bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Outcome of Various Treatments for Posttransplant Hepatitis B Virus Recurrence
Authors: Yi Nam‐Joon , Lee Kwang‐Woong , Kong Sun‐Young , Park Kyoung‐Un , Lee Kyoung‐Bun , Hong Geun , Han Sung‐Sik , Park Sang‐Jae , Suh Kyung‐Suk 
Published: January 2013

AbstractBackgroundCurrently, no treatment guidelines are available for posttransplant hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence. We retrospectively evaluated the rate of clearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) from serum according to various treatment regimens in two large Korean liver transplantation centers.MethodsBetween 1996 and 2008, HBV recurred in 59 patients among 933 HBV liver recipients (6.3 %). Patients with HBV recurrence were divided into four groups according to their treatment: group L (lamivudine‐based therapy n = 21) and group N [new nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA)‐based therapy, n = 38]. Intravenous hepatitis B immunoglobulin (ivHBIG) had been simultaneously administered to 10 patients in group L and 26 patients in group N. The mean posttransplant follow‐up duration and time to HBV recurrence were 69 (14–152) months and 37 (3–120) months.ResultsOverall, 22 patients (37.3 %) showed seronegative conversion of HBsAg for a median 8 months after treatment (range 1–15 months). The seroclearance rate was significantly higher in group N (n = 20, 52.6 %) than in group L (n = 2, 9.5 %) (p < 0.000). The time to seroconversion did not differ between group L (7 months, range 5–16) and group N (7 months, range 1–15) (p = 0.428). Subgroup analysis showed that the HBsAg seroconversion rate was much higher for patients given combined ivHBIG and new NAs (15/26 patients, 58.0 %) than the others (p = 0.006).ConclusionsSeroclearance of HBsAg could be achieved using new NAs in half of the patients after posttransplant HBV recurrence. Combined ivHBIG may add a synergistic effect to new NAs for clearing HBsAg.
Law of large numbers for certain cylinder flows
Authors: CIRILO PATRÍCIA , LIMA YURI , PUJALS ENRIQUE 
Published: January 2013

AbstractWe construct new examples of cylinder flows, given by skew product extensions of irrational rotations on the circle, that are ergodic and rationally ergodic along a subsequence of iterates. In particular, they exhibit a law of large numbers. This is accomplished by explicitly calculating, for a subsequence of iterates, the number of visits to zero, and it is shown that such number has a Gaussian distribution.
Low-cost eWLB packaging for automotive radar MMICs in the 76–81 GHz range
Authors: Böck J. , Wojnowski M. , Wagner C. , Knapp H. , Hartner W. , Treml M. , Schmückle F. J. , Sinha S. , Lachner R. 
Published: January 2013

Embedded wafer-level ball grid array (eWLB) is investigated as a low-cost plastic package for automotive radar applications in the 76–81 GHz range. Low transmission losses from chip to package and board are achieved by appropriate circuit and package design. Special measures are taken to effectively remove the heat from the package and to optimize the package process to achieve automotive quality targets. A 77 GHz radar chip set in eWLB package is developed, which can be applied on the system board using standard solder reflow assembly. These radar MMICs provide excellent radio frequency (RF) performance for the next generation automotive radar sensors. The potential for even higher system integration is shown by a radar transceiver with antennas integrated in the eWLB package. These results demonstrate that eWLB technology is an attractive candidate to realize low-cost radar systems and to enable radar safety affordable for everyone in the near future.
Depression, Anxiety, and Moods of Hospitalized Patients under Contact Precautions
Authors: Day Hannah R. , Perencevich Eli N. , Harris Anthony D. , Gruber-Baldini Ann L. , Himelhoch Seth S. , Brown Clayton H. , Morgan Daniel J. 
Published: January 2013

