bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Minimizing Bias in Biomass Allometry: Model Selection and Log‐Transformation of Data
Authors: Mascaro Joseph , Litton Creighton M. , Hughes R. Flint , Uowolo Amanda , Schnitzer Stefan A. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTNonlinear regression is increasingly used to develop allometric equations for forest biomass estimation (i.e., as opposed to the traditional approach of log‐transformation followed by linear regression). Most statistical software packages, however, assume additive errors by default, violating a key assumption of allometric theory and possibly producing spurious models. Here, we show that such models may bias stand‐level biomass estimates by up to 100 percent in young forests, and we present an alternative nonlinear fitting approach that conforms with allometric theory.
An Investigation of Bioecological Influences Associated With First Use of Methamphetamine in a Rural State
Authors: Bowen Anne , Moring John , Williams Mark , Hopper Glenna , Daniel Candice 
Published: September 2011

AbstractPurpose: Methamphetamine (MA) addiction is a significant problem in rural areas of the United States. Yet, little theoretically driven formative research has been conducted on the interactions of factors influencing initiation. The study was guided by Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model.Methods: Eighty‐three MA users participated in an interview. Quantitative data included sociodemographic characteristics, drug use history, and psychosocial functioning. Semistructured interviews examined MA use histories with a focus on initiation. Transcripts of the interviews were coded for 5 themes related to Bronfenbrenner's influences including individual motivation, family, peers, work or school, or community as factors influencing initiation of MA use. Five dummy variables representing the presence or absence of a mention of Bronfenbrenner's 5 influences were created from the qualitative codes and entered into a hierarchical cluster analysis.Findings: The analyses revealed 4 distinct clusters: (1) predominantly female, influenced by peers and individual curiosity, (2) predominantly female, youngest age of first use, influenced by a family culture of drug use, (3) predominantly male, older age at first use, influenced by work settings and family co‐workers, and (4) predominantly male, older age at first use, in the school context with a desire to increase intimacy.Conclusions: Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model was useful for classifying initiating influences and grouping individuals based on different combinations of influences. Identifying combinations of initiating factors such as work and community may facilitate tailoring of prevention programs, which may maximize efficacy and cost‐effectiveness.
The Dynamics of Blood Pressure and Cognitive Functioning: Results From 6‐Year Follow‐Up of an Elderly Cohort
Authors: Paran Ester , Anson Ofra 
Published: September 2011

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2011;13:813–817. ©2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.The association between blood pressure (BP) and cognitive functioning in the elderly is still under debate. Theoretically, high BP could either prevent or enhance cognitive impairment. The authors assessed the changes that took place in BP and cognitive functioning over 6 years. A total of 318 noninstitutional elderly (81% of the survivors) were re‐evaluated. BP was measured and a cognitive test was performed. Elderly patients who had higher systolic BP (SBP) and scored lower on the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) at baseline were less likely to survive. At follow‐up, the proportion of patients with normal or normalized BP by treatment increased. Considerable changes in SBP were observed. Most cognitive functions declined during follow‐up; however, decline in SBP was associated with better verbal fluency and memory. Both an increase and a decline in SBP were associated with better MMSE scores. Changes in diastolic BP (DBP) were less evident and DBP was not related to cognitive functioning. The current study demonstrates the importance of studying the dynamics of both BP and cognition over time. It appears that transition from hypertension to normotension improves cognitive functions. Survival processes may restrict the evaluation of the BP‐cognition interaction over time.
Vaccines for the future: learning from human immunology
Authors: De Gregorio Ennio , Rappuoli Rino 
Published: September 2011

