bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
System approach to games and competitive playing
Authors: Lebed Felix 
Published: April 2006

AbstractA deep understanding of sport competition is essential for games because the success of coaches and players in such events is dependent on many qualitative and latent factors, which are explainable by means of highly problematic and complicated procedures. The difficulty of setting out the “winning‐factors” in games in orderly fashion has forced researchers to study a game as complex entitites, and in particular as dynamical systems (Bar‐Yam, Y. (2000). Applications of complex systems: Sport and complexity. NECSI. Website publication: http:/necsi.org/guide/examples/basketballcomplexity; Bar‐Yam, Y. (2003). Dynamics of complex systems. New England Complex Systems Institute: Perseus Books Group; Mayer‐Kress, G.J. (2001). Complex system as fundamental theory of sports coaching? Keynote presentation. International sports coaching symposium. Taichung, Taiwan, 01/11/16‐18, arXiv:nlin.AO/0111009 v1 2 Nov 2001; McGarry, T., Anderson, D. I., Wallace, S. A., Hughes, M., & Francs, I. M. (2002). Sport competition as a dynamical self‐organizing system. Journal of Sport Sciences, 20, 771–781). This article is a further attempt to explicate games in this fashion. The article examines games by analyzing three main and interrelated categories: “game” itself, “system”, and “conflict”. I will try to prove that the match (the process of game playing itself) is a conflict of at least two complex dynamical systems. Such a vision stands in debatable contrast to the published, well‐known approach of Tim McGarry and colleagues (McGarry, T., Anderson, D.I., Wallace, S.A., Hughes, M., Francs, I.M. (2002) Sport competition as a dynamical self‐organizing system. Journal of Sport Sciences, 20, 771–781), which contends that competitive playing itself constitutes a dynamical self‐organizing system.
Understanding motivation in sport: An experimental test of achievement goal and self determination theories
Authors: Spray Christopher M. , John Wang C. K. , Biddle Stuart J. H. , Chatzisarantis Nikos L. D. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThis paper presents an experimental test of two contemporary motivation theories in the physical domain. The study combined experimentally‐induced achievement goal involvement with autonomous and controlling communication styles based on self determination theory to examine young people's enjoyment, free‐choice behavior and performance in relation to a golf task. Results showed that those in the autonomous condition, regardless of their goal involvement, reported greater enjoyment, persisted longer at the task and performed better than those in the controlling communication condition. Participants in the task involved condition performed better than those in the ego involved condition. Findings point to the need for further studies that test multiple theories in sport. The motivational impact of goal involvement may be better understood when considered concurrently with the autonomous or controlling nature of the context. Promoting autonomy and task involvement is likely to enhance positive affect and adaptive behaviors in sport among young people.
Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the Overtraining Syndrome
Authors: Meeusen Romain , Duclos Martine , Gleeson Michael , Rietjens Gerard , Steinacker Jürgen , Urhausen Axel 
Published: April 2006

AbstractSuccessful training must involve overload but also must avoid the combination of excessive overload plus inadequate recovery. Athletes can experience short term performance decrement, without severe psychological, or lasting other negative symptoms. This Functional Overreaching (FOR) will eventually lead to an improvement in performance after recovery. When athletes do not sufficiently respect the balance between training and recovery, Non‐Functional Overreaching (NFOR) can occur. The distinction between NFOR and the Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) is very difficult and will depend on the clinical outcome and exclusion diagnosis. The athlete will often show the same clinical, hormonal and other signs and symptoms. A keyword in the recognition of OTS might be ‘prolonged maladaptation’ not only of the athlete, but also of several biological, neurochemical, and hormonal regulation mechanisms. It is generally thought that symptoms of OTS, such as fatigue, performance decline, and mood disturbances, are more severe than those of NFOR. However, there is no scientific evidence to either confirm or refute this suggestion. One approach to understanding the aetiology of OTS involves the exclusion of organic diseases or infections and factors such as dietary caloric restriction (negative energy balance) and insufficient carbohydrate and/or protein intake, iron deficiency, magnesium deficiency, allergies, etc. together with identification of initiating events or triggers. In this paper we provide the recent status of possible markers for the detection of OTS. Currently several markers (hormones, performance tests, psychological tests, biochemical and immune markers) are used, but none of them meets all criteria to make its use generally accepted. We propose a “check list” that might help the physicians and sport scientists to decide on the diagnosis of OTS and to exclude other possible causes of underperformance.
Impact of the 2004-2005 Influenza Vaccine Shortage on Immunization Practices in Long-Term Care Facilities
Authors: Mody Lona , Langa Kenneth M. , Malani Preeti N. 
Published: April 2006

