bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
HierarchicalBayesian Spatiotemporal Analysis of Childhood Cancer Trends
Authors: Torabi Mahmoud , Rosychuk Rhonda J. 
Published: April 2012

In this article, generalized additive mixed models are constructed for the analysis of geographical and temporal variability of cancer ratios. In this class of models, spatially correlated random effects and temporal components are adopted. Spatio‐temporal models that use intrinsic conditionally autoregressive smoothing across the spatial dimension andB‐spline smoothing over the temporal dimension are considered. We study the patterns of incidence ratios over time and identify areas with consistently high ratio estimates as areas for further investigation. A hierarchicalBayesian approach usingMarkov chainMonteCarlo techniques is employed for the analysis of the childhood cancer diagnoses in the province ofAlberta,Canada during 1995–2004. We also evaluate the sensitivity of such analyses to prior assumptions in thePoisson context.En este artículo los autores construyen modelos aditivos generalizados mixtos (generalized additive mixed models) con el fin de analizar la variabilidad geográfica y temporal en las tasas de incidencia de cáncer. Este tipo de modelos emplean efectos aleatorios correlacionados espacialmente y componentes temporales. Los modelos espacio‐temporales emplean un suavizado condicional intrínseco autorregresivo (conditionally autoregressive smoothing) a través de la dimensión espacial y un suavizado de tipoB‐splinesobre la dimensión temporal. Los autores examinan los patrones de las tasas de incidencia a través del tiempo e identifican las áreas con valores consistentemente altos con el fin de sugerir áreas de investigación para el futuro. El estudio utiliza un enfoque jerárquico bayesiano (hierarchical bayesian) que usa una cadena de Markov Monte Carlo para evaluar los diagnósticos de cáncer infantil en la provincia de Alberta, Canadá durante el periodo 1995–2004. Asimismo, también se evalúa la sensibilidad de este tipo de análisis con respecto a los supuestos a‐priori, en el contexto de los modelos tipo Poisson.本文提出了广义可加和混合模型进行癌症比率的地理和时间变化分析。在这类模型中引入了空间相关的随机效应和时间组分。时空模型在空间维度上采用本征自回归条件平滑，而在时间维度上则使用了B样条平滑。本文研究了疾病发生率模式，并识别出一直具有高比率估计的地区作为进一步调查区。在1995–2004年加拿大亚伯达省儿童癌症的诊断中，采用了基于马尔科夫链‐蒙特卡罗模型的分层贝叶斯方法，并且在泊松先验假设条件下评估了该类分析的敏感性。
Inequality in Human Resources for Health: Measurement Issues
Authors: Speybroeck Niko , Paraje Guillermo , Prasad Amit , Goovaerts Pierre , Ebener Steeve , Evans David B. 
Published: April 2012

This article discusses options to allow comparative analysis of inequalities in the distribution of health workers (HWs) across and within countries using a single summary measure of the distribution. Income inequality generally is measured across individuals, but inequalities in the dispersion of HWs must use geographical areas or population groupings as units of analysis. The article first shows how this change of observational unit creates a resolution problem for various inequality indices and then tests how sensitive a simple ratio measure of the distribution of HWs is to changes in resolution. This ratio of inequality is illustrated first with the global distribution of HWs and then with its distributions within Indonesia. The resolution problem is not solved through this new approach, and indicators of inequalities of access to HWs or health services more generally appear not to be comparable across countries. Investigating geographical inequalities over time in one setting is possible but only if the units of analysis remain the same over time.Este artículo examina las opciones para realizar un análisis comparativo de las desigualdades en la distribución de los trabajadores de salud (health workers‐HW) a través y al interior de los países que utilizan una sola medida‐resumen para dicha distribución. Por lo general la desigualdad de ingresos se mide entre individuos, pero las desigualdades en la dispersión de HW se miden utilizando las áreas geográficas o grupos de población como unidades de análisis. El artículo presente examina cómo el cambio de la unidad de observación crea un problema de resolución espacial para varios índices de desigualdad. Luego, los autores evalúan la sensibilidad a cambios en la resolución sobre una tasa sencilla de la distribución de HWs. La tasa de desigualdad propuesta por los autores es ilustrada primero por medio de la distribución global de HWs y luego vía sus distribuciones dentro de Indonesia. Los autores concluyen que el problema de resolución no llega a ser resulto por el nuevo enfoque propuesto, y que en términos generales, los indicadores de las desigualdades de acceso a HWs o servicios de salud parecen no ser comparables entre países. La investigación de las desigualdades geográficas a través del tiempo en un mismo contexto geográfico es posible pero sólo si las unidades de análisis se mantienen constantes.本文通过对单一变量分布的测量，对比分析了国家之间和国家内部卫生工作者（HWs）分布上的不均衡。一般通过测量个体间的不均衡分析收入不均衡问题，但卫生工作者（HWs）散布的不均衡性则需将地理区域或人口聚落作为分析单元。本文首先说明如何通过改变观测单元构建多种不均衡指数形成解决问题的方法，并通过一个简单的卫生工作者（HWs）分布比率模型测定分辨率变化的敏感性。将不均衡比率模型先后应用于全球HWs和印尼国内HWs的地理分布分析。这一新方法并未解决分辨率问题，同时不同国家间HWs或卫生服务间接近度的不均衡性指标并不具有可比性。只有分析单元大小随时间保持不变的前提下，通过长时段调查来分析地理分布的不均衡问题才是可行的。
Influence of periosteal coverage on the osteointegration and stability of dental implant distractors
Authors: Yin Xuelai , Zhang Chenping , Hze‐Khoong Eugene Poh , Shen Shunkun , Xu Liqun 
Published: April 2012

