bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Image intensifier X-ray beam collimation and its effect on radiation dose during ureteroscopy
Authors: Horsburgh Ben A , Babajews Wesley , Altham Samantha , Cowan Helen 
Published: May 2016

Objective: This study aims to assess the use of primary X-ray beam collimation during ureteroscopy and its effect on patient radiation dose. Methods: A retrospective review of images and radiation doses of patients undergoing ureteroscopy. Results: The use of primary X-ray beam collimation during ureteroscopy is associated with lower radiation doses to the patient. Only 3% of images had evidence of collimation.
Nickeltsumcorite, Pb(Ni,Fe3+)2(AsO4)2 (H2O,OH)2, a new tsumcorite-group mineral from Lavrion, Greece
Authors: Pekov Igor V. , Chukanov Nikita V. , Varlamov Dmitry A. , Belakovskiy Dmitry I. , Turchkova Anna G. , Voudouris Panagiotis , Katerinopoulos Athanassios , Magganas Andreas 
Published: May 2016

AbstractA new tsumcorite-group mineral, nickeltsumcorite, Pb(Ni,Fe3+)2(AsO4)2(H2O,OH)2, the Ni-dominant analogue of tsumcorite and cobalttsumcorite, was found in the oxidation zone of a hydrothermal orebody containing gersdorffite and galena at the Km-3 mine, Lavrion, Attikí Prefecture, Greece. It is associated with annabergite, nickellotharmeyerite, nickelaustinite, gaspéite, calcite, dolomite, aragonite, quartz, goethite, cerussite, arseniosiderite, mimetite, oxyplumboroméite and Mn oxides/hydroxides. Nickeltsumcorite occurs as open-work aggregates and interrupted crusts up to 3 mm × 5 mm in area and up to 0.2 mm thick. They typically consist of coarse radial spherulites or dense concentric nodules up to 0.15 mm in diameter. Bunches or hemispherical clusters of crude individuals and separate imperfect, elongated crystals (up to 0.02 mm long) are also observed. Nickeltsumcorite is yellow, brownish-yellow, light brown or brown, with a yellow streak and a vitreous lustre. The Mohs hardness is ∼4. The mineral is brittle; one direction of distinct cleavage is observed under the microscope. D(calc.) = 5.02 g cm–3. Nickeltsumcorite is optically biaxial (–), α = 1.82(2), β = 1.87(1), γ = 1.90(1), 2V(obs.) is large. The chemical composition (wt.%, electron-microprobe data, H2O by difference) is CaO 2.79, PbO 28.12, MgO 0.30, CoO 0.15, NiO 17.39, ZnO 0.76, Mn2O3 0.57, Fe2O3 6.83, As2O5 38.17, H2O 4.92, total 100.00. The empirical formula, calculated based on 10 O apfu, is (Pb0.76Ca0.30)∑1.06(Ni1.39Fe3+0.51Zn0.06Mn3+0.04 Mg0.04Co0.01)∑2.05As1.99O7.97[(H2O)1.25(OH)0.78]. The strongest reflections in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d,Å(I)(hkl)] are 4.64 (100) (1̄11), 4.47 (41)(2̄01), 3.238 (82)(1̄12), 3.008(60)(201), 2.859(41)(021), 2.545(79)(3̄12, 112), 2.545 (79)(3̄12, 112) and 2.505 (61)(220, 2̄03). The cation composition, powder Xray diffraction data and IR spectrum show that nickeltsumcorite belongs to the tsumcorite structure type. The new mineral is monoclinic, space group C2/m, a = 9.124(8), b = 6.339(3), c = 7.567(7) Å, β = 115.19(6)°, V = 396.0(7) Å3 and Z = 2. Nickeltsumcorite forms a solid-solution series with nickellotharmeyerite.
On the convergence of a generalized modified Krasnoselskii iterative process for generalized strictly pseudocontractive mappings in uniformly convex Banach spaces
Authors: Saddeek Ali Mohamed 
Published: May 2016

