bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Artificial Organs 2015: A Year in Review
Authors: Malchesky Paul S.
Published: March 2016

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2015 are organized by category and briefly summarized. We aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration. As the official journal of The International Federation for Artificial Organs, The International Faculty for Artificial Organs, the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, the International Society for Pediatric Mechanical Cardiopulmonary Support, and the Vienna International Workshop on Functional Electrical Stimulation, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders “to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level.” Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for providing their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of their time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers, the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, John Wiley & Sons for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. We look forward to reporting further advances in the coming years.
Health Service Utilization and Expenditure of the Elderly in China
Authors: Hu Jing , Huang Chien‐Chung
Published: March 2016

Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey, we employed counterfactual propensity score matching to examine the association between income and health service utilization and expenditure of the elderly in China. The results demonstrated that income did not differentiate whether the poor elderly in China visited a doctor when suffering an illness, but their expenditure on medical treatment was significantly associated with income. Subgroup analysis further indicated that the medical demands of female, older, and rural elderly were more likely to be reduced by their income compared with their counterparts.
ECONOMIC FREEDOM AND GROWTH IN U.S. STATE‐LEVEL MARKET INCOMES AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM
Authors: Wiseman Travis
Published: March 2016

This paper investigates the relationship between economic freedom and income growth and inequality across U.S. states over the period 1979–2011. The focus is on market income at the top and bottom of the income distribution. Results show that increases in overall freedom are associated with average income growth. When viewed separately, an increase in overall freedom is associated with larger income growth rates for income earners in the bottom 90% relative to the top 10%. Interestingly, results show that increases in overall economic freedom are related to larger relative growth rates for the top 10% incomes within high‐income states and larger relative growth rates for the bottom 90% incomes within low‐income states. Top‐to‐bottom income ratio regressions suggest a negative and statistically significant relationship between economic freedom and income inequality. (JEL D63, P16, R11)
Effectiveness of insulin therapy in people with Type 2 diabetes in the Hoorn Diabetes Care System
Authors: Mast M. R. , Walraven I. , Hoekstra T. , Jansen A. P. D. , van der Heijden A. A. W. A. , Elders P. J. M. , Heine R. J. , Dekker J. M. , Nijpels G. , Hugtenburg J. G.
Published: March 2016

Aims

To identify HbA1c trajectories after the start of insulin treatment and to identify clinically applicable predictors of the response to insulin therapy.

Methods

The study population comprised 1203 people with Type 2 diabetes included in the Hoorn Diabetes Care System (n = 9849). Inclusion criteria were: age ≥ 40 years; initiation of insulin during follow‐up after failure to reach HbA1c levels ≤ 53 mmol/mol (7%) with oral glucose‐lowering agents; and a follow up ≥ 2 years after initiating insulin. Latent class growth modelling was used to identify trajectories of HbA1c. Subjects considered to be ‘off target’ had HbA1c levels ≥ 53 mmol/mol (7.0%) during one‐third or more of the follow‐up time, and those considered to be ‘on target’ had HbA1c levels ≥ 53 mmol/mol (7.0%) during less than one‐third of the follow‐up time.

Results

Four HbA1c trajectories were identified. Most people (88.7%) were classified as having a stable HbA1c trajectory of ~57 mmol/mol (7.4%). Only 24.4% of the people were on target in response to insulin; this was associated with lower HbA1c levels and a higher age at the start of insulin treatment.

Conclusions

Using latent class growth modelling, four HbA1c trajectories were identified. A quarter of the people starting insulin were on target. Low HbA1c levels and advanced age at the start of insulin therapy were associated with better response to insulin therapy. Initiating insulin earlier improves the likelihood of achieving and sustaining glycaemic control.
Comparative morphometric analysis of microglia in the spinal cord of SOD1G93A transgenic mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Ohgomori Tomohiro , Yamada Jun , Takeuchi Hideyuki , Kadomatsu Kenji , Jinno Shozo
Published: March 2016

It has long been recognized that reactive microglia undergo a series of phenotypic changes accompanying morphological transformation. However, the morphological classification of microglia has not yet been achieved. To address this issue, here we morphometrically analysed three‐dimensionally reconstructed ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1‐immunoreactive (Iba1+) microglia in the ventral horn of the lumbar spinal cord of SOD1G93A transgenic mice, a model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that microglia were objectively divided into four groups: type S (named after surveillant microglia) and types R1, R2 and R3 (named after reactive microglia). For the purpose of comparative morphometry, we also analysed two pharmacological disease models using wild‐type mice: 3,3′‐iminodipropionitrile (IDPN)‐induced axonopathy and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced neuroinflammation. Type S microglia showed a typical ramified morphology of surveillant microglia, and were mostly observed in wild‐type controls. Type R1 microglia were seen at the early stage of disease in SOD1G93A mice, and also frequently occurred in IDPN‐treated mice. They exhibited small cell bodies with shorter and simple processes. Type R2 microglia were morphologically similar to type R1 microglia, but only transiently occurred in the middle stage of disease in SOD1G93A mice and in IDPN‐treated mice. Type R3 microglia exhibited a bushy shape, and were observed in the end stage of disease in SOD1G93A mice and in LPS‐treated mice. These findings indicate that microglia of SOD1G93A mice can be classified into four types, and also suggest that the phenotypic changes may be induced by the events related to axonopathy and neuroinflammation.
Prolonged sleep increases the risk of intracerebral haemorrhage: a nationwide case−control study
Authors: Kim T. J. , Kim C. K. , Kim Y. , Jung S. , Jeong H.‐G. , An S. J. , Ko S.‐B. , Yoon B.‐W.
Published: March 2016

