bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing productive efficiency and operating scale of community blood centers
Authors: Nielsen Alexandra E. , Nielsen Nathan D. 
Published: February 2016

BACKGROUNDIn recent years demand for blood products has decreased, and as a result, the blood product marketplace has become much more competitive. Reducing inefficiency in the procurement and processing of blood products at blood centers can reduce costs while assuring that demand for blood products is met.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSThis study uses data envelopment analysis to compare the productive efficiency of 65 community blood centers to determine to what extent efficiency can be improved, what cost savings and increases in platelet (PLT) production may be obtained by eliminating inefficiency, and what scales of operation are the most efficient from a budgetary and staffing standpoint. Data were collected from the 2012 to 2013 AABB Directory of Community Blood Centers and Hospital Blood Banks.RESULTSThe study found that 27 of 65 blood centers are efficient. The remaining 38 blood centers can reduce budget and staff levels and may be able to expand output. If inefficient centers were to eliminate all inefficiency, the total savings would be $671 million, approximately 20% of the aggregated budget ($3.45 billion) of all centers in the study. In addition, the centers would also see a 36% increase in PLT production. Inefficiency of some large blood centers stems from operating at too large a scale, while inefficiency of most small blood centers is scale independent.CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that reducing inefficiency in blood procurement may be a good strategy to maximize competitiveness in the blood product marketplace. These findings further suggest that the trend of blood center consolidation may be ill advised from a cost containment perspective.
Canine mammary carcinomas: influence of histological grade, vascular invasion, proliferation, microvessel density andVEGFR2expression on lymph node status and survival time
Authors: Diessler M. E. , Castellano M. C. , Portiansky E. L. , Burns S. , Idiart J. R. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractSpontaneous invasive non‐inflammatory canine mammary carcinomas (CMC) and their regional lymph nodes (LN) were analysed (n= 136). Histological grade (HG) and vascular invasion (VI) in the tumours and lymph node status were recorded. Proliferation index (PI), microvessel density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) expression were estimated using anti‐proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), anti‐von Willebrand factor and anti‐Flk‐1, respectively. Eighteen months follow‐up was performed (34 bitches). Tumours of different grades showed differences regardingPI, Flk‐1/integrated optical density (Flk‐1/IOD) andMVD. Every feature showed significant association withLNstatus through bivariate analyses. From multivariate analyses,VIand Flk‐1/IODwere selected to predictLNstatus. Data revealed that the probability of aCMC‐bearing bitch to remain alive at 1, 4, 5 and 14–18 months was 0.91, 0.87, 0.81 and 0.77, respectively. BesidesLNstatus,VIwas the only feature positively correlated with survival time, although a trend to shorter survival of animal patients bearing high expressingVEGFR2 CMCwas noted.
Bariatric surgery versus non-surgical treatment for obesity
Authors: Gloy Viktoria L , Briel Matthias , Bhatt Deepak L , Kashyap Sangeeta R , Schauer Philip R , Mingrone Geltrude , Bucher Heiner C , Nordmann Alain J 
Published: February 2016

STUDY QUESTIONWhat are the summary effects of bariatric surgery compared with non-surgical treatment for obesity on body weight loss, comorbidities, adverse events, and quality of life?SUMMARY ANSWERBariatric surgery is more effective in inducing body weight loss and remission of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome after a maximal follow-up of 2 years, no cardiovascular events or deaths were reported after bariatric surgery, and the most common adverse events after bariatric surgery were iron deficiency anaemia and reoperations.
On probing Higgs couplings in H → Ze+e− and e+e−→ ZH
Authors: Boyarkin O. M. , Boyarkina G. G. 
Published: February 2016

