bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improving rates of herpes zoster vaccination with a clinical decision support system in a primary care practice
Authors: Chaudhry Rajeev , Schietel Sidna M. , North Fred , Dejesus Ramona , Kesman Rebecca L. , Stroebel Robert J. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractRationale  Herpes zoster (shingles) is a localized neurocutaneous eruption of blisters caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus. The cost of care for herpes zoster and its complications is estimated at $1.1 billion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends a one‐time dose of the vaccine for adults aged 60 years or older. Despite that recommendation, utilization of the vaccine is very low. One way to boost the delivery of preventive services such as vaccinations is with a computerized clinical decision support system. Our study found that the herpes zoster vaccination rate increased significantly after the implementation of such a system.Aims  To study utilization of herpes zoster vaccine before and after the implementation of a web‐based clinical decision support software solution in a primary care practice.Methods  Billing data was utilized to determine number of herpes zoster vaccination administered to patients for a 12‐month period during the implementation of the software solution.Results  The utilization of vaccinations improved from 63 to 117 (53.8% increase) for one primary care practice and from 54 to 127 (42.5% increase) in the other primary care practice.Conclusion  Herpes zoster vaccination rate significantly improved with implementation of a web‐based clinical decision support system.
One hundred years of allergen immunotherapy European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology celebration: review of unanswered questions
Authors: Calderón M. , Cardona V. , Demoly P. ,   on behalf of the EAACI 100 Years of Immunotherapy Experts Panel
Published: February 2012

