bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantifying the visual appearance of sunscreens applied to the skin using indirect computer image colorimetry
Authors: Richer Vincent , Kharazmi Pegah , Lee Tim K. , Kalia Sunil , Lui Harvey 
Published: October 2017

SummaryBackgroundThere is no accepted method to objectively assess the visual appearance of sunscreens on the skin.MethodsWe present a method for sunscreen application, digital photography, and computer analysis to quantify the appearance of the skin after sunscreen application. Four sunscreen lotions were applied randomly at densities of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mg/cm2 to areas of the back of 29 subjects. Each application site had a matched contralateral control area. High‐resolution standardized photographs including a color card were taken after sunscreen application. After color balance correction, CIE L*a*b* color values were extracted from paired sites. Differences in skin appearance attributed to sunscreen were represented by ΔE, which in turn was calculated from the linear Euclidean distance within the L*a*b* color space between the paired sites.ResultsSunscreen visibility as measured by median ΔE varied across different products and application densities and ranged between 1.2 and 12.1. The visibility of sunscreens varied according to product SPF, composition (organic vs inorganic), presence of tint, and baseline b* of skin (P < .05 for all).ConclusionStandardized sunscreen application followed by digital photography and indirect computer‐based colorimetry represents a potential method to objectively quantify visibility of sunscreen on the skin.
Narrow‐band UVB effects on cutaneous vitamin D receptor expression and serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D in generalized vitiligo
Authors: El‐hanbuli Hala M. , Dawoud Noha M. , Mahmoud Rania H. 
Published: October 2017

SummaryBackground/PurposeVitamin D has a role in variety of autoimmune diseases including vitiligo. Narrow‐band UVB (NB‐UVB) treatment of vitiligo might act through its effects on vitamin D and its receptor.This study is the first to elucidate NB‐UVB effects on immunohistochemical vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression in generalized vitiligo and correlate it with serum vitamin D and repigmentation response.MethodsUsing immunohistochemistry, VDR expression was estimated in skin biopsies of 30 controls and 30 vitiligo patients; from vitiligo lesion, perilesional skin at baseline and from repigmented and nonresponding skin after 24 NB‐UVB sessions. Baseline serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was investigated and repeated after 24 NB‐UVB sessions.ResultsVitamin D receptor expression and serum 25(OH)D in controls were significantly higher compared to vitiligo patients. After NB‐UVB therapy, there was a significant rise in VDR expression and serum 25(OH)D. VDR expression was significantly higher in repigmented skin compared to nonresponding lesion. Improvement in the clinical outcome score was associated with higher baseline VDR expression and higher serum 25(OH)D.ConclusionsNB‐UVB phototherapy is associated with improved cutaneous VDR expression and vitamin D synthesis. Better repigmentation response to NB‐UVB may be related to higher baseline VDR expression and its upregulation after phototherapy.
Youth access to indoor tanning salons in urban versus rural/suburban communities
Authors: Nahar Vinayak K. , Rosenthal Meagen , Lemon Stephenie C. , Kane Kevin , Cheng Jie , Oleski Jessica L. , Li Wenjun , Hillhouse Joel J. , Pagoto Sherry L. 
Published: October 2017

SummaryBackground/PurposeResearch suggests that youth proximity to tanning salons may promote use; however, little is known about tanning salon proximity to schools. We assessed the proximity of tanning salons to schools in urban versus rural/suburban communities across Worcester County, Massachusetts (population > 800K). To put findings in context, we compared school proximity to tanning salons to school proximity to McDonald's restaurants, a large franchise that also caters to young people.Materials & MethodsAccessibility was measured by ArcGIS10.2 Network Analyzer (ESRI, Redlands,CA,USA) and the most current road network data layer from Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).ResultsA total of 145 schools were observed in the study area, of which about 39% of schools were within 1 mile from a tanning salon. Urban schools (53.41%) had a higher proportion within 1 mile of a tanning salon than rural/suburban schools (17.54%;P < .001). More schools (39.31%) were within 1 mile of a tanning salon than schools within 1 mile of a McDonald's (22.70%;P < .001).ConclusionsSchools may be particularly impactful for implementing skin cancer prevention programing.
Comparison of in vitro and in vivo fertilizing potential of buffalo bull semen frozen in egg yolk‐, soya bean lecithin‐ and liposome‐based extenders
Authors: Singh AK , Kumar A , Honparkhe M , Kaur S , Kaur H , Ghuman SPS , Brar PS 
Published: October 2017