Two most popular GUT scenarios, namely, the left–right symmetric model (LRM) and models coming from [Formula: see text] grand unification (effective rank 5 models (ER5M’s)) are considered. Both models forecast existence of the extra neutral gauge boson. Its contributions to the decay of the Higgs boson being an analog of the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson [Formula: see text] and the process of the associated Higgs production with [Formula: see text] boson (Higgsstrahlung) [Formula: see text] are found. For both processes, deviations from the SM predicted by the LRM prove to be larger than that predicted by the ER5M’s. It is shown that in the case of the decay [Formula: see text] it is impossible to observe these deviations at the condition of the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider. Investigation of the Higgsstrahlung disclosed that with its help one could make a choice between the SM and the SM extensions under consideration.
Constrained Semi-supervised Learning in the Presence of Unanticipated Classes
Authors: Dalvi Bhavana Bharat 
Published: February 2016

Traditional semi-supervised learning (SSL) techniques consider the missing labels of unlabeled datapoints as latent/unobserved variables, and model these variables, and the parameters of the model, using techniques like Expectation Maximization (EM). Such semisupervised learning techniques are widely used for Automatic Knowledge Base Construction (AKBC) tasks.
We consider two extensions to traditional SSL methods which make it more suitable for a variety of AKBC tasks. First, we consider jointly assigning multiple labels to each instance, with a flexible scheme for encoding constraints between assigned labels: this makes it possible, for instance, to assign labels at multiple levels from a hierarchy. Second, we account for another type of latent variable, in the form of unobserved classes. In open-domain webscale information extraction problems, it is an unrealistic assumption that the class ontology or topic hierarchy we are using is complete. Our proposed framework combines structural search for the best class hierarchy with SSL, reducing the semantic drift associated with erroneously grouping unanticipated classes with expected classes. Together, these extensions allow a single framework to handle a large number of knowledge extraction tasks, including macro-reading, noun-phrase classification, word sense disambiguation, alignment of KBs to wikipedia or on-line glossaries, and ontology extension.
To summarize, this thesis argues that many AKBC tasks which have previously been addressed separately can be viewed as instances of single abstract problem: multiview semisupervised learning with an incomplete class hierarchy. In this thesis we present a generic EM framework for solving this abstract task.
NKTR-214, an Engineered Cytokine with Biased IL2 Receptor Binding, Increased Tumor Exposure, and Marked Efficacy in Mouse Tumor Models
Authors: Charych Deborah H. , Hoch Ute , Langowski John L. , Lee Steve R. , Addepalli Murali K. , Kirk Peter B. , Sheng Dawei , Liu Xiaofeng , Sims Paul W. , VanderVeen Laurie A. , Ali Cherie F. , Chang Thomas K. , Konakova Marina , Pena Rhoneil L. , Kanhere Rupesh S. , Kirksey Yolanda M. , Ji Chunmei , Wang Yujun , Huang Jicai , Sweeney Theresa D. , Kantak Seema S. , Doberstein Stephen K. 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
Purpose: Aldesleukin, recombinant human IL2, is an effective immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma and renal cancer, with durable responses in approximately 10% of patients; however, severe side effects limit maximal dosing and thus the number of patients able to receive treatment and potential cure. NKTR-214 is a prodrug of conjugated IL2, retaining the same amino acid sequence as aldesleukin. The IL2 core is conjugated to 6 releasable polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains. In vivo, the PEG chains slowly release to generate active IL2 conjugates.
Experimental Design: We evaluated the bioactivity and receptor binding of NKTR-214 and its active IL2 conjugates in vitro; the tumor immunology, tumor pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of NKTR-214 as a single agent and in combination with anti–CTLA-4 antibody in murine tumor models. Tolerability was evaluated in non-human primates.
Results: In a murine melanoma tumor model, the ratio of tumor-killing CD8+ T cells to Foxp3+ regulatory T cells was greater than 400 for NKTR-214 compared with 18 for aldesleukin, supporting preferential activation of the IL2 receptor beta over IL2 receptor alpha, due to the location of PEG molecules. NKTR-214 provides a 500-fold greater exposure of the tumor to conjugated IL2 compared with aldesleukin. NKTR-214 showed efficacy as a single agent and provided durable immunity that was resistant to tumor rechallenge in combination with anti–CTLA-4 antibody. NKTR-214 was well tolerated in non-human primates.
Conclusions: These data support further evaluation of NKTR-214 in humans for a variety of tumor types, adding to the repertoire of potent and potentially curative cancer immunotherapies. Clin Cancer Res; 22(3); 680–90. ©2016 AACR.
Relation of Nailfold Capillaries and Autoantibodies to Mortality in Patients With Raynaud Phenomenon
Authors: Mueller Markus , Gschwandtner Michael E. , Gamper Jutta , Giurgea Georgiana-Aura , Charwat-Resl Silvia , Kiener Hans P. , Smolen Josef S. , Perkmann Thomas , Koppensteiner Renate , Schlager Oliver 
Published: February 2016