SummaryConventional vaccines have been extremely successful in preventing infections by pathogens expressing relatively conserved antigens through antibody‐mediated effector mechanisms. Thanks to vaccination some diseases have been eradicated and mortality due to infectious diseases has been significantly reduced. However, there are still many infections that are not preventable with vaccination, which represent a major cause of mortality worldwide. Some of these infections are caused by pathogens with a high degree of antigen variability that cannot be controlled only by antibodies, but require a mix of humoral and cellular immune responses. Novel technologies for antigen discovery, expression and formulation allow now for the development of vaccines that can better cope with pathogen diversity and trigger multifunctional immune responses. In addition, the application of new genomic assays and systems biology approaches in human immunology can help to better identify vaccine correlates of protection. The availability of novel vaccine technologies, together with the knowledge of the distinct human immune responses that are required to prevent different types of infection, should help to rationally design effective vaccines where conventional approaches have failed.
Balloon dilation of oesophageal strictures in two horses
Authors: Reichelt U. , Hamann J. , Lischer C. 
Published: September 2011

SummaryOesophageal strictures in 2 horses with chronic recurrent oesophageal obstruction or choke was diagnosed by endoscopy and contrast radiography. Balloon dilation of the strictures was performed under endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance. Follow‐up endoscopic and radiological examinations performed 6 weeks after the procedure showed clear dilation of the strictures. Both horses did not have any recurrence during follow‐up periods of 10 and 12 months.
Analysis of Multilocus Sequence Typing for Identification of Leptospira Isolates in Brazil
Authors: Romero E. C. , Blanco R. M. , Galloway R. L. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACT

A collection of 101
Leptospira
isolates was tested by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and by traditional serotyping. MLST divided the isolates into 4 sequence types (STs), while serotyping classified them into 6 serogroups. Two isolates failed to generate products for some genes by MLST. MLST was less discriminatory than serotyping for uncommonly occurring isolates from humans in Brazil.
Assessing the patient safety competencies of healthcare professionals: a systematic review
Authors: Okuyama Ayako , Martowirono Kartinie , Bijnen Bart 
Published: September 2011

BackgroundPatient safety training of healthcare professionals is a new area of education. Assessment of the pertinent competencies should be a part of this education. This review aims to identify the available assessment tools for different patient safety domains and evaluate them according to Miller's four competency levels.MethodsThe authors searched PubMed, MEDLINE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Web of Science, psycINFO and the Education Resource Information Center (ERIC) from the start of each database to December 2010 for English-language articles that evaluated or described tools for the assessment of the safety competencies of individual medical and/or nursing professionals. Reports on the assessment of technical, clinical, medication and disclosure skills were excluded.ResultsThirty-four assessment tools in 48 studies were identified: 20 tools for medical professionals, nine tools for nursing professionals, and five tools for both medical and nursing professionals. Twenty of these tools assessed the two highest Miller levels (‘shows how’ and ‘does’) and four tools were directed at multiple levels. Most of the tools that aimed at the higher levels assessed the skills of working in teams (17 tools), risk management (15 tools), and communication (11 tools). Internal structure (reliability, 22 tools) and content validity (14 tools) when described were found to be moderate. Only a small number of tools addressed the relationship between the tool itself and (1) other assessments (concurrent, predictive validity, eight tools), and (2) educational outcomes (seven tools).ConclusionsThere are many tools designed to assess the safety competencies of healthcare professionals. However, a reliable and valid toolbox for summative testing that covers all patient safety domains at Miller's four competency levels cannot yet be constructed. Many tools, however, are useful for formative feedback.
A Subtropical Cyclonic Gyre Associated with Interactions of the MJO and the Midlatitude Jet
Authors: Molinari John , Vollaro David 
Published: September 2011

