bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Introducing waiting times for health care in a labor supply model for sickness absence
Authors: Andrén Daniela , Granlund David 
Published: April 2015

This paper studies the association between waiting times for different health care services and the duration of sick leave, using a Swedish register database supplemented with information from questionnaires for 3,653 employees. The duration of sick leave is positively associated with waiting two weeks or more for primary care, technical investigations and specialists, compared to waiting one week or less. Except for waiting for a specialist, there is no indication that waiting four weeks or more is associated with longer durations of sick leave than waiting two to three weeks. Long waiting times for surgery is negatively associated with the duration of sick leave, which might be explained by prioritizing where patients with longer waiting times are those with less severe conditions. Including these waiting time variables did not induce substantial changes on the impact of traditional labor supply variables, which suggests that the parameter estimates of traditional variables are relatively robust. Published: Online August 2014. In print December 2015.
Adipose Stromal Cells Repair Pressure Ulcers in Both Young and Elderly Mice: Potential Role of Adipogenesis in Skin Repair
Authors: Strong Amy L. , Bowles Annie C. , MacCrimmon Connor P. , Frazier Trivia P. , Lee Stephen J. , Wu Xiying , Katz Adam J. , Gawronska-Kozak Barbara , Bunnell Bruce A. , Gimble Jeffrey M. 
Published: April 2015

Abstract

More than 2.5 million patients in the U.S. require treatment for pressure ulcers annually, and the elderly are at particularly high risk for pressure ulcer development. Current therapy for pressure ulcers consists of conservative medical management for shallow lesions and aggressive debridement and surgery for deeper lesions. The current study uses a murine model to address the hypothesis that adipose-derived stromal/stem cell (ASC) treatment would accelerate and enhance pressure ulcer repair. The dorsal skin of both young (2 months old [mo]) and old (20 mo) C57BL/6J female mice was sandwiched between external magnets for 12 hours over 2 consecutive days to initiate a pressure ulcer. One day following the induction, mice were injected with ASCs isolated from congenic mice transgenic for the green fluorescent protein under a ubiquitous promoter. Relative to phosphate-buffered saline-treated controls, ASC-treated mice displayed a cell concentration-dependent acceleration of wound closure, improved epidermal/dermal architecture, increased adipogenesis, and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration. The ASC-induced improvements occurred in both young and elderly recipients, although the expression profile of angiogenic, immunomodulatory, and reparative mRNAs differed as a function of age. The results are consistent with clinical reports that fat grafting improved skin architecture in thermal injuries; the authors of this published study have invoked ASC-based mechanisms to account for their clinical outcomes. Thus, the current proof-of-principle study sets the stage for clinical translation of autologous and/or allogeneic ASC treatment of pressure ulcers.

Significance
Adipose-derived stromal/stem cells (ASCs) promote the healing of pressure ulcer wounds in both young and old mice. ASCs enhance wound healing rates through adipogenic differentiation and regeneration of the underlying architecture of the skin.
A switching periodic adaptive control approach for time‐varying parameters with unknown periodicity
Authors: Yu Miao , Huang Deqing 
Published: April 2015

SummaryPeriodic variations are encountered in many real systems, which can exist in the system parameters, as a disturbance or as the tracking objective. However, there exist a great number of situations where the periodicity is not known in advance. Hence, how to compensate for the effects of time‐varying parameters with unknown periodicity remains a challenge for the controller design. In this paper, we proposed a switching periodic adaptive control approach for continuous‐time nonlinear parametric systems with periodic uncertainties in which the period and bound are not known in advance. We utilized a fully saturated periodic adaptation law to identify the unknown periodic parameters in a pointwise manner. In addition, we provided a logic‐based switching scheme to estimate the unknown period and bound online simultaneously. By virtue of Lyapunov stability analysis, we show that the asymptotic convergence can be guaranteed irrespective of the initial conditions. Finally, we carried out numerical simulations to demonstrate the efficacy of the switching periodic adaptive control algorithm. The proposed approach can be applied to parametric nonlinear systems with time‐varying parameters of unknown periodicity irrespective of the types of periodic uncertainties. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A systematic review and meta‐analysis of probiotics for the treatment of allergic rhinitis
Authors: Zajac Alexander E. , Adams Austin S. , Turner Justin H. 
Published: April 2015