AbstractThis paper aims to study the strong convergence of generalized modified Krasnoselskii iterative process for finding the minimum norm solutions of certain nonlinear equations with generalized strictly pseudocontractive, demiclosed, coercive, bounded, and potential mappings in uniformly convex Banach spaces. An application to nonlinear pseudomonotone equations is provided. The results extend and improve recent work in this direction.
Health Care Segregation, Physician Recommendation, and Racial Disparities inBRCA1/2Testing Among Women With Breast Cancer
Authors: McCarthy Anne Marie , Bristol Mirar , Domchek Susan M. , Groeneveld Peter W. , Kim Younji , Motanya U. Nkiru , Shea Judy A. , Armstrong Katrina 
Published: May 2016

PurposeRacial disparities in BRCA1/2 testing have been documented, but causes of these disparities are poorly understood. The study objective was to investigate whether the distribution of black and white patients across cancer providers contributes to disparities in BRCA1/2 testing.Patients and MethodsWe conducted a population-based study of women in Pennsylvania and Florida who were 18 to 64 years old and diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 2007 and 2009, linking cancer registry data, the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile, and patient and physician surveys. The study included 3,016 women (69% white, 31% black), 808 medical oncologists, and 732 surgeons.ResultsBlack women were less likely to undergo BRCA1/2 testing than white women (odds ratio [OR], 0.40; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.48; P < .001). This difference was attenuated but not eliminated by adjustment for mutation risk, clinical factors, sociodemographic characteristics, and attitudes about testing (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P < .001). The care of black and white women was highly segregated across surgeons and oncologists (index of dissimilarity 64.1 and 61.9, respectively), but adjusting for clustering within physician or physician characteristics did not change the size of the testing disparity. Black women were less likely to report that they had received physician recommendation for BRCA1/2 testing even after adjusting for mutation risk (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.82; P < .001). Adjusting for physician recommendation further attenuated the testing disparity (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.57 to 1.02; P = .06).ConclusionAlthough black and white patients with breast cancer tend to see different surgeons and oncologists, this distribution does not contribute to disparities in BRCA1/2 testing. Instead, residual racial differences in testing after accounting for patient and physician characteristics are largely attributable to differences in physician recommendations. Efforts to address these disparities should focus on ensuring equity in testing recommendations.
Use and Costs of Disease Monitoring in Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Accordino Melissa K. , Wright Jason D. , Vasan Sowmya , Neugut Alfred I. , Hillyer Grace C. , Hu Jim C. , Hershman Dawn L. 
Published: May 2016

Purpose The optimal frequency of monitoring patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is unknown; however, data suggest that intensive monitoring does not improve outcomes. We performed a population-based analysis to evaluate patterns and predictors of extreme use of disease-monitoring tests (serum tumor markers [STMs] and radiographic imaging) among women with MBC. Methods The SEER-Medicare database was used to identify women with MBC diagnosed from 2002 to 2011 who underwent disease monitoring. Billing dates of STMs (carcinoembryonic antigen and/or cancer antigen 15-3/cancer antigen 27.29) and imaging tests (computed tomography and/or positron emission tomography) were recorded; if more than one STM or imaging test were completed on the same day, they were counted once. We defined extreme use as > 12 STM and/or more than four radiographic imaging tests in a 12-month period. Multivariable analysis was used to identify factors associated with extreme use. In extreme users, total health care costs and end-of-life health care utilization were compared with the rest of the study population. Results We identified 2,460 eligible patients. Of these, 924 (37.6%) were extreme users of disease-monitoring tests. Factors significantly associated with extreme use were hormone receptor–negative MBC (odds ratio [OR], 1.63; 95% CI, 1.27 to 2.08), history of a positron emission tomography scan (OR, 2.92; 95% CI, 2.40 to 3.55), and more frequent oncology office visits (OR, 3.14; 95% CI, 2.49 to 3.96). Medical costs per year were 59.2% higher in extreme users. Extreme users were more likely to use emergency department and hospice services at the end of life. Conclusion Despite an unknown clinical benefit, approximately one third of elderly women with MBC were extreme users of disease-monitoring tests. Higher use of disease-monitoring tests was associated with higher total health care costs. Efforts to understand the optimal frequency of monitoring are needed to inform clinical practice.
Cannabis microbiome sequencing reveals several mycotoxic fungi native to dispensary grade Cannabis flowers
Authors: McKernan Kevin , Spangler Jessica , Zhang Lei , Tadigotla Vasisht , Helbert Yvonne , Foss Theodore , Smith Douglas R. 
Published: May 2016

