bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Visual Outcomes of Eyes Implanted With a Toric Multifocal Intraocular Lens
Authors: Crema Armando S. , Walsh Aileen , Ventura Bruna V. , Santhiago Marcony R. 
Published: July 2014

PURPOSE:
To investigate the predictability, efficacy, and safety of a ReSTOR multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) (Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fort Worth, TX).

METHODS:
This retrospective, noncomparative case study included 70 eyes of 44 patients implanted with a ReSTOR toric multifocal IOL (Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fort Worth, TX). Patients were examined preoperatively and approximately 3 months postoperatively. Uncorrected and distance-corrected distance and near visual acuities were measured. Refractive and topographic astigmatism were recorded. Improvement, number of lines gained and lost, and correlation of attempted and achieved astigmatic correction values were also investigated as measurements of efficacy, safety, and predictability.

RESULTS:

Mean follow-up time was 2.3 ± 1.2 months. Postoperative values of uncorrected distance and near visual acuity were 0.02 ± 0.05 logMAR (20/21 ± 20/22 Snellen) and 0.01 ± 0.04 logMAR (20/20 ± 20/22 Snellen), respectively. Statistical analyses revealed a significant improvement when comparing preoperative and postoperative values of manifest refraction spherical equivalent (
P
< .0001), uncorrected distance visual acuity (
P
< .0001), and astigmatism (
P
< .0001); 95.7% of eyes were 20/25 or better and 100% of eyes were 20/30 or better. At the last follow-up visit, none of the examined eyes had lost any lines. One hundred percent of the eyes remained unchanged or improved after surgery. Mean postoperative manifest refraction spherical equivalent was −0.06 ± 0.27 at the last follow-up visit. The residual manifest astigmatism was 0.22 ± 0.21. There was a highly significant correlation between preoperative attempted topographic astigmatism and postoperative achieved refractive astigmatism.

CONCLUSIONS:
The study provides clinical evidence that the new toric multifocal IOL seems to be predictable, safe, and effective, providing satisfactory visual acuity for far and near and correcting astigmatism.

[
J Refract Surg.
2014;30(7):486–491.]
Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Residential Soils and Their Health Risk and Hazard in An Industrial City in India
Authors: Kumar Bhupander , Verma Virendra Kumar , Singh Satish Kumar , Kumar Sanjay , Sharma Chandra Shekhar , Akolkar Avinash B. 
Published: July 2014

Background Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have never been produced in India, but were used in industrial applications. PCBs have been detected in environmental samples since 1966, and their sources in soils come from depositions of industrial applications, incinerators and biomass combustions. PCBs adsorb to soil particles and persist for long time due to their properties. Their close proximity may also lead to human exposure through ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact, and may exert neurotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic health effects. Design and Methods Residential soil from Korba, India, was extracted using pressurized liquid extraction procedure, cleaned on modified silica and quantified for PCBs. Soil ingestion was considered as the main exposure pathways of life-long intake of PCBs. Human health risk in terms of life time average daily dose, incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) and non-cancer hazard quotient (HQ) were estimated using established guidelines. Results The estimated average ILCR from non dioxin like PCBs for human adults and children was 3.1×10–8 and 1.1×10–7, respectively. ILCR from dioxin like PCBs for human adults and children was 3.1×10–6 and 1.1×10–5, respectively. The HQ for PCBs was 6.3×10–4 and 2.2×10–3, respectively for human adults and children. Study observed that ILCR from non dioxin like PCBs was lower than acceptable guideline range of 10–6-10–4, and ILCR from dioxin like PCBs was within the limit. HQ was lower than safe limit of 1. Conclusions Study concluded that human population residing in Korba had low health risk due to PCBs in residential soils.
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL OVERVIEW OF HODGKIN LYMPHOMA ACROSS THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN
Authors: Salati Massimiliano , Cesaretti Marina , Macchia Matteo , El Mistiri Mufid , Federico Massimo 
Published: July 2014

Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) is an uncommon neoplasm of B-cell origin with an incidence that varies significantly by age, sex, ethnicity, geographic location and socioeconomic status. This complex pattern was also found to be replicated among Mediterranean basin populations. HL incidence rates progressively decreased from industrialized European countries such as France (ASR=2.61) and Italy (ASR=2.39) to less developed nations such as Albania (ASR=1.34) and Bosnia Herzegovina (ASR=1.1). Regarding HL mortality we have found that countries with the lowest incidence rates show the highest number of deaths from this cancer and viceversa. Finally, a wide gap in terms of survival was showed across the Mediterranean basin with survival rates ranged from 82.3% and 85.1% among Italian men and women, to 53.3 % and 59.3% among Libyan men and women, respectively. Factors such as the degree of socio-economic development, the exposure to risk factors westernization-related, the availability of diagnostic practices along with different genetic susceptibilities to HL may explain its variation across Mediterranean countries. Furthermore, the lack of health resources decisively contribute to the poor prognosis recorded in less developed region. In the future, the introduction of appropriate and accessible treatment facilities along with an adequate number of clinical specialists in the treatment of HL and other cancers are warranted in order to improve the outcomes of affected patients and treat a largely curable type of cancer in disadvantaged regions.
Effect of Remuneration on Employees Performance in the Ministry of Internal Security: A Case of Kisii County
Authors: Onyancha Wilfred Nyanumba , Elijah Charles Munene , Muturi Willy 
Published: July 2014

Despite the fact that the Kenyan government had made efforts, achievements and remarkable developments in the Ministry of Internal Security for its success, the performance of the workforce was still poor and this could be due to poor remuneration of employees, whereby the salary scale had remained constant for a long time despite of the increasing cost of living in the country. And this had also demoralized the employees leading to poor performance in the Ministry which in the end could result into loss of the credibility of the government. When the cost-of-living rose, there was enormous pressure on employers to raise wages and salaries by the rate of inflation. The problem therefore was how to improve productivity of employees by providing the pay which could enable them to cope up with their purchasing power. It was therefore important for the organization to consider the salary system as a mechanism by which an organization could plan how to attract, retain, reward and motivate its salaried employees in order to enhance good performance in the Ministry. The human resource factor (particularly remuneration) lied at the very heart of the reform program. Subsequently, the need arose to undertake an empirical study to determine the effect of remuneration on employees’ performance at the Ministry of Internal Security.
The relationship between developmental performance appraisal, organizational support, organizational commitment and task performance: Testing a mediation model
Authors: Poursafar Ali , Rajaeepour Saeed , Seyadat Sayeed Ali , Oreizi Hamid Reza 
Published: July 2014

The goal of the present research was to examine how organizational support and organizational commitment influence the relationship between developmental performance appraisal and the employees’ task performance. A number of 217 formal employees working at Gas Company in Gilan, Iran with a degree of diploma and beyond were selected to answer a questionnaire in a stratified random manner. The research method was a cross-sectional survey type (structural equation model). Research instruments adopted in this study included Questionnaire of Developmental Performance Appraisal (Kuvaas, 2007), perceived Organizational Support scale (Rhoades et al., 2001), Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (Balfour and Wechsler, 1996), as well as Task Performance Questionnaire (Williams and Anderson, 1991). To evaluate the suggested model, structural equation modeling through PASW Statistics22 and Amos Graphics21software package were used. Moreover, the indirect effects were tested by Bootstrap procedure. The results revealed that the research suggested model enjoyed a good fitting with data. The findings does not support direct path of developmental performance appraisal and task performance .The research findings showed that indirect path of developmental performance appraisal, organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior was meaningful, while the indirect path of developmental performance appraisal, organizational support and task performance were not supported. Eventually, Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Attitude of people towards retention and switching: A study based on Nestle brand in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Muhammad Amin , Raheel Muhammad , Chughtai Muhammad Saqib , Raza Suftain , Rizwan Muhammad 
Published: July 2014