Background and purpose

Although abnormal sleep duration is positively associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality, the specific impact on intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) risk remains unclear. The relationship between sleep duration and the risk of ICH was investigated in our study.

Methods

A nationwide, multicentre matched case−control study was performed to investigate the risk factors for haemorrhagic stroke, using patients from 33 hospitals in Korea. In all, 490 patients with ICH and 980 age‐ and sex‐matched controls were enrolled. Detailed information regarding sleep, sociodemographic factors, lifestyle and medical history before ICH onset was obtained using qualified structured questionnaires. Sleep duration was categorized and the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using a conditional logistic regression with 7 h as the reference duration.

Results

The number of subjects with long sleep duration, more than 8 h, was significantly greater in the ICH group than in the control group (≥8 h, 30.4% vs. 22.6%, P = 0.002). After controlling for relevant confounding factors, longer sleep duration was found to be independently associated with the risk of ICH in a dose−response manner (8 h, OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.00–2.47; ≥9 h, OR 5.00, 95% CI 2.18–11.47).

Conclusions

Our study suggested that long sleep duration is positively associated with an increased ICH risk in a dose‐dependent manner. Further studies on the relationship linking long sleep duration with increased risk of ICH are required.
Modelling climate change impacts on marine fish populations: process‐based integration of ocean warming, acidification and other environmental drivers
Authors: Koenigstein Stefan , Mark Felix C , Gößling‐Reisemann Stefan , Reuter Hauke , Poertner Hans‐Otto
Published: March 2016

Global climate change affects marine fish through drivers such as ocean warming, acidification and oxygen depletion, causing changes in marine ecosystems and socioeconomic impacts. While experimental and observational results can inform about anticipated effects of different drivers, linking between these results and ecosystem‐level changes requires quantitative integration of physiological and ecological processes into models to advance research and inform management. We give an overview of important physiological and ecological processes affected by environmental drivers. We then provide a review of available modelling approaches for marine fish, analysing their capacities for process‐based integration of environmental drivers. Building on this, we propose approaches to advance important research questions. Examples of integration of environmental drivers exist for each model class. Recent extensions of modelling frameworks increase the potential for including detailed mechanisms and improving model projections. Experimental results on energy allocation, behaviour and physiological limitations will advance the understanding of organism‐level trade‐offs and thresholds in response to multiple drivers. More explicit representation of life cycles and biological traits can improve description of population dynamics and adaptation, and data on food web topology and feeding interactions help to detail the conditions for possible regime shifts. Identification of relevant processes will also benefit the coupling of different models to investigate spatial–temporal changes in stock productivity and integrated responses of social–ecological systems. Thus, a more process‐informed foundation for models will promote the integration of experimental and observational results and increase the potential for model‐based extrapolations into a future under changing environmental conditions.
Synthesis and Spark Plasma Sintering of Mg2Si Nanopowder by Mechanical Alloying and Heat Treatment
Authors: Khajelakzay Mohammad , Bakhshi Saeed Reza , Borhani Gholam Hossein , Ramazani Mazaher
Published: March 2016

In this investigation, a two‐step method for the preparation of magnesium silicide (Mg2Si) nanopowder was studied. This method is known as mechanical alloying followed by heat treatment. The results showed that the compositions of the combustion products depended on the milling time, heat treatment temperature, and starting mixtures. Pure Mg2Si nanopowder was formed after short milling time and heat treatment, from Mg and Si powders with the mole ratio of 2.1:1 (Mg:Si) at 500°C in Ar atmosphere. Using the Mg2Si nanopowder, Mg2Si ceramic was produced by spark plasma sintering at 800°C under 50 MPa for 15 min. Composition and structure of reactants and products were examined by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM) and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM).
Facial swelling: an atypical presentation of cutaneous lymphoma
Authors: Lee Woo Jin , Moon Ik Jun , Won Chong Hyun , Chang Sung Eun , Choi Jee Ho , Moon Kee Chan , Lee Mi Woo
Published: March 2016

Background

Cutaneous lymphomas (primary and secondary lymphomas involving the skin) are a heterogeneous group with various clinical manifestations, histological features, and prognoses.