The Center for Disease Control estimates 128,000 people in the U.S. are hospitalized annually due to food borne illnesses. This has created a demand for food safety testing targeting the detection of pathogenic mold and bacteria on agricultural products. This risk extends to medicalCannabisand is of particular concern with inhaled, vaporized and even concentratedCannabisproducts.As a result, third party microbial testing has become a regulatory requirement in the medical and recreationalCannabismarkets, yet knowledge of theCannabismicrobiome is limited. Here we describe the first next generation sequencing survey of the fungal communities found in dispensary basedCannabisflowers by ITS2 sequencing, and demonstrate the sensitive detection of several toxigenicPenicilliumandAspergillusspecies, includingP. citrinum and P. paxilli,that were not detected by one or more culture-based methods currently in use for safety testing.
The TOUCH program and natalizumab: Fundamental flaw in patient protection
Authors: Avasarala Jagannadha 
Published: May 2016

Many drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1993 for treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). One such drug is natalizumab (Tysabri, Biogen Idec and Elan pharmaceuticals) which has enjoyed great success in the management of MS since its re-introduction in 2006. One of the complications of using natalizumab is the risk of development of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). To mitigate the risk of PML development, Biogen Idec initiated the TOUCH program – this strategy helps monitor the disease. Clinical vigilance remains key in the early diagnosis of PML but serological testing for the John Cunningham Virus Antibody (JCV) helps with risk stratification of PML. However, some physicians do not test for the JCV Ab and since they are not required to send such data to the company or inform the patient, one red flag for suspicion of PML is lost particularly if the patient is asymptomatic. This undercuts the premise of the TOUCH program. In an ideal world, reporting JCV Ab status should be made mandatory since that ensures a basic tenet of the program is met – to identify patients at increased risk of developing PML and make appropriate recommendations based on that finding. Lack of requirement of reporting of this vital finding opens the door for uncertainty in assessment of risk PML development and everyone remains in the dark till it may be too late. This is unacceptable when the company created the TOUCH program specifically with intent to track PML risk in patients on natalizumab. It makes no scientific sense to let the drug be used without setting stringent criteria given the possibility of PML development.
An unanticipated successful career and some lessons learned
Authors: Berliner David 
Published: May 2016

I am amazed that with such ordinary beginnings I ended up with such a superb pedigree. I was educated by many of the greatest psychologists and educators of their times. It came about by chance, but there is nothing quite like studying with, and getting to know, productive senior members of your profession. They all had earned their reputations and leadership positions for a reason. [Download the PDF and read the full text . . .]
RFID-Technologie ermöglicht Smart Maintenance für Smart Factories
Authors: Rüdiger Marcel 
Published: May 2016

Zusammenfassung:
Smart Factories sind in Deutschland schon lange das zentrale Thema im Zuge des Wandels hin zur Industrie 4.0. Ziel ist die nachhaltige Steigerung der Produktivität und Effizienz durch die digitale Vernetzung zwischen Maschinen, Rohstoffen, Produkten und Menschen. Insbesondere bei Wartungs- und Serviceprozessen können durch den Einsatz von intelligenten Technologien erhebliche Wettbewerbsvorteile erzielt werden. Die Implementierung von RFID- und NFC-Komplettsystemen ist hierbei hervorragend dafür geeignet, nachhaltig eine Effizienzsteigerung voran zu bringen.
Micropropagation of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and genetic stability of long term cultivated plants
Authors: Szyp-Borowska Iwona , Banha Catarina , Wojda Tomasz , Szczygieł Krystyna 
Published: May 2016

