bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Internet-Based Guided Self-Help for Vaginal Penetration Difficulties: Results of a Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial
Authors: Zarski Anna-Carlotta , Berking Matthias , Fackiner Christina , Rosenau Christian , Ebert David Daniel 
Published: February 2017

Abstract

Introduction
Difficulties with vaginal penetration can severely affect a woman's desire to have sexual intercourse, her sexual and general well-being, or her partnership. However, treatment opportunities for vaginismus are scarce.

Aim
To evaluate the efficacy of an internet-based guided self-help intervention for vaginismus in a randomized controlled pilot trial.

Methods
Seventy-seven women with vaginismus (primary inclusion criterion = no intercourse ≥ 6 months) were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG) and a waitlist control group (WCG). The intervention consisted of 10 sessions involving psychoeducation, relaxation exercises, sensate focus, and gradual exposure with dilators. Participants received written feedback on completed sessions from an eCoach.

Main Outcome Measures
The primary outcome was successful sexual intercourse. Secondary outcomes were non-intercourse penetration, fear of coitus, sexual functioning, and dyadic coping. Self-reported assessments were scheduled at baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months.

Results
More participants (10 of 40, 34.48%) in the IG had intercourse compared with those in the WCG (6 of 37, 20.69%) at least once at 10 weeks or 6 months (odds ratio = 2.02). The difference was not significant (χ2 1 = 1.38, P = .38), but in the IG, there was a significant increase in intercourse penetration from baseline to 6 months (d = 0.65). No such increase was found in the WCG (d = 0.21). There were significant between-group effects concerning non-intercourse penetration (self-insertion of a finger or dilator or insertion by the partner) in favor of the IG. Fear of coitus and dyadic coping significantly decreased in the IG. Overall satisfaction with the training was high.

Conclusion
This randomized controlled trial showed promising effects of an internet-based intervention by increasing participants' ability to have intercourse and non-intercourse penetration while experiencing high treatment satisfaction. The WCG also showed improvement, although participants had vaginismus for an average duration of 6 years. Internet-based interventions could be a treatment modality to complement other methods in stepped care for vaginal penetration difficulties.
Studies of challenge in lower hybrid current drive capability at high density regime in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak
Authors: Ding B. J. , Li M. H. , Li Y. C. , Wang M. , Liu F. K. , Shan J. F. , Li J. G. , Wan B. N. ,   for EAST team and collaborators
Published: February 2017

Aiming at a fusion reactor, two issues must be solved for the lower hybrid current drive (LHCD), namely good lower hybrid wave (LHW)–plasma coupling and effective current drive at high density. For this goal, efforts have been made to improve LHW–plasma coupling and current drive capability at high density in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST). LHW–plasma coupling is improved by means of local gas puffing and gas puffing from the electron side is taken as a routine way for EAST to operate with LHCD. Studies of high density experiments suggest that low recycling and high lower hybrid (LH) frequency are preferred for LHCD experiments at high density, consistent with previous results in other machines. With the combination of 2.45 GHz and 4.6 GHz LH waves, a repeatable high confinement mode plasma with maximum density up to $4.5\times 10^{19}~\text{m}^{-3}$ was obtained by LHCD in EAST. In addition, in the first stage of LHCD cyclic operation, an alternative candidate for more economical fusion reactors has been demonstrated in EAST and further work will be continued.
Religion and axiality: theological reflections on Robert N. Bellah's Axial Age hypothesis
Authors: Gregersen Niels Henrik 
Published: February 2017

AbstractThe article addresses controversial questions related to Robert N. Bellah's Religion in Human Evolution: From the Paleolithic to the Axial Age (2011), and the sequel, The Axial Age and its Consequences (2012). Discussed is the difference between the macro-historical hypothesis of an axial age and more abstract aspects of axiality. Critical questions are raised about whether Bellah's theory of the emergence of religion in play and ritual does not underestimate the cognitive functions of pre-axial religion. Finally, Bellah's project raises questions as to the creative transitions taking place in post-axial epochs, not least due to the development of canonical traditions in the first centuries ce, and to the emergence of concepts of autonomous individuals in early modernity.
Familial associations of lymphoma and myeloma with autoimmune diseases
Authors: Hemminki K , Försti A , Sundquist K , Sundquist J , Li X 
Published: February 2017

