bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A New Focus for Parent Education: Bridging the Gap Between Diagnosis and Intensive Early Intervention Services
Authors: Vismara Laurie A. , Rogers Sally J. 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
Research has documented positive effects of parent-implemented interventions for children with autism. This article presents a new approach to family training in children with autism designed to precede intensive early intervention services for children 12-36 months. The Early Start Denver Model consists of 12 one hour per week sessions with families and children focusing on bringing the child into coordinated, interactive social relations, increasing the reward of social engagement, and developing play activities into joint activity routines. Results of a small-scale efficacy study indicate that parents acquired ESDM intervention techniques during the intervention and maintained these skills during follow up assessment. Additionally, children showed improvements for a variety of social and communicative behaviors.
Teaching Self-Initiations within the Natural Environment: A Case Study
Authors: Donaldson Amy L. , Olswang Lesley B. 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
This case study investigates the effects of a multi-element treatment approach to teaching the social-communicative skill of self-initiating to a young child with autism. The participant, James, was a 6-year-old boy diagnosed with autism attending a fully integrated kindergarten classroom. He demonstrated age-appropriate language and non-verbal performance skills; however, teachers reported that he demonstrated difficulty socially interacting with peers. The treatment package targeted use of three types of self-initiations (greeting/attention-getting, commenting, and requesting information). The treatment incorporated individual, dyad, and small-group instruction, and use of untrained peers and highly preferred activities. Following treatment, James demonstrated an increase in all types of self-initiations with peers. Results are discussed with regard to clinical application within the natural environment.
Research Consumerism 101: Evaluating External Evidence of Treatment Effectiveness
Authors: Coyle James L. 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
The modern clinician is a research consumer. Rehabilitation of oropharyngeal impairments, and prevention of the adverse outcomes of dysphagia, requires the clinician to select interventions for which evidence of a reasonable likelihood of a successful, important outcome exists. The purpose of this paper is to provide strategies for evaluation of published research regarding treatment of oropharyngeal dysphagia. This article utilizes tutorial and examples to inform and educate practitioners in methods of appraising published research. It provides and encourages the use of methods of efficiently evaluating the validity and clinical importance of published research. Additionally, it discusses the importance of the ethical obligation we, as practitioners, have to use evidence-based treatment selection methods and measurement of patient performance during therapy. The reader is provided with tactics for evaluating treatment studies to establish a study's validity and, thereby, objectively select interventions. The importance of avoiding subjective or unsubstantiated claims and using objective methods of generating empirical clinical evidence is emphasized. The ability to evaluate the quality of research provides clinicians with objective intervention selection as an important, essential component of evidence-based clinical practice.

ASHA Code of Ethics (2003):

Principle I, Rule F:
“Individuals shall fully inform the persons they serve of the nature and possible effects of services rendered and products dispensed…” (p. 2)

Principle I, Rule G:
“Individuals shall evaluate the effectiveness of services rendered and of products dispensed and shall provide services or dispense products only when benefit can reasonably be expected.” (p. 2)

Principle IV, Rule G:
“Individuals shall not provide professional services without exercising independent professional judgment, regardless of referral source or prescription.” (p. 4)
Antibiotic Exposure and Room Contamination Among Patients Colonized With Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci
Authors: Drees Marci , Snydman David R. , Schmid Christopher H. , Barefoot Laurie , Hansjosten Karen , Vue Padade M. , Cronin Michel , Nasraway Stanley A. , Golan Yoav 