BackgroundProbiotics have proven beneficial in a number of immune‐mediated and allergic diseases. Several human studies have evaluated the efficacy of probiotics in allergic rhinitis; however, evidence for their use has yet to be firmly established. The current systematic review seeks to synthesize the results of available randomized trials.MethodsIn a systematic review and meta‐analysis, the Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were reviewed and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were extracted based on defined inclusion criteria. The effect of probiotics on Rhinitis Quality of Life (RQLQ) scores, Rhinitis Total Symptom Scores (RTSS), as well as total and antigen‐specific serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were evaluated by meta‐analysis.ResultsA total of 23 studies with 1919 patients were identified, including 21 double‐blind RCTs and 2 randomized crossover studies. Multiple probiotic strains, study populations, and outcome measures were used in individual trials. Seventeen studies showed a significant clinical benefit from the use of probiotics in at least 1 outcome measure when compared to placebo, whereas 6 trials showed no benefit. Among the trials eligible for meta‐analysis, the use of probiotics resulted in a significant improvement in RQLQ scores compared to placebo (standard mean difference [SMD] −2.23; p = 0.02). Probiotics had no effect on RTSS (SMD −0.36; p = 0.13) or total IgE levels (SMD 0.01; p = 0.94), although there was a trend toward a reduction in antigen‐specific IgE (SMD 0.20; p = 0.06) in the placebo group compared to probiotic.ConclusionProbiotics may be beneficial in improving symptoms and quality of life in patients with allergic rhinitis; however, current evidence remains limited due to study heterogeneity and variable outcome measures. Additional high‐quality studies are needed to establish appropriate recommendations.
Thalamic and extrathalamic mechanisms of consciousness after severe brain injury
Authors: Lutkenhoff Evan S. , Chiang Jeffrey , Tshibanda Luaba , Kamau Evelyn , Kirsch Murielle , Pickard John D. , Laureys Steven , Owen Adrian M. , Monti Martin M. 
Published: April 2015

ObjectiveWhat mechanisms underlie the loss and recovery of consciousness after severe brain injury? We sought to establish, in the largest cohort of patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) to date, the link between gold standard clinical measures of awareness and wakefulness, and specific patterns of local brain pathology—thereby possibly providing a mechanistic framework for patient diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment development.MethodsStructural T1‐weighted magnetic resonance images were collected, in a continuous sample of 143 severely brain‐injured patients with DOC (and 96 volunteers), across 2 tertiary expert centers. Brain atrophy in subcortical regions (bilateral thalamus, basal ganglia, hippocampus, basal forebrain, and brainstem) was assessed across (1) healthy volunteers and patients, (2) clinical entities (eg, vegetative state, minimally conscious state), (3) clinical measures of consciousness (Coma Recovery Scale–Revised), and (4) injury etiology.ResultsCompared to volunteers, patients exhibited significant atrophy across all structures (p < 0.05, corrected). Strikingly, we found almost no significant differences across clinical entities. Nonetheless, the clinical measures of awareness and wakefulness upon which differential diagnosis rely were systematically associated with tissue atrophy within thalamic and basal ganglia nuclei, respectively; the basal forebrain was atrophied in proportion to patients’ response to sensory stimulation. In addition, nontraumatic injuries exhibited more extensive thalamic atrophy.InterpretationThese findings provide, for the first time, a grounding in pathology for gold standard behavior‐based clinical measures of consciousness, and reframe our current models of DOC by stressing the different links tying thalamic mechanisms to willful behavior and extrathalamic mechanisms to behavioral (and electrocortical) arousal. Ann Neurol 2015 Ann Neurol 2015;78:68–76
Polyoxometalate Complexes of Anatase‐Titanium Dioxide Cores in Water
Authors: Raula Manoj , Gan Or Gal , Saganovich Marina , Zeiri Offer , Wang Yifeng , Chierotti Michele R. , Gobetto Roberto , Weinstock Ira A. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractPolyoxometalate (POM) cluster anions are shown to serve as covalently coordinated ligands for anatase‐TiO2 nanocrystals, giving isolable assemblies uniquely positioned between molecular macroanions and traditional colloidal nanoparticles. Na+ salts of the water‐soluble polyanionic structures are obtained by reacting amorphous TiO2 with the 1 nm lacunary ion, Na7[α‐XW11O39] (X=P5+), at 170 °C, after which an average of 55 α‐PW11O397− clusters are found as pentadentate ligands for TiIV ions covalently linked to 6 nm single‐crystal anatase cores. The attached POMs are reversible electron acceptors, the reduction potentials of which shift in a predictable fashion by changing the central heteroatom, X, directly influencing a model catalytic reaction. Just as POM cluster anions control the reactivities of metal centers in molecular complexes, directly coordinated POM ligands with tunable redox potentials now provide new options for rationally controlling the reactions of semiconductor nanocrystals.
Spectrofluorimetric determination of dopamine receptor antagonist LE 300 in mice plasma
Authors: Hefnawy Mohamed , Mohamed Mostafa , Abunassif Mohamed , Alanazi Amer , Al‐Majed Abdulrahman , Jochen Lehmann , Mostafa Gamal Abdel‐Hafiz 
Published: April 2015

