bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Circulating Cytokine/Inhibitor Profiles Reshape the Understanding of the SIRS/CARS Continuum in Sepsis and Predict Mortality
Authors: Osuchowski Marcin F. , Welch Kathy , Siddiqui Javed , Remick Daniel G. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractMortality in sepsis remains unacceptably high and attempts to modulate the inflammatory response failed to improve survival. Previous reports postulated that the sepsis-triggered immunological cascade is multimodal: initial systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS; excessive pro-, but no/low anti-inflammatory plasma mediators), intermediate homeostasis with a mixed anti-inflammatory response syndrome (MARS; both pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators) and final compensatory anti-inflammatory response syndrome (CARS; excessive anti-, but no/low proinflammatory mediators). To verify this, we examined the evolution of the inflammatory response during the early phase of murine sepsis by repetitive blood sampling of septic animals. Increased plasma concentrations of proinflammatory (IL-6, TNF, IL-1β, KC, MIP-2, MCP-1, and eotaxin) and anti-inflammatory (TNF soluble receptors, IL-10, IL-1 receptor antagonist) cytokines were observed in early deaths (days 1–5). These elevations occurred simultaneously for both the pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators. Plasma levels of IL-6 (26 ng/ml), TNF-α (12 ng/ml), KC (33 ng/ml), MIP-2 (14 ng/ml), IL-1 receptor antagonist (65 ng/ml), TNF soluble receptor I (3 ng/ml), and TNF soluble receptor II (14 ng/ml) accurately predicted mortality within 24 h. In contrast, these parameters were not elevated in either the late-deaths (day 6–28) or survivors. Surprisingly, either pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines were also reliable in predicting mortality up to 48 h before outcome. These data demonstrate that the initial inflammatory response directly correlates to early but not late sepsis mortality. This multifaceted response questions the use of a simple proinflammatory cytokine measurement for classifying the inflammatory status during sepsis.
Autoimmune Targeted Disruption of the Pituitary-Ovarian Axis Causes Premature Ovarian Failure
Authors: Altuntas Cengiz Z. , Johnson Justin M. , Tuohy Vincent K. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractPremature ovarian failure (POF) is characterized by amenorrhea and high serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). POF causes female infertility and represents a substantial women’s health risk affecting 1% of women by age 40. Although ovarian autoimmunity has been associated with POF, the identity of ovarian Ags recognized is unknown. In this study, we show that autoimmune-targeted disruption of the pituitary-ovarian axis leads to POF. Immunization of SWXJ female mice with the p215–234 peptide derived from mouse inhibin-α activates CD4+ T cells and induces experimental autoimmune oophoritis with a unique biphasic phenotype characterized by an early stage of enhanced fertility followed by a delayed stage of POF. Affected mice show high serum levels of inhibin-α-neutralizing Abs that prevent inhibin-mediated down-regulation of activin-induced pituitary FSH release. The loss of activin/FSH down-regulation leads to prolonged metestrus-diestrus, superovulation, increased numbers of mature follicles, increased offspring, accelerated depletion of primordial follicles, and ultimately premature infertility. Thus, inhibin-α-targeted experimental autoimmune oophoritis is initiated by CD4+ Th1 T cells that stimulate B cells to produce inhibin-α-neutralizing Abs directly capable of mediating POF and transferring disease into naive recipients. Our inhibin-α autoimmune model of POF shows how premature infertility may develop in the context of elevated FSH levels thereby closely mimicking the hallmark features of human POF.
Faithfulness of Actions on Riemann-Roch Spaces
Authors: Köck Bernhard , Tait Joseph 
Published: April 2014

AbstractGiven a faithful action of a finite groupGon an algebraic curveXof genusgX≥ 2, we giveexplicit criteria for the induced action ofGon the Riemann–Roch spaceH0(X,OX(D)) to be faithful,whereDis aG-invariant divisor on X of degree at least 2gX− 2. This leads to a concise answer to the question of when the action ofGon the spaceH0(X,Ωx⊗m) of global holomorphic polydifferentials of order m is faithful. IfXis hyperelliptic, we provide an explicit basis of H0(X,Ωx⊗m). Finally, we giveapplications in deformation theory and in coding theory and discuss the analogous problem for theaction ofGon the first homologyH1(X,ℤ/mℤ) ifXis a Riemann surface.
