bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Endobronchial ultrasound–guided transbronchial needle aspiration in the staging of lung cancer patients
Authors: Dziedzic Dariusz , Peryt Adam , Szolkowska Malgorzata , Langfort Renata , Orlowski Tadeusz 
Published: October 2015

Objective: Mediastinoscopy as diagnostic procedure for evaluation of mediastinum in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer has long been considered the reference standard. However, less invasive method has occurred. Endobronchial ultrasound–guided transbronchial needle aspiration came into widespread use and has resulted in controversy as to whether it is a good replacement for mediastinoscopy. We chose to demonstrate the usefulness of endobronchial ultrasound–guided transbronchial needle aspiration in evaluating the mediastinum in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. Material and methods: Over a 48-month period, 1841 patients underwent endobronchial ultrasound–guided transbronchial needle aspiration at our healthcare centre. In all patients, 2964 biopsies from the lymph node group N2 and 783 from group N1 were taken. The mean short axis of the lymph nodes biopsied was 2.0 (range: 0.6–2.6). The mean number of lymph node stations biopsied per patient was 2.6. Patients with a negative result of endobronchial ultrasound–guided transbronchial needle aspiration underwent mediastinoscopy. All patients with a negative result in endobronchial ultrasound–guided transbronchial needle aspiration and mediastinoscopy underwent surgical resection with lymph node sampling. Results: The metastases to lymph nodes N2/N3 and N1 were found in 1111 (60.3%) and 199 (9.3%), respectively. Mediastinoscopy was performed in 730 patients with a positive result in 83 (11.4%) patients. In the group of operated patients, metastatic N1 disease was found in 264 (14.1%). In the group of the operated patients, mediastinal involvement of disease (N2) was found in 30 patients (4.5%). The sensitivity, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy for hilar lymph node staging for endobronchial ultrasound–guided transbronchial needle aspiration were 57%, 96% and 96%, respectively. The sensitivity, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy per patient for mediastinal lymph node staging for endobronchial ultrasound–guided transbronchial needle aspiration and mediastinoscopy were 91%, 85%, 93% and 73%, 95.5%, 97%, respectively. The specificity and positive predictive value of both tests were 100%. Conclusion: The clinical usefulness of endobronchial ultrasound–guided transbronchial needle aspiration is undeniable according to diagnostic performance data. Endobronchial ultrasound–guided transbronchial needle aspiration should be considered complementary to mediastinoscopy in the evaluation of patients with radiographically abnormal mediastinum.
Inter- vs intra-individual variation and temporal repeatability of escape responses in the coral reef fishAmblyglyphidodon curacao
Authors: Jornod Maïwenn , Roche Dominique G. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACTFast-start escape responses are critical behaviours used by fishes during predator-prey encounters and some interactions with hetero- and conspecifics. In experimental studies, escape responses are often measured once per individual and considered representative of maximum performance. However, few studies have compared variability and repeatability in escape performances within and among individuals. Using the tropical damselfish Amblyglyphidodon curacao, we quantified inter- and intra-individual variation in behavioural and kinematic components of escape performance during repeated presentations of a stimulus at 15 min intervals. Individual maximum escape performance was repeatable through time, but there was considerable variation in the magnitude of responses both among and within fish. We found no evidence of habituation or fatigue due to repeated stimulations, suggesting that fish can be stimulated multiple times to ensure that an accurate estimate of maximum escape performance is obtained.
Cellular population dynamics control the robustness of the stem cell niche
Authors: MacLean Adam L. , Kirk Paul D. W. , Stumpf Michael P. H. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT
