bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Are the CMS Hospital Outpatient Quality Measures Relevant for Rural Hospitals?
Authors: Casey Michelle M. , Prasad Shailendra , Klingner Jill , Moscovice Ira 
Published: April 2012

AbstractContext: Quality measures focused on outpatient settings are of increasing interest to policy makers, but little research has been conducted on hospital outpatient quality measures, especially in rural settings.Purpose: To evaluate the relevance of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) outpatient quality measures for rural hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals.Methods: Researchers analyzed Medicare hospital outpatient claims and Hospital Compare outpatient quality measure data for rural hospitals to assess the volume of conditions addressed by the measures in rural hospitals. A literature review and information from national quality organizations were used to assess the external and internal usefulness of the measures for rural hospitals. A panel of rural hospital quality experts reviewed the measures and provided additional input about their usefulness and data collection issues in rural hospitals.Results: The rural relevant CMS outpatient measures include most of the Emergency Department (ED) measures. The outpatient surgical measures are relevant for the majority of rural hospitals providing outpatient surgery. Several measures were not selected as relevant for rural hospitals, including the outpatient imaging and condition‐specific measures.Conclusions: To increase sample sizes for smaller rural hospitals, CMS could combine data for similar inpatient and outpatient measures, use composite measures by condition, or use a longer time period to calculate measures. A menu of outpatient measures would allow smaller rural hospitals to choose relevant measures depending on the outpatient services they provide. Global measures and care coordination measures would be useful for quality improvement and have sufficient sample size to allow reliable measurement in smaller rural hospitals.
The Impact of Living in Rural and Urban Areas: Vitamin D and Medical Costs in Veterans
Authors: Bailey Beth A. , Manning Todd , Peiris Alan N. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractPurpose: Living in a rural region is associated with significant health disparities and increased medical costs. Vitamin D deficiency, which is increasingly common, is also associated with many adverse health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether rural‐urban residence status of veterans was related to vitamin D levels, and to determine if this factor also influenced medical costs/service utilization. Additionally explored was whether vitamin D differences accounted for part of the association between area of residence and medical costs/service utilization.Methods: Medical records of 9,396 veterans from 6 Veterans Administration Medical Centers were reviewed for variables of interest including county of residence, vitamin D level, medical costs and service utilization, and background variables. Rurality status was classified as large metropolitan, urban, and rural.Findings: The 3 rurality status groups differed significantly in vitamin D levels, with the highest levels observed for urban residents, followed by rural residents, and the lowest for large metro residents. Compared with urban residents, large metro residents were 49% more likely, while rural residents were 20% more likely, to be vitamin D deficient. Both rural and large metro residents had higher medical costs, and they were significantly more likely to be hospitalized. Vitamin D levels explained a statistically significant amount of the relationship between rurality status and medical costs/service utilization.Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency may be an additional health disparity experienced by both rural and inner‐city veterans, and patients residing in these locations should be considered at increased risk for deficiency and routinely tested.
Torn in translation: An ethnographic study of regulatory decision‐making in Turkey
Authors: Kayaalp Ebru 
Published: April 2012

AbstractThere is much literature on the diffusion and translation of regulatory agencies from the perspective of formal political models. Ethnographic research of regulation process is, however, much less common. This is even more evident with regards to the study of regulatory agencies established outside the “West.” This article analyzes the translation process of the Turkish tobacco regulatory agency, which was established in 2002, under commitments made to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Based on an ethnographic analysis of two controversial cases, the study shows that tobacco regulation was being shaped and pursued in an environment of ambivalence and uncertainty. The study concludes that the decision‐making process of the agency is context‐specific and constructed within the perpetual struggles and interactions among the actors involved in this process.
Regional Economic Growth and Spillover Effects: An Analysis of China's Pan Pearl River Delta Area
Authors: Chen Yu , Wu Yanrui 
Published: April 2012

