bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Kant’s Political Philosophy
Authors: Ebels‐Duggan Kyla 
Published: November 2012

AbstractKant’s political theory stands in the social contract tradition, but departs significantly from earlier versions of social contract theory. Most importantly Kant holds, against Hobbes and Locke, that we have not merely a pragmatic reason but an obligation to exit the state of nature and found a state. Kant holds that each person has an innate right to freedom, but it is possible to simultaneously honor everyone’s right only under the rule of law. Since we are obligated to respect each person’s right to freedom, and can do so only in a state, we are obligated to submit to the authority of the state if we have one, and to establish one if we do not. In the first half of the essay I reconstruct this argument in more detail. In the second half I survey four points of controversy: (i) What is the relationship between Kant’s political philosophy and his moral philosophy? (ii) How does the innate right to freedom support the postulate that we are permitted to acquire property and other private rights? (iii) How does the postulate support an obligation to found the state? (iv) How should we understand Kant’s views about political revolutions?
Collective Scientific Knowledge
Authors: Fagan Melinda 
Published: November 2012

AbstractPhilosophical debates about collective scientific knowledge concern two distinct theses: (1) groups are necessary to produce scientific knowledge, and (2) groups have scientific knowledge in their own right. Thesis (1) has strong support. Groups are required, in many cases of scientific inquiry, to satisfy methodological norms, to develop theoretical concepts, or to validate the results of inquiry as scientific knowledge. So scientific knowledge‐production is collective in at least three respects. However, support for (2) is more equivocal. Though some examples suggest that groups have scientific knowledge independently of their individual members, these cases are also explained in terms of relational complexes of members’ beliefs.
Crystallization Kinetics of Superionic Conductive Al(B,La)‐ Incorporated LiTi2(PO4)3 Glass‐Ceramics
Authors: Chen Hongping , Tao Haizheng , Wu Qide , Zhao Xiujian 
Published: November 2012

For the purpose of developing high‐performance glass‐ceramic superionic conductor, the controllable precipitation of LiTi2(PO4)3‐like superionic conducting phase in the Li2O–TiO2–P2O5 glass system was studied. Al with B or La co‐incorporated LiTi2(PO4)3‐based glass‐ceramics were prepared by the crystallization of the corresponding original glasses. Compared with the sole Al‐incorporated LiTi2(PO4)3‐based glass‐ceramics, the ionic conductivity shows an increase for the boron co‐incorporated one and a decrease for the lanthanum co‐incorporated one. Through the further in‐depth analysis based on the methods of DSC and X‐ray diffractive technique, this opposite change in ion conductivity was ascribed to the alterations of crystallization mechanism together with quantity of crystal phases within the glass‐ceramics.. The boron addition promoted the precipitation of LiTi2(PO4)3 phase and restrained the precipitation of second phase. The highest ionic conductivity 1.3 × 10−3 S/cm at 25°C was obtained through the heat treatment of B and Al co‐incorporated glassy samples at 900°C for 12 h. These inorganic solid electrolytes have a potential application in lithium batteries or other electrochemical ionic devices.
Retrospective cohort analysis of a single dose of aprotinin use in children undergoing cardiac surgery: a single‐center experience
Authors: Fan Yong , Lin Ru , Yang Lijun , Ye Lifen , Yu Jiangen , Shu Qiang 
Published: November 2012