AbstractMany B-cell neoplasms are associated with autoimmune diseases (AIDs) but most evidence is based on a personal rather than a family history of AIDs. Here we calculated risks for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and multiple myeloma (MM) when family members were diagnosed with any of 44 different AIDs, or, independently, risk for AIDs when family members were diagnosed with a neoplasm. A total of 64 418 neoplasms and 531 155 AIDs were identified from Swedish nationwide health care records. NHL was associated with a family history of five AIDs, all increasing the risk, HL was associated with one AID increasing and three AIDs decreasing the risk while MM had no association. A family history of NHL was associated with eight, HL with seven and MM with seven different AIDs, nine increasing and 13 decreasing the risk. The present family data on B-cell neoplasms and AIDs show an approximately equal number of associations for risk increase and risk decrease, suggesting that inherited genes or gene-environment interactions may increase the risk or be protective. These results differed from published data on personal history of AID, which only report increased risks, often vastly higher and for different AIDs compared with the present data.
Acute myeloid leukemia targets for bispecific antibodies
Authors: Hoseini S S , Cheung N K 
Published: February 2017

AbstractDespite substantial gains in our understanding of the genomics of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), patient survival remains unsatisfactory especially among the older age group. T cell-based therapy of lymphoblastic leukemia is rapidly advancing; however, its application in AML is still lagging behind. Bispecific antibodies can redirect polyclonal effector cells to engage chosen targets on leukemia blasts. When the effector cells are natural-killer cells, both antibody-dependent and antibody-independent mechanisms could be exploited. When the effectors are T cells, direct tumor cytotoxicity can be engaged followed by a potential vaccination effect. In this review, we summarize the AML-associated tumor targets and the bispecific antibodies that have been studied. The potentials and limitations of each of these systems will be discussed.
The role of the extracellular matrix in primary myelofibrosis
Authors: Leiva O , Ng S K , Chitalia S , Balduini A , Matsuura S , Ravid K 
Published: February 2017

AbstractPrimary myelofibrosis (PMF) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm that arises from clonal proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells and leads to progressive bone marrow (BM) fibrosis. While cellular mutations involved in the development of PMF have been heavily investigated, noteworthy is the important role the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays in the progression of BM fibrosis. This review surveys ECM proteins contributors of PMF, and highlights how better understanding of the control of the ECM within the BM niche may lead to combined therapeutic options in PMF.
Establishment of Imaging Spectroscopy of Nuclear Gamma-Rays based on Geometrical Optics
Authors: Tanimori Toru , Mizumura Yoshitaka , Takada Atsushi , Miyamoto Shohei , Takemura Taito , Kishimoto Tetsuro , Komura Shotaro , Kubo Hidetoshi , Kurosawa Shunsuke , Matsuoka Yoshihiro , Miuchi Kentaro , Mizumoto Tetsuya , Nakamasu Yuma , Nakamura Kiseki , Parker Joseph D. , Sawano Tatsuya , Sonoda Shinya , Tomono Dai , Yoshikawa Kei 
Published: February 2017