AbstractObjectivesDental implant distractors (DID) are an efficacious means of simultaneously augmenting the vertical bony height together with the installation of dental implants. Little is known about their biomechanical properties and osteointegration ability in the free fibula flap, where the periosteum is invariably damaged during the multiple osteotomies required for contouring purposes.Materials and methodsTwenty‐four DID devices inserted into the tibias of 12 goats were evenly divided into three groups – whole periosteum (WP), half periosteum (HP), no periosteum (NP). Following 10 days of distraction and a 12 week consolidation period, the animals were euthanized to retrieve all 12 tibias. The bone‐implant bonded percentage (BIBP) and removal torques (RTQ) of each fixture were determined and statistically compared across the various groups.ResultsA slight decrease in both BIBP and RTQ values was observed across the WP, HP, and NP groups, respectively, with statistically significant differences in the BIBP for the WP and NP groups only.ConclusionWe conclude that although an intact periosteum is ideal for the osteointegration of the DID fixture, adequate stability can still be achieved due to the sufficient anchorage accorded by the base screws in the apical cortex.
Angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor and visceral angio‐oedema
Authors: Chuah Hun Sheng , O'Donnell Daniel 
Published: April 2012

AbstractAbdominal pain can be a challenging presenting complaint with a broad differential diagnosis. Medication side‐effect must always be considered. Visceral angio‐oedema secondary to angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor use can cause abdominal pain. The association of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor and visceral angio‐oedema is not well recognized partly because the onset of angio‐oedema might be delayed for months or years after commencement of an angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor. The epidemiology of angio‐oedema is now changing in parallel with the increasing use of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors. We present a case of visceral angio‐oedema secondary to perindopril. This diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion because if not recognized early patients undergo extensive and expensive negative evaluation.
Senior Streaming Assessment Further Evaluation after Triage zone: A novel model of care encompassing various emergency department throughput measures
Authors: Shetty Amith , Gunja Naren , Byth Karen , Vukasovic Matthew 
Published: April 2012

AbstractObjective: Access block (AB) and hospital overcrowding adversely affect ED functionality. ED throughput measures have been described in the literature with positive impacts on key performance indicators (KPIs) – time to first seen, did‐not‐wait rates, off‐stretcher times for ambulances and ED length of stay figures. In this study, we aimed to assess the impact of a new model of care, the Senior Streaming Assessment Further Evaluation after Triage (SAFE‐T) zone concept on ED performance indicators and statistical outcomes.Methods: We implemented a model of care at our tertiary hospital ED amalgamating multiple ED throughput interventions. These interventions included dynamic transition waiting room concept, early senior ED physician assessment and decision‐making, early streaming, acute‐care bed quarantining and ED short stay and observation units. The principal intervention was the SAFE‐T zone. End‐point data were compared for similar periods (77 days) of 2010 and 2011 with and without the new model of care.Results: In total, 11 408 and 11 845 patients were included in the study periods pre‐ and post‐intervention, respectively. Time to physician KPI improved from 72.5% to 84.1%. Did‐not‐wait rates dropped from 10.7% to 9.6% (P= 0.02) and off‐stretcher times for ambulances KPI improved from 74.5% to 79.5% (P < 0.001). ED length of stay dropped most significantly for Australasian Triage Scale categories 3 and 4 (14.3% and 11.8%, P‐values <0.001). These results were achieved despite worsened AB and hospital bed‐occupancy rates during the intervention period (+3.9% and +6.7%).Conclusions: The SAFE‐T zone model of care involving multiple ED throughput measures achieved improvements in ED performance despite AB and hospital overcrowding.
Do High‐technology Exports Cause More Technology Spillover in China?
Authors: Bao Qun , Sun Puyang , Su Li 
Published: April 2012

