bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Penalized Nonlinear Mixed Effects Model to Identify Biomarkers That Predict Disease Progression
Authors: Chen Huaihou , Zeng Donglin , Wang Yuanjia 
Published: February 2017

Summary
Precise modeling of disease progression in neurodegenerative disorders may enable early intervention before clinical manifestation of a disease, which is crucial since early intervention at the premanifest stage is expected to be more effective. Neuroimaging biomarkers are indicative of the underlying disease pathology and may be used to predict future disease occurrence at the premanifest stage. As observed in many pivotal studies, longitudinal measurements of clinical outcomes, such as motor or cognitive symptoms, often present nonlinear sigmoid shapes over time, where the inflection points of the trajectories mark a meaningful time in disease progression. Therefore, to identify neuroimaging biomarkers predicting disease progression, we propose a nonlinear mixed effects model based on a sigmoid function to predict longitudinal clinical outcomes, and associate a linear combination of neuroimaging biomarkers with subject-specific inflection points. Based on an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm, we propose a method that can fit a nonlinear model with many potentially correlated biomarkers for random inflection points while achieving computational stability. Variable selection is introduced in the algorithm in order to identify important biomarkers of disease progression and to reduce prediction variability. We apply the proposed method to the data from the Predictors of Huntington's Disease study to select brain subcortical regional volumes predictive of the inflection points of the motor and cognitive function trajectories. Our results reveal that brain atrophy in the striatum and expansion of the ventricular system are highly predictive of the inflection points. Furthermore, these inflection points may precede clinically defined disease onset by as early as a decade and thus may be useful biomarkers as early signs of Huntington's Disease onset.
Patterns of referral and waiting times for specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
Authors: Smith Joanna , Kyle Richard G. , Daniel Brigid , Hubbard Gill 
Published: February 2017

BackgroundDuring 12‐month period (2012/13) around 21,480 children and young people (CYP) were referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in Scotland (NHS Scotland, 2013, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services waiting times in Scotland). At the end of September 2012, there were 3,602 CYP still waiting for ‘start of treatment’ or ‘removal from the waiting list’, 375 (10%) CYP had waited over 26 weeks and 1,204 (33%) CYP had waited over 18 weeks (NHS Scotland, 2013, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services waiting times in Scotland). Referral source, referral reason and the sociodemographic characteristics of CYP are not routinely collected, and therefore, associations between these factors and wait times for ‘start of treatment’ or ‘removal from the waiting list’ (i.e. the referral outcome) are unknown.MethodIn this exploratory study, a retrospective analysis of referral data was conducted in one CAMHS. Data for 476 referrals between 1st May 2013 and 31st May 2014 were initially analysed to define categories for each of the following key variables: referral source, referral reason and referral outcome. Data on CYP sociodemographic characteristics were extracted from referral records, including age, gender and postcode, from which Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile of residence was derived. Descriptive statistics were calculated for referral source, referral reason and CYP sociodemographic characteristics. Regression models were then built to determine predictors of a referral being rejected by CAMHS and waiting time for referrals accepted by CAMHS. Data were analysed in SPSS (Version 20).ResultsOf the 476 referrals, 72% (n = 342) were accepted and 12% (n = 59) were rejected. Most referrals were made by general practitioners. Just under a third of referrals to CAMHS (31%) were for CYP with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The odds of being rejected by CAMHS were significantly higher if referred by teachers and for CYP with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Age and referral reason were significant independent predictors of waiting time after referral to CAMHS, with CYP referred for hyperactivity/inattention waiting significantly longer.ConclusionsPolicymakers should consider ways to foster dialogue and collaboration between different groups of professionals making and accepting referrals to CAMHS in order to improve timely access to appropriate mental health support services for CYP. Research is urgently needed to investigate the experiences of CYP who are either rejected by CAMHS or wait lengthy periods of time before starting their treatment with CAMHS.
Podoplanin promotes progression of malignant pleural mesothelioma by regulating motility and focus formation
Authors: Takeuchi Shinji , Fukuda Koji , Yamada Tadaaki , Arai Sachiko , Takagi Satoshi , Ishii Genichiro , Ochiai Atsushi , Iwakiri Shotaro , Itoi Kazumi , Uehara Hisanori , Nishihara Hiroshi , Fujita Naoya , Yano Seiji 
Published: February 2017

