bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF HUMAN LEUKOCYTE ANTIGEN MATCHING IN PENETRATING KERATOPLASTY
Authors: Bäumler Michael , Sundmacher Leonie , Reinhard Thomas , Böhringer Daniel 
Published: February 2014

Background:The matching of favorable human leukocyte antigen (HLA) combinations is rarely performed in penetrating keratoplasty procedures for primary prophylaxis of immune reactions. However, clinical studies suggest that the incidence of graft rejection decreases substantially when patients receive favorably matched grafts.Objective:The aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of HLA matching for patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty in everyday clinical practice.Methods:In the absence of a randomized controlled clinical trial, we used administrative data from the Freiburg University Eye Hospital in Germany. Our study population consisted of all patients who underwent their first keratoplasty between 11/2003 and 01/2010 and for whom information on HLA histocompatibility was available. We used propensity score matching to estimate a causal effect of favorable HLA matching, parametric survival regression techniques to predict graft survival and expert opinion to model incremental cost for HLA matching. Because the availability of favorable HLA histocompatibility ultimately depends on the patients’ HLA phenotype, we modeled the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) as a function of the probability that a patient will receive a favorably matched HLA, and used expert opinion to set a point estimate.Results:We predicted that corneal grafts with favorable HLA matching were associated with improved rejection-free graft survival time (more than 1,000 days). We estimated the incremental cost of HLA matching at EUR 1,200 and the ICER at EUR 4.62 per additional day of graft survival.Conclusions:The ICER of HLA matching is acceptable, given the high cost of alternative treatment and the shortage of corneal donors in Germany.
RESPONSIVENESS OF THE EQ-5D TO CLINICAL CHANGE: IS THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED?
Authors: Tordrup David , Mossman Jean , Kanavos Panos 
Published: February 2014

Objectives: In many economic evaluations and reimbursement decisions, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) are used as a measure of benefit to assess effectiveness of novel therapies, often based on the EQ-5D 3-level questionnaire. As only five dimensions of physical and mental well-being are reflected in this tool, significant aspects of the patient experience may be missed. We evaluate the use of the EQ-5D as a measurement of clinical change across a wide range of disorders from dermatological (acne) to life-threatening (metastatic cancers).Methods: We analyze published studies on the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D 3-level questionnaire, extracting information on the Visual Analogue Scale versus Index score, Standardized Response Mean, and Effect Size. These are compared with ranges generally accepted to represent good responsiveness in the psychometric literature.Results: We find that only approximately one in five study populations report subjective health state valuation of patients within 5 percent of the score attributed by the EQ-5D index, and more than 40 percent of studies report unacceptable ceiling effects. In the majority of studies, responsiveness of the EQ-5D index was found to be poor to moderate, based on Effect Size (63 percent poor–moderate) and Standardized Response Mean (72 percent poor–moderate).Conclusions: We conclude that the EQ-5D index does not adequately reflect patient health status across a range of conditions, and it is likely that a significant proportion of the subjective patient experience is not accounted for by the index. This has implications for economic evaluations of novel drugs based on evidence generated with the EQ-5D.
Assessing the risk of Nipah virus establishment in Australian flying-foxes
Authors: ROCHE S. E. , COSTARD S. , MEERS J. , FIELD H. E. , BREED A. C. 
Published: February 2014

SUMMARYNipah virus (NiV) is a recently emerged zoonotic virus that causes severe disease in humans. The reservoir hosts for NiV, bats of the genusPteropus(known as flying-foxes) are found across the Asia-Pacific including Australia. While NiV has not been detected in Australia, evidence for NiV infection has been found in flying-foxes in some of Australia's closest neighbours. A qualitative risk assessment was undertaken to assess the risk of NiV establishing in Australian flying-foxes through flying-fox movements from nearby regions. Events surrounding the emergence of new diseases are typically uncertain and in this study an expert opinion workshop was used to address gaps in knowledge. Given the difficulties in combining expert opinion, five different combination methods were analysed to assess their influence on the risk outcome. Under the baseline scenario where the median was used to combine opinions, the risk was estimated to be very low. However, this risk increased when the mean and linear opinion pooling combination methods were used. This assessment highlights the effects that different methods for combining expert opinion have on final risk estimates and the caution needed when interpreting these outcomes given the high degree of uncertainty in expert opinion. This work has provided a flexible model framework for assessing the risk of NiV establishment in Australian flying-foxes through bat movements which can be updated when new data become available.
Association between human papillomavirus (HPV) and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis
Authors: HARDEFELDT H. A. , COX M. R. , ESLICK G. D. 
Published: February 2014

