bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Public Health Interventions: 2. Stepping Up to Routine Public Health Evaluation With the Stepped Wedge Design
Authors: Spiegelman Donna 
Published: February 2016

In a stepped wedge design (SWD), an intervention is rolled out in a staggered manner over time, in groups of experimental units, so that by the end, all units experience the intervention. For example, in the MaxART study, the date at which to offer universal antiretroviral therapy to otherwise ineligible clients is being randomly assigned in nine “steps” of four months duration so that after three years, all 14 facilities in northern and central Swaziland will be offering early treatment. In the common alternative, the cluster randomized trial (CRT), experimental units are randomly allocated on a single common start date to the interventions to be compared. Often, the SWD is more feasible than the CRT, both for practical and ethical reasons, but takes longer to complete. The SWD permits both within- and between- unit comparisons, while the CRT only allows between-unit comparisons. Thus, confounding bias with respect to time-invariant factors tends to be lower in an SWD than a CRT, but the SWD cannot as readily control for confounding by time-varying factors. SWDs have generally more statistical power than CRTs, especially as the intraunit correlation and the number of participants within unit increases. Software for both designs are available, although for a more limited set of SWD scenarios.
Does Surgical Correction of Right Thoracic Scoliosis in Syringomyelia Produce Outcomes Similar to Those in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis?
Authors: Sha Shifu , Qiu Yong , Sun Weixiang , Han Xiao , Zhu Weiguo , Zhu Zezhang 
Published: February 2016

Background:
Practice guidelines for deformity correction in patients with syringomyelia-associated scoliosis (SMS) remain ill defined. Although surgeons experienced in treating adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) are commonly called on to treat SMS, no study has directly compared the results of surgical treatment between patients with SMS and those with AIS. The present study was performed to compare the radiographic and clinical outcomes of posterior spinal fusion between patients with right-thoracic SMS and those with right-thoracic AIS.

Methods:
Sixty-nine adolescents with SMS were matched with patients with AIS for sex, age, and curve magnitude. Patients were evaluated before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at the latest follow-up examination for changes in curve correction, global coronal balance, and scores on the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-22 questionnaire.

Results:
The preoperative primary curve magnitude was similar between the two groups, but a trend toward less flexibility was observed in the SMS group. The amount of correction of the thoracic Cobb angles obtained surgically (68% compared with 71%) and the ratio of percent correction to flexibility (1.80 compared with 1.76) were similar in the SMS and AIS groups. At the latest evaluation, eight patients with SMS and five with AIS had lost >10° of thoracic spine correction (p = 0.382). The postoperative coronal decompensation averaged 13% and 6%, respectively, in the SMS and AIS groups (p = 0.243). No intergroup differences were noted with respect to the sagittal vertical axis or proximal junctional change, with preservation of global sagittal balance in both groups during follow-up. There were no neurologic or other major complications related to surgery in either group.

Conclusions:
Despite the differences in preoperative status, adolescents with idiopathic right thoracic scoliosis and those with syringomyelia-associated right thoracic scoliosis had comparable clinical and radiographic outcomes of pedicle-screw-based posterior spinal fusion, without neurologic complications.

