bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Communication networks of men facing a diagnosis of prostate cancer
Authors: Brown Dot , Oetzel John , Henderson Alison 
Published: August 2016

Aims and objectivesThis study seeks to identify the factors that shape the communication networks of men who face a potential diagnosis of prostate cancer, and how these factors relate to their disclosure about their changing health status.BackgroundMen facing a potential diagnosis of prostate cancer are in a challenging situation; the support benefits of disclosing their changing health status to others in their communication networks is set against a backdrop of the potential stigma and uncertainty of the diagnosis.DesignAll men on a prostate biopsy waiting list were eligible for inclusion in an exploratory and interpretive study.MethodsSemi‐structured interviews with 40 men explored their network structures and disclosure of health information. Thematic analysis highlighted the factors which contributed to their network structures and their disclosure about their health status.ResultsFour network factors shaped men's perspectives about disclosing their health status: (1) tie strength, comprising both strong and weak ties; (2) knowledgeable others, with a focus on medical professionals in the family; (3) homophily, which included other individuals with a similar medical condition; and (4) geographical proximity, with a preference for face‐to‐face communication.ConclusionCommunication networks influence men's disclosure of their health status and in particular weak ties with medical knowledge have an important role. Men who use the potential for support in their networks may experience improved psychosocial outcomes.Relevance to clinical practiceUsing these four network factors‐tie strength, knowledgeable others, homophily or geographical proximity‐to forecast men's willingness to disclose helps identify men who lack potential support and so are at risk of poor psychosocial health. Those with few strong ties or knowledgeable others in their networks may be in the at‐risk cohort. The support provided in communication networks complements formal medical care from nurses and other health professionals, and encouraging patients to use their communication networks improves the psychosocial health of the men themselves, their partners and their families.
Trust‐Preferred Securities and Insurer Financing Decisions
Authors: Hilliard James I. , Pottier Steven W. , Xu Jianren 
Published: August 2016

AbstractWe analyze insurance holding company (IHC) issuance of trust‐preferred securities (TPS) from 1994 to 2013. We find that larger and more financially levered IHCs issued TPS in 1996 and 1997, as well as those that obtained financial strength ratings from A.M. Best. Abnormal stock price returns are positively related to financial distress costs, growth opportunities, and tax burden, but negatively related to size. Consistent with the pecking order theory, intent to use TPS proceeds to retire debt is positively related to abnormal stock returns, whereas intent to use proceeds to retire preferred equity is negatively related to abnormal stock returns.
Evidence of acceptability of oral paediatric medicines: a review
Authors: Mistry Punam , Batchelor Hannah 
Published: August 2016

Abstract

Objectives
The aim of this review was to map the currently available evidence on acceptability of oral paediatric medicines to aid in the selection of suitable platform formulations for the development of new acceptable paediatric products.

Methods
This process used a defined search strategy of indexed publications and included methods to assess the quality of the evidence retrieved.

Key findings
Taste/palatability was the most extensively studied area of paediatric medicine acceptability yet standard methods or criteria that define what is classed as acceptable to children is still to be defined. There have been many reports on the acceptability of medicines to paediatric populations yet major gaps in the acceptability knowledge base exist including the shape and dimensions of tablets, minitablets and capsules swallowed whole in infants and children; size and overall volume of multiparticulates; volume of liquids completely swallowed in infants and children; duration of retention within the oral cavity, size and taste of orodispersible tablets, lozenges and chewable tablets and the number of solid units dosed at each time point.