Objective.To determine the association between contact precautions and depression or anxiety as well as feelings of anger, sadness, worry, happiness, or confusion.Design.Prospective frequency-matched cohort study.Setting.The University of Maryland Medical Center, a 662-bed tertiary care hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.Participants.A total of 1,876 medical and surgical patients over the age of 18 years were approached; 528 patients were enrolled from January through November 2010, and 296 patients, frequency matched by hospital unit, completed follow-up on hospital day 3.Results.The primary outcome was Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores on hospital day 3, controlling for baseline HADS scores. Secondary moods were measured with visual analog mood scale diaries. Patients under contact precautions had baseline symptoms of depression 1.3 points higher (P < .01) and anxiety 0.8 points higher (P= .08) at hospital admission using HADS. Exposure to contact precautions was not associated with increased depression (P= .42) or anxiety (P= .25) on hospital day 3. On hospital day 3, patients under contact precautions were no more likely than unexposed patients to be angry (20% vs 20%;P= .99), sad (33% vs 38%;P= .45), worried (51% vs 46%;P= .41), happy (58% vs 67%;P= .14), or confused (23% vs 24%;P= .95).Conclusions.Patients under contact precautions have more symptoms of depression and anxiety at hospital admission but do not appear to be more likely to develop depression, anxiety, or negative moods while under contact precautions. The use of contact precautions should not be restricted by the belief that contact precautions will produce more depression or anxiety.
Composition and abstraction of logical regulatory modules: application to multicellular systems
Authors: Mendes Nuno D. , Lang Frédéric , Le Cornec Yves-Stan , Mateescu Radu , Batt Gregory , Chaouiya Claudine 
Published: January 2013

Abstract
Motivation: Logical (Boolean or multi-valued) modelling is widely used to study regulatory or signalling networks. Even though these discrete models constitute a coarse, yet useful, abstraction of reality, the analysis of large networks faces a classical combinatorial problem. Here, we propose to take advantage of the intrinsic modularity of inter-cellular networks to set up a compositional procedure that enables a significant reduction of the dynamics, yet preserving the reachability of stable states. To that end, we rely on process algebras, a well-established computational technique for the specification and verification of interacting systems.
Results: We develop a novel compositional approach to support the logical modelling of interconnected cellular networks. First, we formalize the concept of logical regulatory modules and their composition. Then, we make this framework operational by transposing the composition of logical modules into a process algebra framework. Importantly, the combination of incremental composition, abstraction and minimization using an appropriate equivalence relation (here the safety equivalence) yields huge reductions of the dynamics. We illustrate the potential of this approach with two case-studies: the Segment-Polarity and the Delta-Notch modules.
Availability and implementation: GINsim (http://ginsim.org) and CADP (http://cadp.inria.fr) are freely available for academic users. Files needed to reproduce our results are provided at http://compbio.igc.gulbenkian.pt/nmd/node/45.
Contact: chaouiya@igc.gulbenkian.pt
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online
Impact of Thiocyanate Salts on Physical, Thermal, and Rheological Properties of Zein Films
Authors: Selling Gordon W. , Maness Ashley , Bean Scott , Smith Brennan 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACTA new class of zein additives was investigated, thiocyanate salts. Ammonium, potassium, guanidine (GTC), and magnesium thiocyanate salts were added to solutions of zein in with various amounts of tri(ethylene glycol) (TEG), cast as films, and then tested to determine the impact that each salt had on properties. The presence of these salts affected solution rheology and intrinsic viscosity, demonstrating that the salts interacted with the protein. It was found that these salts acted as plasticizers, as they lowered the glass transition temperature of zein when evaluated with differential scanning calorimetry. In zein films in which TEG was present, these salts increased elongation and reduced tensile strength. However, unlike traditional plasticizers (such as TEG), when the salts were used as the only additive, elongation was not increased and tensile strength was not decreased. Of the salts tested, GTC in combination with TEG was found to increase elongation the most. The impact of salts on elongation was greatly affected by the relative humidity in which the samples were stored.
A Decorated Ivory Belt from Tilla Bulak, Southern Uzbekistan
Authors: Gruber Martin , Il’yasov Jangar , Kaniuth Kai 
Published: January 2013

