bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effects of modified ultrafiltration on clinical outcomes of adult and pediatric cardiac surgery
Authors: Thapmongkol Siraphop , Masaratana Patarabutr , Subtaweesin Thaworn , Sayasathid Jarun , Thatsakorn Kanthachat , Namchaisiri Jule 
Published: February 2016

Abstract

Background
Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) can contribute to the development of an inflammatory response and postsurgical morbidity. Conventional ultrafiltration and modified ultrafiltration (MUF) can mitigate the adverse effects of CPB by removing free water and inflammatory mediators, at least in part.

Objectives
To evaluate evidence for the effects of MUF on clinical outcomes of cardiac surgery in pediatric and adult patients.

Methods
A literature review of MEDLINE-indexed articles published between 1990 and June 2014 was conducted on PubMed. A search on the CTS.net website and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was also performed with relevant keywords. The search was limited to English language articles and human studies.

Results
Our primary search identified 84 potential articles, of which 55 articles were relevant to conventional ultrafiltration, modified ultrafiltration, ultrafiltration, cardiopulmonary bypass, extracorporeal circulation, pediatric and adult cardiac surgery. There were 3 meta-analyses, 7 review literatures, 21 randomized controlled trials. The remainder consisted of 18 controlled and 6 observational studies. MUF has been beneficial effects on postoperative bleeding, chest drainage, transfusion requirement, and improvement cardiac function, but effects in adult cardiac surgery inconclusive because data was relatively limited.

Conclusions
MUF may improve post-CPB hemodynamic activity and cardiac function in pediatric cardiac surgery. By contrast, the clinical trials in adults are limited mostly by small sample sizes that preclude an adequately powered assessment of clinically relevant outcomes. The available data are conflicting and several studies show no differential outcomes. Further studies are required to identify patients who will most likely benefit from ultrafiltration and to establish standard protocols.
Comparing goniometric and radiographic measurement of Q angle of the knee
Authors: Chevidikunnan Mohamed Faisal , Al Saif Amer , Pai K Harish , Mathias Lawrence 
Published: February 2016

Abstract

Background
The Q angle is a relevant clinical diagnostic measurement to detect various disorders of the knee. The common method used to measure the Q angle in the routine clinical practice is by radiography. An alternative to radiographic measurement is goniometry, by which exposure to x-rays can be avoided.

Objectives
To compare and correlate the goniometric measurement of Q angle with radiographic measurement of the Q angle in patients with acute knee pain.

Methods
We selected 45 patient participants with a mean age of 32.5 years who satisfied the inclusion criteria for this study. All the patients underwent goniometric measurement of the Q angle followed by x-ray imaging of the entire lower limb. Later the bony prominences were marked on the x-ray image and the Q angle formed was measured using a protractor. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the goniometric and radiographic measurements was determined.

Results
We found a significant relationship between Q angles obtained using a goniometer and x-ray imaging in the supine position (r = 0.91, P = 0.001). The mean difference between the goniometric measurement of Q angle and the radiographic measurement was 0.1°, which is not significant.

Conclusions
Goniometry can be used to measure Q angle as accurately as radiography, and can be used as an inexpensive and radiation free alternative.
Prevalence and risk factors for inappropriate birth weight for gestational age
Authors: Boriboonhirunsarn Dittakarn 
Published: February 2016

Abstract

Background
Infants with an inappropriate birth weight for their gestational age are more likely to develop complications during pregnancy and postpartum, and have increased long-term health risks.

Objectives
To determine the prevalence and risk factors for infants with inappropriate birth weight for their gestational age.

Methods
We enrolled 820 women with uncomplicated, singleton pregnancies who gave birth to a live born infant at term. Prepregnancy baseline and obstetric information were extracted from medical records, including body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain, and infant birth weight. Prevalence of small-for-gestational age (SGA) and large-for-gestational age (LGA) infants was determined. We compared variables between groups to identify associated factors.