AbstractAllergen immunotherapy was introduced by Leonard Noon 100 years ago and is the only disease‐modifying treatment for allergic individuals. Improved understanding of immunology has taught us a great deal about the underlying mechanisms involved in allergen immunotherapy; however, despite these developments, a number of important questions remain unanswered. Several of these questions relate to the practice of allergen immunotherapy in the clinic, such as: Is it possible to unify units of allergen potency? Which treatment schedules are best? Is allergen immunotherapy effective in all patient groups? Is there a dose–response relationship for efficacy and safety?, and Is there evidence for long‐term effects following allergen immunotherapy? Others are related to new developments, such as new indications, or developments in the production of allergens. On the centenary of Noon's discovery, European experts in the field of immunotherapy met in Geneva under the aegis of the EAACI to discuss these controversial issues. This study presents outcomes and conclusions from these discussions.
Consequences of early chilling stress in two Triticum species: plastic responses and adaptive significance
Authors: Valluru R. , Link J. , Claupein W. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractPhenotypic plasticity of two primitive wheat species (Triticum monococcum L. and Triticum dicoccum S.) was studied in response to early chilling stress. Selection pressure differentials, gradients and plasticity costs on plant morphogenesis, growth and reserve carbohydrate consumption were estimated. Regression analysis was applied to investigate differential developmental changes and patterns between treatments. Four‐day‐old seedlings of T. monococcum and T. dicoccum, differing in plant stature and reserve carbohydrates, were given an early chilling temperature (4 °C for 42 day) and compared with control plants grown at 23 °C. Early chilling stress resulted in a significant increase in leaf mass ratio (LMR) and relative growth rate (RGR), a reduction in flag leaf size, total biomass, specific leaf area (SLA) and reserve carbohydrate storage at flowering, together with advanced onset of flowering. Selection pressure within the early chilling environment favoured early flowering, smaller SLA, higher LMR and lower reserve carbohydrates, suggesting the observed responses were adaptive. Furthermore, a regression of daily cumulative plant biomass derived from a crop growth simulation model (CERES‐Wheat) on crop vegetation period revealed a divergent developmental pattern in early‐chilled plants. Using selection pressure gradient analysis, we found similar responses among these traits, except for SLA and sucrose, indicating that these two traits have indirect effects on fitness. Thus, the total effects of SLA and reserve sucrose on relative fitness seem to be buffered via the rapid growth rate in chilled plants. While lower SLA may reduce early chilling stress effects at an individual leaf level, a higher LMR and use of reserve carbohydrates indicated that compensatory growth of chilled plants during the recovery period relied on the concerted action of altered resource allocation and reserve carbohydrate consumption. However, a significant cost of plasticity was evident only for flowering time, LMR and fructan levels in the early chilling environment. Our results demonstrate that morphological and intrinsic developmental (ontogenetic) patterns in two Triticum species respond to early chilling stress.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma: An emerging role and the Westmead hospital experience
Authors: Howle Julie , Veness Michael 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTBackground:  Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive cutaneous malignancy which has a high rate of nodal metastasis. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) enables the identification of occult nodal metastases. We sought to calculate the rates of positive and false negative SLNB and to evaluate the impact of SLNB on the staging and management of patients with MCC at our institution.Methods:  A total of 16 patients with stage I or II MCC who had undergone SLNB were identified from a prospectively maintained database of 114 patients with MCC who presented to Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia between 2000 and 2010. Data on patient characteristics, tumour and treatment details and patient follow up were extracted from a computer database and patient medical records.Results:  Eight patients (50%) had a positive SLNB and eight had a negative SLNB. The median follow up from diagnosis was 19.5 months (range 4–40) with most patients (69%) alive without evidence of disease at the time of last follow up. All eight patients with a positive SLNB subsequently underwent nodal treatment. This consisted of radiotherapy in five and completion lymphadenectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy in three. None of the eight patients who had a negative SLNB underwent any nodal treatment following SLNB. Two of these patients developed nodal relapse, giving a false negative rate of 20%.Conclusion:  Half of our patients were upstaged and underwent nodal treatment as a result of their SLNB. Given the high rate of SLNB positivity, we believe that SLNB has a role in the management of MCC. As there is a risk of a false negative SLNB, close observation of the regional nodal basins is warranted in patients who have had a negative SLNB. Further studies are required to investigate the impact of SLNB on survival.
Successful treatment of a severe persistent case of pemphigoid gestationis with antepartum and postpartum intravenous immunoglobulin followed by azathioprine
Authors: Gan Desmond Chia Chin , Welsh Belinda , Webster Michael 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTWe report a case of pemphigoid gestationis affecting a 37‐year‐old woman in both her pregnancies. In her second pregnancy she failed to respond to high‐dose oral prednisolone. She was treated successfully with intravenous immunoglobulin (2 g/kg each infusion cycle) as a steroid‐sparing agent during both the antepartum and postpartum period. The baby was born at the 36th week of gestation. No complications were noted for either mother or baby. After ceasing intravenous immunoglobulin, azathioprine (up to a dose of 1 mg/kg/day) was used to adequately control her pemphigoid gestationis.
Adaptation as a mechanism for gain control in cockroach ON and OFF olfactory receptor neurons
Authors: Burgstaller Maria , Tichy Harald 
Published: February 2012

AbstractIn many sensory systems adaptation acts as a gain control mechanism that optimizes sensory performance by trading increased sensitivity to low stimulus intensity for decreased sensitivity to high stimulus intensity. Adaptation of insect antennal olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) has been studied for strong odour concentrations, either pulsed or constant. Here, we report that during slowly oscillating changes in the concentration of the odour of lemon oil, the ON and OFF ORNs on the antenna of the cockroach Periplaneta americana adapt to the actual odour concentration and the rate at which concentration changes. When odour concentration oscillates rapidly with brief periods, adaptation improves gain for instantaneous odour concentration and reduces gain for the rate of concentration change. Conversely, when odour concentration oscillates slowly with long periods, adaptation increases gain for the rate of change at the expense of instantaneous concentration. Without this gain control the ON and OFF ORNs would, at brief oscillation periods, soon reach their saturation level and become insensitive to further concentration increments and decrements. At long oscillation periods, on the other hand, the cue would simply be that the discharge begins to change. Because of the high gain for the rate of change, the cockroach will receive creeping changes in odour concentration, even if they persist in one direction. Gain control permits a high degree of precision at small rates when it counts most, without sacrificing the range of detection and without extending the measuring scale.
Clonidine does not improve quality of ropivacaine axillary brachial plexus block in children
Authors: Trifa Mehdi , Ben Khalifa Sonia , Jendoubi Ali , Zribi Najeh , Regaya Tarek , Engelhardt Thomas 
Published: February 2012

