bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between medical home enrollment and health care utilization and costs among breast cancer patients in a state Medicaid program
Authors: Kohler Racquel E. , Goyal Ravi K. , Lich Kristen Hassmiller , Domino Marisa Elena , Wheeler Stephanie B.
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND

The patient‐centered medical home (PCMH) is increasingly being implemented in an effort to improve and coordinate primary care, but its effect on health care utilization among breast cancer patients remains unclear. The objective of this study was to examine health care utilization and expenditures as a function of PCMH enrollment among breast cancer patients in North Carolina's Medicaid program.

METHODS

North Carolina Medicaid claims linked to North Carolina Central Cancer Registry records (2003‐2007) were used to examine monthly patterns of health care use and expenditures. Controlling for a selection bias for time‐invariant characteristics, fixed effects regression models analyzed associations between PCMH enrollment and utilization of outpatient, inpatient, and emergency department (ED) services and Medicaid expenditures during the 15 months after the diagnosis of breast cancer.

RESULTS

Among 758 breast cancer patients, 381 (50%) were enrolled in a PCMH at some time in the 15 months after diagnosis. After controlling for individual fixed effects, PCMH enrollment was significantly associated with greater outpatient service use, but there was no difference in the probability of inpatient hospitalizations or ED visits. Enrollment in a PCMH was associated with increased average expenditures of $429 per month during the first 15 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater outpatient care utilization and increased average expenditures among breast cancer patients enrolled in a PCMH may suggest that these women have improved access to primary and specialty care. Expanding PCMHs may change patterns of service utilization for Medicaid breast cancer patients but may not be associated with lower costs. Cancer 2015;121:3975–3981. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
A high frequency of BRCA mutations in young black women with breast cancer residing in Florida
Authors: Pal Tuya , Bonner Devon , Cragun Deborah , Monteiro Alvaro N.A. , Phelan Catherine , Servais Lily , Kim Jongphil , Narod Steven A. , Akbari Mohammad R. , Vadaparampil Susan T.
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND

Black women are disproportionately affected with triple‐negative breast cancer and have relatively poor survival. To the authors' knowledge, it is not known to what extent differences in the clinical presentation of breast cancer between non‐Hispanic white women and black women can be accounted for by the presence of mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The authors sought to evaluate the frequency of BRCA pathogenic variants in a population‐based sample of young black women with breast cancer.

METHODS

Black women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer at age ≤50 years from 2009 to 2012 were recruited to the study through the Florida Cancer Registry. Participants underwent genetic counseling, completed a study questionnaire, and consented to release of their medical records. Saliva specimens were collected for BRCA sequencing and large rearrangement testing through multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification.

RESULTS

A DNA sample was evaluated for 396 women, 49 of whom (12.4%) had a mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2. Eight recurrent mutations accounted for 49% of all pathogenic variants.

CONCLUSIONS

To the authors' knowledge, the prevalence of BRCA mutations among the Florida‐based sample of young black women with breast cancer in the current study exceeds that previously reported for non‐Hispanic white women. It is appropriate to recommend BRCA testing in all young black women with invasive breast cancer. Cancer 2015;121:4173–4180. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Resilience, health, and quality of life among long‐term survivors of hematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Rosenberg Abby R. , Syrjala Karen L. , Martin Paul J. , Flowers Mary E. , Carpenter Paul A. , Salit Rachel B. , Baker K. Scott , Lee Stephanie J.
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND

Low patient‐reported resilience is associated with an ongoing risk of poor health and psychosocial outcomes. Using a large cross‐sectional sample of survivors of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), this study explored associations between patient‐reported resilience, psychological distress, posttraumatic growth, and health‐related quality of life.

METHODS

Between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014, the annual Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) posttransplant survivorship survey queried patient‐reported health and functional status and included instruments assessing psychosocial outcomes: the 10‐item Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, the Cancer and Treatment Distress measure, and the 12‐item Medical Outcomes Study Short Form quality‐of‐life scale. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models included demographic and health covariates extracted from the FHCRC research database.

RESULTS

Among 4643 adult survivors of HCT, 1823 (39%) responded after a single mailing and subsequent reminder letter. The participants' median age was 59 years (interquartile range [IQR], 50‐66 years); 52.5% were male, and most were non‐Hispanic white. The median time since HCT was 9 years (IQR, 3‐18 years). Lower patient‐reported resilience was associated with chronic graft‐versus‐host disease of higher severity, lower performance scores, missing work because of health, and permanent disability (all P < .0001). After adjustments for demographic and health characteristics, patients reporting low resilience scores had higher odds of having psychological distress (odds ratio [OR], 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1‐4.3) and being in the lowest quartile for mental health–related quality of life (OR, 5.9; 95% CI, 4.4‐8.0).

