bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Electromechanical and Robot-Assisted Arm Training After Stroke
Authors: Mehrholz Jan , Hädrich Anja , Platz Thomas , Kugler Joachim , Pohl Marcus 
Published: October 2012

Background and Purpose—
More than two thirds of all patients after stroke have difficulties with reduced arm function. Electromechanical and robot-assisted arm training devices are used in rehabilitation and might help to improve arm function after stroke. Our systematic review examined the effectiveness of electromechanical and robot-assisted arm training for improving generic activities of daily living, arm function, and arm muscle strength in patients after stroke and also assessed the acceptability and safety of the therapy.

Methods—
We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group’s Trials Register (last searched July 2011), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 7), MEDLINE (1950 to July 2011), EMBASE (1980 to July 2011), CINAHL (1982 to July 2011), AMED (1985 to July 2011), SPORTDiscus (1949 to July 2011), PEDro (searched August 2011), COMPENDEX (1972 to July 2011), and INSPEC (1969 to July 2011). We also hand-searched relevant conference proceedings, searched trials and research registers, checked reference lists, and contacted trialists, experts, and researchers in our field as well as manufacturers of commercial devices. Two review authors independently selected trials for inclusion, assessed trial quality, and extracted the data. The primary outcome was activities of daily living; secondary outcomes were impairments such as motor function and motor strength. To minimize bias we included only randomized controlled trials comparing electromechanical and robot-assisted arm training for recovery of arm function with other rehabilitation interventions or no treatment.

Results—

We included 19 trials (involving 666 participants) in this review. Electromechanical and robot-assisted arm training did improve activities of daily living (standardized mean difference, 0.43, 95% CI, 0.11–0.75;
P
=0.009;
I
2
=67%;
Figure
) as well as arm function (standardized mean difference, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.20–0.69;
P
=0.0004;
I
2
=45%), but arm muscle strength did not improve (standardized mean difference, 0.48, 95% CI, −0.06 to 1.03;
P
=0.08;
I
2
=79%). Electromechanical and robot-assisted arm training did not increase the risk of patients to dropout (risk difference, 0.00; 95% CI, −0.04 to 0.04;
P
=0.82;
I
2
=0.0%), and adverse events were rare.

Figure.

Forest plot of activities of daily living.

Conclusions—
Patients who receive electromechanical and robot-assisted arm training after stroke are more likely to improve their generic activities of daily living. Paretic arm function may also improve, but not arm muscle strength. However, the results must be interpreted with caution because there were variations between the trials in the duration and amount of training, type of treatment, and in the patient characteristics.
Northward Propagation Mechanisms of the Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Oscillation in the ERA-Interim and SP-CCSM
Authors: DeMott Charlotte A. , Stan Cristiana , Randall David A. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractMechanisms for the northward propagation (NP) of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) and associated Asian summer monsoon (ASM) are investigated using data from the interim ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim, herein called ERAI) and the superparameterized Community Climate System Model (SP-CCSM). Analyzed mechanisms are 1) destabilization of the lower troposphere by sea surface temperature anomalies, 2) boundary layer moisture advection, and boundary layer convergence associated with 3) SST gradients and 4) barotropic vorticity anomalies. Mechanism indices are regressed onto filtered OLR anomaly time series to study their relationships to the intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) and to equatorial Rossby (ER) waves.Northward propagation in ERAI and SP-CCSM is promoted by several mechanisms, but is dominated by boundary layer moisture advection and the barotropic vorticity effect. SST-linked mechanisms are of secondary importance but are nonnegligible. The magnitudes of NP mechanisms vary from the Indian Ocean to the west Pacific Ocean, implying that NP is accomplished by different mechanisms across the study area.SP-CCSM correctly simulates observed NP mechanisms over most of the ASM domain except in the Arabian Sea during the early stages of the monsoon life cycle. Reduced NP in the Arabian Sea arises from weaker-than-observed easterly shear, reducing the effectiveness of the barotropic vorticity mechanism. The ability of SP-CCSM to correctly simulate NP mechanisms in other regions results from the model’s ability to simulate reasonable mean wind and moisture fields, a realistic spectrum of variability, and the capability of convection to respond to boundary layer changes induced by large-scale NP mechanisms.
A 10-yr Climatology of Diabatic Rossby Waves in the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Boettcher Maxi , Wernli Heini 
Published: October 2012