AbstractSince the discovery of nuclear gamma-rays, its imaging has been limited to pseudo imaging, such as Compton Camera (CC) and coded mask. Pseudo imaging does not keep physical information (intensity, or brightness in Optics) along a ray, and thus is capable of no more than qualitative imaging of bright objects. To attain quantitative imaging, cameras that realize geometrical optics is essential, which would be, for nuclear MeV gammas, only possible via complete reconstruction of the Compton process. Recently we have revealed that “Electron Tracking Compton Camera” (ETCC) provides a well-defined Point Spread Function (PSF). The information of an incoming gamma is kept along a ray with the PSF and that is equivalent to geometrical optics. Here we present an imaging-spectroscopic measurement with the ETCC. Our results highlight the intrinsic difficulty with CCs in performing accurate imaging, and show that the ETCC surmounts this problem. The imaging capability also helps the ETCC suppress the noise level dramatically by ~3 orders of magnitude without a shielding structure. Furthermore, full reconstruction of Compton process with the ETCC provides spectra free of Compton edges. These results mark the first proper imaging of nuclear gammas based on the genuine geometrical optics.
Successful post-exposure prophylaxis of Ebola infected non-human primates using Ebola glycoprotein-specific equine IgG
Authors: Pyankov Oleg V. , Setoh Yin Xiang , Bodnev Sergey A. , Edmonds Judith H. , Pyankova Olga G. , Pyankov Stepan A. , Pali Gabor , Belford Shane , Lu Louis , La Mylinh , Lovrecz George , Volchkova Valentina A. , Chappell Keith J. , Watterson Daniel , Marsh Glenn , Young Paul R. , Agafonov Alexander A. , Farmer Jillann F. , Volchkov Victor E. , Suhrbier Andreas , Khromykh Alexander A. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractHerein we describe production of purified equine IgG obtained from horses immunized with plasmid DNA followed by boosting with Kunjin replicon virus-like particles both encoding a modified Ebola glycoprotein. Administration of the equine IgG over 5 days to cynomolgus macaques infected 24 hours previously with a lethal dose of Ebola virus suppressed viral loads by more than 5 logs and protected animals from mortality. Animals generated their own Ebola glycoprotein-specific IgG responses 9–15 days after infection, with circulating virus undetectable by day 15–17. Such equine IgG may find utility as a post-exposure prophylactic for Ebola infection and provides a low cost, scalable alternative to monoclonal antibodies, with extensive human safety data and WHO-standardized international manufacturing capability available in both high and low income countries.
Multi-Shell Nano-CarboScavengers for Petroleum Spill Remediation
Authors: Daza Enrique A. , Misra Santosh K. , Scott John , Tripathi Indu , Promisel Christine , Sharma Brajendra K. , Topczewski Jacek , Chaudhuri Santanu , Pan Dipanjan 
Published: February 2017

AbstractIncreasingly frequent petroleum contamination in water bodies continues to threaten our ecosystem, which lacks efficient and safe remediation tactics both on macro and nanoscales. Current nanomaterial and dispersant remediation methods neglect to investigate their adverse environmental and biological impact, which can lead to a synergistic chemical imbalance. In response to this rising threat, a highly efficient, environmentally friendly and biocompatible nano-dispersant has been developed comprising a multi-shelled nanoparticle termed ‘Nano-CarboScavengers’ (NCS) with native properties for facile recovery via booms and mesh tools. NCS treated different forms of petroleum oil (raw and distillate form) with considerable efficiency (80% and 91%, respectively) utilizing sequestration and dispersion abilities in tandem with a ~10:1 (oil: NCS; w/w) loading capacity. In extreme contrast with chemical dispersants, the NCS was found to be remarkably benign in in vitro and in vivo assays. Additionally, the carbonaceous nature of NCS broke down by human myeloperoxidase and horseradish peroxidase enzymes, revealing that incidental biological uptake can enzymatically digest the sugar based core.
Assessment of the efficacy of two novel DNA vaccine formulations against highly pathogenic Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus
Authors: Du Luping , Pang Fengjiao , Yu Zhengyu , Xu Xiangwei , Fan Baochao , Huang Kehe , He Kongwang , Li Bin 
Published: February 2017

