bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improving Efficiency of Parameter Estimation in Case-Cohort Studies with Multivariate Failure Time Data
Authors: Yan Ying , Zhou Haibo , Cai Jianwen 
Published: January 2017

SummaryThe case-cohort study design is an effective way to reduce cost of assembling and measuring expensive covariates in large cohort studies. Recently, several weighted estimators were proposed for the case-cohort design when multiple diseases are of interest. However, these existing weighted estimators do not make effective use of the covariate information available in the whole cohort. Furthermore, the auxiliary information for the expensive covariates, which may be available in the studies, cannot be incorporated directly. In this article, we propose a class of updated-estimators. We show that, by making effective use of the whole cohort information, the proposed updated-estimators are guaranteed to be more efficient than the existing weighted estimators asymptotically. Furthermore, they are flexible to incorporate the auxiliary information whenever available. The advantages of the proposed updated-estimators are demonstrated in simulation studies and a real data analysis.
Biodegradation and tissue integration of various polyethylene glycol matrices: a comparative study in rabbits
Authors: Thoma Daniel S. , Weber Franz E. , Bienz Stefan P. , Ge Yanjun , Hämmerle Christoph H. F. , Jung Ronald E. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractObjectivesTo test whether or not chemical and/or physical modifications of polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels influence degradation time, matrix/membrane stability, and integration into surrounding hard and soft tissues.Material and methodsIn 28 rabbits, six treatment modalities were randomly applied to six sites on the rabbit skull: a dense network PEG hydrogel (PEG HD), a medium‐dense network PEG hydrogel (PEG MD), a medium‐dense network PEG hydrogel modified with an RGD sequence (PEG MD/RGD), a medium‐dense network PEG hydrogel modified with RGD with reduced carboxymethyl cellulose (PEG MD/RGD_LV), a loose network PEG hydrogel modified with RGD (PEG LD/RGD), and a collagen membrane (BG). Descriptive histology and histomorphometry were performed at 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks.ResultsPEG HD revealed the highest percentage of residual matrix at all time points starting with 47.2% (95% CI: 32.8–63.8%) at 1 week and ending with 23.4% (95% CI: 10.3–49.8%) at 6 weeks. The hydrogel with the loosest network (PEG LD/RGD) was stable the first 2 weeks and then degraded continuously with a final area of 8.3% (95% CI: 3.2–21.2%). PEG HD was the most stable and densely stained membrane, whereas PEG MD and PEG LD matrices integrated faster, but started to degrade to a higher degree between 2 and 4 weeks. PEG MD degradation was dependent on the addition of RGD and the amount of CMC.ConclusionsChemical and/or physical modifications of PEG hydrogels influenced matrix stability. PEG MD/RGD demonstrated an optimal balance between degradation time and integration into the surrounding soft and hard tissues.
Benign vascular lesions of the lips: Diagnostic approach
Authors: Tobouti Priscila L. , Olegário Isabel , de Sousa Suzana C.O.M. 
Published: January 2017

BackgroundAlthough not rare, vascular lesions occurring in the lips sometimes poses a difficult in properly diagnosing and handling them. In this study, vascular lesions occurring in the lips were retrieved from an Oral Pathology Service.MethodsAmong 5600 biopsies, 131 cases were found. The following diagnoses were attributed: caliber‐persistent artery, infantile hemangioma, vascular malformation, venous lake, thrombus, papillary endothelial hyperplasia and pyogenic granuloma. Clinical data were obtained from patients’ records.ResultsThe lesions’ frequency were: pyogenic granuloma (48%), followed by venous lake (17.5%), thrombus (14.5%), papillary endothelial hyperplasia (9.1%), infantile hemangioma (6.1%), caliber‐persistent artery (3%) and vascular malformation (1.5%). Glucose transporter protein of the erythrocyte type was positive only in infantile hemangioma. The other markers (CD34 and smooth muscle action) were positive in all lesions, except for podoplanin, which was negative.ConclusionIt is important to be aware of the occurrence of different vascular lip lesions and their histomorphologies in order to properly handle them. Despite most lesions do not represent any risk to the patient, some of them can reach large dimensions and thus cause aesthetical trouble. Immunohistochemistry may help when the vascular character of the lesion is not promptly determined and to differentiate among some lesions.
Neonatal predictors of cognitive ability in adults born very preterm: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Breeman Linda D , Jaekel Julia , Baumann Nicole , Bartmann Peter , Wolke Dieter 
Published: January 2017

