bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Proficiency and knowledge gained and retained by pediatric residents after neonatal resuscitation course
Authors: Duran Rıdvan , Aladağ Nükhet , Vatansever Ülfet , Küçükuğurluoğlu Yasemin , Süt Necdet , Acunaş Betül 
Published: June 2008

AbstractBackground: In previous studies the efficacy of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) was evaluated, demonstrating good retention of knowledge in the participants. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the knowledge and proficiency that pediatric residents gained and retained following NRP and to determine the necessity and timing of the refresher courses.Methods: The study consisted of 42 pediatric residents who were divided into three groups. Group 1 included pediatric residents who attended the course 1 year previously (n = 18); group 2, 6 months previously (n = 12); and group 3 included those residents who had not attended the NRP previously (n = 12). A written test consisting of 100 questions was applied, and endotracheal intubation skill on a neonatal manikin was evaluated.Results: The percentage of correct answers of participants in groups 1 and 2 decreased similarly during the 6 month and 1 year time period following previous courses. After the new NRP the correct answers increased significantly in groups 1 and 2. The duration of intubation attempt was 17.8 ± 6.0 s in group 1, 17.5 ± 1.5 s in group 2, and 22.3 ± 2.6 s in group 3 before the course and decreased after the course to 10.9 ± 2.0 s in group 1, 10.3 ± 1.5 s in group 2, and 11.7 ± 1.6 s in group 3. The knowledge missing after 6 months and 1 year were similar, while intubation skill decreased after 1 year following the course.Conclusions: Due to worsening of test findings at 6 months after NRP, and deterioration of performance of intubation 1 year after NRP, it is suggested that a refresher course may be required every year.
Prevalence of acanthosis nigricans in relation to anthropometric measures: Community‐based cross‐sectional study in Korean pre‐adolescent school children
Authors: Chang Yoosoo , Woo Hee‐Yeon , Sung Eunju , Kim Cheol Hwan , Kang Heetae , Ju Young Su , Park Kyung Hee 
Published: June 2008

AbstractBackground: This cross‐sectional study was performed to assess the prevalence of acanthosis nigricans (AN) across various anthropometric measures and to identify the cut‐offs for anthropometric indices of adiposity for development of AN in Asian preadolescent school children.Methods: Body mass index (BMI), percentage weight for height (PWH), percentage body fat (PBF), and AN of the neck were evaluated in children in the fifth grade of all elementary schools in one metropolitan, Korean city (2117 boys and 1916 girls, mean age 10.9 ± 0.6 years, mean BMI 18.6 ± 3.3 kg/m2).Results: The prevalence of AN was 8.4% in boys and 5.1% in girls, and was proportional to the BMI, PWH, and PBF. The prevalence of AN rose steeply in the 80th and 90th percentiles of the BMI, PWH, and PBF in boys and girls, respectively. According to receiver operating characteristic analysis, AN was observed in boys with BMI >22.2 kg/m2, and in girls with BMI >21.2 kg/m2, which are below the current criteria for childhood obesity (local BMI 95th percentile and International Obesity Task Force BMI 30 kg/m2).Conclusions: AN has a good correlation with level of adiposity, and was already present in overweight children that were not considered obese by definition.
Complications of percutaneously inserted central venous catheters in Japanese neonates
Authors: Ohki Yasushi , Yoshizawa Yukihiro , Watanabe Masayuki , Kuwashima Makoto , Morikawa Akihiro 
Published: June 2008

AbstractBackground: To determine institutional policies concerning percutaneously inserted central venous catheter (PICC) utilization and also frequencies of complications such as pericardial effusion (PCE), cardiac tamponade (CT), pleural effusion, ascites, venous thrombosis, and catheter removal difficulties.Methods: Nationwide postal questionnaire survey was carried out that included institutional policies on PICC and numbers of complications recorded from January 1999 to December 2003.Results: A total of 98 replies were received from 193 neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Japan. As a catheter tip location, positions outside of the heart were highly preferred, while only 9% accepted a right atrial position. Twenty‐eight cases of PCE or CT were reported, representing an estimated frequency of 0.07–0.11% of PICC insertions. Pleural effusion/ascites and removal difficulties (36 and 35 cases, respectively) were encountered in approximately 0.09–0.14% of insertions.Conclusions: Frequency of PCE/CT appeared comparable to previously reported occurrences. Also, pleural effusion/ascites and removal difficulty appeared to be rare complications.
Predictive factors for survival for out‐born infants born between 23 and 24 weeks of gestation in the post‐surfactant era: Fourteen years’ experience in a single neonatal care unit, 1987–2000
Authors: Hosono Shigeharu , Ohno Tsutomu , Kimoto Hirofumi , Shimizu Masaki , Takahashi Shigeru , Harada Kensuke 
Published: June 2008

