bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of fitness on health status among survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Wilson Carmen L. , Howell Carrie R. , Partin Robyn E. , Lu Lu , Kaste Sue C. , Mulrooney Daniel A. , Pui Ching‐Hon , Lanctot Jennifer Q. , Srivastava Deo Kumar , Robison Leslie L. , Hudson Melissa M. , Ness Kirsten K. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractIntroductionWe aimed to determine the prevalence of self‐reported adverse health status among childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors and to identify associations between components of physical fitness and health status.MethodsParticipants included 365 ALL survivors (mean age at evaluation of 28.6 ± 5.9 years) and 365 age‐, sex‐, and race‐matched community controls. Self‐report of poor general health, poor mental health, functional impairments, and activity limitations were used to describe adverse health status. Fitness was evaluated by assessing flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, peak oxygen uptake, and balance. Generalized linear models were used to examine associations between fitness metrics and health status.ResultsSurvivors were more likely than controls to report poor general health (20.6% vs. 10.4%, risk ratio [RR] = 2.0, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.4–2.9), poor mental health (28.0% vs. 14.5%, RR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.4–2.6), functional impairments (10.5% vs. 4.1%, RR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.4–4.6), and activity limitations (29.0% vs. 14.4%, RR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.5–2.7). Survivors whose balance scores were more than 1.5 standard deviations below the mean of the control population were more likely to report poor general health (RR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1–2.8), poor mental health (RR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.3–2.8), and functional limitations (RR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.2–56). Survivors with low strength were more likely to report poor general health (RR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.1–3.1), functional impairments (RR = 4.2, 95% CI = 1.7–10.4), and activity limitations (RR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.2–2.8).ConclusionsALL survivors, particularly those with poor balance and reduced muscular strength, are at increased risk for adverse health status.
Parvoviral disease in childhood cancer: Clinical outcomes and impact on therapy at a tertiary cancer center in India
Authors: Ramanathan Subramaniam , Narula Gaurav , Prasad Maya , Vora Tushar , Chinnaswamy Girish , Banavali Shripad 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBackground and aimParvovirus‐B19 disease in immunocompromised children can cause myelosuppression and therapeutic delays. We studied the clinical profiles of children having symptoms suggestive of parvoviral disease at our institution, a large tertiary cancer center.MethodsChildren below age 15 years undergoing treatment for malignancies with clinical features suggestive of parvoviral infection, and/or unexplained drop in hemoglobin, and/or prolonged cytopenia were screened for parvovirus infection using DNA‐PCR for parvovirus‐B19 (PB19) in the peripheral blood. Patients testing positive from September 2014 till February 2017 were studied.ResultsOf the 59 patients (36 patients with hematolymphoid malignancies, 23 with solid tumors) screened for suspected parvoviral infections, 27 tested positive. Median age was 9.6 years (2.25–15 years), 18 (66%) had hematolymphoid malignancies, while 7 (33%) had solid tumors. Six patients (26%) were on intensive phases, 16 (60%) patients developed the symptoms during maintenance chemotherapy, and 4 (15%) after completion of therapy. Isolated anemia was the commonest feature seen in 10 patients (37%) while bicytopenia and pancytopenia were noticed in 8 (30%) and 9 (33%) patients respectively. Fifty percent of patients those who received rituximab (3/6) developed persistent parvoviremia (>4 weeks) as compared with 24% (5/21) of those who did not. Two patients (7%) developed hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Treatment delay by more than 14 days was encountered in a majority (62%), with 5 patients requiring treatment modification or even suspension.ConclusionsParvoviral infection in children who are on or have recently completed chemotherapy can lead to multiple cytopenias and significant treatment delays. Rituximab exposure may lead to persistent parvoviral disease (p < 0.05). HLH, though occasional, can be a serious complication.
