bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and interstitial lung diseases among pigeon breeders
Authors: Cramer Christine , Schlünssen Vivi , Bendstrup Elisabeth , Stokholm Zara Ann , Vestergaard Jesper Medom , Frydenberg Morten , Kolstad Henrik Albert 
Published: May 2016

We studied the risk of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) among pigeon breeders.This is a retrospective follow-up study from 1980 to 2013 of 6920 pigeon breeders identified in the records of the Danish Racing Pigeon Association. They were compared with 276 800 individually matched referents randomly drawn from the Danish population. Hospital based diagnoses of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other ILDs were identified in the National Patient Registry 1977–2013. Stratified Cox regression analyses estimated the hazard ratios (HR) of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other ILDs adjusted for occupation, residence and redeemed prescription of medication with ILDs as a possible side-effect. Subjects were censored at death, emigration or a diagnosis of connective tissue disease.The overall incidence rate of ILD was 77.4 per 100 000 person-years among the pigeon breeders and 50.0 among the referents. This difference corresponded to an adjusted HR of 1.56 (95% CI 1.26–1.94). The adjusted HRs of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other ILDs for pigeon breeders were 14.36 (95% CI 8.10–25.44) and 1.33 (95% CI 1.05–1.69), respectively.This study shows an increased risk of ILD among pigeon breeders compared with the referent population. Protective measures are recommended even though ILD leading to hospital contact remains rare among pigeon breeders.
Lung function decline in asthma patients with elevated bronchial CD8, CD4 and CD3 cells
Authors: den Otter Irene , Willems Luuk N.A. , van Schadewijk Annemarie , van Wijngaarden Simone , Janssen Kirsten , de Jeu Ronald C. , Sont Jacob K. , Sterk Peter J. , Hiemstra Pieter S. 
Published: May 2016

Which inflammatory markers in the bronchial mucosa of asthma patients are associated with decline of lung function during 14 years of prospective follow-up?To address this question, 19 mild-to-moderate, atopic asthmatic patients underwent spirometry and bronchoscopy at baseline and after 14 years of follow-up (t=14). Baseline bronchial biopsies were analysed for reticular layer thickness, eosinophil cationic protein (EG2), mast cell tryptase (AA1), CD3, CD4 and CD8. Follow-up biopsies were stained for EG2, AA1, neutrophil elastase, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, granzyme B, CD68, DC-SIGN, Ki67 and mucins.Decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) % predicted was highest in patients with high CD8 (p=0.01, both pre- and post-bronchodilator) or high CD4 counts at baseline (p=0.04 pre-bronchodilator, p=0.03 post-bronchodilator). Patients with high CD8, CD3 or granzyme B counts at t=14 also exhibited faster decline in FEV1(p=0.00 CD8 pre-bronchodilator, p=0.04 CD8 post-bronchodilator, p=0.01 granzyme B pre-bronchodilator, and p<0.01 CD3 pre-bronchodilator).Long-term lung function decline in asthma is associated with elevation of bronchial CD8 and CD4 at baseline, and CD8, CD3 and granzyme B at follow-up. This suggests that high-risk groups can be identified on the basis of inflammatory phenotypes.
e-Monitoring of Asthma Therapy to Improve Compliance in children (e-MATIC): a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Vasbinder Erwin C. , Goossens Lucas M.A. , Rutten-van Mölken Maureen P.M.H. , de Winter Brenda C.M. , van Dijk Liset , Vulto Arnold G. , Blankman Ellen I.M. , Dahhan Nordin , Veenstra-van Schie Monique T.M. , Versteegh Florens G.A. , Wolf Bart H.M. , Janssens Hettie M. , van den Bemt Patricia M.L.A. 
Published: May 2016

