bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Central venous catheters and catheter locks in children with cancer: A prospective randomized trial of taurolidine versus heparin
Authors: Handrup Mette Møller , Møller Jens Kjølseth , Schrøder Henrik 
Published: February 2013

AbstractBackgroundTo determine if the catheter lock taurolidine can reduce the number of catheter‐related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) in pediatric cancer patients with tunneled central venous catheters (CVC).ProcedureDuring a study period of 34 months, 129 newly placed tunneled CVCs in 112 patients were randomly assigned to standard lock with heparin solution or experimental lock with a taurolidine solution (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00735813).ResultsSixty‐five CVCs were included in the standard group and 64 CVCs in the experimental group. The groups were comparable regarding patients' characteristics. A total number of 72 bloodstream infections of which 33 were CRBSIs were observed during 39,127 CVC‐days. A lower rate of CRBSI (0.4 per 1,000 CVC‐days) was observed in the experimental arm compared with the standard arm (1.4 per 1,000 CVC‐days, incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.26; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09–0.61; P = 0.001). A lower rate of total bloodstream infections (1.2 per 1,000 CVC‐days) was also observed in the experimental arm compared with the standard arm (2.5 per 1,000 CVC‐days, IRR = 0.49; 95% CI 0.29–0.82; P = 0.004). Median interval from catheter insertion until first CRBSI was significantly lower in the standard group (156 days, range 12–602) compared with the experimental group (300 days, range 12–1,176; P = 0.02). Premature removal of the CVC due to infection and overall CVC survival were similar in the two study groups.ConclusionLocking of long‐term tunneled CVC with taurolidine significantly reduces catheter‐related bloodstream infections in children with cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013;60:1292–1298. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reduced cardiorespiratory fitness in adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Tonorezos Emily S. , Snell Peter G. , Moskowitz Chaya S. , Eshelman‐Kent Debra A. , Liu Jennifer E. , Chou Joanne F. , Smith Stephanie M. , Dunn Andrea L. , Church Timothy S. , Oeffinger Kevin C. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractBackgroundAdult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are at increased cardiovascular risk. Studies of factors including treatment exposures that may modify risk of low cardiorespiratory fitness in this population have been limited.ProcedureTo assess cardiorespiratory fitness, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was measured in 115 ALL survivors (median age, 23.5 years; range 18–37). We compared VO2max measurements for ALL survivors to those estimated from submaximal testing in a frequency‐matched (age, gender, race/ethnicity) 2003–2004 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) cohort. Multivariable linear regression models were constructed to evaluate the association between therapeutic exposures and outcomes of interest.ResultsCompared to NHANES participants, ALL survivors had a substantially lower VO2max (mean 30.7 vs. 39.9 ml/kg/min; adjusted P < 0.0001). For any given percent total body fat, ALL survivors had an 8.9 ml/kg/min lower VO2max than NHANES participants. For key treatment exposure groups (cranial radiotherapy [CRT], anthracycline chemotherapy, or neither), ALL survivors had substantially lower VO2max compared with NHANES participants (all comparisons, P < 0.001). Almost two‐thirds (66.7%) of ALL survivors were classified as low cardiorespiratory fitness compared with 26.3% of NHANES participants (adjusted P < 0.0001). In multivariable models including only ALL survivors, treatment exposures were modestly associated with VO2max. Among females, CRT was associated with low VO2max (P = 0.02), but anthracycline exposure was not (P = 0.58). In contrast, among males, anthracycline exposure ≥100 mg/m2 was associated with low VO2max (P = 0.03), but CRT was not (P = 0.54).ConclusionAdult survivors of childhood ALL have substantially lower levels of cardiorespiratory fitness compared with a similarly aged non‐cancer population. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013;60:1358–1364. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Structural optimization of highly branched thermally responsive polymers as a means of controlling transition temperature
Authors: Chang Kai , Rubright Nathan C. , Lowery Patti D. , Taite Lakeshia J. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractHighly branched “smart” polymers have emerged as a unique class of polymers with wide‐ranging applications. Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAAm) is at the forefront of stimuli‐responsive polymers; however, few transition temperature‐modification methods of linear pNIPAAm have been explored in highly branched systems. In this study, the three primary techniques of transition temperature modification of linear pNIPAAm are investigated for their efficacy on highly branched polymers. Of these techniques, cosolvent‐mediated tacticity control demonstrates an effect opposite of that which is expected. Temperature transition control via end‐group modification shows a marked decrease in efficacy in highly branched systems, despite highly branched systems having more end groups per polymer. Copolymerization with hydrophilic comonomers exhibits varying changes in efficacy compared to linear analogs, lending insights into the specific effects on the structured water surrounding the copolymer. While copolymerization proved to be most versatile in changing the transition temperature, all of the techniques showed interesting secondary effects. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013
Detecting spatial aggregation from distance sampling: a probability distribution model of nearest neighbor distance
Authors: Gao Meng 
Published: February 2013