Student cities or cities of graduates? The case of Lodz and its students declared preferences
Authors: Sokołowicz Mariusz E. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe growing share of students in an urban population contributes significantly to the intellectual potential of cities and regions. It enables the development of labour markets, housing markets, and increases local consumption; this also enriches urban culture and creates an environment for new ideas to flourish. However, the question is how to retain this valuable human capital after graduation. In numerous student cities in Central and Eastern Europe, graduates decide to leave the places they studied in to settle in capital cities or abroad. Most studies on this phenomenon reveal that highly skilled people are guided in their decisions regarding migration by both economic and noneconomic factors. This paper presents the case study of Lodz, the third largest city in Poland, which has experienced a shift from its high level of attractiveness to students to a lower level of attractiveness to graduates. The study is based on cyclical research conducted among students of all public universities operating in the city. It reveals the durability of the city's image in time but also the temporary rather than permanent nature of the willingness to leave the city. In addition, it also reveals certain discrepancies concerning willingness to stay between students originating from Lodz and those born outside the city. Finally, the study confirms that noneconomic factors of migration (primarily the labour market situation), such as relational ties, self‐attachment to the city, and marketing activities equally strongly affect students' decisions regarding staying in or leaving the city.
Finite‐time sliding mode stabilization using dirty differentiation and disturbance compensation
Authors: Furtat I. , Orlov Y. , Fradkov A. 
Published: July 2018

SummaryNovel robust finite‐time stabilizing algorithms are developed side by side for the state and output feedback designs. Being initially developed for a nonlinear cascade second‐order system, these algorithms are straightforwardly extendible to electromechanical systems of relative degree two. The proposed synthesis is based on the disturbance compensation, relying on the dirty differentiation and sliding mode approach, and it is applicable to a wider class of disturbances than that addressed in the literature. Simulation results illustrate the efficiency of the resulting synthesis procedure and support analytical results.
Initiator‐Free Natural Light‐Driven Vapor Phase Synthesis of a Porous Network of 3D Polystyrene Branched Carbon Nanofiber Grafted Polyurethane for Hexane /Water Separation
Authors: Baig Nadeem , Saleh Tawfik A. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractA unique approach of vapor phase polymerization is introduced to synthesize a 3D porous network of polystyrene branched carbon nanofiber on polyurethane (CNF/PS) using natural light (NL) initiation. The introduced natural light vapor phase polymerization of the styrene in the confined reactor containing CNF grafted PU offers a porous network with substantial stability. The natural light in a confined reactor performed two major functions. Its first role was to vaporize the styrene by increasing the reactor temperature and, in the second step, it generated styrene radicals. The radical styrene in vapor phase reacted with CNF to produce polystyrene branches by generating active sites on CNF. Without CNF, the polymerization on polyurethane (PU) provided a very delicate and fragile surface; however, CNF reinforced the 3D porous structure and provided active sites for radical polymerization. After polymerization, the surface area of the PU was substantially increased from 9 to 184 m2/g and the pore size was decreased from 2567 to 10 Å. The 3D porous network of natural light assisted polystyrene branched carbon nanofiber supported PU (3D‐NL‐PS/CNF/PU) provided a highly hydrophobic surface with a high water contact angle of ≈148±3°. The prepared 3D network was found to be highly oleophilic and provided rapid gravity driven separation of hexane and water without using any external force.
Protein Corona Mediated Uptake and Cytotoxicity of Silver Nanoparticles in Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast
Authors: Barbalinardo Marianna , Caicci Federico , Cavallini Massimiliano , Gentili Denis 
Published: July 2018

AbstractMedical applications of nanoparticles (NPs) require understanding of their interactions with living systems in order to control their physiological response, such as cellular uptake and cytotoxicity. When NPs are exposed to biological fluids, the adsorption of extracellular proteins on the surface of NPs, creating the so‐called protein corona, can critically affect their interactions with cells. Here, the effect of surface coating of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the adsorption of serum proteins (SPs) and its consequence on cellular uptake and cytotoxicity in mouse embryonic fibroblasts are shown. In particular, citrate‐capped AgNPs are internalized by cells and show a time‐ and dose‐dependent toxicity, while the passivation of the NP surface with an oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG)‐alkanethiol drastically reduces their uptake and cytotoxicity. The exposure to growth media containing SPs reveals that citrate‐capped AgNPs are promptly coated and stabilized by proteins, while the AgNPs resulting from capping with the OEG‐alkanethiol are more resistant to adsorption of proteins onto their surface. Using NIH‐3T3 cultured in serum‐free, the key role of the adsorption of SPs onto surface of NPs is shown as only AgNPs with a preformed protein corona can be internalized by the cells and, consequently, carry out their inherent cytotoxic activity.