AimTo identify neonatal predictors to allow a developmental prognosis of the cognitive abilities of survivors born very preterm/very low birthweight (VLBW) into adult life.MethodThe Bavarian Longitudinal Study is a prospective whole‐population study that followed 260 infants born very preterm/VLBW from birth to adulthood. Regression analyses examined which neonatal factors predicted adult IQ.ResultsNeonatal morbidity, neonatal treatment, and early social environment of infants born very preterm/VLBW explained 37.6% of the variance in adult IQ. Seven unique early‐life predictors of lower adulthood IQ were found: respiratory distress syndrome, intraventricular haemorrhage, problems with mobility, mechanical ventilation, less parenteral nutrition, low/middle socioeconomic status, and poor early parent–infant relationships. Specifically, modifiable factors such as mechanical ventilation predicted a drop of 0.43 IQ points for each day of treatment, adjusted for initial respiratory problems. Good early parent–infant relationships predicted an approximately 5‐point increase in adult IQ, adjusted for other significant predictors such as socioeconomic status.InterpretationMechanical ventilation, parenteral feeding, and early parenting were identified as significant modifiable factors that were strongly related to adult IQ. Mechanical ventilation policies have changed but there is scope for early interventions that focus on positive parenting, which may reduce the adverse effects of very preterm/VLBW birth on cognitive abilities.
Disruption of dopamine homeostasis has sexually dimorphic effects on senescence characteristics of Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Bednářová Andrea , Hanna Marley E. , Rakshit Kuntol , O'Donnell Janis M. , Krishnan Natraj 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) is known to be involved in a multitude of physiological processes. We investigated sexually dimorphic effects of disruptions in DA homeostasis and its relationship to senescence using three different Drosophila melanogaster mutants namely Catsup (Catsup26) with elevated DA levels, and pale (ple2), Punch (PuZ22) with depleted DA levels. In all genotypes including controls, DA levels were significantly lower in old (45–50‐day‐old) flies compared with young (3–5‐day‐old) in both sexes. Interestingly, females had lower DA content than males at young age whereas this difference was not observed in old age, suggesting that males had a larger decline in DA levels with age. Females, in general, were longer lived compared with males in all genotypes except ple2 mutants with depleted DA levels. This phenotype was abolished in the ple2 rescue flies. Interestingly, females also demonstrated marked age‐related decline in circadian locomotor activity compared with males. Old Catsup26 males with elevated DA levels accumulated significantly lower levels of lipid peroxidation product 4‐hydroxy 2‐nonenal (4‐HNE) compared with age‐matched wild type, ple2 and PuZ22 mutant males. In Catsup26 revertant lines this phenomenon was absent. We also observed a sexually dimorphic response in the expression levels of key stress and aging associated and/or related transcription factor genes across genotypes with elevated or depleted DA levels which was reverted to wild type levels in specific rescue lines. Taken together, our results reveal a novel sexually dimorphic involvement of DA in senescence characteristics of D. melanogaster.
The effect of age, sex and clinical features on the volume of Corpus Callosum in pre‐schoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a case–control study
Authors: Giuliano Alessia , Saviozzi Irene , Brambilla Paolo , Muratori Filippo , Retico Alessandra , Calderoni Sara 
Published: January 2017