AbstractThe Pan Pearl River Delta (PPRD) Regional Co‐operation Framework Agreement was signed in 2004. It aims to bring prosperity through partnership among nine Chinese Mainland provinces and China's two special administrative regions. In this paper, we use a dynamic panel data model to examine the economic growth of the PPRD economies from 1985 to 2009. Our analysis confirms the existence of regional growth spillover effects in the PPRD area. Our results also show that economic growth spillover effects of non‐PPRD regions on the PPRD regions are greater than those among the PPRD members themselves. These findings imply that economic integration between Chinese provinces has generated considerable spillover effects on regional growth. However, the anticipated benefits of the implementation of the PPRD agreement have not been realized thus far. Therefore, greater effort should be made to promote further economic integration among these members so that their local economies can benefit from the positive spillover effects.
On‐farm dynamic management of genetic diversity: the impact of seed diffusions and seed saving practices on a population‐variety of bread wheat
Authors: Thomas Mathieu , Demeulenaere Elise , Dawson Julie C. , Khan Abdul Rehman , Galic Nathalie , Jouanne‐Pin Sophie , Remoue Carine , Bonneuil Christophe , Goldringer Isabelle 
Published: April 2012

AbstractSince the domestication of crop species, humans have derived specific varieties for particular uses and shaped the genetic diversity of these varieties. Here, using an interdisciplinary approach combining ethnobotany and population genetics, we document the within‐variety genetic structure of a population‐variety of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in relation to farmers’ practices to decipher their contribution to crop species evolution. Using 19 microsatellites markers, we conducted two complementary graph theory‐based methods to analyze population structure and gene flow among 19 sub‐populations of a single population‐variety [Rouge de Bordeaux (RDB)]. The ethnobotany approach allowed us to determine the RDB history including diffusion and reproduction events. We found that the complex genetic structure among the RDB sub‐populations is highly consistent with the structure of the seed diffusion and reproduction network drawn based on the ethnobotanical study. This structure highlighted the key role of the farmer‐led seed diffusion through founder effects, selection and genetic drift because of human practices. An important result is that the genetic diversity conserved on farm is complementary to that found in the genebank indicating that both systems are required for a more efficient crop diversity conservation.
Chalcid parasitoid community associated with the invading pest Dryocosmus kuriphilus in north‐western Italy
Authors: QUACCHIA AMBRA , FERRACINI CHIARA , NICHOLLS JAMES A. , PIAZZA ENZO , SALADINI MATTEO A. , TOTA FEDERICA , MELIKA GEORGE , ALMA ALBERTO 
Published: April 2012

Abstract.  1. Biological invasions of exotic species pose a major threat to native biodiversity. Invaders are known to have direct impacts on native species; however, less well studied are the indirect impacts mediated through the integration of invaders into trophically linked communities.2. A survey of the chalcid wasp parasitoid community attacking the chestnut gallwasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus was carried out over a 5‐year period at 26 sites in north‐western Italy. More than 415 000 galls were collected and more than 10 000 parasitoid specimens emerged. Twenty‐seven parasitoid species belonging to six families (Eurytomidae, Pteromalidae, Torymidae, Eupelmidae, Ormyridae, Eulophidae) were identified using morphological and molecular methods; seventeen are new records for the parasitoid community associated with D. kuriphilus in Italy. The morphospecies complexes Megastigmus dorsalis, Eupelmus urozonus, E. annulatus, and Eurytoma pistaciae were the dominant species; another six morphospecies were encountered regularly but at low frequency; and 13 species were recorded only occasionally. The attack rate of any individual parasitoid species was low, although the more common species appeared to be increasing their use of this novel host.3. Biases observed in the sex ratios of parasitoids emerging from D. kuriphilus galls suggest that parasitoid individuals are making life‐history decisions to take advantage of the high abundance of this host. Overall, these patterns imply that there is an ongoing transfer of parasitoids between oak and chestnut galls, and hence a high potential for this invading species to have a major impact on native oak gall communities via indirect competition mediated through shared parasitoids.
Eyelid skin disinfecting and conjunctival bacteria in cataract surgery
Authors: Ali Talal , Jung Karin , Montan Per G. 
Published: April 2012