AbstractBackground: The purpose of the present paper was to identify the predictive factors for survival for out‐born infants born between 23 and 24 weeks of gestation.Methods: Ninety‐two infants born between 23 and 24 weeks’ gestation who were admitted to a level III neonatal intensive care unit from 1987 to 2000, were retrospectively studied. Survival was defined as discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit. Logistic regression was done to determine which clinical factors were most predictive of survival. The independent variables that were entered into the models were determined by preliminary univariate analysis.Results: Ninety‐two infants were enrolled in the present study, 49 of whom survived in the surfactant era. The four variables that were found to be most predictive for survival on logistic regression were systolic blood pressure at 6 h (odds ratio [OR], 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11–1.44 1 mmHg), ventilatory index < 0.047 (OR, 4.8; 95%CI: 1.07–21.65), initial hemoglobin value (OR, 1.6; 95%CI: 1.09–2.34/1 g/dL), and base excess at 6 h (OR, 2.1; 95%CI: 1.08–1.84/5 mEq/L).Conclusions: A total of 53.2% of infants delivered between 23 and 24 weeks of gestation survived at discharge after introduction of surfactant replacement therapy. Early cardiopulmonary adaptation and initial hemoglobin value are key factors for survival in infants born at 23–24 weeks of gestation.
cagA, vacA, and iceA genotypes of Helicobacter pylori in Korean children
Authors: Ko Jae Sung , Kim Kyung Mo , Oh Young Lyun , Seo Jeong Kee 
Published: June 2008

AbstractBackground: Several putative virulence factors for Helicobacter pylori have been identified including cagA, vacA, and iceA. The aims of the present study were to study the distribution of cagA, vacA, and iceA genotypes in children with H. pylori gastritis and to examine the association of genotypes with severity of gastritis.Methods: H. pylori DNA was extracted from antral biopsy specimens from 33 children with H. pylori gastritis. Specific polymerase chain reaction assays were used for three genes: cagA, vacA, and iceA. The features of gastritis were graded in accordance with the updated Sydney System.Results: Of the 33 children, 31 (94%) were cagA positive. Twenty‐four (72%) had s1c genotype and nine (27%) had s1a. The m1 genotype was seen in 27 (82%) and m2 was found in five (15%). The iceA1 genotype was detected in 25 (76%). Scores of neutrophil activity, chronic inflammation, and H. pylori density were independent of cagA, vacA and iceA status.Conclusion: The cagA‐positive vacA s1c/m1 iceA1 genotype was predominant in Korean children with recurrent abdominal pain and H. pylori gastritis. The cagA, vacA and iceA genotype were not associated with the severity of gastritis.
Spontaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect after school age
Authors: Miyake Toshiharu , Shinohara Tohru , Fukuda Tsuyoshi , Ikeoka Megumi , Takemura Tsukasa 
Published: June 2008