Real-time medication monitoring (RTMM) is a promising tool for improving adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), but has not been sufficiently tested in children with asthma. We aimed to study the effects of RTMM with short message service (SMS) reminders on adherence to ICS, asthma control, asthma-specific quality of life and asthma exacerbation rate; and to study the associated cost-effectiveness.In a multicentre, randomised controlled trial, children (aged 4–11 years) using ICS were recruited from five outpatient clinics and were given an RTMM device for 12 months. The intervention group also received tailored SMS reminders, sent only when a dose was at risk of omission. Outcome measures were adherence to ICS (RTMM data), asthma control (childhood asthma control test questionnaire), quality of life (paediatric asthma quality of life questionnaire) and asthma exacerbations. Costs were calculated from a healthcare and societal perspective.We included 209 children. Mean adherence was higher in the intervention group: 69.3%versus57.3% (difference 12.0%, 95% CI 6.7%–17.7%). No differences were found for asthma control, quality of life or asthma exacerbations. Costs were higher in the intervention group, but this difference was not statistically significant.RTMM with tailored SMS reminders improved adherence to ICS, but not asthma control, quality of life or exacerbations in children using ICS for asthma.
How low can they go when going with the flow? Tolerance of egg and larval fishes to rapid decompression
Authors: Boys Craig A. , Robinson Wayne , Miller Brett , Pflugrath Brett , Baumgartner Lee J. , Navarro Anna , Brown Richard , Deng Zhiqun 
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACTEgg and larval fish that drift downstream are likely to encounter river infrastructure and consequently rapid decompression, which may result in significant injury. Pressure-related injury (or barotrauma) has been shown in juvenile fishes when pressure falls sufficiently below that at which the fish has acclimated. There is a presumption that eggs and larvae may be at least as, if not more, susceptible to barotrauma injury because they are far less-developed and more fragile than juveniles, but studies to date report inconsistent results and none have considered the relationship between pressure change and barotrauma over a sufficiently broad range of pressure changes to enable tolerances to be properly determined. To address this, we exposed eggs and larvae of three physoclistic species to rapid decompression in a barometric chamber over a broad range of discrete pressure changes. Eggs, but not larvae, were unaffected by all levels of decompression tested. At exposure pressures below ∼40 kPa, or ∼40% of surface pressure, swim bladder deflation occurred in all species and internal haemorrhage was observed in one species. None of these injuries killed the fish within 24 h, but subsequent mortality cannot be excluded. Consequently, if larval drift is expected where river infrastructure is present, adopting design or operational features which maintain exposure pressures at 40% or more of the pressure to which drifting larvae are acclimated may afford greater protection for resident fishes.
Early-childhood housing mobility and subsequent PTSD in adolescence: a Moving to Opportunity reanalysis
Authors: Norris David C. , Wilson Andrew 
Published: May 2016

In a 2014 report on adolescent mental health outcomes in the Moving to Opportunity for Fair Housing Demonstration (MTO), Kessler et al. reported that, at 10- to 15-year follow-up, boys from households randomized to an experimental housing voucher intervention experienced 12-month prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at several times the rate of boys from control households. We reanalyze this finding here, bringing to light a PTSD outcome imputation procedure used in the original analysis, but not described in the study report. By bootstrapping with repeated draws from the frequentist sampling distribution of the imputation model used by Kessler et al., and by varying two pseudorandom number generator seeds that fed their analysis, we account for several purely statistical components of the uncertainty inherent in their imputation procedure. We also discuss other sources of uncertainty in this procedure that were not accessible to a formal reanalysis.
Symptomatic treatment or cast immobilisation for avulsion fractures of the base of the fifth metatarsal
Authors: Akimau P. I. , Cawthron K. L. , Dakin W. M. , Chadwick C. , Blundell C. M. , Davies M. B. 
Published: May 2016