CONCLUSIONS

Patient‐reported resilience is independently associated with health and psychosocial outcomes. Future studies must determine whether interventions can bolster resilience and improve survivorship outcomes. Cancer 2015;121:4250–4257. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Pax3 and Pax7 interact reciprocally and regulate the expression of cadherin‐7 through inducing neuron differentiation in the developing chicken spinal cord
Authors: Lin Juntang , Wang Congrui , Yang Ciqing , Fu Sulei , Redies Christoph
Published: August 2015

Pax3 and Pax7 are closely related transcription factors that are widely expressed in the developing nervous system and somites. In the CNS, both genes are expressed in the dorsal part of the neural tube during development. Pax3 and Pax7 are involved in the sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway and are inhibited by Shh overexpression. The present study confirms in vivo that Pax3 overexpression represses the expression of Pax7, whereas Pax7 overexpression endogenously enhances and ectopically induces the expression of Pax3 in the developing chicken spinal cord. Overexpression of Pax3 and Pax7 represses the endogenous expression of cadherin‐7, a member of the cadherin family of morphogenetic genes, and induces its ectopic expression. The present study also shows that overexpression of Pax3 and Pax7 changes the fate and morphology of cells in the neuroepithelial layer and induces the expression of postmitotic neuronal markers. We show that both Pax3 and Pax7 promote the differentiation of neural progenitor cells into neurons. Furthermore, the downregulation of Pax3 and Pax7 with specific shRNAs results in apoptosis in the developing spinal cord. Collectively, these results suggest that the transcription factors Pax3 and Pax7 play important roles in regulating morphogenesis and cell differentiation in the developing spinal cord. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:940–962, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Porous Graphene‐Like Materials Prepared from Hollow Carbonaceous Microspheres for Supercapacitors
Authors: Lv Binbin , Zheng Chao , Xu Li , Zhou Xufeng , Cao Hailiang , Liu Zhaoping
Published: August 2015

Catalytic activation of carbonaceous materials has recently been employed as an effective way to prepare porous graphene‐like (PG) materials with large specific surface area and excellent electrical conductivity for supercapacitor applications. In this work, the influence of the morphologies and structures of the carbonaceous precursors on the structure and electrochemical properties of PG products has been investigated. By using hollow carbonaceous microspheres with thin walls as the precursors, PG with large specific surface area, abundant porous structure, and high graphitization degree is obtained, which exhibits high specific capacitance and excellent cycling stability. In contrast, if solid carbonaceous microspheres are applied as the precursors, the resultant PG possesses relatively lower specific surface area and lower graphitization degree, giving rise to worse electrochemical performance than the former one. The more homogeneous dispersion of iron catalyst in the nano‐sized walls of hollow spheres than that in solid spheres is considered to be the main reason that induces larger specific surface area and higher electrical conductivity, and thus better supercapacitive performance of the PG product.
Security analysis of a privacy‐preserving decentralized ciphertext‐policy attribute‐based encryption scheme
Authors: Wang Minqian , Zhang Zhenfeng , Chen Cheng
Published: August 2015

As it does not require a central authority or the cooperation among multiple authorities, decentralized attribute‐based encryption is an efficient and flexible multi‐authority attribute‐based encryption system. In most existing multi‐authority attribute‐based encryption schemes, a global identifier (GID) is introduced to act as the linchpin to resist collusion attacks. Because GID as well as some sensitive attributes used to apply for secret keys will lead to the compromise of user's privacy, some schemes towards solving these privacy issues have been proposed. Nevertheless, only the privacy of GID was considered in prior works. Recently in ESORICS 2014, Han et al. put forward a privacy‐preserving decentralized ciphertext‐policy attribute‐based encryption scheme in the standard model to address the additive privacy of attributes. In their work, a privacy‐preserving key extract protocol is presented to protect both user's identifier and attributes. In this paper, we point out the security weakness of the scheme of Han et al. We present a collusion attack on their basic decentralized ciphertext‐policy attribute‐based encryption scheme and additionally show that the privacy protection of attributes in their privacy‐preserving key extract protocol cannot be provided. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correlating the Morphological Properties and Structural Organization of Monodisperse Spherical Silica Nanoparticles Grown on a Commercial Silica Surface
Authors: Moreno Yolice P. , Cardoso Mateus B. , Moncada Edwin A. , dos Santos João H. Z.
Published: August 2015

A variety of nanosilicas have been widely used to fabricate rough surfaces with superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic properties. In this context, we prepared mixed silica and mixed nanosilica that were generated by the growth and self‐assembly of synthesized monodisperse silica nanospheres (11–30 nm, 363 m2 g−1) on the surface of Sylopol‐948 and Dispercoll S3030 by using a base‐catalyzed sol–gel route. Using this process, the interactions and hierarchical structure between the nano‐ and microsized synthesized silica particles were studied by changing the amount of tetraethoxysilane. The resulting materials were characterized by BET analysis, small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic light scattering, FTIR spectroscopy, and SEM. The mixed silica presented a higher specific surface area (326 m2 g−1), a six‐fold higher percentage of (SiO)6 (44–68 %), and a higher amount of silanol groups (14.0–30.7 %) than Sylopol‐948 (271 m2 g−1, 42.6 %, and 12.5 %, respectively). The morphological and hierarchical structural differences in the silica nanoparticles synthesized on the surface of commercial silica (micrometric or nanometric) were identified by SAXS. Mixed micrometric silica exhibited a higher degree of structural organization between particles than mixed nanosilica.
MicroRNAs and Noncoding RNAs in Hepatic Lipid and Lipoprotein Metabolism: Potential Therapeutic Targets of Metabolic Disorders
Authors: Sud Neetu , Taher Jennifer , Su Qiaozhu
Published: August 2015

