bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Museum material reveals a frog parasite emergence after the invasion of the cane toad in Australia
Authors: Hartigan Ashlie , Phalen David N , Šlapeta Jan 
Published: June 2010

AbstractBackgroundA parasite morphologically indistinguishable fromMyxidium immersum(Myxozoa: Myxosporea) found in gallbladders of the invasive cane toad (Bufo marinus) was identified in Australian frogs. Because no written record exists for such a parasite in Australian endemic frogs in 19thand early 20thcentury, it was assumed that the cane toad introduced this parasite. While we cannot go back in time ourselves, we investigated whether material at the museum of natural history could be used to retrieve parasites, and whether they were infected at the time of their collection (specifically prior to and after the cane toad translocation to Australia in 1935).ResultsUsing the herpetological collection at the Australian Museum we showed that no myxospores were found in any animals (n= 115) prior to the cane toad invasion (1879-1935). The green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea), the Peron's tree frog (Litoria peronii), the green tree frog (Litoria caerulea) and the striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) were all negative for the presence of the parasite using microscopy of the gallbladder content and its histology. These results were sufficient to conclude that the population was free from this disease (at the expected minimum prevalence of 5%) at 99.7% confidence level using the 115 voucher specimens in the Australian Museum. Similarly, museum specimens (n= 29) of the green and golden bell frog from New Caledonia, where it was introduced in 19thcentury, did not show the presence of myxospores. The earliest specimen positive for myxospores in a gallbladder was a green tree frog from 1966. Myxospores were found in eight (7.1%,n= 112) frogs in the post cane toad introduction period.ConclusionAustralian wildlife is increasingly under threat, and amphibian decline is one of the most dramatic examples. The museum material proved essential to directly support the evidence of parasite emergence in Australian native frogs. This parasite can be considered one of the luckiest parasites, because it has found an empty niche in Australia. It now flourishes in > 20 endemic and exotic frog species, but its consequences are yet to be fully understood.
Randomized phase II exploratory study of prophylactic amifostine in cancer patients who receive radical radiotherapy to the pelvis
Authors: Katsanos Konstantinos H , Briasoulis Evangelos , Tsekeris Pericles , Batistatou Anna , Bai Maria , Tolis Christos , Capizzello Antonio , Panelos Ioannis , Karavasilis Vasileios , Christodoulou Dimitrios , Tsianos Epameinondas V 
Published: June 2010

Abstract

Background
This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of prophylactic amifostine in reducing the risk of severe radiation colitis in cancer patients receiving radical radiotherapy to the pelvis.

Methods
Patients with pelvic tumours referred for radical radiotherapy who consented participation in this trial, were randomly assigned to receive daily amifostine (A) (subcutaneously, 500 mg flat dose) before radiotherapy or radiotherapy alone (R). Sigmoidoscopy and blinded biopsies were scheduled to conduct prior to initiation and following completion of radiotherapy and again 6 to 9 months later. Radiation colitis was assessed by clinical, endoscopic and histolopathological criteria.

Results
A total 44 patients were enrolled in this trial, the majority with rectal (20 patients) and cervical cancer (12 patients) and were assigned 23 in R arm and 21 in the A arm. In total 119 sigmoidoscopies were performed and 18 patients (18/44, 40.9%) were diagnosed with radiation colitis (15 grade 1 and 2, and 3 grade 3 and 4). Of them, 6 patients belonged to the A group (6/21, 28.6%) and 12 to the R group (12/23, 52.2%). Acute and grade IV radiation colitis was only developed in four patients (17.4%) in the R group. Amifostine side effects were mild. Amifostine treated patients were less likely to develop histologically detectable mucosal lesions, which indicate protection from acute mucosal injury.