AbstractA simple, rapid and highly sensitive spectrofluorimetric method was developed for determination of a novel type of dopamine receptor antagonist LE300 in mouse plasma. The method is based on measuring the native fluorescence of LE‐300 in methanol at 343 nm after excitation at 280 nm. The fluorescence concentration plot was rectilinear over the range of 3.5–100 ng/mL with a lower detection limit of 1.0 ng/mL and quantification limit of 3.5 ng/mL. The method was statistically validated for linearity, accuracy, precision and selectivity according to the International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. The accuracy and precision results was expressed as % recovery and relative standard deviation (RSD). The accuracy for LE‐300 was in the range 95.5–103.6% and RSD values were in the range of 0.21–1.55% of the theoretical value. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of LE‐300 in mice plasma. The results were compared statistically with those obtained by the reported method and were found to be in good agreement, which could be applied in a pharmacokinetic study. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Probing effects of pressure release on virus capture during virus filtration using confocal microscopy
Authors: Dishari Shudipto K. , Venkiteshwaran Adith , Zydney Andrew L. 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTVirus filtration is used to ensure drug safety in the production of biotherapeutics. Several recent studies have shown a dramatic decrease in virus retention as a result of a process disruption, e.g., a transient pressure release. In this work, a novel two‐label fluorescence technique was developed to probe virus capture within virus filtration membranes using confocal microscopy. Experiments were performed with Ultipor® DV20, Viresolve® Pro, and Viresolve® NFP membranes using bacteriophage φx174 as a model virus. The filters were challenged with two batches of fluorescently labeled phage: one labeled with red dye (Cy5) and one with green dye (SYBR Gold) to visualize captured phage from before and after the pressure release. The capture patterns seen in the confocal images were a strong function of the underlying membrane morphology and pore structure. The DV20 and Viresolve® NFP showed migration of previously captured phage further into the filter, consistent with the observed loss of virus retention after the pressure release. In contrast, there was no migration of captured virus in the Viresolve® Pro membranes, and these filters were also the only ones to show stable virus retention after a pressure release. The direct visualization of virus capture using the two‐label fluorescence technique provides unique insights into the factors controlling the retention characteristics of virus filters with different pore structure. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 2115–2122. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Detection of Leukemic Cells by using Jacalin as the Biorecognition Layer: A New Strategy for the Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells
Authors: Cancino‐Bernardi Juliana , Marangoni Valeria S. , Faria Henrique A. M. , Zucolotto Valtencir 
Published: April 2015