Abstract
The ivory belt-plate, one of two found in a burial at the site of Tilla Bulak, Uzbekistan, shows a battle scene between two groups of mounted warriors. It belongs to a small group of figural belt plates from the region and is dated iconographically to the 1st century BC / 1st century AD. The elephant tooth from which it was worked was more than 2000 years old at the time.
Blowin’ in the Wind: Short-Term Weather and Belief in Anthropogenic Climate Change
Authors: Hamilton Lawrence C. , Stampone Mary D. 
Published: January 2013

Abstract
A series of polls provides new tests for how weather influences public beliefs about climate change. Statewide data from 5000 random-sample telephone interviews conducted on 99 days over 2.5 yr (2010–12) are merged with temperature and precipitation indicators derived from U.S. Historical Climatology Network (USHCN) station records. The surveys carry a question designed around scientific consensus statements that climate change is happening now, caused mainly by human activities. Alternatively, respondents can state that climate change is not happening, or that it is happening but mainly for natural reasons. Belief that humans are changing the climate is predicted by temperature anomalies on the interview day and the previous day, controlling for season, survey, and individual characteristics. Temperature effects concentrate among one subgroup, however: individuals who identify themselves as independent, rather than aligned with a political party. Interviewed on unseasonably warm days, independents tend to agree with the scientific consensus regarding anthropogenic climate change. On unseasonably cool days, they tend not to agree. Although temperature effects are sharpest for just a 2-day window, positive effects are seen for longer windows as well. As future climate change shifts the distribution of anomalies and extremes, this will first affect beliefs among unaligned voters.
Platelets and whole blood coagulation
Authors: Baugh Robert F 
Published: January 2013

In our early work in developing activated clotting time (ACT) assays, it became apparent that changes occurred in coagulation times as a whole blood sample aged (0-6 h). Subsequent studies showed that the coagulation parameters of plasma obtained from the samples remained stable during this time frame. These changes in whole blood clotting times during storage were eventually traced to the platelets. Several years of work demonstrated that this change was due to the removal of the blood from the vascular lining. This recalled a mechanism that was originally put forth in the 1970s with the discovery of prostacyclin. In this postulated mechanism, platelets are ‘time-bombs’. They are kept under control by prostacyclin (PGI2) secreted by the vascular lining. Without this prostacyclin, platelets ‘preactivate’. Since that time, additional substances secreted by the vascular endothelium have been identified, such as nitric oxide, that also influence platelet activity. The ‘preactivation’ of platelets in a blood sample can be followed using an ACT. In the same donor, the preactivation is uniform and reproducible over an extended period (months). There is, however, considerable variability between donors. Some donors’ platelets preactivate dramatically, while other donors show hardly any change. Prostacyclin, added to the blood sample when it is collected, prevents this preactivation. The clinical significance of these observations has yet to be clearly established, but these observations raise a number of questions with respect to methods for improving platelet function during bypass and in evaluating the risk of platelet-mediated cardiovascular disease.
Pre-operative coagulopathy management of a neonate with complex congenital heart disease: a case study
Authors: Stammers Alfred H , Rauch Eric D , Willett Lynne D , Newberry Jamie W , Duncan Kim F 
Published: January 2013

Severe coagulation defects often develop in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery, both as a result of the surgical intervention, and as pre-existing defects in the hemostatic mechanisms. The following case report describes a newborn patient with complex congenital heart disease and respiratory failure whose pre-operative coagulopathy was aggressively managed prior to surgical correction. A 5-day-old, 2.5 kg child presented with interrupted aortic arch, ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, and patent ductus arteriosus. On admission, he was in respiratory arrest suffering from profound acidemia. In addition, the child was hypothermic (30.1°C), septic ( Streptococcus viridans), and coagulopathic (disseminated intravascular coagulation - DIC). The patient was immediately intubated and initial coagulation assessment revealed the following: prothrombin time (PT) 48.9 s (international normalized ratio (INR) 15.7), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) •106 s, platelet count 30 000 mm3, fibrinogen 15 mg dL-1 and antithrombin III (AT-III) 10%. Before cardiac surgery could be performed, the patient’s DIC was corrected with the administration of cryoprecipitate (15 ml), fresh frozen plasma (300 ml), and platelets (195 ml). In spite of the large transfusion of fresh frozen plasma, the AT-III activity, measured as a percentage, remained depressed at 33. Initial thromboelastographic (TEG) determination revealed an index of +2.02, and following 100 IU administration of an AT-III concentrate, declined to -2.32. Sequential TEG profiles were performed over several days, with the results used to guide both transfusion and medical therapy. The congenital heart defect correction was subsequently performed with satisfactory initial results, but the patient developed a fungal infection and expired on the 16th post-operative day. The present case describes techniques of coagulation management for a newborn with both a severe hemostatic defect and congenital heart disease.
Oxygen free radical generation in healthy blood donors and cardiac patients: the protective effect of allopurinol
Authors: Belboul Ali , Roberts Donald , Börjesson Richard , Johnsson Joakim 
Published: January 2013