SummaryBackground:  The addition of clonidine to peripheral nerve blocks is controversial in children.Objective:  The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of clonidine added to ropivacaine in pediatric axillary brachial plexus block (ABPB).Methods:  Children aged 1–6 years, scheduled to undergo forearm or hand surgery, were recruited into this prospective, double‐blind controlled trial. Patients were randomly allocated to receive an ABPB either with ropivacaine 0.2% 0.4 ml·kg−1 plus saline in 1 ml (RS) or ropivacaine 0.2% 0.4 ml·kg−1 plus clonidine 1 μg·kg−1 in 1 ml (RC). Primary endpoints were quality of postoperative analgesia as assessed by pain scores and total 24‐h postoperative analgesia requirements. Secondary outcomes were time to first analgesia request and duration of motor blockade.Results:  Sixty patients were recruited (n = 30 per group) into the study. Pain scores were comparable throughout the first 24 h between the two groups. Ten children in the (RS) and six in (RC) groups required supplementary analgesia during the first 24 h (P = 0.24). Children who required further analgesia did so after 288 ± 94 min in the (RS) and 437 ± 204 min in the (RC) group (P = 0.06). There was no difference in the duration of motor block [186 ± 71 and 154 ± 56 min, P = 0.12 for (RS) and (RC), respectively].Conclusion:  Ropivacaine (0.2% 0.4 ml·kg−1) for ABPB provides sufficient postoperative analgesia in children scheduled for forearm or hand surgery. The addition of clonidine to ABPB does not improve overall postoperative analgesia but may increase the time to first analgesia request.
Variable and complex food web structures revealed by exploring missing trophic links between birds and biofilm
Authors: Kuwae Tomohiro , Miyoshi Eiichi , Hosokawa Shinya , Ichimi Kazuhiko , Hosoya Jun , Amano Tatsuya , Moriya Toshifumi , Kondoh Michio , Ydenberg Ronald C. , Elner Robert W. 
Published: February 2012

Ecology Letters(2012)15: 347–356AbstractFood webs are comprised of a network of trophic interactions and are essential to elucidating ecosystem processes and functions. However, the presence of unknown, but critical networks hampers understanding of complex and dynamic food webs in nature. Here, we empirically demonstrate a missing link, both critical and variable, by revealing that direct predator‐prey relationships between shorebirds and biofilm are widespread and mediated by multiple ecological and evolutionary determinants. Food source mixing models and energy budget estimates indicate that the strength of the missing linkage is dependent on predator traits (body mass and foraging action rate) and the environment that determines food density. Morphological analyses, showing that smaller bodied species possess more developed feeding apparatus to consume biofilm, suggest that the linkage is also phylogenetically dependent and affords a compelling re‐interpretation of niche differentiation. We contend that exploring missing links is a necessity for revealing true network structure and dynamics.
Evidence‐based recommendations for the development of obesity prevention programs targeted at preschool children
Authors: Summerbell C. D. , Moore H. J. , Vögele C. , Kreichauf S. , Wildgruber A. , Manios Y. , Douthwaite W. , Nixon C. A. , Gibson E. L. ,   ToyBox‐study group
Published: February 2012

