bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of a Swiss adverse drug event prevention collaborative
Authors: Staines Anthony , Mattia Costanza , Schaad Nicolas , Lécureux Estelle , Bonnabry Pascal 
Published: May 2015

AbstractRationale, aims and objectivesThe Hospital Federation of Vaud (Switzerland) used a Breakthrough Collaborative with the aim of reducing adverse drug events (ADEs) by 20% in 10 participating hospitals.MethodsA set of interventions (covering patient identification, high‐alert medication and medication preparation in the ward) was deployed over 18 months starting in October 2010. All hospitals monitored discrepancies between drugs prescribed and those prepared for administration, as well as the occurrence of ADEs using the ADE Trigger Tool for 18 months (cohort 1). A subset of five hospitals continued this monitoring for 12 additional months (cohort 2).ResultsIn cohort 1, pill box discrepancies were present in 5.9% of doses (n = 9772) in 2011 and in 5.8% (n = 2251) in the first 3 months of 2012 (no statistical significance). There were no significant differences in the rate of ADEs/1000 doses across time (1.2 in 2010, 1.0 in 2011 and 1.0 in 2012). In cohort 2, pill box discrepancies were reduced from 6.5% (n = 4846 doses) in 2011 to 4.4% (n = 7355) in 2012 (P < 0.001) to 3.0% for the first 3 months of 2013 (n = 2251; P = 0.004). The rate of ADEs/1000 doses decreased (1.8 in 2010, 1.1 in 2011 and 0.6 in 2012/13 (P = 0.008 for 2010–2011, and P < 0.001 for 2011–2012/2013).ConclusionsReductions in drug discrepancies and ADEs occurred in the cohort with the longer monitoring duration. Factors contributing to success may include the strategic status of the project, executive support, perseverance in post‐intervention measurement, and institution‐wide rather than partial deployment.
Shaping Identities: The Cypriot Left and the Communist Party of Greece in the 1940s
Authors: Alecou Alexios 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThis paper seeks to reveal the many ways in which the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) influenced the Cypriot Left (AKEL) during the 1940s. The analysis centres on the main political events of the decade and details the reaction of AKEL, especially as it was reporting to the KKE. Attention then switches to AKEL's ideology and tactics and how these were developed during and because of the Greek civil war. What this paper brings to the discussion is that the advice and control given by the KKE to AKEL – and at the same time the Cold War, which was a playing field on which a political party had to choose a side – were the main factors that formed the identity and ideological framework practiced for decades by AKEL.
Microbiome structure of the fungid coral Ctenactis echinata aligns with environmental differences
Authors: Roder Cornelia , Bayer Till , Aranda Manuel , Kruse Maren , Voolstra Christian R. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThe significance of bacteria for eukaryotic functioning is increasingly recognized. Coral reef ecosystems critically rely on the relationship between coral hosts and their intracellular photosynthetic dinoflagellates, but the role of the associated bacteria remains largely theoretical. Here, we set out to relate coral‐associated bacterial communities of the fungid host species Ctenactis echinata to environmental settings (geographic location, substrate cover, summer/winter, nutrient and suspended matter concentrations) and coral host abundance. We show that bacterial diversity of C. echinata aligns with ecological differences between sites and that coral colonies sampled at the species’ preferred habitats are primarily structured by one bacterial taxon (genus Endozoicomonas) representing more than 60% of all bacteria. In contrast, host microbiomes from lower populated coral habitats are less structured and more diverse. Our study demonstrates that the content and structure of the coral microbiome aligns with environmental differences and denotes habitat adequacy. Availability of a range of coral host habitats might be important for the conservation of distinct microbiome structures and diversity.
Advantages of Propositionalism
Authors: Sinhababu Neil 
Published: May 2015

