bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Menadione Sodium Bisulphite (MSB) enhances the resistance response of tomato, leading to repel mollusc pests
Authors: Carrillo‐Perdomo Estefanía , Jiménez‐Arias David , Aller Ángel , Borges Andrés A 
Published: July 2015

AbstractBACKGROUNDSnails and slugs are terrestrial gastropods representing an important biotic stress that adversely affects crop yields. These pests are typically controlled with molluscicides, which produce pollution and toxicity and further induce the evolution of resistance mechanisms, making pest management even more challenging. In our work, we have assessed the efficacy of two different plant defence activators, menadione sodium bisulphite (MSB) and 1,2,3‐benzothiadiazole‐7‐thiocarboxylic acid S‐methyl ester (BTH), as inducers of resistance mechanisms of the model plant for defence, Solanum lycopersicum, against the generalist mollusc Theba grasseti (Helicidae). The study was designed to test the feeding behaviour and choice of snails, and also to analyse the expression profile of different genes specifically involved in defence against herbivores and wounds.RESULTSOur data suggest that, through the downregulation of the terpene volatile genes and the production of proteinase inhibitors, treated MSB plants may be less apparent to herbivores that use herbivore‐induced plant volatiles for host location. By contrast, BTH was not effective in the treatment of the pest, probably owing to an antagonistic effect derived from the induction of both salicylic‐acid‐dependent and jasmonic‐acid‐dependent pathways.CONCLUSIONSThis information is crucial to determine the genetic basis of the choice of terrestrial gastropod herbivores in tomato, providing valuable insight into how the plant defence activators could control herbivore pests in plants. Our work not only reports for the first time the interaction between tomato and a mollusc pest but also presents the action of two plant defence inductors that seems to produce opposed responses by inducing resistance mechanisms through different defence pathways. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
On the predictability of extremes: Does the butterfly effect ever decrease?
Authors: Sterk A. E. , Stephenson D. B. , Holland M. P. , Mylne K. R. 
Published: July 2015

This study investigates whether or not predictability always decreases for more extreme events. Predictability is measured by the Mean Squared Error (MSE), estimated here from the difference of pairs of ensemble forecasts, conditioned on one of the forecast variables (the ‘pseudo‐observation’) exceeding a threshold.Using an exchangeable linear regression model for pairs of forecast variables, we show that the MSE can be decomposed into the sum of three terms: a threshold‐independent constant, a mean term that always increases with threshold, and a variance term that can either increase, decrease, or stay constant with threshold. Using the generalised Pareto distribution to model wind speed excesses over a threshold, we show that MSE always increases with threshold at sufficiently high threshold. However, MSE can be a decreasing function of threshold at lower thresholds but only if the forecasts have finite upper bounds.The methods are illustrated by application to daily wind speed forecasts for London made using the 24 member Met Office Global and Regional Ensemble Prediction System from 1 January 2009 to 31 May 2011. For this example, the mean term increases faster than the variance term decreases with increasing threshold, and so predictability decreases for more extreme events.
Pediatric Surgical Care in a Dutch Military Hospital in Afghanistan
Authors: Idenburg Floris J. , van Dongen Thijs T. C. F. , Tan Edward C. T. H. , Hamming Jaap H. , Leenen Luke P. H. , Hoencamp Rigo 
Published: July 2015

