bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
“Out of sight, out of mind”: Housestaff perceptions of quality‐limiting factors in discharge care at teaching hospitals
Authors: Greysen S. Ryan , Schiliro Danise , Horwitz Leora I. , Curry Leslie , Bradley Elizabeth H. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND:Improving hospital discharge has become a national priority for teaching hospitals, yet little is known about physician perspectives on factors limiting the quality of discharge care.OBJECTIVES:To describe the discharge process from the perspective of housestaff physicians, and to generate hypotheses about quality‐limiting factors and key strategies for improvement.METHODS:Qualitative study with in‐depth, in‐person interviews with a diverse sample of 29 internal medicine housestaff, in 2010–2011, at 2 separate internal medicine training programs, including 7 different hospitals. We used the constant comparative method of qualitative analysis to explore the experiences and perceptions of factors affecting the quality of discharge care.RESULTS:We identified 5 unifying themes describing factors perceived to limit the quality of discharge care: (1) competing priorities in the discharge process; (2) inadequate coordination within multidisciplinary discharge teams; (3) lack of standardization in discharge procedures; (4) poor patient and family communication; and (5) lack of postdischarge feedback and clinical responsibility.CONCLUSIONS:Quality‐limiting factors described by housestaff identified key processes for intervention. Establishment of clear standards for discharge procedures, including interdisciplinary teamwork, patient communication, and postdischarge continuity of care, may improve the quality of discharge care by housestaff at teaching hospitals. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2012; © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine
I can't get no job satisfaction: Meta‐analysis comparing permanent and contingent workers
Authors: Wilkin Christa L. 
Published: February 2012

SummaryScholars are concerned that contingent workers experience more adverse psychological job outcomes than permanent employees, but the empirical work on job satisfaction is mixed. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively summarize the potential mean differences in job satisfaction between contingent workers and permanent employees. Meta‐analytic results from 72 primary studies (N = 237 856) suggest that compared with permanent employees, contingent workers experience lower job satisfaction (d = −0.21); but when outlying primary studies are removed, the mean difference is small but significant (d = −0.06). Methodological artifacts explain small but significant differences in job satisfaction but do not account for much variance. Moderator analyses support previous findings that contingent workers are not a homogeneous group; some contingent workers (e.g., agency workers) experience lower job satisfaction than permanent employees, whereas the job satisfaction of other contingent workers (e.g., contractors) is similar to permanent employees. The findings have implications for increasing our understanding of job satisfaction by showing that job satisfaction appears to vary by employment type. Practical implications suggest that extending human resource practices to contingent workers may increase their job satisfaction, which has been shown to influence job performance, citizenship behaviors, and turnover. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Precipitation variations in Beijing during 1860–1897 AD revealed by daily weather records from the Weng Tong‐He Diary
Authors: Zhang Xue‐Zhen , Ge Quan‐Sheng , Fang Xiu‐Qi , Zheng Jing‐Yun , Fei Jie 
Published: February 2012

AbstractDaily weather records from a historical private diary provide important data for studying historical climate change. We compiled daily weather records from the Weng Tong‐He Diary and counted the number of monthly precipitation days during 1860‐1897 AD for Beijing; then, using the number of monthly precipitation days, we reconstructed the seasonal precipitation using regression models relating the precipitation and precipitation days. The findings show that the monthly mean number of precipitation days for 1860‐1897 was greater than that for 1951‐2009 by about 1 d month−1 and that the summer (June to August, JJA) precipitation for 1860‐1897 was 471.8 mm greater than that for 1951‐2009 by about 15.5%. The JJA precipitation of 1860‐1897 had not only inter‐annual variations but also inter‐decadal variations that were characterized by less precipitation before 1886 (about 421.9 mm) and more precipitation thereafter (about 550.7 mm). As a consequence, the JJA precipitation of 1860‐1897 showed an evident positive trend with a rate of about 57.9 mm per decade. These precipitation variations were confirmed by other datasets. However, it is worth noting that our reconstruction underestimates the historical precipitation values (by about 22.5%) because of rainfall/snowfall events missed in Weng's diary and the poor ability of the regression models to capture extreme years. In the future, new methods of reconstructing precipitation with the consideration of missed rainfall/snowfall events are needed. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
