bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Application of Alternative Nucleic Acid Extraction Protocols to ProGastro SSCS Assay for Detection of Bacterial Enteric Pathogens
Authors: Munson Erik , Napierala Maureen , Munson Kimber L. , Bilbo Dorothy , Schulte Michael A. 
Published: March 2016

ABSTRACT

As an alternative to automated extraction, fecal specimens were processed by investigational lysis/heating (i.e., manual) and by chromatography/centrifugation (i.e., column) methods. ProGastro SSC and Shiga toxin-producing
Escherichia coli
(i.e., STEC) indeterminate rates for 101 specimens were 1.0% to 3.0% for automated, 11.9% for manual, and 24.8% to 37.6% for column methods. Following freeze-thaw of 247 specimens, indeterminate rates were 1.6% to 2.4% for manual and 0.8 to 5.3% for column methods. Mean processing times for manual and column methods were 30.5 and 69.2 min, respectively. Concordance of investigational methods with automated extraction was ≥98.8%.
Hepatitis C Virus Exploitation of Processing Bodies
Authors: Biegel Jason M. , Pager Cara T. 
Published: March 2016

ABSTRACT
During infection, positive-strand RNA viruses subvert cellular machinery involved in RNA metabolism to translate viral proteins and replicate viral genomes to avoid or disable the host defense mechanisms. Cytoplasmic RNA granules modulate the stabilities of cellular and viral RNAs. Understanding how hepatitis C virus and other flaviviruses interact with the host machinery required for protein synthesis, localization, and degradation of mRNAs is important for elucidating how these processes occur in both virus-infected and uninfected cells.
Modeling and performance analysis of the fractional order quadratic Boost converter in discontinuous conduction mode-discontinuous conduction mode
Authors: Tan Cheng , Liang Zhi-Shan 
Published: March 2016

In this paper, based on the fact that the inductors and capacitors are of fractional order in nature, the four-order mathematical model of the fractional order quadratic Boost converter in type I and type II discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) — DCM is established by using fractional calculus theory. Direct current (DC) analysis is conducted by using the DC equivalent model and the transfer functions are derived from the corresponding alternating current (AC) equivalent model. The DCM–DCM regions of type I and type II are obtained and the relations between the regions and the orders are found. The influence of the orders on the performance of the quadratic Boost converter in DCM–DCM is verified by numerical and circuit simulations. Simulation results demonstrate the correctness of the fractional order model and the efficiency of the proposed theoretical analysis.
Application of a new vector mode solver to optical fiber-based plasmonic sensors
Authors: Popescu V. A. , Puscas N. N. , Perrone G. 
Published: March 2016

Our analytical method uses a linear combination of the Hankel functions [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] to represent the field in the gold region of a fiber-based plasmonic sensor. This method is applied for different structures made from three, four and five layers. When the analyte is distilled water, the difference between the resonant wavelengths calculated with the finite element method and the analytical method is very small (0.00 nm for three layers, 0.19 nm for four layers and 0.07 nm for five layers with two gold layers). The important characteristics of the Bessel and Hankel functions at the loss matching point are analyzed.
Simulation Study on Quantum Capacitances of Graphene Nanoribbon VLSI Interconnects
Authors: Dutta Arin , Rahman Silvia , Nandy Turja , Mahmood Zahid Hasan 
Published: March 2016

In this paper, study on the capacitive effects of Graphene nanoribbon (GNR) in VLSI interconnect has been studied as a function of GNR width, Fermi function and gate voltage. The quantum capacitance of GNR has been simulated in terms of Fermi function for three different values of insulator thickness — 1.5[Formula: see text]nm, 2[Formula: see text]nm and 2.5[Formula: see text]nm. After that, quantum capacitance is studied in both degenerate and nondegenerate region with respect to Fermi function and gate voltage of range 1–5[Formula: see text]V. Then, the total capacitance of GNR is studied as a function of gate voltage of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]–5[Formula: see text]V range at degenerate and nondegenerate regions, where width of GNR is considered 4[Formula: see text]nm. Finally, the total capacitance of GNR is studied in both regions with varying GNR width, considering fixed gate voltage of 3[Formula: see text]V. After analyzing these simulations, it has been found that GNR in degenerate region shows nearly steady capacitance under a certain applied gate voltage.
Dynamics Governing a Simulated Mesoscale Convective System with a Training Convective Line
Authors: Peters John M. , Schumacher Russ S. 
Published: March 2016