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) activates the complement system, which leads to granulocyte activation and free radical production. Free radical activity during CPB has been associated with myocardial dysfunction. However, the relationship between cardiac enzymes and granulocytes to lipid peroxidation in cardiac surgery patients is unknown. Moreover, the effect of allopurinol on lipid peroxidation during mechanical trauma has to be explored. Thirty-four patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery and 26 healthy blood donors participated in this prospective study where granulocyte counts, cardiac enzymes and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured and related. Allopurinol was used ex vivo, as scavenger, to explore its effect on lipid peroxidation. In the patient group, the mean preoperative MDA level (2.2 ± 0.7, nmol/ml) significantly increased after 30 min of bypass (3.3 ± 0.9 nmol/ml; p < 0.0001), and showed a second peak at aortic declamping (4.1 ± 0.9 nmol/ml). There were significant correlations between MDA and granulocyte counts ( r = 0.59, p < 0.0001) and cardiac enzymes ( r = 0.55, p < 0.0001). In an ex vivo setting, further mechanical trauma to blood significantly increased the MDA levels, both in the control ( p < 0.0001) and in the patient group ( p < 0.0001) and this effect could be reduced by allopurinol ( p < 0.0001). CPB and mechanical trauma generate oxygen free radicals. Allopurinol was found to reduce lipid peroxidation of red cells following mechanical trauma and this has to be further investigated regarding its ability to reduce morbidity in patients undergoing open heart surgery.
Bubble generation and venous air filtration by hard-shell venous reservoirs: a comparative study
Authors: Mitchell S J , Willcox T , Gorman D F 
Published: January 2013

We have previously shown significant bubble formation in Medtronic Maxima hard-shell venous reservoirs (HSVRs). In the present study, we not only investigated the mechanism of this bubble formation, but also the extent of bubble clearance by membrane oxygenators and arterial line filters. In addition, we also compared the performance of five HSVRs with respect to bubble formation and venous air filtration. Salvaged clinical CPB circuits containing different HSVRs were studied by downstream Doppler monitoring under fixed flow - decreasing volume, fixed volume - increasing flow, and entrained venous air conditions. Bubbles formed in the Medtronic Maxima top entry HSVR at volumes below 800 ml and flows above 3.5 l min-1, and were incompletely removed by a membrane oxygenator and arterial line filter. Decreased bubbling was seen when the reservoir atmosphere was flushed with CO2, suggesting that these bubbles formed in a fountain at the venous inflow. The Medtronic Maxima Forte HSVR formed significantly fewer bubbles at low volumes, and filtered venous air effectively. Negligible bubble formation occurred in the Sorin, Terumo, or Baxter reservoirs. The minimum recommended operating volume for the Medtronic Maxima top entry reservoir should be reset at 600 ml and this device should always be used with an arterial filter. Bubble formation is substantially reduced in the new Medtronic Maxima Forte HSVR and this device is a good filter for venous air.
Leucocyte filtration during cardiopulmonary reperfusion in coronary artery bypass surgery
Authors: Baksaas Svein T , Flom-Halvorsen Hanne I , Øvrum Eivind , Videm Vibeke , Mollnes Tom Eirik , Brosstad Frank , Svennevig Jan L 
Published: January 2013