Conclusions
Amifostine given subcutaneously can lower the risk of acute severe radiation colitis in patients who receive radical radiotherapy to pelvic tumors.
Peptidyl arginine deiminase type IV (PADI4) haplotypes interact with shared epitope regardless of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody or erosive joint status in rheumatoid arthritis: a case control study
Authors: Bang So-Young , Han Tae-Un , Choi Chan-Bum , Sung Yoon-Kyoung , Bae Sang-Cheol , Kang Changwon 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Introduction
Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibodies (anti-CCP) are the most specific serologic marker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Genetic polymorphisms in a citrullinating (or deiminating) enzyme, peptidyl arginine deiminase type IV (PADI4) have been reproducibly associated with RA susceptibility in several populations. We investigated whether PADI4 polymorphisms contribute to anti-CCP-negative as well as -positive RA, whether they influence disease severity (erosive joint status), and whether they interact with two major risk factors for RA, Human Leukocyte Antigen-DRB1 (HLA-DRB1) shared epitope (SE) alleles and smoking, depending on anti-CCP and erosive joint status.

Methods
All 2,317 unrelated Korean subjects including 1,313 patients with RA and 1,004 unaffected controls were genotyped for three nonsynonymous (padi4_89, padi4_90, and padi4_92) and one synonymous (padi4_104) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in PADI4 and for HLA-DRB1 by direct DNA sequence analysis. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated by multivariate logistic regression. Interaction was evaluated by attributable proportions (AP), with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results
A functional haplotype of the three fully correlated nonsynonymous SNPs in PADI4 was significantly associated with susceptibility to not only anti-CCP-positive (adjusted OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.34 to 2.23) but also -negative RA (adjusted OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.68). A strong association with both non-erosive (adjusted OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.05) and erosive RA (adjusted OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.31) was observed for PADI4 haplotype. Gene-gene interactions between the homozygous RA-risk PADI4 haplotype and SE alleles were significant in both anti-CCP-positive (AP 0.45, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.71) and -negative RA (AP 0.61, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.92). Theses interactions were also observed for both non-erosive (AP 0.48, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.72) and erosive RA (AP 0.46, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.78). In contrast, no interaction was observed between smoking and PADI4 polymorphisms.

Conclusions
A haplotype of nonsynonymous SNPs in PADI4 contributes to development of RA regardless of anti-CCP or erosive joint status. The homozygous PADI4 haplotype contribution is affected by gene-gene interactions with HLA-DRB1 SE alleles.
Incidence and prognostic impact of new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients with septic shock: a prospective observational study
Authors: Meierhenrich Rainer , Steinhilber Elisa , Eggermann Christian , Weiss Manfred , Voglic Sami , Bögelein Daniela , Gauss Albrecht , Georgieff Michael , Stahl Wolfgang 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Introduction
Since data regarding new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in septic shock patients are scarce, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the incidence and prognostic impact of new-onset AF in this patient group.

Methods
We prospectively studied all patients with new-onset AF and all patients suffering from septic shock in a non-cardiac surgical intensive care unit (ICU) during a 13 month period.

Results
During the study period, 687 patients were admitted to the ICU, of which 58 patients were excluded from further analysis due to pre-existing chronic or intermittent AF. In 49 out of the remaining 629 patients (7.8%) new-onset AF occurred and 50 out of the 629 patients suffered from septic shock. 23 out of the 50 patients with septic shock (46%) developed new-onset AF. There was a steady, significant increase in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels before onset of AF in septic shock patients. ICU mortality in septic shock patients with new-onset AF was 10/23 (44%) compared with 6/27 (22%) in septic shock patients with maintained sinus rhythm (SR) (P = 0.14). During a 2-year follow-up there was a trend towards an increased mortality in septic shock patients with new-onset AF, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.075). The median length of ICU stay among surviving patients was longer in patients with new-onset AF compared to those with maintained SR (30 versus 17 days, P = 0.017). The success rate to restore SR was 86%. Failure to restore SR was associated with increased ICU mortality (71.4% versus 21.4%, P = 0.015).

Conclusions
AF is a common complication in septic shock patients and is associated with an increased length of ICU stay among surviving patients. The increase in CRP levels before onset of AF may support the hypothesis that systemic inflammation is an important trigger for AF.
Arterial pressure-based cardiac output in septic patients: different accuracy of pulse contour and uncalibrated pressure waveform devices
Authors: Monnet Xavier , Anguel Nadia , Naudin Brice , Jabot Julien , Richard Christian , Teboul Jean-Louis 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Introduction
We compared the ability of two devices estimating cardiac output from arterial pressure-curve analysis to track the changes in cardiac output measured with transpulmonary thermodilution induced by volume expansion and norepinephrine in sepsis patients.

