bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prenatal dexamethasone exposure in rats results in long‐term epigenetic histone modifications and tumour necrosis factor‐α production decrease
Authors: Yu Hong‐Ren , Kuo Ho‐Chang , Chen Chih‐Cheng , Sheen Jiunn‐Ming , Tiao Mao‐Meng , Chen Yu‐Chieh , Chang Kow‐Aung , Tain You‐Lin , Huang Li‐Tung 
Published: June 2014

SummaryGlucocorticoid (GC) is often given when preterm delivery is expected. This treatment is successful in stimulating the development of the fetal lung. However, reports and related research regarding the prolonged effects of prenatal GC on the development of immunity are very limited. Some data, derived from infants whose mothers were given immunosuppressants during pregnancy for the treatment of autoimmune disorders, suggest that prenatal exposure to GC may have only a limited effect on the development of the immune system. What is unknown is whether the immune modulation effects of prenatal GC might appear at a later childhood stage and beyond. Here we evaluated the immune programming influenced by prenatal GC. Pregnant Sprague‐Dawley rats received dexamethasone (DEX; 0·1 mg/kg/day) or saline at gestational days 14–20. Male offspring were killed at day 7 or day 120 after birth. Spleens were collected for immune study. Of the inflammation mediators, matrix metalloproteinase‐9, tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and granulocyte–macrophage colony‐stimulating factor mRNAs decreased in the prenatal DEX group at an early stage after birth. Upon concanavalin A stimulation, prenatal DEX treatment reduced TNF‐α production, but not interferon‐γ production, by splenocytes at day 120 after birth compared with the vehicle group. Decreased levels of active chromatin signs (acetylation of histone H3 lysines, H3K4me1/3, and H3K36me3) in TNF‐α promoter were compatible with the expressions of TNF‐α. Our results suggest that prenatal DEX has a profound and lasting impact on the developing immune system even to the adult stage. Epigenetic histone modifications regulate TNF‐α expression following prenatal DEX in rats.
A Conversation with James O. Ramsay
Authors: Genest Christian , Nešlehová Johanna G. 
Published: June 2014

SummaryJim Ramsay was born on September 5, 1942, in Prince George, British Columbia. He pursued undergraduate studies at the University of Alberta, where he completed a BEd in 1964 with a major in English and a minor in mathematics. He then specialized in statistics and psychometry, earning a PhD in psychology from Princeton University in 1966. After holding a temporary lectureship in the Department of Psychology at University College London for one year, he joined the Department of Psychology at McGill University, where he rose through the academic ranks. He was chair of his department from 1986 to 1989 and spent sabbatical leaves in Cambridge, Grenoble, and Toulouse. He was named professor emeritus upon his retirement in 2007. Jim is the author of four influential books and over 100 peer‐reviewed articles in statistical and psychometric journals. He developed much of the statistical theory behind multidimensional scaling and is widely recognized as the founder of functional data analysis. Three of his papers were read to the Royal Statistical Society, and another wonThe Canadian Journal of Statistics2000 Best Paper Award. The Statistical Society of Canada (SSC) awarded him a Gold Medal for research in 1998 and an honorary membership in 2012. Jim was president of the Psychometric Society in 1981–82 and president of the SSC in 2002–03. The following conversation took place at Jim's home in Ottawa, Ontario, on March 14 and April 4, 2012.
Impact of preceding respiratory viral infections on the clinical severity of patients with pneumococcal pneumonia
Authors: Yoon Young Kyung , Yang Kyung Sook , Sohn Jang Wook , Lee Chang Kyu , Kim Min Ja 
Published: June 2014