Preclinical Research

Noncoding RNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs) represent an important class of regulatory molecules that modulate gene expression. The role of miRNAs in diverse cellular processes such as cancer, apoptosis, cell differentiation, cardiac remodeling, and inflammation has been intensively explored. Recent studies further demonstrated the important roles of miRNAs and noncoding RNAs in modulating a broad spectrum of genes involved in lipid synthesis and metabolic pathways. This overview focuses on the role of miRNAs in hepatic lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and their potential as therapeutic targets for metabolic syndrome. This includes recent advances made in the understanding of their target pathways and the clinical development of miRNAs in lipid metabolic disorders. Drug Dev Res 76 : 318–327, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Factors affecting retention of nutrients and organic matter in stormwater ponds
Authors: Sønderup Melanie J. , Egemose Sara , Hansen Anders S. , Grudinina Anna , Madsen Martin H. , Flindt Mogens R.
Published: August 2015

Stormwater ponds are a common way to handle urban runoff. Different pond designs have been tested for decades to retain as much water as possible. Lately also, retention of nutrients and organic matter has become increasingly important, to reduce the eutrophication of downstream aquatic systems and thereby, e.g. fulfil the European Water Framework Directive. We have examined the load of particulate and dissolved fractions of organic matter, phosphorus, nitrogen and iron in 66 Danish ponds to determine the importance of catchment type (66 ponds) and the retention efficiency of the ponds (39 ponds) dependent on their type, age, size and design. The results showed that discharge from nutrient enriched and industrial areas is the most polluted while urban and developing areas are the least polluted. Wet ponds combined with vegetated sand filters have higher retentions of the particulate fractions (40–80%) compared with traditional wet ponds (10–20%). Generally, optimized retention requires a ratio between pond volume and impermeable catchment area of >250 m3 red.ha (reduced or impermeable hectare). Young ponds have higher retention than older ones, especially regarding the particulate fractions of organic matter, phosphorus and nitrogen. Here, 40–50% is retained in ponds <5 years, 0–30% in 5–10‐year‐old ponds and almost nothing in ponds >10 years. For the dissolved fractions, the trend is the same, but with lower retentions. Therefore, management and maintenance should be considered for all ponds, to avoid problems of internal loading, filling and resuspension. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Woodland expansion in central Oklahoma will significantly reduce streamflows – a modelling analysis
Authors: Zou Chris B. , Qiao Lei , Wilcox Bradford P.
Published: August 2015

Rangelands in the Southern Great Plains of the United States have been undergoing a rapid transition from herbaceous to woody dominance, primarily owing to encroachment by eastern redcedar, an evergreen juniper species (Juniperus virginiana). Experimental observations at the watershed scale have indicated that conversion of rangelands to eastern redcedar woodlands significantly reduces streamflows. However, whether there are similar effects at larger scales is not known. To address this question, we used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool to simulate changes to the water budget resulting from woody plant encroachment for the lower Cimarron River basin in central Oklahoma. This simulation was based on a hypothetic scenario whereby rangelands in the river basin (51% of the area) were completely replaced by eastern redcedar woodland while other land‐use types remained unchanged. The model performed better in simulating the daily streamflow dynamics of the Cimarron River when calibrated with data from the watershed‐scale experiments than when calibrated with basin streamflow data. Our results indicate that eastern redcedar encroachment would lead to reduced streamflow throughout the year, with the largest reduction in April and May, due mainly to much smaller surface run‐off. The magnitude of streamflow reduction varies along the precipitation gradient. We estimate that under the climate conditions of the period 1988–2009, complete conversion of the rangelands to eastern redcedar woodlands would result in reductions of up to 40% in annual streamflow for the drier, upper portion of the basin, and approximately 20% for the entire basin. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Colorimetric Detection of Spermine by the CuII Complex of Imine‐Based Organic Nanoaggregates in Aqueous Medium
Authors: Chopra Shweta , Singh Jasminder , Kaur Harpreet , Singh Ajnesh , Singh Narinder , Kaur Navneet
Published: August 2015

A Schiff‐base receptor bearing different functionalities was synthesized from dipicolinic acid hydrazide and characterized with several spectroscopic techniques. To explore its practical application as a sensor, the receptor was processed into organic nanoaggregates (O1) in aqueous medium by the reprecipitation method. The O1 nanoaggregates were characterized by techniques such as dynamic light scattering and TEM, and their recognition properties for metal ions were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. The nanoaggregates showed selectivity for Cu2+ over other metal ions. The structure of the complex O1·Cu2+ thus formed was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. Complex O1·Cu2+ was further employed as a sensor for detection of biogenic amines in aqueous medium, and showed selective sensing of spermine with a detection limit of 7.62 nM. The color change on addition of spermine to the complex can be seen with the naked eye. Moreover, stability in the physiological pH range and negligible effect of ionic environment provided the opportunity for real‐time application of the sensor in aqueous medium.
A performance‐emission tradeoff study of a CI engine fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG)/diesel–ethanol‐PPME blend combination
Authors: Paul Abhishek , Panua Rajsekhar , Debroy Durbadal , Kumar Bose Probir
Published: August 2015