Within populations of cells, fate decisions are controlled by an indeterminate combination of cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic factors. In the case of stem cells, the stem cell niche is believed to maintain ‘stemness’ through communication and interactions between the stem cells and one or more other cell-types that contribute to the niche conditions. To investigate the robustness of cell fate decisions in the stem cell hierarchy and the role that the niche plays, we introduce simple mathematical models of stem and progenitor cells, their progeny and their interplay in the niche. These models capture the fundamental processes of proliferation and differentiation and allow us to consider alternative possibilities regarding how niche-mediated signalling feedback regulates the niche dynamics. Generalised stability analysis of these stem cell niche systems enables us to describe the stability properties of each model. We find that although the number of feasible states depends on the model, their probabilities of stability in general do not: stem cell–niche models are stable across a wide range of parameters. We demonstrate that niche-mediated feedback increases the number of stable steady states, and show how distinct cell states have distinct branching characteristics. The ecological feedback and interactions mediated by the stem cell niche thus lend (surprisingly) high levels of robustness to the stem and progenitor cell population dynamics. Furthermore, cell–cell interactions are sufficient for populations of stem cells and their progeny to achieve stability and maintain homeostasis. We show that the robustness of the niche – and hence of the stem cell pool in the niche – depends only weakly, if at all, on the complexity of the niche make-up: simple as well as complicated niche systems are capable of supporting robust and stable stem cell dynamics.
Sexual dimorphism in an animal model of Sjögren's syndrome: a potential role for Th17 cells
Authors: Voigt Alexandria , Esfandiary Lida , Nguyen Cuong Q. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACTSjögren's syndrome is a complex autoimmune disease with an array of diverse immunological, genetic and environmental etiologies, making identification of the precise autoimmune mechanism difficult to define. One of the most distinctive aspects of Sjögren's syndrome is the high sexual dimorphism with women affected 10-20 times more than men. It is nearly impossible to study the sexual dimorphic development of Sjögren's syndrome in human patients; therefore it is pertinent to develop an appropriate animal model which resembles human disease. The data indicated that female C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 mice developed an earlier onset of sialadenitis with a higher composition of CD3+ T cells and a 10-fold increase in glandular infiltration of Th17 cells at the onset of clinical disease compared to male mice. Inflammatory Th17 cells of female mice exhibited a stronger proliferation in response to disease-specific antigen than their male counterpart. At the clinical disease stage, altered autoantibody patterns can be detected in females whereas they are seldom observed in male C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 mice. Interestingly, male C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 mice developed an earlier loss of secretory function, despite the fact that female C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 mice exhibited a more rapid secretory loss. This data indicates the strong sexual dimorphism in the SjS-susceptible C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 animal model, making it an appropriate animal model to examine human disease.
E-cadherin cytoplasmic domain inhibits cell surface localization of endogenous cadherins and fusion of C2C12 myoblasts
Authors: Ozawa Masayuki 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACTMyoblast fusion is a highly regulated process that is essential for skeletal muscle formation during muscle development and regeneration in mammals. Much remains to be elucidated about the molecular mechanism of myoblast fusion although cadherins, which are Ca2+-dependent cell–cell adhesion molecules, are thought to play a critical role in this process. Mouse myoblasts lacking either N-cadherin or M-cadherin can still fuse to form myotubes, indicating that they have no specific function in this process and may be functionally replaced by either M-cadherin or N-cadherin, respectively. In this study, we show that expressing the E-cadherin cytoplasmic domain ectopically in C2C12 myoblasts inhibits cell surface localization of endogenous M-cadherin and N-cadherin, as well as cell–cell fusion. This domain, however, does not inhibit myoblast differentiation according to microarray-based gene expression analysis. In contrast, expressing a dominant-negative β-catenin mutant ectopically, which suppresses Wnt/β-catenin signaling, did not inhibit cell–cell fusion. Therefore, the E-cadherin cytoplasmic domain inhibits cell–cell fusion by inhibiting cell surface localization of endogenous cadherins and not by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
Systems-Wide High-Dimensional Data Acquisition and Informatics Using Structural Mass Spectrometry Strategies
Authors: Sherrod Stacy D , McLean John A 
Published: October 2015