AbstractBackground: The number of studies of long‐term follow up to adolescence is very low on spontaneous closure (SC) of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (P‐VSD) in children not undergoing surgical closure because of small left‐to‐right shunting.Methods: Seventy patients with a P‐VSD with pulmonary‐to‐systemic flow ratio (Qp/Qs) < 1.7 underwent cardiac catheterization at the age of 2–10 years (mean, 5.1 years). Excluding 22 patients who dropped out by 15 years, 48 were selected. Qp/Qs ranged from 1.00 to 1.68 (mean, 1.17). The average follow‐up period of 37 patients excluding the SC patients was 17.8 years. They were classified according to Qp/Qs into three groups: group I, 1.4 ≤ Qp/Qs < 1.7; group II, 1.2 ≤ Qp/Qs < 1.4; and group III, 1.0 ≤ Qp/Qs < 1.2.Results: SC occurred in 11 patients (23%). SC rates in group I and II were lower than those in group III (I, 0/8 0%; II, 1/10 10%; III, 10/30 33%). In 23 patients (48%), an aneurysm of the ventricular membranous septum (AVMS) was detected, but no significant relationship was found between the presence of AVMS and SC rate.Conclusions: SC occurred in 23% of patients with a P‐VSD of Qp/Qs < 1.7 up to adolescence. But a P‐VSD of Qp/Qs ≥ 1.2 showed no tendency to close spontaneously. The factor most influencing SC of P‐VSD after school age seemed to be the shunt ratio.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in a clinical setting
Authors: Othman Norlijah , Isaacs David , Daley Andrew J. , Kesson Alison M. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractBackground: Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection predominantly affects the respiratory tract, although the other organs may also be involved. Previous studies compared the clinical features of patients with M. pneumonia pneumonia to other pathogens and these studies were predominantly adult case series rather than involving children. The objectives of the present study were to compare the clinical features, laboratory, and radiographic findings in children seropositive for M. pneumoniae infection with children tested for suspected M. pneumoniae infection who were seronegative.Methods: Using a retrospective review of children who had complement fixation test (CFT) performed for suspected M. pneumoniae infection, children were classified as seropositive if the acute phase serum titer was ≥64, or paired samples taken 2–4 weeks apart showed a fourfold or greater rise in serum titer. In contrast, a patient with an antibody titer <64 or with paired sera showing less than a fourfold rise in titer was considered seronegative.Results: One hundred and fifty‐one children were included. Seventy‐six children had serological evidence of M. pneumoniae infection and the remaining 75 were seronegative. Children with M. pneumoniae infection were more likely to have fever >6 days duration prior to admission, crackles on auscultation, radiographic consolidation and thrombocytosis at presentation. In addition, M. pneumoniae infection was associated with pneumonia whereas seronegative children were more likely to have upper respiratory tract infection or asthma.Conclusions: Certain clinical parameters could assist in gauging the likelihood of M. pneumoniae infection in children, and thus direct whether antibiotic treatment is needed.
Analysis of temperature distribution near the crack tip under constant amplitude loading
Authors: PANDEY K. N. , CHAND S. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTAn analytical/numerical method has been developed to find the temperature rise near the crack tip under fatigue loading. The cyclic plastic zone ahead of the crack tip is assumed to be the shape of the source of heat generation and some fraction of plastic work done in cyclic plastic zone as heat generation. Plastic work during fatigue load was found by obtaining stress and strain distribution within the plastic zone by Hutchinson, Rice and Rosengren (HRR) crack tip singularity fields applied to small scale yielding on the cyclic stress strain curve. A two‐dimensional conduction heat transfer equation, in moving co‐ordinates, was used to obtain temperature distribution around the crack tip. Temperature rise was found to be a function of frequency of loading, applied stress intensity factor and thermal properties of the material. A power–law relation was found between the rise in temperature at a fixed point near the crack tip and range of stress intensity factor.
Influence of different load models on gear crack path shapes and fatigue lives
Authors: PODRUG S. , JELASKA D. , GLODEŽ S. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTA computational model for determination of the service life of gears with regard to bending fatigue at gear tooth root is presented. In conventional fatigue models of the gear tooth root, it is usual to approximate actual gear load with a pulsating force acting at the highest point of the single tooth contact. However, in actual gear operation, the magnitude as well as the position of the force changes as the gear rotates. A study to determine the effect of moving gear tooth load on the gear service life is performed. The fatigue process leading to tooth breakage is divided into crack‐initiation and crack‐propagation period. The critical plane damage model has been used to determine the number of stress cycles required for the fatigue crack initiation. The finite‐element method and linear elastic fracture mechanics theories are then used for the further simulation of the fatigue crack growth.
The peak stress method applied to fatigue assessments of steel and aluminium fillet‐welded joints subjected to mode I loading
Authors: MENEGHETTI G. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTThe aim of this work is to present an engineering method based on linear elastic finite element (FE) analyses oriented to fatigue strength assessments of fillet‐welded joints made of steel or aluminium alloys and subjected to mode I loading in the weld toe region where fatigue cracks nucleate. The proposed approach combines the robustness of the notch stress intensity factor approach with the simplicity of the so‐called ‘peak stress method’. Fatigue strength assessments are performed on the basis of (i) a well‐defined elastic peak stress evaluated by FE analyses at the crack initiation point (design stress) and (ii) a unified scatter band (design fatigue curve) dependent on the class of material, i.e. structural steel or aluminium alloys. The elastic peak stress is calculated by using rather coarse meshes with a fixed FE size. A simple rule to calculate the elastic peak stress is also provided if a FE size different from that used in the present work is adopted. The method can be applied to joints having complex geometry by adopting a two‐step analysis procedure that involves standard finite element (FE) models like those usually adopted in an industrial context. The proposed approach is validated against a number of fatigue data published in the literature.
Weibull‐based methodology for condition assessment of cast iron water mains and its application
Authors: BELMONTE H. M. S. , MULHERON M. , SMITH P. A. , HAM A. , WESCOMBE K. , WHITER J. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTA qualitative and quantitative understanding of how cast iron water distribution pipes fail in service would facilitate a targeted approach to the management of rehabilitation in the water industry. This paper proposes a technique for assessing the condition of pipes, based on strength characteristics obtained from small samples; this offers an alternative way of estimating the likelihood of failure to current methodologies based on pit‐depth measurements.Examination of recovered pipe samples indicates that the strength of the cast iron pipe reduces over time as a result of corrosion, although other time‐dependent processes, such as fatigue, may also contribute to this degradation. Taken with previous work, this paper suggests that the variation in strength of small samples removed from cast iron water distribution pipes can be characterized using Weibull methods. It is argued that the Weibull modulus provides a useful indicator of the condition of the pipe. Using scaling arguments, inherent in the Weibull methodology, it is then possible to use data from small samples to predict the likely strength characteristics of water distribution pipes in the ground, which is reasoned to be a good measure of the potential performance of the pipe in service. The Weibull approach is applied to a number of different data sets obtained from testing samples extracted from a range of pipes, which have seen service at various locations in the Thames Water region. One of these data sets was from locations where failure had occurred in service. It is shown that the use of Weibull analysis can identify pipes in the network that have degraded the most significantly. A methodology is suggested whereby this information taken with other performance indicators can be used to identify the local regions where rehabilitation is required most urgently. Alternatively, it can be used to identify those regions of the network, which are in good condition and unlikely to need repair or replacement work.
Influence of foreign object damage on fatigue crack growth of gas turbine aerofoils under complex loading conditions
Authors: HALL R. , BYRNE J. , ZHAO T. , TONG J. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTForeign object damage (FOD) has been identified as one of the main life limiting factors for aeroengine blades, with the leading edge of aerofoils particularly susceptible. In this work, a generic edge ‘aerofoil’ geometry was utilized in a study of early fatigue crack growth behaviour due to FOD under low cycle fatigue (LCF), high cycle fatigue (HCF) and combined LCF and HCF loading conditions. Residual stresses due to FOD were analyzed using the finite element method. The longitudinal residual stress component along the crack path was introduced as a nodal temperature distribution, and used in the correction of the stress intensity factor range. The crack growth was monitored using a nanodirect current potential drop (DCPD) system and crack growth rates were correlated with the corrected stress intensity factor considering the residual stresses. The results were discussed with regard to the role of residual stresses in the characterization of fatigue crack growth. Small crack growth behaviour in FODed specimens was revealed only after the residual stresses were taken into account in the calculation of the stress intensity factor, a feature common to LCF, HCF and combined LCF + HCF loading conditions.
Premedication with melatonin vs midazolam in anxious children
Authors: ISIK BERRIN , BAYGIN ÖZGÜL , BODUR HALUK 
Published: June 2008