Methods

We describe eight cases of cutaneous lymphoma presenting with facial swelling.

Results

Our case series included three cases of primary cutaneous extranodal natural killer/T‐cell lymphoma, one case of secondary cutaneous extranodal natural killer/T‐cell lymphoma, one case of subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma, one case of cutaneous CD4+ small/medium pleomorphic T‐cell lymphoma, and two cases of peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (unspecified).

Conclusions

This collection of cases and literature review emphasizes the need for clinical suspicion of cutaneous lymphoma in the differential diagnosis of patients with refractory facial swelling.
Estimating the burden of influenza‐associated hospitalizations and deaths in Central America
Authors: Descalzo Miguel A. , Clara Wilfrido , Guzmán Guiselle , Mena Ricardo , Armero Julio , Lara Bredy , Saenz Carlos , Aragón Anabela , Chacón Rafael , El‐Omeiri Nathalie , Méndez‐Rico Jairo , Cerpa Mauricio , Palekar Rakhee , Jara Jorge , Azziz‐Baumgartner Eduardo
Published: March 2016

Objectives

Our objective was to estimate the incidence of influenza‐associated hospitalizations and in‐hospital deaths in Central American Region.

Design and setting

We used hospital discharge records, influenza surveillance virology data, and population projections collected from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua to estimate influenza‐associated hospitalizations and in‐hospital deaths. We performed a meta‐analysis of influenza‐associated hospitalizations and in‐hospital deaths.

Main outcome measures

The highest annual incidence was observed among children aged <5 years (136 influenza‐associated hospitalizations per 100 000 persons).

Results

Annually, 7 625–11 289 influenza‐associated hospitalizations and 352–594 deaths occurred in the subregion.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that a substantive number of persons are annually hospitalized because of influenza. Health officials should estimate how many illnesses could be averted through increased influenza vaccination.
Unequal gains: American growth and inequality since 1700
Authors: Lindert Peter H , Williamson Jeffrey G
Published: March 2016

Adopting a new approach to historical data, Peter H Lindert and Jeffrey G Williamson have charted the history of American incomes ‐ and income inequality ‐ since colonial times. Here the authors of Unequal Gains explain their method, and share a rich harvest of findings that cast new light on three‐and‐a‐half centuries of economic history.
Oxidized low‐density lipoprotein antibodies/high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio is linked to advanced non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease lean patients
Authors: Ampuero Javier , Ranchal Isidora , Gallego‐Durán Rocío , Pareja María Jesús , del Campo Jose Antonio , Pastor‐Ramírez Helena , Rico María Carmen , Picón Rocío , Pastor Luis , García‐Monzón Carmelo , Andrade Raúl , Romero‐Gómez Manuel
Published: March 2016

Background and Aim

A small but significant proportion of patients with normal body mass index show non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) is a powerful immunogenic molecule, which causes oxidative stress and produces antibodies (oxLDL‐ab). We aimed to analyze the role of oxLDL‐ab on histological features in lean‐NAFLD patients.

Methods

Seventy‐two biopsy‐proven NAFLD patients were included. Lean patients showed body index mass of <30 kg/m2. Liver biopsies were assessed by one pathologist blinded to clinical data. Histological features were non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), steatosis, hepatocellular ballooning, and liver fibrosis. Metabolic and hepatic profiles were analyzed, and lipid‐lowering medication was recorded. OxLDL‐ab levels were measured by ELISA. OxLDL‐ab‐based lipid indexes analyzed: oxLDL‐ab/total cholesterol ratio; oxLDL‐ab/LDL‐c ratio; oxLDL‐ab/high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐c) ratio; and oxLDL‐ab/oxLDL ratio.

Results

Lean‐NAFLD patients presented 26.5% (9/34) of NASH. OxLDL‐ab/HDL‐c ratio (r = 0.570; n = 34; P = 0.001) correlated with NAS score and was the only variable associated with NASH in the multivariate analysis [odds ratio, OR, 1.10 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.01–1.21); P = 0.039]. Severe steatosis was present in 41.2% (14/34) of lean‐NAFLD patients. OxLDL‐ab/HDL‐c ratio was higher in patients with grade‐III steatosis (54.9 (37.3–124.6)) than those with grade II (37.1 (20.2–71.1)) and grade I (17.7 (13.1‐22.8)) (P = 0.018). Hepatocellular ballooning was present in 20.6% (7/34) of lean‐NAFLD patients, and OxLDL‐ab/HDL‐c ratio (OR 1.03 [95% CI: 1.01–1.05]; P = 0.050) was independently associated with histological features. OxLDL‐ab/HDL‐c ratio was higher in patients with advanced fibrosis (39.8 (22.9–121.6) vs 17.7 (13.9–30.9); P = 0.025), increasing gradually with the fibrosis stage (P = 0.042) and remained in the final multivariate model [OR 1.05 (95% CI: 1.00–1.11); P = 0.05]. However, in obese‐NAFLD patients, oxLDL/HDL‐c ratio was not associated with histological features.

