bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Non‐physician clinician provided HIV treatment results in equivalent outcomes as physician‐provided care: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Emdin Connor A , Chong Nicholas J , Millson Peggy E 
Published: July 2013

IntroductionA severe healthcare worker shortage in sub‐Saharan Africa is inhibiting the expansion of HIV treatment. Task shifting, the transfer of antiretroviral therapy (ART) management and initiation from doctors to nurses and other non‐physician clinicians, has been proposed to address this problem. However, many health officials remain wary about implementing task shifting policies due to concerns that non‐physicians will provide care inferior to physicians. To determine if non‐physician‐provided HIV care does result in equivalent outcomes to physician‐provided care, a meta‐analysis was performed.MethodsOnline databases were searched using a predefined strategy. The results for four primary outcomes were combined using a random effects model with sub‐groups of non‐physician‐managed ART and ‐initiated ART. TB diagnosis rates, adherence, weight gain and patient satisfaction were summarized qualitatively.ResultsMortality (N=59,666) had similar outcomes for non‐physicians and physicians, with a hazard ratio of 1.05 (CI: 0.88–1.26). The increase in CD4 levels at one year, as a difference in means of 2.3 (N=17,142, CI: −12.7–17.3), and viral failure at one year, as a risk ratio of 0.89 (N=10,344, CI: 0.65–1.23), were similar for physicians and non‐physicians. Interestingly, loss to follow‐up (LTFU) (N=53,435) was reduced for non‐physicians with a hazard ratio of 0.72 (CI: 0.56–0.94). TB diagnosis rates, adherence and weight gain were similar for non‐physicians and physicians. Patient satisfaction appeared higher for non‐physicians in qualitative components of studies and was attributed to non‐physicians spending more time with patients as well as providing more holistic care.ConclusionsNon‐physician‐provided HIV care results in equivalent outcomes to care provided by physicians and may result in decreased LTFU rates.
Size‐Dependent Charge Transfer in Blends of PbS Quantum Dots with a Low‐Gap Silicon‐Bridged Copolymer
Authors: Itskos Grigorios , Papagiorgis Paris , Tsokkou Demetra , Othonos Andreas , Hermerschmidt Felix , Economopoulos Solon P. , Yarema Maksym , Heiss Wolfgang , Choulis Stelios 
Published: July 2013

AbstractThe photophysics of bulk heterojunctions of a high‐performance, low‐gap silicon‐bridged dithiophene polymer with oleic acid capped PbS quantum dots (QDs) are studied to assess the material potential for light harvesting in the visible‐ and IR‐light ranges. By employing a wide range of nanocrystal sizes, systematic dependences of electron and hole transfer on quantum‐dot size are established for the first time on a low‐gap polymer–dot system. The studied system exhibits type II band offsets for dot sizes up to ca. 4 nm, whch allow fast hole transfer from the quantum dots to the polymer that competes favorably with the intrinsic QD recombination. Electron transfer from the polymer is also observed although it is less competitive with the fast polymer exciton recombination for most QD sizes studied. The incorporation of a fullerene derivative provides efficient electron‐quenching sites that improve interfacial polymer‐exciton dissociation in ternary polymer–fullerene–QD blends. The study indicates that programmable band offsets that allow both electron and hole extraction can be produced for efficient light harvesting based on this low‐gap polymer‐PbS QD composite.
Evaluating the frequency and characteristics of seizures in 142 Japanese patients with prader–willi syndrome
Authors: Takeshita Eri , Murakami Nobuyuki , Sakuta Ryoichi , Nagai Toshiro 
Published: July 2013

AbstractPrader–Willi syndrome (PWS) has not been widely regarded as a disorder with a risk factor for seizures. We retrospectively investigated the frequency and characteristics of seizures and examined genotype–phenotype correlations with respect to seizures in PWS. We analyzed 142 patients with PWS and identified 31 (22%) with seizures. The most common seizure type was febrile convulsion (12%, 17/142). Epilepsy occurred in 6% of the patients in our cohort (9/142). The frequencies of febrile seizure and epilepsy in PWS were higher than those in the general population. Our study suggested that the frequency of seizures was not associated with genotypes of PWS (P = 0.35). In our study patients with PWS, 68% of the patients with seizures experienced initial episodes before they were 2 years old, and the seizures were relatively easier to manage. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Camurati–engelmann disease with obesity in a newly identified family carrying a missense p.Arg156Cys mutation in the TGFB1 gene
Authors: Collet Corinne , Laplanche Jean‐Louis , de Vernejoul Marie‐Christine 
Published: July 2013