Objective.To assess the response of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) to the 2004-2005 influenza vaccine shortage and the impact on resident and healthcare worker (HCW) immunization rates.Methods.A 12-item questionnaire was sent to 824 randomly selected LTCFs in December 2004. The following 2 open-ended questions were also asked: “How did you cope with the vaccine shortage?” and “Who helped you get your supply?” Immunization rates reported by LTCF administrators for 2003-2003 and 2003-2004 were compared with those for 2004-2005. Immunization rates were defined as the proportion of all eligible residents and HCWs who received influenza vaccine.Results.Responses were received from 380 LTCFs (46.3%), which had a total of 38,447 beds. Resident mean influenza immunization rates (±SD) decreased from 85% ± 15.3% in 2002-2003 and 85.1% ± 15.3% in 2003-2004 to 81.9% ± 19.4% in the 2004-2005 influenza season (P = .025). The immunization rates among HCWs also decreased from 51% in 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 to 38.4% in 2004-2005 (P<.001). In response to one of the open-ended questions, 96 facilities (25.3%) reported that they obtained vaccine from 2 or more sources. Eight percent commented on specific intensified infection control efforts, and only 2.3% commented on emergency preparedness.Conclusions.The influenza vaccine shortage in 2004-2005 impacted immunization practices of LTCFs across the United States, leading to decreases in both resident and HCW vaccination rates. The significant decrease in vaccination rates in LTCFs is of concern and has broad implications for policy makers working on emergency preparedness for a possible pandemic of influenza.
Improving Antimicrobial Use in the Hospital Setting by Providing Usage Feedback to Prescribing Physicians
Authors: Arnold Forest W. , McDonald L. Clifford , Smith R. Scott , Newman David , Ramirez Julio A. 
Published: April 2006

Objective.To determine whether feedback on antimicrobial use improves physician compliance with local hospital guidelines on antimicrobial prescribing.Design.In this time series analysis, in which a historical control period was compared with an intervention period, all orders for antimicrobials (except those for surgical prophylaxis) placed from November 1, 2002, through April 30, 2004, were prospectively evaluated by an antimicrobial management team (AMT) for compliance with local hospital guidelines. During the control period, orders were evaluated to determine compliance with hospital guidelines before and after recommendations by the AMT were provided to physicians. Feedback was given for the second 9-month period in the form of a weekly report to prescribing physicians, a monthly hospital newsletter, and a quarterly report to various hospital committees. During the intervention period, orders were evaluated to determine compliance with hospital guidelines before and after recommendations by the AMT were provided to physicians.Setting.The Veterans Affairs Medical Center, a 110-bed facility, in Louisville, Kentucky.Participants.Internal medicine physicians and general surgeons.Results.A total of 2,807 antimicrobial courses were evaluated. Compliance with hospital guidelines before AMT recommendations was 70% during the control period and 74% during the intervention period (P= .02). Compliance after AMT recommendations was 90% during the control period and 93% during the intervention period (P≤ .01).Conclusion.The use of feedback had a significantly favorable impact on physician compliance with the hospital's guidelines on antimicrobial prescribing. Use of feedback should be added to the list of interventions that promote appropriate antimicrobial use in the hospital setting.
Device-Associated Infection Rates for Non–Intensive Care Unit Patients
Authors: Vonberg Ralf-Peter , Behnke M. , Geffers C. , Sohr D. , Rüden H. , Dettenkofer M. , Gastmeier P. 
Published: April 2006