Background—
In incipient Raynaud phenomenon, nailfold capillaroscopy and autoantibody tests are obtained to screen for an emerging connective tissue disease. Whether the presence of abnormal nailfold capillaries and autoantibodies are related to mortality in patients with incipient Raynaud phenomenon is not known.

Methods and Results—

In 2958 consecutive patients (78% women, median age 45 years) with incipient Raynaud phenomenon without previously known connective tissue disease, nailfold capillaroscopy and laboratory tests for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and ANA subsets were obtained at initial presentation. During a median follow-up period of 9.3 years, 227 women (9.9% of female patients) and 129 men (20% of male patients) with Raynaud phenomenon died. In comparison with a demographically matched standard population, survival was poorer in patients with Raynaud phenomenon (log-rank test
P
<0.0001). In patients with Raynaud phenomenon, mortality was higher in men than in women (
P
<0.0001, Cox proportional hazards model). In women, the presence of abnormal nailfold capillaries, ANA, and anti–Scl-70 antibodies were related to an increase in all-cause mortality. The conjoint presence of abnormal nailfold capillaries and autoantibodies was associated with the highest mortality rates. In men, abnormal nailfold capillaries, and ANA and ANA subsets, as well, were not related to survival. In both sexes, patients’ age and serum creatinine were associated with mortality.

Conclusions—
In Raynaud phenomenon, male sex, age, and serum creatinine are related to mortality. Abnormal nailfold capillaries and autoantibodies are associated with an increase in all-cause mortality in female patients, but not in male patients with Raynaud phenomenon.
Functional and molecular characterization of mouse Gata2-independent hematopoietic progenitors
Authors: Kaimakis Polynikis , de Pater Emma , Eich Christina , Solaimani Kartalaei Parham , Kauts Mari-Liis , Vink Chris S. , van der Linden Reinier , Jaegle Martine , Yokomizo Tomomasa , Meijer Dies , Dzierzak Elaine 
Published: February 2016

Key Points
A new Gata2 reporter indicates that all HSCs express Gata2 and corroborates findings that Gata2 is not required for generation of all HPCs. Isolatable non–Gata2-expressing HPCs show less potency and a distinct genetic program, thus having implications for reprogramming strategies.
Hypertension and diabetes in Africa: design and implementation of a large population-based study of burden and risk factors in rural and urban Malawi
Authors: Crampin Amelia Catharine , Kayuni Ndoliwe , Amberbir Alemayehu , Musicha Crispin , Koole Olivier , Tafatatha Terence , Branson Keith , Saul Jacqueline , Mwaiyeghele Elenaus , Nkhwazi Lawrence , Phiri Amos , Price Alison Jane , Mwagomba Beatrice , Mwansambo Charles , Jaffar Shabbar , Nyirenda Moffat Joha 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
Background
The emerging burden of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa threatens the gains made in health by the major international effort to combat infectious diseases. There are few data on distribution of risk factors and outcomes in the region to inform an effective public health response. A comprehensive research programme is being developed aimed at accurately documenting the burden and drivers of NCDs in urban and rural Malawi; to design and test intervention strategies. The programme includes population surveys of all people aged 18 years and above, linking individuals with newly diagnosed hypertension and diabetes to healthcare and supporting clinical services. The successes, challenges and lessons learnt from the programme to date are discussed.