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Untargeted multiomics data sets are obtained for samples in systems, synthetic, and chemical biology by integrating chromatographic separations with ion mobility–mass spectrometry (IM-MS) analysis. The data sets are interrogated using bioinformatics strategies to organize the data for identification prioritization.

CONTENT
The use of big data approaches for data mining of massive data sets in systems-wide analyses is presented. Untargeted biological data across multiomics dimensions are obtained using a variety of chromatography strategies with structural MS. Separation timescales for different techniques and the resulting data deluge when combined with IM-MS are presented. Data mining self-organizing map strategies are used to rapidly filter the data, highlighting those features describing uniqueness to the query. Examples are provided in longitudinal analyses in synthetic biology and human liver exposure to acetaminophen, and in chemical biology for natural product discovery from bacterial biomes.

CONCLUSIONS
Matching the separation timescales of different forms of chromatography with IM-MS provides sufficient multiomics selectivity to perform untargeted systems-wide analyses. New data mining strategies provide a means for rapidly interrogating these data sets for feature prioritization and discovery in a range of applications in systems, synthetic, and chemical biology.
Measurement by a Novel LC-MS/MS Methodology Reveals Similar Serum Concentrations of Vitamin D–Binding Protein in Blacks and Whites
Authors: Henderson Clark M , Lutsey Pamela L , Misialek Jeffrey R , Laha Thomas J , Selvin Elizabeth , Eckfeldt John H , Hoofnagle Andrew N 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBACKGROUNDVitamin D deficiency is associated with poor bone health and other adverse health outcomes; however, the associations are greatly attenuated in black vs white individuals. One possible explanation for this attenuation is different concentrations of bioavailable vitamin D metabolites in plasma, which are estimated with equations that include the total concentration of vitamin D binding globulin (VDBG) and haplotype-specific dissociation constants.METHODSWe developed a method to quantify VDBG with LC-MS/MS that could also identify the haplotypes/isoforms of VDBG present. We validated the method according to recent recommendations for publications of biomarker studies. We determined serum VDBG concentrations in samples from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort and compared the results with a widely used monoclonal immunoassay.RESULTSWith 10 μL of serum or plasma, the lower limit of quantification for the assay (&lt;20% CV) was 71 μg/mL. The assay was linear from 62 to 434 μg/mL, with total imprecision of 7.3–9.0% CV at approximately 250 μg/mL. Significant hemolysis interfered with quantification. The identification of isoforms was 97% concordant with genotyping (κ coefficient). Method comparison with immunoassay revealed significant isoform-specific effects in the immunoassay. Mean concentrations (SD) of VDBG by mass spectrometry were similar in whites and blacks [262 (25) vs 266 (35) μg/mL, respectively; P = 0.43].CONCLUSIONSValidated mass spectrometric methods for the quantification of proteins in human samples can provide additional information beyond immunoassay. Counter to prior observations by immunoassay, VDBG concentrations did not vary by race.
Translations in practice: The multiple roles of the researcher in arts-based knowledge exchange
Authors: Crawshaw Julie , Rowe Frances , Hudson Martyn 
Published: October 2015

Abstract
This article is the product of a one-year AHRC experimental pilot project to understand Knowledge Exchange (KE) relationships around the arts in rural Northumberland. There were three strands to the work; Art, Music and Rural Economy with a Research Associate leading on each strand. There were multiple fields in this project; the actual fields of Northumberland and the landscapes in which art and music were practised, the disciplinary fields of the researchers, and the invisible, intangible fields of KE practice. This article reflects on our ‘field’ work – those interactions in fields of landscape, fields of discipline, and fields of social relations, which provided the context for our interventions. Specifically, this article reflects an experimental and experiential relationship with our ‘fields’ most potently around the process of entering and leaving those fields and the multiple interaction between ourselves as researchers and our material and cultural landscape. The article concludes with some of the implications of our ‘field’ practices for future experimental research and the co-production and elaboration of new fields of intervention.
Addressing engagement issues for interactive music technologies through a participatory design approach with ‘SoundField’
Authors: Deweppe Alexander , Diniz Nuno , Coussement Pieter , Leman Marc 
Published: October 2015

Abstract
This article presents a project that applies a collaborative design and an integrated evaluation approach to the bottom-up development of an immersive installation. In the inception of the set-up, user-related concerns for artistic technology-based applications were addressed in order to identify creative opportunities for the implemented multimodal technologies. For this purpose, an interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers from the arts, computer science and systematic musicology was established. Throughout a six-month project, a participatory and iterative design methodology was applied to the development of an augmented reality-based artistic installation. The project aimed at testing the flexibility of the technological platform, the artistic opportunities latent in the immersive installation domain, how users’ cultural aspirations could be accommodated within the installation, how subjects with a standard media literacy were to engage with the technology at hand, and whether the quality of the experience could be improved by meeting the stated aesthetic requirements. The employed design strategy resulted in a user-inspired and use case-driven development process, in which gesturally controlled audio-visual features were tested, evaluated and improved for the entire duration of the project. Results include the delivery of 22 operational use cases in six different artistic application domains and the assessment of the applied methodology by means of the user-centred evaluation. In summary, SoundField’s strategy of in-situ stakeholder involvement within the creative process allowed for following three: (1) successful implementations in a variety of cultural practices to be distilled, (2) limitations of the platform’s interactive nature to be identified and (3) the rendition of guidelines for establishing user acceptance towards multimediated embodied interactive technologies.
Improving Early Age Strength of Very High Moisture Content Fine Grained Soil via Specialty Ground Portland Cement
Authors: Howard Isaac L. , Carruth William D. , Tim Cost V. 
Published: October 2015

Abstract
This paper explores the possibility of stabilizing very high moisture content fine grained soils (VHMS) for disaster recovery purposes using “on demand” portland cement. This effort investigates feasible modifications to portland cement properties that could occur within hours at full scale facilities and improve early strength (7 days or less) properties of cemented VHMS. Two portland cement plants produced four specialty grind, or “on demand,” cements for purposes of this research that were tested as part of a program with 1195 unconfined compression tests. The “on demand” cements had varying Blaine fineness and sulfur trioxide (SO3) contents, since these are feasible modifications that can occur rapidly. Discussion is provided herein regarding current marketplace cement properties and feasible modifications to those properties for disaster recovery purposes. The overall conclusion of this effort was that modest shear strength improvements could be gained through “on demand” cements that may or may not be sufficient to warrant their use relative to current marketplace cements for any given set of conditions. “On demand” cements with ASTM C150/C150M-15 Type III fineness levels and reduced SO3 showed decreasing benefit with increasing soil liquid limit, whereas above typical fineness and reduced SO3 followed the opposite trend.
Superabsorbent Polymers as a Means of Improving Frost Resistance of Concrete
Authors: Hasholt Marianne T. , Jensen Ole M. , Laustsen Sara 
Published: October 2015