SummaryObjectivesThe great difference in side effects of aprotinin was noted in adult and pediatric fields in recent reports because aprotinin was suspended for safety reasons. The aim of this study is to describe associations between aprotinin using and red blood cells transfusion, renal injury, and mortality in pediatric with cardiac surgery.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed a cohort of 507 consecutive children who received a single dose of aprotinin (March–November 2007 before the FDA's decision for withdrawal of aprotinin) and a cohort of 494 consecutive children who did not receive aprotinin or other antifibrinolytic drugs (December 2007–August 2008).ResultsThe two groups’ demographics were assessed by the Aristotle Basic Complexity (ABC) propensity score. Postoperative blood loss was significantly reduced in the aprotinin group [P < 0.001, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.00–0.00], but postoperative red blood cell transfusion was not different between two groups (P = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.393–0.412). No statistical significant differences were noted in postoperative dialysis [0.39% vs 0.40%, P = 0.98, OR: 0.974, 95% CI: 0.137–6.944] and intra‐hospital mortality (2.37% vs 1.82%, P:0.547, OR:1.306, 95% CI:0.546–3.129)) and reoperations for bleeding, thrombotic, and respiratory morbidity between two groups; however, the aprotinin group had temporarily a higher rate of 1.5‐fold increased creatinine (class R) in the first postoperative 72 h (22.95% vs 13.93%, P < 0.001, OR: 1.840, 95% CI: 1.323–2.560), a longer duration of mechanical intubation [6.50 (4.50–24.00)h vs 6.00 (4.50–22.00)h, P = 0.004, 95% CI:0.002–0.005] and a 0.55% increased clinical mortality (although not statistically significant). More complex surgery had a higher rate of the increased creatinine (class R) in the first postoperative 72 h (ABC level 3 + 4 vs level 1 + 2, P = 0.017, OR:0.599, 95% CI:0.392–0.915). The multivariate analysis showed that age (<1 year), CPB >100 min, and the larger amount of transfusion (≥14 ml·kg−1) were also important risk factors for the postoperative renal dysfunction (class R).ConclusionsExcept reducing postoperative bleeding, we did not find other benefits of aprotinin. However, much higher postoperative creatinine levels, longer duration of mechanical ventilation, not less postoperative RBCs transfusion, and a 0.55% increased clinical mortality (although not statistically significant) were found in the aprotinin populations.
Point‐of‐care diagnosis of tuberculosis: Past, present and future
Authors: DHEDA KEERTAN , RUHWALD MORTEN , THERON GRANT , PETER JONATHAN , YAM WING CHEONG 
Published: November 2012

AbstractDiagnosis represents only one aspect of tuberculosis (TB) control but is perhaps one of the most challenging. The drawbacks of current tools highlight several unmet needs in TB diagnosis, that is, necessity for accuracy, rapidity of diagnosis, affordability, simplicity and the ability to generate same‐day results at point‐of‐care (POC). When a return visit is required to access test results, time to treatment is prolonged, and default rates are significant. However, a good diagnostic tool is also critically dependent on obtaining an adequate biological sample. Here, we review the accuracy and potential impact of established and newer potential POC diagnostic tests for TB, including smear microscopy, the Xpert MTB/RIF assay (Cepheid) and the Determine TB lipoarabinomannan antigen test (Alere). Novel experimental approaches and detection technologies for POC diagnosis of active TB, including nucleic acid amplification tests, detection of volatile organic compounds or metabolites, mass spectroscopy, microfluidics, surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy, electrochemical approaches, and aptamers among others, are discussed. We also discuss future applications, including the potential POC diagnosis of drug‐resistant TB and presumed latent TB infection. Challenges to the development and roll‐out of POC tests for TB are also reviewed.
Observation of super‐resolution in digital breast tomosynthesis
Authors: Acciavatti Raymond J. , Maidment Andrew D. A. 
Published: November 2012