Results
Prevalence of SGA was 2.6% and LGA was 10.5%. Prepregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain were significantly higher in the LGA than in the SGA group (P = 0.041 and < 0.001, respectively). The birth weight and gestational weight gain, but not the prepregnancy BMI, were significantly different (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis determined that inadequate gestational weight gain significantly increased the risk of SGA (adjusted OR 3.20, 95%CI 1.06 to 9.64, P = 0.039), and significantly reduced the risk of LGA (adjusted OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.91, P = 0.028). Excessive gestational weight gain significantly increased the risk of LGA (adjusted OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.21 to 3.30, P = 0.006). There was no significant association with prepregnancy BMI.

Conclusions
Controlling gestational weight gain may improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Investigation of the presence of Trichomonas vaginalis in infertile Turkish women
Authors: Kaya Özlem Aycan , Silfeler Dilek Benk , Kurt Raziye Keskin , Gözükarad Ilay , Yengil Erhan , Bayramoǧlu Neslihan 
Published: February 2016

Abstract

Background
Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted vaginal infection caused by a protozoan called Trichomonas vaginalis. Its prevalence ranges between 3–40% among randomly tested women.

Objectives
To investigate the presence of T. vaginalis in infertile women presenting to a Turkish gynecology outpatient clinic using parasitological methods.

Methods
The study population comprised 51 patient participants who attended the gynecology clinic of Mustafa Kemal University Hospital between March and August 2013. The women were divided into those presenting with infertility (n = 22) and a patient control group (n = 29). Women in the control group had complaints other than infertility. Microscopic examination, Giemsa staining, and cysteine-peptone-liver-maltose culture were performed on samples taken from posterior fornix tested for T. vaginalis.

Results
T. vaginalis was observed in 18% (n = 4) of infertile patients and in none of the control group (P = 0.03).

Conclusions
Asymptomatic infertile women should be examined for T. vaginalis infection, which may play a role as a cause or contributing factor in infertility.
Incidencia del crédito de FUNDEMUJER en el desarrollo económico de MIPYMES en Estelí
Authors: Rocha Galeano Karen Alicia , Valdivia Acuña Cristhiam Belén , Zeledón Lanuza Francis Elieth 
Published: February 2016

El presente trabajo determina la incidencia del crédito facilitado a mujeres, para el desarrollo económico de Micro, Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas en la ciudad de Estelí en el año 2013. El desarrollo de este estudio se hizo tomando en cuenta el enfoque cuantitativo. El universo de estudio fue de 434 mujeres empresarias que trabajan con crédito otorgados por la fundación con un tipo de muestreo probabilístico aleatorio simple, los instrumentos utilizados en el estudio fueron la encuesta y entrevista semi estructurada. Una limitante para el desarrollo económico de las empresarias es la falta de empleo existente en el país, esto hace que las mujeres recurran a solicitar créditos en entidades financieras, para poder crear sus negocios o mejorarlos.Es fundamental que FUNDEMUJER realice capacitaciones sobre la importancia de establecer un sistema de registro contable en los negocios para conocer las utilidades que éste presenta y la importancia de invertir en publicidad para dar a conocer lo que se oferta, también promover el ahorro en las empresarias de tal forma que tengan un soporte para utilizarlo para algún imprevisto o bien para la inversión del negocio, y motivar a las empresarias a tener una visión positiva para el éxito del negocio.
Closer to 90–90–90. The cascade of care after 10 years of ART scale‐up in rural Malawi: a population study
Authors: Maman David , Chilima Benson , Masiku Charles , Ayouba Ahidjo , Masson Sophie , Szumilin Elisabeth , Peeters Martine , Ford Nathan , Heinzelmann Annette , Riche Benjamin , Etard Jean‐François 
Published: February 2016