SUMMARYThe oncogenic potential of human papillomaviruses (HPV) is well known in the context of cervical carcinoma; however, their role in the development of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is less clear. We aimed to determine the extent of the association between HPV infection and OSCC. A comprehensive literature search found 132 studies addressing HPV and OSCC in human cases, and a meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. There was evidence of an increased risk of OSCC in patients with HPV infection [odds ratio (OR) 2·69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2·05–3·54]. The prevalence of HPV in OSCC was found to be 24·8%. There was an increased risk associated with HPV-16 infection (OR 2·35, 95% CI 1·73–3·19). Subgroup analyses showed geographical variance, with Asia (OR 2·94, 95% CI 2·16–4·00), and particularly China (OR 2·85, 95% CI 2·05–3·96) being high-risk areas. Our results confirm an increase in HPV infection in OSCC cases.
Alcohol misuse and illicit drug use are associated with HCV/HIV co-infection
Authors: SIMON D. , MICHITA R. T. , BÉRIA J. U. , TIETZMANN D. C. , STEIN A. T. , LUNGE V. R. 
Published: February 2014

SUMMARYWe studied hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence and risk factors for HCV infection in a sample of Brazilian HIV-positive patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 580 HIV-positive patients from a specialized HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment centre in southern Brazil. All patients were interviewed for socio-demographic and risk factors and tested for HCV antibodies and HCV-RNA detection. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for HCV infection. A total of 138 (24%) patients had past or chronic hepatitis C. The following risk factors were associated with HCV infection for each gender: alcohol misuse and injecting drug use in women (P < 0·001) and low educational level, smoking drug use, and injecting drug use in men (P < 0·01). These results suggest that alcohol misuse, low educational level, smoking drug use, and injecting drug use are probable risk factors for HCV infection in HIV-positive patients. This information contributes to an understanding of the epidemiology of HIV/HCV co-infection in Brazil.
Blowback: new formal perspectives on agriculturally driven pathogen evolution and spread
Authors: WALLACE R. , WALLACE R. G. 
Published: February 2014

SUMMARYBy their diversity in time, space, and mode, traditional and conservation agricultures can create barriers limiting pathogen evolution and spread analogous to a sterilizing temperature. Large-scale monocropping and confined animal feeding-lot operations remove such barriers, resulting, above agroecologically specific thresholds, in the development and wide propagation of novel disease strains. We apply a newly developed class of necessary-conditions statistical models of evolutionary process, first using the theory on an evolutionarily stable viral pathogen vulnerable to vaccine treatment: post-World War II poliomyelitis emerged in the UK and USA from sudden widespread adoption of automobile ownership and usage. We then examine an evolutionarily variable pathogen, swine influenza in North America. The model suggests epidemiological blowback from globalizing intensive husbandry and the raising and shipping of monoculture livestock across increasing expanses, is likely to be far more consequential, driving viral selection for greater virulence and lowered response to biomedical intervention.
Factors Associated with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Veterans and Military Personnel: A Systematic Review
Authors: O'Neil Maya E. , Carlson Kathleen F. , Storzbach Daniel , Brenner Lisa A. , Freeman Michele , Quiñones Ana R. , Motu'apuaka Makalapua , Kansagara Devan 
Published: February 2014