AbstractA growing body of literature has identified volume alterations of the corpus callosum (CC) in subjects with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, to date very few investigations have been conducted on pre‐school‐age ASD children. This study aims to compare the volume of CC and its sub‐regions between pre‐schoolers with ASD and controls (CON) and to examine their relationship to demographic and clinical variables (sex, age, non‐verbal IQ ‐NVIQ‐, expressive non‐echolalic language, emotional and behavioural problems, and autism severity). The volume of CC of 40 pre‐schoolers with ASD (20 males and 20 females; mean age: 49 ± 12 months; mean NVIQ: 73 ± 22) and 40 sex‐, age‐, and NVIQ‐matched CON subjects (20 M and 20 F; mean age: 49 ± 14 months; mean NVIQ: 73 ± 23) were quantified applying the FreeSurfer automated parcellation software on Magnetic Resonance images. No significant volumetric differences in CC total volume and in its sub‐regions between ASD and CON were found using total brain volume as a covariate. Analogously, absence of CC volumetric differences was evident when boys and girls with ASD were compared with their matched controls. The CC total volume of younger ASD male subjects was found significantly larger with respect to matched CON, which is consistent with the atypical growth trajectory widely reported in these young children. The CC total volume was negatively correlated with autism severity, whereas no association between CC volume and other clinical variables was detected. If replicated, the indirect relationship between CC volume and autism severity suggests the involvement of CC in core ASD symptoms.
Food restriction induces synaptic incorporation of calcium‐permeable AMPA receptors in nucleus accumbens
Authors: Ouyang Jiangyong , Carcea Ioana , Schiavo Jennifer K. , Jones Kymry T. , Rabinowitsch Ariana , Kolaric Rhonda , Cabeza de Vaca Soledad , Froemke Robert C. , Carr Kenneth D. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractChronic food restriction potentiates behavioral and cellular responses to drugs of abuse and D‐1 dopamine receptor agonists administered systemically or locally in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). However, the alterations in NAc synaptic transmission underlying these effects are incompletely understood. AMPA receptor trafficking is a major mechanism for regulating synaptic strength, and previous studies have shown that both sucrose and d‐amphetamine rapidly alter the abundance of AMPA receptor subunits in the NAc postsynaptic density (PSD) in a manner that differs between food‐restricted and ad libitum fed rats. In this study we examined whether food restriction, in the absence of reward stimulus challenge, alters AMPAR subunit abundance in the NAc PSD. Food restriction was found to increase surface expression and, specifically, PSD abundance, of GluA1 but not GluA2, suggesting synaptic incorporation of GluA2‐lacking Ca2+‐permeable AMPARs (CP‐AMPARs). Naspm, an antagonist of CP‐AMPARs, decreased the amplitude of evoked EPSCs in NAc shell, and blocked the enhanced locomotor response to local microinjection of the D‐1 receptor agonist, SKF‐82958, in food‐restricted, but not ad libitum fed, subjects. Although microinjection of the D‐2 receptor agonist, quinpirole, also induced greater locomotor activation in food‐restricted than ad libitum fed rats, this effect was not decreased by Naspm. Taken together, the present findings are consistent with the synaptic incorporation of CP‐AMPARs in D‐1 receptor‐expressing medium spiny neurons in NAc as a mechanistic underpinning of the enhanced responsiveness of food‐restricted rats to natural rewards and drugs of abuse.
Applying population and community ecology theory to advance understanding of belowground biogeochemistry