Abstract.Purpose:  To evaluate the effect on conjunctival micro‐organisms of chlorhexidine alcohol 0.5% eyelid wash in cataract patients.Methods:  In this single‐centre experimental study, 120 patients scheduled to undergo cataract operation were cultured in the conjunctiva before the operation and after the insertion of the intraocular lens. Bacterial samples for aerobic and anaerobic cultures were taken with a polyvinyl alcohol pad and transported in peptone water to the microbiological laboratory where they were analysed in a blinded fashion. Half of the patients received a standardized eyelid scrub with chlorhexidine alcohol 0.5%, while the rest did not. The conjunctiva of all patients was rinsed preoperatively with chlorhexidine solution 0.05%.Results:  In all the between‐group comparisons, the treated eyelid group had slightly lower bacterial counts than the control group on the postoperative samples, but differences were far from statistically significant. Within‐group comparisons revealed statistically significant reduction in colonies and species between the preoperative and postoperative sampling.Conclusion:  In this experimental culture study, no evidence was found to suggest that preoperative eyelid chlorhexidine alcohol wash is effective in further reducing bacterial counts in the conjunctiva when the conjunctiva itself is rinsed preoperatively with chlorhexidine solution. The present results, however, do not contradict that the wash may be of some marginal help in reducing bacterial contamination of the operation field. Consequently, this part of the prophylactic protocol is still in practice in our institution.
Epithelial tumours of the lacrimal gland: a clinical, histopathological, surgical and oncological survey
Authors: von Holstein Sarah Linéa , Coupland Sarah E , Briscoe Daniel , Le Tourneau Christophe , Heegaard Steffen 
Published: April 2012

Abstract.Epithelial tumours of the lacrimal gland represent a large spectrum of lesions with similarities in clinical signs and symptoms but with different biological behaviour and prognosis. They are rare, but with aggressive malignant potential. Tumours of the lacrimal gland may present with swelling of the lacrimal gland, displacement of the eyeball, reduced eye motility and diplopia. Pain and symptoms of short duration before the first ophthalmic consultation are characteristic of malignant tumours. The histological diagnosis determines the subsequent treatment regimen and provides important clues regarding the prognosis. The purpose of this paper is to describe the various primary epithelial tumours of the lacrimal gland. In the first part of the review, the frequency, demographics, clinical presentation and diagnostic features are described. In the second part, primarily tumour‐specific histological characteristics are given. Finally, treatment modalities including surgical procedures and medical oncology as well as prognosis are discussed.
Lacrimal gland lesions in Denmark between 1974 and 2007
Authors: von Holstein Sarah Linéa , Therkildsen Marianne Hamilton , Prause Jan Ulrik , Stenman Göran , Siersma Volkert Dirk , Heegaard Steffen 
Published: April 2012

Abstract.Purpose:  To evaluate the incidence rate, distribution, patient characteristics and indications for surgical intervention of lacrimal gland lesions in Denmark between 1974 and 2007.Material and methods:  All biopsied/surgically removed lacrimal gland lesions in Denmark during the period 1974–2007 were identified by searching two population‐based registries. Specimens were collected and re‐evaluated. The following data were collected: age, gender, indications for surgical intervention and local recurrence.Results:  A total of 232 lesions from 210 patients with a histologically verified lesion of the lacrimal gland were included. The incidence rate of lacrimal gland lesions was 1.3/1 000 000/year. The overall annual age‐ and gender‐adjusted incidence rate more than doubled during the study period, owing to an increase in non‐malignant lesions. Approximately half of the lesions were neoplasms (119) and 55% (66) of these were malignant. Dacryops constituted 10% (24), inflammatory lesions 27% (62), normal tissue 12% (27), benign tumours 23% (53) and malignant tumours 29% (66). Patients with malignant neoplasms were significantly older than patients with benign neoplasms (63 versus 48 years, p < 0.001). The indication for surgical intervention was suspicion of a tumour in more than 90% of the neoplastic lesions and in 30% of the non‐neoplastic lesions.Conclusion:  Lacrimal gland lesions that require surgical evaluation are rare in the Danish population and represent a wide spectrum of diagnoses, mostly benign. The overall incidence rate of biopsied lacrimal gland lesions is increasing.
Enamel demineralization and bracket bond strength when etching with acid and /or Er:YAG laser
Authors: Lasmar MF , Reher VGS , Lalloo R , Reher P 
Published: April 2012