Effect of Fetal Sex on Total Levels of Maternal Serum Testosterone
Authors: Nabi Ghulam , Aziz Tariq , Amin Muhammad , Khan Ayaz Ali 
Published: April 2014

The aim of this study was to find out the effect of fetal sex on maternal serum total testosterone level and its application for fetal sex determination.Forty healthy pregnant (second trimester) females were recruited in the study from rural areas of district Dir lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, having complete antenatal record. Twenty of them were carrying single male fetuses and twenty female fetuses. The inclusions criteria were age (25 to 30), second trimester, absence of serious diseases, availability of antenatal record, no drug addiction and no exposure to pesticides. Blood samples at 5 ml size were collected from each woman, serum was obtained and was assayed by Bio-check (USA) kit according to the manufacturer protocol.In male fetus group the mean and SD was 169±27.18 ng/dl and in female fetus group the Mean± SD was 166.6±30.47 ng/dl. There was nosignificant difference (P 0.1062) between the two groups at 95% confidence level.The results suggest that sex of the fetus has no association with maternal serum total testosterone among the study population-and should not be analyzed for sex determination. Further study with bigger sample size of different population groups in different gestational stages is needed to find the fetal effect on maternal serum testosterone because, increased level of testosterone in females can cause aggression, other behavioral changes, acnes and abrupt growth of pubic and axillary hairs.
Le Prince et le problème de la corruption : réflexions sur une aporie machiavélienne
Authors: Sparling Robert 
Published: April 2014

Dans les études sur la corruption politique, on trouve fréquemment des retours au lieu commun que les problèmes d’abus de charge publique en vue d’un intérêt privé ne peuvent être réglés sans la magie du leadership (l’anglicisme malheureux s’impose ici), cette qualité énigmatique de commandement qui saurait mettre en place les dispositifs d’incitatifs, de surveillance et de contrôle nécessaires pour contrer les abus. Mais un tel argument mène à une aporie, car les études qui placent ainsi leur confiance dans cet énigmatique leadership sont également traversées par l’idée, aussi un lieu commun, que toute autorité qui n’est pas sujette à la surveillance et au contrôle aura tendance à être corrompue. Dans cet essai, je propose de lire Le Prince de Machiavel comme une méditation sur le paradoxe suivant : l’autorité du principe est à la fois la source de la purification politique et la cause principale de la corruption. Le Prince, souvent considéré comme un texte fondateur des « leadership ethics », sera mal compris s’il n’est pas lu à la lumière de la préoccupation centrale de Machiavel républicain : la corruption.
Institutional Corruption and the Rule of Law1
Authors: Gowder Paul 
Published: April 2014

The literature contains two concepts of corruption which are often confused with one another: corruption as twisted character (pollution), and corruption as disloyalty. It also contains two sites for corruption: the corruption of individuals, and the corruption of entire institutions such as a state or a legislature.
This paper first draws a clear distinction between the pollution and disloyalty concepts of corruption in the individual context, and then defends a conception of disloyalty corruption according to which the distinguishing feature is an agent who uses powers delegated to her from her principal as her own. Then, the paper shifts gears to the institutional context, arguing that the best account of institutional corruption in the extant literature is of the pollution kind. It then fills the remaining logical space by laying out a conception of institutional corruption as disloyalty and explaining its moral significance for the political legitimacy of a democracy.
