bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Breathing guidance in radiation oncology and radiology: A systematic review of patient and healthy volunteer studies
Authors: Pollock Sean , Keall Robyn , Keall Paul 
Published: August 2015

Purpose:The advent of image‐guided radiation therapy has led to dramatic improvements in the accuracy of treatment delivery in radiotherapy. Such advancements have highlighted the deleterious impact tumor motion can have on both image quality and radiation treatment delivery. One approach to reducing tumor motion irregularities is the use of breathing guidance systems during imaging and treatment. These systems aim to facilitate regular respiratory motion which in turn improves image quality and radiation treatment accuracy. A review of such research has yet to be performed; it was therefore their aim to perform a systematic review of breathing guidance interventions within the fields of radiation oncology and radiology.Methods:From August 1–14, 2014, the following online databases were searched: Medline, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science. Results of these searches were filtered in accordance to a set of eligibility criteria. The search, filtration, and analysis of articles were conducted in accordance with preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses. Reference lists of included articles, and repeat authors of included articles, were hand‐searched.Results:The systematic search yielded a total of 480 articles, which were filtered down to 27 relevant articles in accordance to the eligibility criteria. These 27 articles detailed the intervention of breathing guidance strategies in controlled studies assessing its impact on such outcomes as breathing regularity, image quality, target coverage, and treatment margins, recruiting either healthy adult volunteers or patients with thoracic or abdominal lesions. In 21/27 studies, significant (p < 0.05) improvements from the use of breathing guidance were observed.Conclusions:There is a trend toward the number of breathing guidance studies increasing with time, indicating a growing clinical interest. The results found here indicate that further clinical studies are warranted that quantify the clinical impact of breathing guidance, along with the health technology assessment to determine the advantages and disadvantages of breathing guidance.
Republished: Respiratory microbiota: addressing clinical questions, informing clinical practice
Authors: Rogers Geraint B , Shaw Dominick , Marsh Robyn L , Carroll Mary P , Serisier David J , Bruce Kenneth D 
Published: August 2015

ABSTRACT
Over the last decade, technological advances have revolutionised efforts to understand the role played by microbes in airways disease. With the application of ever more sophisticated techniques, the literature has become increasingly inaccessible to the non-specialist reader, potentially hampering the translation of these gains into improvements in patient care. In this article, we set out the key principles underpinning microbiota research in respiratory contexts and provide practical guidance on how best such studies can be designed, executed and interpreted. We examine how an understanding of the respiratory microbiota both challenges fundamental assumptions and provides novel clinical insights into lung disease, and we set out a number of important targets for ongoing research.
Ab initio prediction of electronic, transport and bulk properties of Li2S
Authors: Malozovsky Yuriy , Franklin Lashounda , Ekuma Chinedu , Bagayoko Diola 
Published: August 2015

In this paper, we present results from ab initio, self-consistent, local density approximation (LDA) calculations of electronic and related properties of cubic antifluorite (anti-[Formula: see text]) lithium sulfide [Formula: see text]. Our nonrelativistic computations implemented the linear combination of atomic orbital (LCAO) formalism following the Bagayoko, Zhao and Williams method, as enhanced by Ekuma and Franklin (BZW–EF). Consequently, using several self-consistent calculations with increasing basis sets, we searched for the smallest basis set that yields the absolute minima of the occupied energies. The outcomes of the calculation with this basis set, called the optimal basis set, have the full physical content of density functional theory (DFT). Our calculated indirect band gap, from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text], is 3.723 eV, for the low temperature experimental lattice constant of 5.689 Å. The predicted indirect band gap of 3.702 eV is obtained for the computationally determined equilibrium lattice constant of 5.651 Å. We have also calculated the total density of states (DOS) and partial densities of states (pDOS), electron and hole effective masses and the bulk modulus of [Formula: see text]. Due to a lack of experimental results, most of the calculated ones reported here are predictions for this material suspected of exhibiting a high temperature superconductivity similar to that of [Formula: see text].
Diameter control of carbon nanotubes using argon–acetylene mixture and their application as IR sensor
Authors: Afzal Rana Arslan , Afrin Rahat , Manzoor Umair , Bhatti Arshad Saleem , Islam Mohammad , Amin Muhammad T. , Alazba Abdulrahman A. 
Published: August 2015

