bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mass cytometry reveals a distinct immunoprofile of operational tolerance in pediatric liver transplantation
Authors: Lau Audrey H. , Vitalone Matthew J. , Haas Kelly , Shawler Todd , Esquivel Carlos O. , Berquist William E. , Martinez Olivia M. , Castillo Ricardo O. , Krams Sheri M. 
Published: October 2016

AbstractLong‐term IS in transplant patients has significant morbidity, poorer quality of life, and substantial economic costs. TOL, defined as graft acceptance without functional impairment in the absence of IS, has been achieved in some pediatric LT recipients. Using mass cytometry, peripheral blood immunotyping was performed to characterize differences between tolerant patients and patients who are stable on single‐agent IS. Single‐cell mass cytometry was performed using blood samples from a single‐center pediatric LT population of operationally tolerant patients to comprehensively characterize the immune cell populations in the tolerant state compared with patients on chronic low‐dose IS. Specific T‐cell populations of interest were confirmed by flow cytometry. This high‐dimensional phenotypic analysis revealed distinct immunoprofiles between transplant populations as well as aCD4+TOT(CD4+CD5+CD25+CD38−/loCD45RA) that correlates with tolerance in pediatric LT recipients. In TOL patients, theTOTwas significantly increased as compared to patients stable on low levels of IS. ThisTOTcell was confirmed by flow cytometry and is distinct from classic Treg cells. These results demonstrate the power of mass cytometry to discover significant immune cell signatures that have diagnostic potential.
Endoscopic antireflux surgery leading to obstruction in pediatric renal transplant patients
Authors: Cambareri Gina , Carpenter Christina , Stock Jeffrey , Lewis Jane , Marietti Sarah 
Published: October 2016

AbstractTo describe a multicenter experience with management of ureteral obstruction after injection of Dx/HA for VUR in pediatric renal transplant patients. The records of all pediatric renal transplant patients who underwent Dx/HA injection for VUR and had subsequent obstruction were identified, and the management and outcomes were reviewed. Follow‐up ranged from 1 to 10 years. There were four patients identified, all of whom had a history of rising creatinine, recurrent UTI, and increasing hydronephrosis which led to the diagnosis of high‐grade VUR. Obstruction was diagnosed within 24‐72 hours after injection in three patients. One patient was asymptomatic, and rising creatinine and hydronephrosis were noted 1 month after injection. One patient was managed expectantly, while three patients underwent ureteral stent placement. After the stent was removed, one patient went on to open reimplant due to delayed obstruction, the second patient with voiding dysfunction is currently managed with an indwelling ureteral stent and may require further definitive surgery, the third patient recovered, and the fourth is being observed. Our cases illustrate that despite initial successful management of the obstruction in some, delayed obstruction is possible and may necessitate open reimplant. It is imperative that these patients have close follow‐up after Dx/HA.
Simvastatin alleviates airway inflammation and remodelling through up‐regulation of autophagy in mouse models of asthma
Authors: Gu Wen , Cui Rong , Ding Tao , Li Xiaoming , Peng Juan , Xu Weiguo , Han Fengfeng , Guo Xuejun 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACTBackground and objectiveStatins have been widely used in inflammatory diseases including asthma, because of their anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. It has been shown that simvastatin induces autophagy and cell death in some circumstances. However, the possible cross‐talk between simvastatin and autophagic processes in lung disease is largely unknown. Thus, we investigated the impact of simvastatin on airway inflammation and airway remodelling and the possible relationship of these processes to a simvastatin‐induced autophagic pathway in mouse models of asthma.MethodsOvalbumin (OVA)‐sensitized and challenged mice were treated with simvastatin and sacrificed. The autophagy‐related proteins Atg5, LC3B and Beclin1 were quantified, as well as the autophagy flux in bronchial smooth muscle cells (BSMCs). The relationship between airway inflammation and the autophagic process was investigated.ResultsWe show that simvastatin treatment mediates activation of autophagy in BSMCs, which is correlated with airway inflammation and airway remodelling in mouse models of asthma. Simvastatin increases autophagy‐related protein Atg5, LC3B and Beclin1 expression and autophagosome formation in lung tissue. Simvastatin‐induced autophagy is associated with increased interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) and decreased IL‐4, IL‐5 and IL‐13 cytokines production in BSMCs, as well as reversed extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. In contrast, autophagy inhibitor 3‐methyladenine (3‐MA) eliminates the therapeutic effect of simvastatin.ConclusionThese findings demonstrate that simvastatin inhibits airway inflammation and airway remodelling through an activated autophagic process in BSMCs. We propose a crucial function of autophagy in statin‐based therapeutic approaches in asthma.
Effect of Parental Migration on Children's Health in Rural China
Authors: Guo Qian , Sun Wenkai , Wang Yijie 
Published: October 2016