SummaryThe ToyBox intervention was developed using an evidence‐based approach, using the findings of four reviews. These reviews included three critical and narrative reviews of educational strategies and psychological approaches explaining young children's acquisition and formation of energy‐balance related behaviours, and the management of these behaviours, and also a systematic review of behavioural models underpinning school‐based interventions in preschool and school settings for the prevention of obesity in children aged 4–6 years.This paper summarises and translates the findings from these reviews into practical evidence based recommendations for researchers and policy‐makers to consider when developing and implementing interventions for the prevention of overweight and obesity in young (aged 4–6 years) children.The recommendations focus on two behaviours, physical activity and sedentary behaviour, and healthy eating, and include general recommendations, intervention approaches, interventions content, and simple messages. The review also briefly examines the role that the commercial sector plays in hindering or facilitating attempts to create healthy food environments for children. This paper also recognises that childhood obesity is not an issue for the education sector alone; it needs to be tackled at a multi sectoral level, recognizing the particularly important role of local governments, nongovernment organizations and the media.
Correlates of energy balance‐related behaviours in preschool children: a systematic review
Authors: De Craemer M. , De Decker E. , De Bourdeaudhuij I. , Vereecken C. , Deforche B. , Manios Y. , Cardon G. ,   ToyBox‐study group
Published: February 2012

SummaryChildhood overweight is a multifactorial health problem influenced by several factors. The interaction of behaviours such as physical activity, sedentary behaviour and eating behaviour determines whether or not a positive energy balance or weight gain is experienced. Knowing the correlates of these behaviours in 4‐ to 6‐year‐old children is of major interest for intervention development. According to the systematic literature search, attending a rural preschool was positively associated with physical activity. Gender, age and socioeconomic status were not associated with physical activity, while an indeterminate result was found for ethnicity. Gender and ethnicity were not associated with sedentary behaviour and indeterminate results were found for age and socioeconomic status. Preschoolers were more physically active as well as sedentary on weekdays. Watching television was associated with a higher consumption of snacks and sweet beverages. Strategies aiming to influence energy balance‐related behaviours in preschoolers should target both boys and girls and all ethnic groups from low as well as high social status. During the week, there should be a focus on decreasing sedentary behaviour and in the weekend on increasing physical activity. Focusing on television viewing and the consumption of snacks and sweet beverages could/should also be a strategy.
Critical narrative review to identify educational strategies promoting physical activity in preschool
Authors: Kreichauf S. , Wildgruber A. , Krombholz H. , Gibson E. L. , Vögele C. , Nixon C. A. , Douthwaite W. , Moore H. J. , Manios Y. , Summerbell C. D. ,   ToyBox‐study group
Published: February 2012

SummaryThe aim of this narrative review is critically to evaluate educational strategies promoting physical activity that are used in the preschool setting in the context of obesity prevention programmes. Literature search was conducted between April and August 2010 in English and German databases (PubMED, PsychINFO, PSYNDEX, ERIC, FIS Bildung). Outcomes considered were time and intensity of physical activity, motor skills or measures of body composition. A total of 19 studies were included. Ten studies added physical activity lessons into their curriculum, one study provided more time for free play, eight studies focused on the social and play environment. Studies reporting positive outcomes implemented physical activity sessions that lasted at least 30 min d−1. Several studies showed that children are most active in the first 10–15 min. The existence or installation of playground markings or fixed play equipment had no effect, whereas the presence or addition of portable play equipment was positively correlated with moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity. Teacher training may be a key element for successful interventions. To overcome time constraints, a suggested solution is to integrate physical activity into daily routines and other areas of the preschool curriculum.
An Evaluation of Internet Versus Paper‐based Methods for Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS)
Authors: Pocewicz Amy , Nielsen‐Pincus Max , Brown Greg , Schnitzer Russ 
Published: February 2012