This paper describes a large cyclonic gyre that lasted several days in the northwest Pacific during July 1988. Cyclonic winds at 850 hPa extended beyond the 2000-km radius with a radius of maximum winds of 700–800 km. The gyre exhibited clear skies within and north of its center. Active convection extended 4000 km in longitude to its south. The Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) was in its active phase in the Indian Ocean prior to gyre formation. Consistent with earlier studies, diabatic heating in the MJO was associated with an anomalous upper-tropospheric westerly jet over the northeast Asian coast and a jet exit region over the northwest Pacific. Repeated equatorward wave-breaking events developed downwind of the jet exit region. One such event left behind a region of lower-tropospheric cyclonic vorticity and convection in the subtropics that played a key role in the gyre formation. A second wave-breaking event produced strong subsidence north of the mature gyre that contributed to its convective asymmetry. Gyres from 1985 and 1989 were compared to the 1988 case. All three gyres developed during an active MJO in the Indian Ocean. Each gyre displayed the same strong convective asymmetry. Each developed in July or August during the climatological peak in breaking Rossby waves in the northwest Pacific. Finally, all of the gyres developed during La Niña at nearly the same location. This location and the convective structure of the gyres closely matched composite La Niña anomalies during boreal summer.
Over-expressing the C3 photosynthesis cycle enzyme Sedoheptulose-1-7 Bisphosphatase improves photosynthetic carbon gain and yield under fully open air CO2fumigation (FACE)
Authors: Rosenthal David M , Locke Anna M , Khozaei Mahdi , Raines Christine A , Long Stephen P , Ort Donald R 
Published: September 2011

AbstractBackgroundBiochemical models predict that photosynthesis in C3plants is most frequently limited by the slower of two processes, the maximum capacity of the enzyme Rubisco to carboxylate RuBP (Vc,max), or the regeneration of RuBP via electron transport (J). At current atmospheric [CO2] levels Rubisco is not saturated; consequently, elevating [CO2] increases the velocity of carboxylation and inhibits the competing oxygenation reaction which is also catalyzed by Rubisco. In the future, leaf photosynthesis (A) should be increasingly limited by RuBP regeneration, as [CO2] is predicted to exceed 550 ppm by 2050. The C3cycle enzyme sedoheptulose-1,7 bisphosphatase (SBPase, EC 3.1.3.17) has been shown to exert strong metabolic control over RuBP regeneration at light saturation.ResultsWe tested the hypothesis that tobacco transformed to overexpressing SBPase will exhibit greater stimulation ofAthan wild type (WT) tobacco when grown under field conditions at elevated [CO2] (585 ppm) under fully open air fumigation. Growth under elevated [CO2] stimulated instantaneousAand the diurnal photosynthetic integral (A') more in transformants than WT. There was evidence of photosynthetic acclimation to elevated [CO2] via downregulation of Vc,maxin both WT and transformants. Nevertheless, greater carbon assimilation and electron transport rates (J and Jmax) for transformants led to greater yield increases than WT at elevated [CO2] compared to ambient grown plants.ConclusionThese results provide proof of concept that increasing content and activity of a single photosynthesis enzyme can enhance carbon assimilation and yield of C3crops grown at [CO2] expected by the middle of the 21st century.
The role of psychiatrists in developing the skills of dementia care workers
Authors: Mason Julian , Adeshina Adetokunbo 
Published: September 2011

SummaryA recommendation of the UK's National Dementia Strategy is to develop the skills of the care workers who provide day-to-day care for people with dementia. On the basis of a systematic review of the literature, we suggest evidence-based areas in which the skills of care workers can be developed to reduce the incidence of difficult behaviour and the use of antipsychotic medication in dementia. We discuss core features of carer training, education and practice. Psychiatrists involved in the training of carers can teach new skills to carers. Psychiatrists in community mental health teams can, through leadership and clinical liaison, reinforce and enable these skills in care homes, domiciliary services and in-patient settings serving people with dementia.
Assessment of repeatability of a wireless, inertial sensor–based lameness evaluation system for horses
Authors: Keegan Kevin G. , Kramer Joanne , Yonezawa Yoshiharu , Maki Hiromitchi , Pai P. Frank , Dent Eric V. , Kellerman Thomas E. , Wilson David A. , Reed Shannon K. 
Published: September 2011