AbstractPropositionalism is the view that the contents of intentional attitudes have a propositional structure. Objectualism opposes propositionalism in allowing the contents of these attitudes to be ordinary objects or properties. Philosophers including Talbot Brewer, Paul Thagard, Michelle Montague, and Alex Grzankowski attack propositionalism about such attitudes as desire, liking, and fearing. This article defends propositionalism, mainly on grounds that it better supports psychological explanations.
A Comparison of Survey Measures and Biomarkers of Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposure among Nonsmokers
Authors: Okoli Chizimuzo 
Published: May 2015

AbstractObjectivesSecondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure causes several adverse physical health outcomes. Conceptual differences in survey measures of ‘psychosocial’ (SHSexposure from smokers in an individual's life) and ‘physical’ (environments where an individual is exposed toSHS)SHSexposure exist. Few studies have examined the association between psychosocial and physicalSHSexposures measures in comparison to biomarkers ofSHSexposure.Design and SampleA secondary analysis of cross‐sectional data was examined among a convenience sample of 20 adults.MeasuresData included survey items onSHSexposure and hair nicotine and saliva cotinine levels. Spearman analysis was used to assess correlations among variables.ResultsMedium and strong correlations were found amongSHSexposure measures with the exception of saliva cotinine levels. Strong correlations were found among and between psychosocial and physicalSHSexposure measures. Hair nicotine levels had medium strength associations with only perceived frequency ofSHSexposure.DiscussionAs psychosocial measures of exposure were associated with biomarkers, such measures (particularly perceived frequency ofSHSexposure) should be added to surveys in addition to physicalSHSexposure measures to enhance accuracy ofSHSmeasurement. Future explorations with robust sample sizes should further examine the strength of relationship between psychosocial and physicalSHSexposure measures.
South African Exporters and the Global Crisis: Intensive Margin Shock, Extensive Margin Hangover
Authors: Matthee Marianne , Farole Thomas , Naughtin Tasha , Rankin Neil 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThis paper examines how changes at the intensive (established exporters exporting existing products to established markets) and the extensive (new exporters, products or markets) margins contribute to South African export growth and how this was affected by the global financial crisis. We find that the intensive margin is the more important contributor to export growth, contributing more than three quarters of observed growth. The intensive margin contracted significantly during the global financial crisis of 2009 but bounced back to pre‐crisis levels quickly. However, the impacts on the extensive margin persisted after the crisis with lower levels of entry of firms, new products and new destinations. The short‐term impact of the crisis was mitigated by the concentration of South African exports among larger, more productive super‐exporters. However, the fall in entry of new firms, products and destinations as a result of the crisis may mean that this concentration persists, and, at least over the next few years, South Africa does not diversify and broaden its exports.
The Effect of Fatigue-Induced Changes in Eggbeater-Kick Kinematics on Performance and Risk of Injury
Authors: Oliveira Nuno , Saunders David H. , Sanders Ross H. 
Published: May 2015

Purpose:To investigate the effects of fatigue on the vertical force and kinematics of the lower limbs during maximal water polo eggbeater kicking.Methods:Twelve male water polo players maintained as high a position as possible while performing the eggbeater kick with the upper limbs raised out of the water until they were unable to keep the top of the sternum (manubrium) above water. Data comprising 27 complete eggbeater-kick cycles were extracted corresponding to 9 cycles of the initial nonfatigued (0%), 50% time point (50%), and final fatigued (100%) periods of the trial. Vertical force, foot speed, and hip-, knee-, and ankle-joint angles were calculated.Results:Mean vertical force (0%, 212.2 N; 50%, 184.5 N; 100%, 164.3 N) progressively decreased with time. Speed of the feet (0.4 m/s), hip abduction (2.9°), and flexion (3.6°) decreased with fatigue, while hip internal rotation (3.6°) and ankle inversion (4°) increased with fatigue. Average angular velocity decreased for all joint motions.Conclusions:Eggbeater-kick performance decreases with fatigue. Inability to maintain foot speeds and hip and ankle actions with progressing fatigue diminishes the ability of the player to produce vertical force during the cycle. Increased internal rotation of the hip when fatigued and the large eversion/abduction of the ankle during the cycle may be predisposing factors for the prevalence of patellofemoral pain syndrome observed among eggbeater-kick performers. Appropriate training interventions that can limit the effects of fatigue on performance and injury risk should be considered.
Vaccination of Cattle againstEscherichia coliO157:H7
Authors: Smith David R. 
Published: May 2015