Conclusions
The review highlights where further information is required to support knowledge around acceptability of age-appropriate medicines. An algorithm to aid in selection of a formulation that is likely to be acceptable based on the age range to be treated by the medicine is presented as a result of this review.
Role of Aspergillus fumigatus‐specific IgG in diagnosis and monitoring treatment response in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
Authors: Agarwal Ritesh , Dua Devika , Choudhary Hansraj , Aggarwal Ashutosh N. , Sehgal Inderpaul S. , Dhooria Sahajal , Garg Mandeep , Behera Digambar , Chakrabarti Arunaloke 
Published: August 2016

SummaryFew studies have evaluated the utility of Aspergillus fumigatus‐specific IgG in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). Herein, we evaluate the role of specific IgG in diagnosis and monitoring treatment response in ABPA. Forty‐eight control subjects with A. fumigatus‐associated asthma underwent A. fumigatus‐specific IgG measurements at baseline, while specific IgG was assayed in 102 treatment‐naïve subjects of ABPA at baseline, after eight weeks of glucocorticoid therapy, and during exacerbations. For determining the cut‐off of A. fumigatus‐specific IgG, we randomly classified two‐thirds of the study subjects (cases and controls) as the derivation cohort, while the remaining one‐thirds were labelled as the validation cohort. The best cut‐off value of A. fumigatus‐specific IgG in the derivation cohort was 26.9 mgA/L (sensitivity: 88%; specificity: 100%). Using this limit, the sensitivity and specificity of A. fumigatus‐specific IgG in diagnosis of ABPA was 89% and 100%, respectively, in the validation cohort. In contrast, the sensitivity of Aspergillus precipitins was only 27.4%. Following treatment, the A. fumigatus‐specific IgG increased in 38 (37.2%) subjects, while it decreased in three (23.1%) of the 13 subjects experiencing an exacerbation. The A. fumigatus‐specific IgG was found to be an extremely useful test in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of ABPA but is unreliable in monitoring treatment response in this disorder.
Prolonged measurement improves the assessment of the barrier function of the esophago‐gastric junction by high‐resolution manometry
Authors: Jasper D. , Freitas‐Queiroz N. , Hollenstein M. , Misselwitz B. , Layer P. , Navarro‐Rodriguez T. , Fox M. , Keller J. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractBackgroundEtiology of gastro‐esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is multifactorial, but incompetence of the esophago‐gastric junction (EGJ) appears to be of crucial importance. Established manometric parameters for assessment of EGJ barrier function are sub‐optimal, potentially because they reflect only a very brief (up to 30 seconds), not necessarily representative period. This prospective, case–control study tested the performance of novel, high‐resolution manometry (HRM) parameters of EGJ function in the assessment of GERD.MethodsPatients with reflux symptoms and healthy controls (HC) underwent standard HRM and 24‐hour pH±impedance measurements. EGJ morphology, lower esophageal sphincter pressure integral (LES‐PI), EGJ contractile integral (EGJ‐CI) were compared with total‐EGJ‐CI, a novel parameter summarizing EGJ barrier function during the entire HRM protocol. Esophageal acid exposure ≥4.2%/24 h (A‐Reflux‐pos) or ≥73 reflux episodes in 24 hours (V‐Reflux‐pos) were considered pathological.Key ResultsSixty five HC and 452 patients completed HRM, 380 (84%) patients underwent ambulatory reflux‐monitoring. LES‐PI, EGJ‐CI and total‐EGJ‐CI correlated with EGJ morphology subtypes (all P<.00001). Only total‐EGJ‐CI was consistently lower in A‐Reflux‐pos and V‐Reflux‐pos subjects compared with HC and patients without GERD. Total‐EGJ‐CI was also the single best parameter for prediction of pathological reflux (optimal cut‐off 47 mmHg cm, AUC 0.746, P<.0001). This cut‐off value, approximately 1 SD below the mean normal value, showed modest sensitivity 54% and positive predictive value 46%, but good specificity 85% and negative predictive value 89% for GERD diagnosis.Conclusion & InferencesTotal EGJ‐CI, a new metric that summarizes EGJ contractility over time, allows an improved assessment of EGJ barrier function. Pathological reflux is unlikely if this metric is within the upper two‐thirds of the normal range.
Regulatory function of homeodomain‐leucine zipper (HD‐ZIP) family proteins during embryogenesis
Authors: Roodbarkelari Farshad , Groot Edwin P. 
Published: August 2016