AbstractA history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is common among military members who served in Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND). We completed a systematic review to describe the cognitive, mental health, physical health, functional, social, and cost consequences of mTBI in Veteran and military personnel. Of 2668 reviewed abstracts, the 31 included studies provided very low strength evidence for the questions of interest. Cognitive, physical, and mental health symptoms were commonly reported by Veterans/military members with a history of mTBI. On average, these symptoms were not significantly more common in those with a history of mTBI than in those without, although a lack of significant mean differences does not preclude the possibility that some individuals could experience substantial effects related to mTBI history. Evidence of potential risk or protective factors moderating mTBI outcomes was unclear. Although the overall strength of evidence is very low due to methodological limitations of included studies, our findings are consistent with civilian studies. Appropriate re-integration services are needed to address common comorbid conditions, such as treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, headaches, and other difficulties that Veterans and members of the military may experience after deployment regardless of mTBI history. (JINS, 2014,20, 1–13)
Limited geographic distribution of the novel cyclovirus CyCV-VN
Authors: Tan Le Van , de Jong Menno D. , Van Kinh Nguyen , Trung Nguyen Vu , Taylor Walter , Wertheim Heiman F. L. , van der Ende Arie , van der Hoek Lia , Canuti Marta , Crusat Martin , Sona Soeng , Uyen Nguyen Hanh , Giri Abhishek , Thi Thuy Chinh BKrong Nguyen , Nghia Ho Dang Trung , Farrar Jeremy , Bryant Juliet E. , Hien Tran Tinh , Van Vinh Chau Nguyen , van Doorn H. Rogier 
Published: February 2014

AbstractA novel cyclovirus, CyCV-VN, was recently identified in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with central nervous system (CNS) infections in central and southern Vietnam. To explore the geographic distribution of this novel virus, more than 600 CSF specimens from patients with suspected CNS infections in northern Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal and The Netherlands were screened for the presence of CyCV-VN but all were negative. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis between CyCV-VN and another novel cyclovirus recently identified in CSF from Malawian patients indicated that these represent distinct cycloviral species, albeit phylogenetically closely related. The data suggest that CyCV-VN has a limited geographic distribution within southern and central Vietnam. Further research is needed to determine the global distribution and diversity of cycloviruses and importantly their possible association with human disease.
First Principles Prediction of the Magnetic Properties of Fe-X6 (X = S, C, N, O, F) Doped Monolayer MoS2
Authors: Feng Nan , Mi Wenbo , Cheng Yingchun , Guo Zaibing , Schwingenschlögl Udo , Bai Haili 
Published: February 2014

AbstractUsing first-principles calculations, we have investigated the electronic structure and magnetic properties of Fe-X6 clusters (X = S, C, N, O and F) incorporated in 4 × 4 monolayer MoS2, where a Mo atom is substituted by Fe and its nearest S atoms are substituted by C, N, O and F. Single Fe and Fe-F6 substituions make the system display half-metallic properties, Fe-C6 and Fe-N6 substitutions lead to a spin gapless semiconducting behavior and Fe-O6 doped monolayer MoS2 is semiconducting. Magnetic moments of 1.93, 1.45, 3.18, 2.08 and 2.21 μB are obtained for X = S, C, N, O and F, respectively. The different electronic and magnetic characters originate from hybridization between the X and Fe/Mo atoms. Our results suggest that cluster doping can be an efficient strategy for exploring two-dimensional diluted magnetic semiconductors.
Modulation of cosmic microwave background polarization with a warm rapidly rotating half-wave plate on the Atacama B-Mode Search instrument
Authors: Kusaka A. , Essinger-Hileman T. , Appel J. W. , Gallardo P. , Irwin K. D. , Jarosik N. , Nolta M. R. , Page L. A. , Parker L. P. , Raghunathan S. , Sievers J. L. , Simon S. M. , Staggs S. T. , Visnjic K. 
Published: February 2014