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the impact of preceding respiratory viral infections (RVI) on the clinical severity of pneumococcal pneumonia patients.MethodsA retrospective observational study was conducted at a university hospital from January 2009 to March 2013. Study subjects included adults (aged ≥18 years) with pneumococcal pneumonia who had undergone laboratory tests for RVI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with severe pneumococcal pneumonia, defined as severity with the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) score ≥91.ResultsIn total, 191 patients with pneumococcal pneumonia were included for analysis and stratified into 2 groups: the severe group with a PSI score ≥91 (n = 99) and the non‐severe group with a PSI score <91 (n = 92). Preceding RVIs were detected in 48 patients, including influenza A virus (n = 20), influenza B virus (n = 4), parainfluenza viruses (n = 5), metapneumovirus (n = 4), rhinovirus (n = 4), respiratory syncytial viruses (n = 6), coronaviruses (n = 2), and mixed viral infections (n = 3). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, preceding RVIs (odds ratio [OR], 2·49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1·10–5·60), male sex (OR, 2·58; 95% CI, 1·24–5·38), old age (OR, 2·92; 95% CI, 1·37–6·24), hypoalbuminemia (OR, 3·26; 95% CI, 1·56–6·84)], and azotemia (OR, 2·24; 95% CI, 1·08–4·67) were significantly associated with severe pneumococcal pneumonia.ConclusionThis study suggests that preceding RVIs might be one of the risk factors affecting the clinical severity of pneumococcal pneumonia.
A study of decision process in MCDM problems with large number of criteria
Authors: Liu Jian , Liu Peng , Liu Si‐Feng , Zhou Xian‐Zhong , Zhang Tao 
Published: June 2014

AbstractIn this paper, an effective decision process method is proposed to address the challenge in a multiple criteria decision‐making (MCDM) problem because of large number of criteria. This method is based on the criteria reduction, tolerance relation, and prospect theory (PT). By building a discernibility matrix for tolerance relation (DMTR) in an MCDM problem with numerical values or interval numbers, this method first allows us to recognize a set of critical criteria from a large criteria pool, and ignore the other criteria. Next, it establishes the criteria weights through the DMTR as they are usually not indicated in the data. Then, the method ranks all the choices and selects the most desirable choice according to the weighted majority advantage value (WMAV). Here two risk‐preference assumptions are proposed based on the PT and tolerance degree to select the WMAVs of different interval numbers with the same expectation. Using different risk‐preference assumptions, we separately build WMAVs for different types of DMs. Finally, we presented two voting examples to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed method.
A simulated annealing with multiple‐search paths and parallel computation for a comprehensive flowshop scheduling problem
Authors: Defersha Fantahun M. 
Published: June 2014

AbstractRecent studies have demonstrated that the performance of a simulated annealing algorithm can be improved by following multiple‐search paths and parallel computation. In this paper, we use these strategies to solve a comprehensive mathematical model for a flexible flowshop lot streaming problem. In the flexible flowshop environment, a number of jobs will be processed in several consecutive production stages, and each stage may involve a certain number of parallel machines that may not be identical. Each job has to be split into several unequal sublots by following the concept of lot streaming. The sublots are to be processed in the order of the stages, and sublots of certain products may skip some stages. This complex problem also incorporates sequence‐dependent setup times, the anticipatory or nonanticipatory nature of setups, release dates for machines, and machine eligibility. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of lot streaming in hybrid flowshops, the performance of the proposed simulated annealing algorithm, and the improvements achieved using parallel computation.
Contract efficiency for a decentralized supply chain in the presence of quality improvement
Authors: Yan Xinghao 
Published: June 2014

AbstractIn this paper, we study a joint pricing and product quality decision problem in a decentralized supply chain consisting of one manufacturer and one retailer. Although the manufacturer decides the product quality with an associated cost, the retailer decides the retail price. We aim to study and compare different contract formats for this decentralized supply chain. There is a trade‐off in the choice of contracts: simpler format contract (with a few parameters) is less complicated, but the contract efficiency is low. We start with the simplest one‐parameter contract: a wholesale price contract that serves as the benchmark. We then study how contract efficiency can be improved by adding one more parameter. Specifically, we consider three two‐parameter contracts that are commonly used in reality: two‐part tariff contract, revenue‐sharing contract, and effort cost sharing contract. We find that the contract efficiency is improved under all the three contracts, but in different ways: the improvement in contract efficiency under each of them dominates the other two when manufacturer's quality improvement effectiveness is relatively low, moderate, and high, respectively. Furthermore, through numerical examples, we find that under some cases, a choice from these three two‐parameter contracts can achieve a close‐to‐perfect efficiency (>85%). Finally, we investigate whether a combination of the three two‐parameter contracts can achieve coordination. Interestingly, we find that only the combination of effort cost sharing contract and revenue‐sharing contract can achieve coordination, whereas combinations of either of them and two‐part tariff contract cannot.
Recursive circle packing problems
Authors: Pedroso João Pedro , Cunha Sílvia , Tavares João Nuno 
Published: June 2014