Aims The purpose of this study was to compare symptomatic treatment of a fracture of the base of the fifth metatarsal with immobilisation in a cast. Our null hypothesis was that immobilisation gave better patient reported outcome measures (PROMs). The alternative hypothesis was that symptomatic treatment was not inferior. Patients and Methods A total of 60 patients were randomised to receive four weeks of treatment, 36 in a double elasticated bandage (symptomatic treatment group) and 24 in a below-knee walking cast (immobilisation group). The primary outcome measure used was the validated Visual Analogue Scale Foot and Ankle (VAS-FA) Score. Data were analysed by a clinician, blinded to the form of treatment, at presentation and at four weeks, three months and six months after injury. Loss to follow-up was 43% at six months. Multiple imputations missing data analysis was performed. Results At four weeks and six months, symptomatic treatment proved non-inferior in terms of primary outcome. Take home message: Immobilisation is no better than symptomatic treatment in the management of a fracture of the base of the fifth metatarsal when judged by PROMs. Significant loss to follow-up with this injury could be expected in longer term. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:806–11.
University Competition and Transnational Education: The Choice of Branch Campus
Authors: Poyago-Theotoky Joanna , Tampieri Alessandro 
Published: May 2016

AbstractWe present a theoretical framework in which an elitist and a non-elitist university in a developed country compete by choosing admission standards and deciding whether or not to open a branch campus in a developing country. Students from a developing country attend university if either a branch campus is opened or, they can afford to move to the developed country. We find that the elitist university is more likely to open a branch campus. This result is reversed if the gain, in terms of prestige, to attend the home campus of the elitist university more than offsets a student’s mobility costs. A rise in the graduate wage increases the incentive for opening a branch campus, although this incentive is stronger for the elitist university.
Novel Dual-Band Miniaturized Frequency Selective Surface based on Fractal Structures
Authors: Zhong Tao , Zhang Hou , Wu Rui , Min Xueliang 
Published: May 2016

Abstract
A novel single-layer dual-band miniaturized frequency selective surface (FSS) based on fractal structures is proposed and analyzed in this paper. A prototype with enough dimensions is fabricated and measured in anechoic chamber, and the measured results provide good agreement with the simulated. The simulations and measurements indicate that the dual-band FSS with bandstop selectivity center at 3.95 GHz and 7.10 GHz, and the whole dimension of the proposed FSS cell is only 7×7 mm2, amount to 0.092λ0×0.092λ0, that λ0 is free space wavelength at first resonant frequency. In addition, the center frequencies have scarcely any changes for different polarizations and incidences. What’s more, dual-band mechanism is analyzed clearly and it provides a new way to design novel miniaturized FSS structures.
Compact, Harmonic Suppressed Gysel Power Divider with Plain Structure
Authors: Roshani Saeed , Siahkamari Payam , Siahkamari Hesam 
Published: May 2016

Abstract
A novel compact Gysel power divider with up to 12th, harmonics suppression was proposed in this study. Incorporation of six similar low-pass filters into the conventional Gysel power divider is applied to this design. The proposed power divider reduces the occupied area to only 9 % of the conventional Gysel power divider at 625 MHz (91 % size reduction). A comprehensive comparison between the proposed design and other published studies substantiates the superiority of the proposed design in terms of circuit size and stop-band bandwidth. Furthermore, this design retains the high-power handling capability over the Wilkinson power divider.
Regulation of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins and GPI-phospholipase D in a c-Myc transgenic mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma and human HCC
Authors: Ritorto Maria Stella , Rhode Heidrun , Vogel Arndt , Borlak Jürgen 
Published: May 2016