AbstractBackgroundFrom August 2006–August 2010, as part of the ISAF mission, the Armed Forces of the Netherlands deployed a role 2 enhanced Medical Treatment Facility (R2E‐MTF) to Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. Although from the principle doctrine not considered a primary task, care was delivered to civilians, including many children. Humanitarian aid accounted for a substantial part of the workload, necessitating medical, infrastructural, and logistical adaptations. Particularly pediatric care demanded specific expertise and equipment. In our pre‐deployment preparations this aspect had been undervalued. Because these experiences could be influential in future mission planning, we analyzed our data and compared them with international reports.MethodsThis is a retrospective, descriptive study. Using the hospital’s electronic database, all pediatric cases, defined as patients <17 years of age, who were admitted between August 2006 and August 2010 to the Dutch R2E‐MTF at Multinational Base Tarin Kowt (MBTK), Urzugan, Afghanistan were analyzed.ResultsOf the 2736 admissions, 415 (15.2 %) were pediatric. The majority (80.9 %, 336/415) of these admissions were for surgical, often trauma‐related, pathology and required 610 surgical procedures, being 26 % of all procedures. Mean length of stay was 3.1 days. The male to female ratio was 70:30. Girls were significantly younger of age than boys. In‐hospital mortality was 5.3 %.ConclusionPediatric patients made up a considerable part of the workload at the Dutch R2E‐MTF in Uruzgan, Afghanistan. This is in line with other reports from the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but used definitions in reported series are inconsistent, making comparisons difficult. Our findings stress the need for a comprehensive, prospective, and coalition‐wide patient registry with uniformly applied criteria. Civilian disaster and military operational planners should incorporate reported patient statistics in manning documents, future courses, training manuals, logistic planning, and doctrines, because pediatric care is a reality that cannot be ignored.
5‐ and 10‐km mesh datasets of agricultural land use based on governmental statistics for 1970–2005
Authors: Osawa Takeshi , Kadoya Taku , Kohyama Kazunori 
Published: July 2015

AbstractLand use data serve as an essential part of large‐scale ecological research, such as landscape ecology and macroecological studies. For agricultural fields in Japan, existing time series statistical records can be used to convert map data according to a map of municipality units. In this data paper, we determined the areas of agricultural land use in Japan from 1970 to 2005, excluding small islands, at spatial resolutions of 5‐ and 10‐km mesh grid units, which are often referred to as the Five‐fold Mesh and Japanese Second‐order Mesh, respectively. The elements considered included total farmland, paddy fields, dry farmland, and orchards. In 2005, we included abandoned agricultural areas because the related data were available in the agricultural statistical records. The source data came from the Census for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan. The Datum was the Japanese Geodetic Datum 2000 (JGD2000). All of the datasets have open data licenses under the rules of the Creative Commons CC‐BY 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode).
Modeling and Testing Differential Item Functioning in Unidimensional Binary Item Response Models with a Single Continuous Covariate: A Functional Data Analysis Approach
Authors: Liu Yang , Magnus Brooke E. , Thissen David 
Published: July 2015

AbstractDifferential item functioning (DIF), referring to between-group variation in item characteristics above and beyond the group-level disparity in the latent variable of interest, has long been regarded as an important item-level diagnostic. The presence of DIF impairs the fit of the single-group item response model being used, and calls for either model modification or item deletion in practice, depending on the mode of analysis. Methods for testing DIF with continuous covariates, rather than categorical grouping variables, have been developed; however, they are restrictive in parametric forms, and thus are not sufficiently flexible to describe complex interaction among latent variables and covariates. In the current study, we formulate the probability of endorsing each test item as a general bivariate function of a unidimensional latent trait and a single covariate, which is then approximated by a two-dimensional smoothing spline. The accuracy and precision of the proposed procedure is evaluated via Monte Carlo simulations. If anchor items are available, we proposed an extended model that simultaneously estimates item characteristic functions (ICFs) for anchor items, ICFs conditional on the covariate for non-anchor items, and the latent variable density conditional on the covariate—all using regression splines. A permutation DIF test is developed, and its performance is compared to the conventional parametric approach in a simulation study. We also illustrate the proposed semiparametric DIF testing procedure with an empirical example.
Lower-Dose Mepivacaine plus Fentanyl May Improve Spinal Anesthesia for Knee Arthroscopy
Authors: Kahn Richard L. , Cheng Jennifer , Bae James J. , Fields Kara , Muller John G. , MacGillivray John D. , Rose Howard A. , Williams Riley J. , YaDeau Jacques T. 
Published: July 2015