Authors: Buchkowski Robert W. , Bradford Mark A. , Grandy Andrew Stuart , Schmitz Oswald J. , Wieder William R. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractApproaches to quantifying and predicting soil biogeochemical cycles mostly consider microbial biomass and community composition as products of the abiotic environment. Current numerical approaches then primarily emphasise the importance of microbe–environment interactions and physiology as controls on biogeochemical cycles. Decidedly less attention has been paid to understanding control exerted by community dynamics and biotic interactions. Yet a rich literature of theoretical and empirical contributions highlights the importance of considering how variation in microbial population ecology, especially biotic interactions, is related to variation in key biogeochemical processes like soil carbon formation. We demonstrate how a population and community ecology perspective can be used to (1) understand the impact of microbial communities on biogeochemical cycles and (2) reframe current theory and models to include more detailed microbial ecology. Through a series of simulations we illustrate how density dependence and key biotic interactions, such as competition and predation, can determine the degree to which microbes regulate soil biogeochemical cycles. The ecological perspective and model simulations we present lay the foundation for developing empirical research and complementary models that explore the diversity of ecological mechanisms that operate in microbial communities to regulate biogeochemical processes.
Joint associations of blood plasma proteins with overwinter survival of a large mammal
Authors: Garnier Romain , Cheung Christopher K. , Watt Kathryn A. , Pilkington Jill G. , Pemberton Josephine M. , Graham Andrea L. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractIn many wild animal populations, hosts are at risk of parasites and malnutrition and resource costs of defence may be difficult to afford. We postulate that proteins, important in homeostasis and immunity, play a complex but central role in condition dependence and resource costs of mammalian immune defence. To test this, we measured plasma concentrations of albumin, total proteins. Self‐reactive antibodies and parasite‐specific IgG in female Soay sheep. Using a principal component analysis, we found a new metric of condition reflecting individual variation in acquisition, assimilation and/or recycling of plasma proteins that predicted overwinter survival. Controlling for this metric, an age‐dependent trade‐off between antibody titres and protein reserves emerged, indicating costs of mounting an antibody response: younger individuals survived best when prioritising immunity while older individuals fared better when maintaining high‐protein nutritional plane. These findings suggest fascinating roles for protein acquisition and allocation in influencing survival in wild animal populations.
Overexpression of AQP3 and AQP10 in the skin exacerbates psoriasiform acanthosis
Authors: Soler David C. , Young Andrew E. , Griffith Alexis D. , Fu Ping fu , Cooper Kevin D. , McCormick Thomas S. , Popkin Daniel L. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractWe previously observed that aquaporin‐3 and aquaporin‐10 are upregulated in the epidermis of hand dermatitis patients (Med. Hypotheses, 84, 2015, 498). To address the functional relevance of this upregulation, we overexpressed AQP3/AQP10 in mice using the human K1 promoter. Combining imiquimod with detergent‐containing water challenge, a common trigger in hand and other dermatitis, resulted in an increase in acanthosis in mice overexpressing AQP3 or AQP3 and AQP10. Aquaporin overexpression also drove a trend towards greater weight loss in these animals. These data support a role for cutaneous aquaporins in the pathogenesis of dermatitis and as a potential target in their treatment.
Experimental reductions in stream flow alter litter processing and consumer subsidies in headwater streams
Authors: Northington Robert M. , Webster Jackson R. 
Published: January 2017

