bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of ABA and CaCl2 on GABA accumulation in fava bean germinating under hypoxia-NaCl stress
Authors: Yang Runqiang , Hui Qianru , Gu Zhenxin 
Published: December 2015

Abstract
Effects of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and CaCl2 on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) accumulation of germinated fava bean under hypoxia-NaCl stress were investigated. Exogenous ABA resulted in the enhancement of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and diamine oxidase (DAO) activity as well as GABA content in cotyledon and shoot. CaCl2 increased both enzyme activities in shoot and GABA content in cotyledon and shoot. ABA downregulated GAD expression in cotyledon and radicle, while upregulated that in shoot; it also upregulated DAO expression in each organ. CaCl2 upregulated GAD expression in cotyledon, while downregulated that in radicle. However, it upregulated DAO expression in shoot, downregulated that in radicle. ABA inhibitor fluridon and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid inhibited GAD and DAO activities significantly so that inhibited GABA accumulation through reducing ABA biosynthesis and chelating Ca2+, respectively. However, they upregulated GAD and DAO expression in varying degrees. These results indicate that ABA and Ca2+ participate in GABA biosynthesis in fava bean during germination under hypoxia-NaCl stress.
Orthostatic Hypotension and Cardiac Changes After Long-Term Follow-Up
Authors: Magnusson Martin , Holm Hannes , Bachus Erasmus , Nilsson Peter , Leosdottir Margret , Melander Olle , Jujic Amra , Fedorowski Artur 
Published: December 2015

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Orthostatic hypotension (OH) increases the risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in population-based cohort studies. Whether OH is associated with development of cardiac anomalies has not been sufficiently explored.

METHODS
In the prospective population-based Malmö Preventive Project (MPP), a subset of 974 non-diabetic individuals (mean age: 67 years; 29% women) were examined with echocardiography after a mean follow-up period of 23±4 years from baseline. The association of increased left ventricular mass (LVM), pathological cardiac chamber volumes, echocardiographic parameters of systolic and diastolic dysfunction in relation to the presence of OH at baseline, defined as decrease in systolic ≥20mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure (BP) ≥10mm Hg upon standing, was studied.

RESULTS
Among reexamined MPP participants, 40 (4.1%) met OH criteria during baseline screening. In the multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models, taking demographics, BP, and antihypertensive treatment (AHT) into account, OH predicted left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) (hazard ratio (HR): 1.97, 1.01–3.84; P = 0.047), decreased right chamber volume (HR: 1.74, 1.19–2.57; P = 0.005), and reduced early diastolic tissue velocity in septal wall (HR: 1.47, 1.01–2.14; P = 0.045). No significant associations were seen between OH and atrial chamber volumes, LV volume, and LV systolic function.

CONCLUSIONS
The presence of OH among middle-aged adults is associated with the development of structural cardiac changes such as LVH and declining right chamber volume, as well as with the development of diastolic dysfunction, independently of traditional risk factors. These findings may contribute to the understanding of how prevalent OH impacts the risk of CVD.
Improved topology prediction using the terminal hydrophobic helices rule
Authors: Peters Christoph , Tsirigos Konstantinos D. , Shu Nanjiang , Elofsson Arne 
Published: December 2015

Abstract
Motivation: The translocon recognizes sufficiently hydrophobic regions of a protein and inserts them into the membrane. Computational methods try to determine what hydrophobic regions are recognized by the translocon. Although these predictions are quite accurate, many methods still fail to distinguish marginally hydrophobic transmembrane (TM) helices and equally hydrophobic regions in soluble protein domains. In vivo, this problem is most likely avoided by targeting of the TM-proteins, so that non-TM proteins never see the translocon. Proteins are targeted to the translocon by an N-terminal signal peptide. The targeting is also aided by the fact that the N-terminal helix is more hydrophobic than other TM-helices. In addition, we also recently found that the C-terminal helix is more hydrophobic than central helices. This information has not been used in earlier topology predictors.
Results: Here, we use the fact that the N- and C-terminal helices are more hydrophobic to develop a new version of the first-principle-based topology predictor, SCAMPI. The new predictor has two main advantages; first, it can be used to efficiently separate membrane and non-membrane proteins directly without the use of an extra prefilter, and second it shows improved performance for predicting the topology of membrane proteins that contain large non-membrane domains.
Availability and implementation: The predictor, a web server and all datasets are available at http://scampi.bioinfo.se/.
Contact: arne@bioinfo.se
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
OpenFDA: an innovative platform providing access to a wealth of FDA’s publicly available data
Authors: Kass-Hout Taha A , Xu Zhiheng , Mohebbi Matthew , Nelsen Hans , Baker Adam , Levine Jonathan , Johanson Elaine , Bright Roselie A 
Published: December 2015

