bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of assays for quantification of DNA in canine plasma as an indirect marker of NETosis
Authors: Smith Stephanie A. , Lawson Corinne M. , McMichael Maureen A. , Jung Katrina , O'Brien Mauria , Achiel Ron 
Published: April 2017

BackgroundNeutrophil extracellular traps (NET), consisting of a filamentous DNA/chromatin‐histone scaffold originating from neutrophils are part of the innate immune response, may be released under a variety of inflammatory conditions and are associated with an increased risk for thrombosis.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate a SYTOX green fluorescence assay and a histone–DNA complex (hisDNA) ELISA for quantification of NET‐related DNA in canine plasma.MethodsThe influence of variations in blood sample handling on assay results was tested. Accuracy of the SYTOX green fluorescence and the hisDNA ELISA was evaluated with dilutional linearity using serial dilutions. Interference was assessed by addition of purified bilirubin or hemoglobin. Precision was determined by calculating the intra‐ and inter‐assay CV.ResultsPreanalytic sample handling did not influence DNA measurements by either assay. Citrate and EDTA plasma samples were equivalent. For the DNA fluorescence assay, dilutional linearity was poor due to autofluorescence, which was corrected by addition of canine plasma to the diluent. The presence of bilirubin and hemoglobin also increased autofluorescence, and resulted in falsely low concentrations of DNA. On the hisDNA ELISA, pigmentemia had no effect.ConclusionsBoth assays as modified in this study are suitable for measuring DNA in canine EDTA or citrate plasma. However, performance of the fluorescence assay was impacted by pigmentemia, and it was less sensitive than the ELISA in detecting the presence of nucleosome material in the plasma.
Lean Education Impact in Professional Life of Engineers
Authors: Alves Anabela C. , Leão Celina P. , C. Maia Laura , Amaro Paulo A. 
Published: April 2017

Lean Production is a methodology largely implemented across industries and services that becomes an important issue to be taught at engineering higher education level. The teaching of Lean concepts in engineering programs is, normally, called Lean Education. Teaching Lean to engineers allow them to develop competences in this field and to perform well in their professional life. These are reasons for having Lean Education in the engineers programs. The impact of not having this competency is a hindrance in job interviews and employment.
Through a short questionnaire sent to graduate Industrial Engineers in the School of Engineering of University of Minho, between 2000 and 2014, this paper presents some testimonies from these professionals about their thoughts related with Lean Education. Fifty-six responses were considered valid for analysis. These examples show the Lean Education advantages and the impact on their professional and/or personal life. At the best knowledge of the authors this research was never done and brings an important contribution for engineers training and development. The outcomes reinforce the importance of including Lean Education in engineers’ curricula to provide a whole system-thinking knowledge and to prepare a future engineer for the workplace.
Development of a risk prediction model among professional hockey players with visible signs of concussion
Authors: Bruce Jared M , Echemendia Ruben J , Meeuwisse Willem , Hutchison Michael G , Aubry Mark , Comper Paul 
Published: April 2017

BackgroundLittle research examines how to best identify concussed athletes. The purpose of the present study was to develop a preliminary risk decision model that uses visible signs (VS) and mechanisms of injury (MOI) to predict the likelihood of subsequent concussion diagnosis.MethodsCoders viewed and documented VS and associated MOI for all NHL games over the course of the 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 regular seasons. After coding was completed, player concussions were identified from the NHL injury surveillance system and it was determined whether players exhibiting VS were subsequently diagnosed with concussions by club medical staff as a result of the coded event.ResultsAmong athletes exhibiting VS, suspected loss of consciousness, motor incoordination or balance problems, being in a fight, having an initial hit from another player’s shoulder and having a secondary hit on the ice were all associated withincreasedrisk of subsequent concussion diagnosis. In contrast, having an initial hit with a stick was associated withdecreasedrisk of subsequent concussion diagnosis. A risk prediction model using a combination of the above VS and MOI was superior to approaches that relied on individual VS and associated MOI (sensitivity=81%, specificity=72%, positive predictive value=26%).ConclusionsCombined use of VS and MOI significantly improves a clinician’s ability to identify players who need to be evaluated for possible concussion. A preliminary concussion prediction log has been developed from these data. Pending prospective validation, the use of these methods may improve early concussion detection and evaluation.
Targeting the gut microbiota with inulin-type fructans: preclinical demonstration of a novel approach in the management of endothelial dysfunction
Authors: Catry Emilie , Bindels Laure B , Tailleux Anne , Lestavel Sophie , Neyrinck Audrey M , Goossens Jean-François , Lobysheva Irina , Plovier Hubert , Essaghir Ahmed , Demoulin Jean-Baptiste , Bouzin Caroline , Pachikian Barbara D , Cani Patrice D , Staels Bart , Dessy Chantal , Delzenne Nathalie M 
Published: April 2017