AbstractThe volume of China's high‐technology exports has grown sharply since the implementation of its export promotion strategy “Revitalizing Trade through Science and Technology” in 1999. This paper investigates whether technology spillover effects are greater for high‐technology exports than for primary manufactured goods exports. We present a generalized multi‐sector spillover model to identify both between‐spillover effects from exports towards non‐exporters and within‐spillover effects among export sectors. Using panel data for 31 provinces in China over the period from 1998 to 2005, we find that although high‐technology export sectors have higher productivity compared with other sectors, this productivity advantage does not lead to technology spillover to both domestic sectors and other export sectors, and export technology spillover mainly derives from traditional export sectors rather than high‐technology export sectors. As such findings can be largely attributed to the fact that China's high‐technology exports depend significantly on processing trade by foreign‐invested firms, policy implications are discussed in relation to how to best promote the role of China's high‐technology exports during economic expansion.
Does Foreign Direct Investment Affect the Growth of Local Firms? The Case of China's Electrical and Electronics Industry
Authors: Kimura Koichiro 
Published: April 2012

AbstractDoes foreign direct investment (FDI) into developing countries affect the growth of local firms in host countries? Using a dataset of 38 sectors in China's electrical and electronics industry, in this paper, we analyze whether FDI has a positive effect on local firms, with technology spillovers, added value and increasing total factor productivity, or a negative, market stealing, effect. Estimating the relationship between growth of local firms and investment of foreign firms, our results show that FDI is likely to have a negative impact on the growth of local firms in sectors with large disparities in technology and less experience in business. Therefore, local firms lacking in technology need to find markets with no competition from foreign firms or determine strategies to compensate technology disparities.
Study of Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow) Using the Health Improvement Network Database
Authors: Titchener Andrew G. , Tambe Amol A. , Fakis Apostolos , Smith Chris J. P. , Clark David I. , Hubbard Richard B. 
Published: April 2012

Background Lateral epicondylitis has been studied mainly in work related and occupational groups, however little is known about the incidence or demographic associations in the general population. We have undertaken a large study using The Health Improvement Network (THIN) database to examine the epidemiology of lateral epicondylitis in the UK general population. Methods Diagnoses of lateral epicondylitis between 1987 and 2006 were used to calculate the incidence stratified by age, gender, deprivation score, UK health authority, and year. The age standardised rates for lateral epicondylitis in the UK were calculated with reference to the European Standard Population. Results The incidence rate of lateral epicondylitis was 2.45 per 1000 person-years. This was more common in males than females (males 2.63, females 2.55 per 1000 person-years, p < 0.001). After direct standardization, the age adjusted rates were 2.38 for males and 2.43 for females. The highest incidence rate of 7.35 per 1000 person-years was found in the age group 45-50 years. Regional distribution of the incidence rates showed a fairly even spread across 13 UK Health Authorities with the exception of London where incidence rates were significantly lower (1.75 per 1000 person-years, p < 0.001). Social deprivation was assessed using the Townsend score. The least deprived areas of the population had the highest incidence rates (2.86 per 1000 person years). Conclusions Our study represents the largest general population study of lateral epicondylitis reported to date. The results obtained provide the clinician with a better understanding of the epidemiology of lateral epicondylitis in the community.
Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of High Dose Short Duration Enrofloxacin Treatment Regimen for Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections in Dogs
Authors: Westropp J.L. , Sykes J.E. , Irom S. , Daniels J.B. , Smith A. , Keil D. , Settje T. , Wang Y. , Chew D.J. 
Published: April 2012

BackgroundUncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) in dogs usually are treated with antimicrobial drugs for 10–14 days. Shorter duration antimicrobial regimens have been evaluated in human patients.HypothesisA high dose short duration (HDSD) enrofloxacin protocol administered to dogs with uncomplicatedUTIwill not be inferior to a 14‐day treatment regimen with amoxicillin‐clavulanic acid.AnimalsClient‐owned adult, otherwise healthy dogs with aerobic bacterial urine culture yielding ≥103 CFU/mL of bacteria after cystocentesis.MethodsProspective, multicenter, controlled, randomized blinded clinical trial. Enrolled dogs were randomized to group 1 (enrofloxacin 18–20 mg/kgPOq24h for 3 days) or group 2 (amoxicillin‐clavulanic acid 13.75–25 mg/kgPOq12h for 14 days). Urine cultures were obtained at days 0, 10, and 21. Microbiologic and clinical cure rates were evaluated 7 days after antimicrobial treatment was discontinued. Lower urinary tract signs and adverse events also were recorded.ResultsThere were 35 dogs in group 1 and 33 in group 2. The microbiologic cure rate was 77.1 and 81.2% for groups 1 and 2, respectively. The clinical cure rate was 88.6 and 87.9% for groups 1 and 2, respectively. Cure rates between groups did not differ according to the selected margin of noninferiority.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceHDSDenrofloxacin treatment was not inferior to a conventional amoxicillin‐clavulanic acid protocol for the treatment of uncomplicated bacterialUTIin dogs. Further research is warranted to determine if this protocol will positively impact owner compliance and decrease the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.
Relative Acceleration
in Spatial Mechanisms
Authors: Fischer Ian S. 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
A scheme applicable to automatic computation of the joint relative accelerations, the derivatives of joint speeds with respect to time, has been developed in the dual-number representation of the kinematics of spatial mechanisms. The equations which have been developed can be set up automatically by computer for any closed-loop mechanism of binary links. While the RCCC mechanism is given as an example, the scheme can be adapted for mechanisms with prismatic as well as revolute and cylindrical joints and can be readily further developed to consider other types of joints.
Effects of reduced aeration in a biological aerated filter
Authors: Ray Rajan , Henshaw Paul , Biswas Nihar 
Published: April 2012

Aeration is a major part of the operating cost in biological aerated filtration (BAF) systems for wastewater treatment. This study investigated the effect of reducing aeration at the City of Windsor’s Lou Romano Water Reclamation Plant to find the lowest possible airflow rate while maintaining a satisfactory ammonia and biological oxygen demand (BOD) in the BAF effluent. Profiles of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, BOD, ammonia and nitrate concentration were measured along the height of cell No. 7 at the plant, at different time intervals during filtration, at airflow rates varying from 1300 to 1700 m3/h per cell. This study found that the BOD and ammonium removal were satisfactory at the lowest airflow rate.
Prevalence of bacteriocin activities and bacteriocin-encoding genes in enterococcal clinical isolates in Iran
Authors: Hassan Maryam , Diep Dzung B. , Javadzadeh Yousef , Dastmalchi Siavash , Nes Ingolf F. , Sharifi Yaeghob , Yari Saber , Farajnia Safar , Lotfipour Farzaneh 
Published: April 2012

The aim of the project was to isolate and characterize bacteriocin-producing enterococci, as well as determine the prevalence of enterocin structural genes in 187 enterococcal clinical isolates from the northwest of Iran. The isolates were screened for antibacterial activity against 15 different indicator strains. The proteinaceous nature of the antimicrobial substances was confirmed by sensitivity to proteinase K; their stability to heat treatment was tested at 60 °C and 100 °C for 20 and 10 min, respectively. The PCR method was applied to detect previously identified enterocin genes. Our results showed that 38 (20.3%) of the enterococcal isolates were considered to be potential bacteriocinogenic strains. Furthermore, genes encoding diverse bacteriocin are highly distributed among clinical enterococci, and the strains with multi-bacteriocin genes displayed high antimicrobial activity. Enterocin A, enterolysin A, and enterocin L50A/B were the most abundant structural genes detected in bacteriocinogenic strains. This work is the first survey on the prevalence of bacteriocin genes among clinical enterococci in Iran that has isolated a strain with high antimicrobial activity and sensitivity to clinically relevant antibiotics.
Importance of theicmNgene in the growth ofLegionella pneumophilain amoebic cells at low temperature
Authors: Qin Tian , Iida Ken-ichiro , Piao Zhenyu , Shiota Susumu , Ren Hongyu , Shao Zhujun , Yoshida Shin-ichi 
Published: April 2012