Conclusions

Oxidized low‐density lipoprotein antibodies/high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio could represent an interesting biomarker associated with NASH, hepatocellular ballooning, and liver fibrosis, in lean patients. OxLDL‐ab/HDL‐c could play an important role for distinguishing patients with and without NAFLD complications.
Is middle childhood attachment related to social functioning in young adulthood?
Authors: Fransson Mari , Granqvist Pehr , Marciszko Carin , Hagekull Berit , Bohlin Gunilla
Published: March 2016

The aim of the present study (N = 69) was to examine whether middle childhood attachment, measured using the Separation Anxiety Test (Slough, Goyette & Greenberg, 1988), predicts aspects of social functioning (social initiative, prosocial orientation, social anxiety, loneliness) in young adulthood. Insecurity‐avoidance at age 8.5 years was, as expected, negatively related to social initiative and prosocial orientation, and was also positively related to social anxiety and loneliness at age 21 years. In addition, insecurity‐avoidance contributed to developmental change in social anxiety from middle childhood to young adulthood. Contrary to our expectations, the two security scales were generally unrelated to future social functioning. Taken together, these results extend previous research by showing that insecurity‐avoidance is related to social functioning also beyond childhood and adolescence, and that it contributes to developmental change in social functioning over time. The scarcity of prospective links for the attachment security scales points to the need for future studies addressing when and why attachment does not contribute to future social functioning.
Universal parent support groups for parents of adolescents: Which parents participate and why?
Authors: Alfredsson Elin K. , Broberg Anders G.
Published: March 2016

Leader‐led parent support groups, offered universally to parents of adolescents, are increasingly common, yet little is known of the parents who use this support. The study presented here explored the characteristics of parents of 10‐ to 17‐year‐olds (N = 192) who had enlisted in universal support groups and their reasons for enrollment. Sociodemographic factors (parents’ country of origin, educational level, long‐term sick‐leave or unemployment, and marital status) were compared to the general population (Statistics Sweden, ) and parents’ psychological health and children's psychiatric symptoms were compared to a control group (the BITA study). Results showed that support group parents reported more psychosocial difficulties, such as higher frequency of long‐term sick‐leave or unemployment, more symptoms of anxiety and depression and more psychiatric symptoms in their children than parents in general. While about a fifth of the parents had problem‐oriented (targeted) reasons for enrollment, most parents had general (universal) reasons. Thus, the universal approach does seem to reach its intended recipients.
Single Image Super-Resolution Based on Sparse Representation with Adaptive Dictionary Selection
Authors: Li Xin , Chen Jie , Cui Ziguan , Wu Minghu , Zhu Xiuchang
Published: March 2016

Sparse representation theory has attracted much attention, and has been successfully used in image super-resolution (SR) reconstruction. However, it could only provide the local prior of image patches. Field of experts (FoE) is a way to develop the generic and expressive prior of the whole image. The algorithm proposed in this paper uses the FoE model as the global constraint of SR reconstruction problem to pre-process the low-resolution image. Since a single dictionary could not accurately represent different types of image patches, our algorithm classifies the sample patches composed of pre-processed image and high-resolution image, obtains the sub-dictionaries by training, and adaptively selects the most appropriate sub-dictionary for reconstruction according to the pyramid histogram of oriented gradients feature of image patches. Furthermore, in order to reduce the computational complexity, our algorithm makes use of edge detection, and only applies SR reconstruction based on sparse representation to the edge patches of the test image. Nonedge patches are directly replaced by the pre-processing results of FoE model. Experimental results show that our algorithm can effectively guarantee the quality of the reconstructed image, and reduce the computation time to a certain extent.
Cosmological models through spatial Ricci-flow
Authors: Sharma Ramesh
Published: March 2016

We consider the synchronization of the Einstein’s flow with the Ricci-flow of the standard spatial slices of the Robertson–Walker space–time and show that associated perfect fluid solution has a quadratic equation of state and is either spherical and collapsing, or hyperbolic and expanding.
Magnesium Supplementation Diminishes Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte DNA Oxidative Damage in Athletes and Sedentary Young Man
Authors: Petrović Jelena , Stanić Dušanka , Dmitrašinović Gordana , Plećaš-Solarović Bosiljka , Ignjatović Svetlana , Batinić Bojan , Popović Dejana , Pešić Vesna
Published: March 2016