ObjectiveTo investigate the beneficial role of prebiotics on endothelial dysfunction, an early key marker of cardiovascular diseases, in an original mouse model linking steatosis and endothelial dysfunction.DesignWe examined the contribution of the gut microbiota to vascular dysfunction observed in apolipoprotein E knockout (Apoe−/−) mice fed an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-depleted diet for 12 weeks with or without inulin-type fructans (ITFs) supplementation for the last 15 days. Mesenteric and carotid arteries were isolated to evaluate endothelium-dependent relaxation ex vivo. Caecal microbiota composition (Illumina Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene) and key pathways/mediators involved in the control of vascular function, including bile acid (BA) profiling, gut and liver key gene expression, nitric oxide and gut hormones production were also assessed.ResultsITF supplementation totally reverses endothelial dysfunction in mesenteric and carotid arteries of n-3 PUFA-depleted Apoe−/− mice via activation of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase/NO pathway. Gut microbiota changes induced by prebiotic treatment consist in increased NO-producing bacteria, replenishment of abundance in Akkermansia and decreased abundance in bacterial taxa involved in secondary BA synthesis. Changes in gut and liver gene expression also occur upon ITFs suggesting increased glucagon-like peptide 1 production and BA turnover as drivers of endothelium function preservation.ConclusionsWe demonstrate for the first time that ITF improve endothelial dysfunction, implicating a short-term adaptation of both gut microbiota and key gut peptides. If confirmed in humans, prebiotics could be proposed as a novel approach in the prevention of metabolic disorders-related cardiovascular diseases.
Mind Your Crossings
Authors: Ahmetovic Dragan , Manduchi Roberto , Coughlan James M. , Mascetti Sergio 
Published: April 2017

For blind travelers, finding crosswalks and remaining within their borders while traversing them is a crucial part of any trip involving street crossings. While standard Orientation & Mobility (O&M) techniques allow blind travelers to safely negotiate street crossings, additional information about crosswalks and other important features at intersections would be helpful in many situations, resulting in greater safety and/or comfort during independent travel. For instance, in planning a trip a blind pedestrian may wish to be informed of the presence of all marked crossings near a desired route.
We have conducted a survey of several O&M experts from the United States and Italy to determine the role that crosswalks play in travel by blind pedestrians. The results show stark differences between survey respondents from the U.S. compared with Italy: the former group emphasized the importance of following standard O&M techniques at all legal crossings (marked or unmarked), while the latter group strongly recommended crossing at marked crossings whenever possible. These contrasting opinions reflect differences in the traffic regulations of the two countries and highlight the diversity of needs that travelers in different regions may have.
To address the challenges faced by blind pedestrians in negotiating street crossings, we devised a computer vision--based technique that mines existing spatial image databases for discovery of zebra crosswalks in urban settings. Our algorithm first searches for zebra crosswalks in satellite images; all candidates thus found are validated against spatially registered Google Street View images. This cascaded approach enables fast and reliable discovery and localization of zebra crosswalks in large image datasets. While fully automatic, our algorithm can be improved by a final crowdsourcing validation. To this end, we developed a Pedestrian Crossing Human Validation web service, which supports crowdsourcing, to rule out false positives and identify false negatives.
Cellular Prion Protein PrPC and Ecto-5′-Nucleotidase Are Markers of the Cellular Stress Response to Aneuploidy
Authors: Domingues Patrícia H. , Nanduri Lalitha S.Y. , Seget Katarzyna , Venkateswaran Sharavan V. , Agorku David , Viganó Cristina , von Schubert Conrad , Nigg Erich A. , Swanton Charles , Sotillo Rocío , Bosio Andreas , Storchová Zuzana , Hardt Olaf 
Published: April 2017