Intention to change from a product/service to a different ends up in change behaviour .This behaviour may end up in a very major decrease within the sales revenue that successively can end in a large decrease in profits. The aim of this study is to visualize the change intention of the people because of totally different multiple factors. The character of this analysis is descriptive. All variables have important impact on change intention. The result shows that client satisfaction and client loyalty have negative impact on switching intention. And every factor has positive impact on switching intention. The results show that as loyalty and satisfaction of client will increase the intention to switching decreases. On the opposite hand increase in worth, company name, trust and word of mouth lead to a rise in change intention. The study was focused primarily in a city and therefore the respondents were primarily below the age of thirty.
“Drinking in the Dark” (DID): A Simple Mouse Model of Binge‐Like Alcohol Intake
Authors: Thiele Todd E. , Crabbe John C. , Boehm Stephen L. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractOne of the greatest challenges that scientists face when studying the neurobiology and/or genetics of alcohol (ethanol) consumption is that most preclinical animal models do not voluntarily consume enough ethanol to achieve pharmacologically meaningful blood ethanol concentrations (BECs). Recent rodent models have been developed that promote binge‐like levels of ethanol consumption associated with high BECs (i.e., ≥100 mg/dl). This unit describes procedures for an animal model of binge‐like ethanol drinking which has come to be called “drinking in the dark” (DID). The “basic” variation of DID involves replacing the water bottle with a bottle containing 20% ethanol for 2 to 4 hr, beginning 3 hr into the dark cycle, on cages of singly‐housed C57BL/6J mice. Using this procedure, mice typically consume enough ethanol to achieve BECs >100 mg/dl and to exhibit behavioral evidence of intoxication. An alternative two‐bottle (ethanol and water) procedure is also described. Curr. Protoc. Neurosci. 68:9.49.1‐9.49.12. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Isolation of Single‐Stranded DNA
Authors: Wakimoto Yuji , Jiang Jianming , Wakimoto Hiroko 
Published: July 2014

AbstractSingle‐stranded DNA (ssDNA) is often used for DNA sequencing as well as microarray and hybridization technologies. Asymmetric PCR or exonuclease digestion followed by urea gel separation and isolation on streptavidin‐coated magnetic beads are commonly used for this purpose. These two methods may not yield large amounts of highly purified ssDNA. This protocol for ssDNA isolation from PCR‐amplified DNA involves biotin labeling of one strand and subsequent strand separation utilizing streptavidin‐coated magnetic beads. Curr. Protoc. Mol. Biol. 107:2.15.1‐2.15.9. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Preparation of Single‐Cell RNA‐Seq Libraries for Next Generation Sequencing
Authors: Trombetta John J. , Gennert David , Lu Diana , Satija Rahul , Shalek Alex K. , Regev Aviv 
Published: July 2014

AbstractFor the past several decades, due to technical limitations, the field of transcriptomics has focused on population‐level measurements that can mask significant differences between individual cells. With the advent of single‐cell RNA‐Seq, it is now possible to profile the responses of individual cells at unprecedented depth and thereby uncover, transcriptome‐wide, the heterogeneity that exists within these populations. This unit describes a method that merges several important technologies to produce, in high‐throughput, single‐cell RNA‐Seq libraries. Complementary DNA (cDNA) is made from full‐length mRNA transcripts using a reverse transcriptase that has terminal transferase activity. This, when combined with a second “template‐switch” primer, allows for cDNAs to be constructed that have two universal priming sequences. Following preamplification from these common sequences, Nextera XT is used to prepare a pool of 96 uniquely indexed samples ready for Illumina sequencing. Curr. Protoc. Mol. Biol. 107:4.22.1‐4.22.17. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The UCSC Genome Browser: What Every Molecular Biologist Should Know
Authors: Mangan Mary E. , Williams Jennifer M. , Kuhn Robert M. , Lathe Warren C. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractElectronic data resources can enable molecular biologists to quickly get information from around the world that a decade ago would have been buried in papers scattered throughout the library. The ability to access, query, and display these data makes benchwork much more efficient and drives new discoveries. Increasingly, mastery of software resources and corresponding data repositories is required to fully explore the volume of data generated in biomedical and agricultural research, because only small amounts of data are actually found in traditional publications. The UCSC Genome Browser provides a wealth of data and tools that advance understanding of genomic context for many species, enable detailed analysis of data, and provide the ability to interrogate regions of interest across disparate data sets from a wide variety of sources. Researchers can also supplement the standard display with their own data to query and share this with others. Effective use of these resources has become crucial to biological research today, and this unit describes some practical applications of the UCSC Genome Browser. Curr. Protoc. Mol. Biol. 107:19.9.1‐19.9.36. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Quantitative Analysis of Protein‐Protein Interactions by Split Firefly Luciferase Complementation in Plant Protoplasts
Authors: Li Jian‐Feng , Zhang Dandan 
Published: July 2014