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is characterized by dissemination and aggressive growth in the thoracic cavity. Podoplanin (PDPN) is an established diagnostic marker for MPM, but the function of PDPN in MPM is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the pathogenetic function of PDPN in MPM. Forty‐seven of 52 tumors (90%) from Japanese patients with MPM and 3/6 (50%) MPM cell lines tested positive for PDPN. Knocking down PDPN in PDPN‐high expressing MPM cells resulted in decreased cell motility. In contrast, overexpression of PDPN in PDPN‐low expressing MPM cells enhanced cell motility. PDPN stimulated motility was mediated by activation of the RhoA/ROCK pathway. Moreover, knocking down PDPN with short hairpin (sh) RNA in PDPN‐high expressing MPM cells resulted in decreased development of a thoracic tumor in mice with severe combined immune deficiency (SCID). In sharp contrast, transfection of PDPN in PDPN‐low expressing MPM cells resulted in an increase in the number of Ki‐67‐positive proliferating tumor cells and it promoted progression of a thoracic tumor in SCID mice. Interestingly, PDPN promoted focus formation in vitro, and a low level of E‐cadherin expression and YAP1 activation was observed in PDPN‐high MPM tumors. These findings indicate that PDPN is a diagnostic marker as well as a pathogenetic regulator that promotes MPM progression by increasing cell motility and inducing focus formation. Therefore, PDPN might be a pathogenetic determinant of MPM dissemination and aggressive growth and may thus be an ideal therapeutic target.
Convolutional Sparse Coding for Capturing High‐Speed Video Content
Authors: Serrano Ana , Garces Elena , Masia Belen , Gutierrez Diego 
Published: February 2017

AbstractVideo capture is limited by the trade‐off between spatial and temporal resolution: when capturing videos of high temporal resolution, the spatial resolution decreases due to bandwidth limitations in the capture system. Achieving both high spatial and temporal resolution is only possible with highly specialized and very expensive hardware, and even then the same basic trade‐off remains. The recent introduction of compressive sensing and sparse reconstruction techniques allows for the capture of single‐shot high‐speed video, by coding the temporal information in a single frame, and then reconstructing the full video sequence from this single‐coded image and a trained dictionary of image patches. In this paper, we first analyse this approach, and find insights that help improve the quality of the reconstructed videos. We then introduce a novel technique, based on convolutional sparse coding (CSC), and show how it outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art, patch‐based approach in terms of flexibility and efficiency, due to the convolutional nature of its filter banks. The key idea for CSC high‐speed video acquisition is extending the basic formulation by imposing an additional constraint in the temporal dimension, which enforces sparsity of the first‐order derivatives over time.
Chemical control of two Phytophthora species infecting the canopy of Monterey pine (Pinus radiata)
Authors: Rolando C. A. , Dick M. A. , Gardner J. , Bader M. K‐F. , Williams N. M. 
Published: February 2017

SummaryTwelve active ingredients were screened for their ability to control foliage disease caused by Phytophthora kernoviae and Phytophthora pluvialis. Inhibition of mycelial growth and sporangial production of both pathogens were assessed in in vitro assays after exposure to three concentrations of each active ingredient. While most of these active ingredients inhibited mycelial growth in vitro, due to their widespread use, phosphite, copper oxychloride and metalaxyl‐M were selected for further study. Four rates of each active ingredient were applied to two Pinus radiata genotypes, and detached needle assays at 6 and 90 days post‐treatment were used to determine treatment efficacy and persistence. Untreated needles showed significantly larger lesions than all fungicide‐treated needles after exposure to P. pluvialis or P. kernoviae on both sampling dates. Efficacy and persistence of the three active ingredients did not increase with increase in concentration. Larger lesions were formed on more susceptible genotype after inoculation with both Phytophthora species, even when higher rates of active ingredients were applied. Phosphite, copper oxychloride and metalaxyl‐M have potential to protect commercially planted P. radiata from these two Phytophthora species.
Correction of plastic zone estimates from linear elastic stress field: a qualitative analysis
Authors: Sousa R. A. , Figueiredo F. P. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractThis paper shows the usual inconsistency made in the linear elastic fracture mechanic, which is to estimate plastic zones (pz) from a linear elastic (LE) analysis with correction of the pz size based on assumptions of equilibrium. The corrected LE pz is compared with the pz obtained from elastic–plastic analyses. For this purpose, the finite element method is used. Moreover, the load histories in points along the domains of the corrected LE pz and elastic–plastic pz are computed and analysed. This paper, showing that LE pz, corrected or not, has only a qualitative interpretation.
Do persistent rare species experience stronger negative frequency dependence than common species?
Authors: Yenni Glenda , Adler Peter B. , Ernest S. K. Morgan 
Published: February 2017