Methods
In 80 patients with septic circulatory failure, we administered volume expansion (40 patients) or introduced/increased norepinephrine (40 patients). We measured the pulse contour-derived cardiac index (CI) provided by the PiCCO device (CIpc), the arterial pressure waveform-derived CI provided by the Vigileo device (CIpw), and the transpulmonary thermodilution CI (CItd) before and after therapeutic interventions.

Results
The changes in CIpc accurately tracked the changes in CItd induced by volume expansion (bias, -0.20 ± 0.63 L/min/m2) as well as by norepinephrine (bias, -0.05 ± 0.74 L/min/m2). The changes in CIpc accurately detected an increase in CItd ≥ 15% induced by volume expansion and norepinephrine introduction/increase (area under ROC curves, 0.878 (0.736 to 0.960) and 0.924 (0.795 to 0.983), respectively; P < 0.05 versus 0.500 for both). The changes in CIpw were less reliable for tracking the volume-induced changes in CItd (bias, -0.23 ± 0.95 L/min/m2) and norepinephrine-induced changes in CItd (bias, -0.01 ± 1.75 L/min/m2). The changes in CIpw were unable to detect an increase in CItd ≥ 15% induced by volume expansion and norepinephrine introduction/increase (area under ROC curves, 0.564 (0.398 to 0.720) and 0.541 (0.377 to 0.700, respectively, both not significantly different from versus 0.500).

Conclusions
The CIpc was reliable and accurate for assessing the CI changes induced by volume expansion and norepinephrine. By contrast, the CIpw poorly tracked the trends in CI induced by those therapeutic interventions.
FAN (factor associated with neutral sphingomyelinase activation), a moonlighting protein in TNF-R1 signaling
Authors: Montfort Anne , Martin Pascal G P , Levade Thierry , Benoist Hervé , Ségui Bruno 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Review discusses recent findings on the role of FAN, a TNF receptor 1 adaptor protein, in TNFα-induced cell signaling and biological responses.
TNF-α is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in the regulation of various biological effects, including cell survival and proliferation, cell differentiation, and cell death. Moreover, TNF-α triggers proinflammatory responses, essentially through its ability to promote the expression of various proinflammatory genes. Most of the biological effects initiated by TNF-α rely on its ability to bind to and activate TNF-R1. As a consequence, molecular complexes are being formed, resulting from the recruitment of multiple adaptor proteins to the intracellular TNF-R1 DD. The adaptor protein FAN constitutively binds to a proximal membrane domain of TNF-R1 called NSD. Herein, the role of FAN in TNF-α-induced cell signaling and biological responses is discussed.
Formulating Integer Linear Programs: A Rogues' Gallery
Authors: Brown Gerald G. , Dell Robert F. 
Published: June 2010

“Convincing yourself is easy, persuading a colleague is harder, but proving it to a computer is hardest of all!”—R. Hamming, ca 1985. The art of formulating linear and integer linear programs is, well, an art: It is hard to teach, and even harder to learn. To help demystify this art, we present a set of modeling building blocks that we call “formulettes.” Each formulette consists of a short verbal description that must be expressed in terms of variables and constraints in a linear or integer linear program. These formulettes can better be discussed and analyzed in isolation from the much more complicated models they comprise. Not all models can be built from the formulettes we present. Rather, these are chosen because they are the most frequent sources of mistakes. We also present Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) format; a define-before-use formulation guide we have followed for decades to express a complete formulation.
Visual Face Perception of Adults with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate in Comparison to Controls—An Eye-Tracking Study
Authors: Meyer-Marcotty Philipp , Gerdes Antje B.M. , Stellzig-Eisenhauer Angelika , Alpers Georg W. 
Published: June 2010