AbstractThis unit describes the split firefly luciferase complementation (SFLC) assay, a high‐throughput quantitative method that can be used to investigate protein‐protein interactions (PPIs) in plant mesophyll protoplasts. In SFLC, the two proteins to be tested for interaction are expressed as chimeric proteins, each fused to a different half of firefly luciferase. If the proteins interact, a functional luciferase can be transitorily reconstituted, and is detected using the cell‐permeable substrate D‐luciferin. An advantage of the SFLC assay is that dynamic changes in PPIs in a cell can be detected in a near real‐time manner. Another advantage is the unusually high DNA co‐transfection and protein expression efficiencies that can be achieved in plant protoplasts, thereby enhancing the throughput of the method. Curr. Protoc. Mol. Biol. 107:20.9.1‐20.9.8. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Imaging Autophagy
Authors: Karanasios Eleftherios , Stapleton Eloise , Manifava Maria , Ktistakis Nicholas T. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractAutophagy is a membrane‐trafficking pathway activated to deliver cytosolic material for degradation to lysosomes through a novel membrane compartment, the autophagosome. Fluorescence microscopy is the most common method used to visualize proteins inside cells, and it is widely used in the autophagy field. To distinguish it from the cellular background, the protein of interest (POI) is either fused with a genetically encoded fluorescent protein or stained with an antibody that is conjugated to an inorganic fluorescent compound. Genetic tagging of the POI allows its visualization in live cells, while immunostaining of the POI requires the fixation of cells and the permeabilization of cell membranes. Here we describe detailed protocols on how to visualize autophagy dynamics using fluorescence microscopy in live and fixed cells. We discuss the critical parameters of each technique, their advantages, and why the robustness is increased when they are used in tandem. Curr. Protoc. Cytom. 69:12.34.1‐12.34.16. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Forecast cooling of the Atlantic subpolar gyre and associated impacts
Authors: Hermanson Leon , Eade Rosie , Robinson Niall H. , Dunstone Nick J. , Andrews Martin B. , Knight Jeff R. , Scaife Adam A. , Smith Doug M. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractDecadal variability in the North Atlantic and its subpolar gyre (SPG) has been shown to be predictable in climate models initialized with the concurrent ocean state. Numerous impacts over ocean and land have also been identified. Here we use three versions of the Met Office Decadal Prediction System to provide a multimodel ensemble forecast of the SPG and related impacts. The recent cooling trend in the SPG is predicted to continue in the next 5 years due to a decrease in the SPG heat convergence related to a slowdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. We present evidence that the ensemble forecast is able to skilfully predict these quantities over recent decades. We also investigate the ability of the forecast to predict impacts on surface temperature, pressure, precipitation, and Atlantic tropical storms and compare the forecast to recent boreal summer climate.
Assessment of the validity of Stokes and Reynolds equations for fluid flow through a rough‐walled fracture with flow imaging
Authors: Lee Seung Hyun , Lee Kang‐Kun , Yeo In Wook 
Published: July 2014

AbstractUnderstanding fluid flow through a rough‐walled fracture is important in many problems such as petroleum and geothermal reservoir exploitation, geological storage of CO2, and sitting of radioactive waste repositories. In order to advance the understanding of fracture flow, we conducted the first direct measurement of flow velocity across rough‐walled fractures at Reynolds number (Re) of 0.014 to 0.086. The results were used for an order of magnitude analysis to evaluate assumptions underlying the Stokes and the Reynolds equations, which are derived from simplifying the Navier–Stokes equations. Even at very rough subregions, viscous forces were at least 2 orders of magnitude greater than inertial forces, indicating that the Stokes equations are valid for Re < 0.1. However, the assumption made in the derivation of the Reynolds equation that ∂2ux/∂z2 is dominant over other viscous terms was not satisfied even at moderate roughness for Re < 0.1. The Reynolds equation overestimated flow rate.
Seismic evidence for rotating mantle flow around subducting slab edge associated with oceanic microplate capture
Authors: Mosher Stephen G. , Audet Pascal , L'Heureux Ivan 
Published: July 2014