ABSTRACTHuman infection with Shiga toxin-producingEscherichia coliO157:H7 (STEC O157) is relatively rare, but the consequences can be serious, especially in the very young and the elderly. Efforts to control the flow of STEC O157 during beef processing have meaningfully reduced the incidence of human STEC O157 infection, particularly prior to 2005. Unfortunately, despite early progress, the incidence of STEC O157 infection has not changed meaningfully or statistically in recent years, suggesting that additional actions, for example, targeting the cattle reservoir, are necessary to further reduce STEC O157 illness. Ideally, preharvest interventions against STEC O157 should reduce the likelihood that cattle carry the organism, have practical application within the beef production system, and add sufficient value to the cattle to offset the cost of the intervention. A number of STEC O157 antigens are being investigated as potential vaccine targets. Some vaccine products have demonstrated efficacy to reduce the prevalence of cattle carrying STEC O157 by making the gut unfavorable to colonization. However, in conditions of natural exposure, efficacy afforded by vaccination depends on how the products are used to control environmental transmission within groups of cattle and throughout the production system. Although cattle vaccines against STEC O157 have gained either full or preliminary regulatory approval in Canada and the United States, widespread use by cattle feeders is unlikely until there is an economic signal to indicate that cattle vaccinated against STEC O157 are valued over other cattle.
Biofilm Matrix Proteins
Authors: Fong Jiunn N. C. , Yildiz Fitnat H. 
Published: May 2015

ABSTRACT

Proteinaceous components of the biofilm matrix include secreted extracellular proteins, cell surface adhesins, and protein subunits of cell appendages such as flagella and pili. Biofilm matrix proteins play diverse roles in biofilm formation and dissolution. They are involved in attaching cells to surfaces, stabilizing the biofilm matrix via interactions with exopolysaccharide and nucleic acid components, developing three-dimensional biofilm architectures, and dissolving biofilm matrix via enzymatic degradation of polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids. In this article, we will review functions of matrix proteins in a selected set of microorganisms, studies of the matrix proteomes of
Vibrio cholerae
and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, and roles of outer membrane vesicles and of nucleoid-binding proteins in biofilm formation.
Integration, Regulation, and Long-Term Stability of R2 Retrotransposons
Authors: Eickbush Thomas H. , Eickbush Danna G. 
Published: May 2015

ABSTRACT
R2 elements are sequence specific non-LTR retrotransposons that exclusively insert in the 28S rRNA genes of animals. R2s encode an endonuclease that cleaves the insertion site and a reverse transcriptase that uses the cleaved DNA to prime reverse transcription of the R2 transcript, a process termed target primed reverse transcription. Additional unusual properties of the reverse transcriptase as well as DNA and RNA binding domains of the R2 encoded protein have been characterized. R2 expression is through co-transcription with the 28S gene and self-cleavage by a ribozyme encoded at the R2 5′ end. Studies in laboratory stocks and natural populations of Drosophila suggest that R2 expression is tied to the distribution of R2-inserted units within the rDNA locus. Most individuals have no R2 expression because only a small fraction of their rRNA genes need to be active, and a contiguous region of the locus free of R2 insertions can be selected for activation. However, if the R2-free region is not large enough to produce sufficient rRNA, flanking units - including those inserted with R2 - must be activated. Finally, R2 copies rapidly turnover within the rDNA locus, yet R2 has been vertically maintained in animal lineages for hundreds of millions of years. The key to this stability is R2's ability to remain dormant in rDNA units outside the transcribed regions for generations until the stochastic nature of the crossovers that drive the concerted evolution of the rDNA locus inevitably reshuffle the inserted and uninserted units, resulting in transcription of the R2-inserted units.
Cre Recombinase
Authors: Van Duyne Gregory D. 
Published: May 2015