ContentsThe objective of this study was to compare different extenders for post‐thaw in vitro sperm function and in vivo fertility of buffalo semen. Accordingly, sperm of 30 ejaculates extended in egg yolk (TRIS with 20% egg yolk; EY), two soya lecithin‐based (SL‐1; AndroMed® and SL‐2; Bioxcell®) and a liposome‐based extender (LS; OptiXcell®) were tested. The post‐thaw semen was evaluated for computer‐assisted sperm analysis (CASA), sperm viability, membrane and acrosome integrity, DNA integrity and acrosome reaction and first service pregnancy rate (FSPR) in a fixed‐time artificial insemination programme. Total motility and VCL were the only CASA‐based parameters that exhibited significantly higher (p < .05) percentage in LS among these extenders. Post‐thaw percentage of acrosome integrity (55.9 ± 1.4, 58.1 ± 2.0, 55.8 ± 2.0, 56.6 ± 2.3) and DNA integrity (68.8 ± 2.0, 69.2 ± 2.3, 71.3 ± 2.1, 69.1 ± 2.1) did not differ (p > .05) in EY, SL‐1, SL‐2 and LS extender, respectively. However, a variable response in terms of efficacy of different extenders for sperm viability and plasma membrane integrity was observed. Assessment of inducibility of acrosome reaction showed significant differences between extenders (51.9 ± 2.1, 44.3 ± 2.4, 46.1 ± 2.3 and 58.1 ± 3.1%, respectively, for EY, SL‐1, SL‐2 and LS). Furthermore, field trials revealed significantly higher (p < .05) FSPR of LS‐extended semen as compared to that for EY, SL‐1 and SL‐2 extender (46.3%, 41.2%, 31.2% and 29.7%, respectively). It is concluded that the liposome‐based extender is more effective than egg yolk‐ and soya lecithin‐based extenders and may be used for cryopreservation of buffalo semen in the future.
Detecting and Dating Structural Breaks in Functional Data Without Dimension Reduction
Authors: Aue Alexander , Rice Gregory , Sönmez Ozan 
Published: October 2017

SummaryMethodology is proposed to uncover structural breaks in functional data that is ‘fully functional’ in the sense that it does not rely on dimension reduction techniques. A thorough asymptotic theory is developed for a fully functional break detection procedure as well as for a break date estimator, assuming a fixed break size and a shrinking break size. The latter result is utilized to derive confidence intervals for the unknown break date. The main results highlight that the fully functional procedures perform best under conditions when analogous estimators based on functional principal component analysis are at their worst, namely when the feature of interest is orthogonal to the leading principal components of the data. The theoretical findings are confirmed by means of a Monte Carlo simulation study in finite samples. An application to annual temperature curves illustrates the practical relevance of the procedures proposed.
The framing of research questions using the PICOT format in randomized controlled trials of venous ulcer disease is suboptimal: A systematic survey
Authors: Abbade Luciana P.F. , Wang Mei , Sriganesh Kamath , Jin Yanling , Mbuagbaw Lawrence , Thabane Lehana 
Published: October 2017

AbstractDespite several publications on venous ulcers, there is still a lack of evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to support certain treatments for patients with this disorder. Well‐designed research questions using the PICOT (Population; Intervention; Comparator; Outcome; Time‐frame) format in RCTs can improve the quality of research. The objectives of this study were to assess how the PICOT format is used to frame research questions in RCTs published on venous ulcer disease and to determine the factors associated with better adherence to the PICOT format. We conducted a systematic survey of RCTs on venous ulcers published in the PubMed database between January 2009 and May 2016. All RCTs published in English addressing therapeutic interventions for venous ulcer disease in human subjects were included. We examined whether the five elements of the PICOT format were used in formulating the research question and scored them between 0 and 5. The primary outcome of this systematic survey was the percentage of studies that adequately reported all five PICOT elements. Eighty‐five (85) RCTs were included with median PICOT score of 3 (IQR = 1.5). Four elements of PICOT were present in 28 reports (32.9%) and only 2 RCTS (2.3%) reported all the PICOT elements. Population and intervention were often appropriately described, in (70/85) 82.4% and (83/85) 97.6% of the studies, respectively; however, comparison intervention and outcome were presented in only (53/85) 62.3% and (48/85) 56.5% of studies, respectively. Very few RCTs (7.1%; 6/85) reported the study time frame. No journal or RCT characteristics were found to be significantly associated with better reporting. Use of the PICOT format to frame research questions in RCTs published on venous ulcers is suboptimal, and our study reinforces the importance of framing a good research question to improve the design of trials and quality of evidence in venous ulcer disease.
Assessing diagnostic coding practices among a sample of healthcare facilities in Lyme disease endemic areas: Maryland and New York – A Brief Report
Authors: Thomas N. , Rutz H. J. , Hook S. A. , Hinckley A. F. , Lukacik G. , Backenson B. P. , Feldman K. A. , White J. L. 
Published: October 2017