IntroductionThe antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme supported by Médecins Sans Frontières in the rural Malawian district of Chiradzulu was one of the first in sub‐Saharan Africa to scale up ART delivery in 2002. After more than a decade of continuous involvement, we conducted a population survey to evaluate the cascade of care, including population viral load, in the district.MethodsA cross‐sectional household‐based survey was conducted between February and May 2013. Using a multistage cluster sampling method, we recruited all individuals aged 15 to 59 years living in 4125 randomly selected households. Each consenting individual was interviewed and tested for HIV at home. All participants who tested positive had their CD4 count and viral load measured. The LAg‐Avidity assay was used to distinguish recent from long‐term infections. Viral suppression was defined as a viral load below 1000 copies/mL.ResultsOf 8271 individuals eligible for the study, 7269 agreed to participate and were tested for HIV (94.1% inclusion for women and 80.3% for men). Overall HIV prevalence and incidence were 17.0% (95% CI 16.1 to 17.9) and 0.39 new cases per 100 person‐years (95% CI 0.0 to 0.77), respectively. Coverage at the other steps along the HIV care cascade was as follows: 76.7% (95% CI 74.4 to 79.1) had been previously diagnosed, 71.2% (95% CI 68.6 to 73.6) were under care and 65.8% (95% CI 62.8 to 68.2) were receiving ART. Finally, the proportion of participants who were HIV positive with a viral load ≤1000 copies/mL reached 61.8% (95% CI 59.0 to 64.5).ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that a high level of population viral suppression and low incidence can be achieved in high HIV prevalence and resource‐limited settings.
Structural, morphological, electrical, and optical properties of silver thin films of varying thickness deposited on cupric oxide
Authors: Hajakbari Fatemeh , Shafieinejad Farzaneh 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIn this investigation, silver (Ag) films of varying thickness (25–100 nm) were grown on cupric oxide (CuO) on silicon and quartz. The CuO preparation was carried out by the thermal oxidation annealing of copper (Cu) thin films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering. The physical properties of the prepared films were studied by different techniques. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) analysis indicated that the Ag film thickness was about 25–100 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that by increasing Ag thickness, the film crystallinity was improved. Also, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results demonstrated that the surface morphology and the grain size were affected by the Ag film thickness. Furthermore, the electrical resistivity of films determined by four-point probe measurements versus the Ag film thickness was discussed. A reduction in the optical band gap energy of CuO is observed from 1.51 to 1.42 eV with an increase in Ag film thickness to 40 nm in Ag/CuO films.
Bodily action penetrates affective perception
Authors: Fantoni Carlo , Rigutti Sara , Gerbino Walter 
Published: February 2016