AbstractDiabatic Rossby waves (DRWs) are low-tropospheric positive potential vorticity (PV) anomalies in moist and sufficiently baroclinic regions. They regenerate continuously by moist-diabatic processes and potentially develop into explosively intensifying cyclones. In this study a specific DRW-tracking algorithm is developed and applied to operational ECMWF analyses to compile a first climatology of DRWs in the Northern Hemisphere for the years 2001–10. DRWs are more frequent over the North Pacific than over the North Atlantic with on average 81 and 43 systems per year, respectively. Less than 15% of these systems intensify explosively, on average 12 per year over the Pacific and 5 over the Atlantic. DRWs are most frequent in summer but most of the explosively intensifying DRWs occur in autumn and winter. DRWs are generated typically between 30°–50°N over the eastern parts of the continents and the western/central parts of the oceans. They propagate fairly zonally along the midlatitude baroclinic zone. The generation of the initial low-tropospheric PV anomalies goes along with precipitation processes in characteristic flow patterns, which correspond to 1) flow around the subtropical high against the midlatitude baroclinic zone, 2) flow induced by an upper-level cutoff or a (tropical) cyclone against the baroclinic zone, 3) upper-level trough-induced ascent at the baroclinic zone, and 4) PV remnants of a tropical cyclone or a mesoscale convective system that are advected into the baroclinic zone where they start propagating as a DRW. In most cases, explosive intensification of DRWs occurs through interaction with a preexisting upper-level trough.
Decision Making under Climate Risks: An Analysis of Sub-Saharan Farmers’ Adaptation Behaviors
Authors: Seo S. Niggol 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
This paper examines decision making under climate risks using farmers’ decisions in sub-Saharan Africa, where climate risks are very high. Two risk measures are obtained from the Climate Research Unit’s high-resolution climatology, diurnal temperature range (DTR) and coefficient of variation in precipitation (CVP), which are both averages of 30-yr climate data. Farm surveys of around 7600 households were matched cell by cell with the climate risk data. This paper finds that climate risks are indeed highest in the lowland arid zones in the Sahel. A spatial logit analysis shows that farmers in sub-Saharan Africa have adapted their agricultural systems to varying degrees of the CVP and the DTR. In the long term, if the CVP were to increase by 30%, an integrated system would increase by 7.0%. On the other hand, the two specialized systems fall: a crops-only system falls by 5.3% and a livestock-only system falls by 1.7%. When the DTR increases, farmers adapt by switching to a specialized livestock system. Under increased climate risks, this paper finds that farmers in the lowland savannahs and arid zones in the Sahel, where climate risks are high at present, will adapt by switching to an integrated system. Studies of climate risks, therefore, must account for behavioral responses of the individuals. These results can be utilized to help African farmers to adapt to increasing climate risks.
Differential outcome of neurological HCMV infection in two hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients
Authors: Colombo Anna Amelia , Giorgiani Giovanna , Rognoni Vanina , Villani Paola , Furione Milena , Bonora Mario Regazzi , Alessandrino Emilio Paolo , Zecca Marco , Baldanti Fausto 
Published: October 2012

Abstract

Background
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection of the central nervous system (CNS) is a rare but life threatening condition which may follow hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Diagnosis, monitoring and treatment approaches rely on anecdotal reports.

Case presentations
The different outcomes of HCMV CNS disease in an adult and a pediatric T-cell depleted hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipient are reported. In the first case, HCMV encephalitis emerged in the context of simultaneous impairment of the T- and B-cell immunity. Antiviral treatment only reduced viral load in peripheral blood and the patient died. In the second case, an HCMV radiculopathy was observed and antiviral treatment was adjusted on the basis of intrathecal drug level. In addition, donor HCMV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) were infused. Viral load in the CNS decreased and the patient recovered from the acute event. In neither case were drug-resistant HCMV variants observed in blood or CNS samples.