We evaluate the modulation of cosmic microwave background polarization using a rapidly rotating, half-wave plate (HWP) on the Atacama B-Mode Search. After demodulating the time-ordered-data (TOD), we find a significant reduction of atmospheric fluctuations. The demodulated TOD is stable on time scales of 500–1000 s, corresponding to frequencies of 1–2 mHz. This facilitates recovery of cosmological information at large angular scales, which are typically available only from balloon-borne or satellite experiments. This technique also achieves a sensitive measurement of celestial polarization without differencing the TOD of paired detectors sensitive to two orthogonal linear polarizations. This is the first demonstration of the ability to remove atmospheric contamination at these levels from a ground-based platform using a rapidly rotating HWP.
The collisional depolarization of OH(A 2Σ+) and NO(A 2Σ+) with Kr
Authors: Chadwick H. , Brouard M. , Chang Y.-P. , Eyles C. J. , McCrudden G. , Perkins T. , Seamons S. A. , Kłos J. , Alexander M. H. , Dagdigian P. J. , Herráez-Aguilar D. , Aoiz F. J. 
Published: February 2014

Quantum beat spectroscopy has been used to measure rate coefficients at 300 K for collisional depolarization for NO(A 2Σ+) and OH(A 2Σ+) with krypton. Elastic depolarization rate coefficients have also been determined for OH(A) + Kr, and shown to make a much more significant contribution to the total depolarization rate than for NO(A) + Kr. While the experimental data for NO(A) + Kr are in excellent agreement with single surface quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) calculations carried out on the upper 2A′ potential energy surface, the equivalent QCT and quantum mechanical calculations cannot account for the experimental results for OH(A) + Kr collisions, particularly at low N. This disagreement is due to the presence of competing electronic quenching at low N, which requires a multi-surface, non-adiabatic treatment. Somewhat improved agreement with experiment is obtained by means of trajectory surface hopping calculations that include non-adiabatic coupling between the ground 1A′ and excited 2A′ states of OH(X/A) + Kr, although the theoretical depolarization cross sections still significantly overestimate those obtained experimentally.
Influence of carbon content on the copper-telluride phase formation and on the resistive switching behavior of carbon alloyed Cu-Te conductive bridge random access memory cells
Authors: Devulder Wouter , Opsomer Karl , Franquet Alexis , Meersschaut Johan , Belmonte Attilio , Muller Robert , De Schutter Bob , Van Elshocht Sven , Jurczak Malgorzata , Goux Ludovic , Detavernier Christophe 
Published: February 2014

In this paper, we investigate the influence of the carbon content on the Cu-Te phase formation and on the resistive switching behavior in carbon alloyed Cu0.6Te0.4 based conductive bridge random access memory (CBRAM) cells. Carbon alloying of copper-tellurium inhibits the crystallization, while attractive switching behavior is preserved when using the material as Cu-supply layer in CBRAM cells. The phase formation is first investigated in a combinatorial way. With increasing carbon content, an enlargement of the temperature window in which the material stays amorphous was observed. Moreover, if crystalline phases are formed, subsequent phase transformations are inhibited. The electrical switching behavior of memory cells with different carbon contents is then investigated by implementing them in 580 μm diameter dot TiN/Cu0.6Te0.4-C/Al2O3/Si memory cells. Reliable switching behavior is observed for carbon contents up to 40 at. %, with a resistive window of more than 2 orders of magnitude, whereas for 50 at. % carbon, a higher current in the off state and only a small resistive window are present after repeated cycling. This degradation can be ascribed to the higher thermal and lower drift contribution to the reset operation due to a lower Cu affinity towards the supply layer, leading cycle-after-cycle to an increasing amount of Cu in the switching layer, which contributes to the current. The thermal diffusion of Cu into Al2O3 under annealing also gives an indication of the Cu affinity of the source layer. Time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy was used to investigate this migration depth in Al2O3 before and after annealing, showing a higher Cu, Te, and C migration for high carbon contents.
Quantum oscillations and subband properties of the two-dimensional electron gas at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface
Authors: McCollam A. , Wenderich S. , Kruize M. K. , Guduru V. K. , Molegraaf H. J. A. , Huijben M. , Koster G. , Blank D. H. A. , Rijnders G. , Brinkman A. , Hilgenkamp H. , Zeitler U. , Maan J. C. 
Published: February 2014