Background.Reference data from intensive care units (ICUs) are not applicable to non-ICU patients because of the differences in device use rates, length of stay, and severity of underlying diseases among the patient populations. In contrast to the huge amount of data available for ICU patients, appropriate surveillance data for non-ICU patients have been missing in Germany.Objective.To establish a new module (“DEVICE-KISS”) of the German Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System for generating stratified reference data for non-ICU wards.Setting.Non-ICU patients from 42 German hospitals.Methods.Monthly patient-days, device-days and nosocomial infections (NIs) (using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions) were counted. Device use rates were calculated, and NI rates were stratified by different medical specialities.Results.From July 2002 through June 2004, among the 77 wards, there were a total of 536,955 patient-days and 74,188 device-days (for CVC-associated primary bloodstream infections, there were 181,401 patient-days and 8,317 central vascular catheter [CVC]-days in 29 wards; for urinary catheter–associated urinary tract infections, there were 445,536 patient-days and 65,871 urinary catheter–days in 65 wards) and 483 NIs (36 bloodstream infections and 447 urinary tract infections). The mean device use rates were 4.6 device-days per 100 patient-days for CVCs (29 wards) and 14.8 device-days per 100 patient-days for urinary catheters (65 wards), respectively. Mean device-associated NI rates were 4.3 infections per 1,000 CVC-days for CVC-associated bloodstream infections and 6.8 infections per 1,000 urinary catheter–days for catheter-associated urinary tract infections.ConclusionsDEVICE-KISS allows non-ICUs to recognize an outlier position with regard to NIs by providing well-founded reference data for non-ICU patients.
Bacterial Contamination of Keyboards: Efficacy and Functional Impact of Disinfectants
Authors: Rutala William A. , White Matthew S. , Gergen Maria F. , Weber David J. 
Published: April 2006

Background.Computers are ubiquitous in the healthcare setting and have been shown to be contaminated with potentially pathogenic microorganisms. This study was performed to determine the degree of microbial contamination, the efficacy of different disinfectants, and the cosmetic and functional effects of the disinfectants on the computer keyboards.Methods.We assessed the effectiveness of 6 different disinfectants (1 each containing chlorine, alcohol, or phenol and 3 containing quaternary ammonium) against 3 test organisms (oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [ORSA], Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species) inoculated onto study computer keyboards. We also assessed the computer keyboards for functional and cosmetic damage after disinfectant use.Results.Potential pathogens cultured from more than 50% of the computers included coagulase-negative staphylococci (100% of keyboards), diphtheroids (80%), Micrococcus species (72%), and Bacillus species (64%). Other pathogens cultured included ORSA (4% of keyboards), OSSA (4%), vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus species (12%), and nonfermentative gram-negative rods (36%). All disinfectants, as well as the sterile water control, were effective at removing or inactivating more than 95% of the test bacteria. No functional or cosmetic damage to the computer keyboards was observed after 300 disinfection cycles.Conclusions.Our data suggest that microbial contamination of keyboards is prevalent and that keyboards may be successfully decontaminated with disinfectants. Keyboards should be disinfected daily or when visibly soiled or if they become contaminated with blood.
Device-Associated Infection Rate and Mortality in Intensive Care Units of 9 Colombian Hospitals: Findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium
Authors: Moreno Carlos Álvarez , Rosenthal Victor D. , Olarte Narda , Gomez Wilmer Villamil , Sussmann Otto , Agudelo Julio Garzon , Rojas Catherine , Osorio Laline , Linares Claudia , Valderrama Alberto , Mercado Patricia Garrido , Bernate Patrick Hernán Arrieta , Vergara Guillermo Ruiz , Pertuz Alberto Marrugo , Mojica Beatriz Eugenia , Navarrete María del Pilar Torres , Romero Ana Sofia Alonso , Henríquez Daibeth 
Published: April 2006