AbstractTectonic plate reorganization at a subduction zone edge is a fundamental process that controls oceanic plate fragmentation and capture. However, the various factors responsible for these processes remain elusive. We characterize seismic anisotropy of the upper mantle in the Explorer region at the northern limit of the Cascadia subduction zone from teleseismic shear wave splitting measurements. Our results show that the mantle flow field beneath the Explorer slab is rotating anticlockwise from the convergence‐parallel motion between the Juan de Fuca and the North America plates, re‐aligning itself with the transcurrent motion between the Pacific and North America plates. We propose that oceanic microplate fragmentation is driven by slab stretching, thus reorganizing the mantle flow around the slab edge and further contributing to slab weakening and increase in buoyancy, eventually leading to cessation of subduction and microplate capture.
Shock compression of Fe‐Ni‐Si system to 280 GPa: Implications for the composition of the Earth's outer core
Authors: Zhang Youjun , Sekine Toshimori , He Hongliang , Yu Yin , Liu Fusheng , Zhang Mingjian 
Published: July 2014

AbstractThe shock Hugoniot of an Fe‐9 wt %Ni‐10 wt %Si system as a model of the Earth's core has been measured up to ~280 GPa using a two‐stage light‐gas gun. The samples had an average density of 6.853 (±0.036) g/cm3. The relationship between shock velocity (Us) and particle velocity (up) can be described by Us (km/s) = 3.95 (±0.15) + 1.53 (±0.05) up (km/s). The calculated Hugoniot temperatures and the melting curve indicate that the model composition melts above a shock pressure of ~168 GPa, which is significantly lower than the shock‐melting pressure of iron (~225 GPa). A comparison of the pressure‐density (P‐ρ) profiles between the model composition and the preliminary reference Earth model gives a silicon content close to 10 wt %, necessary to compensate the density deficit in the Earth's outer core from seismological observations, if silicon is present as a major light element in the Fe‐Ni core system.
Signatures of electron Landau resonant interactions with chorus waves from THEMIS observations
Authors: Min Kyungguk , Liu Kaijun , Li Wen 
Published: July 2014

AbstractSimultaneous observations of electron phase space density (PSD) and chorus waves for more than 4 years by the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) are analyzed to identify signatures of the electron Landau resonant interactions with chorus waves in the radiation belts. Chorus waves play an important role in the radiation belt dynamics by effectively interacting with electrons. Landau resonant interactions arise when the waves are not exactly parallel propagating. Such interactions lead to “plateaus” along v∥ in the electron velocity distributions, where v∥is the parallel (with respect to the background magnetic field) component of the electron velocity. The analyzed electron PSDs often demonstrate local minima in the derivative of the velocity distribution along v∥ near the Landau resonant velocity calculated from the simultaneous in situ wave observations. These minima are, therefore, direct signatures and solid evidence of the electron Landau resonant interactions with chorus waves.
Quantification of land‐surface heterogeneity via entropy spectrum method
Authors: Hintz Michael , Lennartz‐Sassinek Sabine , Liu Shaofeng , Shao Yaping 
Published: July 2014

AbstractSurface heterogeneity is present on every scale of the land surface. However, its role in the exchange processes between the land surface and the atmosphere is still an open question. In this paper, we present a method, which combines the decomposition of land‐surface heterogeneity into fine and coarse structures with the quantification of the structures using information entropy. The resulting entropy spectrum allows the assessment of the amount of information on different scales. The wavelet transformation and the most frequent‐value method are used as filters for the decomposition. We also derive an analytical formula for estimation of the probability density function (PDF) of filtered random surface parameters using the most frequent‐value method. By analyzing the entropy spectrum of synthetic data, we derive rules for the interpretation of the entropy spectrum. We then apply them to real data and appraise, which scale of the heterogeneity is important for land surface and atmosphere interactions.