Summary

Forested headwater streams are connected to their surrounding catchments by a reliance on terrestrial subsidies. Changes in precipitation patterns and stream flow represent a potential disruption in stream ecosystem function, as the delivery of terrestrial detritus to aquatic consumers and downstream transport are compromised. The potential effect of drying on decomposition is critical to understanding ecosystem processes in these detritus‐driven ecosystems.

In this study, we experimentally altered stream connectivity to examine how altered water availability would influence litter decomposition. We used three catchments in the Coweeta Hydrologic Lab in North Carolina, U.S.A., establishing sites that were always wet, intermediately wet and completely terrestrial, while also experimentally diverting significant surface flow from downstream locations for several months.

The flow manipulation significantly reduced the amount of water available to the three study reaches, leading to drastic changes in organic matter accumulation. Stream temperature and dissolved oxygen changed during the manipulation but only in response to season. Nutrient concentrations remained low or below detection during the experiment, demonstrating no response to the manipulation.

Red maple and white oak demonstrated significantly different mass loss during the first few days of the experiment, but by the completion of the experiment, location was a more significant determinant of breakdown rate than leaf identity. Leaves placed in sites that were consistently wet decomposed at a higher rate than those in bank or terrestrial sites.

Initially, leaf decomposition varied significantly based on site type and presence of water, which led to disruptions in microbial and macroinvertebrate colonisation and processing. High flows during large winter storms reconnected dried reaches and stimulated rates of decomposition due to colonisation by microbes and macroinvertebrates.

Macroinvertebrate densities tracked microbial biomass accumulation on leaves, but were dependent upon location. Leaves in the manipulated reaches had significantly higher macroinvertebrate densities compared to the upstream control in the winter and spring in response to the delayed wetting of large standing stocks of leaves and subsequent colonisation by microbes.

Our study demonstrated that even minor disruptions in stream connectivity at key times of the year have community‐ and ecosystem‐level influences that alter decomposition. The resilience of these ecosystems will depend on the frequency of disturbances and the ability of organisms to adapt to changing resource conditions.
Social Network Analysis of Actors in Rural Development: A Case Study of Yanhe Village, Hubei Province, China
Authors: Wang Xu , Wang Xiaoming , Wu Jingxia , Zhao Guochao 
Published: January 2017

AbstractAgricultural production, rural areas, and farmers are three key aspects of agriculture related to sustainable economic and social development in China. Rural development is a process of multi‐participation, which involves actors from governments, village committees, villagers, rural economic cooperatives, enterprises, financing institutions, and non‐government organizations (NGOs). Based on social network analysis (SNA), this article analyzes the social network structures and characteristics of various actors in different stages of rural development in Yanhe village, Hubei Province, China. The results show that both the village committee and villagers have great influence on rural development; NGOs are the leaders of rural environmental improvement; village cooperatives are the promoters of rural economic development; enterprises are the accelerators of rural construction and development. The study outlines the rural development model in Yanhe village where the village committee is the leader and multiple forms of participation and cooperation are present; there are excellent partnerships and communication mechanisms among the participants. The endogenous and sustainable development model identified from Yanhe village is valuable for other villages in China to adopt.
Intention to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine among nurses working in a long‐term care facility
Authors: Shahar Irit , Mendelson Gad , Ben Natan Merav 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe factors affecting influenza vaccine uptake among nurses might vary between different medical facilities. The purpose of the present study was to explore factors that affect the intention of nurses at a long‐term care facility to receive the influenza vaccine and whether the health belief model predicts this intention. In this cross‐sectional quantitative correlational study, a convenience sample of 150 nurses employed at a large long‐term care facility in central Israel completed a questionnaire based on the health belief model. Data collection took place between January and February of 2016. Forty‐two percent of the respondents reported having been vaccinated against influenza in the current year. The health belief model explained 53% of the variance (p < .01), with perceived (personal) benefits of the vaccine being the most significant factor. The number of times of receiving the influenza vaccine in the past was strongly correlated with the intention to receive the vaccine (p < .01). To improve nurses' compliance with influenza vaccination at long‐term care facilities, we find that it is necessary to emphasize the benefits of vaccination and, particularly, the personal benefits. Annual vaccination behavior should be promoted to make it become a routine.
Self‐care behaviours and trajectory management by people with scleroderma in northeastern Thailand
Authors: Hornboonherm Promjit , Nanagara Ratanavadee , Kochamat Apinya , Wantha Oratai 
Published: January 2017

AbstractScleroderma, particularly systemic sclerosis, is a chronic illness that affects a person's physical, emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual dimensions. To investigate self‐care deficits, health behaviours, and trajectory management of Thai people with systemic sclerosis, an exploratory case study method was used through interviews and patient records. Self‐care deficit nursing theory and the chronic illness trajectory framework guided the research. Twelve patients with systemic sclerosis were purposively recruited at a hospital clinic in the northeastern region of Thailand. Thai people living with systemic sclerosis developed specific self‐care agencies in each of 3 identified trajectory patterns to improve their health and well‐being. By applying the theory and framework that guided the research, nurses can promote self‐care behaviours and recognize situations along an illness trajectory that require intervention and management. The results extend the understanding of how people live and cope with systemic sclerosis.