Trouble in Paradise: the 2007–2009 Global Economic Recession and Hawai'i's Visitor Industry
Authors: Spencer Daniel M. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTThis is a case study of the impact of the global economic recession of 2007–2009 on Hawai'i's visitor industry. The industry responded to the downturn largely with advertising blitzes to its primary market on the US mainland. Notwithstanding these efforts, diminished lift capacity and visitor arrivals, combined with widespread discounting, resulted in a 26% decrease in real visitor spending in 2009 versus that in 2006. The industry recovered during 2010 and 2011, but major hotel foreclosures, State bond downgrades and lost accommodations jobs are enduring scars. The experience demonstrated anew Hawai'i's need to strengthen its visitor industry and diversify its economy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Laryngotracheal reconstruction with resorbable microplate buttressing
Authors: Javia Luv R. , Zur Karen B. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractObjectives/Hypothesis:In patients undergoing laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR), malacic segments of trachea can pose challenges to successful reconstruction. Malacic segments may inadequately support cartilage grafts used in augmentation surgery, sometimes requiring cricotracheal or tracheal resections. We describe a novel technique of LTR with resorbable microplate buttressing of malacic lateral tracheal segments.Study Design:Retrospective case series.Methods:Review of technique, treatment outcomes, and complications of seven children with subglottic stenosis and tracheomalacia requiring a microplate‐augmented LTR technique.Results:Seven infants ranging from 26 months to 9 years of age successfully underwent LTR for subglottic stenosis. Six children had a grade III subglottic stenosis. The seventh child had grade II subglottic stenosis, bilateral vocal fold paralysis, an elliptical cricoid, and an obstructing giant suprastomal fibroma. Five children underwent a double‐stage LTR with resorbable microplates sutured bilaterally to support severely malacic lateral tracheal segments. A cricotracheal resection would not have been feasible in one child due to the resection length and inadequate tracheal mobilization. Two children underwent a single‐stage LTR with unilateral application of a microplate. Six children were decannulated within 3 months and continue without airway symptoms or complications. One child, who is just over 2 months from reconstructive surgery, is being setup for decannulation. No complications were encountered.Conclusions:LTR with resorbable microplate buttressing of malacic lateral tracheal segments is technically feasible, safe, and can avoid more extensive surgery requiring tracheal resection. Further experience may support the use of this technique in challenging airway reconstructions. Laryngoscope, 2012
Dominance Measuring Method Performance under Incomplete Information about Weights
Authors: Mateos Alfonso , Jiménez Antonio , Blanco José F. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTIn multi‐attribute utility theory, it is often not easy to elicit precise values for the scaling weights representing the relative importance of criteria. A very widespread approach is to gather incomplete information. A recent approach for dealing with such situations is to use information about each alternative's intensity of dominance, known as dominance measuring methods. Different dominance measuring methods have been proposed, and simulation studies have been carried out to compare these methods with each other and with other approaches but only when ordinal information about weights is available. In this paper, we use Monte Carlo simulation techniques to analyse the performance of and adapt such methods to deal with weight intervals, weights fitting independent normal probability distributions or weights represented by fuzzy numbers. Moreover, dominance measuring method performance is also compared with a widely used methodology dealing with incomplete information on weights, the stochastic multicriteria acceptability analysis (SMAA). SMAA is based on exploring the weight space to describe the evaluations that would make each alternative the preferred one. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Supraorbitary to infraorbitary nerve transfer for restoration of midface sensation in face transplantation: Cadaver feasibility study
Authors: Rodriguez‐Lorenzo Andres , Audolfsson Thorir , Rozen Shai , Kildal Morten , Nowinski Daniel 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBackground:The collected experience from facial allotransplantations has shown that the recovery of sensory function of the face graft is unpredictable. Unavailability of healthy donor nerves, especially in central face defects may contribute to this fact. Herein, the technical feasibility of transferring the supraorbitary nerve (SO) to the infraorbitary nerve (IO) in a model of central facial transplantation was investigated.Methods:Five heads from fresh cadavers were dissected with the aid of 3× loupe magnification. Measurements of the maximum length of dissection of the SO nerve through a supraciliary incision and the IO nerve from the skin of the facial flap to the infraorbital foramen were performed. The distance between