Abstract
This research investigates the dynamics of a simulated training line/adjoining stratiform (TL/AS) mesoscale convective system (MCS), with composite atmospheric fields used as initial and lateral boundary conditions for the simulation.
An initial forward-propagating MCS developed within a region of elevated convective instability and low-level lifting associated with warm-air advection along the terminus of the low-level jet. The environmental conditions external to the MCS continued to provide lift, moisture, and instability to the western side of the forward-propagating MCS, and these conditions were initially responsible for backbuilding on the system’s western side. Most parcels that encountered the southwestern outflow boundary were lifted insufficiently far to reach their levels of free convection (LFCs), and their LFC heights were increased by latent heating above them. These parcels continued northeastward beyond the surface outflow boundary (OFB), were gradually lifted, and initiated convection 80–100 km beyond encountering the OFB. Eventually the surface cold pool became sufficiently deep so that gradual ascent of parcels with moisture and instability over the OFB began initiating new convection close to the OFB—this drove backbuilding during the later portion of the MCS lifetime. These results disentangle the relative contributions of large-scale environmental factors and storm-scale processes on the quasi-stationary behavior of the MCS and show that both contributed to upstream backbulding at different times during the MCS life cycle.
Statistics of Regional Surface Temperatures after 1900: Long-Range versus Short-Range Dependence and Significance of Warming Trends
Authors: Løvsletten Ola , Rypdal Martin 
Published: March 2016

AbstractThis paper studies regional climate variability for the time period 1900–2013 using parsimonious stochastic models. Instrumental data records on 5° × 5°, 2° × 2°, and equal-area grids are examined. A long-range dependent (LRD) stochastic process is used as a simplified description of the multitude of response times in the climate system. Fitting a linear trend to the global mean surface temperature (GMST) implies a warming of 0.08 decade−1, which is highly significant under an LRD null hypothesis (p < 10−4). The regional trends are distributed around the global mean trend, while the fluctuation levels increases when going from global to regional scale. The temperature fluctuations of the tropical oceans are observed to be strongly influenced by El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and, therefore, more consistent with autoregressive processes of order 1 [AR(1)]. A likelihood-ratio test is used to systematically determine the best null model [AR(1) or LRD]. About 80% of the regional warming trends are found to be significant (with a 5% significance level).
The Influence of Atmospheric Blocking on Extreme Winter Minimum Temperatures in North America
Authors: Whan Kirien , Zwiers Francis , Sillmann Jana 
Published: March 2016

Abstract
Regional climate models (RCMs) are the primary source of high-resolution climate projections, and it is of crucial importance to evaluate their ability to simulate extreme events under current climate conditions. Many extreme events are influenced by circulation features that occur outside, or on the edges of, RCM domains. Thus, it is of interest to know whether such dynamically controlled aspects of extremes are well represented by RCMs. This study assesses the relationship between upstream blocking and cold temperature extremes over North America in observations, reanalysis products (ERA-Interim and NARR), and RCMs (CanRCM4, CRCM5, HIRHAM5, and RCA4). Generalized extreme value distributions were fitted to winter minimum temperature (TNn) incorporating blocking frequency (BF) as a covariate, which is shown to have a significant influence on TNn. The magnitude of blocking influence in the RCMs is consistent with observations, but the spatial extent varies. CRCM5 and HIRHAM5 reproduce the pattern of influence best compared to observations. CanRCM4 and RCA4 capture the influence of blocking in British Columbia and the northeastern United States, but the extension of influence that is seen in observations and reanalysis into the southern United States is not evident. The difference in the 20-yr return value (20RV) of TNn between high and low BF in the Pacific Ocean indicates that blocking is associated with a decrease of up to 15°C in the 20RV over the majority of the United States and in western Canada. In northern North America the difference in the 20RV is positive as blocking is associated with warmer extreme cold temperatures. The 20RVs are generally simulated well by the RCMs.
Global Estimates of Lateral Springtime Restratification
Authors: Johnson Leah , Lee Craig M. , D’Asaro Eric A. 
Published: March 2016