Conclusions
T-cell depleted HSCT appears a predisposing condition for CNS HCMV infection since never observed in other HSCT recipients at our center in the last 15 years. Intensive diagnostic approaches and timely aggressive combination treatments might improve clinical outcome in these patients.
Patient satisfaction in pediatric outpatient settings from the parents’ perspective - The Child ZAP: A psychometrically validated standardized questionnaire
Authors: Bitzer Eva Maria , Volkmer Stephanie , Petrucci Marco , Weissenrieder Nikolaus , Dierks Marie-Luise 
Published: October 2012

Abstract

Background
Patient surveys constitute a valuable source of information in patient-focused health care. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a standardized, patient centered, quantitative instrument to assess parent satisfaction in ambulatory pediatric care to be used in quality management and benchmarking activities, the Child-ZAP.

Methods
A preliminary version of the survey (38 items) was conducted in n = 19 pediatric practices. After psychometric testing a modified Child-ZAP was tested in a second survey (n = 20 new pediatric practices). Data from n = 979 patients were available for analysis.

Results
The final version of the Child-ZAP contains eight dimensions, three "Child-Scales" and five "Parent-Scales". Confirmatory factor analysis confirms the three hypothesized child dimensions as well as the five parent dimensions. The factorial structure is confirmed in subgroups of younger and older children.

Conclusions
With satisfactory to good results for validity and reliability testing, the final Child-ZAP is applicable in pediatric ambulatory care for children of all age groups.
Impact of acute exercise on brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation in young healthy people
Authors: Hwang In-Chang , Kim Kyung-Hee , Choi Won-Suk , Kim Hyun-Jin , Im Moon-Sun , Kim Yong-Jin , Kim Sang-Hyun , Kim Myung-A , Sohn Dae-Won , Zo Joo-Hee 
Published: October 2012

Abstract

Background
Although chronic effects of exercise on endothelial function are established, the impact of acute exercise on flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of brachial artery has not been elucidated yet.

Methods
Eighty-six young healthy volunteers were prospectively enrolled from January 2011 to December 2011. The subjects completed FMD tests at rest and immediately after treadmill exercise test. Primary outcome was the impact of acute exercise on FMD, measured by the difference of FMD before and after exercise. Secondary outcomes were the relationship of gender and exercise habit with FMD.

Results
Seventy-four subjects who met the eligibility criteria were included for analysis. Thirty-five (47.3%) were male, and the mean age was 22.7±2.7 years. FMD was reduced after exercise (8.98±4.69 to 7.51±4.03%; P=0.017) and the reduction was found in female group (10.36±5.26 to 7.62±3.71%; P=0.002) but not in male group. Post-exercise FMD was significantly impaired in subjects who did not exercise regularly (6.92±3.13% versus 8.95±5.33%; P=0.003). The decrease of FMD after exercise was greater in female group (−2.75±5.28% versus 0.27±3.24%; P=0.003) and was associated with exercise habit (β=2.532; P=0.027).

Conclusions
In healthy young subjects, FMD was reduced after a bout of acute exercise. The impact of acute exercise showed significant differences according to gender and exercise habit. FMD impairment after acute exercise was observed in females and subjects without regular exercise.
On the user performance of orthogonal projection signal alignment scheme in MIMO relay systems
Authors: Zhao Zhongyuan , Ding Zhiguo , Han Bin , Wang Wenbo , Peng Mugen 
Published: October 2012