AbstractUsing 2003–2006RCRE(Research Center for Rural Economy) panel data, we estimate the effect of parental migration on the health of children left behind, with a difference‐in‐differences and propensity score matching combined model. On average we do not find any significant effect on children's health; however, the effect varies among different groups. Children's health may improve as a result of parental migration in families with lower income in the base year and families with higher‐income growth rates. Furthermore, children's health may deteriorate with maternal migration but improve with longer distance of paternal migration and longer time of paternal migration. We argue that parental migration affects children's health through complex mechanisms: income increase may have a positive impact while decreased parental care may have a negative effect. The two effects seem to offset each other in rural China.
Paths towards Family‐friendly Working Time Arrangements: Comparing Workplaces in Different Countries and Industries
Authors: Wiß Tobias 
Published: October 2016

AbstractAlthough studies have examined the distribution and conditions of employer‐provided work–family arrangements, we still lack a systematic investigation of how these vary for different countries and industries. Based on the European Working Conditions Survey 2010, this study examines the conditions under which firms provide family‐friendly working time arrangements and what the differences are across four countries (Austria, Denmark, Italy and the UK) and four industries. The impact of employee representatives, employee involvement, manager support and female managers varies across countries and industries because of the institutional environment (prevailing family model, industrial relations) and workforce composition (gender). The impact of employee representatives depends on their co‐determination rights, and the direction of their effect on the prevailing family model (e.g. negative in conservative countries such as Austria) and the gender composition of the workforce (negative in male‐dominated production, but positive in services). Employee involvement in the work organization is significantly positive in Austria and Denmark (both with co‐operative industrial relations), while manager support has the strongest effect in the UK (liberal regime). At the industry level, female supervisors are positively associated with family‐friendly working time arrangements only in the male‐dominated production industry. These findings suggest that the effects of agency variables and their direction vary depending on the institutional context.
Reflectance confocal microscopy for the evaluation of sensitive skin
Authors: Ma Y.‐F. , Yuan C. , Jiang W.‐C. , Wang X.‐L. , Humbert P. 
Published: October 2016

BackgroundNowadays, the diagnosis for sensitive skin relies on subjective assessment or on the combination of subjective and objective evaluation. No quantitative evaluation is available. It could be expected that confocal microscopy imaging could be of interest to better define the condition.MethodsTotal 166 healthy female subjects were recruited in this study. Firstly, all subjects completed the sensitive questionnaire. Then, the cutaneous structures were measured by the reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) on the face and fossa cubitalia. The lactic acid sting test was conducted finally. According to the results of self‐perception sensitive skin questionnaire and lactic acid stinging test to evaluate facial skin sensitivity the both positive subjects were regarded as sensitive skin group and both negative group as healthy control group.ResultThe results of RCM indicating that the proportion of ‘disarranged honeycomb pattern’ and ‘spongiform edema’ in the sensitive group and healthy control group were statistically different (P < 0.05), respectively; The following report ‘damaged dermal papilla rings’ was not a distinctive pattern, with no significant statistical difference (P > 0.05). The epidermal thickness was 38.88 ± 6.81 μm, healthy control group was 40.31 ± 9.37 μm in, respectively, sensitive skin group and healthy control group, there was no significant statistical difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The honeycomb structure depth of sensitive group was 20.57 ± 4.86 μm. It was for 23.27 ± 6.38 μm, healthy control group the difference being statistically different between the two groups (P < 0.05).ConclusionBased on the RCM results, ‘epidermal honeycomb structure’ and ‘spongiform edema’ may be used as new skin signs of RCM evaluation of sensitive skin effectively. Indeed, sensitive skin honeycomb structure depth was thinner compared with healthy control group. Such a specific pattern has good clinical and monitoring value for the further exploration. RCM could provide new data and patterns for the evaluation of sensitive skin.
A Convenient Truth: University Employees as Heterogeneous and Inexpensive Experimental Samples
Authors: Kelly Dimitri , Vidal Logan , Burden Barry C. 
Published: October 2016