Published: July 2008

Objective.To determine whether total and antianaerobic antibiotic exposure increases the risk of room contamination among vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)–colonized patients.Design And Setting.A 14-month study in 2 intensive care units at an academic tertiary care hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.Patients.All patients who acquired VRE or were VRE-colonized on admission and who had environmental cultures performed.Methods.We performed weekly environmental cultures (2 sites per room) and considered a room to be contaminated if there was a VRE-positive environmental culture during the patient's stay. We determined risk factors for room contamination by use of the Cox proportional hazards model.Results.Of 142 VRE-colonized patients, 35 (25%) had an associated VRE-positive environmental culture. Patients who contaminated their rooms were more likely to have diarrhea than those who did not contaminate their rooms (23 [66%] of 35 vs 41 [38%] of 107;P= .005) and more likely to have received antibiotics while VRE colonized (33 [94%] of 35 vs 86 [80%] of 107;P= .02). There was no significant difference in room contamination rates between patients exposed to antianaerobic regimens and patients exposed to nonantianaerobic regimens or between patients with and patients without diarrhea, but patients without any antibiotic exposure were unlikely to contaminate their rooms. Diarrhea and antibiotic use were strongly confounded; although two-thirds of room contamination occurred in rooms of patients with diarrhea, nearly all of these patients received antibiotics. In multivariable analysis, higher mean colonization pressure in the ICU increased the risk of room contamination (adjusted hazard ratio per 10% increase, 1.44 [95% confidence interval, 1.04–2.04]), whereas no antibiotic use during VRE colonization was protective (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.21 [95% confidence interval, 0.05–0.89]).Conclusions.Room contamination with VRE was associated with increased mean colonization pressure in the ICU and diarrhea in the VRE-colonized patient, whereas no use of any antibiotics during VRE colonization was protective.
Controlled Trial Measuring the Effect of a Feedback Intervention on Hand Hygiene Compliance in a Step-Down Unit
Authors: Marra Alexandre R. , D'Arco Cláudia , Bravim Bruno de Arruda , Martino Marinês Dalla Valle , Correa Luci , Silva Cláudia Vallone , Lamblet Luiz Carlos R. , Junior Moacyr Silva , Lima Gisele de , Guastelli Luciana Reis , Barbosa Luciana , Santos Oscar Fernando Pavão dos , Edmond Michael B. 
Published: July 2008

Objective.To evaluate hand hygiene compliance in 2 adult step-down units (SDUs).Design.A 6-month (from March to September 2007), controlled trial comparing 2 SDUs, one with a feedback intervention program (ie, the intervention unit) and one without (ie, the control unit).Setting.Two 20-bed SDUs at a tertiary care private hospital.Methods.Hand hygiene episodes were measured by electronic recording devices and periodic observational surveys. In the intervention unit, feedback was provided by the SDU nurse manager, who explained twice a week to the healthcare workers the goals and targets for the process measures.Results.A total of 117,579 hand hygiene episodes were recorded in the intervention unit, and a total of 110,718 were recorded in the control unit (P= .63). There was no significant difference in the amount of chlorhexidine used in the intervention and control units (34.0 vs 26.7 L per 1,000 patient-days;P= .36) or the amount of alcohol gel used (72.5 vs 70.7 L per 1,000 patient-days;P= .93). However, in both units, healthcare workers used alcohol gel more frequently than chlorhexidine (143.2 vs 60.7 L per 1,000 patient-days;P< .001). Nosocomial infection rates in the intervention and control units, respectively, were as follows: for bloodstream infection, 3.5 and 0.79 infections per 1,000 catheter-days (P= .18); for urinary tract infection, 15.8 and 15.7 infections per 1,000 catheter-days (P= .99); and for tracheostomy-associated pneumonia, 10.7 and 5.1 infections per 1,000 device-days (P= . 13). There were no cases of infection with vancomycin-resistant enterococci and only a single case of infection with methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(in the control unit).Conclusions.The feedback intervention regarding hand hygiene had no significant effect on the rate of compliance. Other measures must be used to increase and sustain the rate of hand hygiene compliance.