Fantoni & Gerbino (2014) showed that subtle postural shifts associated with reaching can have a strong hedonic impact and affect how actors experience facial expressions of emotion. Using a novel Motor Action Mood Induction Procedure (MAMIP), they found consistent congruency effects in participants who performed a facial emotionidentificationtask after a sequence of visually-guided reaches: a face perceived as neutral in a baseline condition appeared slightly happy after comfortable actions and slightly angry after uncomfortable actions. However, skeptics about the penetrability of perception (Zeimbekis & Raftopoulos, 2015) would consider such evidence insufficient to demonstrate that observer’s internal states induced by action comfort/discomfort affect perception in a top-down fashion. The action-modulated mood might have produced a back-end memory effect capable of affecting post-perceptual and decision processing, but not front-end perception.Here, we present evidence that performing a facial emotiondetection(not identification) task after MAMIP exhibits systematic mood-congruentsensitivitychanges, rather than responsebiaschanges attributable to cognitive set shifts; i.e., we show that observer’s internal states induced by bodily action can modulate affective perception. The detection threshold forhappinesswas lower after fifty comfortable than uncomfortable reaches; while the detection threshold forangerwas lower after fifty uncomfortable than comfortable reaches. Action valence induced an overall sensitivity improvement in detecting subtle variations of congruent facial expressions (happiness afterpositivecomfortable actions, anger afternegativeuncomfortable actions), in the absence of significant response bias shifts. Notably, both comfortable and uncomfortable reaches impact sensitivity in an approximately symmetric way relative to a baseline inaction condition. All of these constitute compelling evidence of a genuine top-down effect on perception: specifically, facial expressions of emotion arepenetrableby action-induced mood. Affective priming by action valence is a candidate mechanism for the influence of observer’s internal states on properties experienced as phenomenally objective and yet loaded with meaning.
Oxidative Polymerization
Authors: Higashimura Hideyuki , Kobayashi Shiro 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
This article reviews the oxidative polymerizations of aromatic compounds, such as phenol, aniline, diphenyl disulfide, benzene, pyrrole, thiophene, and their derivatives, focusing on the reaction mechanism and coupling selectivity. The characteristics of polymers synthesized by this method, including poly(phenylene oxide)s, polyphenols, polyanilines, poly(phenylene sulfide)s, polyphenylenes, polypyrroles, and polythiophenes, are also described.
Biosensing Applications Based on Conducting Polymers
Authors: Zhu Bicheng , Hackett Alissa J. , Travas‐Sejdic Jadranka 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
Conducting polymers (CPs) are materials with unique optoelectronic properties that are employed in both chemical sensing and biosensing. A variety of electrochemical and optical biosensor designs have been developed based on CPs, due to their simple fabrication and direct readout methodologies. Efforts have been directed toward achieving high sensitivity, low detection limits, and superior selectivity for target molecules, which are the main considerations when evaluating a biosensor. As the capabilities of nanofabrication expand, nanoscale CP materials, such as nanowires and nanotubes, have been utilized to improve the performance of CP‐based biosensors. Simultaneously, multiple target detection through biosensor arrays has sped up developments in the field. This article gives an overview of recent designs in electrochemical biosensors utilizing CPs as active sensing elements in different formats, including array sensors. We discuss aspects of CP‐based biosensing where further research is needed to advance their performance, including sensitivity, selectivity, stability, and pretreatment of analyst.
Climate services: Lessons learned and future prospects
Authors: Brasseur Guy P. , Gallardo Laura 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis perspective paper reviews progress made in the last decades to enhance the communication and use of climate information relevant to the political and economic decision process. It focuses, specifically, on the creation and development of climate services, and highlights a number of difficulties that have limited the success of these services. Among them are the insufficient awareness by societal actors of their vulnerability to climate change, the lack of relevant products and services offered by the scientific community, the inappropriate format in which the information is provided, and the inadequate business model adopted by climate services. The authors suggest that, to be effective, centers should host within the same center a diversity of staff including experts in climate science, specialists in impact, adaptation, and vulnerability, representatives of the corporate world, agents of the public service as well as social managers and communication specialists. The role and importance of environmental engineering is emphasized.
Impact of warming events on reef‐scale temperature variability as captured in two Little Cayman coral Sr/Ca records
Authors: von Reumont J. , Hetzinger S. , Garbe‐Schönberg D. , Manfrino C. , Dullo W.‐Chr. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe rising temperature of the world's oceans is affecting coral reef ecosystems by increasing the frequency and severity of bleaching and mortality events. The susceptibility of corals to temperature stress varies on local and regional scales. Insights into potential controlling parameters are hampered by a lack of long term in situ data in most coral reef environments and sea surface temperature (SST) products often do not resolve reef‐scale variations. Here we use 42 years (1970–2012) of coral Sr/Ca data to reconstruct seasonal‐ to decadal‐scale SST variations in two adjacent but distinct reef environments at Little Cayman, Cayman Islands. Our results indicate that two massive Diploria strigosa corals growing in the lagoon and in the fore reef responded differently to past warming events. Coral Sr/Ca data from the shallow lagoon successfully record high summer temperatures confirmed by in situ observations (>33°C). Surprisingly, coral Sr/Ca from the deeper fore reef is strongly affected by thermal stress events, although seasonal temperature extremes and mean SSTs at this site are reduced compared to the lagoon. The shallow lagoon coral showed decadal variations in Sr/Ca, supposedly related to the modulation of lagoonal temperature through varying tidal water exchange, influenced by the 18.6 year lunar nodal cycle. Our results show that reef‐scale SST variability can be much larger than suggested by satellite SST measurements. Thus, using coral SST proxy records from different reef zones combined with in situ observations will improve conservation programs that are developed to monitor and predict potential thermal stress on coral reefs.
Identification of buried lunar impact craters from GRAIL data and implications for the nearside maria
Authors: Evans Alexander J. , Soderblom Jason M. , Andrews‐Hanna Jeffrey C. , Solomon Sean C. , Zuber Maria T. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractGravity observations from the dual Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft have revealed more than 100 quasi‐circular mass anomalies, 26–300 km in diameter, on the lunar nearside. These anomalies are interpreted to be impact craters filled primarily by mare deposits, and their characteristics are consistent with those of impact structures that formed prior to, and during, intervals of flooding of feldspathic terrane by mare basalt lavas. We determine that mare deposits have an average density contrast of
kg m−3 relative to the surrounding crust. The presence of a large population of volcanically buried craters with minimal topographic expression and diameters up to 300 km requires an average nearside mare thickness of at least 1.5 km and local lenses of mare basalt as thick as ~7 km.
Reducing the uncertainty in subtropical cloud feedback
Authors: Myers Timothy A. , Norris Joel R. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractLarge uncertainty remains on how subtropical clouds will respond to anthropogenic climate change and therefore whether they will act as a positive feedback that amplifies global warming or negative feedback that dampens global warming by altering Earth's energy budget. Here we reduce this uncertainty using an observationally constrained formulation of the response of subtropical clouds to greenhouse forcing. The observed interannual sensitivity of cloud solar reflection to varying meteorological conditions suggests that increasing sea surface temperature and atmospheric stability in the future climate will have largely canceling effects on subtropical cloudiness, overall leading to a weak positive shortwave cloud feedback (0.4 ± 0.9 W m−2 K−1). The uncertainty of this observationally based approximation of the cloud feedback is narrower than the intermodel spread of the feedback produced by climate models. Subtropical cloud changes will therefore complement positive cloud feedbacks identified by previous work, suggesting that future global cloud changes will amplify global warming.
On the frequency dependence and spatial coherence of PKP precursor amplitudes
Authors: Mancinelli Nicholas , Shearer Peter , Thomas Christine 
Published: February 2016