AbstractBackground: Enamel etching for brackets is usually done with phosphoric acid. Er:YAG lasers have been recently used for this purpose with conflicting results. The effects of lasers on tooth demineralization and the effects of different combinations of laser treatments and bonding agents were evaluated in this study.Methods: The enamel contents of fluorine, calcium oxide and phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) were analysed using acid etching, laser treatment or both. The tensile bond strength of metallic and ceramic brackets using Transbond® XT and Fuji Ortho® LC were also tested, using acid etching, laser treatment or a combination of both.Results: All treatments reduced the contents of fluorine, P2O5 and calcium oxide, and acid reduced P2O5 levels more than laser. The bond strength with laser was weaker than with acid, and stronger when combining both. When using laser, the best adhesive was the Fuji Ortho® LC. The combination of laser and acid produced the best results when using Transbond® XT.Conclusions: The demineralization promoted by laser was lower than the one produced with acid. Laser treatment produced lower tensile stress strength than acid, but still enough to produce clinically efficient retention. The combination of laser and acid produced the best retention results.
Prediction of recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after curative hepatectomy using preoperative Lens culinaris agglutinin‐reactive fraction of alpha‐fetoprotein
Authors: Saito Yu , Shimada Mitsuo , Utsunomiya Tohru , Morine Yuji , Imura Satoru , Ikemoto Tetsuya , Mori Hiroki , Hanaoka Jun , Yamada Shinichiro , Asanoma Michihito 
Published: April 2012

Aim:  Lens culinaris agglutinin A‐reactive fraction of α‐fetoprotein (AFP‐L3) status has been reported to be an independent prognostic factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we evaluated the clinical usefulness of measuring preoperative AFP‐L3 to predict the recurrence and prognosis of HCC after curative hepatectomy.Methods:  One hundred and forty‐two HCC patients who underwent curative hepatectomy were examined for the correlation between preoperative tumor marker, including AFP, des‐γ‐carboxy prothrombin (DCP) and AFP‐L3, and clinicopathological variables. The prognostic factors of disease‐free survival rates and overall survival rates were also determined using clinicopathological variables including these three tumor markers.Results:  There were similar tendencies in the relationship between these three markers and malignant behaviors including lower grade tumor differentiation or vascular invasion. In multivariate analysis, increased AFP‐L3 value (P = 0.019) was found to be an independent prognostic factor of disease‐free survival after curative hepatectomy. In addition, elevated DCP (P = 0.013) and AFP‐L3 values (P = 0.012) were found to be independent prognostic factors. Furthermore, the preoperative AFP‐L3 value in the patients with early recurrence (within 1 year after hepatectomy) was significantly higher than that in those without early recurrence (26.9 ± 19.5 % vs 14.2 ± 19.8 %, P = 0.047).Conclusion:  Preoperative AFP‐L3 value was strongly correlated to disease‐free and overall survival rate and the timing of recurrence, so it appears that it would be useful to predict the recurrence and prognosis of HCC after curative hepatectomy.
Efficacy and safety of prophylaxis with entecavir and hepatitis B immunoglobulin in preventing hepatitis B recurrence after living‐donor liver transplantation
Authors: Ueda Yoshihide , Marusawa Hiroyuki , Kaido Toshimi , Ogura Yasuhiro , Ogawa Kohei , Yoshizawa Atsushi , Hata Koichiro , Fujimoto Yasuhiro , Nishijima Norihiro , Chiba Tsutomu , Uemoto Shinji 
Published: April 2012

Aim:  Hepatitis B recurrence after liver transplantation can be reduced to less than 10% by combination therapy with lamivudine (LAM) and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylaxis with entecavir (ETV), which has higher efficacy and lower resistance rates than LAM, combined with HBIG in preventing hepatitis B recurrence after living‐donor liver transplantation (LDLT).Methods:  Twenty‐six patients who received ETV plus HBIG (ETV group) after LDLT for hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related end‐stage liver disease were analyzed by comparing with 63 control patients who had received LAM plus HBIG (LAM group).Results:  The survival rates of the patients treated with ETV plus HBIG was 73% after both 1 and 3 years, and there was no statistical difference between the patients in the ETV group and LAM group. No HBV recurrence was detected during the median follow‐up period of 25.1 months in the ETV group, whereas the HBV recurrence rate was 4% at 3 years and 6% at 5 years in the LAM group. No patients had adverse effects related to ETV administration.Conclusion:  ETV combined with HBIG provides effective and safe prophylaxis in preventing hepatitis B recurrence after LDLT.
Importance of the Effective Strong Ion Difference of an Intravenous Solution in the Treatment of Diarrheic Calves with Naturally Acquired Acidemia and Strong Ion (Metabolic) Acidosis
Authors: Müller K.R. , Gentile A. , Klee W. , Constable P.D. 
Published: April 2012