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown via pyrolytic chemical vapor deposition technique and explored for their infrared sensing behavior. CNT synthesis was carried out over cobalt zinc ferrite [Formula: see text] catalyst nanoparticles under different gas flow conditions to control outside diameter of the nanotubes. It was found that a progressive decrease in the carbon precursor gas (acetylene in this case) from 5:1 to 9:1 (v/v) causes reduction of average CNT diameter from 85 nm to 635 nm. Growth conditions involving higher temperatures yield nanotubes/nanofibers with outer diameter of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]500 nm, presumably due to surface aggregation of nanoparticles or increased flux of carbonaceous species at the catalyst surface or both. Current–voltage characteristics of the nanotubes depending on the CNT diameter, revealed linear or nonlinear behavior. When incorporated as sensing layer, the sensitivity of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]5.3 was noticed with response time of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]4.1 s. It is believed that IR sensing characteristics of such CNT-based detectors can be further enhanced through post-synthesis purification and chemical functionalization treatments.
Fast Image Classification for Monument Recognition
Authors: Amato Giuseppe , Falchi Fabrizio , Gennaro Claudio 
Published: August 2015

Content-based image classification is a wide research field that addresses the landmark recognition problem. Among the many classification techniques proposed, the
k
-nearest neighbor (
kNN
) is one of the most simple and widely used methods. In this article, we use
kNN
classification and landmark recognition techniques to address the problem of monument recognition in images. We propose two novel approaches that exploit
kNN
classification technique in conjunction with local visual descriptors.

The first approach is based on a relaxed definition of the local feature based image to image similarity and allows standard
kNN
classification to be efficiently executed with the support of access methods for similarity search.

The second approach uses
kNN
classification to classify local features rather than images. An image is classified evaluating the consensus among the classification of its local features. In this case, access methods for similarity search can be used to make the classification approach efficient.

The proposed strategies were extensively tested and compared against other state-of-the-art alternatives in a monument and cultural heritage landmark recognition setting. The results proved the superiority of our approaches.
An additional relevant contribution of this work is the exhaustive comparison of various types of local features and image matching solutions for recognition of monuments and cultural heritage related landmarks.
On-the-Fly Data Synopses
Authors: Heinis Thomas , Ham David A. 
Published: August 2015

As a consequence of ever more powerful computing hardware and increasingly precise instruments, our capacity to produce scientific data by far outpaces our ability to efficiently store and analyse it. Few of today's tools to analyse scientific data are able to handle the deluge captured by instruments or generated by supercomputers.
In many scenarios, however, it suffices to analyse a small subset of the data in detail. What scientists analysing the data consequently need are efficient means to explore the full dataset using approximate query results and to identify the subsets of interest. Once found, interesting areas can still be scrutinised using a precise, but also more time-consuming analysis. Data synopses fit the bill as they provide fast (but approximate) query execution on massive amounts of data. Generating data synopses after the data is stored, however, requires us to analyse all the data again, and is thus inefficient
What we propose is to generate the synopsis for simulation applications on-the-fly when the data is captured. Doing so typically means changing the simulation or data capturing code and is tedious and typically just a one-off solution that is not generally applicable. In contrast, our vision gives scientists a high-level language and the infrastructure needed to generate code that creates data synopses on-the-fly, as the simulation runs. In this paper we discuss the data management challenges associated with our approach
Does Timing of Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Affect Early and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients With Non–ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction?
Authors: Davierwala Piroze M. , Verevkin Alexander , Leontyev Sergey , Misfeld Martin , Borger Michael A. , Mohr Friedrich W. 
Published: August 2015

Background—
Current guidelines do not provide recommendations for optimal timing of coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) in patients with non–ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. Our study aimed to determine the impact of CABG timing on early and late outcomes in patients with non–ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction.