Abstract
Recent research implicated glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins (GPI-AP) and GPI-specific phospholipase D (GPI-PLD) in the pathogenesis of fatty liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Given that c-Myc is frequently amplified in HCC, we investigated their regulation in a c-Myc transgenic disease model of liver cancer and HCC patient samples. Whole genome scans defined 54 significantly regulated genes coding for GPI-AP of which 29 and 14 were repressed in expression in transgenic tumors and steatotic human hepatocyte cultures, respectively, to influence lipid-mediated signal transduction, extracellular matrix and immunity pathways. Analysis of gene specific promoter revealed >95% to carry c-Myc binding sites thus establishing a link between c-Myc activity and transcriptional response. Alike, serum GPI-PLD activity was increased 4-fold in transgenic mice; however its tissue activity was reduced by 70%. The associated repression of the serine/threonine phosphatase 2A (PP2A), i.e. a key player of c-Myc proteolysis, indicates co-ordinate responses aimed at impairing tissue GPI-PLD anti-proliferative activities. Translational research identified >4-fold increased GPI-PLD serum protein expression though enzyme activities were repressed by 60% in NASH and HCC patients. Taken collectively, c-Myc influences GPI-AP signaling transcriptionally and posttranslational and represses GPI-AP anti-proliferative signaling in tumors. The findings broaden the perspective of molecular targeted therapies and disease monitoring.
Multi-locus Test and Correction for Confounding Effects in Genome-Wide Association Studies
Authors: Chen Donglai , Liu Chuanhai , Xie Jun 
Published: May 2016

Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) examine a large number of genetic variants, e. g., single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), and associate them with a disease of interest. Traditional statistical methods for GWASs can produce spurious associations, due to limited information from individual SNPs and confounding effects. This paper develops two statistical methods to enhance data analysis of GWASs. The first is a multiple-SNP association test, which is a weighted chi-square test derived for big contingency tables. The test assesses combinatorial effects of multiple SNPs and improves conventional methods of single SNP analysis. The second is a method that corrects for confounding effects, which may come from population stratification as well as other ambiguous (unknown) factors. The proposed method identifies a latent confounding factor, using a profile of whole genome SNPs, and eliminates confounding effects through matching or stratified statistical analysis. Simulations and a GWAS of rheumatoid arthritis demonstrate that the proposed methods dramatically remove the number of significant tests, or false positives, and outperforms other available methods.
Cambridge Theorem, Ricardian Equivalence and Government Activity / Cambridge Theorem, ricardianische Äquivalenz und staatliches Handeln
Authors: Gupta Kanhaya L. 
Published: May 2016

Summary
The aim of this paper is threefold. First, it develops a generalized savings function which explicitly takes into account the government’s budget constraint properly specified. Second, it reexamines the “Cambridge Theorem” when the savings functions are properly specified. And, finally, it proposes a way to explicitly model the RET and shows how it would affect the steady-state rate of profit and what this would be.
Technologie im neoklassischen Wachstumsmodell: Effekte auf Wachstum und Konvergenz / Technology in the Neoclassical Growth Model: Effects on Growth and Convergence
Authors: Schalk Hans Joachim , Untiedt Gerhard 
Published: May 2016

Zusammenfassung
In diesem Beitrag wird anhand des neoklassischen Wachstumsmodells die Bedeutung von regional unterschiedlichen Technologien für den Konvergenzprozeß diskutiert und die in vielen Studien erhaltene „Zwei-Prozent-Regel“ mit Daten der Verarbeitenden Industrie und Arbeitsmarktregionen Westdeutschlands überprüft. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß unterschiedliche Technologien für das Wachstum von erheblicher Bedeutung sind, ihre Vernachlässigung scheinbar die „Zwei-Prozent- Regel“ bestätigt, während ihre Berücksichtigung die Konvergenzgeschwindigkeit auf bis zu 12 % ansteigen läßt. Dieses Ergebnis ist kompatibel mit einer Produktionselastizität des Kapitals von rd. 1/3, welche mit den Verteilungsquoten des Volkseinkommens besser übereinstimmt als die von rd. 8/10, die aus der „Zwei-Prozent-Regel“ folgt. Regionen werden aber nur dann zu identischen Produktivitätsniveaus konvergieren, wenn auch identische Technologien erreicht werden. Unter dieser Voraussetzung (identischer Technologien) prognostiziert unsere Studie für den Konvergenzprozeß zwischen Ost- und Westdeutschland eine erheblich optimistischere Entwicklung als die meisten bisherigen Untersuchungen.
Von Insidern, „marginal traders“ und Glücksrittern: Zur Relevanz von Entscheidungsanomalien in politischen Börsen / About Insiders, Marginal Traders and Lucky Beggars in Political Stock Markets
Authors: Brüggelambert Gregor 
Published: May 2016