SummaryAim:  Failure of dental treatment caused by anxiety is a common problem in children. Oral midazolam has been the most commonly used premedication for pediatric patient but the use of midazolam may be associated with paradoxical reactions in children. Melatonin may induce a natural sleepiness and improve sedation. We have investigated premedication with melatonin compared with midazolam in children under nitrous oxide/oxygen (N2O/O2) sedation for dental treatment.Methods:  In a randomized study, 60 children received either 3 mg of melatonin [Melatonina (3 mg®) 60 min before the procedure (n = 15); group I], 0.5 mg·kg−1 melatonin 60 min before the procedure (n = 15; group II), 0.75 mg·kg−1 midazolam [Dormicum (15 mg/3 ml ®) 15 min before the procedure (n = 15); group III] or 3 ml of 0.09 NaCl 15 min (n = 7) or 60 min before the procedure (n = 8; group IV) orally. The children were sedated with 40/60% N2O/O2 inhalation. The heart rate and O2 saturation were monitored during the treatment period. The level of sedation was assessed according to the Ramsay Sedation Scale. The children’s sedation success during dental treatment was classified. The sedation success and other sedation‐related events recorded. Comparisons among the four groups were made using one‐way anova or Kruskal–Wallis test, and if any significant differences were noted, the Tukey’s HSD or Mann–Whitney U‐test were used for intergroup comparisons. All differences were considered significant at P < 0.05.Results:  The evaluation of sedation success was as follows: group I: satisfactory (n = 1), average satisfactory (n = 4), and unsatisfactory (n = 10); group II: satisfactory (n = 2), average satisfactory (n = 3), and unsatisfactory (n = 10); group III: satisfactory (n = 9), average satisfactory (n = 6); and group IV: satisfactory (n = 1), average satisfactory (n = 3), and unsatisfactory (n = 11).Conclusion:  In these doses and clinical conditions, melatonin was similar to that of placebo and did not contribute to N2O/O2 sedation of anxious children.
Gypsy moth mating disruption in open landscapes
Authors: (Tcheslavskaia) Onufrieva Ksenia S. , Thorpe Kevin W. , Hickman Andrea D. , Leonard Donna S. , Mastro Victor C. , Roberts E. Anderson 
Published: June 2008