Sedentary lifestyle is highly associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. It is known that regular physical activity has positive effects on health; however several studies have shown that acute and strenuous exercise can induce oxidative stress and lead to DNA damage. As magnesium is essential in maintaining DNA integrity, the aim of this study was to determine whether four‐week‐long magnesium supplementation in students with sedentary lifestyle and rugby players could prevent or diminish impairment of DNA. By using the comet assay, our study demonstrated that the number of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) with basal endogenous DNA damage is significantly higher in rugby players compared to students with sedentary lifestyle. On the other hand, magnesium supplementation significantly decreased the number of cells with high DNA damage, in the presence of exogenous H2O2, in PBL from both students and rugby players, and markedly reduced the number of cells with medium DNA damage in rugby players compared to corresponding control nonsupplemented group. Accordingly, the results of our study suggest that four‐week‐long magnesium supplementation has marked effects in protecting the DNA from oxidative damage in both rugby players and in young men with sedentary lifestyle. Clinical trial is registered at ANZCTR Trial Id: ACTRN12615001237572.
Topological Indices Study of Molecular Structure in Anticancer Drugs
Authors: Gao Wei , Wang Weifan , Farahani Mohammad Reza
Published: March 2016

Numerous studies indicate that there is strong inherent relationship between the chemical characteristics of chemical compounds and drugs (e.g., boiling point and melting point) and their molecular structures. Topological indices defined on these chemical molecular structures can help researchers better understand the physical features, chemical reactivity, and biological activity. Thus, the study of the topological indices on chemical structure of chemical materials and drugs can make up for lack of chemical experiments and can provide a theoretical basis for the manufacturing of drugs and chemical materials. In this paper, we focus on the family of smart polymer which is widely used in anticancer drugs manufacturing. Several topological indices are determined in view of edge dividing methods, and these results remedy the lack of chemical and medicine experiments thus providing the theoretical basis for pharmaceutical engineering.
Influence of B2O3and Basicity on Viscosity and Structure of Medium Titanium Bearing Blast Furnace Slag
Authors: Bian Lingtao , Gao Yanhong
Published: March 2016

The effects of B2O3and basicity (CaO/SiO2) on the viscous behavior and structure of medium titanium bearing blast furnace slag (MTBBFS) were investigated. High temperature viscosimeter was applied to measure the viscosities of CaO-SiO2-MgO-TiO2-Al2O3-B2O3slag system and X-ray diffraction (XRD), NBO/T ratio, and structure parameterQwere employed to analyze its network structure. The results showed that the viscosity decreased and break point temperature increased with increasing basicity to 1.20. However B2O3addition gave rise to a decrease in slag viscosity and break point temperature inspite of basicity. The more B2O3content leads to the more pronounced variation, especially for the slag with larger basicity. The conventional NBO/T formula was revised to predict the structure variation of relatively complicated medium Ti bearing slag based on the work of Yanhong Gao and other researchers. The increase of B2O3content in slag made parameterQturn fromQ2toQ1, suggesting that network structure became simpler. It was also noticed that the addition of B2O3could suppress the formation of perovskite.
Calcium and Vitamin D Supplement Prescribing Practices among Providers Caring for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Are We Addressing Bone Health?
Authors: Srinivasan Shylaja , O’Rourke Julia , Bersche Golas Sara , Neumeyer Ann , Misra Madhusmita
Published: March 2016

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have several risk factors for low bone mineral density. The gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet is a complementary therapy sometimes used in ASD that raises concerns for the adequacy of calcium and vitamin D intake. This study evaluated the prescribing practices of calcium and vitamin D supplements and the practice of checking 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels by providers in 100 children with ASD, 50 of whom were on the GFCF diet. Fifty-two percent and 46% of children on the GFCF diet were on some form of vitamin D and calcium supplements, respectively, compared to 18% and 14% of those not on this diet. Twenty-four percent of children in the GFCF group had a documented 25(OH)D level compared to none in the non-GFCF group. The data highlight a gap in calcium and vitamin D supplement prescribing practices among providers caring for children with ASD as well as a gap in the practice of checking 25(OH)D levels.
Improving Access to Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test in Niger State, Nigeria: An Assessment of Implementation up to 2013
Authors: Awoleye Olatunji Joshua , Thron Chris
Published: March 2016

Nigeria’s 2009–2013 malaria strategic plan adopted WHO diagnosis and treatment guidelines, which include the use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) prior to prescribing treatment with artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs). The current study explores accessibility barriers to the use of RDTs in Niger State and makes recommendations for improving the uptake of RDTs. The study employs literature review, review of data from the Niger State Health Management Information System for January–October 2013, and application of Peters’ conceptual framework for assessing access to health services. Data showed that 27 percent of public health facilities (HFs) implemented RDTs, with the aid of donor funds. In these facilities, 77 percent of fever cases presented during the study period were tested with RDTs; 53 percent of fever cases were confirmed cases of malaria, while 60 percent of fever cases were treated. Stockouts of RDTs were a major constraint, and severe fever tended to trigger presumptive treatment. We conclude that although implementation of RDTs led to a reduction in the use of ACTs at HFs, more substantial reduction could be achieved if the state government directed more resources towards the acquisition of RDTs as well as raising the level of awareness of potential users.
The Interval Slope Method for Long-Term Forecasting of Stock Price Trends
Authors: Nie Chun-xue , Jin Xue-bo
Published: March 2016

