bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fecal occult blood test and flexible rectosigmoidoscopy: tools for the screening of colorectal neoplasms in asymptomatic patients
Authors: Jucá Mario Jorge , Assunção Paulo Roberto Torres , Hasten-Reiter Júnior Hermann Nogueira 
Published: January 2015

Abstract
Purpose To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and flexible rectosigmoidoscopy (RSS), as tools used in the CRC screening, in asymptomatic patients, from 50 years of age.
Methods The study is transversal and presents a sample of 102 individuals. The FOBT used was the guaiaco, FECA-CULT® method, held at a single time, in feces collected from a complete evacuation. Individuals, who presented the positive FOBT, were sent to colonoscopy complement, although this is not primary variable examined in this study. All subjects underwent to flexible RSS, after bowel preparation, using a solution of sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate and dibasic sodium phosphate heptahydrate.
Results Individuals showed minimum age of 50 years and maximum 82 years, 61.6 years average and standard deviation +8.1. Of the 102 individuals, 42 (41%) belong to the males, whereas 60 (58.8%) female. The FOBT presented 10 positive cases (9.8%) (IC 95%: 4.8–17.3%) and 92 negative cases (90.2%) (IC 95%; 82.7–95.2%). The FOBT was effective at 2.9% and presented false-positive result in 6.9%. The result of the FBOT association with flexible RSS showed that 70% of neoplastic polyps showed no bleeding. Its sensitivity was 30% (IC 95%: 0.00–63.40%), the value of the relative risk was 3.94 (IC 95%: 1.20–12.89) and 5.20 valued odds ratio (IC 95%: −23.15 to 1.21). The specificity was 92.40% (IC 95%: 86.43–98.35%). The flexible RSS detected 15 polyps, among which, after histopathological study, 10 were neoplastic, being 09 adenomatous polyps (60%) and 01 malignity (6.7%) (IC 95%: 0.20–31.90%) and 05 non-neoplastic polyps (33.3%), and 03 inflammatory polyps (20%) (IC 95%: 4.3–48.1%) and 02 hyperplastic polyps (13.3%) (IC 95%: 1.7–40.5%). Neoplastic polyps were present in 60% of individuals over 60 years of age. Among the adenomatous polyps, the adenomatous polyp tubular prevalence is 53.33%. Among the 102 individuals, flexible RSS detected 09 adenomatous polyps (8.82%) and 01 (0.98%) malignity polyp.
Conclusion The tools FOBT and flexible RSS presented feasibility and, when associated demonstrated statistical significance in detecting polyps in general and important clinical significance on the detection of adenomatous polyps and colorectal cancer.
Sonographically Guided Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injection: Technique and Validation
Authors: Smith Jay , Hackel Joshua G. , Khan Umar , Pawlina Wojciech , Sellon Jacob L. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractObjectiveTo describe and validate a practical technique for sonographically guided anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injections.DesignProspective, cadaveric laboratory investigation.SettingProcedural skills laboratory in a tertiary medical center.SubjectsTen unembalmed, cadaveric mid–thigh‐knee‐ankle foot specimens (5 left knees and 5 right knees; 5 male and 5 female) from 10 donors aged 76 to 93 years (mean 85.6 years) with body mass indices of 17.6 to 42.2 kg/m2 (mean 28.8 kg/m2).MethodsA single, experienced operator used a 22‐gauge, 63.5‐mm stainless steel needle and a 12‐3–MHz linear transducer to inject 1.5 mL of diluted colored latex into the ACLs of 10 unembalmed cadaveric specimens via an in‐plane, caudad‐to‐cephalad approach, long axis to the ACL. At a minimum of 24 hours postinjection, specimens were dissected, and the presence and distribution of latex within the ACL assessed by a study co‐investigator.Main OutcomePresence and distribution of latex within the ACL.ResultsAll 10 injections accurately delivered latex into the proximal (femoral), midsubstance, and distal (tibial) portions of the ACL. No specimens exhibited evidence of needle injury or latex infiltration with respect to the menisci, hyaline cartilage, or posterior cruciate ligament.ConclusionsSonographically guided intra‐ligamentous ACL injections are technically feasible and can be performed with a high degree of accuracy. Sonographically guided ACL injections could be considered for research and clinical purposes to directly deliver injectable agents into the healing ACL postinjury or postreconstruction.
“Bringing Down the Flag”: Removing the Contact Precautions Label for Non-hospitalized Patients with Prior Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection or Colonization
Authors: Carson Paul J. , Danford Mallory , Carson Grace , Hanish Christine , Thompson Jody , Orr Megan , Traynor Michael , Roth Felix , Guerrero Dubert 
Published: January 2015