Artificial neural network for prediction of antigenic activity for a major conformational epitope in the hepatitis C virus NS3 protein
Authors: Lara James , Wohlhueter Robert M. , Dimitrova Zoya , Khudyakov Yury E. 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
Motivation: Insufficient knowledge of general principles for accurate quantitative inference of biological properties from sequences is a major obstacle in the rationale design of proteins with predetermined activities. Due to this deficiency, protein engineering frequently relies on the use of computational approaches focused on the identification of quantitative structure–activity relationship (SAR) for each specific task. In the current article, a computational model was developed to define SAR for a major conformational antigenic epitope of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) non-structural protein 3 (NS3) in order to facilitate a rationale design of HCV antigens with improved diagnostically relevant properties.
Results: We present an artificial neural network (ANN) model that connects changes in the antigenic properties and structure of HCV NS3 recombinant proteins representing all 6 HCV genotypes. The ANN performed quantitative predictions of the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) Signal/Cutoff (S/Co) profiles from sequence information alone with 89.8% accuracy. Amino acid positions and physicochemical factors strongly associated with the HCV NS3 antigenic properties were identified. The positions most significantly contributing to the model were mapped on the NS3 3D structure. The location of these positions validates the major associations found by the ANN model between antigenicity and structure of the HCV NS3 proteins.
Availability: Matlab code is available at the following URL address: http://bio-ai.myeweb.net/box_widget.html
Contact: jlara@cdc.gov; yek0@cdc.gov
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Auxin RegulatesArabidopsisAnther Dehiscence, Pollen Maturation, and Filament Elongation
Authors: Cecchetti Valentina , Altamura Maria Maddalena , Falasca Giuseppina , Costantino Paolo , Cardarelli Maura 
Published: July 2008

AbstractWe provide evidence on the localization, synthesis, transport, and effects of auxin on the processes occurring late in Arabidopsis thaliana stamen development: anther dehiscence, pollen maturation, and preanthesis filament elongation. Expression of auxin-sensitive reporter constructs suggests that auxin effects begin in anthers between the end of meiosis and the bilocular stage in the somatic tissues involved in the first step of dehiscence as well as in the microspores and in the junction region between anther and filament. In situ hybridizations of the auxin biosynthetic genes YUC2 and YUC6 suggest that auxin is synthesized in anthers. In agreement with the timing of auxin effects, the TIR1, AFB1, AFB2, and AFB3 auxin receptor-encoding genes are transcribed in anthers only during late stages of development starting at the end of meiosis. We found that in tir1 afb triple and quadruple mutants, anther dehiscence and pollen maturation occur earlier than in the wild type, causing the release of mature pollen grains before the completion of filament elongation. We also assessed the contribution of auxin transport to late stamen developmental processes. Our results suggest that auxin synthesized in anthers plays a major role in coordinating anther dehiscence and pollen maturation, while auxin transport contributes to the independent regulation of preanthesis filament elongation.
Arabidopsis 10-Formyl Tetrahydrofolate Deformylases Are Essential for Photorespiration
Authors: Collakova Eva , Goyer Aymeric , Naponelli Valeria , Krassovskaya Inga , Gregory Jesse F. , Hanson Andrew D. , Shachar-Hill Yair 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
In prokaryotes, PurU (10-formyl tetrahydrofolate [THF] deformylase) metabolizes 10-formyl THF to formate and THF for purine and Gly biosyntheses. The Arabidopsis thaliana genome contains two putative purU genes, At4g17360 and At5g47435. Knocking out these genes simultaneously results in plants that are smaller and paler than the wild type. These double knockout (dKO) mutant plants show a 70-fold increase in Gly levels and accumulate elevated levels of 5- and 10-formyl THF. Embryo development in dKO mutants arrests between heart and early bent cotyledon stages. Mature seeds are shriveled, accumulate low amounts of lipids, and fail to germinate. However, the dKO mutant is only conditionally lethal and is rescued by growth under nonphotorespiratory conditions. In addition, culturing dKO siliques in the presence of sucrose restores normal embryo development and seed viability, suggesting that the seed and embryo development phenotypes are a result of a maternal effect. Our findings are consistent with the involvement of At4g17360 and At5g47435 proteins in photorespiration, which is to prevent excessive accumulation of 5-formyl THF, a potent inhibitor of the Gly decarboxylase/Ser hydroxymethyltransferase complex. Supporting this role, deletion of the At2g38660 gene that encodes the bifunctional 5,10-methylene THF dehydrogenase/5,10-methenyl THF cyclohydrolase that acts upstream of 5-formyl THF formation restored the wild-type phenotype in dKO plants.