A stock price is a typical but complex type of time series data. We used the effective prediction of long-term time series data to schedule an investment strategy and obtain higher profit. Due to economic, environmental, and other factors, it is very difficult to obtain a precise long-term stock price prediction. The exponentially segmented pattern (ESP) is introduced here and used to predict the fluctuation of different stock data over five future prediction intervals. The new feature of stock pricing during the subinterval, named the interval slope, can characterize fluctuations in stock price over specific periods. The cumulative distribution function (CDF) of MSE was compared to those of MMSE-BC and SVR. We concluded that the interval slope developed here can capture more complex dynamics of stock price trends. The mean stock price can then be predicted over specific time intervals relatively accurately, in which multiple mean values over time intervals are used to express the time series in the long term. In this way, the prediction of long-term stock price can be more precise and prevent the development of cumulative errors.
Structural Dynamics of Human Argonaute2 and Its Interaction with siRNAs Designed to Target Mutant tdp43
Authors: Bhandare Vishwambhar , Ramaswamy Amutha
Published: March 2016

The human Argonaute2 protein (Ago2) is a key player in RNA interference pathway and small RNA recognition by Ago2 is the crucial step in siRNA mediated gene silencing mechanism. The present study highlights the structural and functional dynamics of human Ago2 and the interaction mechanism of Ago2 with a set of seven siRNAs for the first time. The human Ago2 protein adopts two conformations such as “open” and “close” during the simulation of 25 ns. One of the domains named as PAZ, which is responsible for anchoring the 3′-end of siRNA guide strand, is observed as a highly flexible region. The interaction between Ago2 and siRNA, analyzed using a set of siRNAs (targeting at positions 128, 251, 341, 383, 537, 1113, and 1115 of mRNA) designed to target tdp43 mutants causing Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) disease, revealed the stable and strong recognition of siRNA by the Ago2 protein during dynamics. Among the studied siRNAs, the siRNA341 is identified as a potent siRNA to recognize Ago2 and hence could be used further as a possible siRNA candidate to target the mutant tdp43 protein for the treatment of ALS patients.
An improved Fourier series solution for the dynamic analysis of laminated composite annular, circular, and sector plate with general boundary conditions
Authors: Wang Qingshan , Shi Dongyan , Liang Qian , Ahad Fazle
Published: March 2016

In this article, the authors presented a unified solution for the dynamic analysis of laminated composite annular, circular, and sector plate with general boundary conditions. The first-order shear deformation theory is employed to formulate the theoretical model. Regardless of the shapes of the plates and the types of boundary conditions, each displacement and rotation component of the elements is expanded as an improved Fourier series expansion which is composed of a double Fourier cosine series and several auxiliary functions introduced to eliminate all the relevant discontinuities with the displacement and its derivatives at the boundaries and to accelerate the convergence of series representations. Since the displacement fields are constructed adequately smooth throughout the entire solution domain, an exact solution is obtained based on the Rayleigh–Ritz procedure by the energy functions of the plates. The accuracy, reliability, and versatility of the current solution is fully demonstrated and verified through numerical examples involving plates with various shapes and boundary conditions. Some new results of free vibration analysis for composite laminated annular sector plate, circular sector plate, annular plate, and circular plate are presented, which may be served as benchmark solution for future computational methods. The effects of the sector angles, layer numbers, and boundary spring stiffness on vibration characteristics of the plates are reported. In addition, the force vibration analysis of the plates is also studied. The influence of the boundary spring stiffness, layer number, orthotropic stiffness ration, and fiber orientation angle on dynamic characteristics of the plates is investigated.
Can migraine aura be provoked experimentally? A systematic review of potential methods for the provocation of migraine aura
Authors: Lindblad Marianne , Hougaard Anders , Amin Faisal Mohammad , Ashina Messoud
Published: March 2016

Background

The nature of the migraine aura and its role in migraine pathophysiology is incompletely understood. In particular, the mechanisms underlying aura initiation and the causal relation between aura and headache are unknown. The scientific investigation of aura in patients is only possible if aura can be triggered. This paper reviews potential methods for the experimental provocation of migraine aura.

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed for studies of experimental migraine provocation, including case reports of patients with aura and reports of the occurrence of aura following exposure to any kind of suspected trigger.

Results

We identified 21 provocation studies, using 13 different prospective provocation methods, and 34 case reports. In the prospective studies, aura were reported following the administration of intravenous and sublingual glyceryl trinitrate, visual stimulation, physical activity, calcitonin gene-related peptide infusion, chocolate ingestion, and the intravenous injection of insulin. In addition, carotid artery puncture has consistently been reported as a trigger of aura.