We have performed high field magnetotransport measurements to investigate the interface electron gas in a high mobility SrTiO3/SrCuO2/LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructure. Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations reveal several 2D conduction subbands with carrier effective masses of 0.9me and 2me, quantum mobilities of order 2000 cm2/V s, and band edges only a few millielectronvolts below the Fermi energy. Measurements in tilted magnetic fields confirm the 2D character of the electron gas, and show evidence of inter-subband scattering.
The correlates of sports participation in Europe
Authors: Downward Paul , Lera‐López Fernando , Rasciute Simona 
Published: February 2014

AbstractBased on the Eurobarometer data from 2009 (N = 26,788), this paper investigates the correlates of sports participation. In addition to examining standard socio‐demographic, economic and lifestyle factors, the paper also focuses on the impact of motivational factors, the availability of sports infrastructure and government support, for the first time collectively at the European level. A further contribution of the paper is that it simultaneously investigates both the decision to participate in sport and the frequency of sports participation in this context. This is made possible through the application of a Zero‐Inflated Ordered Probit estimator. This estimator also takes into account two types of non‐participants: those who have never participated in sport and those who did not participate at the time of the survey. The results show that the decision to participate in sports and the frequency of sports participation of males and females are affected by different factors, therefore distinct government policies should be applied to attract new, and retain the existing, participants. For example, women are affected more by a need to improve self‐esteem, while the men to produce social integration. The provision of sports facilities is of more importance for males, which may indicate a male‐oriented nature of the sports facilities, for example, the gym. However, the number of adults and the number of children in the household reduce the probability of sports participation by females. Therefore, higher provision of childcare may be important if female participation is to be increased.
Agri‐environmental Policy and Urban Development Patterns: A General Equilibrium Analysis
Authors: Coisnon Thomas , Oueslati Walid , Salanié Julien 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThis paper investigates the spatial effects that the provision of environmental public goods have on residential location choices in a suburban context. Specifically, a spatial general equilibrium framework is developed to analyze the consequences of adopting an agri‐environmental policy promoting the provision of positive farming externalities. We use a static monocentric model of an open city where agricultural bid‐rents and agricultural amenities vary endogenously in space, and where the positive externalities associated with agricultural production are valued by households. Consistent with empirical evidence of the potential side effects that conservation policies may have in terms of urbanization patterns and land price changes, we show that under certain conditions implementing an agri‐environmental policy may promote additional suburban development. Moreover, we demonstrate that the emergence of disconnected suburban areas may be significantly influenced by the location of land regulated by an agri‐environmental policy. Finally, we discuss distributional aspects and show that while introducing an agri‐environmental policy has a negative impact on most residential land value, it can have positive effects on farmland and residential land located within the regulated areas, suggesting the non‐neutrality of such policies regarding the agents' assets.
Introduction
Authors: Shelton Dinah 
Published: February 2014

Abstract
This introductory article discusses the theme of this volume which is about international human rights law. This volume explores the historical antecedents for modern human rights law, the importance of human dignity, the process of human rights law-making and the role of various actors, institutions, and procedures in the implementation and compliance of human rights law. It also provides some evaluation of the human rights project and evaluates whether it has made a difference to the lives of people throughout the world.
The Anti-Slavery Movement and the Rise of International Non-Governmental Organizations
Authors: Martinez Jenny S. 
Published: February 2014

Abstract
This article examines the history of the emergence in the nineteenth century of non-governmental organizations, focusing on those organized around slavery and women�s rights and suffrage. It explains that like the modern human rights movements, the movement for the abolition of slavery and the slave trade involved transborder activism by privately organized individuals and included the strengthening of international treaty regimes concerning the slave trade as one of its goals. It suggests that one key similarity between these historical antecedents and modern human rights activism is the importance of transnational ties to successful mobilization.