ABSTRACT

The use of Cre recombinase to carry out conditional mutagenesis of transgenes and insert DNA cassettes into eukaryotic chromosomes is widespread. In addition to the numerous
in vivo
and
in vitro
applications that have been reported since Cre was first shown to function in yeast and mammalian cells nearly 30 years ago, the Cre–
loxP
system has also played an important role in understanding the mechanism of recombination by the tyrosine recombinase family of site-specific recombinases. The simplicity of this system, requiring only a single recombinase enzyme and short recombination sequences for robust activity in a variety of contexts, has been an important factor in both cases. This review discusses advances in the Cre recombinase field that have occurred over the past 12 years since the publication of
Mobile DNA II
. The focus is on those recent contributions that have provided new mechanistic insights into the reaction. Also discussed are modifications of Cre and/or the
loxP
sequence that have led to improvements in genome engineering applications.
The Integron: Adaptation On Demand
Authors: Escudero* José Antonio , Loot* Céline , Nivina Aleksandra , Mazel Didier 
Published: May 2015

ABSTRACT

The integron is a powerful system which, by capturing, stockpiling, and rearranging new functions carried by gene encoding cassettes, confers upon bacteria a rapid adaptation capability in changing environments. Chromosomally located integrons (CI) have been identified in a large number of environmental Gram-negative bacteria. Integron evolutionary history suggests that these sedentary CIs acquired mobility among bacterial species through their association with transposable elements and conjugative plasmids. As a result of massive antibiotic use, these so-called mobile integrons are now widespread in clinically relevant bacteria and are considered to be the principal agent in the emergence and rise of antibiotic multiresistance in Gram-negative bacteria. Cassette rearrangements are catalyzed by the integron integrase, a site-specific tyrosine recombinase. Central to these reactions is the single-stranded DNA nature of one of the recombination partners, the
attC
site. This makes the integron a unique recombination system. This review describes the current knowledge on this atypical recombination mechanism, its implications in the reactions involving the different types of sites,
attC
and
attI
, and focuses on the tight regulation exerted by the host on integron activity through the control of
attC
site folding. Furthermore, cassette and integrase expression are also highly controlled by host regulatory networks and the bacterial stress (SOS) response. These intimate connections to the host make the integron a genetically stable and efficient system, granting the bacteria a low cost, highly adaptive evolution potential “on demand”.
Protocol for a multicentre randomiSed controlled TRial of IntraVEnous immunoglobulin versus standard therapy for the treatment of transverse myelitis in adults and children (STRIVE)
Authors: Absoud M , Gadian J , Hellier J , Brex P A , Ciccarelli O , Giovannoni G , Kelly J , McCrone P , Murphy C , Palace J , Pickles A , Pike M , Robertson N , Jacob A , Lim M 
Published: May 2015

IntroductionTransverse myelitis (TM) is an immune-mediated disorder of the spinal cord which causes motor and sensory disturbance and limited recovery in 50% of patients. Standard treatment is steroids, and patients with more severe disease appear to respond to plasma exchange (PLEX). Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has also been used as an adjunct to steroids, but evidence is lacking. We propose the first randomised control trial in adults and children, to determine the benefit of additional treatment with IVIG.Methods and analysis170 adults and children aged over 1 year with acute first episode TM or neuromyelitis optica (with myelitis) will be recruited over a 2.5-year period and followed up for 12 months. Participants randomised to the control arm will receive standard therapy of intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP). The intervention arm will receive the above standard therapy, plus additional IVIG.Primary outcome will be a 2-point improvement on the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment scale at 6 months postrandomisation by blinded assessors. Additional secondary and tertiary outcome measures will be collected: ASIA motor and sensory scales, Kurtzke expanded disability status scale, International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Bladder/Bowel Data Set, Client Services Receipt Index, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, EQ-5D, SCI Pain and SCI Quality of Life Data Sets. Biological samples will be biobanked for future studies. After 6-months' follow-up of the first 52 recruited patients futility analysis will be carried out. Health economics analysis will be performed to calculate cost-effectiveness. After 6 months’ recruitment futility analysis will be performed.Ethics and disseminationResearch Ethics Committee Approval was obtained: 14/SC/1329. Current protocol: v3.0 (15/01/2015). Study findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numbersThis study is registered with EudraCT (REF: 2014-002335-34), Clinicaltrials.gov (REF:NCT02398994) and ISRCTN (REF: 12127581).
Discretionary Searches, the Impact of Passengers, and the Implications for Police–Minority Encounters
Authors: Tillyer Rob , Klahm Charles F. 
Published: May 2015