Conclusions

No safe and efficient method for aura provocation exists at present, but several approaches could prove useful for this purpose.
Reliability assessment of confinement models of carbon fiber reinforced polymer-confined concrete
Authors: Huang Liang , Gao Chang , Yan Libo , Kasal Bohumil , Ma Gao
Published: March 2016

This paper presented a review of 84 confinement strength models developed for predicting the ultimate compressive strength of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer-confined concrete subjected to uniaxial compression. Among these models, 64 design-oriented models and 12 analysis-oriented models were selected and evaluated by a comprehensive database including the experimental results of 1475 carbon fiber-reinforced polymer-confined concrete specimens through three statistical indicators: the mean ( μ), the coefficient of determination [Formula: see text], and the root mean square error ( σ) of the predicted ultimate compressive strength [Formula: see text] and the experimental ultimate strength [Formula: see text]. Based on the results of evaluation, 27 design-oriented models were further considered for reliability assessment and structural reliability analysis. Given the performance of strength predictions and the reliability assessment, it was found that for the design purpose, the 27 design-oriented models are reliable for practical predictions of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer-confined concrete structures subjected to uniaxial compression.
Mechanistic contribution of electroconductive hydroxyapatite–titanium disilicide composite on the alignment and proliferation of cells
Authors: Kumar A , Nune KC , Basu B , Misra RDK
Published: March 2016

We elucidate here the mechanistic contribution of a novel electroconductive hydroxyapatite-20 wt.% titanium disilicide (HA–TiSi2) composite system in favorably modulating osteoblast functions in relation to the monolithic HA. The higher electrical conductivity of HA–TiSi2 (σDC ∼ 67.117 ± 3.57 S/m) in comparison to glass sample effectively guided the electroactive myoblast, leading to their significant alignment and proliferation. This favorable behavior is attributed to the formation of small electrochemical cells between HA and TiSi2 phase, which produce a small electric field, directing the electroactive myoblast to migrate and grow in a particular direction. In contrast, no impact of TiSi2 on osteoblast function was observed because of their inability to respond to small electric field. However, the in vitro bioactivity in simulated body fluid indicated the nucleation and growth of apatite crystals. Moreover, in the context of load-bearing capability, the presence of 20 wt.% TiSi2 in HA led to increase in the fracture toughness by ∼100%. This study underscores the effectiveness of HA–TiSi2 in favorably modulating the cellular activity, myoblast in particular.
The effect of fiber size and pore size on cell proliferation and infiltration in PLLA scaffolds on bone tissue engineering
Authors: Wang Xuejun , Lou Tao , Zhao Wenhua , Song Guojun , Li Chunyao , Cui Guangpeng
Published: March 2016

The scaffold microstructure has a great impact on cell functions in tissue engineering. Herein, the PLLA scaffolds with hierarchical fiber size and pore size were successfully fabricated by thermal-induced phase separation or combined thermal-induced phase separation and salt leaching methods. The PLLA scaffolds were fabricated as microfibrous scaffolds, microfibrous scaffolds with macropores (50–350 µm), nanofibrous scaffolds with micropores (100 nm to 10 µm), and nanofibrous scaffolds with both macropores and micropores by tailoring selective solvents for forming different fiber size and pre-sieved salts for creating controlled pore size. Among the four kinds of PLLA scaffolds, the nanofibrous scaffolds with both macropores and micropores provided a favorable microenvironment for protein adsorption, cell proliferation, and cell infiltration. The results further confirmed the significance of fiber size and pore size on the biological properties, and a scaffold with both micropores and macropores, and a nanofibrous matrix might have promising applications in bone tissue engineering.
Capillary convection in pulsed – butt welding of miscible dissimilar couple
Authors: Hu Yaowu , He Xiuli , Yu Gang , Zhao Shusen
Published: March 2016

Pulsed laser butt welding of miscible dissimilar couple has been studied numerically based on a three-dimensional heat and mass transfer model. Driving forces of molten metal flow in the case of stainless steel and nickel are compared using dimensional analysis. Thermo-capillary convection due to surface temperature gradient is recognized as the dominating fluid flow. Temperature coefficients of surface tensions are varied to investigate the influences of the convection on heat and mass transfer phenomena in weld pool. The temperature fields at stainless steel and nickel sides are found to be asymmetric and are greatly affected by different Marangoni convections. Concentration of Ni increases as the temperature coefficient of surface tensions changes from negative to positive. The temperature coefficient of surface tension of stainless steel has greater impact on the weld pool configuration and element concentration than that of nickel. The obtained weld pool configurations are found to be dependent on Prandtl number and convection patterns.
Geometric process repair model for an unreliable production system with an intermediate buffer
Authors: Cheng Guoqing , Zhou Binghai , Li Ling
Published: March 2016