A policy consensus has not been reached regarding discontinuing contact precautions in patients with a history of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We found that as many as 72% of outpatients flagged for past MRSA were no longer carriers, and a single nasal PCR test provided a reasonable negative predictive value for removing contact precautions.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;00(0): 1–3
Is Augustinian faith rational?
Authors: BOESPFLUG MARK 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe Augustinian conception of faith – according to which faith and belief precede knowledge and understanding – appears to entail an epistemic violation. For Augustine, faith is exercised when a testimonial report that P is believed on the basis of that report. This reconfigures the factors involved in assessing whether what is believed on faith is believed rationally. The specific goal of this article is, however, to determine whether believing specifically Christian testimony – and, thus, faith – is rational. Jonathan Adler identifies six forms of background evidence that constitute epistemic reasons for believing testimony. At least five of them appear to be fulfilled for Augustine in the case of believing Christian testimony. Thus, Augustinian faith is supported by epistemic reasons, and should be considered rational.
Maximally and non-maximally fast escaping points of transcendental entire functions
Authors: SIXSMITH D. J. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractWe partition the fast escaping set of a transcendental entire function into two subsets, the maximally fast escaping set and the non-maximally fast escaping set. These sets are shown to have strong dynamical properties. We show that the intersection of the Julia set with the non-maximally fast escaping set is never empty. The proof uses a new covering result for annuli, which is of wider interest.It was shown by Rippon and Stallard that the fast escaping set has no bounded components. In contrast, by studying a function considered by Hardy, we give an example of a transcendental entire function for which the maximally and non-maximally fast escaping sets each have uncountably many singleton components.
Effect of Menopausal Status on Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Presence of Carotid Plaque in Chinese Women Generation Population
Authors: Zhou Yong , Wang Dandan , Yang Xin , Wang Anxin , Gao Xiang , Guo Yuming , Wu Shouling , Zhao Xingquan 
Published: January 2015