Background Previous work indicates that 30 mg isobaric mepivacaine 1.5% plus 10 μg fentanyl produces reliable anesthesia for knee arthroscopy with a more rapid recovery profile than 45 mg mepivacaine. Questions/Purposes This randomized controlled trial compared plain mepivacaine to three reduced doses of mepivacaine with 10 μg fentanyl for spinal anesthesia. Methods Following written informed consent, subjects undergoing outpatient knee arthroscopy were prospectively randomized into one of four groups: mepivacaine 37.5 mg (M37.5); mepivacaine 30 mg plus fentanyl 10 μg (M30/F10); mepivacaine 27 mg plus fentanyl 10 μg (M27/F10); and mepivacaine 24 mg plus fentanyl 10 μg (M24/F10). The spinal was evaluated by the blinded anesthetist and surgeon. In the post-anesthesia care unit, sensory and motor block resolution was assessed. Subjects rated their satisfaction with the overall experience. Results Group M30/F10 ( n = 6) had two “fair” anesthetics, and group M27/F10 ( n = 10) had one “fair” and one “inadequate” anesthetic. Both groups were eliminated from further enrollment per study protocol. The recovery profiles showed little difference between groups M37.5 and M30/F10, except for motor block resolution (median (25th percentile, 75th percentile): 171 (135, 195) and 128 (120, 135), respectively). Groups M27/F10 and M24/F10 demonstrated recovery profiles that were faster than group M37.5. Patient satisfaction was 10/10 for all groups. Conclusions Adding fentanyl 10 μg to a lower dose of mepivacaine 1.5% can lead to quicker recovery profiles. However, this advantage of a quicker recovery must be weighed against the likelihood of an incomplete anesthetic.
Long-term survival after high-dose chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation in metastatic breast cancer
Authors: Hamilton Betty Ky , Rybicki Lisa , Abounader Donna , Andresen Steven , Kalaycio Matt , Sobecks Ronald , Pohlman Brad , Hanna Rabi , Dean Robert , Liu Hien , Hill Brian , Bolwell Brian , Copelan Edward 
Published: July 2015

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND:
The most common indication for high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) in the 1990s was breast cancer. Several randomized trials and a more recent meta-analysis failed to show a survival benefit for AHCT in metastatic breast cancer (MBC); however, they demonstrated a better-than-expected 10-year to 15-year survival in 5-15% of patients. We thus evaluated the long-term results of treatment with HDC and AHCT in MBC at our institution.

METHODS:
From 1984 to 2000, 285 patients underwent AHCT for MBC. The patient characteristics were collected through the Cleveland Clinic, United Transplant Database. A retrospective review of the medical records of the long-term surviving breast-cancer patients treated with HDC and AHCT was conducted.

RESULTS:
With a median follow-up of 169 months, 34 (12%) remain alive. Of the 251 patients who died, 218 (87%) died of metastatic disease. A comparison by age (<50 years and >50 years) and hormonal status did not demonstrate any differences in relapse (p = .33 and p = .32, respectively) or survival (p = .13 and p = .42). Of the 34 long-term survivors, sufficient data were available on 28 patients, and further evaluation revealed that the majority had a primary or locally recurrent oligometastatic disease.

CONCLUSION:
This retrospective evaluation of patients who underwent AHCT for MBC demonstrates longterm survival in a small subset of patients, primarily those with primary or recurrent oligometastatic disease. Oligometastatic breast cancer is a distinct entity within MBC, which may be curable with multimodality therapy. We thus conclude there remains no overall-survival benefit to HDC in MBC.
Epidemiological and mycological characteristics of candidemia in patients with hematological malignancies attending a tertiary-care center in India
Authors: Dewan Eshani , Biswas Debasis , Kakati Barnali , Verma SK , Kotwal Aarti , Oberoi Aroma 
Published: July 2015

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
We undertook the present study to ascertain the contributing risk factors and explore the epidemiological and mycological characteristics of opportunistic candidemia among patients with hematological malignancies.

DESIGN AND SETTINGS:
Observational cross-sectional study in a tertiary care center.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:
Consecutive patients with hematological malignancies reporting to the collaborating medical and pediatric units with a febrile episode were recruited and screened for candidemia by blood culture. Recovered Candida isolates were speciated and antifungal susceptibility testing was performed as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guideline (CLSI) guidelines M44-A. Further analysis was done for potential risk factors and compared between culture positive and negative patients.