AbstractAneuploidy is a hallmark of most human tumors, but the molecular physiology of aneuploid cells is not well characterized. In this study, we screened cell surface biomarkers of approximately 300 proteins by multiparameter flow cytometry using multiple aneuploid model systems such as cell lines, patient samples, and mouse models. Several new biomarkers were identified with altered expression in aneuploid cells, including overexpression of the cellular prion protein CD230/PrPC and the immunosuppressive cell surface enzyme ecto-5′-nucleotidase CD73. Functional analyses associated these alterations with increased cellular stress. An increased number of CD73+ cells was observed in confluent cultures in aneuploid cells relative to their diploid counterparts. An elevated expression in CD230/PrPC was observed in serum-deprived cells in association with increased generation of reactive oxygen species. Overall, our work identified biomarkers of aneuploid karyotypes, which suggest insights into the underlying molecular physiology of aneuploid cells. Cancer Res; 77(11); 2914–26. ©2017 AACR.
Circadian Disruption and Prostate Cancer Risk: An Updated Review of Epidemiological Evidences
Authors: Wendeu-Foyet Méyomo G. , Menegaux Florence 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Since the publication of the International Agency for Research on Cancer Monograph in 2007 classifying night shift work leading to a disruption of circadian rhythm as probably carcinogenic to humans, there is an increasingly growing interest in understanding how circadian disruption may play a role in cancer development.
This systematic review provides a comprehensive update on epidemiologic evidences on circadian disruption and prostate cancer since the last review published in 2012. We identified 12 new studies evaluating the effects of several circadian disruptors such as night shift work, sleep patterns, and circadian genes in prostate cancer risk. In contrast, no new studies have focused on exposure to light at night.
Several convincing and biologically plausible hypotheses have been proposed to understand how circadian disruption may be related to cancer. However, the current difficulty of concluding on the role of circadian disruption on prostate cancer risk requires further studies including a better characterization of the different night shift systems, data on sleep patterns and chronotype, measurement of biomarkers, and investigations of polymorphisms in the genes regulating the biological clock. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(7); 985–91. ©2017 AACR.
Use of Expansion Cohorts in Phase I Trials and Probability of Success in Phase II for 381 Anticancer Drugs
Authors: Bugano Diogo D.G. , Hess Kenneth , Jardim Denis L.F. , Zer Alona , Meric-Bernstam Funda , Siu Lillian L. , Razak Albiruni R.A. , Hong David S. 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Purpose: Evaluate the association between the use of phase I expansion cohorts (ECs) and drug performance in phase II as well as time to approval by the FDA.
Experimental Design: We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE for single-agent dose-finding adult oncology phase I trials published in 2006 to 2011 and subsequent phase II trials. Successful phase II trials were those that met their primary endpoints. Dates of approval were obtained from the Drugs@FDA website in April 2014. A logistic regression model was used to determine the associations between variables and success in phase II.
Results: We identified 533 phase I trials evaluating 381 drugs; 112 drugs had at least one phase I trial with an expansion cohort. Phase I trials with expansion cohorts of two to 20 patients were associated with a higher rate of successful phase II trials than those with no expansion cohort [48% vs. 27%; OR, 2.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1–4.0; P = 0.037]. Phase II success rates were the same for expansion cohort with two to 20 and more than 20 patients (48% vs. 52%). Other positive associations were disease-specific trials (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.0–2.9; P = 0.037), industry sponsorship (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.5–5.7; P = 0.0024), and response rate of 6% to 20% (OR, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.6–5.2; P = 0.0007). Drugs tested in phase I trials with expansion cohorts had a higher rate of 5-year approval (19% vs. 5%; HR, 4.4; 95% CI, 2.2–8.8; P &lt; 0.001).
Conclusions: The use of expansion cohorts in phase I trials was associated with success of subsequent phase II trials. However, confounders may play a role in this association. Clin Cancer Res; 23(15); 4020–6. ©2017 AACR.
A Phase II Study of Dovitinib in Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
Authors: Dillon Patrick M. , Petroni Gina R. , Horton Bethany J. , Moskaluk Christopher A. , Fracasso Paula M. , Douvas Michael G. , Varhegyi Nikole , Zaja-Milatovic Snjezana , Thomas Christopher Y. 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Purpose: Genetic and preclinical studies have implicated FGFR signaling in the pathogenesis of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). Dovitinib, a suppressor of FGFR activity, may be active in ACC.
Experimental Design: In a two-stage phase II study, 35 patients with progressive ACC were treated with dovitinib 500 mg orally for 5 of 7 days continuously. The primary endpoints were objective response rate and change in tumor growth rate. Progression-free survival, overall survival, metabolic response, biomarker, and quality of life were secondary endpoints.
Results: Of 34 evaluable patients, 2 (6%) had a partial response and 22 (65%) had stable disease &gt;4 months. Median PFS was 8.2 months and OS was 20.6 months. The slope of the overall TGR fell from 1.95 to 0.63 on treatment (P &lt; 0.001). Toxicity was moderate; 63% of patients developed grade 3–4 toxicity, 94% required dose modifications, and 21% stopped treatment early. An early metabolic response based on 18FDG-PET scans was seen in 3 of 15 patients but did not correlate with RECIST response. MYB gene translocation was observed and significantly correlated with overexpression of MYB but did not correlate with FGFR1 phosphorylation or clinical response to dovitinib.
Conclusions: Dovitinib produced few objective responses in patients with ACC but did suppress the TGR with a PFS that compares favorably with those reported with other targeted agents. Future studies of more potent and selective FGFR inhibitors in biomarker-selected patients will be required to determine whether FGFR signaling is a valid therapeutic target in ACC. Clin Cancer Res; 23(15); 4138–45. ©2017 AACR.
Risk of Stroke in Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Adelborg Kasper , Szépligeti Szimonetta , Sundbøll Jens , Horváth-Puhó Erzsébet , Henderson Victor W. , Ording Anne , Pedersen Lars , Sørensen Henrik Toft 
Published: April 2017