AbstractSpatial point pattern is an important tool for describing the spatial distribution of species in ecology. Negative binomial distribution (NBD) is widely used to model spatial aggregation. In this paper, we derive the probability distribution model of event‐to‐event nearest neighbor distance (distance from a focal individual to itsn‐th nearest individual). Compared with the probability distribution model of point‐to‐event nearest neighbor distance (distance from a randomly distributed sampling point to then‐th nearest individual), the new probability distribution model is more flexible. We propose that spatial aggregation can be detected by fitting this probability distribution model to event‐to‐event nearest neighbor distances. The performance is evaluated using both simulated and empirical spatial point patterns.
Environmental determinants of seasonal changes in bird diversity of Mediterranean oakwoods
Authors: Seoane Javier , Villén‐Pérez Sara , Carrascal Luis M. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractThe strong season‐to‐season variation (seasonality) in abiotic factors and productivity shape the changing patterns of species distribution and diversity throughout the year in temperate ecosystems. However, the determinants of seasonal changes within animal communities have rarely been explored, and the prognosis of community variation typically relies on identifying simple factors (e.g., mean temperature) that are assumed to have a constant effect throughout the year. Here we analyze the competing and changing roles of biotic (vegetation structure and phenology) and abiotic (temperature and elevation) factors in determining the richness and nestedness of montane Mediterranean oakwoods (central Spain) bird species in winter and spring. In winter, the most energy‐demanding period, birds prefer mature forests with higher nocturnal temperatures where they can minimize thermoregulation costs during the long winter nights. In spring, which is the breeding season, spatial variation of species richness and nestedness is more deterministic than in winter. Breeding birds prefer lower forests with cooler temperatures at midday (presumably to avoid summer overheating stress), less unpredictable weather, and where trees develop leaves earlier (suggesting that birds, particularly those that prey on folivorous insects, would be able to breed early in the season). Thus, although both biotic and abiotic factors take part in the assemblage of local communities, the intervening specific components vary between seasons. For example, temperature—the factor most widely used to forecast future community changes—had opposite effects in winter than in spring. These results highlight the importance of fine‐grained scale studies in accounting for temporal variation to understand both current and future regional biodiversity patterns.
Sham Manual Medicine Protocol for Cervical Strain‐Counterstrain Research
Authors: Brose Steven W. , Jennings David C. , Kwok Joseph , Stuart Corinne L. , O'Connell Stephen M. , Pauli Heather A. , Liu Betty 
Published: February 2013