Objective.To perform active targeted prospective surveillance to measure device-associated infection (DAI) rates, attributable mortality due to DAI, and the microbiological and antibiotic resistance profiles of infecting pathogens at 10 intensive care units (ICUs) in 9 hospitals in Colombia, all of which are members of the International Infection Control Consortium.Methods.We conducted prospective surveillance of healthcare-associated infection in 9 hospitals by using the definitions of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Nosocomial Surveillance System (NNIS). DAI rates were calculated as the number of infections per 100 ICU patients and per 1,000 device-days.Results.During the 3-year study, 2,172 patients hospitalized in an ICU for an aggregate duration of 14,603 days acquired 266 DAIs, for an overall DAI rate of 12.2%, or 18.2 DAIs per 1,000 patient-days. Central venous catheter (CVC)–related bloodstream infection (BSI) (47.4% of DAIs; 11.3 cases per 1,000 catheter-days) was the most common DAI, followed by ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) (32.3% of DAIs; 10.0 cases per 1,000 ventilator-days) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) (20.3% of DAIs; 4.3 cases per 1,000 catheter-days). Overall, 65.4% of all Staphylococcus aureus infections were caused by methicillin-resistant strains; 40.0% of Enterobacteriaceae isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone and 28.3% were resistant to ceftazidime; and 40.0% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were resistant to fluoroquinolones, 50.0% were resistant to ceftazidime, 33.3% were resistant to piperacillin-tazobactam, and 19.0% were resistant to imipenem. The crude unadjusted attributable mortality was 16.9% among patients with VAP (relative risk [RR], 1.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-3.00; P = .002); 18.5 among those with CVC-associated BSI (RR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.42-2.87; P<.001); and 10.5% among those with CAUTI (RR, 1.58; 95% CI, 0.78-3.18; P = .19).Conclusion.The rates of DAI in the Colombian ICUs were lower than those published in some reports from other Latin American countries and were higher than those reported in US ICUs by the NNIS. These data show the need for more-effective infection control interventions in Colombia.
Sustained Endemicity ofBurkholderia cepaciaComplex in a Pediatric Institution, Associated With Contaminated Ultrasound Gel
Authors: Jacobson Michelle , Wray Rick , Kovach Danuta , Henry Deborah , Speert David , Matlow Anne 
Published: April 2006

Objective.To determine whether contaminated ultrasound gel is the source of intermittent outbreaks of nosocomial infection due toBurkholderia cepaciacomplex in patients without cystic fibrosis since 1992.Design.A prospective clinical and in vitro study of all in-use bottles of ultrasound gel, as well as a retrospective analysis of archived bacterial strains, were performed. Handling of gel for clinical purposes throughout the hospital was evaluated. Gel and archived clinical isolates ofB. cepaciacomplex were speciated to genomovar level and characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns were compared.Setting.The Hospital for Sick Children, a 300-bed, tertiary care, pediatric academic health sciences center in Toronto, Canada.Patients.All patients without cystic fibrosis from whomB. cepaciacomplex was recovered at the Hospital for Sick Children since 1992.Results.No standardized protocol for storage or handling of ultrasound gel was found. Gel from 39% of bottles grew eitherB. cepacia(genomovar I) orBurkholderia stabilis(genomovar IV). These isolates had pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns identical to 2 of the 7 clinical pulsed-field gel electrophoresis types that are responsible for 88% of clinical isolates.Conclusions.Contaminated ultrasound gel contributed to nosocomial infection due toB. cepaciacomplex in this institution over the course of 10 years. Suggested guidelines for the handling of ultrasound gel are provided.
Unbiased pattern detection in microarray data series
Authors: Ahnert S. E. , Willbrand K. , Brown F. C. S. , Fink T. M. A. 
Published: April 2006

Abstract
Motivation: Following the advent of microarray technology in recent years, the challenge for biologists is to identify genes of interest from the thousands of genetic expression levels measured in each microarray experiment. In many cases the aim is to identify pattern in the data series generated by successive microarray measurements.
Results: Here we introduce a new method of detecting pattern in microarray data series which is independent of the nature of this pattern. Our approach provides a measure of the algorithmic compressibility of each data series. A series which is significantly compressible is much more likely to result from simple underlying mechanisms than series which are incompressible. Accordingly, the gene associated with a compressible series is more likely to be biologically significant. We test our method on microarray time series of yeast cell cycle and show that it blindly selects genes exhibiting the expected cyclic behaviour as well as detecting other forms of pattern. Our results successfully predict two independent non-microarray experimental studies.
Contact: sea31@cam.ac.uk
The Significance of C16 Fatty Acids in the sn-2 Positions of Glycerolipids in the Photosynthetic Growth of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803
Authors: Okazaki Kumiko , Sato Norihiro , Tsuji Noriko , Tsuzuki Mikio , Nishida Ikuo 
Published: April 2006