Methods and Results—

A total of 758 patients underwent CABG within 21 days after non–ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction between January 2008 and December 2012 at our institution. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the time interval between symptom onset and CABG: group A, <24 hours (133 patients); group B, 24 to 72 hours (192 patients); and group C, >72 hours to 21 days (433 patients). Predictors of in-hospital and long-term mortality were identified by logistic and Cox regression analyses, respectively. Overall in-hospital mortality was 5.1% (39 patients): 6.0%, 4.7%, and 5.1% in groups A, B, and C (
P
=0.9), respectively. A total of 118 patients died during follow-up. The 5-year survival was 73.1±2%, with a nonsignificant trend toward better survival in groups A (78.2±4%) and C (75.4±3%) compared with group B (63.6±5%; log-rank
P
=0.06). Renal insufficiency and LMD were independent predictors of in-hospital (odds ratio, 3.1;
P
=0.001; and odds ratio, 3.1;
P
=0.002) and long-term mortality (hazard ratio, 1.7;
P
=0.004; and hazard ratio, 1.5;
P
=0.02), whereas administration of P2Y
12
inhibitors was protective (odds ratio, 0.3;
P
=0.01).

Conclusions—
Emergent CABG within 24 hours of non–ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction is associated with in-hospital mortality and long-term outcomes similar to those of CABG performed after 3 days, despite a higher risk profile. CABG performed between 24 to 72 hours showed a nonsignificant trend toward poorer long-term outcomes. Dual antiplatelet therapy until surgery is beneficial, whereas renal insufficiency and left main disease increase the risk of early and late death.
Clinical Impact of Changes in Left Ventricular Function After Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: Une Dai , Mesana Laura , Chan Vincent , Maklin Michelle , Chan Ryan , Masters Roy G. , Mesana Thierry G. , Ruel Marc 
Published: August 2015

Background—
Our objectives were to identify correlates of mortality and congestive heart failure after aortic valve replacement (AVR) according to preoperative left ventricular (LV) function and to describe the incidence, time course, and correlates of LV recovery and mass regression postoperatively.

Methods and Results—

A total of 3112 patients with AVR were assessed in a follow-up clinic with echocardiography (median follow-up, 6.0 years). At operation, their mean age was 67.8±13.4 years, one third were female, and 29% had LV dysfunction (ejection fraction <50%). In severe patients with severe aortic stenosis and LV dysfunction, transaortic valve mean pressure gradient <40 mm Hg, longer cardiopulmonary bypass duration, and prosthesis-patient mismatch (indexed effective orifice area ≤0.85 cm
2
/m
2
) were independent correlates of the composite outcome of death or congestive heart failure after AVR. In patients with severe aortic regurgitation and LV dysfunction, older age and higher preoperative LV mass were identified. LV recovery correlated with better survival and freedom from heart failure in patients with aortic stenosis. Maximum LV mass regression took 24 months in patients with aortic stenosis and nearly 5 years with aortic regurgitation; independent correlates included smaller LV end-systolic diameter in patients with aortic stenosis and low New York Heart Association class with aortic regurgitation.

Conclusions—
Incomplete LV recovery, prosthesis-patient mismatch, low transaortic valve pressure gradient, and higher LV mass are associated with increased mortality or heart failure after AVR in patients with LV dysfunction. Higher LV end-systolic diameter and symptoms correlate with less LV mass regression, which takes at least 2 years. These findings help surgeons and cardiologists refine the indications, timing, prognostication, and follow-up of patients before and after AVR.
Role of Acute Lesion Topography in Initial Ischemic Stroke Severity and Long-Term Functional Outcomes
Authors: Wu Ona , Cloonan Lisa , Mocking Steven J.T. , Bouts Mark J.R.J. , Copen William A. , Cougo-Pinto Pedro T. , Fitzpatrick Kaitlin , Kanakis Allison , Schaefer Pamela W. , Rosand Jonathan , Furie Karen L. , Rost Natalia S. 
Published: August 2015