Inter‐Rater Reliability and Measurement Error of Sonographic Muscle Architecture Assessments
Authors: König Niklas , Cassel Michael , Intziegianni Konstantina , Mayer Frank 
Published: April 2014

ObjectivesSonography of muscle architecture provides physicians and researchers with information about muscle function and muscle‐related disorders. Inter‐rater reliability is a crucial parameter in daily clinical routines. The aim of this study was to assess the inter‐rater reliability of sonographic muscle architecture assessments and quantification of errors that arise from inconsistent probe positioning and image interpretation.MethodsThe medial gastrocnemius muscle of 15 healthy participants was measured with sagittal B‐mode ultrasound scans. The muscle thickness, fascicle length, superior pennation angle, and inferior pennation angle were assessed. The participants were examined by 2 investigators. A custom‐made foam cast was used for standardized positioning of the probe. To analyze inter‐rater reliability, the examinations of both raters were compared. The impact of probe positioning was assessed by comparison of foam cast and freehand scans. Error arising from picture interpretation was assessed by comparing the investigators' analyses of foam cast scans independently. Reliability was expressed as the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), inter‐rater variability (IRV), Bland‐Altman analysis (bias ± limits of agreement [LoA]), and standard error of measurement (SEM).ResultsInter‐rater reliability was good overall (ICC, 0.77–0.90; IRV, 9.0%–13.4%; bias ± LoA, 0.2 ± 0.2–1.7 ± 3.0). Superior and inferior pennation angles showed high systematic bias and LoA in all setups, ranging from 2.0° ± 2.2° to 3.4° ± 4.1°. The highest IRV was found for muscle thickness (13.4%). When the probe position was standardized, the SEM for muscle thickness decreased from 0.1 to 0.05 cm.ConclusionsSonographic examination of muscle architecture of the medial gastrocnemius has good to high reliability. In contrast to pennation angle measurements, length measurements can be improved by standardization of the probe position.
Preoperative Assessment of Extrathyroidal Extension of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Gweon Hye Mi , Son Eun Ju , Youk Ji Hyun , Kim Jeong-Ah , Park Cheong Soo 
Published: April 2014

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance and interobserver agreement of 2‐dimensional (2D) and 3‐dimensional (3D) sonography for evaluating extrathyroidal extension of papillary thyroid carcinoma.MethodsA total of 79 papillary thyroid carcinomas in 79 patients who underwent both 2D and 3D sonography for preoperative staging of papillary thyroid carcinoma were included. When the lesion was abutting on the thyroid capsule on 2D sonography, 3D sonography was performed. Three radiologists reviewed 3 data sets: 2D sonography, 3D sonography, and a combined set of both for tumor staging. The diagnostic performance, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy, for extrathyroidal extension was analyzed. Interobserver agreement of the 3 radiologists was assessed with κ values.ResultsThe overall accuracy rates for 2D sonography, 3D sonography, and the combined set in predicting extrathyroidal extension were 60.8%, 66.2%, and 67.9%, respectively. The accuracy of the combined set was significantly higher than that of 2D sonography (P = .016). The interobserver agreement of the 3 reviewers was fair (κ = 0.33) for 2D sonography and moderate for 3D sonography (κ = 0.46) and the combined set (κ = 0.49).ConclusionsAdding 3D sonography to 2D sonography could improve the accuracy and interobserver agreement for predicting extrathyroidal extension of papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Meaning of Free Intraperitoneal Fluid in Small‐Bowel Obstruction
Authors: Iacobellis Francesca , Berritto Daniela , Belfiore Maria Paola , Di Lanno Imma , Maiorino Manuela , Saba Luca , Grassi Roberto 
Published: April 2014

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to detect the onset, evolution, and meaning of extraluminal free fluid in a rat model of small‐bowel obstruction using high‐frequency microsonography.MethodsSmall‐bowel obstruction was surgically created in 8 rats divided into 2 groups of 4 rats each. All rats were examined by high‐frequency microsonography to monitor the evolution of small‐bowel obstruction and the abdominal sonographic findings. In group 2 rats, the obstruction was resolved 2 hours after surgery.ResultsIn all rats, free peritoneal fluid was detected just near the obstructed loop after 1 hour and in the hepatorenal recess after 2 hours. These features progressively increased in the following hours in group 1 rats. In group 2, the amount of free fluid decreased shortly after removing the obstruction.ConclusionsFree fluid is an early finding in small‐bowel obstruction, and the increase or decrease of its amount is correlated with the worsening or resolution of the obstruction.