Abstract
Most extant cyanobacteria contain C16 fatty acids in the sn-2 positions of glycerolipids, which are regulated by lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT; EC 2.3.1.51). Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 contains sll1848, sll1752, and slr2060 as putative acyltransferase genes. sll1848 was recently reported to encode an indispensable palmitoyl-specific LPAAT; however, here we show that each of the three genes is dispensable. Δ1848 and Δ1848 Δ2060 cells had markedly higher contents of stearate (18:0), oleate (18:1), and linoleate (18:2) in place of palmitate (16:0) in the sn-2 positions, suggesting that Δ1848 Δ2060 cells incorporate 18:0 and 18:1 in the sn-2 positions. The levels of sll1752 transcripts increased in Δ1848 Δ2060 cells. This was accompanied by increased LPAAT activity toward 18:0 coenzyme A and its derivative in the membrane fraction. From these findings, together with the activity of a recombinant sll1752 protein and complementation of the Escherichia coli LPAAT mutant plsC, we conclude that sll1752 encodes a second LPAAT that prefers stearoyl and oleoyl substrates. Δ1848 Δ2060 cells grew slowly at 30°C at lower cell density, and exhibited more severe damage at 20°C than wild-type cells. Furthermore, Δ1848 Δ2060 cells exhibited photoinhibition more severely than wild-type cells. A phycobilisome core-membrane linker protein (slr0335) was also found to be susceptible to protein extraction under our conditions; its content decreased in the membrane fractions of Δ1848 Δ2060 cells. We conclude that C16 fatty acids in sn-2 positions are preferred in the photosynthetic growth of this cyanobacterium, despite sll1752 orthologs being conserved in most cyanobacteria. However, no sll1752 ortholog is conserved among photosynthetic eukaryotes including Cyanidioschyzon merolae.
Ascorbate Oxidase-Dependent Changes in the Redox State of the Apoplast Modulate Gene Transcript Accumulation Leading to Modified Hormone Signaling and Orchestration of Defense Processes in Tobacco
Authors: Pignocchi Cristina , Kiddle Guy , Hernández Iker , Foster Simon J. , Asensi Amparo , Taybi Tahar , Barnes Jeremy , Foyer Christine H. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe role of the redox state of the apoplast in hormone responses, signaling cascades, and gene expression was studied in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants with modified cell wall-localized ascorbate oxidase (AO). High AO activity specifically decreased the ascorbic acid (AA) content of the apoplast and altered plant growth responses triggered by hormones. Auxin stimulated shoot growth only when the apoplastic AA pool was reduced in wild-type or AO antisense lines. Oxidation of apoplastic AA in AO sense lines was associated with loss of the auxin response, higher mitogen-activated protein kinase activities, and susceptibility to a virulent strain of the pathogen Pseudomonas syringae. The total leaf glutathione pool, the ratio of reduced glutathione to glutathione disulfide, and glutathione reductase activities were similar in the leaves of all lines. However, AO sense leaves exhibited significantly lower dehydroascorbate reductase and ascorbate peroxidase activities than wild-type and antisense leaves. The abundance of mRNAs encoding antioxidant enzymes was similar in all lines. However, the day/night rhythms in the abundance of transcripts encoding the three catalase isoforms were changed in response to the AA content of the apoplast. Other transcripts influenced by AO included photorespiratory genes and a plasma membrane Ca2+ channel-associated gene. We conclude that the redox state of the apoplast modulates plant growth and defense responses by regulating signal transduction cascades and gene expression patterns. Hence, AO activity, which modulates the redox state of the apoplastic AA pool, strongly influences the responses of plant cells to external and internal stimuli.