Background and Purpose—
The long-term risk of specific stroke subtypes among heart failure patients is largely unknown. We examined short-term and long-term risk of ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in heart failure patients and in a general population comparison cohort.

Methods—
In this nationwide cohort study (1980−2012), we used Danish population-based medical registries to identify and follow (1) all patients hospitalized for the first time with heart failure and (2) a birth year–, sex-, and calendar year–matched general population comparison cohort. Age-, sex-, and comorbidity-adjusted stroke rate ratios were computed based on Cox regression analysis.

Results—
We included 289 353 patients with heart failure and 1 446 765 individuals from the general population in the analysis. One- and 5-year risks among heart failure patients were 1.4% and 3.9% for ischemic stroke, 0.2% and 0.5% for ICH, and 0.03% and 0.07% for SAH. The 30-day adjusted stroke rate ratio was increased markedly for ischemic stroke (5.08; 95% confidence interval, 4.58–5.63] and was also elevated for ICH (2.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.53–2.97) and SAH (3.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.54–8.08). Between 31 days and 30 years, risk of all stroke subtypes remained positively associated with heart failure (1.5- to 2.1-fold for ischemic stroke, 1.4- to 1.8-fold for ICH, and 1.1- to 1.7-fold for SAH) in comparison with the general population cohort.

Conclusions—
Heart failure was associated with increased short-term and long-term risk of all stroke subtypes, suggesting that heart failure is a potent and persistent risk factor for ischemic stroke, ICH, and SAH.
Virtual monochromatic spectral imaging for the evaluation of vertebral inconspicuous osteoblastic metastases from lung
Authors: Yue Dong , Ru Xin Wang , Jing Chen , Fan Rong Cheng , Li Fei Sun , Ai Lian Liu , Ya Hong Luo 
Published: April 2017