Purpose:Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is a 3D x‐ray imaging modality in which tomographic sections of the breast are generated from a limited range of tube angles. Because oblique x‐ray incidence shifts the image of an object in subpixel detector element increments with each increasing projection angle, it is demonstrated that DBT is capable of super‐resolution (i.e., subpixel resolution).Methods:By convention, DBT reconstructions are performed on planes parallel to the breast support at various depths of the breast volume. In order for resolution in each reconstructed slice to be comparable to the detector, the pixel size should match that of the detector elements; hence, the highest frequency that can be resolved in the plane of reconstruction is the alias frequency of the detector. This study considers reconstruction grids with much smaller pixelation to visualize higher frequencies. For analytical proof of super‐resolution, a theoretical framework is developed in which the reconstruction of a high frequency sinusoidal input is calculated using both simple backprojection (SBP) and filtered backprojection. To study the frequency spectrum of the reconstruction, its Fourier transform is also determined. The experimental feasibility of super‐resolution was investigated by acquiring images of a bar pattern phantom with frequencies higher than the detector alias frequency.Results:Using analytical modeling, it is shown that the central projection cannot resolve frequencies exceeding the detector alias frequency. The Fourier transform of the central projection is maximized at a lower frequency than the input as evidence of aliasing. By contrast, SBP reconstruction can resolve the input, and its Fourier transform is correctly maximized at the input frequency. Incorporating filters into the reconstruction smoothens pixelation artifacts in the spatial domain and reduces spectral leakage in the Fourier domain. It is also demonstrated that the existence of super‐resolution is dependent on position in the reconstruction and on the directionality of the input frequency. Consistent with the analytical results, experimental reconstructions of bar patterns showed visibility of frequencies greater than the detector alias frequency. Super‐resolution was present at positions predicted from analytical modeling.Conclusions:This work demonstrates the existence of super‐resolution in DBT. Super‐resolution has the potential to impact the visualization of fine structural details in the breast, such as microcalcifications and other subtle signs of cancer.
Intraoperative patient registration using volumetric true 3D ultrasound without fiducials
Authors: Ji Songbai , Roberts David W. , Hartov Alex , Paulsen Keith D. 
Published: November 2012

Purpose:Accurate patient registration is crucial for effective image‐guidance in open cranial surgery. Typically, it is accomplished by matching skin‐affixed fiducials manually identified in the operating room (OR) with their counterparts in the preoperative images, which not only consumes OR time and personnel resources but also relies on the presence (and subsequent fixation) of the fiducials during the preoperative scans (until the procedure begins). In this study, the authors present a completely automatic, volumetric image‐based patient registration technique that does not rely on fiducials by registering tracked (true) 3D ultrasound (3DUS) directly with preoperative magnetic resonance (MR) images.Methods:Multistart registrations between binary 3DUS and MR volumes were first executed to generate an initial starting point without incorporating prior information on the US transducer contact point location or orientation for subsequent registration between grayscale 3DUS and MR via maximization of either mutual information (MI) or correlation ratio (CR). Patient registration was then computed through concatenation of spatial transformations.Results:In ten (N = 10) patient cases, an average fiducial (marker) distance error (FDE) of 5.0 mm and 4.3 mm was achieved using MI or CR registration (FDE was smaller with CR vs MI in eight of ten cases), which are comparable to values reported for typical fiducial‐ or surface‐based patient registrations. The translational and rotational capture ranges were found to be 24.0 mm and 27.0° for binary registrations (up to 32.8 mm and 36.4°), 12.2 mm and 25.6° for MI registrations (up to 18.3 mm and 34.4°), and 22.6 mm and 40.8° for CR registrations (up to 48.5 mm and 65.6°), respectively. The execution time to complete a patient registration was 12–15 min with parallel processing, which can be significantly reduced by confining the 3DUS transducer location to the center of craniotomy in MR before registration (an execution time of 5 min is achievable).Conclusions:Because common features deep in the brain and throughout the surgical volume of interest are used, intraoperative fiducial‐less patient registration is possible on‐demand, which is attractive in cases where preoperative patient registration is compromised (e.g., from loss/movement of skin‐affixed fiducials) or not possible (e.g., in cases of emergency when external fiducials were not placed in time). CR registration was more robust than MI (capture range about twice as big) and appears to be more accurate, although both methods are comparable to or better than fiducial‐based registration in the patient cases evaluated. The results presented here suggest that 3DUS image‐based patient registration holds promise for clinical application in the future.
Genome Sequence of the Thermotolerant Yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus var.
marxianus
KCTC 17555
Authors: Jeong Haeyoung , Lee Dae-Hee , Kim Sun Hong , Kim Hyun-Jin , Lee Kyusang , Song Ju Yeon , Kim Byung Kwon , Sung Bong Hyun , Park Jae Chan , Sohn Jung Hoon , Koo Hyun Min , Kim Jihyun F. 
Published: November 2012