RESULTS:
Of 150 patients recruited, the majority (n = 27) were between 51 and 60 years and the male to female ratio was 1.63:1. Fifteen patients (10%) were culture positive. The culture positivity was significantly higher in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) than in non-ALL patients (p = 0.03). There was significant association of candidaemia with leucopenia, chemotherapeutic drugs, corticosteroids and presence of indwelling devices. Duration of disease (p = 0.032) and duration of hospitalization (p = 0.003) were significantly prolonged in culture positive patients. C. tropicalis was the commonest isolate (46.67%), with non- Candida albicans outnumbering C. albicans in all categories of hematological malignancies (2.75:1). All isolates of C. albicans were uniformly sensitive to all the azoles, but only 50% were sensitive to amphotericin B and none to nystatin and flucytosine.

CONCLUSIONS:
This observational study identifies ALL and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as the forms of hematological malignancy predominantly associated with candidemia; specifies risk factors and chemotherapeutic agents predisposing patients towards its occurrence; reports a preponderance of C. tropicalis among the causative agents and finds voriconazole to be the most effective antifungal agent against the recovered isolates. This information could assist in tailoring prophylactic and therapeutic antifungal practices for this infection, according to local epidemiological and mycological characteristics.
Efficacy of ablation at the anteroseptal line for the treatment of perimitral flutter
Authors: Abi‐Saleh Bernard , Skouri Hadi , Cantillon Daniel J. , Fowler Jeffery , Wazni Oussama , Tchou Patrick , Saliba Walid 
Published: July 2015

AbstractBackgroundLeft atrial flutter following atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is increasingly common and difficult to treat. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of ablation of the anteroseptal line connecting the right superior pulmonary vein (RSPV) to the anteroseptal mitral annulus (MA) for the treatment of perimitral flutter (PMF).MethodsWe systematically studied patients who were previously treated with AF ablation and who presented to the electrophysiology laboratory with atrial tachyarrhythmias between January 2000 and July 2010. The diagnosis of PMF was confirmed by activation mapping and/or entrainment. After re‐isolation of any recovered pulmonary vein, a linear radiofrequency (RF) ablation was performed on the line that connected the RSPV to the anteroseptal MA. In this analysis, we included only patients who were treated with an anteroseptal line for their PMF.ResultsAblation was performed at the anteroseptal line in 27 PMF patients (63±13 years; 9 women) who had undergone prior ablation for paroxysmal (n=3) or persistent (n=24) AF, using electroanatomic activation mapping (70% CARTO, 30% NavX). The anteroseptal ablation line was effective in 22/27 (81.5%) patients in the acute‐care setting. Termination of AF to sinus rhythm occurred in 15/22 (68.2%) patients, and 7/22 (31.8%) patients' AF converted to another right or left atrial flutter. At the 6‐month follow‐up, 20% of patients demonstrated recurrent left atrial tachyarrhythmia. Only one patient required repeat ablation, and the remaining patients' condition was controlled with antiarrhythmic medications. No major procedural complications or heart block occurred.ConclusionAblation at the left atrial anteroseptal line is safe and efficacious for the treatment of PMF. Unlike ablation at the traditional mitral isthmus line, ablation at the left atrial anteroseptal line does not require ablation in the coronary sinus.
Mental practice: a simple tool to enhance team-based trauma resuscitation
Authors: Lorello Gianni R. , Hicks Christopher M. , Ahmed Sana-Ara , Unger Zoe , Chandra Deven , Hayter Megan A. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractIntroductionEffective trauma resuscitation requires the coordinated efforts of an interdisciplinary team. Mental practice (MP) is defined as the mental rehearsal of activity in the absence of gross muscular movements and has been demonstrated to enhance acquiring technical and procedural skills. The role of MP to promote nontechnical, team-based skills for trauma has yet to be investigated.MethodsWe randomized anaesthesiology, emergency medicine, and surgery residents to two-member teams randomly assigned to either an MP or control group. The MP group engaged in 20 minutes of MP, and the control group received 20 minutes of Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) training. All teams then participated in a high-fidelity simulated adult trauma resuscitation and received debriefing on communication, leadership, and teamwork. Two blinded raters independently scored video recordings of the simulated resuscitations using the Mayo High Performance Teamwork Scale (MHPTS), a validated team-based behavioural rating scale. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to assess for between-group differences.ResultsSeventy-eight residents provided informed written consent and were recruited. The MP group outperformed the control group with significant effect on teamwork behaviour as assessed using the MHPTS: r=0.67, p<0.01.ConclusionsMP leads to improvement in team-based skills compared to traditional simulation-based trauma instruction. We feel that MP may be a useful and inexpensive tool for improving nontechnical skills instruction effectiveness for team-based trauma care.
Thirty years of referrals to a community mental health service
Authors: Douglas L. , Feeney L. 
Published: July 2015