Objective To assess how faces with a cleft lip and palate are perceived and to study how faces with and without a unilateral cleft lip and palate are viewed by individuals with a unilateral cleft lip and/or palate in comparison to nonaffected controls. Design Prospective clinical study. Setting Department of Orthodontics and Department of Psychology, University of Wuerzburg. Participants Thirty-three participants (20 men and 13 women; mean age, 25.4 ± 6.6 years) with a unilateral cleft lip and/or palate and a control group of 30 participants (15 men and 15 women; mean age, 26.8 ± 3.4 years) were enrolled in this study. Main Outcome Measures Eye movements were analyzed via an eye-tracking camera while all participants looked at pictures of faces with and without a unilateral cleft lip and palate. Results The nose and the mouth area of pictures of faces with a unilateral cleft lip and palate were looked at significantly longer by both groups. Additionally, the participants with a unilateral cleft lip and/or palate looked at faces with and without a unilateral cleft lip and palate differently, taking more time to view the nose and less time to view the eyes compared with the participants without a cleft lip and palate. Conclusion When perceiving a face with a unilateral cleft lip and palate, the observer's gaze is distracted to the nose and mouth area. Moreover, participants with a unilateral cleft lip and/or palate themselves focused greater attention on those features that are anomalous on their own faces in comparison to participants without a cleft lip and palate. Specifically, this different scanpath is reflected in the cumulative duration of the eye movements as well as in the initial facial scan pattern.
Otologic and Audiologic Outcomes with the Furlow and von Langenbeck with Intravelar Veloplasty Palatoplasties in Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate
Authors: Antonelli Patrick J. , Jorge José C. , Feniman Mariza R. , Piazentin-Penna Sílvia H.A. , Dutka-Souza Jeniffer C.R. , Seagle M. Brent , Williams William N. , Nackashi John A. , Boggs Steve , Graciano Maria I.G. , Souza Telma V. , Neto José S.M. , Garla Luis A. , Silva Marcos L.N. , Marques Ilza L. , Borgo Hilton C. , Ângela P.M.C. Martinelli , Shuster Jonathan J. , Pimentel Maria C.M. , Zimmermann Maria C. , Bento-Gonçalves Cristina G.A. , Kemker F. Joseph , McGorray Susan P. , Pegoraro-Krook Maria I. 
Published: June 2010

Objective Cleft palate increases the risk of chronic middle ear disease and hearing loss. The goal of this report was to determine which of two palate surgeries and which timing of palate surgery were associated with better otologic and audiologic outcomes in children with unilateral cleft lip and palate at 5 to 6 years of age. Design Subjects were randomly assigned to the von Langenbeck with intravelar veloplasty or Furlow palate repair, to palate surgery at 9 to 12 months or 15 to 18 months of age, and to the Spina or Millard lip repair. Setting Centralized, tertiary care craniofacial treatment center. Patients A total of 673 infants with unilateral cleft lip and palate. Interventions Palate and lip were repaired using established techniques. Serial otoscopic and audiometric evaluations were performed. Main Outcome Measures Hearing and otoscopic findings at 5 to 6 years old. Results There were 370 children available for analysis. Hearing and need for tympanostomy tube placement did not differ by palatoplasty, age at palatoplasty, cheiloplasty, or surgeon. Risk of developing cholesteatoma or perforation was higher with Millard cheiloplasty (odds ratio = 5.1, 95% confidence interval = 1.44 to 18.11, p = .012). Type and age at palatoplasty were not significantly associated with either the rate of developing these sequelae or the rate of achieving bilaterally normal hearing and ear examinations. Conclusions Type of palatoplasty did not influence otologic and audiologic outcomes in 5- to 6-year-olds with unilateral cleft lip and palate. The potential influence of lip repair on otologic outcomes warrants further investigation.
Accelerated Life Models
Authors: Nikulin Mikhail 
Published: June 2010