Abstract
Objective—To determine repeatability of a wireless, inertial sensor–based lameness evaluation system in horses.
Animals—236 horses.
Procedures—Horses were from 2 to 29 years of age and of various breeds and lameness disposition. All horses were instrumented with a wireless, inertial sensor-based motion analysis system on the head (accelerometer), pelvis (midline croup region [accelerometer]), and right forelimb (gyroscope) before evaluation in 2 consecutive trials, approximately 5 minutes apart, as the horse was trotted in a straight line. Signal-processing algorithms generated overall trial asymmetry measures for vertical head and pelvic movement and stride-by-stride differences in head and pelvic maximum and minimum positions between right and left sides of each stride. Repeatability was determined, and trial difference was determined for groups of horses with various numbers of strides for which data were collected per trial.
Results—Inertial sensor–based measures of torso movement asymmetry were repeatable. Repeatability for measures of torso asymmetry for determination of hind limb lameness was slightly greater than that for forelimb lameness. Collecting large numbers of strides degraded stride-to-stride repeatability but did not degrade intertrial repeatability.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—The inertial sensor system used to measure asymmetry of head and pelvic movement as an aid in the detection and evaluation of lameness in horses trotting in a straight line was sufficiently repeatable to investigate for clinical use.
The Clinical Psychologist: A Generalist with Specialist Training
Authors: Dana Richard H. 
Published: September 2011

Training for clinical psychology has been predicated upon the model of the specialist. No attempt has been made to train students in programs designed on the basis of research results. Currently, we have performance criteria. We can label the structure and content of programs. The interaction of program variables and student variables could be studied over time. Such research would suggest the applicability of specialist or generalist models for the training of clinical psychologists. Rationalists, wearing square hats, Think, in square rooms, Looking at the floor, Looking at the ceiling. They confine themselves To right-angled triangles. If they tried rhomboids, Cones, waving lines, ellipses— As, for example, the ellipse of the half moon— Rationalists would wear sombreros. (Stevens, 1957)
Reliability, Standard Error, and Minimum Detectable Change of Clinical Pressure Pain Threshold Testing in People With and Without Acute Neck Pain
Authors: Walton David , MacDermid Joy , Nielson Warren , Teasell Robert , Chiasson Marco , Brown Lauren 
Published: September 2011

Study Design Clinical measurement. Objectives To evaluate the intrarater, interrater, and test-retest reliability of an accessible digital algometer, and to determine the minimum detectable change in normal healthy individuals and a clinical population with neck pain. Background Pressure pain threshold testing may be a valuable assessment and prognostic indicator for people with neck pain. To date, most of this research has been completed using algometers that are too resource intensive for routine clinical use. Methods Novice raters (physiotherapy students or clinical physiotherapists) were trained to perform algometry testing over 2 clinically relevant sites: the angle of the upper trapezius and the belly of the tibialis anterior. A convenience sample of normal healthy individuals and a clinical sample of people with neck pain were tested by 2 different raters (all participants) and on 2 different days (healthy participants only). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement, and minimum detectable change were calculated. Results A total of 60 healthy volunteers and 40 people with neck pain were recruited. Intrarater reliability was almost perfect (ICC = 0.94–0.97), interrater reliability was substantial to near perfect (ICC = 0.79–0.90), and test-retest reliability was substantial (ICC = 0.76–0.79). Smaller change was detectable in the trapezius compared to the tibialis anterior. Conclusions This study provides evidence that novice raters can perform digital algometry with adequate reliability for research and clinical use in people with and without neck pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2011;41(9):644–650. doi:10.2519/jospt.2011.3666
Hydrocephalus status in spina bifida: an evaluation of variations in neuropsychological outcomes
Authors: Hampton Lyla E. , Fletcher Jack M. , Cirino Paul T. , Blaser Susan , Kramer Larry A. , Drake James , Dennis Maureen 
Published: September 2011

Object
The effect of hydrocephalus status on neuropsychological outcomes in children with spina bifida (SB) has not been carefully evaluated. The authors hypothesized a stepwise progression of outcomes related to hydrocephalus status (shunt-treated, arrested, or no hydrocephalus) and that motor, spatial, and executive function tasks would be more sensitive to hydrocephalus status than vocabulary and reading tasks.