In this paper, we consider an unreliable production system consisting of two machines (M1 and M2) in which M1 produces a single product type to satisfy a constant and continuous demand of M2 and it is subjected to random failures. In order to palliate perturbations caused by failures, a buffer stock is built up to satisfy the demand during the production unavailability of M1. A traditional assumption made in the previous research is that repairs can restore the failed machines to as good as new state. To develop a more realistic mathematical model of the system, we relax this assumption by assuming that the working times of M1 after repairs are geometrically decreasing, which means M1 cannot be repaired as good as new. Undergoing a specified number of repairs, M1 will be replaced by an identical new one. A bivariate policy [Formula: see text] is considered, where S is the buffer stock level and N is the number of failures at which M1 is replaced. We derive the long-run average cost rate [Formula: see text] used as the basis for optimal determination of the bivariate policy. The optimal policies [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are derived, respectively. Then, an algorithm is presented to find the optimal joint policy [Formula: see text]. Finally, an illustrative example is given to validate the proposed model. Sensitivity analyses are also carried out to illustrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed methodology.
Shigellosis in men who have sex with men: an overlooked opportunity to counsel with pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV
Authors: Goulart Michael A , Wurcel Alysse G
Published: March 2016

In the absence of other epidemiological exposures, shigellosis in men who have sex with men (MSM) suggests engagement in high-risk sexual encounters. Infection and diagnosis of shigellosis in MSM presents a potentially overlooked opportunity to discuss the availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis medications to prevent incident HIV infections.
Defining and measuring adherence to cancer screening
Authors: Chubak Jessica , Hubbard Rebecca
Published: March 2016

Background

The importance of cancer screening is well-recognized, yet there is great variation in how adherence is defined and measured. This manuscript identifies measures of screening adherence and discusses how to estimate them.

Discussion

We begin by describing why screening adherence is of interest: to anticipate long-term outcomes, to understand differences in outcomes across settings, and to identify areas for improvement. We outline questions of interest related to adherence, including questions about uptake, currency or being up-to-date, and longitudinal adherence, and then identify which measures are most appropriate for each question. Our discussion of how to select measures focuses on study inclusion criteria and outcome definitions. Finally, we describe how to estimate different measures using data from two common data sources: survey studies and surveillance studies. Estimation requires consideration of data sources, inclusion criteria, and outcome definitions. Censoring often will be present and must be accounted for.

Conclusion

We conclude that consistent definitions and estimation of adherence to cancer screening guidelines will facilitate comparison across studies, tests, and settings, and help to elucidate areas for future research and intervention.
A rash diagnosis: Gemcitabine-associated pseudocellulitis
Authors: Strouse Christopher , Epperla Narendranath
Published: March 2016

Gemcitabine is an antitumor agent with broad clinical application. The most common cutaneous toxicities are mild rash and pruritus; however, a severe ‘pseudocellulitis’ rash, which resembles infectious cellulitis in clinical presentation, has increasingly been recognized as a rare complication of this agent. Though the specific pathophysiology related to this condition is not clear, it has been observed to occur primarily in regions of significant lymphadenopathy or prior radiation exposure typically after 24–48 h following administration of gemcitabine. It is a self-limiting reaction, with most cases resolving within two to seven days of onset without any specific treatment for the rash. Treatment with gemcitabine may be safely continued in patients with this complication, though recurrence of the rash is common following repeated doses. We report a case of biopsy confirmed gemcitabine associated pseudocellulitis in a patient treated for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Knowledge of this complication is important to avoid unwarranted hospitalizations and antibiotic use in patients treated with gemcitabine.
A study on factors influencing young consumers’ smartphone brand preference in Erzurum, Turkey
Authors: Çelik Ali Kemal , Eygü Hakan , Oktay Erkan
Published: March 2016

Young consumers are the most important users of advanced information and communication technologies among others. Particularly, since the gradually increasing smartphone use among young consumers is taken into consideration, an empirical evidence about their purchase behavior in terms of brand perception may contribute to the existing marketing literature. For this purpose, the main objective of this paper is to determine factors that may possibly contribute to young consumers’ smartphone brand preference in a developing country with a particular emphasis on undergraduate students in Turkey. A written-questionnaire is conducted among 1,135 undergraduate students at a well-established university in Turkey. The dependent variable of this study is smartphone brand with a four-category. The data are analyzed using a multinomial logit model due to the unordered nature of the dependent variable. Estimation results suggest monthly individual income and smartphone use in years have an increasing and decreasing impact on the use of a specific brand, respectively. Results also reveal that monthly household income, price of current smartphone, product design, product weight, and after purchase services have both increasing and decreasing influence regarding a specific brand preference. The outcome of this relatively comprehensive study may provide a successful guidance for future marketing strategies and policies.