AbstractSubmesoscale frontal dynamics are thought to be of leading-order importance for stratifying the upper ocean by slumping horizontal density gradients to produce vertical stratification. Presented here is an investigation of submesoscale instabilities in the mixed layer—mixed layer eddies (MLEs)—as a potential mechanism of frontal slumping that stratifies the upper ocean during the transition from winter to spring, when wintertime forcings weaken but prior to the onset of net solar warming. Observations from the global Argo float program are compared to predictions from a one-dimensional mixed layer model to assess where in the world’s oceans lateral processes influence mixed layer evolution. The model underestimates spring stratification for ~75% ± 25% of the world’s oceans. Relationships between vertical and horizontal temperature and salinity gradients are used to suggest that in 30% ± 20% of the oceans this excess stratification can be attributed to the slumping of horizontal density fronts. Finally, 60% ± 10% of the frontal enhanced stratification is consistent with MLE theory, suggesting that MLEs may be responsible for enhanced stratification in 25% ± 15% of the world’s oceans. Enhanced stratification from frontal tilting occurs in regions of strong horizontal density gradients (e.g., midlatitude subtropical gyres), with a small fraction occurring in regions of deep mixed layers (e.g., high latitudes). Stratification driven by MLEs appears to constrain the coexistence of sharp lateral gradients and deep wintertime mixed layers, limiting mixed layer depths in regions of large lateral density gradients, with an estimated wintertime restratification flux of order 100 W m−2.
Estimating Turbulent Dissipation from Microstructure Shear Measurements Using Maximum Likelihood Spectral Fitting over the Inertial and Viscous Subranges
Authors: Bluteau Cynthia E. , Jones Nicole L. , Ivey Gregory N. 
Published: March 2016

AbstractA technique is presented to derive the dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy ϵ by using the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) to fit a theoretical or known empirical model to turbulence shear spectral observations. The commonly used integration method relies on integrating the shear spectra in the viscous range, thus requiring the resolution of the highest wavenumbers of the turbulence shear spectrum. With current technology, the viscous range is not resolved at sufficiently large wavenumbers to estimate high ϵ; however, long inertial subranges can be resolved, making spectral fitting over both this subrange and the resolved portion of the viscous range an attractive method for deriving ϵ. The MLE takes into account the chi-distributed properties of the spectral observations, and so it does not rely on the log-transformed spectral observations. This fitting technique can thus take advantage of both the inertial and viscous subranges, a portion of both, or simply one of the subranges. This flexibility allows a broad range of ϵ to be resolved. The estimated ϵ is insensitive to the range of wavenumbers fitted with the model, provided the noise-dominated portion of the spectra and the low wavenumbers impacted by the mean flow are avoided. For W kg−1, the MLE fitting estimates agree with those obtained by integrating the spectral observations. However, with increasing ϵ the viscous subrange is not fully resolved and the integration method progressively starts to underestimate ϵ compared with the values obtained from fitting the spectral observations.
A descriptive report of end-of-life care practices occurring in two neonatal intensive care units
Authors: Lam Vanessa , Kain Nicole , Joynt Chloe , van Manen Michael A 
Published: March 2016