Level of Evidence:
Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Outcomes of ureteral surgery and ureteral stenting in cats: 117 cases (2006–2014)
Authors: Wormser Chloe , Clarke Dana L. , Aronson Lillian R. 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate and compare outcomes in cats following ureteral surgery or ureteral stent placement.
DESIGN Retrospective case series.
ANIMALS 117 cats.
PROCEDURES Data regarding signalment, history, concurrent disease, clinical signs, clinicopathologic tests, surgical procedures, and perioperative complications (including death) were recorded. Follow-up data, including presence of signs of chronic lower urinary tract disease, chronic urinary tract infection, reobstruction, and death, if applicable, were obtained by records review or telephone contact with owners. Variables of interest were compared statistically between cats treated with and without stent placement. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression were performed to assess differences in survival time between cats with and without ureteral stents.
RESULTS Perioperative complications referable to the urinary tract were identified in 6 of 43 (14%) cats that had ≥ 1 ureteral stent placed and 2 of 74 (3%) cats that underwent ureteral surgery without stenting. Perioperative mortality rates were similar between cats with (4/43 [9%]) and without (6/74 [8%]) stents. After surgery, signs of chronic lower urinary tract disease and chronic urinary tract infection were significantly more common among cats with than cats without stents. Nineteen of 87 (22%) cats with follow-up information available had recurrent obstruction; incidence of reobstruction did not differ between cats with and without stents. Median survival time did not differ between the 2 groups.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The potential for signs of chronic lower urinary tract disease and chronic infection, particularly among cats that receive ureteral stents, warrants appropriate client counseling. Judicious long-term follow-up for detection of reobstruction is recommended.
The Influence of Application a Simplified Transformation Model Between Reference Frames ECEF and ECI onto Prediction Accuracy of Position and Velocity of GLONASS Satellites
Authors: Krzyżek Robert , Skorupa Bogdan 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
In computational tasks of satellite geodesy there is a need for transformation of coordinates between reference frames ECEF – Earth Centered, Earth Fixed and ECI – Earth Centered, Inertial. Strict and simplified transformation models, which can be used in case of the position and velocity short-term predictions of GLONASS satellites, have been presented in this study. Comparison of the results of state vector components predictions of the GLONASS satellites, in dependence of the used transformation model, have also been presented. Accuracy of the prediction has been determined on the basis of the analyse of deviations of the predicted positions and velocities of GLONASS satellites from their values given in broadcast ephemeris.
Indels within the bovine visfatin gene affect its mRNA expression in longissimus muscle and subcutaneous fat
Authors: Cai H. , Wang Z. , Lan X. , Xu Y. , Chen H. , Lei C. 
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Visfatin, an adipokine hormone produced primarily by visceral adipose tissue in mammals, has been identified as having a crucial role in growth and development of skeletal muscle and lipids. In this research, the effects of two indel loci (35 bp indel: AC_000161.1: g. 20540–20541 Ins ACTGGAATTCTAGTTTAAAAATTGCTACTAATGAA located in intron 4; 6 bp indel: AC_000161.1: g. 25873–25878 Del: TAAAAA located in intron 5) of the visfatin gene on mRNA expression levels were studied by means of real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) in longissimus muscle and subcutaneous fat from 95 Qinchuan cattle. Firstly, visfatin expression level in longissimus muscle of fetal cattle was prominently greater than that in calves and adult cattle (P < 0.05). The expression level of visfatin in subcutaneous fat was notably higher than that in longissimus muscle of calves and adult cattle (P < 0.05). Secondly, there were three genotypes (ins/ins, del/del and ins/del) and two genotypes (ins/del and ins/ins) detected in the 35 bp locus and 6 bp locus, respectively. Visfatin showed a minimum expression level in longissimus muscle in the homozygous deletion genotype at the 35 bp indel locus. Especially in calves, expression of visfatin was significantly greater in the heterozygous genotype than that in the homozygous insertion genotpye (P < 0.05). No statistical differences were found among visfatin expression level based on genotypes in the 6 bp indel locus (P > 0.05). Compared to heterozygous genotype, the expression level of homozygous insertion genotype was lower in longissimus muscle but greater in subcutaneous fat. These results imply that the expression levels of bovine visfatin vary with age and its indels might be putative variants mediating the expression of the bovine visfatin gene. This study provides useful information for further functional studies of bovine visfatin.
The 2009–2010 step in atmospheric CO2 interhemispheric difference
Authors: Francey R. J. , Frederiksen J. S. 
Published: February 2016