AbstractSince May 2006, a highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (HP-PRRSV) has emerged and prevailed in mainland China, affecting over 2 million pigs. Commercial PRRSV killed and modified live vaccines cannot provide complete protection against HP-PRRSV due to genetic variation. Development of more effective vaccines against the emerging HP-PRRSV is urgently required. In our previous studies, two formulations of DNA vaccines (pcDNA3.1-PoIFN-λ1-SynORF5 and BPEI/PLGA-SynORF5) based on the HP-PRRSV were constructed and shown to induce enhanced humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. The objective of this study was to evaluate the immune response induced by these novel formulations in piglets. PcDNA3.1-PoIFN-λ1-SynORF5 and BPEI/PLGA-SynORF5 vaccines induced significantly enhanced GP5-specific antibody and PRRSV-specific neutralizing antibody in pigs compared with the pcDNA3.1-SynORF5 parental construct. Though IFN-γ levels and lymphocyte proliferation responses induced by the two DNA vaccine formulations were comparable to that induced by the pcDNA3.1-SynORF5 construct, each of the novel formulations provided efficient protection against challenge with HP-PRRSV. Non-severe clinical signs and rectal temperatures were observed in pigs immunized with BPEI/PLGA-SynORF5 compared with other groups. Thus, these novel DNA constructs may represent promising candidate vaccines against emerging HP-PRRSV.
Platelet activating factor-induced expression of p21 is correlated with histone acetylation
Authors: Damiani Elisabetta , Puebla-Osorio Nahum , Lege Bree M. , Liu Jingwei , Neelapu Sattva S. , Ullrich Stephen E. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractUltraviolet (UV)-irradiated keratinocytes secrete the lipid mediator of inflammation, platelet-activating factor (PAF). PAF plays an essential role in UV-induced immune suppression and skin cancer induction. Dermal mast cell migration from the skin to the draining lymph nodes plays a prominent role in activating systemic immune suppression. UV-induced PAF activates mast cell migration by up-regulating mast cell CXCR4 surface expression. Recent findings indicate that PAF up-regulates CXCR4 expression via histone acetylation. UV-induced PAF also activates cell cycle arrest and disrupts DNA repair, in part by increasing p21 expression. Do epigenetic alterations play a role in p21 up-regulation? Here we show that PAF increases Acetyl-CREB-binding protein (CBP/p300) histone acetyltransferase expression in a time and dose-dependent fashion. Partial deletion of the HAT domain in the CBP gene, blocked these effects. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays indicated that PAF-treatment activated the acetylation of the p21 promoter. PAF-treatment had no effect on other acetylating enzymes (GCN5L2, PCAF) indicating it is not a global activator of histone acetylation. This study provides further evidence that PAF activates epigenetic mechanisms to affect important cellular processes, and we suggest this bioactive lipid can serve as a link between the environment and the epigenome.
Order of magnitude enhancement of monolayer MoS2 photoluminescence due to near-field energy influx from nanocrystal films
Authors: Guo Tianle , Sampat Siddharth , Zhang Kehao , Robinson Joshua A. , Rupich Sara M. , Chabal Yves J. , Gartstein Yuri N. , Malko Anton V. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractTwo-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) like MoS2are promising candidates for various optoelectronic applications. The typical photoluminescence (PL) of monolayer MoS2is however known to suffer very low quantum yields. We demonstrate a 10-fold increase of MoS2excitonic PL enabled by nonradiative energy transfer (NRET) from adjacent nanocrystal quantum dot (NQD) films. The understanding of this effect is facilitated by our application of transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy to monitor the energy influx into the monolayer MoS2in the process of ET from photoexcited CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals. In contrast to PL spectroscopy, TA can detect even non-emissive excitons, and we register an order of magnitude enhancement of the MoS2excitonic TA signatures in hybrids with NQDs. The appearance of ET-induced nanosecond-scale kinetics in TA features is consistent with PL dynamics of energy-accepting MoS2and PL quenching data of the energy-donating NQDs. The observed enhancement is attributed to the reduction of recombination losses for excitons gradually transferred into MoS2under quasi-resonant conditions as compared with their direct photoproduction. The TA and PL data clearly illustrate the efficacy of MoS2and likely other TMDC materials as energy acceptors and the possibility of their practical utilization in NRET-coupled hybrid nanostructures.
The formation of multivesicular bodies in activated blastocysts is influenced by autophagy and FGF signaling in mice
Authors: Shin Hyejin , Bang Soyoung , Kim Jiyeon , Jun Jin Hyun , Song Haengseok , Lim Hyunjung Jade 
Published: February 2017

AbstractDormant blastocysts during delayed implantation undergo autophagic activation, which is an adaptive response to prolonged survival in utero during less favorable environment. We observed that multivesicular bodies (MVBs) accumulate in the trophectoderm of dormant blastocysts upon activation for implantation. Since autophagosomes are shown to fuse with MVBs and efficient autophagic degradation requires functional MVBs, we examined if MVB formation in activated blastocysts are associated with protracted autophagic state during dormancy. We show here that autophagic activation during dormancy is one precondition for MVB formation in activated blastocysts. Furthermore, the blockade of FGF signaling with PD173074 partially interferes with MVB formation in these blastocysts, suggesting the involvement of FGFR signaling in this process. We believe that MVB formation in activated blastocysts after dormancy is a potential mechanism of clearing subcellular debris accumulated during prolonged autophagy.
Synergistic effect of Indium and Gallium co-doping on growth behavior and physical properties of hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods
Authors: Lim Jun Hyung , Lee Seung Muk , Kim Hyun-Suk , Kim Hyun You , Park Jozeph , Jung Seung-Boo , Park Geun Chul , Kim Jungho , Joo Jinho 
Published: February 2017