AbstractMenopause is an important physiological stage in women's life. The potential association of menopause with carotid intima-media thickness as well as with occurrence and stability of carotid plaque in Chinese female population is unclear. We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study by recruiting 2,131 participants aged above 40 years from northeast of China. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), presence of carotid plaque and its stability were evaluated by carotid duplex sonography. Among the participants, 1,133 (53.2%) were identified to be postmenopausal. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, presence of CIMT at 50th- 75th and ≥75th percentiles, carotid plaque and its unstable status were found to be significantly associated with the postmenopausal status (P < 0.001). When matched the participants by age, post-menopausal status was still associated with a higher risk of having unstable plaque. Moreover, our data show that postmenopausal status is a risk factor for intracranial arterial stenosis when compared with premenopausal status in the univariate analysis (OR = 1.314, P = 0.043) and such relationship is lost when the confounding factors are adjusted (OR = 0.828, P = 0.225). In conclusion, the vascular risk factors increase as the menopausal status changes. Compared with premenopausal status, postmenopausal status is associated with higher morbidity of CIMT, carotid plaque and its unstable status.
Novel codon-optimized mini-intronic plasmid for efficient, inexpensive and xeno-free induction of pluripotency
Authors: Diecke Sebastian , Lu Jiamiao , Lee Jaecheol , Termglinchan Vittavat , Kooreman Nigel G. , Burridge Paul W. , Ebert Antje D. , Churko Jared M. , Sharma Arun , Kay Mark A. , Wu Joseph C. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe development of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology has revolutionized the regenerative medicine field. This technology provides a powerful tool for disease modeling and drug screening approaches. To circumvent the risk of random integration into the host genome caused by retroviruses, non-integrating reprogramming methods have been developed. However, these techniques are relatively inefficient or expensive. The mini-intronic plasmid (MIP) is an alternative, robust transgene expression vector for reprogramming. Here we developed a single plasmid reprogramming system which carries codon-optimized (Co) sequences of the canonical reprogramming factors (Oct4, Klf4, Sox2 and c-Myc) and short hairpin RNA against p53 ("4-in-1 CoMiP"). We have derived human and mouse iPSC lines from fibroblasts by performing a single transfection. Either independently or together with an additional vector encoding for LIN28, NANOG and GFP, we were also able to reprogram blood-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) into iPSCs. Taken together, the CoMiP system offers a new highly efficient, integration-free, easy to use and inexpensive methodology for reprogramming. Furthermore, the CoMIP construct is color-labeled, free of any antibiotic selection cassettes and independent of the requirement for expression of the Epstein-Barr Virus nuclear antigen (EBNA), making it particularly beneficial for future applications in regenerative medicine.
Reference gene selection for cross-species and cross-ploidy level comparisons in Chrysanthemum spp.
Authors: Wang Haibin , Chen Sumei , Jiang Jiafu , Zhang Fei , Chen Fadi 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe establishment of a (set of) stably expressed reference gene(s) is required to normalize transcription data. Polyploidy is very common in the plant kingdom, but it is not necessarily the case that a reference gene which works well at the diploid level will also work well at the polyploid level. Here, ten candidate reference genes are compared in the context of gene transcription in the genus Chrysanthemum. The robustness of some, but not all, of these was shown to be high across ploidy levels. MTP (metalloprotease) and ACTIN (actin) were the most stable in diploid and tetraploid C. nankingense, while PSAA (photosynthesis-related plastid gene representing photosystem I) and EF-1α (elongation factor-1α) were the most stable in tetraploid and hexaploid C. zawadskii.EF-1α and PGK (phosphoglycerate kinase) was the best combination for the complete set of four taxa. These results suggest that when making cross-species comparison of transcript abundance involving different ploidy levels, care needs to be taken in the selection of reference gene(s).
Acceptance Noise Level: Effects of the Speech Signal, Babble, and Listener Language
Authors: Shi Lu-Feng , Azcona Gabrielly , Buten Lupe 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
The acceptable noise level (ANL) measure has gained much research/clinical interest in recent years. The present study examined how the characteristics of the speech signal and the babble used in the measure may affect the ANL in listeners with different native languages.

Method
Fifteen English monolingual, 16 Russian–English bilingual, and 24 Spanish–English bilingual listeners participated. The ANL was obtained in eight conditions varying in the language of the signal (English and Spanish), language of the babble (English and Spanish), and number of talkers in the babble (4 and 12). Test conditions were randomized across listeners. The ANL for each condition was based on a minimum of two trials.

Results
Russian–English bilinguals yielded higher ANLs than other listeners; the intergroup difference of 4–5 dB was statistically and clinically significant. Spanish signals yielded significantly higher ANLs than English signals, but this difference of 0.5 dB was clinically negligible. The language and composition of the babble had a significant effect on Russian–English bilinguals, who yielded higher ANLs with the Spanish than English 12-talker babble.

Conclusion
The above findings do not fully support the notion that the ANL is language- and population-independent. Clinicians should be aware of possible effects on ANL measures due to listeners' linguistic/cultural background.
The Efficacy of Stuttering Measurement Training: Evaluating Two Training Programs
Authors: Bainbridge Lauren A. , Stavros Candace , Ebrahimian Mineh , Wang Yuedong , Ingham Roger J. 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
Two stuttering measurement training programs currently used for training clinicians were evaluated for their efficacy in improving the accuracy of total stuttering event counting.