Methods
Two hundred eight children (mean age 11.2 years) with SB were grouped according to hydrocephalus status: shunt-treated hydrocephalus (166 children), arrested hydrocephalus (18 children), and no hydrocephalus (24 children). Sixty-one typically developing children were included as a control group (mean age 12.05 years). All children were tested across neuropsychological content domains, including verbal and nonverbal IQ, reading and mathematical achievement, explicit memory, visuospatial function, executive function, and motor skills.

Results
There was a stepwise progression of outcomes. Averaging across tasks, performance scores of children with SB and no hydrocephalus (mean standard score 92.60) were higher than those of children with SB and arrested hydrocephalus (mean standard score 86.86), and scores of children in the latter group were higher than those of children with SB and shunt-treated hydrocephalus (mean standard score 82.30). All 3 groups scored lower than the control group (mean standard score 105.94). Fine motor tasks best differentiated the arrested-hydrocephalus and shunt-treated groups. Verbal and executive function tasks, often associated with socioeconomic status, best differentiated the group of children with SB and no hydrocephalus from the control group.

Conclusions
With the exception of fine motor skills and small differences in memory and spatial domains, children with SB and arrested or shunt-treated hydrocephalus have similar neuropsychological profiles. Performance of all 3 groups of children with SB was below that of the control group, which also reflects the lower socioeconomic status of the children with SB.
Developmental anatomy of the atlas and axis in childhood by computed tomography
Authors: Piatt Joseph H. , Grissom Leslie E. 
Published: September 2011

Object
The CT modality plays a central role in the diagnosis of cervical spine fractures. In childhood, radiolucent synchondroses between ossification centers can resemble fractures, and they can be the sites of fractures as well. Recognition of cervical spine fractures in children requires familiarity with normal developmental anatomy and common variants as they appear on CT scans.

Methods
A convenience sample of 932 CT scans of the cervical spine accessible on the picture archiving and communications system (known as PACS) at a single children's hospital was examined. Scans were excluded from further analysis if they did not include the atlantoaxial region or were otherwise technically unsatisfactory; if the patient carried the diagnosis of a skeletal dysplasia; or if there were developmental lesions noted at other levels of the spine. No more than 1 scan per patient was analyzed. Synchondroses were graded as radiolucent, not totally radiolucent but still visible, or no longer visible. Their locations and symmetries were noted. The presence or absence of the tubercles of the transverse ligament was noted as well.

Results
After exclusions, 841 studies of the atlas and 835 studies of the axis were analyzed. The 3 common ossification centers of the atlas arose in the paired neural arches and the anterior arch, but in as many as 20% of cases the anterior arch developed from paired symmetrical ossification centers. The 5 common ossification centers of the axis arose in the paired neural arches, in the basal center, in the dentate center (from which most of the dentate process develops), and in the very apex of the dentate process. The appearance of each synchondrosis was noted at sequential ages. The tubercles for the transverse ligament generally did not appear until the ossification of the synchondroses of the atlas was far advanced. Anomalies of the atlas included anterior and posterior spina bifida, absence of sectors of the posterior arch, and anomalous ossification centers and synchondroses. Anomalies of the axis were much less common. What appeared possibly to be chronic, incompletely healed fractures of the atlas were discovered on review for this analysis in 6 cases. No fractures of the axis were discovered.

Conclusions
There is substantial variation in the time course and pattern of development of the atlas, and anomalies are common. Some fractures of the atlas may escape recognition without manifest sequelae. Variation in the time course of the development of the axis is notable as well, but anomalies seem much less common.