Background: In Canada and other developed countries, the majority of neonatal deaths occur in tertiary neonatal intensive care units. Most deaths occur following the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments. Aim: To explore neonatal death events and end-of-life care practices in two tertiary neonatal intensive care settings. Design: A structured, retrospective, cohort study. Setting/participants: All infants who died under tertiary neonatal intensive care from January 2009 to December 2013 in a regional Canadian neonatal program. Deaths occurring outside the neonatal intensive care unit in delivery rooms, hospital wards, or family homes were not included. Overall, 227 infant deaths were identified. Results: The most common reasons for admission included prematurity (53.7%), prematurity with congenital anomaly/syndrome (20.3%), term congenital anomaly (11.5%), and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (12.3%). The median age at death was 7 days. Death tended to follow a decision to withdraw life-sustaining treatment with anticipated poor developmental outcome or perceived quality of life, or in the context of a moribund dying infant. Time to death after withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment was uncommonly a protracted event but did vary widely. Most dying infants were held by family members in the neonatal intensive care unit or in a parent room off cardiorespiratory monitors. Analgesic and sedative medications were variably given and not associated with a hastening of death. Conclusion: Variability exists in end-of-life care practices such as provision of analgesic and sedative medications. Other practices such as discontinuation of cardiorespiratory monitors and use of parent rooms are more uniform. More research is needed to understand variation in neonatal end-of-life care.
Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics and treatment aspects of ventricular tuberculosis in adult patients
Authors: Li Duo , Lv Pingxin , Lv Yan , Ma Daqing , Yang Jigang 
Published: March 2016

Background Ventricular involvement in neurotuberculosis is rare. The literature regarding the characteristics of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in ventricular tuberculosis is very limited. Purpose To describe MRI characteristics of ventricular tuberculosis and discuss the medical treatment along with the clinical outcome. Material and Methods Ten patients (6 men, 4 women; average age, 39 years) were diagnosed with ventricular tuberculosis during a period of 3 years. Four patients had the history of pulmonary/pleural tuberculosis. The clinical and MRI features of these patients were reviewed retrospectively. Results On a brain MRI, three patients showed ependymitis associated with contrast enhancement of the ependymal lining of the ventricular walls. One patient had choroid plexitis associated with prominent swollen and marked enhancement of the choroid plexus. One patient had intraventricular tuberculoma associated with an intraventricular nodule. Two patients had both ependymitis and choroid plexitis. Three patients had both intraventricular tuberculoma and choroid plexitis. Four patients had hydrocephalus. All patients underwent intrathecal injection of isoniazid and dexamethasone combined with multidrug anti-tuberculosis treatment. All patients had a good clinical recovery, except for one who developed hemi-paralysis due to cerebral infarction. On the repeated MRI of eight patients after therapy, all lesions disappeared or decreased in size, apart from in one patient who showed ventricular separation. Conclusion MRI characteristics of ventricular tuberculosis included ependymal enhancement, swelling, and enhancement of the choroid plexus and intraventricular tuberculomas. Intrathecal injection of isoniazid and dexamethasone along with multidrug chemotherapy showed good efficacy in ventricular tuberculosis.
Preparation methods prior to PET/CT scanning that decrease uptake of 18F-FDG by myocardium, brown adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle
Authors: Shao Dan , Tian Xu-Wei , Gao Qiang , Liang Chang-Hong , Wang Shu-Xia 
Published: March 2016