Results
Over 20,000 adults have been recruited in rural Karonga and urban Lilongwe. The urban population is significantly younger and wealthier than the rural population. Employed urban individuals, particularly males, give particular recruitment challenges; male participation rates were 80.3 % in the rural population and 43.6 % in urban, whilst female rates were 93.6 and 75.6 %, respectively. The study is generating high quality data on hypertension, diabetes, lipid abnormalities and risk factors.

Conclusions
It is feasible to develop large scale studies that can reliably inform the public health approach to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other NCDs in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is essential for studies to capture both rural and urban populations to address disparities in risk factors, including age structure. Innovative approaches are needed to address the specific challenge of recruiting employed urban males.
Brief electrical stimulation after facial nerve transection and neurorrhaphy: A randomized prospective animal study
Authors: Mendez Adrian , Seikaly Hadi , Biron Vincent L. , Zhu Lin Fu , Côté David W. J. 
Published: February 2016

Background Recent studies have examined the effects of brief electrical stimulation (BES) on nerve regeneration, with some suggesting that BES accelerates facial nerve recovery. However, the facial nerve outcome measurement in these studies has not been precise or accurate. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of BES on accelerating facial nerve functional recovery from a transection injury in the rat model. Methods A prospective randomized animal study using a rat model was performed. Two groups of 9 rats underwent facial nerve surgery. Both group 1 and 2 underwent facial nerve transection and repair at the main trunk of the nerve, with group 2 additionally receiving BES on post-operative day 0 for 1 h using an implantable stimulation device. Primary outcome was measured using a laser curtain model, which measured amplitude of whisking at 2, 4, and 6 weeks post-operatively. Results At week 2, the average amplitude observed for group 1 was 4.4°. Showing a statistically significant improvement over group 1, the group 2 mean was 14.0° at 2 weeks post-operatively ( p = 0.0004). At week 4, group 1 showed improvement having an average of 9.7°, while group 2 remained relatively unchanged with an average of 12.8°. Group 1 had an average amplitude of 13.63° at 6-weeks from surgery. Group 2 had a similar increase in amplitude with an average of 15.8°. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups at 4 and 6 weeks after facial nerve surgery. Conclusions This is the first study to use an implantable stimulator for serial BES following neurorrhaphy in a validated animal model. Results suggest performing BES after facial nerve transection and neurorrhaphy at the main trunk of the facial nerve is associated with accelerated whisker movement in a rat model compared with a control group.
Upper airway obstruction due to a change in altitude: First report in fifty years
Authors: Butskiy Oleksandr , Anderson Donald W. 
Published: February 2016

Background Air travel mostly causes minor ear, nose and throat complaints. We describe a second report in literature of airway obstruction caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure during a routine commercial flight. Case presentation A 54-year-old male was referred to a head and neck surgeon with a 2 cm left submandibular mass that would enlarge during commercial flights. As the plane gained elevation, the mass would grow and cause him to become stridorous and short of breath. The shortness of breath and stridor would only resolve upon landing of the plane. A CT scan showed a large air sac extending from the larynx at the level of the true vocal cords up to the angle of the mandible. Based on the history and the CT findings a diagnosis of a laryngocele was made. The laryngocele was excised using an external approach, resolving the patient's difficulty with flying. Conclusion This article reports a rare case of upper airway obstruction caused by atmospheric pressure changes during air travel. The reported case is of significance as only a few uncomplicated laryngoceles have been reported to cause airway distress in the literature. This report highlights the epidemiology, presentation, complication and management of laryngoceles.
Estimating snow water equivalent over long mountain transects using snowmobile-mounted ground-penetrating radar
Authors: Holbrook W. Steven , Miller Scott N. , Provart Matthew A. 
Published: February 2016