Abstract1 Aerial applications of Disrupt II, a plastic laminated flake formulation containing a racemic form of the gypsy moth sex pheromone, disparlure, achieved > 99% reduction of mating among females on individual, isolated trees surrounded by an area cleared of trees.2 These results support the use of mating disruption to eradicate isolated gypsy moth populations in open landscapes, such as parks, residential areas and commercial settings.3 Mating success in both treated and untreated areas varied with the initial distance between males and females. When the initial distance between males and females was < 5 cm in an area receiving a dosage of 37.5 g of racemic disparlure per ha, mating success was reduced by 27% compared with a similar deployment in an untreated area. Mating was eliminated in areas treated at the same dosage when males and females were initially deployed 1 m apart but on separate trees.4 This suggests that mating disruption may not be an effective tactic for gypsy moth eradication in cases where the infestation is concentrated on a small number of trees and males and females are in close proximity in space and time.
The effects of soil tillage on beneficial invertebrates within the vineyard
Authors: Sharley David J. , Hoffmann Ary A. , Thomson Linda J. 
Published: June 2008

Abstract1 Tillage, commonly used in agroecosystems, can influence the abundance of invertebrates through factors such as habitat change and food availability.2 The effects of tillage on the composition and abundance of invertebrates were examined in a vineyard near Mildura in Victoria, Australia, focusing particularly on groups that might act as natural enemies in vineyards. We used pitfall traps at ground level and sticky traps in the canopy.3 The collections were first sorted to order. Beetles (Coleoptera) were sorted to family and ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) to genus.4 Ants were the only group to be affected by tillage when all months were considered. The same genera occurred in both treatments but the abundance of several genera was reduced by tillage. Families of several beetles, including predators, increased in tilled areas. Spider, millipede, centipede and earwig numbers were decreased by tillage. In the canopy, Trichogrammatidae and other parasitoids decreased in abundance after tillage.5 These results indicate that tillage influences the composition of invertebrates and has the potential to negatively affect the abundance of beneficial groups.