Abstract
The study on the in vitro micropropagation of Robinia pseudoacacia L. shows the possibility of the rapid increase of the vegetative progeny using organogenesis. The culture system consists of sequential use of three media, namely, the initiation medium (MS medium supplemented with 0.6 mg · l−1 6-BA (6-benzylamino-purine), 0.1 mg · l−1 NAA (naphthalene acetic acid), proliferation medium (1/2 MS medium added with 1 mg · l−1 6-BA,) and root-induction medium (1/2 MS medium fortified with 0.2 mg · l−1 NAA). The resulting micropropagated plants, fully acclimatised to an in vivo environment, did not show any visually detectable morphological variation.
In addition, we investigated the genetic stability (vegetative progeny to the donor plant) of a sample of 30 plants randomly taken from ca. 1067 micropropagated plants, by using three microsatellites loci Rops 15, Rops 16, Rops 18. Our results suggest that DNA sequence variations may occur in micropropagated plants.
Tree crown size as a measure of tree biosocial position in 135-year-old oak (Quercus L.) stand
Authors: Kaźmierczak Katarzyna , Zawieja Bogna 
Published: May 2016

Abstract
The paper presents an attempt to apply measurable traits of a tree – crown projection area, crown length, diameter at breast height and tree height for classification of 135-year-old oak (Quercus L.) trees into Kraft classes. Statistical multivariate analysis was applied to reach the aim. Empirical material was collected on sample plot area of 0.75 ha, located in 135-year-old oak stand. Analysis of dimensional traits of oaks from 135-year-old stand allows quite certain classification of trees into three groups: pre-dominant, dominant and co-dominant and dominated ones. This seems to be quite promising, providing a tool for the approximation of the biosocial position of tree with no need for assessment in forest. Applied analyses do not allow distinguishing trees belonging to II and III Kraft classes. Unless the eye-estimation-based classification is completed, principal component analysis (PCA) method provided simple, provisional solution for grouping trees from 135-year-old stand into three over-mentioned groups. Discriminant analysis gives more precise results compared with PCA. In the analysed stand, the most important traits for the evaluation of biosocial position were diameter at breast height, crown projection area and height.
The impact of pollutants on the antioxidant protection of species of the genus Tilia at different developmental stages
Authors: Alexeyeva A. A. , Lykholat Y. V. , Khromykh N. O. , Kovalenko I. M. , Boroday E. S. 
Published: May 2016

The influence of transport fumes and industrial waste on the activity of catalase, benzidine-peroxidase and guaiacol-peroxidase was studied in the dormant buds, leaves and seeds of the following species of the genus Tilia:T. platyphyllos Scop., T. europaea L., T. amurensis Rupr. and T. begoniifolia Stev. We tested the hypothesis that the action of pollutants changes the state of antioxidant protection at different stages of tree development in contaminated phytocenoses. An increase in catalase activity was observed in leaves of all linden species, and the action of transport fumes caused excess over control level by 118, 118, 196, and 61% respectively for T. platyphyllos, T. europaea, T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia. The action of industrial waste was accompanied by a slight decrease in catalase activity in T. europaea leaves, and increase in activity in leaves of T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia (143% and 115%). Benzidine-peroxidase activity increased due to the influence of transport fumes on leaves of T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia (103% and 44%), but decreased due to the effect of industrial waste on leaves of T. europaea, T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia (46%, 30%, and 44% respectively), and was suppressed in the seeds of T. europaea, T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia both under the influence of transport (42%, 47% and 33% below control) and industrial emissions (19%, 19% and 45%), and was reduced in buds of T. platyphyllos, T. europaea and T. amurensis due to the effect of transport fumes (21%, 9% and 20% respectively). Guaiacol-peroxidase activity decreased due to the influence of transport fumes in buds of T. platyphyllos, T. europaea and T. amurensis (41%, 14% and 47% below control), while it increased in the seeds of T. platyphyllos and T. amurensis (104% and 83%), as well as in leaves of T. amurensis and T. begoniifolia both due to the effect of transport (129% and 144%) and of industrial emissions (respectively, 34% and 40% above control). The substantial restructuring of the antioxidant system components in leaves, dormant buds and seeds confirms the hypothesis that metabolic processes in Tilia trees adapt throughout all stages of their development in response to the polluted conditions in urban phytocenoses.
Influence of litter thickness on the structure of litter macrofauna of deciduous forests of Ukraine’s steppe zone
Authors: Brygadyrenko V. V. 
Published: May 2016