BackgroundThe effect of sodium bicarbonate on acid‐base balance in metabolic acidosis is interpreted differently byHenderson‐Hasselbalch and strong ion acid‐base approaches. Application of the traditional bicarbonate‐centric approach indicates that bicarbonate administration corrects the metabolic acidosis by buffering hydrogen ions, whereas strong ion difference theory indicates that the co‐administration of the strong cation sodium with a volatile buffer (bicarbonate) corrects the strong ion acidosis by increasing the strong ion difference (SID) in plasma.ObjectiveTo investigate the relative importance of the effectiveSIDofIVsolutions in correcting acidemia in calves with diarrhea.AnimalsTwenty‐twoHolstein‐Friesian calves (4–21 days old) with naturally acquired diarrhea and strong ion (metabolic) acidosis.MethodsCalves were randomly assigned toIVtreatment with a solution of sodium bicarbonate (1.4%) or sodium gluconate (3.26%). Fluids were administered over 4 hours and the effect on acid‐base balance was determined.ResultsCalves suffered from acidemia owing to moderate to strong ion acidosis arising from hyponatremia and hyper‐d‐lactatemia. Sodium bicarbonate infusion was effective in correcting the strong ion acidosis. In contrast, sodium gluconate infusion did not change bloodpH, presumably because the strong anion gluconate was minimally metabolized.ConclusionsA solution containing a high effectiveSID(sodium bicarbonate) is much more effective in alkalinizing diarrheic calves with strong ion acidosis than a solution with a low effectiveSID(sodium gluconate). Sodium gluconate is ineffective in correcting acidemia, which can be explained using traditional acid‐base theory but requires a new parameter, effectiveSID, to be understood using the strong ion approach.
Sliding Mode Control of Both Air-to-Fuel and Fuel Ratios for a Dual-Fuel Internal Combustion Engine
Authors: Pace Stephen , Zhu Guoming G. 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
A multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) sliding mode control scheme was developed with guaranteed stability to simultaneously control air-to-fuel ratio (AFR) and fuel ratios to desired levels under various air flow disturbances by regulating the mass flow rates of engine port-fuel-injection (PFI) and direct injection (DI) systems. The sliding mode control performance was compared with a baseline multiloop proportional integral differential (PID) controller through simulations and showed improvements. A four cylinder mean value engine model and the proposed sliding mode controller were implemented into a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulator and a target engine control module, and HIL simulations were conducted to validate the developed controller for potential implementation in an automotive engine.
Effect of the orientation of records on displacement ductility demand
Authors: García-Soto A.D. , Hong H.P. , Gómez R. 
Published: April 2012

Effects of the ground motion record orientation on the estimated pseudo-spectral acceleration (PSA) have been investigated and reported in the literature; the statistics of the PSA along the major and minor principal axes differ from that for a random orientation. This is true for California as well as for Mexican records. However, a statistical assessment of the effect of record orientation on the displacement ductility demand is lacking. Such an assessment could be important for gaining confidence in and understanding of using the ductility demand rules for seismic hazard and risk evaluations. The statistical analyses of the effect of orientation on the estimated displacement ductility demand for elastic-perfectly-plastic and bilinear hysteretic (single degree of freedom) systems is carried out in the present study using sets of records from Mexican inslab and interplate earthquakes, and California earthquakes. Based on the obtained statistics, it is suggested that the consideration that the ductility demand is independent of the orientation of the records can be adequate, especially for Tn greater than 0.3 s and elastic-perfectly-plastic hysteretic single degree of freedom systems.