SummaryHomeodomain‐leucine zipper proteins (HD‐ZIPs) form a plant‐specific family of transcription factors functioning as homo‐ or heterodimers. Certain members of all four classes of this family are involved in embryogenesis, the focus of this review. They support auxin biosynthesis, transport and response, which are in turn essential for the apical–basal patterning of the embryo, radicle formation and outgrowth of the cotyledons. They transcriptionally regulate meristem regulators to maintain the shoot apical meristem once it is initiated. Some members are specific to the protoderm, the outermost layer of the embryo, and play a role in shoot apical meristem function. Within classes, homeodomain‐leucine zippers tend to act redundantly during embryo development, and there are many examples of regulation within and between classes of homeodomain‐leucine zippers. This indicates a complex network of regulation that awaits future experiments to uncover.
Albumin Turnover in Peritoneal and Hemodialysis
Authors: Rippe Bengt , Öberg Carl M. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe turnover of albumin is increased in both peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) due to increased external losses, normally leading to compensatory increases in the hepatic albumin synthesis. The normal rate of albumin synthesis is on the order of 12 g/day corresponding to an equally large albumin fractional catabolic rate of ~4% daily. Most albumin catabolism is assumed to occur in the endothelium, but there is also renal and hepatic catabolism and leakage into the gastrointestinal tract. In PD the daily losses are on the order of 5 g/day. There are also external albumin losses in HD, particularly when high‐performance membranes are used, the losses per session ranging between 1 and 8 g (or more). The dialytic albumin losses cannot be detected by assessing the transcapillary escape rate of albumin from the plasma compartment to the interstitium. In PD, tracer albumin that has been injected into the peritoneal fluid is absorbed to the tissues surrounding the peritoneal cavity without much edema formation, due to the process of “volume recirculation”. A small fraction of the dialysate albumin tracer (0.2–0.3 ml/minute) is directly reabsorbed to the plasma via the lymphatics. A significant portion of dialysis patients are affected by chronic inflammation, such as in the malnutrition inflammation and atherosclerosis syndrome, which is also associated with cardiovascular mortality and fluid overload. These patients usually have a reduced ability to compensate for external losses of albumin, which may result in hypoalbuminemia. Reduced plasma albumin levels in dialysis patients may thus be regarded as a sign of chronic inflammation rather than reflecting malnutrition.
HLA genotyping in the clinical laboratory: comparison of next‐generation sequencing methods
Authors: Profaizer T. , Lázár‐Molnár E. , Close D.W. , Delgado J. C. , Kumánovics A. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractImplementation of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping by next‐generation sequencing (NGS) in the clinical lab brings new challenges to the laboratories performing this testing. With the advent of commercially available HLA‐NGS typing kits, labs must make numerous decisions concerning capital equipment and address labor considerations. Therefore, careful and unbiased evaluation of available methods is imperative. In this report, we compared our in‐house developed HLA NGS typing with two commercially available kits from Illumina and Omixon using 10 International Histocompatibility Working Group (IHWG) and 36 clinical samples. Although all three methods employ long range polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and have been developed on the Illumina MiSeq platform, the methodologies for library preparation show significant variations. There was 100% typing concordance between all three methods at the first field when a HLA type could be assigned. Overall, HLA typing by NGS using in‐house or commercially available methods is now feasible in clinical laboratories. However, technical variables such as hands‐on time and indexing strategies are sufficiently different among these approaches to impact the workflow of the clinical laboratory.
Leaf chlorophyll fluorescence discriminates herbicide resistance in Echinochloa species
Authors: Zhang C J , Lim S H , Kim J W , Nah G , Fischer A , Kim D S 
Published: August 2016