Method
Four groups, each with 12 randomly allocated participants, completed a pretest–posttest design training study. They were evaluated by their counts of stuttering events on eight 3-min audiovisual speech samples from adults and children who stutter. Stuttering judgment training involved use of either the Stuttering Measurement System (SMS), Stuttering Measurement Assessment and Training (SMAAT) programs, or no training. To test for the reliability of any training effect, SMS training was repeated with the 4th group.

Results
Both SMS-trained groups produced approximately 34% improvement, significantly better than no training or the SMAAT program. The SMAAT program produced a mixed result.

Conclusions
The SMS program was shown to produce a “medium” effect size improvement in the accuracy of stuttering event counts, and this improvement was almost perfectly replicated in a 2nd group. Half of the SMAAT judges produced a 36% improvement in accuracy, but the other half showed no improvement. Additional studies are needed to demonstrate the durability of the reported improvements, but these positive effects justify the importance of stuttering measurement training.
Driving simulator‐based study of compliance behaviour with dynamic message sign route guidance
Authors: Ardeshiri Anam , Jeihani Mansoureh , Peeta Srinivas 
Published: January 2015

This study uses a hybrid approach that incorporates a driving simulator (DS) in conjunction with a stated preference (SP) survey to analyse driver response behaviour under real‐time route guidance through dynamic message signs (DMSs). It seeks to better understand factors affecting the route choice decisions by bridging some of the key gaps that limit the applicability of SP approaches. A 400 km2 network southwest of the Baltimore metro area is used for the DS‐based analysis with over 100 participants. The results illustrate that past exposure to DMS, travel time savings, DMS information reliability and learning from past experience are important determinants of driver response behaviour in the real world. Moreover, in addition to travel time, inertia and anchoring effects can significantly influence choice decisions. This study also illustrates that the decisions revealed in the simulator experiments at the individual level can diverge significantly from those stated in the SP questionnaire, highlighting the need to go beyond stated intent to analyse the effectiveness of information‐based guidance strategies.
Hybrid‐bridge transformerless photovoltaic grid‐connected inverter
Authors: Cui Wenfeng , Luo Haoze , Gu Yunjie , Li Wuhua , Yang Bo , He Xiangning 
Published: January 2015

The transformerless inverters with leakage current suppression have become an urgent application tendency in grid‐connected photovoltaic systems because of low cost and high efficiency concerns. In this study, the half‐bridge module and neutral point clamping (NPC) module are combined to derive an advanced hybrid‐bridge transformerless inverter, which not only suppresses leakage current, but also reduces the required bus voltage compared to the conventional half‐bridge or NPC inverters. A sinusoidal pulse‐width modulation strategy without dead time is presented to enhance both the grid‐connected power quality and system reliability. Furthermore, a detailed circuit performance comparison and practical evaluation are presented to show the clear advantages of the hybrid‐bridge transformerless inverter. It also provides practical solutions for the leakage current minimisation by considering the contributing factors such as circuit parasitic parameters. Finally, a 3 kW prototype is tested to verify the theoretical analysis and main contributions of the study.
Price Stability and Economic Sustainability–Achievable Goals? A Case Study of Organic Valley®
Authors: Su Ye , Cook Michael L. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractOrganic Valley is the largest organic cooperative in North America, one of two national buyers of organic milk, and one of two national organic dairy manufacturers. The cooperative's official name is Cooperative of Regional Organic Producers, and it is organized as a new generation cooperative, owned and controlled by patron‐members who also transact with the business. Organic Valley has a unique policy of sustainable and stable producer pay‐pricing for organic milk in the emerging organic dairy industry. This case presents challenges faced by the leadership of Organic Valley cooperative to maintain a stable and economically sustainable pay price for its farmer members. This case also introduces students to a new organizational form of cooperative, including its governance, the industry, and the market structure in which the cooperative operates. The objective of this case study is to improve student understanding of economic concepts such as theories of the imperfect market, demand and supply, and organizational design. The case also aims to help students improve their critical thinking and analytical skills by exploring the possibility of maintaining a unique sustainable and stable pricing method through the data provided. Additionally, the story introduces the economic role that organic dairy operation might play for small and medium‐size dairy farmers as they attempt to maintain an economically sustainable family farm lifestyle.
Electronic health records and support for primary care teamwork
Authors: O’Malley Ann S. , Draper Kevin , Gourevitch Rebecca , Cross Dori A. , Scholle Sarah Hudson 
Published: January 2015