supraorbital and infraorbital foramens and the calibers of both nerves were also measured. In all dissections, we simulated a central allotransplantation procedure and assessed the feasibility of directly transferring the SO to the IO nerve.Results:The average maximum length of dissection for the IO and SO nerve was 1.4 ± 0.3 cm and 4.5 ± 1.0 cm, respectively. The average distance between the infraorbital and supraorbital foramina was 4.6 ± 0.3 cm. The average calibers of the nerves were of 1.1 ± 0.2 mm for the SO nerve and 2.9 ± 0.4 mm for the IO nerve. We were able to perform tension‐free SO to IO nerve coaptations in all specimens.Conclusion:SO to IO nerve transfer is an anatomically feasible procedure in central facial allotransplantation. This technique could be used to improve the restoration of midfacial sensation by the use of a healthy recipient nerve in case of the recipient IO nerves are not available secondary to high‐energy trauma. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2012.
A coupling method for soil structure interaction problems
Authors: Souli M. , Shahrour I. 
Published: February 2012

SUMMARYThis paper describes a soil‐structure coupling method to simulate blast loading in soil and structure response. For the last decade, simulation of soil behavior under blast loading and its interaction with semi buried structure in soil becomes the focus of computational engineering in civil and mechanical engineering communities. In current design practice, soil‐structure interaction analysis often assumes linear elastic properties of the soil and uses small displacement theory. However, there are numerous problems, which require a more advanced approach that account for soil‐structure interaction and appropriate constitutive models for soil. In simplified approaches, the effect of soil on structure is considered using spring‐dashpot‐mass system, and the blast loading is modeled using linearly decaying pressure–time history based on equivalent trinitrotoluene and standoff distance, using ConWep, a computer program based on semi‐empirical equations. This strategy is very efficient from a CPU time computing point of view but may not provide accurate results for the dynamic response of the structure, because of its significant limitations, mainly when soil behavior is strongly nonlinear and when the buried charge is close to the structure. In this paper, both soil and explosive are modeled using solid elements with a constitutive material law for soil, and a Jones–Wilkins–Lee equation of state for explosive. One of the problems we have encountered when solving fluid structure interaction problems is the high mesh distortion at the contact interface because of high fluid nodal displacements and velocities. Similar problems have been encountered in soil structure interaction problems. To prevent high mesh distortion for soil, a new coupling algorithm is performed at the soil structure interface for structure loading. The coupling method is commonly used for fluid structure interaction problems in automotive and aerospace industry for fuel sloshing tank, and bird impact problems, but rarely used for soil structure interaction problems, where Lagrangian contact type algorithms are still dominant. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A comparison of the effect of age on levator ani and obturator internus muscle cross‐sectional areas and volumes in nulliparous women
Authors: Morris Vikky C. , Murray Meghan P. , DeLancey John O.L. , Ashton‐Miller James A. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractAimsFunctional tests have demonstrated minimal loss of vaginal closure force with age. So we tested the null hypotheses that age neither affects the maximum cross‐sectional area (CSA) nor the volume of the levator muscle. Corresponding hypotheses were also tested in the adjacent obturator internus muscle, which served as a control for the effect of age on appendicular muscle in these women.MethodsMagnetic resonance images of 15 healthy younger (aged 21–25 years) and 12 healthy older nulliparous women (aged >63 years) were selected to avoid the confounding effect of childbirth. Models were created from tracing outlines of the levator ani muscle in the coronal plane, and obturator internus in the axial plane using 3D Slicer v. 3.4. Muscle volumes were calculated using Slicer, while CSA was measured using Imageware™ at nine locations. The hypotheses were tested using repeated measures analysis of variance with P < 0.05 being considered significant.ResultsThe effect of age did not reach statistical significance for the decrease in levator ani muscle maximum CSA or the decrease in volume (4.3%, P = 0.62 and 10.9%, 0.12, respectively). However, age did significantly adversely decrease obturator internus muscle maximum CSA and volume (24.5% and 28.2%, P < 0.001, respectively). Significant local age‐related changes were observed dorsally in both muscles.ConclusionsUnlike the adjacent appendicular muscle, obturator internus, the levator ani muscle in healthy nullipara does not show evidence of significant age‐related atrophy. Neurourol. Urodynam. 31:481–486, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Is laparoscopic surgery an option to support prophylactic colectomy in adolescent patients with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP)?