Abstract
Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) was introduced in cementitious materials about 15 years ago. Since then, several studies on the frost resistance of concrete with SAP have been published. However, an up-to-date review across the different studies is missing. This paper presented a literature review on how SAP influences concrete frost resistance. Moreover, it also presented a larger experimental study on the topic. The conclusions that were drawn from the experimental study were in line with the extract of the pool of results from the literature, first of all that SAP addition can improve frost resistance of concrete. The improvement was attributed to voids created by SAP. As was clearly demonstrated in the paper, it was crucial to document the void structure of the hardened concrete. Other factors than SAP could lead to void formation. For example, residue of surfactant on SAP particles, originating from the production of suspension polymerized SAP, can have an air entraining effect in concrete. Therefore, assuming that SAP generated voids are the only voids may lead to erroneous conclusions. When SAP is used, it is, in principle, possible to produce concrete with a pre-defined void structure as regards total void volume and void size. However, the optimum SAP void structure in relation to frost resistance is not known, and as long as the target is not clear, it is hard to use the design option of controlled void structure in a constructive way.
A Comprehensive Study on Crack Tip Parameters of Modified Ring Specimen for Mixed-Mode Fracture Toughness Tests on Brittle Materials
Authors: Pakzad R. , Ayatollahi M. R. 
Published: October 2015

Abstract
Modified ring (MR) specimen was suggested for investigating the mixed-mode (I/II) fracture behavior of brittle materials by rotating the crack orientation with respect to the loading direction. Crack tip fracture parameters (KI, KII, and T stress) of MR were calculated for different geometric dimensions. To verify the numerical modeling procedure, two sets of comparisons were drawn between the results of prior studies on MR Mode I fracture behavior and those of this study, showing good agreement between the results. Through some graphs, the effects of geometric parameters on YI, YII, and T* (dimensionless crack tip parameters) and also on βII (pure Mode II crack angle) were studied. In addition, the biaxiality ratio (B), as an influential factor in the generalized maximum tangential stress (GMTS) criterion, was calculated for the whole range of mode mixity in the MR specimens. Next, fracture behavior of the specimen was discussed by means of the GMTS criterion in terms of the results obtained for the biaxiality ratio (B). At the end, as an appendix, the entire results obtained for YI, YII, T*, and βII were presented.
A New Extension of the ELECTRE Method Based Upon Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets for Green Logistic Service Providers Evaluation
Authors: Celik Erkan , Gumus Alev Taskin , Erdogan Melike 
Published: October 2015

Abstract
Increase in environmental pollution makes companies give more importance to this issue, and as such, there is a need to take into account the necessary precautions. In particular, logistics service providers who are interwoven with the environment should apply some policies to increase environmental awareness. In this paper, we extended the ELECTRE method and proposed a new methodology for handling fuzzy multi criteria decision making problems based upon interval type-2 fuzzy sets. Interval type-2 fuzzy sets provided more df to reflect the uncertainty and the fuzziness of the real applications. An empirical study was presented in order to evaluate the green logistics service providers. A sensitivity analysis was applied to discuss and evaluate the greenness of the logistic service providers.
Interface Behavior Between Carbon-Fiber Polymer and Sand
Authors: Toufigh Vahab , Ouria Ahad , Desai Chandrakant S. , Javid Navid , Toufigh Vahid , Saadatmanesh Hamid 
Published: October 2015

Abstract
Interface shear strength between soil and structural materials is dependent on the confining pressure. To increase the confining pressure, different methods of reinforcement and materials, such as carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) can be used. The shear strength of CFRP-improved soil is dependent on the interface properties of the soil and CFRP. The objective of this study is to investigate the interface properties (friction angle and adhesion) of sand and FRP experimentally using the direct shear test apparatus. To increase the surface roughness to improve the interface properties, a layer of sand was placed on saturated carbon fiber during the curing period [spark plasma sintering CFRP (SPSCFRP)] and normal stress was applied on the sand. More than 60 interface shear tests were conducted with different curing times, shear rates, and normal stresses on SPSCFRP during curing time. Tests showed that as normal stress on SPSCFRP during curing time increased, the friction angle increased; however, increasing the curing times and the rate of shearing had a small influence on interface properties.