ObjectivesBuilding on work by Kam, Wilking, and Zechmeister, we argue that academic researchers ought to make greater use of campus employees for survey experiments. For applications where a representative sample is unattainable and student samples provide too little variation on key characteristics, staff members provide an inexpensive alternative that offers greater statistical leverage and the ability to detect conditional treatment effectsMethodsUsing an e‐mail survey experiment conducted on employees at a large public university, we explore how two modest incentives for participation affect the quantity and quality of responses.ResultsWhile overall differences among conditions are modest, a cash lottery generates somewhat higher response rates with little effect on sociodemographic skew or level of satisficing. The condition offering a charitable contribution fared worse on both counts.ConclusionUniversity employees provide a convenient, heterogeneous, and inexpensive population for experimental studies.
Tinjauan Relevansi Tret Personaliti Kaunselor Muslim di Institusi Pendidikan Tinggi Melalui Profil Personaliti TAJMA
Authors: Hj Abu Kassim Hasbullah , Baharuddin Ahmad Syukran , Ninggal Mohd Tajudin 
Published: October 2016

The psychometric knowledge base created by the West to dominate the psychological counseling in the national higher education sector. Towards Independence Day celebration of the country to 59 years, it was time for psychological counseling knowledge groove countries on the psychometric creation by local Muslims scholar's. This paper discusses the relevance of two (2) trait of 12 personality traits through Islam by psychometric perspective TAJMA Personality Profile. This finding would indicate empirical personality traits necessary to be a Muslim counselor in the improvement of guidance and counseling services organization. Data from 27 Muslim counselors in higher education institutions Malaysia were analyzed and as a conclusion, personality trait of Assertive and Caring among muslim counsellors are salient for improving their competence and knowledge.
Kepatuhan Pengiraan Zakat Pendapatan Kumpulan Profesional di Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
Authors: Muhammad Fidlizan , Abdul Razak Azila , Abdul Hadi Fatimah Salwa , Saidin Nor Hamizah 
Published: October 2016

Sumber pendapatan seseorang individu daripada penggajian semasa adalah pelbagai dan berbeza mengikut sektor pekerjaan dan jawatan. Selain pendapatan dikenali gaji pokok, seseorang pekerja turut menikmati pendapatan berbentuk elaun, bonus, insentif dan sebagainya sama ada secara bulanan atau tahunan. Bagi kumpulan profesional pula, pendapatan sampingan turut diperoleh menerusi aktiviti perundingan atau kepakaran, penyeliaan, penyelidikan dan sebagainya. Memandangkan sumber pendapatan ini semakin meluas, kepatuhan dalam menghitung jumlah pendapatan yang perlu ditunaikan zakat adalah signifikan. Sehubungan itu, setiap individu Muslim berkelayakan perlu menunaikan zakat pendapatan bagi memastikan harta yang dicari dan diperoleh adalah bersih daripada hak orang lain di dalamnya. Justeru itu, kajian ini bertujuan mengenal pasti tahap kepatuhan zakat pendapatan yang dilihat dari aspek pengiraan jumlah pendapatan daripada setiap sumber penggajian yang diperoleh. Kajian ini menggunakan analisis deskriptif daripada 10 sumber pendapatan diperoleh oleh kakitangan akademik melibatkan 112 orang kakitangan akademik Muslim yang berkhidmat di Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak sebagai responden kajian. Hasil analisis menunjukkan tahap pengetahuan mengenai sumber penggajian yang perlu dihitung dalam pengiraan zakat adalah tinggi bagi gaji pokok dan elaun tetap bulanan dan tahap sederhana dan rendah bagi sumber-sumber lain. Tahap pengetahuan ini didapati merupakan punca kepada ketidakupayaan responden untuk menghitung pendapatan sebenar dalam pengiraan zakat pendapatan. Implikasi kajian ini menunjukkan keperluan kepada pihak berautoriti untuk memberikan lebih penerangan berkaitan zakat pendapatan bagi memastikan pemilikan harta individu lebih bersih serta meningkatkan keadilan dalam agihan kekayaan.
An experimental demonstration of a new type of proton computed tomography using a novel silicon tracking detector
Authors: Taylor J. T. , Poludniowski G. , Price T. , Waltham C. , Allport P. P. , Casse G. L. , Esposito M. , Evans P. M. , Green S. , Manger S. , Manolopoulos S. , Nieto‐Camero J. , Parker D. J. , Symons J. , Allinson N. M. 
Published: October 2016