SummaryTimely detection of herbicide resistance at an early stage of crop cultivation is essential to help farmers find alternative solutions to manage herbicide resistance in their fields. In this study, maximum quantum yield of PS II [Fv/Fm = (Fm – Fo)/Fm] was measured at the 4–5 leaf stage to discriminate between herbicide‐resistant and susceptible biotypes of Echinochloa species. The differences in Fv/Fm between herbicide‐resistant and susceptible Echinochloa spp. were consistent with the whole‐plant assay based on I50 (herbicide doses causing a 50% inhibition of Fv/Fm) and GR50 (herbicide doses causing a 50% reduction in plant fresh weight) values and R/S ratios (herbicide resistance index), regardless of the mode of action of the tested herbicides. A PS II inhibitor caused the fastest inhibition of Fv/Fm, compared with ACCase and ALS inhibitors, after herbicide treatment. The required time for discrimination between herbicide‐resistant and susceptible Echinochloa spp. was 64 h after PS II inhibitor treatment, much shorter than those of ACCase and ALS inhibitor‐treated plants, which required 168 and 192 h respectively. The leaf chlorophyll fluorescence assay provided reliable diagnostics of herbicide resistance in Echinochloa spp. with significant time savings and convenient measurement in field conditions compared with the conventional whole‐plant assay.
rSYBL
Authors: Copil Georgiana , Moldovan Daniel , Truong Hong-Linh , Dustdar Schahram 
Published: August 2016

Cloud applications can benefit from the on-demand capacity of cloud infrastructures, which offer computing and data resources with diverse capabilities, pricing, and quality models. However, state-of-the-art tools mainly enable the user to specify “if-then-else” policies concerning resource usage and size, resulting in a cumbersome specification process that lacks expressiveness for enabling the control of complex multilevel elasticity requirements.
In this article, first we propose SYBL, a novel language for specifying elasticity requirements at multiple levels of abstraction. Second, we design and develop the rSYBL framework for controlling cloud services at multiple levels of abstractions. To enforce user-specified requirements, we develop a multilevel elasticity control mechanism enhanced with conflict resolution. rSYBL supports different cloud providers and is highly extensible, allowing service providers or developers to define their own connectors to the desired infrastructures or tools. We validate it through experiments with two distinct services, evaluating rSYBL over two distinct cloud infrastructures, and showing the importance of multilevel elasticity control.
Prevention of Colitis and Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer by a Novel Polypharmacological Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor
Authors: Wei Tzu-Tang , Lin Yi-Ting , Tseng Ruo-Yu , Shun Chia-Tung , Lin Yu-Chin , Wu Ming-Shiang , Fang Jim-Min , Chen Ching-Chow 
Published: August 2016

Abstract
Purpose: Colorectal cancer is a worldwide cancer with rising annual incidence. Inflammation is a well-known cause of colorectal cancer carcinogenesis. Metabolic inflammation (metaflammation) and altered gut microbiota (dysbiosis) have contributed to colorectal cancer. Chemoprevention is an important strategy to reduce cancer-related mortality. Recently, various polypharmacologic molecules that dually inhibit histone deacetylases (HDAC) and other therapeutic targets have been developed.
Experimental Design: Prevention for colitis was examined by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) mouse models. Prevention for colorectal cancer was examined by azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) mouse models. Immunohistochemical staining was utilized to analyze the infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils and COX-II expression in mouse tissue specimens. The endotoxin activity was evaluated by Endotoxin Activity Assay Kit.
Results: We synthesized a statin hydroxamate that simultaneously inhibited HDAC and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR). Its preventive effect on colitis and colitis-associated colorectal cancer in mouse models was examined. Oral administration of this statin hydroxamate could prevent acute inflammation in the DSS-induced colitis and AOM/DSS–induced colorectal cancer with superior activity than the combination of lovastatin and SAHA. It also reduced proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, expression of COX-II, and cyclin D1 in inflammation and tumor tissues, as well as decreasing the infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils in tumor-surrounding regions. Stemness of colorectal cancer and the release of endotoxin in AOM/DSS mouse models were also attenuated by this small molecule.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the polypharmacological HDAC inhibitor has promising effect on the chemoprevention of colorectal cancer, and serum endotoxin level might serve as a potential biomarker for its chemoprevention. Clin Cancer Res; 22(16); 4158–69. ©2016 AACR.
Etude éco-biologique d’Artemia salina (Branchiopoda, Anostraca) de la saline de Sahline (Tunisie)
Authors: Trigui Khalil , Said Rafik Ben , Akrout Fourat , Aloui Néji 
Published: August 2016

