bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A severe infective endocarditis successfully treated with linezolid
Authors: Minafra Graziano Antonio , Cibelli Donatella Concetta , Pipino Maria , Dargenio Vincenzo , Ventrella Francesco 
Published: June 2016

Despite significant improvements in surgical and medical therapy, prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge and is often associated with a severe prognosis. We report a case of a 59-year-old woman, with PVE and bacterial endocarditis (Streptococcus bovis) successfully treated with linezolid. Linezolid is a bacteriostatic oxazolidinone antibiotic that has been proven to be effective for the treatment of patients with pneumonia, skin and soft tissue infections, and infections due to Gram-positive cocci. Linezolid is not yet recognised as a standard therapy for infective endocarditis, but its use becomes a necessity when infection is due to multidrug-resistant microorganisms.
An unsolved case of fever
Authors: Guidetti Elena , Cevenini Monica , Cipollini Maria Luigia , Fabbri Maria Camilla , Tomassetti Paola , Corinaldesi Roberto 
Published: June 2016

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is extremely difficult to diagnose. It is defined as an illness lasting more than 3 weeks with a temperature exceeding 38 °C on several occasions and with an uncertain diagnosis after 1 week of intensive investigations in the hospital. The major causes of FUO are infection, neoplasm, and collagen vascular disease, but the percentages of each of these categories are subject to change due to improvements in diagnostic capability. The diagnostic workup of FUO is complex and, to date, there is no consensus published in the literature regarding guidelines as to the correct approach. A number of diagnostic tests and numerous non-invasive and invasive procedures, which however sometimes fail to explain the fever, are often necessary. In about 20% of cases of FUO the diagnosis is never established. In this article the case of a young man with fever of unknown origin is presented, the cause of which remains undiagnosed, in order to illustrate the difficulties of the diagnostic process. A “watch and wait” approach seems to be acceptable in a clinically stable patient for whom no diagnosis can be made after extensive investigation, and the prognosis is likely to be good.
Economic evaluation of the use of saxagliptin in the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Italy
Authors: Cristiani Marco , Citarella Anna , Belisari Andrea , Didoni Guido , Mantovani Lorenzo Giovanni , Montella Sabato 
Published: June 2016

In this study we compare the cost-effectiveness of saxagliptin (Onglyza®) in combination with metformin to that of either sulphonylurea (SU) plus metformin or a thiazolidinedione (TZD) plus metformin, in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients who are not well-controlled on metformin alone. By using decision-analytic modeling, long-term costs and health outcomes associated with the investigated treatment strategies are estimated. This is achieved by modeling the risk of experiencing diabetes-related events (e.g. myocardial infarction) or side-effects such as hypoglycemia and weight gain. The risk of these events depends on baseline characteristics as well as risk factors (which can be altered by the treatment strategies). Ultimately, costs (NHS perspective) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for each treatment strategy are based on the occurrence of these events. Based on these estimates incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (cost per QALYs) are calculated. In the analysis comparing saxagliptin + metformin with SU + metformin in 1,000 patients in a 40 years time horizon, the total QALY gain with saxagliptin + metformin is 111. The incremental cost with saxagliptin + metformin is € 1,300,000, resulting in a total cost per QALY gained with saxagliptin + metformin of € 11,800 in the base case scenario. Similarly, the comparison with TZD + metformin resulted in a total QALY gain with saxagliptin + metformin of 127, with an incremental cost of € 144,000, resulting in a total cost per QALY gained with saxagliptin + metformin of € 1,100 in the base case scenario. The results are mainly driven by differences in hypoglycemias (associated with a utility decrement and a monetary cost) and weight gain (which is associated with a utility decrement and also increases the risk for diabetes-related events). Saxagliptin + metformin is associated with small difference in macrovascular events such as myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure compared to SU or TZD plus metformin strategies, probably due to the difference of action on net weight. Since the treatment cost is higher with saxagliptin + metformin, total costs are also higher for the Onglyza®-based strategy although the higher drug cost is partially offset by the lower rate of macrovascular costs and reduced cost of severe hypoglycemias. The present analysis suggests that saxagliptin, when added to metformin, is a cost-effective treatment alternative for type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Italy who are not well-controlled on metformin alone. Both compared to SU + metformin and TZD + metformin, the cost-effectiveness results of saxagliptin + metformin are robust to various assumptions concerning input variables. Hence, the favorable safety profile for saxagliptin, with a risk of hypoglycemia and impact on weight similar to placebo, makes it possible to increase the utility for patients since it is not reducing risk of diabetes-related events per se.
Frequency of and Factors Associated with a Proxy for Critical Falls Among People Aging with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Bisson Etienne J. , Peterson Elizabeth W. , Finlayson Marcia 
Published: June 2016