AbstractFailures of highly reliable units are rare. One way of obtaining complementary reliability information is to do accelerated life testing (ALT), that is, to use higher level of experimental factors, hence to obtain failures quickly. Another way of obtaining complementary reliability information is to measure some parameters which characterize the aging or wear of the product in time. Statistical inference from ALT is possible if failure time regression models relating failure time distribution with external explanatory variables (covariates, stresses) influencing the reliability are well chosen. Statistical inference from failure time‐degradation data with covariates needs even more complicated models relating failure time distribution, not only with external but also with internal explanatory variables (degradation, wear) which explain the state of units before the failures. In the last case models, for degradation process distribution are needed too. We discuss the most‐used failure time regression models used in statistics of accelerated trials for analysis of failure time and failure time‐degradation data with covariates.
Effective Application of Guided Local Search
Authors: Voudouris Christos , Tsang Edward P. K. , Alsheddy Abdullah 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
The Guided Local Search (GLS) algorithm is a metaheuristic technique that is a flexible and relatively simple to implement and apply, with few parameters to tune. The versatility of the method has been demonstrated by its several applications to problems with various structures and objectives from routing and scheduling to assignment problems and constraint optimization. In this article, we focus on the effective application of GLS. We do that by describing the details of the main algorithm and the two closely related methods of Fast Local Search (FLS) and Guided Fast Local Search (GFLS). Suggestions and insights on how to efficiently implement the techniques are provided. We also address modeling considerations such as the definition of GLS features and their costs for common classes of problems.
Ice Hockey
Authors: Ingolfsson Armann 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThe author describes the game of ice hockey and the use of data analysis and mathematical modeling to answer questions of interest to ice hockey fans, coaches, and managers. Most of the discussion is in the context of the National Hockey League (NHL), the primary professional ice hockey league. Particular attention has been paid to two questions: when to pull the goalie, and how to estimate the probability that a particular NHL team will qualify for the playoffs.
Operations Research Society of
N
ew
Z
ealand
Authors: Mason Andrew 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Founded in 1965, the Operations Research Society of New Zealand (ORSNZ) is a nationwide not‐for‐profit body comprising academics and public servants, consultants, and practitioners in industry. It currently has over 150 members within New Zealand and is affiliated to APORS, IFORS, and the Royal Society of New Zealand. The primary aim of the Society is to promote Operations Research and Management Science in New Zealand to industrial and academic groups.
The Society publishes a regular newsletter, organizes branch meetings in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, and runs an annual two‐day conference in late November/early December, with the conference location shifting between the University of Auckland, the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, and the University of Victoria in Wellington. The Society welcomes and financially supports international visitors to present at the conference and/or to speak at branch meetings.

For more information visit
http://www.orsnz.org.nz
Problem Structuring for Multicriteria Decision Analysis Interventions
Authors: Franco Luis A. , Montibeller Gilberto 
Published: June 2010

AbstractMulticriteria decision analysis (MCDA) has been extensively used in management science as a tool for evaluating options in decisions, which involve the achievement of multiple objectives. Multicriteria methods have been widely researched from an axiomatic perspective; however, much less attention has been devoted to the process of structuring multicriteria decision models. Furthermore, despite the significance of problem formulation in organizational decision making, it is surprising that much of the MCDA literature has paid relatively minor consideration to the processes of articulating and defining a multicriteria problem. In this article, we examine the role of problem structuring in MCDA interventions from defining the problem situation and the required level of participation to structuring the multi‐criteria evaluation model. We comment on the challenges that a decision analyst faces in this context and on the modeling tools that may be employed to support problem structuring in MCDA interventions.
Statistical Analysis of Call‐Center Operational Data: Forecasting Call Arrivals, and Analyzing Customer Patience and Agent Service
Authors: Shen Haipeng 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Call centers are increasingly important in our modern commerce. Academic research on call centers has been growing rapidly in the last couple of decades. We review statistical research about inbound call centers. We begin with a description of call‐center operational data, proceed with overviews of statistical research in the areas of call forecasting and analysis of customer patience and agent service times, and conclude with a discussion about challenges for future research.
The Weighted Moving Average Technique
Authors: Perry Marcus B. 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
In this tutorial, the weighted moving average (WMA) is discussed. WMA is often used for smoothing irregular fluctuations (i.e., noise) in a time series to permit the data analyst to better reveal trend/cycle patterns over time. Additionally, WMA is frequently used to compute short‐term forecasts of time series (e.g., sales and stocks). Some common applications of WMA in the management science and quality engineering disciplines are discussed. Further, some properties of WMA, such as the expected value, variance, and one‐step ahead prediction variance, are also discussed.