AbstractThe possibility of early cancer diagnosis has inspired the development of electrochemical systems that could improve both cell detection and activity monitoring, especially for circulating tumor cells. In this study, we propose an impedimetric leukemia sensor based on the use of immobilized jacalin, which is a lectin overexpressed in most types of human cancers. The biosensor is prepared through the chemical adsorption of (3‐aminopropil)trimetoxisilano on indium tin oxide electrodes, followed by immersion in a jacalin solution. The performance of the jacalin‐modified electrodes toward monocytic leukemic cells, THP‐1, and myeloblastic leukemic cells, OCI‐AMI3, was investigated through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Our results revealed that, upon using the jacalin biorecognition layer, the sensors were able to differentiate leukemic cells from healthy monocyte cells, even at low percentage ranges, with limits of detection of 4±1 cells mL−1 for OCI‐AMI3 and 3±1 cells mL−1 for THP‐1.
Stereoselective Synthesis of Chiral Polycyclic Indolic Architectures through Pd0‐Catalyzed Tandem Deprotection/Cyclization of Tetrahydro‐β‐carbolines on Allenes
Authors: Gobé Valérian , Guinchard Xavier 
Published: April 2015

AbstractEnantioenriched N‐allyl tetrahydro‐β‐carbolines were prepared by chiral phosphoric acid‐catalyzed Pictet–Spengler reactions. The compounds undergo Pd0‐catalyzed cyclizations through a tandem deprotection/cyclization process. The regioselectivity of the attack is controlled by the chain length and by the substitution pattern of the allene function. Products resulting from 5‐exo‐ or 6‐exo‐attack were obtained with diastereoisomeric ratio up to 95:5. Azepinopyrrido[3,4‐b]indoles were obtained by 7‐endo‐cyclizations.
Geometry and Spin Change at the Heart of a Cobalt(II) Complex: A Special Case of Solvatomorphism
Authors: Cibian Mihaela , Hanan Garry S. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractStructural analysis and spectroscopic methods revealed a special case of solvatomorphism: hydrogen‐bonding‐induced geometry and spin change within a same N,O‐(bis)chelate of cobalt(II). Solid‐state structures are presented for both the tetrahedral and the solvated square‐planar forms of the complex. Magnetic‐moment measurements and ESR spectroscopy confirmed the high‐spin state of the tetrahedral form (μeff=4.7 μB) and the low‐spin state of the square‐planar solvatomorph. Specific hydrogen‐bonding interactions between the solvent molecules and the complex chelate ring (O1⋅⋅⋅HCHCl2 (d=2.26 Å, D=3.24 Å, θ=173°); O2⋅⋅⋅HCHCl2 (d=2.22 Å, D=3.19 Å, θ=165°)) play a pivotal role in biasing the system toward the low‐spin ground state.
Inhibition of prostacyclin and thromboxane biosynthesis in healthy volunteers by single and multiple doses of acetaminophen and indomethacin
Authors: Schwartz Jules I. , Musser Bret J. , Tanaka Wesley K. , Taggart William V. , Mehta Anish , Gottesdiener Keith M. , Greenberg Howard E. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractThis double‐blind, randomized crossover study assessed the effect of acetaminophen (1000 mg every 8 hours) versus indomethacin (50 mg every 8 hours) versus placebo on cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX‐1 and COX‐2). Urinary excretion of 2,3‐dinor‐6‐keto‐PGF1α, (prostacyclin metabolite, PGI‐M; COX‐2 inhibition) and 11‐dehydro thromboxane B2 (thromboxane metabolite, Tx‐M; COX‐1 inhibition) were measured after 1 dose and 5 days of dosing. Peak inhibition of urinary metabolite excretion across 8 hours following dosing was the primary end point. Mean PGI‐M excretion was 33.7%, 55.9%, and 64.6% on day 1 and 49.4%, 65.1%, and 80.3% on day 5 (placebo, acetaminophen, and indomethacin, respectively). Acetaminophen and indomethacin inhibited PGI‐M excretion following single and multiple doses (P = .004 vs placebo). PGI‐M excretion inhibition after 1 dose was similar for indomethacin and acetaminophen, but significantly greater with indomethacin after multiple doses (P = .006). Mean Tx‐M excretion was 16.2%, 45.2%, and 86.6% on day 1 and 46.2%, 58.4%, and 92.6% on day 5 (placebo, acetaminophen, and indomethacin, respectively). Tx‐M excretion inhibition following 1 dose was reduced by acetaminophen (P ≤ .003). Indomethacin reduced Tx‐M excretion significantly more than acetaminophen and placebo after single and multiple doses (P ≤ .001). Acetaminophen and indomethacin inhibited COX‐1 and COX‐2 following a single dose, but acetaminophen was a less potent COX‐1 inhibitor than indomethacin.
Holey Graphene Nanosheets with Surface Functional Groups as High‐Performance Supercapacitors in Ionic‐Liquid Electrolyte
Authors: Yang Cheng‐Hsien , Huang Po‐Ling , Luo Xu‐Feng , Wang Chueh‐Han , Li Chi , Wu Yi‐Hsuan , Chang Jeng‐Kuei 
Published: April 2015