Background and Purpose—
Acute infarct volume, often proposed as a biomarker for evaluating novel interventions for acute ischemic stroke, correlates only moderately with traditional clinical end points, such as the modified Rankin Scale. We hypothesized that the topography of acute stroke lesions on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging may provide further information with regard to presenting stroke severity and long-term functional outcomes.

Methods—
Data from a prospective stroke repository were limited to acute ischemic stroke subjects with magnetic resonance imaging completed within 48 hours from last known well, admission NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and 3-to-6 months modified Rankin Scale scores. Using voxel-based lesion symptom mapping techniques, including age, sex, and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging lesion volume as covariates, statistical maps were calculated to determine the significance of lesion location for clinical outcome and admission stroke severity.

Results—
Four hundred ninety subjects were analyzed. Acute stroke lesions in the left hemisphere were associated with more severe NIHSS at admission and poor modified Rankin Scale at 3 to 6 months. Specifically, injury to white matter (corona radiata, internal and external capsules, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and uncinate fasciculus), postcentral gyrus, putamen, and operculum were implicated in poor modified Rankin Scale. More severe NIHSS involved these regions, as well as the amygdala, caudate, pallidum, inferior frontal gyrus, insula, and precentral gyrus.

Conclusions—
Acute lesion topography provides important insights into anatomic correlates of admission stroke severity and poststroke outcomes. Future models that account for infarct location in addition to diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging volume may improve stroke outcome prediction and identify patients likely to benefit from aggressive acute intervention and personalized rehabilitation strategies.
Ethiopian and Eritrean Immigrants in Britain
Authors: Campbell John R. , Afework Solomon 
Published: August 2015