AbstractWe synthesized ZnO nanorods (NRs) using simple hydrothermal method, with the simultaneous incorporation of gallium (Ga) and indium (In), in addition, investigated the co-doping effect on the morphology, microstructure, electronic structure, and electrical/optical properties. The growth behavior of the doped NRs was affected by the nuclei density and polarity of the (001) plane. The c-axis parameter of the co-doped NRs was similar to that of undoped NRs due to the compensated lattice distortion caused by the presence of dopants that are both larger (In3+) and smaller (Ga3+) than the host Zn2+ cations. Red shifts in the ultraviolet emission peaks were observed in all doped NRs, owing to the combined effects of NR size, band gap renormalization, and the presence of stacking faults created by the dopant-induced lattice distortions. In addition, the NR/p-GaN diodes using co-doped NRs exhibited superior electrical conductivity compared to the other specimens due to the increase in the charge carrier density of NRs and the relatively large effective contact area of (001) planes. The simultaneous doping of In and Ga is therefore anticipated to provide a broader range of optical, physical, and electrical properties of ZnO NRs for a variety of opto-electronic applications.
Iterated function system quasiarcs
Authors: Iseli Annina , Wildrick Kevin 
Published: February 2017

We consider a class of iterated function systems (IFSs) of contracting similarities of Rn\mathbb {R}^n, introduced by Hutchinson, for which the invariant set possesses a natural Hölder continuous parameterization by the unit interval. When such an invariant set is homeomorphic to an interval, we give necessary conditions in terms of the similarities alone for it to possess a quasisymmetric (and as a corollary, bi-Hölder) parameterization. We also give a related necessary condition for the invariant set of such an IFS to be homeomorphic to an interval.
Durable Sustained Virologic Response After Oral Directly Acting Antiviral Therapy Despite Immunosuppressive Treatment
Authors: Hahn Katherine J. , Kohli Anita , Sims Zayani , Kottilil Shyamasundaran 
Published: February 2017

AbstractTreatment for hepatitis C has evolved from interferon-based therapy to all oral, directly acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. The influence of immunosuppression on maintaining sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients who have been treated with these directly acting agents is unknown. In this study, we report sustained hepatitis C virus (HCV) suppression in 3 patients undergoing various immunosuppressive treatments after achieving SVR with DAA therapy. Three patients, who were enrolled in 1 of 2 single-center National Institutes of Health clinical trials, achieved SVR12. Each patient had undergone between 6 and 24 weeks of DAA therapy with or without ribavirin. Immunosuppression was varied among the 3 patients. Therapy included adalimumab, carboplatin/irinotecan, or capecitabine. In all 3 cases, patients maintained HCV RNA levels below detection after immunosuppression. All patients had undetectable viral load and normalized liver-related enzymes during immunosuppressive therapy. This report suggests that SVR as a result of novel DAA therapy is durable and likely not affected by immunosuppressive therapy. Larger studies are required to confirm these results, but findings are promising for the treatment of large numbers of HCV-infected patients who may require subsequent immunosuppressive or immunomodulating therapies.
CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA NEAR NUCLEAR PLANTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM: THE EVOLUTION OF A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO STUDYING RARE DISEASE IN SMALL GEOGRAPHIC AREAS
Authors: BERAL VALERIE 
Published: February 2017

Abstract
A cluster of childhood leukemia in a village near a nuclear plant in northern England prompted further studies of cancer in the vicinity of other nuclear plants in the United Kingdom. These studies demonstrated that the risk of childhood leukemia was increased near certain other nuclear plants. Although the reasons for the increase are still unclear, the scientific debate stimulated by these findings has clarified some of the special methodological problems encountered when studying rare diseases in small areas. Firefly, unless a specific hypothesis is defined in advance, the relevance of a single geographic cluster of disease can rarely be interpreted. Even when a prior hypothesis exists, the small number of cases which generally occur in a small area make the findings highly sensitive to reporting, diagnostic, or classification errors. The statistical power of such investigations is also usually low and only marked increases in risk can be detected. Furthermore, conventional statistical tests may be inappropriate if the underlying spatial distribution of the disease is not random; and little is known about the background distribution of disease in small areas. Investigations of specific hypotheses about defined sources of environmental contamination, especially if they can be replicated, are more likely to result in conclusive findings than are in-depth studies of individual clusters.