Background: Critical falls, defined in the literature as involving an inability to get up after the fall, have been associated with morbidity and mortality in older adults but have not been examined in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). To highlight the importance of the critical fall concept in MS, this exploratory study sought to identify the frequency of and factors associated with a proxy for critical falls in people with MS.
Methods: Of 354 adults with MS 55 years and older interviewed, 327 reported a story about their most recent fall that included information about fall-related experiences, including whether they received help to get up after a fall. We used this information as a proxy for critical falls in a logistic regression analysis.
Results: A total of 177 individuals (54.1%) received help to get up after their most recent fall. Logistic regression analysis revealed six factors associated with this proxy for critical falls: fall leading to a fracture (OR = 4.21), leg weakness (OR = 3.12), living with others (OR = 2.48), female sex (OR = 1.96), balance or mobility problems (OR = 1.90), and longer disease duration (OR = 1.04).
Conclusions: Receiving help after a fall is common for people aging with MS, suggesting that critical falls need to be further studied. Findings support the need for fall management education that includes action planning for proper assistance and balance and strength training to increase the ability to get up safely after a fall.
Effect of mode conversion on defect detection and size estimation in billet from time-of-flight profile by ultrasonic transmission method
Authors: Miyamoto Ryusuke , Mizutani Koichi , Ebihara Tadashi , Wakatsuki Naoto 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
The effect of mode conversion on defect detection and size estimation in a billet from the time-of-flight (TOF) profile is evaluated by comparing the results of wave propagation simulations in an elastic wave field and a scalar wave field, in which only longitudinal waves propagate. As a result, the effect of mode conversion appears in the TOF profile Δτ and received waveform. TOF deviation increases when mode conversion is considered compared with considering only longitudinal waves. This tendency compensates the error in the previous experiment and simulation results. The consideration of the shear components will make simulations and defect size estimations more accurate.
Monitoring of high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment by shear wave elastography induced by two-dimensional-array therapeutic transducer
Authors: Iwasaki Ryosuke , Takagi Ryo , Nagaoka Ryo , Jimbo Hayato , Yoshizawa Shin , Saijo Yoshifumi , Umemura Shin-ichiro 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
Shear wave elastography (SWE) is expected to be a noninvasive monitoring method of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. However, conventional SWE techniques encounter difficulty in inducing shear waves with adequate displacements in deep tissue. To observe tissue coagulation at the HIFU focal depth via SWE, in this study, we propose using a two-dimensional-array therapeutic transducer for not only HIFU exposure but also creating shear sources. The results show that the reconstructed shear wave velocity maps detected the coagulated regions as the area of increased propagation velocity even in deep tissue. This suggests that “HIFU-push” shear elastography is a promising solution for the purpose of coagulation monitoring in deep tissue, because push beams irradiated by the HIFU transducer can naturally reach as deep as the tissue to be coagulated by the same transducer.
Fundamental study on filter effect of confronting divergent magnetic fields applied to low-pressure inductively coupled plasmas
Authors: Sugawara Hirotake , Ogino So 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
The electron motion under confronting divergent magnetic fields (CDMFs) applied to inductively coupled plasmas was simulated using a Monte Carlo method. The CDMFs induced by two coaxial dc coils confined electrons in one side of the separatrix of the CDMFs. However, electrons diffused across the separatrix mainly in two ways. One was the displacement of their gyrocenters due to scattering near the outer part of the separatrix. This process tended to occur for high-energy electrons with correspondingly large gyroradii. The other was passage through the weak magnetic field around the center. This process was allowed for low-energy electrons. The position-dependent selectivity about the electron energy was pointed out as a seed property for applications of the separatrix as a magnetic filter or shutter. The mechanism by which the functions of the separatrix emerge was explained from a viewpoint of electron motion under the CDMFs.
Correlation between SiH2/SiH and light-induced degradation of p–i–n hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells
Authors: Keya Kimitaka , Kojima Takashi , Torigoe Yoshihiro , Toko Susumu , Yamashita Daisuke , Seo Hyunwoong , Itagaki Naho , Koga Kazunori , Shiratani Masaharu 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
We have measured the hydrogen content ratio I
SiH2/I
SiH associated with Si–H2 and Si–H bonds in p–i–n (PIN) a-Si:H solar cells by Raman spectroscopy. With decreasing I
SiH2/I
SiH, the efficiency, short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, and fill factor of PIN a-Si:H solar cells after light soaking tend to increase. Namely, I
SiH2/I
SiH correlates well with light-induced degradation of the cells. While a single I-layer has a low I
SiH2/I
SiH of 0.03–0.09, a PIN cell has I
SiH2/I
SiH = 0.18 because many Si–H2 bonds exist in the P-layer and at the P/I interface of the PIN solar cells. To realize PIN solar cells with higher stability, we must suppress Si–H2 bond formation in the P-layer and at the P/I interface.
How did the Dabie Orogen collapse? Insights from 3‐D magnetotelluric imaging of profile data
Authors: Xu Yixian , Zhang Sheng , Griffin W. L. , Yang Yingjie , Yang Bo , Luo Yinhe , Zhu Lupei , Afonso Juan Carlos , Lei Binghua 
Published: June 2016