AbstractThis paper presents a class of packing problems where circles may be placed either inside or outside other circles, the whole set being packed in a rectangle. This corresponds to a practical problem of packing tubes in a container. Before being inserted in the container, tubes may be put inside other tubes in a recursive fashion. A variant of the greedy randomized adaptive search procedure is proposed for tackling this problem, and its performance is assessed in a set of benchmark instances.
Cementless Total Hip Replacement in 20 Juveniles Using BFX™ Arthroplasty
Authors: Fitzpatrick Noel , Law Andy Y. , Bielecki Malgorzata , Girling Sarah 
Published: June 2014

ObjectiveTo describe outcome after a minimum of 1 year for total hip replacement (THR) using BioMedtrix BFX™ biologic fixation implants in skeletally immature dogs (6–10 months of age).Study DesignCase series.AnimalsDogs (n = 20).MethodsMedical records (November 2007–June 2010) of 20 dogs, 6–10 months old that had cementless THR were reviewed. Preoperative, immediate, 6‐week and >1‐year postoperative radiographs were compared. Clinical examination was performed at 6 weeks and >1 year postoperatively. Owner questionnaire was obtained at final follow‐up.ResultsCementless THR using BFX™ implants was performed because of debilitating coxofemoral pain, resulting from canine hip dysplasia, after unsatisfactory outcome with medical management. Radiographs taken immediately, 6 weeks and at a mean of 29.8 months (range, 12–48 months) postoperatively revealed satisfactory implant positioning and stability. Significant change in measured cranial–caudal femoral stem fill and level (P < .001 and P = .006, respectively) were recorded at 6 weeks postoperatively without clinical significance. No further change in stem positioning occurred. Acetabular cup orientation remained unchanged throughout follow‐up. Complications requiring further surgical intervention were not encountered. One minor superficial infection was recorded and treated. Lameness and pain on manipulation of the affected hip had greatly improved in all dogs by 6 weeks postoperatively.ConclusionCementless THR can safely be performed in skeletally immature dogs, providing satisfactory return to normal joint function and implant survivability for at least a mean of 29.8 months.
Cefazolin Concentration in Surgically Created Wounds Treated With Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Compared to Surgically Created Wounds Treated With Nonadherent Wound Dressings
Authors: Coutin Julia V. , Lanz Otto I. , Magnin‐Bissel Geraldine C. , Ehrich Marion F. , Miller Emily I. , Werre Stephen R. , Riegel Thomas O. 
Published: June 2014

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo compare cefazolin concentrations in biopsied tissue samples collected from surgically created wounds treated with negative pressure wound therapy to those collected from surgically created wounds treated with nonadherent dressings.Study DesignProspective, controlled, experimental study.AnimalsAdult female spayed Beagles (n = 12).MethodsFull thickness cutaneous wounds were created on each antebrachium (n = 24). Immediately after surgery, cefazolin (22 mg/kg intravenously [IV]) was administered to each dog and continued every 8 hours during the study. The right wound was randomly assigned to group I or group II whereas the wound on the contralateral antebrachium was assigned to the other group. Group I wounds were treated with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) and group II wounds were treated with nonadherent dressings for 3 days. Dressings were changed and tissue biopsies obtained from wound beds at 24 hours intervals for both groups. Cefazolin wound tissue and plasma concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Blood samples for measuring plasma cefazolin concentrations were collected before biopsy sampling. At the time of surgery and at each subsequent bandage change, wound beds were swabbed and submitted for aerobic and anaerobic culture.ResultsAfter initiating cefazolin treatment, wound tissue antibiotic concentrations between treatment groups were not significantly different at any sampling time. Similarly, after initiating cefazolin treatment, plasma cefazolin concentrations were not significantly different at any sampling time for individual dogs.ConclusionsUsing a canine experimental model, NPWT treatment of surgically created wounds does not statistically impact cefazolin tissue concentrations when compared with conventional nonadherent bandage therapy.
Two‐Step Surgery Combining Standing Laparoscopy With Recumbent Ventral Median Celiotomy for Removal of Enlarged Pathologic Ovaries in 20 Mares
Authors: Vitte Amélie , Rossignol Fabrice , Mespoulhes‐Rivière Céline , Lechartier Antoine , Röecken Michael 
Published: June 2014