Zusammenfassung
In diesem Aufsatz werden drei Wahlbörsen untersucht, die in den Jahren 1990, 1991 und 1994 in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland installiert waren. Wahlbörsen dieses Typs wurden erstmalig von Forsythe et al. (1992, 1993) zu den amerikanischen Präsidentschaftswahlen eingesetzt. Sie hatten dort den Ausgang der Wahlen weit besser prognostiziert, als das Meinungsumfragen vermochten. Die deutschen Börsen lieferten zwar zufriedenstellende Ergebnisse, waren jedoch nicht besser als die Umfragen. Forsythe et al. (1992) führen den Erfolg der Wahlbörse auf die Existenz sogenannter marginal traders zurück, die von ihnen lokalisierte Entscheidungsanomalien neutralisiert haben sollen. Diese Entscheidungsanomalien sind zwar auch in den bundesdeutschen Börsen existent, marginal traders scheiden jedoch als Korrekturfaktor aus, da sie nicht erfolgreicher waren als der Rest der Population. Das Konzept der marginal traders eignet sich nicht, das Verhalten der deutschen Wahlbörsen zu erklären. Aus diesem Grund wird ein Erklärungsansatz entworfen, der stärker die jeweiligen institutionellen Begebenheiten einbezieht. Zudem werden Argumente hinsichtlich der Relevanz der von Forsythe et al. (1992) durchgeführten Untersuchungen zur Überprüfung der sogenannten Hayek-Hypothese diskutiert, die erstmalig von Smith (1982) experimentell untersucht wurde.
Strukturelle Benachteiligung von Familien als Herausforderung im Umbau des Sozialstaats / Structural Handicaps of Families as a Challenge to the Formation of the Welfare-state
Authors: Wingen Max 
Published: May 2016

Zusammenfassung
Für die Position der Familie in der weiteren Gestaltung des Sozialstaats besteht ein Dilemma darin, daß im Feld der sozial-ökonomischen Absicherung der (langfristigen) Übernahme von Elternverantwortung entscheidende Schritte noch zu tun sind zu einem Zeitpunkt, an dem die Grenzen der Belastung des sozialen Sicherungssystems immer deutlicher in Erscheinung treten. Umschichtungen des bestehenden Volumens sozialer Leistungen setzen hier eine politische Durchsetzungsmacht von Familienbelangen voraus, die unter den Bedingungen der real existierenden parlamentarisch-repräsentativen Demokratie kaum auszumachen sind. Dennoch gilt es, den durch die Strukturen von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft bedingten Benachteiligungen von Familien (teils als „Wettbewerbsnachteile“ zu fassen) gezielt zu begegnen: so in der Verteilungsordnung durch eine voll wirksame familiengemäße Einkommensgestaltung und speziell für junge Eltern eine Weiterentwicklung der „Trias“ von Erziehungsgeld, Erziehungsurlaub und rentenversicherungsrechtlicher Anrechnung von Erziehungszeiten; in der Gestaltung der Erwerbsarbeitswelt durch eine stärkere Durchsetzung des Prinzips einer familienorientierten Personalpolitik als Teil moderner Unternehmenspolitik und ein Einfordern der Wahrnehmung der familienpolitischen Verantwortung der Tarifpartner; im Bildungs- und Beratungswesen durch den Ausbau familienbezogener Infrastruktureinrichtungen und deren besserer Vernetzung. Nur wenn die in der Gesellschaft sich abzeichnenden Spaltungstendenzen zwischen einem „Nicht-Familiensektor“ und einem „Familiensektor“ überwunden werden, kann von einem familienpolitisch gelungenen Umbau des Sozialstaats gesprochen werden.
Die Rolle der Vermögenspolitik im Rahmen einer Sozialstaatsreform / The Distribution of Wealth and Welfare State Reform
Authors: Althammer Jörg 
Published: May 2016