Abstract. The annual average CO2 difference between baseline data from Mauna Loa and the Southern Hemisphere increased by  ∼  0.8 µmol mol−1 (0.8 ppm) between 2009 and 2010, a step unprecedented in over 50 years of reliable data. We find no evidence for coinciding, sufficiently large source and sink changes. A statistical anomaly is unlikely due to the highly systematic nature of the variation in observations. An explanation for the step, and the subsequent 5-year stability in this north–south difference, involves interhemispheric atmospheric exchange variation. The selected data describing this episode provide a critical test for studies that employ atmospheric transport models to interpret global carbon budgets and inform management of anthropogenic emissions.
In situ unsaturated zone water stable isotope (2H and 18O) measurements in semi-arid environments: a soil water balance
Authors: Gaj Marcel , Beyer Matthias , Koeniger Paul , Wanke Heike , Hamutoko Josefina , Himmelsbach Thomas 
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Stable isotopes (deuterium, 2H, and oxygen-18, 18O) of soil water were measured in the field using a liquid water isotope analyzer (tunable off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscope, OA-ICOS, LGR) and commercially available soil gas probes (BGL-30, UMS, Munich) in the semi-arid Cuvelai–Etosha Basin (CEB), Namibia. Results support the applicability of an in situ measurement system for the determination of stable isotopes in soil pore water. High spatial and temporal resolution was achieved in the study area with reasonable accuracy and measurements were in agreement with laboratory-based cryogenic vacuum extraction and subsequent cavity ring-down laser spectroscopic isotope analysis (CRDS, L2120-i, Picarro Inc.). After drift and span correction of the in situ isotope data, precision for over 140 measurements taken during two consecutive field campaigns (June and November 2014) was 1.8 and 0.48 ‰ for δ2H and δ18O, respectively. Mean measurement trueness is determined using quality check standards and was 5 and 0.3 ‰ for δ2H and δ18O, respectively. The isotope depth profiles are used quantitatively to calculate a soil water balance. The contribution of transpiration to total evapotranspiration ranged between 72 and 92 %. Shortly after a rain event, the contribution of transpiration was much lower, at 35 to 50 %. Potential limitations of such an in situ system are related to environmental conditions which could be minimized by using a temperature-controlled chamber for the laser spectrometer. Further, the applicability of the system using previously oven-dried soil material might be limited by physicochemical soil properties (i.e., clay minerals). Uncertainty in the in situ system is suggested to be reduced by improving the calibration procedure and further studying fractionation effects influencing the isotope ratios in the soil water, especially at low water contents. Furthermore, the influence of soil-respired CO2 on isotope values within the root zone could not be deduced from the data.
Skill Development: A Way to Leverage the Demographic Dividend in India
Authors: Misra Sushendra Kumar 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe world’s population is ageing fast and it is estimated that the global population aged 65 and above shall reach to 1.3 billion by 2040, which will be more than double of 530 million in 2010. Rapidly ageing population shall result in severe labor shortage across in the global market. The world’s largest economies like Germany, France and US are expected to suffer due to the acute shortage of skilled workers. According to a global study, presently India is one of the largest labor-surplus countries in terms of its working age group (15-64 years) populations worldwide. India is in demographic dividend phase and can generate skilled manpower for employment through effective use of vocational and skill development training. The present study is to examine how to create skilled labor force through effective use of schemes of Government of India, run by different ministries to facilitate its skill development mission target to train 500 million people by 2022.
Immobilization of nitrilase on bioinspired silica for efficient synthesis of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid from 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanenitrile
Authors: Jin Li-Qun , Guo Dong-Jing , Li Zong-Tong , Liu Zhi-Qiang , Zheng Yu-Guo 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
In this paper, a simple and effective method using sodium metasilicate as precursor and amine as additive was first reported to immobilize recombinant nitrilase, for efficient production of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid from 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanenitrile. High immobilization recovery of enzyme activity (above 90 %) was achieved. The immobilized enzyme displayed better thermal stability, pH stability and shelf life compared to free nitrilase. Moreover, it showed excellent reusability and could be recycled up to 16 batches without significant loss in activity. 200 mM 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanenitrile was completely converted by the immobilized enzyme within 30 min, and the accumulation amount of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid reached 130 mmol/g of immobilized beads after 16 batches. These encouraging results demonstrated the efficiency of the new technology for nitrilase immobilization, which has great potential in preparation of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid.
Contamination on AMS Sample Targets by Modern Carbon is Inevitable
Authors: Paul Dipayan , Been Henk A , Aerts-Bijma Anita Th , Meijer Harro A J 
Published: February 2016

AbstractAccelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements of the radiocarbon content in very old samples are often challenging and carry large relative uncertainties due to possible contaminations acquired during the preparation and storage steps. In case of such old samples, the natural surrounding levels of 14C from gases in the atmosphere, which may well be the source of contamination among others, are 2–3 orders of magnitude higher than the samples themselves. Hence, serious efforts are taken during the preparation steps to have the samples pristine until measurements are performed. As samples often have to be temporarily stored until AMS measurements can be performed, storage conditions also become extremely crucial. Here we describe an assessment of this process of contamination in background AMS samples. Samples, both as pressed graphite (on AMS targets) and graphite powder, were stored in various storage conditions (CO2-spiked air) to investigate the extent of contamination. The experiments clearly show that the pressed targets are more vulnerable to contamination than the unpressed graphite. Experiments conducted with enriched CO2-spiked laboratory air also reveal that the contaminating carbon is not only limited to the target surface but also penetrates into the matrix. A combination of measurements on understanding the chemical nature of the graphitization product, combined with long-available knowledge on “adventitious carbon” from the surface science community, brought us to the conclusion that contamination is to a certain extent inevitable. However, it can be minimized, and should be dealt with by sputter-cleaning the samples individually before the actual measurement.
Alternatives to Punishment — The Abolitionist Case
Authors: Steinert  , Hulsman  , Cohen Stanley 
Published: February 2016

Heinz Steinert and Louk Hulsman represent “abolitionism” — a stream of critical thinking about criminology, crime, criminal law and punishment that has been developing in Western Europe (mainly Holland, Germany, Austria and Norway) over the past two decades. Given that the participants to this Conference are mainly Anglo-American and Israeli academics or lawyers who have been quite insulated from this intellectual movement, it seemed to me that my most useful task as commentator would be to place these ideas in their wider intellectual context. After this, I will select a few general themes from these papers and compare them to the papers by Abel and Galanter in the related session on “Alternatives to Punishment”.My own position towards abolitionism is that of a sympathetic, but critical fellow traveller: I agree with much, want to believe more but am skeptical about some.
Affirmative Action and Access to Higher Education in Brazil: The Significance of Race and Other Social Factors
Authors: MENDES JUNIOR ALVARO ALBERTO FERREIRA , DE MELLO E SOUZA ALBERTO , WALTENBERG FÁBIO DOMINGUES 
Published: February 2016