AbstractAbstractIn this article, an orthogonal projection signal alignment (OP-SI) scheme is proposed for multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) relay systems, and the user performance is studied with and without perfect channel state information (CSI). Particularly we focus on an important scenario in cellular systems, where the base station exchanges messages with multiple users via a relay. By jointly designing the precoding matrices at the base station and the relay, information exchanging can be accomplished within two time slots. When the perfect CSI is available, closed form expressions of ergodic sum rate are developed for the proposed scheme, where we can demonstrate that the proposed scheme yields a better performance than the existing zero-forcing signal alignment scheme. When the channel estimation is not perfect, both the intra-stream and inter-stream interference cannot be completely removed. To evaluate the impact of channel estimation error, an approximation of ergodic sum rate for the OP-SI scheme is developed to show that the system performance could significantly decrease as the covariance of channel estimation error increases. Moreover, the outage capacity is also analyzed. Furthermore, an enhanced relay precoding scheme is also introduced to improve the transmission performance. Numerical results are provided to show the accuracy of the developed analytical results.
Assessment of tumour size in PET/CT lung cancer studies: PET- and CT-based methods compared to pathology
Authors: Cheebsumon Patsuree , Boellaard Ronald , de Ruysscher Dirk , van Elmpt Wouter , van Baardwijk Angela , Yaqub Maqsood , Hoekstra Otto S , Comans Emile FI , Lammertsma Adriaan A , van Velden Floris HP 
Published: October 2012

Abstract

Background
Positron emission tomography (PET) may be useful for defining the gross tumour volume for radiation treatment planning and for response monitoring of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The purpose of this study was to compare tumour sizes obtained from CT- and various more commonly available PET-based tumour delineation methods to pathology findings.

Methods
Retrospective non-respiratory gated whole body [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose PET/CT studies from 19 NSCLC patients were used. Several (semi-)automatic PET-based tumour delineation methods and manual CT-based delineation were used to assess the maximum tumour diameter.

Results
50%, adaptive 41% threshold-based and contrast-oriented delineation methods showed good agreement with pathology after removing two outliers (R2=0.82). An absolute SUV threshold of 2.5 also showed a good agreement with pathology after the removal of 5 outliers (R2: 0.79), but showed a significant overestimation in the maximum diameter (19.8 mm, p<0.05). Adaptive 50%, relative threshold level and gradient-based methods did not show any outliers, provided only small, non-significant differences in maximum tumour diameter (<4.7 mm, p>0.10), and showed fair correlation (R2>0.62) with pathology. Although adaptive 70% threshold-based methods showed underestimation compared to pathology (36%), it provided the best precision (SD: 14%) together with good correlation (R2=0.81). Good correlation between CT delineation and pathology was observed (R2=0.77). However, CT delineation showed a significant overestimation compared with pathology (3.8 mm, p<0.05).

Conclusions
PET-based tumour delineation methods provided tumour sizes in agreement with pathology and may therefore be useful to define the (metabolically most) active part of the tumour for radiotherapy and response monitoring purposes.
methylKit: a comprehensive R package for the analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation profiles
Authors: Akalin Altuna , Kormaksson Matthias , Li Sheng , Garrett-Bakelman Francine E , Figueroa Maria E , Melnick Ari , Mason Christopher E 
Published: October 2012

AbstractDNA methylation is a chemical modification of cytosine bases that is pivotal for gene regulation,cellular specification and cancer development. Here, we describe an R package, methylKit, thatrapidly analyzes genome-wide cytosine epigenetic profiles from high-throughput methylation andhydroxymethylation sequencing experiments. methylKit includes functions for clustering, samplequality visualization, differential methylation analysis and annotation features, thus automatingand simplifying many of the steps for discerning statistically significant bases or regions of DNAmethylation. Finally, we demonstrate methylKit on breast cancer data, in which we find statisticallysignificant regions of differential methylation and stratify tumor subtypes. methylKit is availableat http://code.google.com/p/methylkit.
Epigenetic interplay between mouse endogenous retroviruses and host genes
Authors: Rebollo Rita , Miceli-Royer Katharine , Zhang Ying , Farivar Sharareh , Gagnier Liane , Mager Dixie L 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Background
Transposable elements are often the targets of repressive epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation that, in theory, have the potential to spread toward nearby genes and induce epigenetic silencing. To better understand the role of DNA methylation in the relationship between transposable elements and genes, we assessed the methylation state of mouse endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) located near genes.