This paper explores key aspects of the immigrant experience of 50,000-plus Ethiopians and Eritreans who live in the United Kingdom. We seek to understand the extent to which immigrant life in the UK has acted ‘as a kind of pivot’ between integrating in their country of settlement and enduring forms of connection with their country of origin. This question is explored by an examination of immigrant organising in the UK – in Refugee Community Organisations – and through interviews about their life in the UK and evolving ideas about self-identity. We argue for an open-ended approach to understand immigrants which sidesteps assumptions about forms of collective identity and which asks how the social and policy context has affected immigrant settlement and integration in the UK.
Separating Internal Variability from the Externally Forced Climate Response
Authors: Frankcombe Leela M. , England Matthew H. , Mann Michael E. , Steinman Byron A. 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Separating low-frequency internal variability of the climate system from the forced signal is essential to better understand anthropogenic climate change as well as internal climate variability. Here both synthetic time series and the historical simulations from phase 5 of CMIP (CMIP5) are used to examine several methods of performing this separation. Linear detrending, as is commonly used in studies of low-frequency climate variability, is found to introduce large biases in both amplitude and phase of the estimated internal variability. Using estimates of the forced signal obtained from ensembles of climate simulations can reduce these biases, particularly when the forced signal is scaled to match the historical time series of each ensemble member. These so-called scaling methods also provide estimates of model sensitivities to different types of external forcing. Applying the methods to observations of the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation leads to different estimates of the phase of this mode of variability in recent decades.
Propagating and Nonpropagating MJO Events over Maritime Continent*
Authors: Feng Jing , Li Tim , Zhu Weijun 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
The observed outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and ERA-Interim data during 1979–2008 (from November to April) were analyzed to reveal fundamental differences between eastward-propagating (EP) and nonpropagating (NP) MJO events across the Maritime Continent (MC). It was found that when the maximum MJO convection arrives near 120°E, a positive moisture tendency lies in a longitudinal zone (10°S–10°N, 130°–170°E) for the EP cases, whereas a negative tendency appears in the same region for the NP cases. In the latter cases, there are clearly detectable westward-propagating Rossby wave–type dry signals over the equatorial central-western Pacific. The dry Rossby-wave signal may hinder the development of new convection to the east of the MJO convective center, preventing the eastward propagation of the MJO. A moisture budget analysis shows that the positive tendency of specific humidity in the EP composite is mainly attributed to the advection of the mean moisture by an intraseasonal ascending motion anomaly, whereas the negative tendency in the NP composite arises from the advection of anomalous dry air by the mean easterly and the advection of the mean moisture by the anomalous easterly. The EP cases were further separated into two groups: a group with, and a group without, a clear suppressed convective phase of OLR to the east of the MJO convection. In the former (latter), the column-integrated moisture anomaly is negative (positive) to the east of the convection. Nevertheless, MJO crosses the MC in both of the groups, in which anomalous moisture tendency is always positive to the east of the MJO convection. Such positive tendencies are caused by different processes. In the former, anomalous horizontal advections associated with eddy moisture transport and mean moisture advection by intraseasonal meridional wind play an important role. In the latter, it is mainly attributed to mean moisture advection by anomalous vertical velocity.
How Does Availability of Meteorological Forcing Data Impact Physically Based Snowpack Simulations?*
Authors: Raleigh Mark S. , Livneh Ben , Lapo Karl , Lundquist Jessica D. 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Physically based models facilitate understanding of seasonal snow processes but require meteorological forcing data beyond air temperature and precipitation (e.g., wind, humidity, shortwave radiation, and longwave radiation) that are typically unavailable at automatic weather stations (AWSs) and instead are often represented with empirical estimates. Research is needed to understand which forcings (after temperature and precipitation) would most benefit snow modeling through expanded observation or improved estimation techniques. Here, the impact of forcing data availability on snow model output is assessed with data-withholding experiments using 3-yr datasets at well-instrumented sites in four climates. The interplay between forcing availability and model complexity is examined among the Utah Energy Balance (UEB), the Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM) snow submodel, and the snow thermal model (SNTHERM). Sixty-four unique forcing scenarios were evaluated, with different assumptions regarding availability of hourly meteorological observations at each site. Modeled snow water equivalent (SWE) and snow surface temperature Tsurf diverged most often because of availability of longwave radiation, which is the least frequently measured forcing in cold regions in the western United States. Availability of longwave radiation (i.e., observed vs empirically estimated) caused maximum SWE differences up to 234 mm (57% of peak SWE), mean differences up to 6.2°C in Tsurf, and up to 32 days difference in snow disappearance timing. From a model data perspective, more common observations of longwave radiation at AWSs could benefit snow model development and applications, but other aspects (e.g., costs, site access, and maintenance) need consideration.
A Critical Review of the Standard Empanelment Process and Identifying Modifications for Improvement
Authors: Gaikwad Sandip , Patil Bharat , Kasat Sachhin , Bhardwaj Geeta , Yadav Pravin , Shukla Kasturi 
Published: August 2015

Objective: To study the standard empanelment process for Provider Management (PM) Department, MD India Healthcare Services (third party administrator (TPA)) Private Limited; to identify improvements in the empanelment process. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted through quantitative and qualitative methods. The study was conducted at the head office of MD India Healthcare Services (TPA) Private Limited, Vadgaonsheri, Nagar Road, Pune. Results: In addition to the standard criteria of MD India (MDI) for empanelment of hospitals, there are specific criteria for new empanelment which include requirement of the network hospital in that location like a registered hospital with minimum 25 bed strength and hospital having good non-cashless business. For new hospitals to be empanelled, there are two ways: either the hospital approaches the head office/service branch of TPA or the TPA approaches the hospital for empanelment. Our study identifies some modification to improve this empanelment process. Conclusions: The aim of TPA is to facilitate insurance process to provide best quality service to patients. The modifications identified in our study will improve the process in many ways.