AbstractUnderstanding why so many species are rare yet persistent remains a significant challenge for both theoretical and empirical ecologists. Yenni et al. (2012, Ecology, 93, 456–461) proposed that strong negative frequency dependence causes species to be rare while simultaneously buffering them against extinction. This hypothesis predicts that, on average, rare species should experience stronger negative frequency dependence than common species. However, it is unknown if ecological communities generally show this theoretical pattern. We discuss the implications of this phenomenon for community dynamics, and develop a method to test for a non‐random relationship between negative frequency dependence and relative abundance using species abundance data from 90 communities across a broad range of environments and taxonomic groups. To account for biases introduced by measurement error, we compared the observed correlation between species relative abundance and the strength of frequency dependence against expectations from a randomization procedure. In approximately half of the analysed communities, we found increasingly strong negative frequency dependence with decreasing relative abundance: rare species experienced stronger frequency dependence than common species. The randomization test never detected stronger negative frequency dependence in more common species. Our results suggest that strong negative frequency dependence is a signature of persistent, rare species in many communities.
Screening of female family members of von Willebrand disease patients: utility of a modified screening tool in a high‐risk population
Authors: Faiz A. S. , Kaveney A. , Guo S. , Murphy S. , Philipp C. S. 
Published: February 2017

IntroductionFamily members of Von Willebrand disease (VWD) patients may have low levels of VWF without major bleeding episodes and often remain undiagnosed.AimThe purpose of this study was to assess the utility of a modified Screening Tool in identifying previously untested reproductive age female family members of VWD patients for haemostatic evaluation.MethodsNinety‐four reproductive age women including 41 previously untested family members of VWD patients, 26 previously diagnosed VWD patients and 27 healthy controls were administered a modified Screening Tool and had blood drawn for CBC, ferritin, and VWF testing. Participants completed a pictorial blood assessment chart (PBAC) with menses.ResultsThe modified Screening Tool was positive in 32% family members, 77% VWD patients, and 19% controls (P < 0.001). Combined with low ferritin, the modified Screening Tool was positive in 66% family members, 92% VWD patients, and 44% controls (P = 0.001). In family members, incorporating low ferritin with the modified Screening Tool resulted in a sensitivity of 86% (95% CI, 42–100) and negative predictive value of 93% (95% CI, 66–100). In the control group, NPV was between 92% and 95% for the modified Screening Tool and also for the modified Screening Tool combined with low ferritin or a positive PBAC.ConclusionThese data in a racially diverse population suggest the usefulness of a simple, easy to administer modified Screening Tool. In conjunction with ferritin it could be used in a primary care setting to stratify reproductive age women with a family history of VWD for haemostatic evaluation.
Collaborative HIV care in primary health care: nurses’ views
Authors: Ngunyulu R.N. , Peu M.D. , Mulaudzi F.M. , Mataboge M.L.S. , Phiri S.S. 
Published: February 2017