The litter in a forest ecosystem acts as a trophic substrate, and at the same time it is the environment for litter invertebrates. But despite this fact, there has been very little research conducted on the influence of litter thickness on the structure of litter macrofauna. The litter of steppe forests contains most types of integrated communities of forest ecosystems. This means that its thickness cannot avoid playing a significant role in the functioning of the ecosystem. Following to the standard methodologies, Invertebrates were collected using pit-fall traps in deciduous forests of Nikolaev, Zaporizhzhya, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Kharkiv oblasts, which are characterized by different types of geomorphological profile, different moisture conditions, soil salinity, tree crown and herbaceous vegetation density, soil texture and other factors. The total number of macrofauna increases in conditions where litter thickness exceeds40 mmin comparison with forest ecosystems with fragmented and average capacity litter. The number of litter macrofauna species also increases from 11–23 to 38 species on average when litter thickness increases to more than40 mm. The Shannon and Pielou diversity indexes show no definite tendencies to change in relation to changing degrees of litter thickness. At sites of greater thickness of the litter layer, the corresponding increase in the absolute number of litter mesofauna invertebrates is mostly due to saprophages, and the increase the number of species – due to zoophages. The optimum structure of domination was observed at sites with maximum thickness of litter. The proportion of large species shows no statistically significant change in relation to variations in litter thickness. The qualitative compound of the fauna at sites with thick litter changes mainly due to an increase in the number of Carabidae species.
Subpopulations of regulatory T-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Kravchenko P. N. , Zhulai G. A. , Churov A. V. , Oleinik E. K. , Oleinik V. M. , Barysheva O. Yu. , Vezikova N. N. , Marusenko I. M. 
Published: May 2016

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory rheumatic disease, associated with a dysfunction of the T cell-mediated tolerance and leading to the disability of working population. The regulatory CD4+ T cells are play important role in the regulation of autoimmunity and can suppress immune responses. With that, there is no consensus on the content of these lymphocytes and their role in the pathogenesis of RA. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the content of peripheral blood regulatory T cells (Treg) according to the expression of membrane markers CD4, CD25, CD127 and intracellular FOXP3 marker, as well as the expression of two functional molecules (CTLA-4 and CCR4) in Treg cells of patients with RA. Methods: Peripheral blood samples of RA patients (mean age 61,1±10,5) and healthy controls (mean age 52,2±14,0) were analyzed. Cell count and the expression level of molecules were assessed by flow cytometry. Results: Peripheral blood samples of 36 RA patients and 20 healthy donors were analyzed. The number of the cells with Treg-associated phenotypes CD4+CD25hi and CD4+CD25hiCD127low/– was higher in RA patients in comparison with healthy donors. Increased levels of RA CD4+ T cells expressing FOXP3 were also observed. This may be due to increasing in the number of CD4+FOXP3+CD25- lymphocytes, whereas the content of RA CD4+FOXP3+CD25+ Treg cells was at the level of the control. The expression of the functional molecule CTLA-4 in Treg cells of patients with RA was not different from the control, while the expression level of the chemokine receptor CCR4, which provides migration of lymphocytes at sites of inflammation and barrier tissues, was significantly increased in RA patients. Conclusion: Increase in the levels of certain Treg-associated lymphocyte populations were detected in peripheral blood of RA patients. During the natural course of RA, alterations in the level of the chemokine receptor CCR4 might indicate the enhanced lymphocyte migration.