Fluorination Triggered New Small Molecule Donor Materials for Efficient As‐Cast Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Yang Yuting , Wang Kai , Li Gongqiang , Ran Xueqin , Song Xin , Gasparini Nicola , Zhang Qian‐Qian , Lai Xue , Guo Xiao , Meng Fei , Du Mengzhen , Huang Wei , Baran Derya 
Published: July 2018

AbstractSolution‐processable small molecules (SMs) have attracted intense attention due to their definite molecular structures, less batch‐to‐batch variation, and easier structure control. Herein, two new SM donors based on substituted isatin unit (DI3T, DI3T‐2F) are synthesized and applied as electron donors with the mixture of PC71BM to construct organic photovoltaics. As a result, 5,6‐difluoro isatin derivative (DI3T‐2F) obtains a power conversion efficiency of 7.80% by a simple solution spin‐coating fabrication process without any additives, solvent, or thermal annealing process. More intuitively, due to stronger intermolecular interaction and higher hole mobility after the incorporation of fluorine atoms in end units, the devices present good tolerance to active layer thickness. The results indicate that DI3T‐2F shows promising potential for large‐scale printing processes and flexible application of efficient small molecule organic solar cells.
Natural Plant Materials as Dielectric Layer for Highly Sensitive Flexible Electronic Skin
Authors: Wan Yongbiao , Qiu Zhiguang , Huang Jun , Yang Jingyi , Wang Qi , Lu Peng , Yang Junlong , Zhang Jianming , Huang Siya , Wu Zhigang , Guo Chuan Fei 
Published: July 2018

AbstractNature has long offered human beings with useful materials. Herein, plant materials including flowers and leaves have been directly used as the dielectric material in flexible capacitive electronic skin (e‐skin), which simply consists of a dried flower petal or leaf sandwiched by two flexible electrodes. The plant material is a 3D cell wall network which plays like a compressible metamaterial that elastically collapses upon pressing plus some specific surface structures, and thus the device can sensitively respond to pressure. The device works over a broad‐pressure range from 0.6 Pa to 115 kPa with a maximum sensitivity of 1.54 kPa−1, and shows high stability over 5000 cyclic pressings or bends. The natural‐material‐based e‐skin has been applied in touch sensing, motion monitoring, gas flow detection, and the spatial distribution of pressure. As the foam‐like structure is ubiquitous in plants, a general strategy for a green, cost‐effective, and scalable approach to make flexible e‐skins is offered here.
Runx1 Role in Epithelial and Cancer Cell Proliferation Implicates Lipid Metabolism and Scd1 and Soat1 Activity
Authors: Jain Prachi , Nattakom Mary , Holowka David , Wang Dong Hao , Thomas Brenna J. , Ku Amy Tsu , Nguyen Hoang , Ibrahim Sherrif F. , Tumbar Tudorita 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
The role of lipid metabolism in epithelial stem cell (SC) function and carcinogenesis is poorly understood. The transcription factor Runx1 is known to regulate proliferation in mouse epithelial hair follicle (HF) SCs in vivo and in several mouse and human epithelial cancers. We found a novel subset of in vivo Runx1 HFSC target genes related to lipid metabolism and demonstrated changes in distinct classes of lipids driven by Runx1. Inhibition of lipid-enzymes Scd1 and Soat1 activity synergistically reduces proliferation of mouse skin epithelial cells and of human skin and oral squamous cell carcinoma cultured lines. Varying Runx1 levels induces changes in skin monounsaturated fatty acids (e.g., oleate, a product of Scd1) as shown by our lipidome analysis. Furthermore, varying Runx1 levels, the inhibition of Scd1, or the addition of Scd1-product oleate, individually affects the plasma membrane organization (or fluidity) in mouse keratinocytes. These factors also affect the strength of signal transduction through the membranes for Wnt, a pathway that promotes epithelial (cancer) cell proliferation and HFSC activation. Our working model is that HFSC factor Runx1 modulates the fatty acid production, which affects membrane organization, facilitating signal transduction for rapid proliferation of normal and cancer epithelial cells.