PurposeRadiography and tomography using proton beams promise benefit to image guidance and treatment planning for proton therapy. A novel proton tracking detector is described and experimental demonstrations at a therapy facility are reported. A new type of proton CT reconstructing relative “scattering power” rather than “stopping power” is also demonstrated. Notably, this new type of imaging does not require the measurement of the residual energies of the protons.MethodsA large area, silicon microstrip tracker with high spatial and temporal resolution has been developed by the Proton Radiotherapy Verification and Dosimetry Applications consortium and commissioned using beams of protons at iThemba LABS, Medical Radiation Department, South Africa. The tracker comprises twelve planes of silicon developed using technology from high energy physics with each plane having an active area of ∼10 × 10 cm segmented into 2048 microstrips. The tracker is organized into four separate units each containing three detectors at 60° to one another creating an x‐u‐v coordinate system. Pairs of tracking units are used to reconstruct vertices for protons entering and exiting a phantom containing tissue equivalent inserts. By measuring the position and direction of each proton before and after the phantom, the nonlinear path for each proton through an object can be reconstructed.ResultsExperimental results are reported for tracking the path of protons with initial energies of 125 and 191 MeV. A spherical phantom of 75 mm diameter was imaged by positioning it between the entrance and exit detectors of the tracker. Positions and directions of individual protons were used to create angular distributions and 2D fluence maps of the beam. These results were acquired for 36 equally spaced projections spanning 180°, allowing, for the first time, an experimental CT image based upon the relative scattering power of protons to be reconstructed.ConclusionsSuccessful tracking of protons through a thick target (phantom) has demonstrated that the tracker discussed in this paper can provide the precise directional information needed to perform proton radiography and tomography. When synchronized with a range telescope, this could enable the reconstruction of proton CT images of stopping power. Furthermore, by measuring the deflection of many protons through a phantom, it was demonstrated that it is possible to reconstruct a new kind of CT image (scattering power) based upon this tracking information alone.
Mechanism of Gene Regulation by a Staphylococcus aureus Toxin
Authors: Joo Hwang-Soo , Chatterjee Som S. , Villaruz Amer E. , Dickey Seth W. , Tan Vee Y. , Chen Yan , Sturdevant Daniel E. , Ricklefs Stacy M. , Otto Michael 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACT

The virulence of many bacterial pathogens, including the important human pathogen
Staphylococcus aureus
, depends on the secretion of frequently large amounts of toxins. Toxin production involves the need for the bacteria to make physiological adjustments for energy conservation. While toxins are primarily targets of gene regulation, such changes may be accomplished by regulatory functions of the toxins themselves. However, mechanisms by which toxins regulate gene expression have remained poorly understood. We show here that the staphylococcal phenol-soluble modulin (PSM) toxins have gene regulatory functions that, in particular, include inducing expression of their own transport system by direct interference with a GntR-type repressor protein. This capacity was most pronounced in PSMs with low cytolytic capacity, demonstrating functional specification among closely related members of that toxin family during evolution. Our study presents a molecular mechanism of gene regulation by a bacterial toxin that adapts bacterial physiology to enhanced toxin production.