ObjectivesTo report a combination of standing laparoscopic technique for intra‐abdominal dissection of the mesovarial pedicle followed by a limited ventral median celiotomy under general anesthesia for removal of enlarged ovaries in mares.Study DesignCase series.AnimalsMares (n = 20) aged 3–22 years with unilateral enlarged ovaries.MethodsEnlarged ovaries were confirmed by transrectal palpation and ultrasonography. After sedation, 3 laparoscopic portals were made in the paralumbar fossa. The mesovarium was desensitized and dissected using a vessel sealing device, and the ovary was left free in the abdomen. Then under general anesthesia, the mare was positioned in dorsal recumbency and an 8 cm ventral median celiotomy made for ovary retrieval in a specimen bag.ResultsThis 2‐step procedure was successfully used for removal enlarged ovaries (12–50 cm) in 17 mares and for management of behavioral problems in 3 mares. No operative or postoperative complications occurred. Owner satisfaction and cosmesis were considered excellent.ConclusionsStanding laparoscopy combined with a limited median celiotomy is a safe technique for ovariectomy in mares. This technique mitigates most of the disadvantages of standing flank ovariectomy and a conventional open ventral median approach.
Evaluation of 3 Handheld Portable Analyzers for Measurement of L‐Lactate Concentrations in Blood and Peritoneal Fluid of Horses With Colic
Authors: Nieto Jorge E. , Dechant Julie E. , le Jeune Sarah S. , Snyder Jack R. 
Published: June 2014

ObjectiveTo compare 3 portable handheld analyzers with a bench top blood gas analyzer for measurement of blood and peritoneal fluid L‐lactate concentrations in horses admitted with signs of colic.Study DesignProspective clinical study.Sample PopulationBlood and peritoneal fluid from horses with colic.MethodsL‐lactate concentrations in heparinized blood and peritoneal fluid were measured serially on 10 occasions to evaluate repeatability of the portable analyzers. Blood and peritoneal fluid L‐lactate concentrations were simultaneously evaluated by a bench top and 3 portable analyzers and the results compared by intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland Altman plots. L‐Lactate concentrations in a subgroup of peritoneal fluid samples were evaluated by a chromogenic laboratory assay and compared with the bench top and the handheld analyzers.ResultsPortable lactate analyzers had good intra‐analyzer reliability for peritoneal fluid. Two portable analyzers had poor intra‐analyzer reliability for mid concentrations of L‐lactate in blood. L‐lactate measurements from portable analyzers were closer to the bench top analyzer at low concentrations of L‐lactate than at higher concentrations. Compared with the bench top analyzer, the Lactate Pro and Lactate Plus have the highest intraclass correlation coefficient and the smallest bias for peritoneal fluid and blood L‐lactate, respectively. The bench top analyzer and the Lactate Pro had the highest level of agreement for peritoneal fluid compared with the chromogenic assay.ConclusionsAlthough portable analyzers are alternatives for the measurement of L‐lactate concentration in field situations, clinicians need to be aware of the variable results between analyzers, especially when extrapolating means or cutoff values from studies using different lactate analyzers.
Elevation–diversity patterns through space and time: ant communities of the Maloti‐Drakensberg Mountains of southern Africa
Authors: Bishop Tom R. , Robertson Mark P. , van Rensburg Berndt J. , Parr Catherine L. 
Published: June 2014