Using XHMM Software to Detect Copy Number Variation in Whole‐Exome Sequencing Data
Authors: Fromer Menachem , Purcell Shaun M. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractCopy number variation (CNV) has emerged as an important genetic component in human diseases, which are increasingly being studied for large numbers of samples by sequencing the coding regions of the genome, i.e., exome sequencing. Nonetheless, detecting this variation from such targeted sequencing data is a difficult task, involving sorting out signal from noise, for which we have recently developed a set of statistical and computational tools called XHMM. In this unit, we give detailed instructions on how to run XHMM and how to use the resulting CNV calls in biological analyses. Curr. Protoc. Hum. Genet. 81:7.23.1‐7.23.21. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Stability and localization of rapid shear in fluid‐saturated fault gouge: 1. Linearized stability analysis
Authors: Rice James R. , Rudnicki John W. , Platt John D. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractField observations of major earthquake fault zones show that shear deformation is often confined to principal slipping zones that may be of order 1–100 μm wide, located within a broader gouge layer of order 10–100 mm wide. This paper examines the possibility that the extreme strain localization observed may be due to the coupling of shear heating, thermal pressurization, and diffusion. In the absence of a stabilizing mechanism shear deformation in a continuum analysis will collapse to an infinitesimally thin zone. Two possible stabilizing mechanisms, studied in this paper, are rate‐strengthening friction and dilatancy. For rate‐strengthening friction alone, a linear stability analysis shows that uniform shear of a gouge layer is unstable for perturbations exceeding a critical wavelength. Using this critical wavelength we predict a width for the localized zone as a function of the gouge properties. Taking representative parameters for fault gouge at typical centroidal depths of crustal seismogenic zones, we predict localized zones of order 5–40 μm wide, roughly consistent with field and experimental observations. For dilatancy alone, linearized strain rate perturbations with a sufficiently large wavelength will undergo transient exponential growth before decaying back to uniform shear. The total perturbation strain accumulated during this transient strain rate localization is shown to be largely controlled by a single dimensionless parameter E, which is a measure of the dilatancy of the gouge material due to an increase in strain rate.
Risk assessment of tropical storm surges for coastal regions of China
Authors: Gao Y. , Wang H. , Liu G. M. , Sun X. Y. , Fei X. Y. , Wang P. T. , Lv T. T. , Xue Z. S. , He Y. W. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractStorm surges are responsible for much of the damage and loss of life associated with landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs). Thus, understanding the characteristics of risk associated with TC storm surges for the coastal regions of China is of great interest. Based on a comprehensive assessment of hazard indices for TC storm surges and vulnerability indices for coastal counties, we obtained a risk assessment for coastal regions of China as a county‐level unit. The hazard index was calculated using a model based on the parameters of a TC landfall frequency index (f) and maximum storm surge elevation (MSSE). The MSSE was calculated from the TC maximum sustained wind and tide gauge records using a regression function. Vulnerability indices were obtained from indices on socioeconomics, land use, the ecological environment, and resilience. From this study, it can be concluded that the hazard level of TC storm surges increases from north to south along the Chinese coast, the vulnerabilities have significant spatial heterogeneity, and coastal regions of China can be divided into four zones of risk level. The results of this study can provide scientific support for marine disaster mitigation and decision making. Additionally, the risk assessment methodology used here for storm surges could be extended and applied to other coastal areas.