IMPORTANCE
Toxins play a major role in many bacterial diseases. When toxins are produced during infection, the bacteria need to balance this energy-consuming task with other physiological processes. However, it has remained poorly understood how toxins can impact gene expression to trigger such adaptations. We found that specific members of a toxin family in the major human pathogen
Staphylococcus aureus
have evolved for gene regulatory purposes. These specific toxins interact with a DNA-binding regulator protein to enable production of the toxin export machinery and ascertain that the machinery is not expressed when toxins are not made and it is not needed. Our study gives mechanistic insight into how toxins may directly adjust bacterial physiology to times of toxin production during infection.
A quality improvement initiative on the management of osteoporosis in older people with Parkinsonism
Authors: Singh Inderpal , Fletcher Rachel , Scanlon Linda , Tyler Mandy , Aithal Shridhar 
Published: October 2016

The risk of falls is higher in patients with people with Parkinsonism (PwP) compared to those without Parkinsonism, and leads to adverse outcomes including fragility fractures. Osteoporosis is under-recognised, and the prevalence of fragility fractures in not well studied. The primary aim of this project is for 100% of new patient referrals to, and 80% of follow up patients within the movement disorder (MD) service with osteoporosis to be treated in accordance with evidence based osteoporosis guidance.Routinely captured information regarding demographics and fragility fractures was retrospectively extracted from the clinical workstation, clinic letters, and clinical coding between July and November 2015. The prevalence of fragility fracture was 22.6% (68/300), and only 40% (27/68) were on appropriate treatment for osteoporosis.A quality improvement (QI) methodology based on the model of improvement, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were used, and a monthly multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting was introduced.This QI initiative has shown that MDT input can reduce referrals to physiotherapists; and also 100% of new patients, and 91% of follow up patients received evidence based osteoporosis treatment.
Fentanyl and methadone used as adjuncts to bupivacaine for lumbosacral epidural analgesia in sheep
Authors: DeRossi R. , Pagliosa R. C. , de Carvalho A. Q. , Macedo G. G. , Hermeto L. C. 
Published: October 2016

Six healthy, female, mixed‐breed 18–24‐month‐old sheep weighing 30–48 kg were submitted to lumbosacral epidural bupivacaine in combination with either methadone or fentanyl. Epidural catheters were placed in six sheep that were given three treatments: (Bup) bupivacaine (0.5 mg/kg) alone; (BupMet) bupivacaine (0.25 mg/kg) plus methadone (0.3 mg/kg); and (BupFent) bupivacaine (0.25 mg/kg) plus fentanyl (0.002 mg/kg). Haemodynamic variables, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, analgesia by applying a standard painful stimulus, motor block and sedative scores were compared among the three treatments. These parameters were determined before epidural administration and at 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, 90, 120 minutes after treatment administration, and then every 60 minutes thereafter until the end of analgesic effect. Parametrical data were analysed by proc glimmix (SAS) for repeated measures on time and means tested by ls‐means. Non‐parametrical data were analysed by Fisher's exact test. Duration of analgesia was longer with BupMet (240 minutes) compared with BupFent (180 minutes; P=0.0127), but BupMet was similar to Bup (240 minutes). Both treatments with opioids produced moderate motor blockade. BupMet and BupFent produced mild sedation. Only treatment with bupivacaine alone induced cardiovascular and respiratory rate changes that stayed within acceptable limits.
Automated Quality Assessment of Metadata across Open Data Portals
Authors: Neumaier Sebastian , Umbrich Jürgen , Polleres Axel 
Published: October 2016

The Open Data movement has become a driver for publicly available data on the Web. More and more data—from governments and public institutions but also from the private sector—are made available online and are mainly published in so-called Open Data portals. However, with the increasing number of published resources, there is a number of concerns with regards to the quality of the data sources and the corresponding metadata, which compromise the searchability, discoverability, and usability of resources.
In order to get a more complete picture of the severity of these issues, the present work aims at developing a generic metadata quality assessment framework for various Open Data portals: We treat data portals independently from the portal software frameworks by mapping the specific metadata of three widely used portal software frameworks (CKAN, Socrata, OpenDataSoft) to the standardized Data Catalog Vocabulary metadata schema. We subsequently define several quality metrics, which can be evaluated automatically and in an efficient manner. Finally, we report findings based on monitoring a set of over 260 Open Data portals with 1.1M datasets. This includes the discussion of general quality issues, for example, the retrievability of data, and the analysis of our specific quality metrics.