ABSTRACT

Kluyveromyces marxianus
is a thermotolerant yeast that has been explored for potential use in biotechnological applications, such as production of biofuels, single-cell proteins, enzymes, and other heterologous proteins. Here, we present the high-quality draft of the 10.9-Mb genome of
K. marxianus
var.
marxianu
s KCTC 17555 (= CBS 6556 = ATCC 26548).
Horizontal Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes on Abiotic Touch Surfaces: Implications for Public Health
Authors: Warnes Sarah L. , Highmore Callum J. , Keevil C. William 
Published: November 2012

ABSTRACT

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is largely responsible for increasing the incidence of antibiotic-resistant infections worldwide. While studies have focused on HGT
in vivo
, this work investigates whether the ability of pathogens to persist in the environment, particularly on touch surfaces, may also play an important role.
Escherichia coli
, virulent clone ST131, and
Klebsiella pneumoniae
harboring extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)
bla
CTX-M-15
and metallo-β-lactamase
bla
NDM-1
, respectively, exhibited prolonged survival on stainless steel, with approximately 10
4
viable cells remaining from an inoculum of 10
7
CFU per cm
2
after 1 month at 21°C. HGT of
bla
to an antibiotic-sensitive but azide-resistant recipient
E. coli
strain occurred on stainless steel dry touch surfaces and in suspension but not on dry copper. The conjugation frequency was approximately 10 to 50 times greater and occurred immediately, and resulting transconjugants were more stable with ESBL
E. coli
as the donor cell than with
K. pneumoniae
, but
bla
NDM-1
transfer increased with time. Transconjugants also exhibited the same resistance profile as the donor, suggesting multiple gene transfer. Rapid death, inhibition of respiration, and destruction of genomic and plasmid DNA of both pathogens occurred on copper alloys accompanied by a reduction in
bla
copy number. Naked
E. coli
DNA degraded on copper at 21°C and 37°C but slowly at 4°C, suggesting a direct role for the metal. Persistence of viable pathogenic bacteria on touch surfaces may not only increase the risk of infection transmission but may also contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance by HGT. The use of copper alloys as antimicrobial touch surfaces may help reduce infection and HGT.

IMPORTANCE
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) conferring resistance to many classes of antimicrobials has resulted in a worldwide epidemic of nosocomial and community infections caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms, leading to suggestions that we are in effect returning to the preantibiotic era. While studies have focused on HGT
in vivo
, this work investigates whether the ability of pathogens to persist in the environment, particularly on touch surfaces, may also play an important role. Here we show prolonged (several-week) survival of multidrug-resistant
Escherichia coli
and
Klebsiella pneumoniae
on stainless steel surfaces. Plasmid-mediated HGT of β-lactamase genes to an azide-resistant recipient
E. coli
strain occurred when the donor and recipient cells were mixed together on stainless steel and in suspension but not on copper surfaces. In addition, rapid death of both antibiotic-resistant strains and destruction of plasmid and genomic DNA were observed on copper and copper alloy surfaces, which could be useful in the prevention of infection spread and gene transfer.
The importance of an ECG: back to basics
Authors: Haidari Golaleh , Gray Kirsty , Kirubakaran Senthil 
Published: November 2012