Postoperative organ dysfunction after cardiac operations has been related to the damaging effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). These complications are considered to be mediated partly by complement activation and subsequent activation of leucocytes due to the contact between blood and the large nonendothelial surfaces in the bypass circuit. Removal of leucocytes by filtration during the reperfusion period may potentially reduce the postoperative morbidity after CPB. Forty patients undergoing elective, primary coronary artery bypass grafting were randomized to initial identical bypass circuits until the aortic crossclamp was released. Then, the ordinary arterial line filter was closed and either a leucocyte depletion filter ( n = 20), or a control filter ( n = 20) was incorporated in the circuits during the reperfusion period of CPB. Blood samples were drawn at fixed intervals and analysed for white blood cell and platelet counts, plasma concentration of myeloperoxidase, C3-complement activation products, the terminal complement complex, and interleukins (IL)-6 and -8. The numbers of circulating white blood cells in the leucocyte-depleted group decreased during the reperfusion period from 5.5 (4.8-6.8) to 5.3 (4.4-6.2) × 109/l, and increased in the control group from 6.5 (5.1-8.0) to 7.4 (5.7-9.0) × 109/l. Two hours postoperatively the total white blood cell count in the leucocyte-depleted group was 14.7 (12.1-17.2) × 109/l, and in the control group 17.6 (14.5-20.7) × 109/l. The differences between the groups were statistical significant ( p= 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with regard to other test parameters or clinical data. We conclude that the use of leucocyte filters during the reperfusion period in elective coronary artery bypass surgery significantly reduced the number of circulating leucocytes, whereas no effects were seen for granulocyte activation measured as myeloperoxidase release, platelet counts, complement activation, or IL-6 and -8 release. The clinical benefit of leucocyte filters in routine or high risk patients remains to be demonstrated and is suggested to be dependent on both the efficacy and the biocompatibility of the filters.
Effect of low-dose methyl prednisolone on serum cytokine levels following extracorporeal circulation
Authors: Yilmaz Mert , Ener Serdar , Akalin Halis , Sagdic Kadir , Serdar O Akin , Cengiz Mete 
Published: January 2013

The systemic inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with increased production of cytokines. This systemic inflammatory response characterized by the activation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) during and after CPB is well documented. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study was performed so as to understand the effects of low-dose methyl prednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) on the circulating levels of serum cytokines and clinical outcome. Twenty patients were randomly divided into two groups on the basis of the administration of low-dose (1 mg/kg) MPSS ( n = 10) and placebo ( n = 10) into the pump prime solution. All patients were scheduled to undergo a primary elective coronary artery bypass grafting operation. Patients receiving concurrent corticosteroids, salicylates, dipyridamol or anticoagulants were excluded from the study. Other exclusion criteria were concurrent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic renal failure, insulin-dependent diabetes, congestive cardiac failure, peptic ulcer history, prior cardiac operations, recent (in a one-month period) myocardial infarction and steroid dependency. Mild systemic hypothermia (30-32°C, rectal) was assured during the CPB. Four blood samples were drawn from the radial artery catheter immediately before starting CPB (T1), following protamine administration (T2) and at 24 (T3) and 48 h (T4) after completion of CPB. In each sample, creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB), white blood cell (WBC), IL-6 and IL-8 levels were measured. IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations were measured by enzyme immunoassay and enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay methods. Serum IL-6 T2 and serum IL-6 T3 levels were significantly higher than IL-6 T1 levels in both groups ( p < 0.001) and ( p < 0.01), and there was no significant elevation in serum IL-8 levels in either group. Serum IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the placebo group than in the MPSS group at T3 ( p < 0.009). There was no significant difference in CK-MB T1 levels between the groups. Although there was no significant difference between CK-MB T1 and T2 levels in the MPSS group, the CK-MB T2 and CK-MB T3 levels were significantly higher than T1 levels in the placebo group ( p < 0.001) and ( p < 0.05). There was significant elevation of WBC levels at T2 and T3 in both groups without notable difference between the groups ( p < 0.05). This study has shown that low-dose MPSS suppresses CPB-induced inflammatory response. Further clinical studies (on larger and higher risk groups) may reveal more information on relations between morbidity and cytokine levels which may have some predictive value on clinical outcome following CPB.