Authors: Vitellaro Marco , Ferrari Andrea , Trencheva Koiana , Sala Paola , Massimino Maura , Piva Luigi , Bertario Lucio 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBackgroundProphylactic surgery is still considered the standard treatment for patients with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). Laparoscopic (Lap) surgery has been introduced as an alternative approach. The aim was to evaluate the feasibility and short‐ to long‐term outcomes after prophylactic FAP surgery in adolescent.ProceduresA retrospective review of a database of adolescent patients with FAP identified through the Hereditary Colorectal Tumor Registry in a single Institution between 2005 and 2011. Patients underwent Lap total colectomy (TC) with ileo‐rectal anastomosis (IRA) or proctocolectomy (PC) with ileal‐pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA). The main outcomes were: Hospital stay, postoperative complications, desmoid tumor rates, tumor recurrence, long‐term complications.ResultsSixteen consecutive patients with median age 16 (range 13–19) and median BMI 22 (17–29) underwent surgery. [correction made here after initial online publication]. Of them 14 patients had LAP TC with IRA and 2 had PC with IPAA. Operative time (median, range) was TC/IRA 270 (210–330) minutes; PC/IPAA 370 (360–380) minutes. Length of extraction site was cm (median, range) 6(5–8). Lymph Node harvest (median, range) 81 (32–139). Postoperative stay days (median, range) were 6 (4–24). Five patients (31.2%) showed dysplasia on the pathological report and 3 of them showed severe dysplasia. Median follow‐up time (FU) was 39 months, range (10–82). The anastomotic leak rate for 30 days was 2 (12.5%). Pouch failure was 0. Post‐surgical desmoid tumors rate was 1 (6.2%) and there was no tumor recurrence. Anastomotic stricture, SBO and mortality were zero.ConclusionsLap approach is feasible and shows acceptable postoperative outcomes. Lap surgery can be an appealing alternative for prophylactic surgery in adolescent FAP patients. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012; 59: 1223–1228. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
New aspects of neuroblastoma treatment: ASPHO 2011 symposium review
Authors: Zage Peter E. , Louis Chrystal U. , Cohn Susan L. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractNeuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood, and the outcomes for children with high‐risk and relapsed disease remain poor. However, new international strategies for risk stratification and for treatment based on novel tumor targets and including immunotherapy are being employed in attempts to improve the outcomes of children with neuroblastoma. A new international neuroblastoma risk classification system has been developed which is being incorporated into cooperative group clinical trials in North America, Japan, and Europe, resulting in standardized approaches for the initial evaluation and treatment stratification of neuroblastoma patients. Furthermore, novel treatment regimens are being developed based on improved understanding of neuroblastoma biology and on the recruitment of the immune system to specifically target neuroblastoma tumors. These approaches will lead to new therapeutic strategies that likely will improve the outcomes for children with neuroblastoma worldwide. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012; 58: 1099–1105. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Rhabdomyosarcoma: Review of the Children's Oncology Group (COG) soft‐tissue Sarcoma committee experience and rationale for current COG studies
Authors: Malempati Suman , Hawkins Douglas S. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThe prognosis for children and adolescents with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) has improved with refinements in multi‐modal therapy. Since 1972, the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group (now the Children's Oncology Group Soft‐Tissue Sarcoma Committee) has conducted serial studies for RMS. This review describes the IRSG and COG experience with RMS, presents the current risk stratification definitions, and provides rationale for the current generation of COG RMS studies. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012; 59: 5–10. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