AbstractThe Dabie Orogen is a key part of the Central Orogen of China and is well known because of its exposures to high‐ and ultrahigh‐pressure metamorphic rocks. It has been proposed to have formed by continent‐continent collision between the Yangtze and North China blocks in the Middle‐to‐Late Triassic and to have collapsed in the middle of the Early Cretaceous. However, there are few signatures in the lithospheric architecture that might constrain the scale of the orogenic collapse; as a result there has been a long‐term debate on its origin. A 300 km long broadband magnetotelluric transect perpendicular to a major collapsed structure has been completed to find some possible clues to the mechanisms of the orogenic collapse. The inverted resistivity cross section from 3‐D inversion of magnetotelluric profile data refines the postcollision lithospheric structure and in particular identifies domains of refertilized and depleted lithospheric mantle and isolated midcrustal low‐velocity and high‐conductivity zones. A correlation between voluminous surface magmatism in the Early Cretaceous and deep refertilized lithospheric mantle is illuminated by elevated electrical conductivity. We suggest that the lowermost crust was removed by delamination beneath the eastern Dabie during the orogenic collapse, while beneath the Tongbai‐Xinyang Terrain residual cratonic crust is underlain by depleted lithospheric mantle with relatively high resistivity. The isolated low‐velocity and high‐conductivity zones in the middle crust have been ascribed to shear‐promoted graphitic films which were destroyed by local granitic intrusions around 134 to 125 Ma. This lithospheric process can be attributed to far‐field effects, such as refertilization in the lower lithospheric mantle, promoted by upwelling of the asthenosphere and related fluids, during Paleo‐Pacific subduction beneath the Euro‐Asian continent.
Velocity profiles inside volcanic clouds from three‐dimensional scanning microwave dual‐polarization Doppler radars
Authors: Montopoli Mario 
Published: June 2016