AbstractWe report on a family affected by Camurati–Engelmann disease, characterized by radiological signs limited to the tibia, and associated with overweight or obesity, which is not a known feature of this disorder. The affected patients were heterozygous for a c.466C > T mutation (which predicts p.Arg156Cys) in the latency associated protein (LAP)‐coding domain of the TGFB1 gene. This mutation had previously been reported once in another family with a similar, atypical phenotype, which suggests a possible phenotype/genotype relationship. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Curing kinetics of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A (n = 0) using an iron‐containing porphyrin as cross‐linking agent
Authors: Vázquez Eva C. , Fraga Francisco , Martínez‐Ageitos J. M. , Tato José Vázquez 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTThe curing reaction of a system consisting of a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A (n = 0) and hemin (a protoporphyrin IX containing an iron ion and an additional chloride ligand) was studied with a differential scanning calorimeter. A maximum value of −488.3 ± 8.4 J g−1 was obtained for the enthalpy of the reaction. The kinetics of the process was studied by the isothermal method, observing that it obeys to Kamal's model, with an overall reaction order equal to 3. From the dependence of the kinetic constant with temperature, the activation energy, activation enthalpy, and activation entropy were determined. The ratio of the kinetic constants associated to the autocatalytic and nth order terms of the reaction rate, together with the thermodynamic activation parameters suggest a trend to the autocatalytic path mechanism with increasing temperatures. This study demonstrates that macrocycles can be used as cross‐linking agents for curing epoxy resins and that when metallomacrocycles are used, metal ions can be introduced into the network structure. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 3972–3978, 2013
An Engineered Calmodulin‐Based Allosteric Switch for Peptide Biosensing
Authors: Meister Glenna E. , Joshi Neel S. 
Published: July 2013

AbstractThis work describes the development of a new platform for allosteric protein engineering that takes advantage of the ability of calmodulin to change conformation upon binding to peptide and protein ligands. The switch we have developed consists of a fusion protein in which calmodulin is genetically inserted into the sequence of TEM1 β‐lactamase. In this approach, calmodulin acts as the input domain, whose ligand‐dependent conformational changes control the activity of the β‐lactamase output domain. The new allosteric enzyme exhibits up to 120 times higher catalytic activity in the activated (peptide bound) state compared to the inactive (no peptide bound) state in vitro. Activation of the enzyme is ligand‐dependent—peptides with higher affinities for wild‐type calmodulin exhibit increased switch activity. Calmodulin's ability to “turn on” the activity of β‐lactamase makes this a potentially valuable scaffold for the directed evolution of highly specific biosensors for detecting toxins and other clinically relevant biomarkers.
Hydrodynamic study of a mixture of West Indian Cherry Residue and Soybean Grains in a spouted bed
Authors: Bortolotti Carolina T. , Santos Kassia G. , Francisquetti Mariele C. C. , Duarte Claudio R. , Barrozo Marcos A. S. 
Published: July 2013

AbstractWest Indian cherry, widely known as acerola in Latin America, is a fruit rich in vitamin C and other bioactive compounds. In Brazil, the largest producer of acerola in the world, the processing of this fruit results in large amounts of waste or residues. A method that allows these residues to be reused is drying. However, acerola residue has low flowability in spouted beds due to its low density and high moisture content. Therefore, in this study, soybean was used as an auxiliary material to maintain the stability of the fluid dynamics and the characteristics of the food end product. Because this process involves a mixture of solids of different sizes, shapes and densities, particle segregation may occur. This article reports on a study of the fluid dynamics of the mixture of acerola residue and soybean in a spouted bed, operating with different mass fractions of residue and different static bed heights. Particle segregation was analysed, allowing for the quantification of the effect of the initial concentration of acerola residue on the degree of miscibility. The content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and ascorbic acid, as well as the moisture and mixture indices at different drying times, were also quantified.
Assessing Solvation Effects on Chemical Reactions with Globally Optimized Solvent Clusters
Authors: Li Yan , Hartke Bernd 
Published: July 2013