SummaryThe value of using diagnostic codes in Lyme disease (LD) surveillance in highly endemic states has not been well studied. Surveys of healthcare facilities in Maryland (MD) and New York (NY) regarding coding practices were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using diagnostic codes as a potential method for LD surveillance. Most respondents indicated that their practice utilized electronic medical records (53%) and processed medical/billing claims electronically (74%). Most facilities were able to search office visits associated with specific ICD‐9‐CM and CPT codes (74% and 73%, respectively); no discernible differences existed between the healthcare facilities in both states. These codes were most commonly assigned by the practitioner (82%), and approximately 70% of respondents indicated that these codes were later validated by administrative staff. These results provide evidence for the possibility of using diagnostic codes in LD surveillance. However, the utility of these codes as an alternative to traditional LD surveillance requires further evaluation.
Changes in the prevalence, genotypes and antimicrobial resistance phenotypes of non‐typhoidal Salmonella recovered from mail‐order hatchling poultry sold at US feed stores, 2013–2015
Authors: Sharma A. , Erdman M. M. , Muñoz‐Vargas L. , Mollenkopf D. F. , Habing G. G. 
Published: October 2017

SummaryEvery year, multiple outbreaks of salmonellosis in humans are linked to contact with mail‐order chicks and ducks. The objective of this study was to describe the temporal changes in the prevalence of serovars, genotypes and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotypes of non‐typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) recovered from shipped boxes of mail‐order hatchling poultry in the United States during 2013 to 2015. In each year, a sample of feed stores belonging to a single national chain participated in the study. The store employees submitted swabs or hatchling pads from hatchling boxes and shipment tracking information of the arriving boxes to the investigators. NTS was cultured from the samples and isolates were sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (Ames, IA) for serotyping, pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and AMR phenotyping. The PFGE patterns of Salmonella serovars isolated from hatchling boxes were compared with those from human outbreaks of salmonellosis linked to live poultry contact. The box‐level prevalence of NTS was significantly higher in 2015 compared to 2014. Also, the population of Salmonella serovars recovered in 2015 was more diverse and substantially different from those recovered in the previous two years. Of PFGE patterns recovered from hatchling boxes, seven distinct patterns in 2015, three in 2014 and four in 2013 were indistinguishable from the PFGE patterns of human outbreaks‐associated strains in the respective years. Importantly, a significant positive correlation was found between the box‐level prevalence of PFGE patterns and the number of human illnesses associated with the same patterns. Also, the proportion of multidrug‐resistant isolates was higher in 2014 and 2015 compared to that in 2013. The results demonstrate that shipments of mail‐order hatchling poultry are frequently contaminated with Salmonella genotypes indistinguishable from human outbreaks‐associated strains each year, and control efforts at hatchery level are likely to have an important public health impact.
C1 neurons: a nodal point for stress?
Authors: Stornetta Ruth L. , Guyenet Patrice G. 
Published: October 2017

New Findings
What is the topic of this review?
The C1 neurons (C1) innervate sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons plus numerous brain nuclei implicated in stress, arousal and autonomic regulations. We consider here the contribution of C1 to stress‐induced responses.

What advances does it highlight?
C1 activation is required for blood pressure stability during hypoxia and mild hemorrhage which exemplifies their homeostatic function. During restraint stress, C1 activate the splenic anti‐inflammatory pathway resulting in tissue protection against ischemic injury. This effect, along with glucose release and, possibly, arousal are examples of adaptive non‐homeostatic responses to stress that are also mediated by C1.

The C1 cells are catecholaminergic and glutamatergic neurons located in the rostral ventrolateral medulla. Collectively, these neurons innervate sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons, the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and countless brain structures involved in autonomic regulation, arousal and stress. Optogenetic inhibition of rostral C1 neurons has little effect on blood pressure (BP) at rest in conscious rats but produces large reductions in BP when the animals are anaesthetized or exposed to hypoxia. Optogenetic C1 stimulation increases BP and produces arousal from non‐rapid eye movement sleep. C1 cell stimulation mimics the effect of restraint stress to attenuate kidney injury caused by renal ischaemia–reperfusion. These effects are mediated by the sympathetic nervous system through the spleen and eliminated by silencing the C1 neurons. These few examples illustrate that, depending on the nature of the stress, the C1 cells mediate adaptive responses of a homeostatic or allostatic nature.
A Vascular Access Port for Dialysis With a Polyurethane Foam Seal: A Pilot Study
Authors: Smith Robert E. , Docherty Nicole C. , Smith P. Alex , Maitland Duncan J. , Glowczwski Alan C. 
Published: October 2017