AbstractPublic participation geographic information systems (PPGIS) are an increasingly important tool for collecting spatial information about the social attributes of place. The availability of Internet‐based options for implementing PPGIS presents new opportunities for increased efficiency and new modes of access. Here we used a mixed‐mode approach to evaluate paper versus Internet mapping methods for the same PPGIS survey in Wyoming. We compared participant characteristics, mapping participation, and the spatial distribution of mapped attributes between participants who responded to the paper versus Internet option. The response rate for those who completed the paper version of the survey was nearly 2.5 times the response rate of the Internet version. Paper participants also mapped significantly more places than did Internet participants (43 vs. 18). Internet participants tended to be younger, more likely to have a college degree, and had lived in the region for less time than paper participants. For all but one attribute there was no difference in the spatial distribution of places mapped between Internet and paper methods. Using a paper‐based PPGIS survey resulted in a higher response rate, reduced participant bias, and greater mapping participation. However, survey mode did not influence the spatial distribution of the PPGIS data.
Measuring Historical Coastal Change using GIS and the Change Polygon Approach
Authors: Smith Martyn J. , Cromley Robert G. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThis study compares two automated approaches, the transect‐from‐baseline technique and a new change polygon method, for quantifying historical coastal change over time. The study shows that the transect‐from‐baseline technique is complicated by choice of a proper baseline as well as generating transects that intersect with each other rather than with the nearest shoreline. The change polygon method captures the full spatial difference between the positions of the two shorelines and average coastal change is the defined as the ratio of the net area divided by the shoreline length. Although then change polygon method is sensitive to the definition and measurement of shoreline length, the results are more invariant to parameter changes than the transect‐from‐baseline method, suggesting that the change polygon technique may be a more robust coastal change method.
Robot‐Assisted Resection of Multiple Schwannomas of the Neck and Mediastinum Through an Axillary Approach
Authors: Ishikawa Norihiko , Kawaguchi Masahiko , Moriyama Hideki , Oda Makoto , Watanabe Go 
Published: February 2012

AbstractA 49‐year‐old woman was referred to our department for increased schwannoma of the right neck and mediastinum. We chose a robot‐assisted endoscopic approach to minimize the operative trauma. After exposure of the thyroid through the right axilla, the neck tumor was resected using the da Vinci Surgical System. A mini‐thoracotomy was then made in the left third intercostal space through the axillary incision, robotic instruments were introduced across the thoracic cavity, and the tumor was excised circumferentially using the robot. Histopathological examination of both specimens revealed schwannomas. This procedure has benefited the patient with good cosmetic results and allowed her to rapidly resume her daily activities.
An intraoperative multimodal neurophysiologic approach to successful resection of precentral gyrus epileptogenic lesions
Authors: Simon Mirela V. , Cole Andrew J. , Chang Eric C. , Buchbinder Bradley R. , Stufflebeam Steve M. , Nozari Ala , Stemmer‐Rachamimov Anat O. , Eskandar Emad N. 
Published: February 2012

SummaryCortical dysplasias (CDs) are highly epileptogenic lesions with a good prognosis of seizure freedom, if totally resected. However, their accurate delineation and resection can be difficult, and depend on the extent of pathology and lesion location. Intraoperative neurophysiologic assessments are valuable in these situations. We present an illustrative case of intractable epilepsy where judicious use of intraoperative neurophysiologic–techniques guided resection of precentral CD, under general anesthesia and in the absence of preoperative electrophysiologic mapping data. Ictal onset was accurately delineated using electrocorticography (ECoG). Phase reversal of the median somatosensory‐evoked potentials (MSSEPs) localized the central sulcus (CS). Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) triggered by high‐frequency monopolar anodal electrical cortical stimulation at the primary motor cortex (PMC) threshold delineated the PMC. Using this technique, PMC and the corticospinal tract (CST) were continuously monitored during resection. No changes in MEPs from the preresection baseline were seen; no residual abnormal activity was present in the postresection ECoG. The patient emerged from surgery without deficits and has been seizure free during a 10‐month follow‐up. Staged multimodal intraoperative neurophysiology can be used successfully under general anesthesia to guide resection of epileptogenic lesions within the precentral gyrus, as an add‐on or, in certain situations, as a viable alternative to preoperative electrophysiologic mapping.