AbstractAimPatterns of biological diversity are often investigated across space but little work has attempted to explore the consistency of such observations through time. Here, our aim was to understand the patterns of diversity for a functionally critical taxon, the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), through space and time using an extensive dataset collected across an elevational gradient. In addition, we evaluated the importance of two key postulated drivers of elevational diversity patterns: temperature and available area.LocationThe Maloti‐Drakensberg Mountains of southern Africa.MethodsWe sampled epigaeic ant communities biannually for 7 years (2006–2012) at eight different elevational sites. We then used an information theoretic approach combined with generalized linear mixed models to: (1) describe diversity patterns through space and time; (2) assess the importance of different abiotic drivers; and (3) understand how much spatio‐temporal variation can be explained by these drivers. Simple regression approaches were also used to test for differences in seasonal variation along the elevational gradient.ResultsWe found clear mid‐elevational peaks of species density and evenness measures. Abundance patterns were complex. The spatial distributions of all three metrics changed across seasons and years. Temperature variables had important roles in explaining both species density and abundance patterns, whilst species density was also influenced by available area. In conjunction, we found much greater seasonal variability in species density at low elevations. This variation was independent of differences in species pool size.Main conclusionsWe found patterns of ant diversity that are strongly modulated by temporal change. There was a consistent and strong signature of seasonality on the elevation–diversity patterns of the ants, whilst annual changes throughout the study period had a weaker influence. We conclude that both spatial and temporal patterns are driven primarily by temperature, with only a weak influence of available elevational area. This study is the first to describe the spatio‐temporal distribution of a suite of community‐level metrics along an elevational gradient and implies that temporal variation should be considered more carefully in studies of invertebrate diversity, particularly with respect to elevation and the mechanisms that may be maintaining diversity patterns.
Microbial diversity and community–environment relationships in boreal streams
Authors: Heino Jani , Tolkkinen Mikko , Pirttilä Anna Maria , Aisala Heidi , Mykrä Heikki 
Published: June 2014

AbstractAimThe perspective that microbial communities are controlled solely by environmental factors (‘everything is everywhere, but the environment selects’) has persisted for a long time, notwithstanding that recent studies have found that both environmental factors and spatial processes are important. We examined variation in the structure of fungal and bacterial communities in boreal streams along large local environmental gradients (e.g. stream size, acidity and nutrients) at intermediate spatial extent. Owing to the intermediate spatial extent of our study area and high dispersal rates of microbes, we expected that local environmental factors would structure stream fungal and bacterial communities.LocationA set of 30 streams was sampled along a geographical transect from western to eastern Finland.MethodsLeaf packs were used as sampling units in each stream. Fungal and bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were determined using pyrosequencing in the laboratory. Species accumulation curves were used to assess how well the regional species pools were sampled. Partial redundancy analysis and partial linear regression were used to determine the relative contributions of environmental and spatial variables to community structure and OTU richness, respectively.ResultsWe found that environmental control was important in structuring fungal and bacterial communities, yet much of the variation was attributable to the shared effects of environmental and spatial predictors, or remained unexplained. The composition of fungal and bacterial communities was most strongly related to water chemistry variables (i.e. pH, aluminium and total phosphorus), whereas habitat variables (i.e. riparian deciduous trees, moss cover, substratum particle size and stream width) were clearly less important. We also found that fungal richness was negatively related to water iron concentration, whereas bacterial richness showed only a weak relationship with water pH.Main conclusionsThe composition and richness of stream microbial communities are mostly related to water chemistry variables at the spatial extent studied, emphasizing an important role for species sorting. This finding supports the traditional perspective that local environmental conditions are important drivers of variation in microbial communities. However, much of the variation in fungal and bacterial communities remained unexplained, suggesting that drivers of these communities are likely to be complex and not yet fully understood.