Purpose: The current study examines whether a police officer’s decision to initiate a discretionary search is impacted by the presence of passengers. It also explores whether groups of minority citizens experience more frequent discretionary searches compared with other groups. These hypotheses are built on the theoretical foundation of officer suspicion, the group hazard hypothesis, the principles of symbolic interactionism, and Black’s theory of law. Methods: Traffic stop data from a large, urban city are used to test these hypotheses. Multilevel, Bernoulli models are estimated to reflect the nested nature of the data. Data are analyzed in multiple ways to reflect the complex elements of police–citizen encounters. Results: Results indicate that discretionary searches of a citizen are more likely when a passenger is present. While some group effects are also documented, minority groups are not more likely to be searched such that the presence of passengers appears to supersede the impact of race/ethnicity. Conclusions: The presence of passengers during a police–citizen encounter has a substantial impact on the likelihood of a discretionary search. Race/ethnicity effects are limited to single-occupant drivers.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid Program for Chinese People in Hong Kong
Authors: Wong Daniel F. K. , Lau Ying , Kwok Sylvia , Wong Prudence , Tori Christopher 
Published: May 2015

Purpose: Chinese people generally lack knowledge of mental illness. Such phenomenon may lead to a delay in seeking psychiatric treatments. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program in improving mental health knowledge of the general public in Hong Kong. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was adopted whereby 138 participants received MHFA training and 139 partook in seminars on general health, respectively. All participants filled out a standardized questionnaire before, at the end, and 6-month after the training. Results: Findings demonstrated that MHFA training might be effective in enhancing participants’ knowledge of mental disorders, reducing stigma, and improving perceived confidence in providing help to people with mental illness. Effect size statistics revealed mostly modest to moderate improvements in major variables in the experimental group. Conclusion: It is recommended that culturally attuned MHFA program can be used as prevention strategy to promote good mental health in Chinese communities.
Optical characterization of In-flushed InAs/GaAs quantum dots emitting a broadband spectrum with multiple peaks at ~1 μm
Authors: Kitamura Shigehiro , Senshu Masaya , Katsuyama Toshio , Hino Yuji , Ozaki Nobuhiko , Ohkouchi Shunsuke , Sugimoto Yoshimasa , Hogg Richard A 
Published: May 2015

Abstract
We investigated optical properties of In-flushed InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on a GaAs substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. By using the In-flush technique for setting the height of self-assembled InAs QDs, we have tuned the emission wavelength of InAs QDs to the ~1 μm regime, which can be utilized as a non-invasive and deeply penetrative probe for biological and medical imaging systems. The controlled emission exhibited a broadband spectrum comprising multiple peaks with an interval of approximately 30 meV. We examined the origin of the multiple peaks using spectral and time-resolved photoluminescence, and concluded that it is attributed to monolayer step fluctuations in the height of the In-flushed QDs. This feature can be advantageous for realizing a broadband light source centered at the ~1 μm regime, which is especially suitable for the non-invasive cross-sectional biological and medical imaging system known as optical coherence tomography.