ObjectivesIn recent decades mental health services have become increasingly community based and multidisciplinary. However, it is unclear if referrals have changed over this period. The aim of this study was to compare referrals to a community mental health service over a 30-year period.MethodNew referrals to a community mental health service were randomly sampled from 4 time points over a 30-year period, 1983, 1993, 2003 and 2013, using a mental health information system. Original referral letters were retrieved and anonymised. Referrals were compared with regard to referral sources, demographics, reason for referral, psychotherapy requests, urgency, risk concerns and subsequent hospital admission.ResultsThere was a 20-fold increase in the number of new referrals between 1983 and 2013. Over the 30 years there was a significant decrease in the proportion of referrals expressing concern about psychosis, but an increase in the proportion that were deemed urgent and which were concerned with suicidal risk. Referrals in 2013 were longer and more likely to contain requests for psychotherapy.ConclusionsThe work of community mental health teams is increasingly concerned with emotional crises. Although services are now more multidisciplinary, they have not been adequately resourced to meet these changing demands.
Some Homological Criteria for Regular, Complete Intersection and Gorenstein Rings
Authors: Majadas Javier 
Published: July 2015

AbstractRegularity, complete intersection and Gorenstein properties of a local ring can be characterized by homological conditions on the canonical homomorphism into its residue field. In positive characteristic, the Frobenius endomorphism (and, more generally, any contracting endomorphism) can also be used for these characterizations. We introduce here a class of local homomorphisms, in some sense larger than all above, for which these characterizations still hold, providing an unified treatment for this class of homomorphisms.
Potential airway compromise secondary to impacted Wharton's duct calculus: a noteworthy phenomenon
Authors: Van M , Gohil R , Gardiner Q 
Published: July 2015

AbstractObjectives:This case report describes a patient who suffered an acute, severe complication of unilateral submandibular sialolithiasis, the disease process and management of these patients.Case report:A 70-year-old woman was under investigation for a recurrent, painful right submandibular swelling and subsequently presented with an acute exacerbation. She exhibited symptoms of acute submandibular sialadenitis, and also reported breathing difficulty and a change in voice quality. Computed tomography imaging showed that this was caused by a submandibular gland duct sialolith, with inflammation extending to the ipsilateral supraglottis. She was treated medically and the stone was removed when the inflammation had stabilised.Conclusion:This case highlights the need to thoroughly assess patients with neck swellings, especially when symptoms are atypical, to avoid life-threatening complications.
Hand-grip strength does not correlate with treatment-related weight loss in patients with head and neck cancer
Authors: Cosway B , Easby M , Covington S , Bowe I , Paleri V 
Published: July 2015

AbstractBackground:Hand-grip strength has been shown to be a reliable predictor of health outcomes. However, evidence supporting its use as an indicator of nutritional status is inconsistent. This study investigated its use in monitoring nutritional status in patients with head and neck cancer.Methods:A prospective audit of patients treated for head and neck cancer was undertaken at four centres over a three-month period in 2009. Nutritional outcomes were collected at 3, 6 and 12 months, and the data were statistically analysed.Results:Data from 114 patients showed that mean weight, but not hand-grip strength, fell significantly at 3, 6 and 12 months post-treatment (p < 0.003 vs p < 0.126).Conclusion:A fall in weight does not coincide with a drop in hand-grip strength in patients receiving treatment for head and neck cancer. Hand-grip strength may therefore not be of benefit in the nutritional assessment of these patients and should not be part of routine assessment.