AbstractWe have examined the influence of water solvent on the Menshutkin reaction of methyl chloride with ammonia by performing static, quantum chemical calculations. We have employed large, explicit, and globally structure‐optimized water clusters around the reaction center, in a mixed explicit/implicit solvent model. This approach deliberately deviates from attempts to capture the most likely solvent‐molecule distribution around a reaction center. Instead, it explores extremes on the scale of rearrangement speed in terms of the surrounding solvent cluster, relative to the reaction progress itself. A comparison to traditional theoretical and experimental results enables us to quantify the energy penalty that is induced by the inability of the water cluster to instantaneously and completely follow the reaction progress. In addition, the influence of water clusters on the reaction energy profile can be much larger than merely changing it somewhat. Certain clusters can completely annihilate the sizeable activation barrier of 23.5 kcal mol−1.
Nitrogen‐Doped Pt/C Electrocatalysts with Enhanced Activity and Stability toward the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Choi Sang‐Il , Lee Su‐Un , Choi Ran , Park Joon T. , Han Sang Woo 
Published: July 2013

AbstractRecently, nitrogen‐doped carbon materials have proved to be effective catalytic platforms for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Despite the recent synthetic advances for the preparation of nitrogen‐incorporated carbon materials, the low‐temperature and water‐based synthesis of nitrogen‐doped carbon materials has rarely been explored due to the difficulties in nitrogen‐doping under such mild conditions. Here, nitrogen‐doped Pt/C (Pt/NC) catalysts are prepared using a facile, low‐temperature, aqueous‐phase method. Hydrazine treatment of a Pt/C catalyst successfully yields Pt/NC with controlled nitrogen content. The as‐prepared Pt/NC catalysts exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability toward ORR in comparison to nitrogen‐free Pt/C, and their ORR activities are highly dependent on the level of nitrogen‐doping. The Pt/NC catalyst containing 2.0 at % nitrogen results in the largest improvement of ORR activity.
Effect of acarbose to delay progression of carotid intima–media thickness in early diabetes
Authors: Patel Y. R. , Kirkman M. S. , Considine R. V. , Hannon T. S. , Mather K. J. 
Published: July 2013

AbstractBackgroundThe anti‐diabetic agent acarbose reduces postprandial glucose excursions. We have evaluated the effect of randomized treatment with acarbose on the progression of carotid intima–media thickness (IMT) in early diabetes.MethodsThe Early Diabetes Intervention Program was a randomized trial of acarbose versus placebo in 219 participants with early diabetes characterized by glucose values over 11.1 mmol/L 2 h after a 75 g oral glucose load and a mean HbA1c of 6.3%. IMT was measured at baseline and yearly. Follow‐up was discontinued if participants progressed to the study glucose endpoints; IMT readings were available for a median of 2 years, with 72 subjects followed for 5 years.ResultsProgressive increases in IMT were seen in both treatment groups, but progression was reduced in participants randomized to acarbose (p = 0.047). In age, sex and smoking‐adjusted analyses, IMT progression was associated with greater fasting and oral glucose tolerance test‐excursion glucose, fasting insulin, cholesterol and glycated low‐density lipoprotein concentrations. IMT progression was reduced with study‐related changes in weight, insulin and non‐esterified fatty acids; these features were more strongly associated with reduced IMT progression than acarbose treatment. Despite strong associations of baseline glycemia with IMT progression, study‐related changes in glucose were not important determinants of IMT progression.ConclusionsAcarbose can delay progression of carotid intima–media thickness in early diabetes defined by an oral glucose tolerance test. Glucose, weight, insulin and lipids contributed to risk of progression but reductions in glycemia were not major determinants of reduced rate of IMT progression. Vascular benefits of acarbose may be independent of its glycemic effects. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spatial characteristics of surface water and groundwater using water stable isotope in the Tarim River Basin, northwestern China
Authors: Zhang Yucui , Shen Yanjun , Chen Yaning , Wang Yun 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTWater resources management of the Tarim River Basin in China is hampered because it is poorly gauged, leading to inadequate understanding of the components of the hydrological cycle. This is an important problem to both ecology and society in this arid basin. In this paper, we attempt to investigate the isotopic characteristics of the surface water and groundwater in the Tarim River Basin and estimate the water evaporation loss from lakes. By measuring the water stable isotope composition and by using a mass balance model, we analyzed the spatial characteristics of the isotope composition, and isotopic water lines for surface water and groundwater were determined. Phreatic water evaporation was verified on the basis of the isotope composition results. The spatial variability of the Aksu River exhibited a ‘toward lighter–heavier’ change along the main stream for both δ18O and δD, and the distributions could be described by a cubic equation. The isotope composition of the evaporation vapour (δE) of the Aksu River decreased with distance. No regular trend was observed for the Tarim River between the isotope composition and distance, whereas δE appeared to exhibit the same characteristics. This study is the first to use the isotopic method in the evaporation research for Bosten Lake. The water fraction lost [evaporation (E)/inflow (I)] in October was 0·25, which suggests that 0·68 × 108 m3 input water was lost to evaporation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Naphthalene Diimide Carrying Two Cysteine Termini at Both Imide Linkers as a Molecular Staple
Authors: Sato Shinobu , Yamamura Kosuke , Takenaka Shigeori 
Published: July 2013