AbstractIn this work, velocity profiles within a volcanic tephra cloud obtained by dual‐polarization Doppler radar acquisitions with three‐dimensional (3‐D) mechanical scanning capability are analyzed. A method for segmenting the radar volumes into three velocity regimes: vertical updraft, vertical fallout, and horizontal wind advection within a volcanic tephra cloud using dual‐polarization Doppler radar moments is proposed. The horizontal and vertical velocity components within the regimes are retrieved using a novel procedure that makes assumptions concerning the characteristics of the winds inside these regimes. The vertical velocities retrieved are combined with 1‐D simulations to derive additional parameters including particle fallout, mass flux, and particle sizes. The explosive event occurred on 23 November 2013 at the Mount Etna volcano (Sicily, Italy), is considered a demonstrative case in which to analyze the radar Doppler signal inside the tephra column. The X‐band radar (3 cm wavelength) in the Catania, Italy, airport observed the 3‐D scenes of the Etna tephra cloud ~32 km from the volcano vent every 10 min. From the radar‐derived vertical velocity profiles of updraft, particle fallout, and horizontal transportation, an exit velocity of 150 m/s, mass flux rate of 1.37 • 107 kg/s, particle fallout velocity of 18 m/s, and diameters of precipitating tephra particles equal to 0.8 cm are estimated on average. These numbers are shown to be consistent with theoretical 1‐D simulations of plume dynamics and local reports at the ground, respectively. A thickness of 3 ± 0.36 km for the downwind ash cloud is also inferred by differentiating the radar‐derived cloud top and the height of transition between the convective and buoyancy regions, the latter being inferred by the estimated vertical updraft velocity profile. The unique nature of the case study as well as the novelty of the segmentation and retrieval methods presented potentially give new insights into the analysis of volcanic cloud dynamics.
Evaluating predicted diurnal and semidiurnal tidal variations in polar motion with GPS‐based observations
Authors: Desai Shailen D. , Sibois Aurore E. 
Published: June 2016

AbstractWe evaluate models for the predicted diurnal and semidiurnal tidal variations in polar motion using observations based upon the Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS‐based observations are composed of 10 year continuous time series of polar motion estimates with 15 min temporal resolution. Predicted effects account for the contributions from ocean tide angular momentum and libration. We consider two models for the predicted ocean tide effects, both of which have their heritage with the so‐called TPXO hydrodynamic models of the ocean tide heights and currents that assimilate satellite altimetry, for example, Egbert et al. (1994) and Egbert and Erofeeva (2002). When considering libration effects we use the model from Mathews and Bretagnon (2003). Of the models considered in this study, the best consistency with the GPS‐based observations is achieved with predictions from the most recent (version 8) TPXO‐based model for ocean tide effects together with the model for libration effects. This combination demonstrates closure of the budget between predicted and GPS‐based observations at the level of less than 10, 2, and 5 µas in prograde diurnal, prograde semidiurnal, and retrograde semidiurnal tidal variations in polar motion, respectively. The observations also demonstrate inconsistency between the older TPXO‐based model for ocean tide effects and the libration model, both of which are currently recommended by the International Earth Rotation Service.
FPGA design of box‐constrained DCD‐based detector for large‐scale MIMO systems
Authors: Quan Zhi , Zakharov Yuriy 
Published: June 2016

AbstractThis paper proposes an improved architecture of a low‐complexity box‐constrained multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) detector which is based on the dichotomous coordinate descent (DCD) algorithm. This architecture allows a simple field‐programmable gate‐array implementation of the detector and explores the parallel implementation to reduce the number of clock cycles required in the design. We investigate the proposed design and compare its detection performance, hardware resources, and convergence speed with that of known designs. It is shown that the proposed design provides improvement in the detection performance compared to the minimum mean square error (MMSE) detector. The numerical results also show that the proposed architecture requires as few as 184, 210, and 223 slices for 16 × 16, 64 × 64, and 128 × 128 MIMO systems, respectively, which is significantly less than that required by known designs of the MMSE detector. By comparing the serial and parallel implementations of the box‐constrained detector, we show that the parallel implementation requires 15% fewer clock cycles.
Dissecting mitochondrial dna variability of balearic populations from the bronze age to the current era
Authors: Simón Marc , Díaz Nancy , Solórzano Eduvigis , Montiel Rafael , Francalacci Paolo , Malgosa Assumpció 
Published: June 2016