Legionella pneumophila grows in amoebae and has achieved the ability to grow at various temperatures, although the mechanisms controlling this ability remain poorly understood. The Icm/Dot type IVB secretion system is composed of more than 25 proteins and is known to be essential for intracellular growth. The role of the icmN gene in intracellular multiplication and the effects of culture temperatures on it are not precisely understood. We conducted our investigation using an icmN mutant made by gene replacement mutagenesis. Intracellular growth of the mutant was impaired both in mammalian macrophages and amoeba at 37 °C. In particular, intracellular growth in amoebae was completely impaired at 25 °C. It was found that genes from icmN to icmC formed an operon, i.e., icmN, -M, -L, -E, -G, -C,, and the promoter activity of the icmN operon was stronger at 25 than at 37 °C. It was suggested that icmM and its downstream genes had a secondary promoter that enables icmN mutant grow in amoebae at lower temperatures and macrophages at 37 °C. These results show that the icmN promoter has a low temperature inducible nature, and gene products of the icmN operon require high expression for bacterial proliferation at low temperatures within amoeba.
A comparison of the clavam biosynthetic gene clusters in Streptomyces antibioticus Tü1718 and Streptomyces clavuligerus
Authors: Goomeshi Nobary Sarah , Jensen Susan E. 
Published: April 2012

The production of clavam metabolites has been studied previously in Streptomyces clavuligerus , a species that produces clavulanic acid as well as 4 other clavam compounds, but the late steps of the pathway leading to the specific end products are unclear. The present study compared the clavam biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces antibioticus , chosen because it produces only 2 clavam metabolites and no clavulanic acid, with that of S. clavuligerus. A cosmid library of S. antibioticus genomic DNA was screened with a clavaminate synthase-specific probe based on the corresponding genes from S. clavuligerus, and 1 of the hybridizing cosmids was sequenced in full. A clavam gene cluster was identified that shows similarities to that of S. clavuligerus but also contains a number of novel genes. Knock-out mutation of the clavaminate synthase gene abolished clavam production in S. antibioticus, confirming the identity of the gene cluster. Knock-out mutation of a novel gene encoding an apparent oxidoreductase also abolished clavam production. A potential clavam biosynthetic pathway consistent with the genes in the cluster and the metabolites produced by S. antibioticus, and correspondingly different from that of S. clavuligerus, is proposed.
Phylogenetic analysis of antimicrobial lactic acid bacteria from farmed seabass Dicentrarchus labrax
Authors: Bourouni Ouissal Chahad , El Bour Monia , Calo-Mata Pilar , Mraouna Radhia , Abedellatif Boudabous , Barros-Velàzquez Jorge 
Published: April 2012

The use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in the prevention or reduction of fish diseases is receiving increasing attention. In the present study, 47 LAB strains were isolated from farmed seabass ( Dicentrarchus labrax ) and were phenotypically and phylogenetically analysed by 16S rDNA and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA – polymerase chain reaction (RAPD–PCR). Their antimicrobial effect was tested in vitro against a wide variety of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. Most of the strains isolated were enterococci belonging to the following species: Enterococcus faecium (59%), Enterococcus faecalis (21%), Enterococcus sanguinicola (4 strains), Enterococcus mundtii (1 strain), Enterococcus pseudoavium (1 strain), and Lactococcus lactis (1 strain). An Aerococcus viridans strain was also isolated. The survey of their antimicrobial susceptibility showed that all isolates were sensitive to vancomycin and exhibited resistance to between 4 and 10 other antibiotics relevant for therapy in human and animal medicine. Different patterns of resistance were noted for skin and intestines isolates. More than 69% (32 strains) of the isolates inhibited the growth of the majority of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria tested, including Listeria monocytogenes , Staphylococcus aureus , Aeromonas hydrophila , Aeromonas salmonicida , Vibrio anguillarum , and Carnobacterium sp. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bioactive enterococcal species isolated from seabass that could potentially inhibit the undesirable bacteria found in food systems.