Objective The objective of openFDA is to facilitate access and use of big important Food and Drug Administration public datasets by developers, researchers, and the public through harmonization of data across disparate FDA datasets provided via application programming interfaces (APIs).
Materials and Methods Using cutting-edge technologies deployed on FDA’s new public cloud computing infrastructure, openFDA provides open data for easier, faster (over 300 requests per second per process), and better access to FDA datasets; open source code and documentation shared on GitHub for open community contributions of examples, apps and ideas; and infrastructure that can be adopted for other public health big data challenges.
Results Since its launch on June 2, 2014, openFDA has developed four APIs for drug and device adverse events, recall information for all FDA-regulated products, and drug labeling. There have been more than 20 million API calls (more than half from outside the United States), 6000 registered users, 20,000 connected Internet Protocol addresses, and dozens of new software (mobile or web) apps developed. A case study demonstrates a use of openFDA data to understand an apparent association of a drug with an adverse event.
Conclusion With easier and faster access to these datasets, consumers worldwide can learn more about FDA-regulated products.
A Graphic Overlay Method for Selection of Osteotomy Site in Chronic Radial Head Dislocation: An Evaluation of 3D-printed Bone Models
Authors: Kim Hui Taek , Ahn Tae Young , Jang Jae Hoon , Kim Kang Hee , Lee Sung Jae , Jung Duk Young 
Published: December 2015

Purpose:
Three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography imaging is now being used to generate 3D models for planning orthopaedic surgery, but the process remains time consuming and expensive. For chronic radial head dislocation, we have designed a graphic overlay approach that employs selected 3D computer images and widely available software to simplify the process of osteotomy site selection.

Methods:
We studied 5 patients (2 traumatic and 3 congenital) with unilateral radial head dislocation. These patients were treated with surgery based on traditional radiographs, but they also had full sets of 3D CT imaging done both before and after their surgery: these 3D CT images form the basis for this study. From the 3D CT images, each patient generated 3 sets of 3D-printed bone models: 2 copies of the preoperative condition, and 1 copy of the postoperative condition. One set of the preoperative models was then actually osteotomized and fixed in the manner suggested by our graphic technique. Arcs of rotation of the 3 sets of 3D-printed bone models were then compared.

Results:
Arcs of rotation of the 3 groups of bone models were significantly different, with the models osteotomized accordingly to our graphic technique having the widest arcs.

Conclusions:
For chronic radial head dislocation, our graphic overlay approach simplifies the selection of the osteotomy site(s). Three-dimensional-printed bone models suggest that this approach could improve range of motion of the forearm in actual surgical practice.

Level of Evidence:
Level IV—therapeutic study.
Efficacy of the Modified Broström Procedure for Adolescent Patients With Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability
Authors: Kocher Mininder S. , Fabricant Peter D. , Nasreddine Adam Y. , Stenquist Nicole , Kramer Dennis E. , Lee Jared T. 
Published: December 2015

Background and Purpose:
Lateral ankle sprains are very common, representing up to 30% of sports-related injuries. The anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and less commonly the calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) are injured. Surgical treatment is reserved for injuries that fail nonoperative treatment with recurrent instability. Anatomic repair using the modified Broström technique has been shown to have good clinical outcomes in the adult population. The purpose of this study was to report on the outcomes of the modified Broström technique in the pediatric and adolescent population (under 18 y old) for chronic lateral ankle instability.

Methods:
Thirty-one patients over an 8-year period were included in the current study after excluding for congenital malformation or underlying connective tissue disease. All patients were treated with a modified Broström technique in which the ATFL was repaired anatomically. Twenty-four patients (77%) underwent concomitant arthroscopy for intra-articular pathology. Demographic, surgical, and clinical data were collected and outcome scores were obtained, including the Marx activity scale, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) activity score, and modified American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score.

Results:
Mean time from initial injury to surgery averaged 27 months with an overall mean clinical postoperative follow-up of 36 months. Of the 24 patients who underwent concomitant arthroscopy, all had thickening of Bassett ligament and 3 (12.5%) had cartilage lesions. Postoperatively, the mean Marx activity score was 9.9±4.7, mean UCLA score was 9.3±1.3, and mean modified AOFAS score was 83.8±11.7. 71% (22 of 31) of patients achieved good-to-excellent results (as defined by a modified AOFAS score of 80 or greater). Two patients had superficial wound infections; no other complications were experienced in this cohort.

Conclusions:
Lateral ankle sprains are common injuries that can frequently be treated nonoperatively; chronic instability may result despite appropriate therapy. Surgical treatment with anatomic repair of the ATFL and CFL using the modified Broström technique in pediatric and adolescent patients results in improved stability, low complication rate, and good clinical outcome scores.