Perioperative Outcomes of Laparoscopic Minor Hepatectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Elderly
Authors: Goh Brian K. P. , Chua Darren , Syn Nicholas , Teo Jin‐Yao , Chan Chung‐Yip , Lee Ser‐Yee , Jeyaraj Prema Raj , Cheow Peng‐Chung , Chow Pierce K. H. , Ooi London L. P. J. , Chung Alexander Y. F. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractIntroductionThis study aims to evaluate the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic minor hepatectomy (LMH) in elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodsA total of 40 consecutive elderly (≥ 70 years) patients were compared with 94 young patients (< 70 years). The 40 patients were also compared with 85 consecutive elderly patients who underwent open minor hepatectomies (OMH). After 1:1 propensity‐score matching (PSM), 32 LMHs were compared with 32 OMHs in elderly patients.ResultsComparison between the baseline characteristics of elderly and young HCC patients showed that elderly patients were significantly more likely to have comorbidities, ASA score > 2, non‐hepatitis B, previous liver resection and larger tumor size. Comparison between perioperative outcomes demonstrated that elderly patients were significantly more likely to have a longer operation time, increased blood loss, increased need for blood transfusion, longer Pringles duration and longer postoperative stay. Comparison between LMH and OMH in elderly patients demonstrated no significant difference in baseline characteristics except the LMH cohort were significantly more likely to have > 1 comorbidity, higher platelet count and lower median AFP level. Comparison between outcomes before and after PSM demonstrated that LMH was associated with longer operation time, increased blood loss, longer Pringles duration but decreased postoperative pulmonary complications and shorter postoperative stay compared to OMH.ConclusionLMH is safe and feasible in elderly patients with HCC. However, LMH in elderly patients is associated with poorer perioperative outcomes compared to LMH in young patients. Comparison between LMH and OMH in elderly patients demonstrated advantages in terms of decreased pulmonary complications and shorter length of stay at the expense of increased operation time and blood loss.
Transition to ultimate Rayleigh–Bénard turbulence revealed through extended self-similarity scaling analysis of the temperature structure functions
Authors: Krug Dominik , Zhu Xiaojue , Chung Daniel , Marusic Ivan , Verzicco Roberto , Lohse Detlef 
Published: July 2018

In turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard (RB) convection, a transition to the so-called ultimate regime, in which the boundary layers (BL) are of turbulent type, has been postulated. Indeed, at very large Rayleigh number $Ra\approx 10^{13}{-}10^{14}$ a transition in the scaling of the global Nusselt number $Nu$ (the dimensionless heat transfer) and the Reynolds number with $Ra$ has been observed in experiments and very recently in direct numerical simulations (DNS) of two-dimensional (2D) RB convection. In this paper, we analyse the local scaling properties of the lateral temperature structure functions in the BLs of this simulation of 2D RB convection, employing extended self-similarity (ESS) (i.e., plotting the structure functions against each other, rather than only against the scale) in the spirit of the attached-eddy hypothesis, as we have recently introduced for velocity structure functions in wall turbulence (Krug et al., J. Fluid Mech., vol. 830, 2017, pp. 797–819). We find no ESS scaling at $Ra$ below the transition and in the near-wall region. However, beyond the transition and for large enough wall distance $z^{+}>100$, we find clear ESS behaviour, as expected for a scalar in a turbulent boundary layer. In striking correspondence to the $Nu$ scaling, the ESS scaling region is negligible at $Ra=10^{11}$ and well developed at $Ra=10^{14}$, thus providing strong evidence that the observed transition in the global Nusselt number at $Ra\approx 10^{13}$ indeed is the transition from a laminar type BL to a turbulent type BL. Our results further show that the relative slopes for scalar structure functions in the ESS scaling regime are the same as for their velocity counterparts, extending their previously established universality. The findings are confirmed by comparing to scalar structure functions in three-dimensional turbulent channel flow.