The water balance in alpine watersheds is dominated by snowmelt, which provides infiltration, recharges aquifers, controls peak runoff, and is responsible for most of the annual water flow downstream. Accurate estimation of snow water equivalent (SWE) is necessary for runoff and flood estimation, but acquiring enough measurements is challenging due to the variability of snow accumulation, ablation, and redistribution at a range of scales in mountainous terrain. We have developed a method for imaging snow stratigraphy and estimating SWE over large distances from a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system mounted on a snowmobile. We mounted commercial GPR systems (500 and 800 MHz) to the front of the snowmobile to provide maximum mobility and ensure that measurements were taken on pristine snow. Images showed detailed snow stratigraphy down to the ground surface over snow depths up to at least 8 m, enabling the elucidation of snow accumulation and redistribution processes. We estimated snow density (and thus SWE, assuming no liquid water) by measuring radar velocity of the snowpack through migration focusing analysis. Results from the Medicine Bow Mountains of southeast Wyoming showed that estimates of snow density from GPR ([Formula: see text]) were in good agreement with those from coincident snow cores ([Formula: see text]). Using this method, snow thickness, snow density, and SWE can be measured over large areas solely from rapidly acquired common-offset GPR profiles, without the need for common-midpoint acquisition or snow cores.
3D ground-penetrating radar imaging of ice complex deposits in northern East Siberia
Authors: Schennen Stephan , Tronicke Jens , Wetterich Sebastian , Allroggen Niklas , Schwamborn Georg , Schirrmeister Lutz 
Published: February 2016

Ice complex deposits are characteristic, ice-rich formations in northern East Siberia and represent an important part in the arctic carbon pool. Recently, these late Quaternary deposits are the objective of numerous investigations typically relying on outcrop and borehole data. Many of these studies can benefit from a 3D structural model of the subsurface for upscaling their observations or for constraining estimations of inventories, such as the local carbon stock. We have addressed this problem of structural imaging by 3D ground-penetrating radar (GPR), which, in permafrost studies, has been primarily used for 2D profiling. We have used a 3D kinematic GPR surveying strategy at a field site located in the New Siberian Archipelago on top of an ice complex. After applying a 3D GPR processing sequence, we were able to trace two horizons at depths below 20 m. Taking available borehole and outcrop data into account, we have interpreted these two features as interfaces of major lithologic units and derived a 3D cryostratigraphic model of the subsurface. Our data example demonstrated that a 3D surveying and processing strategy was crucial at our field site and showed the potential of 3D GPR to image geologic structures in complex ice-rich permafrost landscapes.
Reasons for choosing to specialise in psychiatry: differences between core psychiatry trainees and consultant psychiatrists
Authors: Denman Melissa , Oyebode Femi , Greening Jayne 
Published: February 2016

Aims and methodThis questionnaire study aimed to investigate the reasons for choosing to specialise in psychiatry in a sample of consultant psychiatrists and core trainee psychiatrists from within the West Midlands.ResultsFive reasons were significantly different between the core trainees and consultant psychiatrists. ‘Emphasis on the patient as a whole’ was identified as the most important reason for choosing to specialise for both core trainees and consultants. Six additional reasons were shared within the top ten ‘very important’ reasons, although their actual ranking varies.Clinical implicationsSome of the reasons for choosing to specialise in psychiatry were shown to significantly differ between core trainees and consultants. Numerous key driving factors have remained important over time for both groups, whereas other reasons have been replaced with a shift of importance towards lifestyle and humanitarian factors for core trainees. Consequently, it may be advisable not to use the reasons that consultants gave for choosing psychiatry when thinking about how to attract today's prospective psychiatrists.
Debating personal health budgets
Authors: Alakeson Vidhya , Boardman Jed , Boland Billy , Crimlisk Helen , Harrison Charlotte , Iliffe Steve , Khan Masood , O'Shea Rory , Patterson Janet 
Published: February 2016

SummaryPersonal health budgets (PHBs) were piloted in the National Health Service (NHS) in England between 2009 and 2012 and were found to have greater positive effects on quality of life and psychological well-being for those with mental health problems than commissioned service, as well as reducing their use of unplanned care. The government intends to extend PHBs in England for long-term conditions, including mental health, from April 2015. Given the importance of engaging clinicians in the next phase of PHB development, we provide an overview of the approach, synthesise the evidence from the national pilot and debate some of the opportunities and challenges. Balancing individual choice and recovery with concerns for risk, equity and the sustainability of existing community services is the central tension underpinning this innovation in mental health service delivery.