ObjectivesTo determine ancient population influences on ancient and current Balearic populations and to reconstruct their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene pool evolution.MethodsWe analyzed 239 individuals belonging to five archaeological populations from Majorca and Minorca, four dating to the transition between the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, and one Late Roman Majorcan population. Six additional individuals from Santa Teresa di Gallura from the Nuragic period were characterized and added to the existing samples from that culture to make comparisons with Talaiotic populations.ResultsWe characterized the haplogroups of 138 individuals and obtained 69 sequences from mtDNA hypervariable region I. In the intra‐island study, the apparent differences in social and funerary rites between two contiguous Majorcan necropolises were correlated with genetic characteristics. Also, the likely occurrence of consanguinity in a population with a very particular burial pattern was supported by genetic data. Despite the uniqueness of each necropolis, the global comparison of the five necropolises revealed no significant differences between them, or between ancient and modern populations from the islands. Ancient Balearics showed a similar mtDNA gene pool to Ancient Catalans, had a Near Eastern component, and showed continuity with European populations since at least the Bronze Age.ConclusionWe characterized five Balearic necropolises in the context of their geographic and cultural characteristics. The similarity between ancient Balearic and ancient Catalan gene pools reinforces their known historic interactions, while the lack of a consistent genetic continuity with Ancient Sardinians suggests that Talaiotic and Nuragic cultures arose in differentiated populations. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 29:e22883, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Engineering a Chemical Switch into the Light‐driven Proton Pump Proteorhodopsin by Cysteine Mutagenesis and Thiol Modification
Authors: Harder Daniel , Hirschi Stephan , Ucurum Zöhre , Goers Roland , Meier Wolfgang , Müller Daniel J. , Fotiadis Dimitrios 
Published: June 2016

AbstractFor applications in synthetic biology, for example, the bottom‐up assembly of biomolecular nanofactories, modules of specific and controllable functionalities are essential. Of fundamental importance in such systems are energizing modules, which are able to establish an electrochemical gradient across a vesicular membrane as an energy source for powering other modules. Light‐driven proton pumps like proteorhodopsin (PR) are excellent candidates for efficient energy conversion. We have extended the versatility of PR by implementing an on/off switch based on reversible chemical modification of a site‐specifically introduced cysteine residue. The position of this cysteine residue in PR was identified by structure‐based cysteine mutagenesis combined with a proton‐pumping assay using E. coli cells overexpressing PR and PR proteoliposomes. The identified PR mutant represents the first light‐driven proton pump that can be chemically switched on/off depending on the requirements of the molecular system.
Kohlenstoff‐Nanobläschen: Synthese, chemische Funktionalisierung und containerartiges Verhalten in Wasser
Authors: Hofer Corinne J. , Grass Robert N. , Zeltner Martin , Mora Carlos A. , Krumeich Frank , Stark Wendelin J. 
Published: June 2016

AbstractDünnwandige hohle Kohlenstoff‐Nanokapseln mit einem hydrophoben Inneren und guten Dispersionseigenschaften in Wasser können in zwei Schritten synthetisiert werden: Erst werden Metallnanopartikel, die mit einigen Schichten graphenartigem Kohlenstoff beschichtet wurden, an deren Außenseite selektiv mit einem kovalent gebundenen hydrophilen Polymer modifiziert. Dann wird der Metallkern durch eine Säurebehandlung bei erhöhter Temperatur entfernt, sodass eine definierte kohlenstoffbasierte Kapsel übrig bleibt. Beladungsversuche mit dem Farbstoff Rhodamin B und mit Doxorubicin zeigen, dass die Nanokapseln gefüllt werden können und der beladene Stoff auch wieder freigesetzt werden kann. Dabei stellt sich ein dynamisches Gleichgewicht ein, bei dem die Rhodamin‐B‐Konzentration in der Kapsel stets höher ist als in der umgebenden Lösung. Das konzentrationsabhängige Füllen und Entleeren der Kapseln zeigt eine ungewöhnliche Hysterese.