FLT3 mutation status is a predictor of early death in pediatric acute promyelocytic leukemia: A report from the Children's Oncology Group
Authors: Kutny Matthew A. , Moser Barry K. , Laumann Kristina , Feusner James H. , Gamis Alan , Gregory John , Larson Richard A. , Powell Bayard L. , Stock Wendy , Willman Cheryl L. , Woods William G. , Meshinchi Soheil 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBackgroundFLT3 mutations (FLT3/Mut) are prevalent in de novo AML and are associated with early relapse. The prevalence and prognostic significance of FLT3/Mut have not been well defined in childhood acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).ProcedureDiagnostic specimens from 104 pediatric APL patients were screened for FLT3/Mut (FLT3/ITD or FLT3/ALM). FLT3/Mut status was correlated with disease characteristics and clinical outcome for patients treated on CALGB C9710 (n = 50).ResultsForty‐two of the 104 patients (40%) had either FLT3/ITD (n = 28, 27%) or FLT3/ALM (n = 15, 14%). Median diagnostic WBC count was 23,400 cells/µl vs. 3,600 cells/µl for those with and without FLT3/Mut (P < 0.001), and similar results for the cohort of 50 patients treated on C9710 (P < 0.001). In patients treated on C9710, presence of a FLT3 mutation was highly correlated with diagnostic WBC count >10,000 (P = 0.004), microgranular variant histology (P = 0.035), and a lower remission rate (P = 0.009). In patients who received ATRA (C9710 or CCG‐2911, n = 58), those with FLT3/Mut had an induction death rate of 30% (7/23) compared to 3% (1/35) in FLT3/WT patients (P = 0.005). In patients with high WBC counts (>10,000), those with FLT3/Mut had a significantly higher risk of induction death versus FLT3/WT patients (47% vs. 0%, P = 0.05). FLT3/Mut was not associated with adverse outcome in those who survived induction therapy.ConclusionsFLT3/Mut are prevalent in pediatric APL and are associated with high WBC count and increased induction death. This study provides further evidence for testing APL patients for FLT3/Mut and the potential role for FLT3 inhibitors in this disease. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012;59:662–667. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Value of routine bone marrow examination in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML): A study of the Dutch Childhood Oncology Group (DCOG)
Authors: Hageman Ilse M.G. , Peek Annemarie M.L. , de Haas Valérie , Damen‐Korbijn Carin M. , Kaspers Gertjan J.L. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBackgroundThe outcome of the treatment of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still disappointing, due to relatively high treatment‐related mortality and relapse rates (30–40%). Past treatment protocols have called for routine screening via bone marrow aspiration (BMA) after achievement of first complete remission (CR1) to detect relapse at an early stage. However, supporting evidence for this policy is lacking for non‐FAB type‐M3 patients.ProcedureWe therefore retrospectively studied the clinical relevance of routine BMA in an unselected cohort of all pediatric AML patients in the Netherlands.ResultsOf 440 patients, data for 349 patients, of whom 148 suffered bone marrow relapse (BM‐relapse), could be analyzed. A total of 1,790 BMAs had been performed, 1,648 (92%) routinely, and 142 (8%) on indication when a relapse was suspected. Forty routine BMAs showed BM‐relapse (2% of all routine BMAs), while as many as 108 (76%) hematological relapses were confirmed by BMA on indication (P < 0.001). Therefore, 1 in 41 routine BMAs, as opposed to 1 in 1.3 BMAs performed on indication, detected a BM‐relapse.ConclusionsRoutine BMA after CR1 did not significantly contribute to early detection of relapsed AML. These results suggest that BMA after achievement of CR1 should only be performed on indication or within a clinical research setting. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012; 59: 1239–1244. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.