ObjectiveTo describe the development of a sham manual medicine protocol.SettingAn academic physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic.ParticipantsTwenty‐six persons with cervical tender points were included in the pilot study. Exclusion criteria entailed cervical disk herniations or diskitis, cancer, current incarceration, or any condition that prevented small‐range passive neck movements. Subjects were also excluded if, in the past 3 months, they had received cervical or thoracic spine surgery, osteopathic manipulation, or workers' compensation benefits.InterventionsThe subjects were sequentially assigned to receive either sham or strain‐counterstrain treatment. The subjects filled out pre‐ and posttreatment questionnaires. Fifteen subjects were in the sham group, and 11 were in the treatment group.Main Outcome MeasuresOutcome measures included subject tolerance of manual medicine, change in pain level, and ability to accurately determine receipt of strain‐counterstrain or sham technique. Statistical significance was set at P < .05.ResultsThere were no adverse effects of the sham or treatment protocols. There was no statistically significant change in pain as a result of the sham manual medicine protocol (P = .222) in contrast to the strain‐counterstrain group, which did have decreased pain (P = .014). The subjects were unable to determine whether they had received sham or strain‐counterstrain technique (P = .850).ConclusionThe sham protocol developed for this study was well tolerated. The small study size and design limitations do not yet allow the sham protocol developed in this pilot study to be definitively validated as a manual medicine tool, but there are early indications that it may be useful. Larger studies that validate this sham protocol by addressing inter‐ and intra‐rater reliability are needed, followed by studies that evaluate strain‐counterstrain as a treatment modality.
Localized edge states in the asymptotic suction boundary layer
Authors: Khapko T. , Kreilos T. , Schlatter P. , Duguet Y. , Eckhardt B. , Henningson D. S. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractThe dynamics on the laminar–turbulent separatrix is investigated numerically for boundary-layer flows in the subcritical regime. Constant homogeneous suction is applied at the wall, resulting in a parallel asymptotic suction boundary layer (ASBL). When the numerical domain is sufficiently extended in the spanwise direction, the coherent structures found by edge tracking are invariably localized and their dynamics shows bursts that drive a remarkable regular or irregular spanwise dynamics. Depending on the parameters, the asymptotic dynamics on the edge can be either periodic in time or chaotic. A clear mechanism for the regeneration of streaks and streamwise vortices emerges in all cases and is investigated in detail.
Schizophrenia genetic variants are not associated with intelligence
Authors: van Scheltinga A. F. Terwisscha , Bakker S. C. , van Haren N. E. M. , Derks E. M. , Buizer-Voskamp J. E. , Cahn W. , Ripke S. , Ophoff R. A. , Kahn R. S. 
Published: February 2013

BackgroundSchizophrenia is associated with lower pre-morbid intelligence (IQ) in addition to (pre-morbid) cognitive decline. Both schizophrenia and IQ are highly heritable traits. Therefore, we hypothesized that genetic variants associated with schizophrenia, including copy number variants (CNVs) and a polygenic schizophrenia (risk) score (PSS), may influence intelligence.MethodIQ was estimated with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). CNVs were determined from single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data using the QuantiSNP and PennCNV algorithms. For the PSS, odds ratios for genome-wide SNP data were calculated in a sample collected by the Psychiatric Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) Consortium (8690 schizophrenia patients and 11 831 controls). These were used to calculate individual PSSs in our independent sample of 350 schizophrenia patients and 322 healthy controls.ResultsAlthough significantly more genes were disrupted by deletions in schizophrenia patients compared to controls (p = 0.009), there was no effect of CNV measures on IQ. The PSS was associated with disease status (R2 = 0.055, p = 2.1 × 10−7) and with IQ in the entire sample (R2 = 0.018, p = 0.0008) but the effect on IQ disappeared after correction for disease status.ConclusionsOur data suggest that rare and common schizophrenia-associated variants do not explain the variation in IQ in healthy subjects or in schizophrenia patients. Thus, reductions in IQ in schizophrenia patients may be secondary to other processes related to schizophrenia risk.
Joint mitigation of nonlinearity and modulator imperfections in dual‐band concurrent transmitter using neural networks
Authors: Rawat M. , Rawat K. , Younes M. , Ghannouchi F. 
Published: February 2013