A 48-year-old man presented to accident and emergency with syncope on a background history of 3 weeks of increasing shortness of breath. He collapsed at home prompting admission. He was a smoker with a 30-pack-year history. On examination, he was found to be tachypnoeic and hypoxic, with a raised JVP and quiet heard sounds. He was haemodynamically stable and a chest x-ray showed right upper-lobe collapse.His resting ECG demonstrated electrical alternans prompting urgent referral to the cardiologist for echocardiography. This revealed a large pericardial effusion with evidence of right ventricular diastolic collapse. In view of this, he underwent urgent pericardiocentesis.A subsequent CT scan showed bilateral pleural effusions and multiple lung nodules. Both pericardial and pleural fluid cytology were reported as metastatic non-small cell adenocarcinoma. The pericardial fluid continued to reaccumulate requiring a pericardial window. He was referred to the oncology team for palliative chemotherapy.
Mansonella ozzardicorneal lesions in the Amazon: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Vianna Lucas Monferrari Monteiro , Martins Marilaine , Cohen Marcos Jacob , Cohen Jacob Moyses , Belfort Rubens 
Published: November 2012

ObjectivesTo characterise and confirm the presence ofMansonella ozzardimicrofilariae in the cornea by biomicroscopy and corneal confocal microscopy.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingsClinical practice study in patients from rural communities in Coari city on the Solimões river, Amazonas state, Brazil.ParticipantsThe eyes of 212 consecutive volunteer patients were examined using a flash light and their blood checked for the presence of microfilariae by an expert microscopist. Patients with suspicious corneal lesions (characterised as nummular keratitis) were submitted to biomicroscopy, fundoscopy and corneal confocal microscopy evaluation (CCME). In two patients, a biopsy of the limbal conjunctiva adjacent to the nummular keratitis was carried out and blood collected from the surgical wound for microfilariae investigation by thick blood film examination.Primary and secondary outcome measuresPositive correlation between corneal biomicroscopic and confocal lesions andM ozzardimicrofilaremia.ResultsOf the 212 patients, 56 (26.4%) were positive for microfilaremia. 22 patients with nummular keratitis identified under flash light examination underwent biomicroscopy and CCME. Corneal lesions were positively correlated to microfilaremia (p=0.0001). At biomicroscopy, lesions were classified as quiescent or active. At CCME, lesions were categorised as circular or filiform. The associations between corneal lesions, CCME findings and microfilaremia are shown.ConclusionsWe describeM ozzardimicrofilariae in the cornea and the associated eye pathology. Further studies using ocular tissue PCR and other imaging techniques would be helpful.
Science without meritocracy. Discrimination among European specialists in infectious diseases and clinical microbiology: a questionnaire survey
Authors: Tacconelli Evelina , Poljak Mario , Cacace Marina , Caiati Giovanni , Benzonana Nur , Nagy Elisabeth , Kortbeek Titia 
Published: November 2012

ObjectiveIn 2009, in a European survey, around a quarter of Europeans reported witnessing discrimination or harassment at their workplace. The parity committee from the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) designed a questionnaire survey to investigate forms of discrimination with respect to country, gender and ethnicity among medical professionals in hospitals and universities carrying out activities in the clinical microbiology (CM) and infectious diseases (ID) fields.DesignThe survey consisted of 61 questions divided into five areas (sociodemographic, professional census and environment, leadership and generic) and ran anonymously for nearly 3 months on the ESCMID website.SubjectsEuropean specialists in CM/ID.ResultsOverall, we included 1274 professionals. The majority of respondents (68%) stated that discrimination is present in medical science. A quarter of them reported personal experience with discrimination, mainly associated with gender and geographic region. Specialists from South-Western Europe experienced events at a much higher rate (37%) than other European regions. The proportion of women among full professor was on average 46% in CM and 26% in ID. Participation in high-level decision-making committees was significantly (>10 percentage points) different by gender and geographic origin. Yearly gross salary among CM/ID professionals was significantly different among European countries and by gender, within the same country. More than one-third of respondents (38%) stated that international societies in CM/ID have an imbalance as for committee member distribution and speakers at international conferences.ConclusionsA quarter of CM/ID specialists experienced career and research discrimination in European hospitals and universities, mainly related to gender and geographic origin. Implementing proactive policies to tackle discrimination and improve representativeness and balance in career among CM/ID professionals in Europe is urgently needed.