Level of Evidence:
Level IV—prognostic retrospective case series.
A Systematic Review of Psychometric Properties of Health-Related Quality-of-Life and Symptom Instruments in Adult Acute Leukemia Survivors
Authors: Bryant Ashley Leak , Walton AnnMarie , Shaw-Kokot Julia , Mayer Deborah K. , Reeve Bryce B. 
Published: December 2015

Background:
Acute leukemia represents 4% of cancer cases in the United States annually. There are more than 302 000 people living with acute and chronic leukemia in the United States. Treatment has been shown to have both positive and negative effects on health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Objective:
The aims of this study were to examine psychometric properties of symptom and HRQOL instruments and to provide implications for the assessment in adults with acute leukemia relevant to clinical practice and future research.

Methods:
Systematic literature search was conducted from 1990 to 2014 using electronic databases and manual searches. Psychometric studies were considered eligible for inclusion if (1) the psychometric paper was published using at least 1 HRQOL or symptom instrument, and (2) adults with acute leukemia were included in the sample. Studies were excluded if the age groups were not adults, or if the instrument was in a language other than English.

Results:
Review identified a total of 7 instruments (1 cancer generic HRQOL, 2 symptom related, 3 HRQOL combined with symptom questions, and 1 disease specific). The most commonly used instrument was the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30, followed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Fatigue.

Conclusions:
An acute leukemia diagnosis can have a significant impact on HRQOL. Our recommendations include using both an HRQOL and symptom instrument to capture patient experiences during and after treatment.

Implications for Practice:
The availability of comprehensive, valid, and reliable HRQOL and symptom instruments to capture the experiences of adults with acute leukemia during and after treatment is limited.
Aspergillus fumigatus native valve infective endocarditis in an otherwise healthy adult
Authors: Ikediobi Uchenna , Sutton Richard E. 
Published: December 2015

Introduction:
Fungal endocarditis is a rare cause of infective endocarditis, and Aspergillus spp. account for up to 30 % of all cases. Risk factors include intravenous drug use, immunosuppression, malignancy and the presence of prosthetic valves.

Case presentation:
We present a case of A. fumigatus endocarditis in a patient without any known or described risk factors.

Conclusion:
Diagnosis of Aspergillus endocarditis requires a high clinical index of suspicion, given the initial non-specific presentation, and treatment may require both medical and surgical therapies to ensure improved outcomes, but mortality rates still approach 80 %. Voriconazole remains the antifungal agent of choice.
3D tree dimensionality assessment using photogrammetry and small unmanned aerial vehicles
Authors: Gatziolis Demetrios , Lienard Jean F. , Vogs Andre , Strigul Nikolay S. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractDetailed, precise, three-dimensional (3D) representations of individual trees are a prerequisite for an accurate assessment of tree competition, growth, and morphological plasticity. Until recently, our ability to measure the dimensionality, spatial arrangement, shape of trees, and shape of tree components with precision has been constrained by technological and logistical limitations and cost. Traditional methods of forest biometrics provide only partial measurements and are labor intensive. Active remote technologies such as LiDAR operated from airborne platforms provide only partial crown reconstructions. The use of terrestrial LiDAR is laborious, has portability limitations and high cost. In this work we capitalized on recent improvements in the capabilities and availability of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), light and inexpensive cameras, and developed an affordable method for obtaining precise and comprehensive 3D models of trees and small groups of trees. The method employs slow-moving UAVs that acquire images along predefined trajectories near and around targeted trees, and computer vision-based approaches that process the images to obtain detailed tree reconstructions. After we confirmed the potential of the methodology via simulation we evaluated several UAV platforms, strategies for image acquisition, and image processing algorithms. We present an original, step-by-step workflow which utilizes open source programs and original software. We anticipate that future development and applications of our method will improve our understanding of forest self-organization emerging from the competition among trees, and will lead to a refined generation of individual-tree-based forest models.
Factors affecting faculty use of learning object repositories
Authors: Xu Hong 
Published: December 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this study was to identify factors that motivate or impede faculty use of learning object repositories (LORs). The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) served as the theoretical framework for this study.Design/methodology/approach– The study used both quantitative and qualitative approaches to explore two research questions relating to factors affecting faculty use of LORs. Research subjects were faculty users in two- or four-year colleges or universities from two LORs: Orange Grove and Wisconsin Online Resource Center (Wisc-Online). Two phases of the study were conducted. Phase I of the study collected data by semi-structured interviews, and data were analyzed by a content analysis method. Based on the results of Phase I, Phase II collected data by a survey instrument, and data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and analysis of variance.Findings– The study identified 22 factors as motivators for faculty use of LORs and 13 factors as barriers for faculty use of LORs.Research limitations/implications– The research policies of Orange Grove and Wisc-Online limited the selection of study participants. Lack of a random sample and a small sample size limited the generalizability of the results and findings of the study. However, as an exploratory research, the results and findings of the study are still valuable for LOR builders and managers to get a better understanding of factors affecting faculty use of LORs, and to develop strategies to recruit more faculty members to use LORs.Practical implications– The findings and results of the study can inform designers and managers of LORs about what positively or negatively influences faculty use of LORs, and serve as a basis to develop strategies to recruit faculty members to use LORs.Originality/value– First, this study identified the factors that motivate or impede faculty use of LORs from actual faculty users’ perspectives, so these factors more accurately reflect LORs’ values to faculty in teaching and course design and the barriers for faculty use of LORs in a practical environment. Second, this study is among the first known to explore these factors using UTAUT as the theoretical framework, and the results of the study also validate UTAUT in the context of faculty use of LORs.
Measurement of generic core competencies among students of library and information science in Iran
Authors: Geraei Ehsan , Heidari Gholamreza 
Published: December 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of the present survey is to identify and measure generic core competencies essential for Iranian library and information science (LIS) students.