Dans la présente étude, d’éventuelles corrélations entre les facteurs du milieu et quelques éléments biologiques de l’Artemiade la saline de Sahline ont été étudiées durant une année. Les résultats obtenus ont montré que les paramètres du milieu ont affecté la biologie de l’Artemia. L’abondance maximale a été enregistrée en mai (550 ± 2,16 ind/l). Tous les stades de développement étaient présents mais avec des pourcentages saisonniers variables. Les populations d’Artemiaétudiées sont bisexuées avec une reproduction ovovivipare au début et ovipare à la fin du cycle. La sex-ratio a montré une dominance des mâles au début et des femelles à la fin du cycle. La taille des femelles mâtures est supérieure à celle des mâles. La fécondité obtenue s’est traduite par une production importante des cystes par rapport aux nauplii. Les analyses statistiques ont montré une corrélation négative avec un effet très significatif entre les facteurs du milieu (température et salinité) et la production des nauplii (ovoviviparité) contrairement avec l’oxygène dissous.
Germ line mutations in shelterin complex genes are associated with familial chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Speedy Helen E. , Kinnersley Ben , Chubb Daniel , Broderick Peter , Law Philip J. , Litchfield Kevin , Jayne Sandrine , Dyer Martin J. S. , Dearden Claire , Follows George A. , Catovsky Daniel , Houlston Richard S. 
Published: August 2016

Key Points
Germ line loss-of-function mutations in shelterin genes occur in a subset of families with CLL. Telomere dysregulation is further implicated in CLL predisposition.
Expression of neural cell adhesion molecule and polysialic acid in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells
Authors: Skog Maria S. , Nystedt Johanna , Korhonen Matti , Anderson Heidi , Lehti Timo A. , Pajunen Maria I. , Finne Jukka 
Published: August 2016

AbstractBackgroundIn order to develop novel clinical applications and to gain insights into possible therapeutic mechanisms, detailed molecular characterization of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hBM-MSCs) is needed. Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM, CD56) is a transmembrane glycoprotein modulating cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions. An additional post-translational modification of NCAM is the α2,8-linked polysialic acid (polySia). Because of its background, NCAM is often considered a marker of neural lineage commitment. Generally, hBM-MSCs are considered to be devoid of NCAM expression, but more rigorous characterization is needed.MethodsWe have studied NCAM and polySia expression in five hBM-MSC lines at mRNA and protein levels. Cell surface localization was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining and expression frequency in the donor-specific lines by flow cytometry. For the detection of poorly immunogenic polySia, a fluorochrome-tagged catalytically defective enzyme was employed.ResultsAll five known NCAM isoforms are expressed in these cells at mRNA level and the three main isoforms are present at protein level. Both polysialyltransferases, generally responsible for NCAM polysialylation, are expressed at mRNA level, but only very few cells express polySia at the cell surface.ConclusionsOur results underline the need for a careful control of methods and conditions in the characterization of MSCs. This study shows that, against the generally held view, clinical-grade hBM-MSCs do express NCAM. In contrast, although both polysialyltransferase genes are transcribed in these cells, very few express polySia at the cell surface. NCAM and polySia represent new candidate molecules for influencing MSC interactions.
Optimal and Naive Diversification in Currency Markets
Authors: Ackermann Fabian , Pohl Walt , Schmedders Karl 
Published: August 2016

DeMiguel et al. [DeMiguel V, Garlappi L, Uppal R (2009) Optimal versus naïve diversification: How inefficient is the 1/N portfolio strategy? Rev. Financial Stud. 22(5):1915–1953] showed that in the stock market, it is difficult for an optimized portfolio constructed using mean-variance analysis to outperform a simple, equally weighted portfolio because of estimation error. In this paper, we demonstrate that portfolio optimization can be made to work in currency markets. The key difference between the two settings is that in currency markets interest rates provide a predictor of future returns that is free of estimation error, which permits the application of mean-variance analysis. We show that over the last 26 years, a mean-variance efficient portfolio constructed in this fashion has a Sharpe ratio of 0.91, versus only 0.15 for the equally weighted portfolio. We also consider the practical implementation of this strategy. This paper was accepted by Neng Wang, finance.