BackgroundCollaborative HIV care between the nurses and traditional health practitioners is an important strategy to improve health care of people living with HIV.AimTo explore and describe the views of nurses regarding collaborative HIV care in primary healthcare services in the City of Tshwane, South Africa.MethodA qualitative, descriptive design was used to explore and describe the views of nurses who met the study's inclusion criteria. In‐depth individual interviews were conducted to collect data from purposively selected nurses. Content analysis was used to analyse data.ResultsTwo main categories were developed during the data analysis stage. The views of nurses and health system challenges regarding collaborative HIV care.DiscussionThe study findings revealed that there was inadequate collaborative HIV care between the nurses and the traditional health practitioners.ConclusionIt is evident that there is inadequate policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation regarding collaboration in HIV care. The study findings might influence policymakers to consider the importance of collaborative HIV care, and improve the quality of care by strengthening the referral system and follow‐up of people living with HIV and AIDS, as a result the health outcomes as implied in the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 might be improved.Implications for nursing and health policyTraining and involvement of traditional health practitioners in the nursing and health policy should be considered to enhance and build a trustworthy working relationship between the nurses and the traditional health practitioners in HIV care.
Effect of Environmental Impedance Surrounding a Radiofrequency Ablation Catheter Electrode on Lesion Characteristics
Authors: NGUYEN DUY T. , NGUYEN KIANNA , ZHENG LIJUN , SCHULLER JOSEPH , ZIPSE MATTHEW , TZOU WENDY S. , SAUER WILLIAM H. 
Published: February 2017

Environmental Impedance and Ablation LesionsIntroductionThe electrical conductivity of the environment surrounding a catheter electrode may affect radiofrequency (RF) current. A higher impedance environment enveloping a catheter tip can be insulating and thus direct RF preferentially into targeted cardiac tissue. We sought to evaluate whether different environmental impedances will affect RF lesions.MethodsAnex vivomodel using bovine myocardium, load cell, and 4 mm ablation catheter was tested using a circulating bath of normal (0.9%; NS) and half normal (0.45%; HNS) saline. Ablations were performed at 50 W. In addition, using a porcine thigh prep model, warmed heparinized blood was circulated at 350 mL/min. Prior to ablation, circulating bath impedance was altered with NS and HNS. RF was applied at 30 W with a force‐sensing, open irrigated catheter.ResultsEx vivoRF with a 4 mm catheter using an HNS bath led to larger lesions, 286.7 ± 64 mm³ versus 198.9 ± 61 mm³ (P < 0.001), compared to an NS bath. In the porcine thigh prep, for RF in the high impedance (HNS) bath, initial and final impedances were higher, and the measured impedance reductions during ablation were larger, compared to RF in the low impedance (NS) bath.In vivoablation within a higher impedance bath created larger lesion sizes, compared to a lower impedance bath, 222.4 ± 63.4 mm3versus 135.4 ± 61.7 mm3(P < 0.001).ConclusionsA higher impedance surrounding an RF catheter can facilitate more effective RF and thereby increase lesion size. This may have implications for RF safety and efficacy, especially in the epicardium where pericardial fluid can be altered with infusion of ionic solutions.
The Clinical Effectiveness of Alveolar Ridge Preservation in the Maxillary Anterior Esthetic Zone—A Retrospective Study
Authors: Lee Albert Ming Hsien , Poon Choy Yoke 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACTPurposeThe primary aim was to investigate whether ridge preservation done at extraction will preserve at least 6 mm of alveolar ridge width in the anterior maxillary zone and obviate the need for secondary bone augmentation during implant insertion.MethodsSixty patients with single implants placed in the anterior maxillary zone were classified in two groups. In the test group, 40 patients underwent ridge preservation at the time of tooth extraction, while the remaining 20 patients in the control group did not. Preimplant CBCT was evaluated to investigate if at least 6 mm of alveolar ridge width existed before implant insertion. The records were studied to investigate if secondary bone augmentation was done during implantation.ResultsThe mean patient age was 48.4 years. In the test group, mean healing time before implant placement was 5.0 ± 3.7 months (2 to 22 months); in the control groups, 13.0 + 12.7 months (1.2 to 38 months). In the test group, 82.5% of the subjects had a preimplant alveolar ridge width measuring at least 6 mm. In comparison, only 35% of the subjects in the control group had a preimplant alveolar ridge width measuring at least 6 mm. The odds of having at least 6 mm preimplant alveolar ridge width was significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.001). The need for secondary augmentation in the esthetic zone was less in the test group, the difference was not significant (p = 0.218). Within the test group, subjects received either xenografts or allografts as the ridge preservation material. There was no significant difference in the alveolar ridge width between these two materials (p = 1)ConclusionRidge preservation was effective in providing a sufficient ridge width in the anterior maxilla at the time of implantation and reduced the need for further bone augmentation.Clinical SignificanceThe results of this study give the clinician insight into whether ridge preservation is required during extraction in the anterior maxilla in preparation for an implant restoration. (J Esthet Restor Dent 29:137–145, 2017)
Influence of Gender on Visual Shade Matching in Dentistry
Authors: Pecho Oscar E. , Ghinea Razvan , Perez Maria M. , Della Bona Alvaro 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACTObjectiveAccuracy on visual shade matching (VSM) is one of the most difficult procedures in esthetic dentistry. Some variables can influence on this process and gender is one of the most controversial. This observational study evaluated the influence of gender on accuracy of VSM.Materials and MethodsOne‐hundred observers (65 females and 35 males) shade matched four human upper central incisors (UCI) to shade tabs from Vita Classical (VC) shade guide. In addition, the spectral reflectance values from the four UCI and from the 16 VC shade tabs were measured using a spectroradiometer (SP). Measurements were performed over a gray background, inside a viewing booth and under D65 illuminant (diffuse/0º geometry). CIELAB coordinates (L*, a*, and b*) were calculated according to CIE D65 illuminant and CIE 2º Standard Observer. Instrumental shade matching for each UCI, based on minimum color difference, was performed using two color difference metrics (CIELAB and CIEDE2000(2:1:1)). Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and McNemar test (α = 0.05).ResultsIrrespective of the color difference metric, the most prevalent shade performed by females showed greater success (50% for CIELAB and 100% for CIEDE2000(2:1:1)) than males (25% for CIELAB and 50% for CIEDE2000(2:1:1)). However, such difference on gender was statistically significant only when using CIEDE2000(2:1:1) color difference metric (p ≤ 0.05).ConclusionsThe most prevalent shade option resultant from VSM performed by females using VC shade guide perfectly agreed (100% success rate) with measurements from SP and CIEDE2000(2:1:1) color difference metric.Clinical SignificanceThe ability to understand and distinguish color differences in VSM is critical in clinical dentistry. Variation in shade perception due to observer gender can be minimized using additional observers and/or improving shade matching ability. (J Esthet Restor Dent 29:E15–E23, 2017)
Patterns and challenges of treatment sequencing in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Experience from a German referral center
Authors: Kirstein Martha M , Schweitzer Nora , Winter Theresa , Lappas Katerina , Graen Nathalie , Kunstmann Isabell , Voigtländer Torsten , Reineke‐Plaaß Tanja , Manns Michael P , Lehner Frank , Rodt Thomas , Vogel Arndt 
Published: February 2017