In the present study, a blend of 45% diesel, 15% ethanol and 40% Pongamia pinata methyl ester (PPME) has been used as pilot fuel for CNG dual fuel operation in a single cylinder CI engine along with CNG as the primary fuel. The intake manifold of an existing engine is slightly modified for indirect injection of CNG into the engine cylinder. The results are compared with the pilot diesel operation with same CNG injection strategies. It is found that the pilot operation of the blend is instrumental in increasing the brake thermal efficiency of the engine at all the tested load conditions with higher pilot fuel consumption. Pilot operation of the blend also simultaneously reduced NOx, hydrocarbon and CO emissions as compared with pilot diesel operation. Hence, it is found that the pilot blend with 15% ethanol and 40% PPME is useful in improving the performance of the engine with significant reduction in emission with respect to CNG‐diesel duel fuel operation. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 35: 517–530, 2016
CLustre: semi‐automated lineament clustering for palaeo‐glacial reconstruction
Authors: Smith Mike J. , Anders Niels S. , Keesstra Saskia D.
Published: August 2015

Datasets containing large numbers (>10 000) of glacial lineaments are increasingly being mapped from remotely sensed data in order to develop a palaeo‐glacial reconstruction or ‘inversion’. The palimpsest landscape presents a complex record of past ice flow and deconstructing this information into a logical history is an involved task. One stage in this process requires the identification of sets of genetically linked lineaments that can form the basis of a reconstruction.

This paper presents a semi‐automated algorithm, CLustre, for lineament clustering that uses a locally adaptive, region growing, methodology. After outlining the algorithm, it is tested on synthetic datasets that simulate parallel and orthogonal cross‐cutting lineaments, encompassing 1500 separate classifications. Results show robust classification in most scenarios, although parallel overlap of lineaments can cause false positive classification unless there are differences in lineament length. Case studies for Dubawnt Lake and Victoria Island, Canada, are presented and compared with existing datasets. For Dubawnt Lake 9 out of 14 classifications directly match incorporating 89% of lineaments. For Victoria Island 57 out of 58 classifications directly match incorporating 95% of lineaments. Differences are related to small numbers of unclassified lineaments and parallel cross‐cutting lineaments that are of a similar length.

CLustre enables the automated, repeatable, assignment of lineaments to flow sets using defined user criteria. This is important as qualitative visual interpretation may introduce bias, potentially weakening the testability of palaeo‐glacial reconstructions. In addition, once classified, summary statistics of lineament clusters can be calculated and subsequently used during the reconstruction process. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Variable and conflicting shear stress estimates inside a boundary layer with sediment transport
Authors: Lee Zoë S. , Baas Andreas C. W.
Published: August 2015

This paper presents a comparison between two methods for estimating shear stress in an atmospheric internal boundary layer over a beach surface under optimum conditions, using wind velocities measured synchronously at 13 heights over a 1.7 m vertical array using ultrasonic anemometry. The Reynolds decomposition technique determines at‐a‐point shear stresses at each measurement height, while the Law‐of‐the‐Wall yields a single boundary layer estimate based on fitting a logarithmic velocity profile through the array data.

Analysis reveals significant inconsistencies between estimates derived from the two methods, on both a whole‐event basis and as time‐series. Despite a near‐perfect fit of the Law‐of‐the‐Wall, the point estimates of Reynolds shear stress vary greatly between heights, calling into question the assumed presence of a constant stress layer. A comparison with simultaneously measured sediment transport finds no relationship between transport activity and the discrepancies in shear stress estimates. Results do show, however, that Reynolds shear stress measured nearer the bed exhibits slightly better correlation with sand transport rate.

The findings serve as a major cautionary message to the interpretation and application of single‐height measurements of Reynolds shear stress and their equivalence to Law‐of‐the‐Wall derived estimates, and these concerns apply widely to boundary layer flows in general. © 2015 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Tools for gauging the capacity of salmon spawning substrates
Authors: Overstreet Brandon T. , Riebe Clifford S. , Wooster John K. , Sklar Leonard S. , Bellugi Dino
Published: August 2015

We present a set of river management tools based on a recently developed method for estimating the amount of salmon spawning habitat in coarse‐bedded rivers. The method, which was developed from a mechanistic model of redd building by female salmon, combines empirical relationships between fish length, redd area, and the sizes of particles moved by fish during spawning. Model inputs are the grain‐size indices D50 and D84 and an estimate of female fish length, which is used to predict the size of the redd that they will build and the size of the largest particle that they can move on the bed. Outputs include predictions of the fraction of the bed that the fish can use for redd building and the number of redds that they can build within the useable area. We cast the model into easy‐to‐use look‐up tables, charts, an Excel worksheet, a JavaScript web applet, and a MATLAB user interface. We explain how these tools can be used in a new, mechanistic approach to assessing spawning substrates and optimizing gravel augmentation projects in coarse‐bedded rivers. © 2016 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Mercury and selenium accumulation in the Colorado River food web, Grand Canyon, USA
Authors: Walters David M. , Rosi-Marshall Emma , Kennedy Theodore A. , Cross Wyatt F. , Baxter Colden V.
Published: August 2015

Mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) biomagnify in aquatic food webs and are toxic to fish and wildlife. The authors measured Hg and Se in organic matter, invertebrates, and fishes in the Colorado River food web at sites spanning 387 river km downstream of Glen Canyon Dam (AZ, USA). Concentrations were relatively high among sites compared with other large rivers (mean wet wt for 6 fishes was 0.17–1.59 μg g–1 Hg and 1.35–2.65 μg g–1 Se), but consistent longitudinal patterns in Hg or Se concentrations relative to the dam were lacking. Mercury increased (slope = 0.147) with δ15N, a metric of trophic position, indicating biomagnification similar to that observed in other freshwater systems. Organisms regularly exceeded exposure risk thresholds for wildlife and humans (6–100% and 56–100% of samples for Hg and Se, respectfully, among risk thresholds). In the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Hg and Se concentrations pose exposure risks for fish, wildlife, and humans, and the findings of the present study add to a growing body of evidence showing that remote ecosystems are vulnerable to long-range transport and subsequent bioaccumulation of contaminants. Management of exposure risks in Grand Canyon will remain a challenge, as sources and transport mechanisms of Hg and Se extend far beyond park boundaries. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:2385–2394. © 2015 SETAC
Regional specificity of aberrant thalamocortical connectivity in autism
Authors: Nair Aarti , Carper Ruth A. , Abbott Angela E. , Chen Colleen P. , Solders Seraphina , Nakutin Sarah , Datko Michael C. , Fishman Inna , Müller Ralph‐Axel
Published: August 2015

Preliminary evidence suggests aberrant (mostly reduced) thalamocortical (TC) connectivity in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but despite the crucial role of thalamus in sensorimotor functions and its extensive connectivity with cerebral cortex, relevant evidence remains limited. We performed a comprehensive investigation of region‐specific TC connectivity in ASD. Resting‐state functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were acquired for 60 children and adolescents with ASD (ages 7–17 years) and 45 age, sex, and IQ‐matched typically developing (TD) participants. We examined intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) and anatomical connectivity (probabilistic tractography) with thalamus, using 68 unilateral cerebral cortical regions of interest (ROIs). For frontal and parietal lobes, iFC was atypically reduced in the ASD group for supramodal association cortices, but was increased for cingulate gyri and motor cortex. Temporal iFC was characterized by overconnectivity for auditory cortices, but underconnectivity for amygdalae. Occipital iFC was broadly reduced in the ASD group. DTI indices (such as increased radial diffusion) for regions with group differences in iFC further indicated compromised anatomical connectivity, especially for frontal ROIs, in the ASD group. Our findings highlight the regional specificity of aberrant TC connectivity in ASD. Their overall pattern can be largely accounted for by functional overconnectivity with limbic and sensorimotor regions, but underconnectivity with supramodal association cortices. This could be related to comparatively early maturation of limbic and sensorimotor regions in the context of early overgrowth in ASD, at the expense of TC connectivity with later maturing cortical regions. Hum Brain Mapp 36:4497–4511, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Thalamocortical interactions underlying visual fear conditioning in humans
Authors: Lithari Chrysa , Moratti Stephan , Weisz Nathan
Published: August 2015

Despite a strong focus on the role of the amygdala in fear conditioning, recent works point to a more distributed network supporting fear conditioning. We aimed to elucidate interactions between subcortical and cortical regions in fear conditioning in humans. To do this, we used two fearful faces as conditioned stimuli (CS) and an electrical stimulation at the left hand, paired with one of the CS, as unconditioned stimulus (US). The luminance of the CS was rhythmically modulated leading to “entrainment” of brain oscillations at a predefined modulation frequency. Steady‐state responses (SSR) were recorded by MEG. In addition to occipital regions, spectral analysis of SSR revealed increased power during fear conditioning particularly for thalamus and cerebellum contralateral to the upcoming US. Using thalamus and amygdala as seed‐regions, directed functional connectivity was calculated to capture the modulation of interactions that underlie fear conditioning. Importantly, this analysis showed that the thalamus drives the fusiform area during fear conditioning, while amygdala captures the more general effect of fearful faces perception. This study confirms ideas from the animal literature, and demonstrates for the first time the central role of the thalamus in fear conditioning in humans. Hum Brain Mapp 36:4592–4603, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bayesian Fuzzy Regression Discontinuity Analysis and Returns to Compulsory Schooling
Authors: Chib Siddhartha , Jacobi Liana
Published: August 2015