Reported, for the first time is a predistortion scheme for a concurrent dual‐band transmitter with a dual‐band concurrent Doherty power amplifier in the presence of modulator I/Q imbalance and DC offsets. Inverse PA modelling for predistortion is achieved using real valued time delayed neural networks. The model has been validated for a 10 W GaN based dual‐band concurrent Doherty power amplifier for wideband code division multiple access signals at 1960 and 3500 MHz, respectively, and an adjacent channel power ratio improvement of 18 dB is reported.
Broadband Fabry‐Pérot radiation based on non‐Foster cavity boundary
Authors: Debogović T. , Hrabar S. , Perruisseau‐Carrier J. 
Published: February 2013

Fabry‐Pérot (FP) cavities having at least one partially reflective surface are widely used as compact and efficient high‐directivity radiators. However, they inherently suffer from very narrow directivity bandwidths around the FP resonance. Here it is shown that this constraint can be overcome by using an active non‐Foster cavity boundary behaving as a series negative LC tank circuit. Analytical and full‐wave numerical results reveal the possibility of nearly tenfold improvement of − 1 dB directivity bandwidth while preserving the original overall antenna size and directivity of the antenna.
Directional multi‐band antenna employing frequency selective surfaces
Authors: So H. , Ando A. , Seki T. , Kawashima M. , Sugiyama T. 
Published: February 2013

Proposed is a concept of a directional multi‐band antenna employing frequency selective surfaces (FSSs). To confirm the feasibility of the concept, the proposal is implemented by combining a metal reflector, two FSSs that act as frequency filters, and a multi‐band radiator. The proposed triple‐band antenna can radiate at 800 MHz (the metal reflector or FSS 1), 2 GHz (FSS 2), and 4 GHz (FSS 3). FSS 2 passes waves at one frequency band (800 MHz) and reflects all other bands, and FSS 3 passes waves at two frequency bands (800 MHz/2 GHz) and reflects all other bands. Beam control is easy since all that is needed is to change FSS size and/or the distance between the radiator and metal reflector/FSS. Electromagnetic field simulations and measurements demonstrate good directivity in the frequency bands of 800 MHz, 2 GHz and 4 GHz.
Localised back contact to ONO passivated c‐Si solar cells using laser fired contact method
Authors: Choi P.H. , Baek D.H. , Kim H.J. , Kim K.S. , Park H.S. , Lee J.H. , Yi J.S. , Choi B.D. 
Published: February 2013

The localised back contact method for SiO2/SiNx/SiO2 (ONO) back surface passivated crystalline silicon solar cells has been investigated using a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser. From the quasi‐steady‐state‐photoconductance measurements, feasible passivation properties of effective carrier lifetime (τeff), back surface recombination velocity (Seff) and diffusion length (LD) with the ONO passivated layer rather than with the SiNx single layer have been confirmed. Localised point back contacts were formed varying with dot diameter and dot spacing and then the cell performance was characterised from solar simulator measurements. It was confirmed that the cell performance is closely related to the back contact area which is determined by dot diameter and spacing, and dot spacing is the more crucial factor to determine the cell performance than diameter variations.
Hybrid WDM‐OFDMA‐PON utilising tunable generation of flat optical comb
Authors: Chen C. , Zhang C.F. , Zhang W. , Jin W. , Qiu K. 
Published: February 2013

Proposed is a wavelength‐division multiplexed orthogonal frequency‐division multiple access passive optical network (WDM‐OFDMA‐PON) for both wired and wireless OFDM signal access, by using a tunable generation scheme of a flat optical comb. 17 comb lines with 30 GHz space and no more than 0.5 dB flatness are obtained theoretically and experimentally. The obtained flat optical comb is used as the optical source for 17 WDM channels in the proposed WDM‐OFDMA‐PON. A 16‐quadrature amplitude modulation OFDM signal achieving 10.85 Gbit/s traffic data is modulated onto each channel with double sideband modulation and the transmission for both wired and wireless access has been successfully demonstrated by experiment.
Crop management.
Authors: Whiley A. W. , Wolstenholme B. N. , Faber B. A. 
Published: February 2013