AbstractNaphthalene diimide (1) carrying cysteines at the termini of amide substituents were synthesized to act as a molecular staple of double stranded DNA. Since 1 is able to bind to double stranded DNA with threading intercalation, the complex of 1 with double stranded DNA can be topologically immobilized on a gold surface through the SAu linkage as confirmed by cyclic voltammetric experiment. Ferrocenyl‐double stranded 23‐mertic oligonucleotide, dsFcODN, was immobilized on gold electrode with 1.0×1012 molecules cm−2 when electrode was treated with 2.0 µM dsFcODN and 4.0 µM 1 for 1 h at room temperature. The coverage density was similar to that obtained for the terminal thiol‐modified oligonucleotide. Compound 1 was applied to detect the 321‐meric PCR product of P. gingivalis, which is important in the diagnosis of periodontal disease. This experiment, coupled with the use of ferrocenylnaphthalene diimide, FND as electrochemical indicator for double stranded DNA, resulted in quantitative detection of PCR product within the range of 10 pg µL−1–10 ng µL−1 (15 nM–15 µM). The 1 and FND established a simple and rapid detection method of double stranded PCR product with a detection limit of 10 pg µL−1 (15 nM).
Regional variation in the particulate organic carbon to nitrogen ratio in the surface ocean
Authors: Martiny A. C. , Vrugt Jasper A. , Primeau Francois W. , Lomas Michael W. 
Published: July 2013

AbstractThe concept of constant elemental ratios in plankton communities—the Redfield ratio—is of central importance to ocean biogeochemistry. Recently, several studies have demonstrated regional differences in the plankton C:P and N:P ratio. However, less is known about potential systematic variations in the C:N ratio. Here we present an analysis of the particulate organic carbon to nitrogen ratio of 40,482 globally distributed samples from the upper 200 m of the ocean water column. Particulate organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations are highly correlated (R2 = 0.86) with a median value of 6.5. Using an artificial neural network analysis, we find regional variations in the C:N ratio linked to differences in environmental conditions. The ratio is lower in upper latitude cold water as well as upwelling regions in comparison to the warm oligotrophic gyres. We find substantial differences between ocean gyres that might be associated with differences in the nutrient supply ratio. Using cell sorting, we also quantified the C:N ratio of Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, and picoeukaryotic field populations. The analysis demonstrates that picophytoplankton lineages exhibit a significantly higher ratio than the bulk particulate material but are only marginally significantly different from each other. Thus, the dominance of picophytoplankton in ocean gyres may contribute to the elevated ratios observed in these regions. Overall, the median C:N ratio derived from 40,482 samples is close to the canonical Redfield ratio, but significant regional deviations from this value are observed. These differences could be important for marine biogeochemistry and the regional coupling between the ocean's carbon and nitrogen cycles.
THE IMPACT OF MACROECONOMIC CONDITIONS ON OBESITY IN CANADA
Authors: Latif Ehsan 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTThe paper used longitudinal Canadian data from the National Population Health Survey to estimate the impact of macroeconomic conditions measured by provincial unemployment rate on individual obesity and BMI. To control for individual‐specific unobserved heterogeneity, the study utilized the conditional fixed effect logit and fixed effects models. The study found that unemployment rate had a significant positive impact on the probability of being severely obese. The study also found that unemployment rate significantly increased BMI. However, the study did not find any significant impact of unemployment rate on the probability of being overweight or obese. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Therapeutic plasma exchange: An effective treatment in ethylene dibromide poisoning cases
Authors: Pahwa Naresh , Bharani Rajesh , Jain Manish , Argal Suarabh , Soni Harish , Kosta Susmit , Kumar Ravindra 
Published: July 2013