This paper is concerned with the use of a Bayesian approach to fuzzy regression discontinuity (RD) designs for understanding the returns to education. The discussion is motivated by the change in government policy in the UK in April of 1947, when the minimum school leaving age was raised from 14 to 15—a change that had a discontinuous impact on the probability of leaving school at age 14 for cohorts who turned 14 around the time of the policy change. We develop a Bayesian fuzzy RD framework that allows us to take advantage of this discontinuity to calculate the effect of an additional year of education on subsequent log earnings for the (latent) class of subjects that complied with the policy change. We illustrate this approach with a new dataset composed from the UK General Household Surveys. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Outlier‐Robust Bayesian Multinomial Choice Modeling
Authors: Benoit Dries F. , Van Aelst Stefan , Van den Poel Dirk
Published: August 2015

A Bayesian method for outlier‐robust estimation of multinomial choice models is presented. The method can be used for both correlated as well as uncorrelated choice alternatives and guarantees robustness towards outliers in the dependent and independent variables. To account for outliers in the response direction, the fat‐tailed multivariate Laplace distribution is used. Leverage points are handled via a shrinkage procedure. A simulation study shows that estimation of the model parameters is less influenced by outliers compared to non‐robust alternatives. An analysis of margarine scanner data shows how our method can be used for better pricing decisions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Xeno-Klotho Inhibits Parathyroid Hormone Signaling
Authors: Takenaka Tsuneo , Inoue Tsutomu , Miyazaki Takashi , Hayashi Matsuhiko , Suzuki Hiromichi
Published: August 2015

Although fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23 was recently identified as a phosphatonin that influences vitamin D metabolism, the underlying signaling mechanisms remain unclear. FGF23 elevates the renal levels of membrane-associated klotho as well as soluble klotho. Klotho is expressed on distal tubules. Upon enzymatic cleavage, soluble klotho is released into the renal interstitial space and then into the systemic circulation. The expression of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 1α-hydroxylase (1-OH) on proximal tubular cells is controlled by parathyroid hormone (PTH). Klotho binds to various membrane proteins to alter their function. Here, the interaction between the PTH receptor and klotho was studied using various approaches, including immunoprecipitation, in vitro cell culture, and in vivo animal experiments. Immunoprecipitation studies demonstrate, for the first time, that recombinant human klotho protein interacts with human PTH receptors to inhibit the binding of human PTH. Furthermore, when applied to human proximal tubular cells, recombinant human klotho suppresses PTH-stimulated generation of inositol trisphosphate in vitro. Moreover, PTH-induced increase of cyclic AMP secretion and 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25VD) was attenuated by recombinant human klotho in vivo. In addition, recombinant human klotho inhibits the expression of 1-OH by PTH both in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that free klotho mediates the FGF23-induced inhibition of 1,25VD synthesis. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Dietary Magnesium Is Positively Associated With Skeletal Muscle Power and Indices of Muscle Mass and May Attenuate the Association Between Circulating C-Reactive Protein and Muscle Mass in Women
Authors: Welch Ailsa A , Kelaiditi Eirini , Jennings Amy , Steves Claire J , Spector Tim D , MacGregor Alexander
Published: August 2015

Age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength are risk factors for sarcopenia, osteoporosis, falls, fractures, frailty, and mortality. Dietary magnesium (Mg) could play a role in prevention of age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass, power, and strength directly through physiological mechanisms or indirectly through an impact on chronic low-grade inflammation, itself a risk factor for loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. In a cross-sectional study of 2570 women aged 18 to 79 years, we examined associations between intakes of Mg, estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived measures of muscle mass (fat-free mass as a percentage of body weight [FFM%], fat-free mass index [FFMI, kg/m2]), leg explosive power (LEP), and grip strength (n = 949 only). We also examined associations between circulating hs-CRP (C-reactive protein) and muscle mass and LEP, and explored the potential attenuation of these relationships by Mg. We compared our findings with those of age and protein intake. Endpoints were calculated by quintile of Mg and adjusted for relevant confounders. Significant positive associations were found between a higher Mg and indices of skeletal muscle mass and LEP, and also with hs-CRP, after adjustment for covariates. Contrasting extreme quintiles of Mg intake showed differences of 2.6% for FFM% (p trend < 0.001), 0.4 kg/m2 for FFMI (p trend = 0.005), and 19.6 watts/kg for LEP (p trend < 0.001). Compared with protein, these positive associations were 7 times greater for FFM% and 2.5 times greater for LEP. We also found that higher hs-CRP was negatively associated with skeletal muscle mass and, in statistical modeling, that a higher dietary Mg attenuated this negative relationship by 6.5%, with greater attenuation in women older than 50 years. No association was found between Mg and grip strength. Our results suggest that dietary magnesium may aid conservation of age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and power in women of all ages. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Routinized Assessment of Suicide Risk in Clinical Practice: An Empirically Informed Update
Authors: Chu Carol , Klein Kelly M. , Buchman‐Schmitt Jennifer M. , Hom Melanie A. , Hagan Christopher R. , Joiner Thomas E.
Published: August 2015

Objective

Empirically informed suicide risk assessment frameworks are useful in guiding the evaluation and treatment of individuals presenting with suicidal symptoms. Joiner et al. (1999) formulated one such framework, which has provided a concise heuristic for the assessment of suicide risk. The purpose of this review is to ensure compatibility of this suicide risk assessment framework with the growing literature on suicide‐related behaviors.