Background The hypermetabolic environment of the myocardium, brown adipose tissue (BAT), and muscle will have an effect on the diagnostic accuracy of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT). A low carbohydrate, high fat, and protein-permitted diet before PET/CT scanning can reduce the degree of 18F-FDG uptake by the myocardium, brown adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle. Purpose To determine the effect of a low carbohydrate, high fat and protein-permitted diet on 18F-FDG uptake by myocardium, BAT, and muscle during PET/CT. Material and Methods A total of 126 patients who adhered to two meals before PET/CT scanning (that were prepared using a low carbohydrate, high fat, and protein-permitted diet), i.e. the diet group, were compared with 126 patients who fasted for at least 12 h prior to scanning (i.e. the fasting group). The degree of 18F-FDG uptake within the myocardium, BAT, and muscle were stratified into four grades (range, 0–3) with 0 for negligible uptake, and 3 for intense uptake. Correlations between the diet and fasting groups with respect to degree of 18F-FDG uptake within the myocardium, BAT, and muscle were analyzed. Results The degree of 18F-FDG uptake within the myocardium, BAT, and muscle in the diet group was significantly lower compared with the 18F-FDG uptake within myocardium, BAT, and muscle in the fasting group ( P < 0.001, P = 0.001, P < 0.001). Conclusion A low carbohydrate/high fat diet before 18F-FDG injection can suppress uptake of 18F-FDG within the myocardium, BAT, and skeletal muscle.
Prevalence and risk factors for atopic disease in a population of preschool children in Rome: Challenges to early intervention
Authors: Indinnimeo Luciana , Porta Daniela , Forastiere Francesco , De Vittori Valentina , De Castro Giovanna , Zicari Anna Maria , Tancredi Giancarlo , Melengu Taulant , Duse Marzia 
Published: March 2016

Background: Allergic diseases are complex identities determined by an interplay of genetic and environmental factors, resulting in the clinical manifestation of the disease. So far in Italy, updated data about the prevalence and risk factors of respiratory and allergic diseases in preschool children are not available. Methods: Children aged 3–5 years, attending four different nursery schools in an urban district of the city of Rome. A standardized questionnaire developed under the SIDRIA-2 protocol was administered to the parents of the children for the assessment of the potential risk factors and the outcomes. Results: A total of 494 children were enrolled in the study; 289 of them (60.3%) performed a skin prick test (SPT). In the 12 months preceding the interviews, 15% of children experienced at least one episode of wheezing, 5.5% of allergic rhinitis, 11% of children had a doctor diagnosis of asthma, 12% of children who underwent the SPT were positive to at least one of the tested allergens, being diagnosed as atopic. The univariate analysis for the health outcomes of the study shows that asthma was positively associated with daycare attendance, mother’s history of atopy, siblings’ history of atopy, recurrent siblings’ bronchitis, and dermatitis. Atopy was positively associated with mother’s history of atopy and dermatitis, whereas there is a borderline protective association with recurrent siblings’ bronchitis. Conclusions: This study represents a first comprehensive epidemiological evaluation of prevalence of respiratory and allergic diseases in children aged 3–5 years in the city of Rome and an updating of the evolution of allergic diseases.
Identifying Trajectories of Borderline Personality Features in Adolescence
Authors: Haltigan John D. , Vaillancourt Tracy 
Published: March 2016

Objective: To examine trajectories of adolescent borderline personality (BP) features in a normative-risk cohort ( n = 566) of Canadian children assessed at ages 13, 14, 15, and 16 and childhood predictors of trajectory group membership assessed at ages 8, 10, 11, and 12. Method: Data were drawn from the McMaster Teen Study, an on-going study examining relations among bullying, mental health, and academic achievement. Participants and their parents completed a battery of mental health and peer relations questionnaires at each wave of the study. Academic competence was assessed at age 8 (Grade 3). Latent class growth analysis, analysis of variance, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: Three distinct BP features trajectory groups were identified: elevated or rising, intermediate or stable, and low or stable. Parent- and child-reported mental health symptoms, peer relations risk factors, and intra-individual risk factors were significant predictors of elevated or rising and intermediate or stable trajectory groups. Child-reported attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and somatization symptoms uniquely predicted elevated or rising trajectory group membership, whereas parent-reported anxiety and child-reported ADHD symptoms uniquely predicted intermediate or stable trajectory group membership. Child-reported somatization symptoms was the only predictor to differentiate the intermediate or stable and elevated or rising trajectory groups (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.28). Associations between child-reported reactive temperament and elevated BP features trajectory group membership were 10.23 times higher among children who were bullied, supporting a diathesis–stress pathway in the development of BP features for these youth. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate the heterogeneous course of BP features in early adolescence and shed light on the potential prodromal course of later borderline personality disorder.