Background The diagnosis of inconspicuous osteoblastic metastases (OBMs) is a challenge in computed tomography (CT) images. The virtual monochromatic spectral (VMS) image of spectral CT is useful for the detection of the low-contrast lesions. Purpose To select the optimal monochromatic level for VMS images of spectral CT for detecting and diagnosing inconspicuous OBMs of the vertebra from lung cancer. Material and Methods Thirty-five patients underwent spectral CT for chest or abdomen. The CT number and standard deviation (SD) of lesions and adjacent normal bone and the SD value of subcutaneous fat were measured on the conventional polychromatic image (140 kVp) and 40–140 keV VMS images. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was compared among the 11 VMS images and 140 kVp images. The scores of two observers for different images and the inter-observer agreement were evaluated. The diameter and CNR of the detected and missed lesions were assessed. Results The lowest image noise was distributed in 70 and 140 keV images and the highest CNR was noted in 70 keV images. Good and moderate inter-observer agreement were identified for the evaluation of diagnostic ability, and the subjective scores of two observers for 60 and 70 keV images were increased compared with 140 kVp images ( P < 0.05). The diameter had no significant difference between the detected and missed lesions. The CNR of the missed lesions was reduced compared with detected lesions. Conclusion VMS images at 70 keV may be optimal for detecting and diagnosing inconspicuous OBMs from lung cancer.
The Influence of Legislative Reappointment on State Supreme Court Decision-Making
Authors: Gray Thomas 
Published: April 2017

AbstractMost state supreme court justices have time-bound terms that require them to be reappointed or reelected after a certain amount of time. In three American states, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia, the legislature has the sole power to retain justices. Legislatures, and their specialized judiciary committees, are well positioned to monitor judicial behavior and can reject retention for justices who are unacceptable. This turns the legislature's oversight authority into influence over policy making by justices who still need to be reappointed to additional terms. But some justices (co-partisans) are insulated from this influence by their connections to the majority party, which substantially increases the likelihood of their retention. I show that, between 1995 and 2014, justices appointed by the minority party who were eligible for a new term voted more in line with the preferences of their legislature than those who were no longer eligible for a new term due to mandatory or voluntary retirement. No similar effect is found among appointees of the majority party. To support my argument that it is the legislature's reappointment authority that gives them this power, I conduct a placebo test to show that governors in these states enjoy no comparable influence on reappointment-seeking justices. This legislative influence represents a substantial limitation on judicial independence.
Cardiovascular Risk Reduction is Important for Improving Patient and Graft Survival After Ligation and Bypass Surgery for Popliteal Artery Aneurysm
Authors: Dattani N. , Ali M. , Aber A. , Kannan R. Yap , Choke E. C. , Bown M. J. , Sayers R. D. , Davies R. S. 
Published: April 2017

Objectives: To report outcomes following ligation and bypass (LGB) surgery for popliteal artery aneurysm (PAA) and study factors influencing patient and graft survival. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing LGB surgery for PAA between September 1999 and August 2012 at a tertiary referral vascular unit was performed. Primary graft patency (PGP), primary-assisted graft patency (PAGP), and secondary graft patency (SGP) rates were calculated using survival analyses. Patient, graft aneurysm-free survival (GAFS), aneurysm reperfusion-free survival (ARFS), and amputation-free survival (AFS) rates were also calculated. Log-rank testing and Cox proportional hazards modeling were used to perform univariate and multivariate analysis of influencing factors, respectively. Results: Eighty-four LGB repairs in 69 patients (mean age 71.3 years, 68 males) were available for study. The 5-year PGP, PAGP, SGP, and patient survival rates were 58.1%, 84.4%, 85.2%, and 81.1%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, the principal determinants of PGP were urgency of operation ( P = .009) and smoking status ( P = .019). The principal determinants of PAGP were hyperlipidemia status ( P = .048) and of SGP were hyperlipidemia ( P = .042) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) status ( P = .045). The principal determinants of patient survival were previous myocardial infarction ( P = .004) and CVD ( P = .001). The 5-year GAFS, ARFS, and AFS rates were 87.9%, 91.6%, and 96.1%, respectively. Conclusion: This study has shown that traditional cardiovascular risk factors, such as a smoking and ischemic heart disease, are the most important predictors of early graft failure and patient death following LGB surgery for PAA.