Results
We found that ERVs of the ETn/MusD family show decreased DNA methylation when near transcription start sites in tissues where the nearby gene is expressed. ERVs belonging to the IAP family, however, are generally heavily methylated, regardless of the genomic environment and the tissue studied. Furthermore, we found full-length ETn and IAP copies that display differential DNA methylation between their two long terminal repeats (LTRs), suggesting that the environment surrounding gene promoters can prevent methylation of the nearby LTR. Spreading from methylated ERV copies to nearby genes was rarely observed, with the regions between the ERVs and genes apparently acting as a boundary, enriched in H3K4me3 and CTCF, which possibly protects the unmethylated gene promoter. Furthermore, the flanking regions of unmethylated ERV copies harbor H3K4me3, consistent with spreading of euchromatin from the host gene toward ERV insertions.

Conclusions
We have shown that spreading of DNA methylation from ERV copies toward active gene promoters is rare. We provide evidence that genes can be protected from ERV-induced heterochromatin spreading by either blocking the invasion of repressive marks or by spreading euchromatin toward the ERV copy.
EpiExplorer: live exploration and global analysis of large epigenomic datasets
Authors: Halachev Konstantin , Bast Hannah , Albrecht Felipe , Lengauer Thomas , Bock Christoph 
Published: October 2012

AbstractEpigenome mapping consortia are generating resources of tremendous value for studying epigenetic regulation. To maximize their utility and impact, new tools are needed that facilitate interactive analysis of epigenome datasets. Here we describe EpiExplorer, a web tool for exploring genome and epigenome data on a genomic scale. We demonstrate EpiExplorer's utility by describing a hypothesis-generating analysis of DNA hydroxymethylation in relation to public reference maps of the human epigenome. All EpiExplorer analyses are performed dynamically within seconds, using an efficient and versatile text indexing scheme that we introduce to bioinformatics. EpiExplorer is available at http://epiexplorer.mpi-inf.mpg.de.
Transnational Film and the Politics of Becoming: Negotiating East Asian Identity in Hong Kong Night Club and Moonlight Express
Authors: Hitchcock Lori D. 
Published: October 2012

Recent years have witnessed the growth of a body of literature concerned with what Sheldon Hsiao-peng Lu has termed "Chinese cinemas,"1 sparked by the increased international visibility of films from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, and characterized by an emerging interest
in the ways that such works negotiate both "the triumphantly universal and the resiliency particular"2 in their unique situatedness within both regional Chinese and global media markets.
In the context of the 1997 return of Hong Kong to mainland China, this emphasis has engendered
significant critical attention to issues of local Hong Kong identity within a dramatically altered political, social, and cultural climate, represented by two discursive trends that at once implicitly and explicitly reference 1997 as the seminal turning-point of Hong Kong's media industries.
Critical Reception of Rashomon in the West
Authors: Smith Greg M. 
Published: October 2012

Most of us who write about films may as well relax and confess that we know nothing at first hand about Japanese movie production; that all we have as data has come to us from presssheets, from quick consultations with the nearest Japanese bystander, or. . . whatever we have been able
to find useful in the way of analogy and of seeing the "unaccredited" performances of Kabuki.
--Vernon Young (1955: 416)
Of "Women" and "Relationships" in Contemporary Bengali Cinema: Rituporno Ghosh's Oeuvre
Authors: Mandal Somdatta 
Published: October 2012

He explores human relationships with a rare sensitivity. In all his films he handles human frailties with tenderness and understanding, humor and irony. It is this quality that won the young Bengali director Rituporno Ghosh, laurels for all the seven films he's made till date. In less
than a decade, he has acquired a reputation that takes him far beyond his immediate area of creative operation in West Bengal. A simple storyline and superb acting make his movies special.
As his films revolve around relationships, they are emotionally gripping and do not need the props
of songs and dance.