Abstract
Objective Consensus that enhanced teamwork is necessary for efficient and effective primary care delivery is growing. We sought to identify how electronic health records (EHRs) facilitate and pose challenges to primary care teams as well as how practices are overcoming these challenges.
Methods Practices in this qualitative study were selected from those recognized as patient-centered medical homes via the National Committee for Quality Assurance 2011 tool, which included a section on practice teamwork. We interviewed 63 respondents, ranging from physicians to front-desk staff, from 27 primary care practices ranging in size, type, geography, and population size.
Results EHRs were found to facilitate communication and task delegation in primary care teams through instant messaging, task management software, and the ability to create evidence-based templates for symptom-specific data collection from patients by medical assistants and nurses (which can offload work from physicians). Areas where respondents felt that electronic medical record EHR functionalities were weakest and posed challenges to teamwork included the lack of integrated care manager software and care plans in EHRs, poor practice registry functionality and interoperability, and inadequate ease of tracking patient data in the EHR over time.
Discussion Practices developed solutions for some of the challenges they faced when attempting to use EHRs to support teamwork but wanted more permanent vendor and policy solutions for other challenges.
Conclusions EHR vendors in the United States need to work alongside practicing primary care teams to create more clinically useful EHRs that support dynamic care plans, integrated care management software, more functional and interoperable practice registries, and greater ease of data tracking over time.
A defense-offense multi-layered regulatory switch in a pathogenic bacterium
Authors: Nitzan Mor , Fechter Pierre , Peer Asaf , Altuvia Yael , Bronesky Delphine , Vandenesch François , Romby Pascale , Biham Ofer , Margalit Hanah 
Published: January 2015

Abstract
Cells adapt to environmental changes by efficiently adjusting gene expression programs. Staphylococcus aureus, an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium, switches between defensive and offensive modes in response to quorum sensing signal. We identified and studied the structural characteristics and dynamic properties of the core regulatory circuit governing this switch by deterministic and stochastic computational methods, as well as experimentally. This module, termed here Double Selector Switch (DSS), comprises the RNA regulator RNAIII and the transcription factor Rot, defining a double-layered switch involving both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulations. It coordinates the inverse expression of two sets of target genes, immuno-modulators and exotoxins, expressed during the defensive and offensive modes, respectively. Our computational and experimental analyses show that the DSS guarantees fine-tuned coordination of the inverse expression of its two gene sets, tight regulation, and filtering of noisy signals. We also identified variants of this circuit in other bacterial systems, suggesting it is used as a molecular switch in various cellular contexts and offering its use as a template for an effective switching device in synthetic biology studies.
Regulation of mammalian nucleotide metabolism and biosynthesis
Authors: Lane Andrew N , Fan Teresa W-M 
Published: January 2015

AbstractNucleotides are required for a wide variety of biological processes and are constantly synthesized denovo in all cells. When cells proliferate, increased nucleotide synthesis is necessary for DNA replication and for RNA production to support protein synthesis at different stages of the cell cycle, during which these events are regulated at multiple levels. Therefore the synthesis of the precursor nucleotides is also strongly regulated at multiple levels. Nucleotide synthesis is an energy intensive process that uses multiple metabolic pathways across different cell compartments and several sources of carbon and nitrogen. The processes are regulated at the transcription level by a set of master transcription factors but also at the enzyme level by allosteric regulation and feedback inhibition. Here we review the cellular demands of nucleotide biosynthesis, their metabolic pathways and mechanisms of regulation during the cell cycle. The use of stable isotope tracers for delineating the biosynthetic routes of the multiple intersecting pathways and how these are quantitatively controlled under different conditions is also highlighted. Moreover, the importance of nucleotide synthesis for cell viability is discussed and how this may lead to potential new approaches to drug development in diseases such as cancer.