Zusammenfassung
Angesichts der gegenwärtigen Krise des umlagefinanzierten Systems sozialer Sicherung wird im politischen wie wissenschaftlichen Bereich verstärkt gefordert, die staatliche Sozialversicherung durch Maßnahmen der privaten Vermögensbildung zu ergänzen. Vor diesem Hintergrund untersucht der vorliegende Beitrag die Notwendigkeit der Förderung der privaten Vermögensbildung und analysiert das vermögenspolitische Instrumentarium auf seine wirtschafts- und sozialpolitische Effizienz. Die Analyse der Verteilung der materiellen Vermögenswerte zeigt, dass die nach wie vor hohe Disparität der personellen und sozioökonomischen Vermögensverteilung eine Förderung der Vermögensbildung unterer Einkommensbezieher und Familien erforderlich macht. Eine zielkonforme Reform des vermögenspolitischen Instrumentariums müsste jedoch die Förderung verstärkt als Einstiegsförderung ausgestalten und weitgehende Wahlfreiheit zwischen verschiedenen Anlagealternativen gewährleisten. Eine staatliche Förderung von Arbeitnehmerkapitalbeteiligungen oder investiven Entlohnungsformen erweist sich demgegenüber als wirtschafte- und sozialpolitisch verfehlt.
Einige Bemerkungen zur Berechnung des Autokorrelationskoeffizienten in der Zeitreihenanalyse / Some Remarks on the Calculation of the Serial Correlation Coefficient in the Analysis of Time Series
Authors: Ferschl Franz 
Published: May 2016

Zusammenfassung
In der Zeitreihenanalyse wird der Autokorrelationskoeffizient anders berechnet als der gewöhnliche Korrelationskoeffizient. Es wird der Unterschied zwischen den beiden Versionen untersucht, und zwar hauptsächlich im Sinn der deskriptiven Statistik. Es stellt sich heraus, daß die Version der Zeitreihenanalyse tendenziell dem Absolutbetrag nach kleiner ausfällt als der gewöhnliche Korrelationskoeffizient. Dieses Resultat wird durch asymptotische Überlegungen und einige einfache Modell-Zeitreihen gestützt. Als Stichprobenfunktionen betrachtet werden einige Tatsachen betreffend die Autokovarianz abgeleitet, die jedoch ein komplizierteres Verhalten zeigen.
Identifikation asymmetrischer Preisanpassungsprozesse für integrierte Zeitreihen / The Identification of Asymmetrie Price Transmission Processes with Integrated Time Series
Authors: Cramon-Taubadel Stephan von , Loy Jens-Peter 
Published: May 2016

Zusammenfassung
In vielen Studien werden die Erkenntnisse der Cointegrationstheorie bei der Bestimmung symmetrischer Preisanpassungen auf räumlich oder vertikal getrennten Märkten umgesetzt. Bei der Identifikation asymmetrischer Preisanpassungsprozesse hingegen wird immer noch der Ansatz von Wolffram aus dem Jahre 1971 benutzt. Im folgenden Beitrag werden die Unzulänglichkeiten dieses Ansatzes aufgezeigt. Darauf aufbauend werden unter Berücksichtigung der Eigenschaften integrierter Prozesse adäquate Modelle zur Messung asymmetrischer Preisanpassungsprozesse entwickelt. Diese Modelle werden auf Preisdaten für den Weltweizenmarkt angewendet, für den erst kürzlich - unter Verwendung des klassischen Ansatzes - asymmetrische Preisanpassungsreaktionen nachgewiesen wurden (Mohanty, Peterson & Kruse 1995).