AbstractStudies now agree that small‐scale (∼10 km) weak (∼0.1%) velocity perturbations throughout the lowermost mantle generate the globally averaged amplitudes of 1 Hz precursors to the core phase, PKP. The possible frequency dependence and spatial coherence of this scattered phase, however, has been given less attention. Using a large global data set of ∼150,000 PKP precursor recordings, we characterize the frequency dependence of PKP precursors at central frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 4 Hz. At greater frequencies, we observe more scattered energy (relative to the reference phase PKPdf), particularly at shorter ranges. We model this observation by invoking heterogeneity at length scales from 2 to 30 km. Amplitudes at 0.5 Hz, in particular, suggest the presence of more heterogeneity at scales >8 km than present in previously published models. Using a regional bootstrap approach, we identify large (>20°), spatially coherent regions of anomalously strong scattering beneath the West Pacific, Central/North America, and—to a lesser extent—East Africa. Finally, as proof of concept, we use array processing techniques to locate the origin of scattered energy observed in Southern California by the Anza and Southern California Seismic Networks. The energy appears to come primarily from out‐of‐plane scattering on the receiver side. We suggest that such improvised arrays can increase global coverage and may reveal whether a majority of precursor energy comes from localized heterogeneity in the lowermost mantle.
Functional Data Analysis – Theory
Authors: Ramsay James O. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWhen either data or the models for them involve smooth functions, and when only weak assumptions about these functions are to be made, familiar statistical methods must be modified and new approaches developed in order to take advantage of smoothness. This article considers some general issues such as characteristics of functional data, uses of derivatives in functional modeling, estimation of phase variation by the alignment, or registration of curve features and the nature of error, and describes functional versions of traditional methods such as principal components analysis and linear modeling and also mentions purely functional approaches that involve working with and estimating differential equations in the functional data analysis process.