AbstractPores and surface functional groups are created on graphene nanosheets (GNSs) to improve supercapacitor properties in a butylmethylpyrrolidinium–dicyanamide (BMP–DCA) ionic liquid (IL) electrolyte. The GNS electrode exhibits an optimal capacitance of 330 F g−1 and a satisfactory rate capability within a wide potential range of 3.3 V at 25 °C. Pseudocapacitive effects are confirmed using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Under the same conditions, carbon nanotube and activated carbon electrodes show capacitances of 80 and 81 F g−1, respectively. Increasing the operation temperature increases the conductivity and decreases the viscosity of the IL electrolyte, further improving cell performance. At 60 °C, a symmetric‐electrode GNS supercapacitor with the IL electrolyte is able to deliver maximum energy and power densities of 140 Wh kg−1 and 52.5 kW kg−1 (based on the active material on both electrodes), respectively, which are much higher than the 20 Wh kg−1 and 17.8 kW kg−1 obtained for a control cell with a conventional organic electrolyte.
Comparing Anode Gas Recirculation with Hydrogen Purge and Bleed in a Novel PEMFC Laboratory Test Cell Configuration
Authors: Koski P. , Pérez L. C. , Ihonen J. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractIn automotive‐type polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) systems, impurities and inert gases accumulate in the anode gas recirculation loop. Therefore, the impurity limits, dictated by the current hydrogen fuel specification (ISO 14687‐2:2012), also require quantification with representative fuel cell test systems applying anode gas recirculation, that enables high fuel utilization rates and accumulation of impurities.We report a novel PEMFC laboratory test cell configuration mimicking automotive conditions. This setup enabled comparison of two operation modes, hydrogen bleed and purge, within 84.4%–98.6% fuel utilizations. The results indicate that similar enrichment dynamics apply to both bleed and purge modes.The configuration employed a membrane dryer to circumvent the 60 °C limit of commercially available recirculation pumps. The membrane dryer allows heat and humidity extraction from the anode exit gas stream, enabling the adoption of conventional recirculation pumps, minimizing water condensation, and making sampling with on‐line gas analysis instruments easier. The results show that anode gas recirculation systems with hydrogen bleed can be implemented in conventional test stations by resorting to commercially available recirculation pumps. This enables realistic and cost‐effective determination of impurity effects for fuel cell system development and new hydrogen fuel standards.
Multidisciplinary management of locally advanced and widely metastatic paraganglioma in a patient with life‐threatening compressive symptoms
Authors: Neychev Vladimir , Straughan David , Pacak Karel , Kebebew Electron 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTBackgroundPatients presenting with locally advanced, metastatic paraganglioma with life‐threatening compressive symptoms of critical anatomic structure pose a significant management challenge.MethodsWe present a case of a 15‐year‐old patient with enlarging right neck mass causing dysphagia and respiratory compromise from near complete obstruction of the oropharynx.ResultsEvaluation of the patient's family history led to the identification of a mutation in the succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDSD) gene (G725A). Laboratory and imaging workup revealed an 8.8 × 6.6 × 4.1 cm metabolically and biochemically active right neck mass, a tumor in the left para‐aortic region, and multiple bony lesions consistent with widely metastatic disease. Multidisciplinary management included preoperative clinical optimization, coil embolization, and palliative resection of the neck mass.ConclusionAlthough the currently available treatment options for patients with advanced metastatic paraganglioma render no survival benefit, a multidisciplinary management approach aimed at relief of tumor‐related symptoms and catecholamine excess should be undertaken. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 37: E205–E208, 2015