End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is a condition wherein the kidneys are incapable of removing toxins from the body. Over 660,000 Americans suffer from ESRD, with millions more in the early stages, known as chronic kidney disease [1]. The only cure for ESRD is a kidney transplant, but the majority of patients receive dialysis every 2–3 days to filter their blood while on the transplant waitlist.
Efficient dialysis requires approximately 600 mL/min of flow, which is commonly achieved by directly connecting an artery to a vein in the arm. Such a shunt may be created with an intervening prosthetic graft or by suturing the vein to the artery directly (termed an arteriovenous fistula, or AVF).
Though accepted as the gold standard, AVF’s may take >6 weeks to heal and become useable, and 35–50% will never become accessible [1]. Needle trauma to the AVF can weaken the vessel wall and produce aneurysms or hematomas, which leak blood, potentially causing infection or clotting off the AVF [2]. These complications are costly: hemodialysis patients on average cost Medicare over $84,000 per year, and Medicare is the primary payer for more than 80% of nearly 500,000 dialysis patients in the U.S. [1]. An improved dialysis access method is needed to address the clinical shortcomings and high costs associated with AVF’s.
A device has been developed to improve clinical outcomes and to reduce the failure rates associated with AVF’s. This device is a type of vascular access port which integrates with the external wall of the venous portion of the AVF, providing structural support to the vessel and preventing the types of trauma which lead to aneurysmal dilation or hematoma formation. The top and bottom sections are implanted independently within the patient’s soft tissue, allowing them to separate gradually as the AVF dilates during maturation. The result is a palpable and easy-to-access port which should improve AVF longevity (Figure 1).
Two unique design features were identified as key to the success of this vascular access port:
1. Type of membrane or seal
2. Proper tissue integration into the implant
This technical brief examines the selection of the proper membrane or seal on the port.
Estimation of the 2-DOF Time-Varying Impedance of the Human Ankle
Authors: Ficanha Evandro , Aramizo Ribeiro Guilherme , Knop Lauren , Rastgaar Aagaah Mohammad 
Published: October 2017

The human ankle plays a major role in locomotion as it the first major joint to transfer the ground reaction torques to the rest of the body while providing power for locomotion and stability. One of the main causes of the ankle impedance modulation is muscle activation [1, 2], which can tune the ankle’s stiffness and damping during the stance phase of gait. The ankle’s time-varying impedance is also task dependent, meaning that different activities such as walking at different speeds, turning, and climbing/descending stairs would impose different profiles of time-varying impedance modulation.
The impedance control is commonly used in the control of powered ankle-foot prostheses; however, the information on time-varying impedance of the ankle during the stance phase is limited in the literature. The only previous study during the stance phase, to the best of the authors knowledge, reported the human ankle impedance at four points of the stance phase in dorsiflexion-plantarflexion (DP) [1] during walking. To expand previous work and estimate the impedance in inversion-eversion (IE), a vibrating platform was fabricated (Fig. 1) [3]. The platform allows the ankle impedance to be estimated at 250 Hz in both DP and IE, including combined rotations in both degrees of freedom (DOF) simultaneously. The results can be used in a 2-DOF powered ankle-foot prosthesis developed by the authors, which is capable of mimicking the ankle kinetics and kinematics in the frontal and sagittal planes [4]. The vibrating platform can also be used to tune the prosthesis to assure it properly mimics the human ankle dynamics. This paper describes the results of the preliminary experiments using the vibrating platform on 4 male subjects. For the first time, the time-varying impedance of the human ankle in both DP and IE during walking in a straight line are reported.
Hybrid Actuation Systems for Lightweight Transfemoral Prostheses
Authors: Lenzi Tommaso , Cempini Marco , Hargrove Levi , Kuiken Todd 
Published: October 2017

Lower-limb amputation affects the ambulation ability and quality of life of about 600,000 individuals in the United States alone1. Individuals with transfemoral amputation typically walk slower, expend more energy, and have a higher risk of falls than able-bodied individuals2. Ambulation activities such as climbing ramps or stairs or standing up from a seated position are much more difficult than for able-bodied persons. Advances in prosthetic technologies are needed to improve the ambulation ability of above-knee amputees.
Passive knee prostheses are lightweight, robust, and quiet, but can only perform activities with dissipative dynamics. Powered prostheses3 overcome this limitation by motorizing the prosthetic joints throughout the entire day, thus enabling the achievement of more activities. However, the prosthesis actuator must then accommodate a wide range of speed and torque to support the various activities, plus provide power over the course of the entire day. Consequently, powered prostheses provide the ability to perform more tasks at the expense of substantial weight, noise, and battery life, which in turn affect their acceptability and clinical viability.
To address these shortcomings, we propose a hybrid actuation design for prosthetic knees. The proposed hybrid actuation system uses a motor, transmission, and control only for those activities requiring net-positive mechanical energy, such as climbing on stairs and ramps or performing sit-to-stand transfers. For non-positive mechanical energy tasks, such as standing and walking, the motor and transmission are mechanically disconnected, and passive knee components are used alone, thus achieving improved joint dynamics, and avoiding any electrical energy consumption.