Distance-varying assortativity and clustering of the international trade network–ADDENDUM
Authors: Abbate Angela , De Benedictis Luca , Fagiolo Giorgio , Tajoli Lucia 
Published: July 2018

In the original publication of this article (Abbate et al. 2018), a disclaimer was omitted. The authors wish to state the following:The views expressed in this study are the authors' and do not necessarily reflect those of the Swiss National Bank.The authors regret the omission.
A fun, active and sociable life on display – nursing home presentations on Instagram
Authors: CARLSTEDT ELISABETH 
Published: July 2018

ABSTRACTSwedish nursing homes’ use of Instagram has increased vastly in the past few years. Instagram is understood as a means to manage the image they wish to mediate to the public. This article examines what is displayed in the nursing homes’ Instagram accounts, and what kind of reality is thereby constructed. The data consist of 338 Instagram images from four nursing homes’ Instagram accounts. It is found that nursing home life is primarily depicted on Instagram as active, sociable and fun, with informal, friendly relations between staff and residents, and residents able to continue to live as before, if not better, and to interact with surrounding society. Frailty, boredom, loneliness and death were absent from the data, as were mundane care activities. The article concludes that the presentations in the Instagram accounts challenge the traditional idea of nursing homes as total institutions, and the decline and loss associated with living in such institutions; however, there is a risk that these idyllic presentations conceal the inherent problems of nursing home life.
Stiffness analysis and experimental validation of modular-type hybrid antagonistic tendon-driven joint systems
Authors: Jeong Hyunhwan , Kang Bongki , Cheong Joono 
Published: July 2018

SUMMARYThis paper proposes a new antagonistic tendon-driven joint (TDJ) that exhibits higher stiffness and larger travel range than conventional types of TDJs. A detailed mathematical analysis of the stiffness of the proposed TDJ is conducted and compared to other TDJs. The effect of the tendon length is taken into consideration to establish a more precise and realistic stiffness model of the proposed TDJ. Thereafter, two hardware prototypes of the proposed TDJ design, developed in the form of a packaged modular structure that integrates two TDJs, are introduced. Using these prototypes, the stiffness characteristics of the proposed TDJs are verified through experimentation. Additionally, experimental results on the stiffness behavior during the mimicked needle insertion tasks are provided. Results show that the proposed TDJs present much higher stiffness than conventional ones and thus give a potential benefit to precision manipulation.
Vitamin D-binding protein is inversely associated with the incidence of gastrointestinal and ear infections in school-age children
Authors: Palframan K.M. , Robinson S.L. , Mora-Plazas M. , Marin C. , Villamor E. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractCirculating 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) is related to decreased rates of gastrointestinal and ear infections in school-age children. Vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) transports 25(OH)D and exerts immunological functions; however, it is unknown whether DBP is associated with infectious morbidity in children. We quantified plasma DBP concentrations in 540 school-age children at the time of recruitment into a cohort study in Bogotá, Colombia and obtained daily information on infectious morbidity symptoms and doctor visits during the school year. We compared the incidence rates of gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms across quartiles of DBP concentration by estimating adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence interval (CI). We also estimated the per cent of the associations between DBP and morbidity that were mediated through 25(OH)D using a counterfactual frame. Mean ±s.d.DBP concentration was 2650 ± 1145 nmol/l. DBP was inversely associated with the rates of diarrhoea with vomiting (IRR for quartiles 2–4vs.1 = 0.48; 95% CI 0.25–0.92;P= 0.03) and earache/ear discharge with fever (IRR for quartiles 2–4vs.1 = 0.29; 95% CI 0.12–0.71;P= 0.006). The DBP–morbidity associations were not mediated through 25(OH)D. We conclude that plasma DBP predicts lower incidence of gastrointestinal and ear infections in school-age children independent of 25(OH)D.