Design/methodology/approach
– The study population included all undergraduate LIS students in Iran, and the sample included all undergraduate LIS students in the three universities of Tehran, Shahid Chamran and Ferdowsi of Mashhad. The study was performed during the second semester (February to May) of the 2010-2011 academic year. After a thorough review of the literature, a pattern for generic core competencies was formulated and, accordingly, a researcher-designed questionnaire was developed and distributed. The final data analysis was carried out using 207 completed questionnaires, and the data were analysed using the SPSS19 software.

Findings
– Except for English and management, the major participants’ scores mean for the 12 identified generic core competencies were higher than the total mean.

Originality/value
– Besides presenting a new theoretical pattern for measuring core generic competencies, especially for students in the LIS field, the study is expected to help higher education planners to channel their efforts into strengthening the examined competencies.
Scholarly communication trends in the digital age
Authors: Shehata Ahmed , Ellis David , Foster Allen 
Published: December 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate scholars’ attitudes toward informal publishing and dissemination to provide a view of the challenges and advantages of using such channels. Although considerable research has been carried out in relation to peer-reviewed scholarly publishing, relatively few studies have investigated the adoption of informal scholarly communication platforms in the scholarly publishing process.Design/methodology/approach– The paper deployed a grounded theory approach using semi-structured interviews as a qualitative research tool. A theoretical sample of 40 researchers in 4 universities were interviewed to gather data regarding informal publishing, platforms, factors that affect the researchers’ decision and the use of informal channels in dissemination.Findings– Results of the interviews suggest that there is an increasing trend among researchers toward informal publishing and dissemination throughout the scholarly communication cycle. The paper shows that there are three types of scholars who are involved in the scholarly communication process: conventional, modern and liberal scholars. Each of these scholars carries different beliefs regarding the scholarly communication process.Research limitations/implications– This paper was conducted on a relatively small sample of academic researchers, and therefore, the results cannot be easily generalized into a wider community of scholars.Originality/value– The paper provides insight into informal scholarly publishing practices using a grounded theory approach. This approach helped to capture the changes in both scholarly publishing practices and the adoption of informal techniques among the scholarly community.
Corporate real estate risks
Authors: Bartelink Ruben , Appel-Meulenbroek Rianne , van den Berg Pauline , Gehner Ellen 
Published: December 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to identify the corporate real estate (CRE) risks that might influence the added value of CRE to the shareholder value of an organization and to analyze if there are differences in perception of these risks according to job and company specifics of the respondents.Design/methodology/approach– A literature study was carried out to identify the CRE risks. In addition, a number of interviews were held with CRE specialists to complete the list of risks. An inventory of the risk perception was gathered by making use of a survey among 70 end-users, 16 CRE consultants and 2 CRE academics. Differences are analyzed making use of Kruskal–Wallis tests, Mann–Whitney U tests andt-tests.Findings– In total, 43 risks in six different categories were identified. It turned out that the risk perception differentiates the most per geographical location or industry segment. The size of the organization (number of employees) does not appear to influence the way in which the risks are perceived.Practical implications– This paper provides CRE managers and risk managers with a basis for a risk register that contributes to identification of possible CRE risks. Besides, it enables a comparison of their risk perception with industry peers.Originality/value– Earlier research concerning CRE risk management approached the subject from a specific point of view, but did not provide a CRE risk list using an integral perspective and covering multiple topics. Also, this paper provides insights in how CRE risk management is perceived in practice.