AbstractUsing recent data, this study examines the affirmative action programme of the Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), the first Brazilian university to implement admissions quotas. The article analyses admissions records and finds that both the ratio of applications per place and minimum admission scores are considerably lower among quota students; scores in the admissions test are associated principally with socio-economic factors rather than racial ones; preparatory courses for the university's admissions tests do not appear to be a substitute for the quota system in terms of improving access; few quota applicants would be admitted in the absence of the system; and the applicants who displace others come from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. The article concludes that it is necessary to improve the quality of basic education in Brazil in order to enable disadvantaged applicants to compete.
What can Neighbourhood Density effects tell us about word learning? Insights from a connectionist model of vocabulary development
Authors: TAKAC MARTIN , KNOTT ALISTAIR , STOKES STEPHANIE 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIn this paper, we investigate the effect of neighbourhood density (ND) on vocabulary size in a computational model of vocabulary development. A word has a high ND if there are many words phonologically similar to it. High ND words are more easily learned by infants of all abilities (e.g. Storkel, 2009; Stokes, 2014). We present a neural network model that learns general phonotactic patterns in the exposure language, as well as specific word forms and, crucially, mappings between word meanings and word forms. The network is faster at learning frequent words, and words containing high-probability phoneme sequences, as human word learners are, but, independently of this, the network is also faster at learning words with high ND, and, when its capacity is reduced, it learns high ND words in preference to other words, similarly to late talkers. We analyze the model and propose a novel explanation of the ND effect, in which word meanings play an important role in generating word-specific biases on general phonological trajectories. This explanation leads to a new prediction about the origin of the ND effect in infants.
Antiepileptic Drugs – Current Use
Authors: Wilder B.J. 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT:In the last few years a number of new antiepileptic drugs ahve been introduced for the treatment of epilepsy. In addition to the standard antiepileptic drugs, clobazam, vigabatrin, gabapentin, and lamotrigine have been introduced. The choice of the best antiepileptic drug for an individual patient has become more complex. In this review the clinical benefits of the standard and the new antiepileptic drugs are presented.
Responses in Skin Microcirculation to Vestibular Stimulation Before and During Motion Sickness
Authors: Kolev Ognyan I. , Möller Claes , Nilsson Gert , Tibbling Lita 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT:Background:Observation of physiological changes during motion sickness is required to quantify the degree of sickness. The review of the literature does not show unifying results. An objective symptom of motion sickness is facial pallor. It reflects changes in skin microcirculation which have not been measured so far.Methods:Eleven healthy volunteers susceptible to motion sickness were subjected to eccentric vertical axis rotation. The dynamics and the correspondence of the changes in skin blood flow in two segments, forehead and finger, were measured by laser Doppler flowmeter.Results and Conclusions:The difference in the microcirculatory skin blood flow across the phases of motion sickness is significant for the forehead but not for the fingertip; the established dynamics of the forehead blood flow during motion sickness will be of benefit in quantifying the degree of sickness; there is no correlation between the blood flow changes in both measured areas; the rhythmic blood flow fluctuation increases during motion sickness; there is a difference between the blood flow responses to vestibular stimulation before the appearance of motion sickness and in the course of the sickness. Laser Doppler flowmetry is a reliable method in quantifying the degree of motion sickness.
Radiosurgery for Arteriovenous Malformations: the University of Toronto Experience
Authors: Young C. , Summerfield R. , Schwartz M. , O'Brien P. , Ramani R. 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT:Background:From July 1989 to February 1996, 130 patients underwent sterotactic radiosurgery. We report the results of the first 50 patients eligible for a minimum of three years of follow-up.Methods:Twenty women and 30 men, (mean age: 37.5 years) were treated by dynamic rotation on a 6 MV linear accelerator. Prior treatment was embolization in seventeen, surgery in three and embolization and surgery in six. All had DSA and enhanced CT scanning, while some had MRI. Forty-seven treatments used a single isodose. Restricting eloquent normal tissue to 15 Gy, margin doses (at 50 - 90% isodose) were 12 Gy (one patient); 15 Gy (sixteen patients); 20 Gy (31 patients); 25 Gy (two patients). Maximum diameters were: <1.5 cm (12 patients); < 2.0 cm (nine patients); < 2.5 cm (twelve patients); < 3.0 cm (thirteen patients; 3.0 cm (four patients).Results:Forty-five patients were evaluable at three years, with thirty-nine having angiography. Twenty-five had angiographically confirmed obliterations; two had parenchymal AVMs obliterated but with residual dural components; four had MRI evidence of obliteration (refused angiography). One patient acutely had a seizure; one patient (with hemorrhages, resection, and embolizations preceding two applications of radiosurgery, separated by 3.5 years) had worsening of memory.Conclusions:Our uncorrected (five patients unevaluable at three years) and corrected angiographically confirmed obliteration rates are 54% and 60% respectively. Our follow-up (98% accounting of cohort; 78% angiographic rate) and explicit derivation of denominators help delineate the efficacy of radiosurgery at these doses.