Toward the semisynthesis of multidomain transmembrane receptors: Modification of Eph tyrosine kinases
Authors: Singla Nikhil , Himanen Juha Pekka , Muir Tom W. , Nikolov Dimitar B. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractExpressed protein ligation (EPL) is a protein engineering approach that allows the modification or assembly of a target protein from multiple recombinant and synthetic polypeptides. EPL has been previously used to modify intracellular proteins and small integral membrane proteins for structural and functional studies. Here we describe the semisynthetic site‐specific modification of the complete, multidomain extracellular regions of both A and B classes of Eph receptor tyrosine kinases. We show that the ectodomains of these receptors can be ligated to different peptides under carefully established experimental conditions, while their biological activity is retained. This work extends the boundaries of the EPL technique for semisynthesis of multidomain, extracellular, disulfide‐bonded, and glycosylated proteins and highlights its potential application for reconstituting entire single‐pass transmembrane proteins.
Recombination of protein fragments: A promising approach toward engineering proteins with novel nanomechanical properties
Authors: Balamurali M.M. , Sharma Deepak , Chang Anderson , Khor Dingyue , Chu Ricky , Li Hongbin 
Published: July 2008

AbstractCombining single molecule atomic force microscopy (AFM) and protein engineering techniques, here we demonstrate that we can use recombination‐based techniques to engineer novel elastomeric proteins by recombining protein fragments from structurally homologous parent proteins. Using I27 and I32 domains from the muscle protein titin as parent template proteins, we systematically shuffled the secondary structural elements of the two parent proteins and engineered 13 hybrid daughter proteins. Although I27 and I32 are highly homologous, and homology modeling predicted that the hybrid daughter proteins fold into structures that are similar to that of parent protein, we found that only eight of the 13 daughter proteins showed β‐sheet dominated structures that are similar to parent proteins, and the other five recombined proteins showed signatures of the formation of significant α‐helical or random coil‐like structure. Single molecule AFM revealed that six recombined daughter proteins are mechanically stable and exhibit mechanical properties that are different from the parent proteins. In contrast, another four of the hybrid proteins were found to be mechanically labile and unfold at forces that are lower than the ∼20 pN, as we could not detect any unfolding force peaks. The last three hybrid proteins showed interesting duality in their mechanical unfolding behaviors. These results demonstrate the great potential of using recombination‐based approaches to engineer novel elastomeric protein domains of diverse mechanical properties. Moreover, our results also revealed the challenges and complexity of developing a recombination‐based approach into a laboratory‐based directed evolution approach to engineer novel elastomeric proteins.
Helix XI contributes to the entrance of the serotonin transporter permeation pathway
Authors: Torres‐Altoro Melissa I. , White Kellie J. , Rodríguez Gustavo J. , Nichols David E. , Barker Eric L. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractThe sodium‐dependent transporters for dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin that regulate neurotransmission, also translocate the neurotoxin 1‐methyl‐4‐phenylpyridinium (MPP+). Previous studies implicated residues in transmembrane helix (TMH) XI of DAT as important sites for MPP+transport. We examined the importance of TMH XI residues F551 and F556 for MPP+translocation by human SERT. Mutations at hSERT F556, but not F551, reduced both 5‐HT and MPP+transport compared to wild type. However, F556S/hSERT showed a reduction in surface expression explaining the decrease of transport activity for 5‐HT, but did not account for the decrease in MPP+transport observed. Cysteine mutants at those positions confirmed the accessibility of hSERT/F556 to different methanethiosulfonate (MTS) reagents, suggesting its presence in a hydrophilic environment of the protein. In the presence of MTSET, current induced by 5‐HT and MPP+was inhibited at the F556C mutant. In agreement with our homology model of SERT, based on the leucine transporter (LeuTAa) fromAquifex aeolicusstructure, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that a portion of TMH XI lines the entrance into the substrate permeation pathway.