Methods

This review integrates recent literature on suicide risk factors and clinical applications into the existing model. Further, we present a review of risk factors not previously included in the Joiner et al. (1999) framework, such as the interpersonal theory of suicide variables of perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and capability for suicide (Joiner, 2005; Van Orden et al., 2010) and acute symptoms of suicidality (i.e., agitation, irritability, weight loss, sleep disturbances, severe affective states, and social withdrawal).

Results

These additional indicators of suicide risk further facilitate the classification of patients into standardized categories of suicide risk severity and the critical clinical decision making needed for the management of such risk.

Conclusions

To increase the accessibility of empirically informed risk assessment protocols for suicide prevention and treatment, an updated suicide risk assessment form and decision tree are provided.
Effect of operational parameters on the leaching efficiency and recovery of heavy metals from computer printed circuit boards
Authors: Janyasuthiwong Suthee , Ugas Riccardo , Rene Eldon R , Alessandra Carucci , Esposito Giovanni , Lens Piet NL
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND

Electronic waste (e‐waste) is a recent environmental problem worldwide, because it is bulky in size causing solid waste disposal problems, especially due to the release of heavy metals into the environment. On the other hand, metal scarcity is another global issue with e‐waste, making it a prominent candidate for metal recovery.

RESULTS

Desktop computer printed circuit boards (PCBs) were evaluated as a potential source of Cu, Ni and Zn recovery using a bio‐hydrometallurgical method. The process parameters for metal leaching i.e. different particle sizes, leaching agents, contact time, liquid to solid (L/S) ratio, and agitation speed were evaluated in batch systems. At the following optimal conditions of 1 mol L−1 HNO3, L/S ratio of 20 with 200 rpm agitation speed using 0.5–1.0 mm particle size, the concentrations of Cu, Ni and Zn leached out from the PCBs were 450, 8 and 4 mg g−1 PCBs, respectively. Continuous leaching in an up‐flow leaching column using the optimized parameters, coupled to sulfide precipitation yielded > 90% Cu recovery (0.48 g g−1 PCBs).

CONCLUSION

PCBs are a good candidate for metal recovery, especially Cu. This can be achieved by combining chemical leaching and biogenic sulfide precipitation techniques. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Redesigning inpatient care: Testing the effectiveness of an accountable care team model
Authors: Kara Areeba , Johnson Cynthia S. , Nicley Amy , Niemeier Michael R. , Hui Siu L.
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND

US healthcare underperforms on quality and safety metrics. Inpatient care constitutes an immense opportunity to intervene to improve care.

OBJECTIVE

Describe a model of inpatient care and measure its impact.

DESIGN

A quantitative assessment of the implementation of a new model of care. The graded implementation of the model allowed us to follow outcomes and measure their association with the dose of the implementation.

SETTING AND PATIENTS

Inpatient medical and surgical units in a large academic health center.

INTERVENTION

Eight interventions rooted in improving interprofessional collaboration (IPC), enabling data‐driven decisions, and providing leadership were implemented.

MEASUREMENTS

Outcome data from August 2012 to December 2013 were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models for associations with the implementation of the model. Length of stay (LOS) index, case‐mix index–adjusted variable direct costs (CMI‐adjusted VDC), 30‐day readmission rates, overall patient satisfaction scores, and provider satisfaction with the model were measured.

RESULTS

The implementation of the model was associated with decreases in LOS index (P < 0.0001) and CMI‐adjusted VDC (P = 0.0006). We did not detect improvements in readmission rates or patient satisfaction scores. Most providers (95.8%, n = 92) agreed that the model had improved the quality and safety of the care delivered.

CONCLUSIONS

Creating an environment and framework in which IPC is fostered, performance data are transparently available, and leadership is provided may improve value on both medical and surgical units. These interventions appear to be well accepted by front‐line staff. Readmission rates and patient satisfaction remain challenging. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;10:773–779. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
The Effects of Financial Inclusion on Children's Schooling, and Parental Aspirations and Expectations
Authors: Chiapa Carlos , Prina Silvia , Parker Adam
Published: August 2015

We analyse the effects of offering access to a savings account to a sample of poor women on the educational attainment of their children and on the educational aspirations and expectations they have for them. Using data from a field experiment in Nepal that randomized access to savings accounts among a largely unbanked population, we provide evidence that financial access increased the schooling level of daughters and the educational aspirations and expectations parents have for them. Wealth and female empowerment do not seem to be behind our findings. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correlates to seroprevalent herpes simplex virus type 2 among rural Appalachian drug users
Authors: Stephens Dustin B. , Young April M. , Mullins Ursula L. , Havens Jennifer R.
Published: August 2015