Abstract

This chapter focuses on some horticultural management procedures that can improve avocado orchard performance. The importance of the understanding the of the environment and the limitations or excesses it imposes on tree growth, which is critical for success in determining management strategies from orchard design onwards, is discussed and the importance of understanding the cost of management inputs and the returns from fruit is pointed out.
Atorvastatin-induced Cardioprotection of Human Myocardium Is Mediated by the Inhibition of Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore Opening via Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Janus Kinase/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription Pathway
Authors: Lemoine Sandrine , Zhu Lan , Legallois Damien , Massetti Massimo , Manrique Alain , Hanouz Jean-Luc 
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Background:
The role of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway, and mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore in atorvastatin-induced cardioprotection were examined in human myocardium, in vitro.

Methods:
Isometric force of contraction of human right atrial trabeculae was recorded during 30-min hypoxia and 60-min reoxygenation (control) and in the presence of atorvastatin (0.1 µm, 1 µm, 10 µm). In early reoxygenation, the TNF-α inhibitor, AG490 (inhibitor of JAK/STAT), or atractyloside (mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore opener), were administered. Cyclosporine A (inhibitor of mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore opening) was administered during the first minute of reoxygenation alone or in presence of atorvastatin and TNF-α inhibitor or AG490. The force of contraction (percentage of baseline) at the end of reoxygenation period was compared (mean ± SD; n = 6 in each group). Protein expression of JAK/STAT pathway was measured using Western immunoblotting.

Results:
Atorvastatin 0.1 µm (70 ± 9%), 1 µm (85 ± 5%), 10 µm (89 ± 5%), and Cyclosporine A (87 ± 10%) improved the recovery of force of contraction at the end of reoxygenation, as compared with control (50 ± 3%). Atorvastatin 1 µm (4.64 ± 2.90ng · ml−1 · g−1 of tissue) decreased the release of troponin Ic after hypoxia-reoxygenation (control: 26.34 ± 19.30ng · ml−1 · g−1; P < 0.001). The enhanced recovery of force of contraction after atorvastatin administration was abolished by TNF-α inhibitor (53 ± 8%), AG490 (56 ± 7%), atractyloside (48 ± 8%). Cyclosporine A restored the atorvastatin-induced cardioprotection abolished by TNF-α inhibitor (87 ± 6%) and AG490 (83 ± 9%). Atorvastatin significantly increased the phosphorylation of JAK-2 and STAT-3, TNF-α inhibitor abolished the enhanced phosphorylation of JAK-2 and STAT-3 by atorvastatin.

Conclusions:
Atorvastatin-induced cardioprotection involved the inhibition of the mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore opening via the activation of TNF-α and the JAK/STAT pathway in early reoxygenation.
The depiction of Polish migrants in the United Kingdom by the British press after Poland's accession to the European Union
Authors: Spigelman Ariel 
Published: February 2013

PurposeA negative framing of immigrants to stir populist sentiment is a widespread tactic repeatedly deployed by the British press. Following the accession of ten new and predominantly Eastern European member‐states to the European Union in 2004, this gambit was again utilised to provocatively portray migrant workers newly arriving in the United Kingdom as an external economic threat. The aim of this paper was to uncover the recurrent ways in which Polish migrants were emotively framed by the top daily British newspapers during this period of EU enlargement.Design/methodology/approachA bespoke collection of newspaper articles was assembled and examined using a corpus‐based discourse analysis. The analysis was subsequently triangulated with relevant responses to a series of public opinion surveys.FindingsResults show that the British press conformed to classic media representations of migrants when referring to Poles in particular, by depicting them as an external economic threat “flooding” the country; in addition a novel stereotype of the “Polish plumber” was used to present them arriving to take the jobs of native manual labourers.Originality/valueThe study adds to the understanding of media attitudes towards new migrants in the UK, and demonstrates the utility of triangulated corpus‐based discourse analysis for those who seek to highlight systematic characterisations of migrants in the popular press.