A randomized clinical trial of methadone maintenance for prisoners: findings at 6 months post‐release
Authors: Gordon Michael S. , Kinlock Timothy W. , Schwartz Robert P. , O’Grady Kevin E. 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTAims This study examined the effectiveness of methadone maintenance initiated prior to or just after release from prison at 6 months post‐release.Design A three‐group randomized controlled trial was conducted between September 2003 and June 2005.Setting A Baltimore pre‐release prison.Participants Two hundred and eleven adult pre‐release inmates who were heroin‐dependent during the year prior to incarceration.Intervention Participants were assigned randomly to the following: counseling only: counseling in prison, with passive referral to treatment upon release (n = 70); counseling + transfer: counseling in prison with transfer to methadone maintenance treatment upon release (n = 70); and counseling + methadone: methadone maintenance and counseling in prison, continued in a community‐based methadone maintenance program upon release (n = 71).Measurements Addiction Severity Index at study entry and follow‐up. Additional assessments at 6 months post‐release were treatment record review; urine drug testing for opioids, cocaine and other illicit drugs.Findings Counseling + methadone participants were significantly more likely than both counseling only and counseling + transfer participants to be retained in drug abuse treatment (P = 0.0001) and significantly less likely to have an opioid‐positive urine specimen compared to counseling only (P = 0.002). Furthermore, counseling + methadone participants reported significantly fewer days of involvement in self‐reported heroin use and criminal activity than counseling only participants.Conclusions Methadone maintenance, initiated prior to or immediately after release from prison, increases treatment entry and reduces heroin use at 6 months post‐release compared to counseling only. This intervention may be able to fill an urgent treatment need for prisoners with heroin addiction histories.
Adolescent cannabis users at 24 years: trajectories to regular weekly use and dependence in young adulthood
Authors: Swift Wendy , Coffey Carolyn , Carlin John B. , Degenhardt Louisa , Patton George C. 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTAims  To examine the association between cannabis use by 18 years and problematic cannabis use at 24 years, considering possible mediating and confounding factors.Design  Ten‐year representative prospective study with data from six time‐points in adolescence (mean age 14.9–17.4 years) and two in young adulthood (mean age 20.7 and 24.1 years)Setting  Victoria, Australia.Participants  Inception cohort of 1943 secondary school students (95.6% response rate), with 1520 (78% of adolescent participants) interviewed in the final wave.Measurements  Participants reported frequency of cannabis use for the past 6 months at each time‐point in adolescence (age 14–17 years). Cannabis exposure was defined as: maximum frequency of use (occasional, weekly, daily), number of waves of use (1 or 2; 3–6) and first wave of use (early use: first waves 1–3). Young adult (24 years) outcomes were: weekly+ cannabis use and DSM‐IV cannabis dependence, referred to collectively as problematic use.Findings  Of those interviewed at age 24 (wave 8), 34% had reported cannabis use in adolescence (waves 1–6), 12% at a level of weekly or more frequent use; 37% of these adolescent cannabis users were using at least weekly at wave 8, with 20% exhibiting dependence. Persistent adolescent cannabis and tobacco use as well as persistent mental health problems were associated strongly with problematic cannabis use at 24 years, after adjustment for potential confounding factors.Conclusions  Heavy, persistent and early‐onset cannabis use were all strongly predictive of later cannabis problems. Even so, occasional use was not free of later problems. Where there was co‐occurring tobacco use or persistent mental health problems, risks for later problem cannabis use was higher.