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV‐2) is the most common cause of genital ulcer disease and, along with substance abuse, an important HIV risk factor. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine HSV‐2 seroprevalence in a sample of drug users in rural Appalachia. Rural Appalachian individuals age 18 or older reporting non‐medical use of prescription opioids, heroin, crack/cocaine, or methamphetamine in the past 6 months (n = 499) were included. Behavioral, demographic, and sexual network data were collected using interviewer‐administered questionnaires. Participants’ serum was tested for HSV‐2 antibodies using the Biokit rapid test (Lexington, MA). The estimated population seroprevalence of HSV‐2 was 14.4% (95%CI: 9.6–19.4%). Only 8.8% were aware of being HSV‐2+, and unprotected sex was reported in 80% of serodiscordant sexual relationships. In a multivariate model, female gender, age, older age at first oral sex, and frequency of unprotected sex in the sexual network were independently associated with HSV‐2 seropositivity. Despite lower seroprevalence than that reported in similar studies of substance abusers, targeted interventions to reduce sexual risk behavior are warranted in this underserved population. Network‐informed approaches with particular focus on women, older individuals, and those engaging in frequent unprotected sex are recommended. J. Med. Virol. 88:512–520, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Viral etiology, clinical and laboratory features of adult hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
Authors: Chen Jinghong , Wang Xuehua , He Ping , Li Yazhen , Si Mengya , Fan Zhichen , Chang Xiaolan , Xie Qindong , Jiao Xiaoyang
Published: August 2015

Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (SHLH) is a potentially fatal hyperinflammatory syndrome with a heterogeneous etiology and has nonspecific clinical and laboratory findings. The diagnosis and treatment of adult SHLH is challenging because the etiology of the disease is difficult to identify, and the majority of reported cases are pediatric patients. The aim of this study was to describe the etiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of adult SHLH. Fifty‐four adult patients who fulfilled the criteria of SHLH were enrolled in the study. Viral etiology, blood biomarkers, and clinical manifestations of SHLH were analyzed in these patients. Twenty‐four SHLH patients had viraemia, whereas 30 SHLH patients were secondary to other diseases. Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) was the most common virus that associated SHLH among all viruses studied. Severe SHLH patients with EBV‐viraemia presented significantly high levels of ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate transaminase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT). Positively relationships existed between EBV DNA titers and levels of AST and ALT (P < 0.05). The prognosis of SHLH patients with EBV viraemia was worse than that of non‐EBV SHLH and non‐viral SHLH. Our data reveal that EBV is the major pathogen in virus‐associated SHLH, and EBV load influence disease development in SHLH patients with EBV infection that prognosis is worse than other viruses associated SHLH. J. Med. Virol. 88:541–549, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tumor‐infiltrating CD8+ T lymphocytes associated with clinical outcome in anal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Hu Wan‐Hsiang , Miyai Katsumi , Cajas‐Monson Luis C. , Luo Linda , Liu Lin , Ramamoorthy Sonia L.
Published: August 2015

Background

The prognostic significance of tumor‐infiltrating CD8+ T lymphocytes in anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remains unclear. We designed the study to investigate the association between CD8+ T cells and clinical prognosis among anal SCC patients.

Methods

The density of CD8+ T cells was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The numbers of CD8+ T cells were counted and their relationship with clinicopathological factors and survival was explored.

Results

A strong positive correlation was noted between intratumoral and peritumoral CD8+ T cells (r = 0.77, P < 0.001). High intratumoral and peritumoral CD8+ T cells was associated with well tumor differentiation, early‐stage diagnosis, and better prognosis (P < 0.05). Better disease‐free survival rates were demonstrated in patients with high CD8+ T cell density in intratumoral nest (P = 0.01); peritumoral stroma (P = 0.004); and both in combination (P = 0.01). High peritumoral CD8+ T cell was associated with overall survival (P = 0.025). In HIV‐infected patients, high CD8+ T cell density also had association with disease‐free survival (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

High tumor‐infiltrating CD8+ T cell density showed the potential to indicate a favorable effect on prognosis and survival for anal SCC patients. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015; 112:421–426. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantitation of mycophenolate mofetil in human plasma: Application to a bioequivalence study and metabolite identification
Authors: Partani Pankaj , Verma Saurabh Manaswita , Monif Tausif
Published: August 2015

We established a sensitive, selective, and rapid analytical method for the quantitation and pharmacokinetic investigation of mycophenolate mofetil in human plasma. To our knowledge, this is the first method that characterizes presence of mycophenolate mofetil glucuronide in clinical samples through tandem mass spectrometry detection and resolves mycophenolate mofetil from its glucuronide metabolite. Liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry detection in positive ion mode was selected to provide optimal selectivity and sensitivity. Due to the ionizable characteristics of the mycophenolate mofetil, a mixed‐mode cation‐exchange disposable extraction cartridge was prudently chosen. The chromatographic separation was achieved on Luna® C18(2) (100×4.60 mm) column using mobile phase consisting of a mixture of 1±0.05 mM ammonium formate in water, titrated to pH 3.1±0.1 with formic acid, and methanol (20:80, v/v), at a flow rate of 0.7 mL/min. The detection was led at m/z ratios of 434.4→ 114.2 and 438.4→ 118.3, for mycophenolate mofetil and mycophenolate mofetil‐D4, respectively. The developed method was linear between 40.2–4986.0 pg/mL. All validation parameters were within the defined limits. The validated method was then successfully applied for the evaluation of bioequivalence parameters of mycophenolate mofetil after an oral administration of 500 mg mycophenolate mofetil tablet to healthy male Indian volunteers.