BackgroundEthylene dibromide (EDB) poisoning is very common in Central India and has fatal outcome. EDB is highly protein bound and, therefore, it is suggested that therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) may be useful in removing drug from body shortly after ingestion before EDB metabolizes and causes severe end organ damage. The aim of our study is to find the effect of time of start of TPE on survival outcome of EDB poisoning cases.Material and MethodsFifty‐eight cases of EDB poisoning were reviewed from 2007 to 2012 in Department of critical care medicine in tertiary care hospitals at Indore. Five patients were discharged against medical advice and lost to follow up. TPE was done in 47 patients as early as possible and irrespective of appearance of clinical symptoms. TPE was not performed in six cases as they were hypotensive at admission.ResultThe patients with EDB poisoning were 15–45 yrs old with 3:2 male to female ratio. Out of 47 who received TPE, 39 patients survived. TPE had started within 24 h of ingestions of EDB in 36 out of 39 survived patients. Survival outcome was nine times higher in patients who received TPE within 24 h than after 24 h of ingestion. Survival rate was increased to 100% in patients where TPE was done within 12 h of ingestion of EDB.ConclusionEarly TPE help to remove plasma protein bound toxin with significant mortality reduction. However, delay in start of TPE after ingestion of poison has significant poor survival outcome. J. Clin. Apheresis 28:374–377, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Virtual Screening: Using Molecular Docking and 3D‐QSAR Analysis of Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors
Authors: Amador‐Falcón Laura , Rodríguez‐Clavijo Daniela , Baldiris‐Ávila Rosa , Valdiris‐Ávila Verónica , Salgado‐Morán Guillermo , Glossman‐Mitnik Daniel , Vivas‐Reyes Ricardo 
Published: July 2013

AbstractMatrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) are a family of calcium‐dependent zinc‐containing endopeptidases which are responsible for the tissue remodeling and degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), including collagens, elastins, gelatin, matrix glycoproteins, and proteo‐ glycan. In this study, by using molecular docking and 3D‐QSAR analysis we get new insights into the relationship between experimental IC50 values and their descriptors obtained from CoMSIA and CoMFA programs. Obtained information on molecular structural of a series of β‐N‐biaryl ether sulfonamide hydroxamates as potential MMP inhibitors, that can be used to understand the drug receptor interactions of these kind of molecules.
Electrochemical Oxidative Detection of Guanosine‐5′‐triphosphate Based on a New Ionic Liquid Modified Carbon Paste Electrode
Authors: Shi Fan , Zhu Huanhuan , Li Linfang , Ling Luyang , Sun Wei 
Published: July 2013

AbstractAn ionic liquid (IL) 1‐(3‐chloro‐2‐hydroxy‐propyl)‐3‐methylimidazolium trifluoroacetate was used as the modifier for the preparation of the modified carbon paste electrode (CPE). The IL‐CPE showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of guanosine‐5′‐triphosphate (5′‐GTP) in a pH 5.0 Britton‐Robinson buffer solution. Due to the presence of high conductive IL on the electrode surface, the electrooxidation of 5′‐GTP was greatly promoted with a single well‐defined irreversible oxidation peak appeared. The electrode reaction was an adsorption‐controlled process and the electrochemical parameters of 5′‐GTP on IL‐CPE were calculated with the electron transfer coefficient (α) as 0.44, the electron transfer number (n) as 1.99, the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (ks) as 2.21 × 10−9 s−1 and the surface coverage (ΓT) as 1.53 × 10−10 mol cm−2. Under the selected conditions a linear calibration curve between the oxidation peak currents and 5′‐GTP concentration was obtained in the range from 2.0 to 1000.0 μmol L−1 with the detection limit as 0.049 μmol L−1 (3σ) by differential pulse voltammetry. The proposed method showed good selectivity to the 5‘‐GTP detection without the interferences of coexisting substances and the practical application was checked by measurements of the artificial samples.