AbstractBackground and AimHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent and lethal cancers. Several local and systemic therapies are available for patients with HCC depending on the stage of the disease. In clinical practice, treatment decision‐making, and sequencing may be very heterogeneous.MethodsIn this study, we retrospectively analyzed treatment algorithms in 2101 patients with HCC treated from 2000 to 2015 at Hannover Medical School, Germany.ResultsTransarterial chemoembolization was the most common initial treatment (n = 545; 25.9%), followed by resection (n = 435, 20.7%), local‐ablative procedures (n = 283, 13.5%), systemic therapies (n = 275, 13.1%), and liver transplantation (n = 52; 2.5%). Most patients were treated only once (n = 960; 59.6%). A total of 433 (26.9%) and 160 (9.9%) patients received a second line and third line treatment after recurrent or progressive disease. Patients with more than one treatment line were diagnosed at significantly earlier disease stages (P < 0.001). Using binary logistic regression, AFP ≤ 200 μg/L, albumin > 36 g/L, and small tumor size (≤50 mm) were identified as predictors of achieving more than one treatment line. Subsequent treatment stage migration to a therapy suggested for the next advanced stage occurred only in 56.9%, whereas 43.1% received treatments suggested for earlier disease stages. Only 16% of all treated patients received systemic therapy in the salvage setting.ConclusionMost patients were treated only once, and only a minority of patients received systemic treatment. The high dropout rate for subsequent therapies needs to be considered within therapy decision‐making. There is an urgent need for prospective studies to define the best time point when to switch patients from local to systemic therapies.