries’ who handled a text before it was converted to PDF: first, examples of marks made by students reading printed copies of a 1976 essay entitled ‘Notes on the index, part 1’, by art historian Rosalind Krauss; second, traces left on a PDF of the 1970 essay ‘Type design in the computer age’, by graphic designer Wim Crouwel, which was acquired through a university library system.