Evaluating the impact of aerosol particles above cloud on cloud optical depth retrievals from MODIS
Authors: Alfaro‐Contreras Ricardo , Zhang Jianglong , Campbell James R. , Holz Robert E. , Reid Jeffrey S. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractUsing two different operational Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) cloud optical depth (COD) retrievals (0.86 versus 1.6 µm), we evaluate the impact of above‐cloud smoke aerosol particles on near‐IR (0.86 µm) COD retrievals. Aerosol Index (AI) from the collocated Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) are used to identify above‐cloud aerosol particle loading over the southern Atlantic Ocean, including both smoke and dust from the African subcontinent. Collocated Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation data constrain cloud phase and provide contextual above‐cloud aerosol optical depth. The frequency of occurrence of above‐cloud aerosol events is depicted on a global scale for the spring and summer seasons from OMI and Cloud Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization. Seasonal frequencies for smoke‐over‐cloud off the southwestern Africa coastline reach 20–50% in boreal summer. We find a corresponding low COD bias of 10–20% for standard MODIS COD retrievals when averaged OMI AI are larger than 1. No such bias is found over the Saharan dust outflow region off northern Africa, since both MODIS 0.86 and 1.6 µm channels are vulnerable to radiance attenuation due to dust particles. A similar result is found for a smaller domain, in the Gulf of Tonkin region, from smoke advection over marine stratocumulus clouds and outflow into the northern South China Sea in spring. This study shows the necessity of accounting for the above‐cloud aerosol events for future studies using standard MODIS cloud products in biomass burning outflow regions, through the use of collocated OMI AI and supplementary MODIS 1.6 µm COD products.
Decadal change of South China Sea tropical cyclone activity in mid‐1990s and its possible linkage with intraseasonal variability
Authors: Ha Yao , Zhong Zhong , Sun Yuan , Lu Wei 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThis study focuses on the decadal variability of tropical cyclone (TC) activity over the South China Sea (SCS) since the 1970s and its possible cause behind. It is found that TC activity over the SCS experiences a significant decadal change around the mid‐1990s. Compared to the period from the 1970s to the early 1990s, the number of TCs formed in the SCS remarkably increases from the mid‐1990s through the 2000s. In particular, this change of TC genesis is closely related to a decadal shift in atmospheric intraseasonal variability (ISV) that occurred in 1994. The ISV on the 30–60 days time scale over the SCS has been increasing since the mid‐1990s, and the increased TC frequency after 1994 is attributed primarily to the active convection induced by the enhancement of the SCS ISV. In addition, the TC activities before the mid‐1990s are mostly confined within the SCS basin. However, more TCs form over the SCS and move northeastward since the mid‐1990s and finally enter the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea. Anomalies of westerly over the northern SCS after 1994 are responsible for the northeastward moving of TCs.
Evaluation of the GLD360 performance characteristics using rocket‐and‐wire triggered lightning data
Authors: Mallick S. , Rakov V. A. , Ngin T. , Gamerota W. R. , Pilkey J. T. , Hill J. D. , Uman M. A. , Jordan D. M. , Nag A. , Said R. K. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractWe estimated the performance characteristics of the Global Lightning Dataset (GLD360) using rocket‐and‐wire triggered lightning data acquired at Camp Blanding, Florida, in 2011–2013. The data set consisted of 201 return strokes and 84 kiloampere‐scale (≥1 kA) superimposed pulses (initial continuous current pulses and M components) in 43 flashes. All the events transported negative charge to ground. The GLD360 detected 75 strokes and 4 superimposed pulses in 29 flashes. The resultant detection efficiencies were 67% for flashes, 37% for strokes, and 4.8% for superimposed pulses. Out of 75 detected strokes, one (1.3%) was reported with incorrect polarity. The median location error was 2.0 km, and the median absolute current estimation error was 27%. This is the first comprehensive evaluation of GLD360 performance characteristics relative to absolute ground truth, with all previous evaluations being at least in part relative to other locating systems. The results presented in this work may be applicable to regions in and around Florida.
Alfvén wave boundary condition for responsive magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling
Authors: Wright Andrew N. , Russell Alexander J. B. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThe solution of electric fields and currents in a height‐resolved ionosphere is traditionally solved as an elliptic equation with Dirichlet or Neumann boundary condition in which the magnetosphere is represented as an unresponsive (prescribed) voltage generator or current source. In this paper we derive an alternative boundary condition based upon Alfvén waves in which only the Alfvén wave from the magnetosphere that is incident upon the ionosphere (Exi) is prescribed. For a uniform magnetosphere the new boundary condition reduces to
urn:x-wiley:21699380:media:jgra51002:jgra51002-math-0001and is evaluated at the magnetosphere‐ionosphere interface. The resulting solution is interpreted as a responsive magnetosphere and establishes a key stage in the full self‐consistent and nonlinear coupling of the magnetosphere and ionosphere.