bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Representing Extremes in a Daily Gridded Precipitation Analysis over the United States: Impacts of Station Density, Resolution, and Gridding Methods
Authors: Gervais Melissa , Tremblay L. Bruno , Gyakum John R. , Atallah Eyad 
Published: January 2014

Abstract
This study focuses on errors in extreme precipitation in gridded station products incurred during the upscaling of station measurements to a grid, referred to as representativeness errors. Gridded precipitation station analyses are valuable observational data sources with a wide variety of applications, including model validation. The representativeness errors associated with two gridding methods are presented, consistent with either a point or areal average interpretation of model output, and it is shown that they differ significantly (up to 30%). An experiment is conducted to determine the errors associated with station density, through repeated gridding of station data within the United States using subsequently fewer stations. Two distinct error responses to reduced station density are found, which are attributed to differences in the spatial homogeneity of precipitation distributions. The error responses characterize the eastern and western United States, which are respectively more and less homogeneous. As the station density decreases, the influence of stations farther from the analysis point increases, and therefore, if the distributions are inhomogeneous in space, the analysis point is influenced by stations with very different precipitation distributions. Finally, ranges of potential percent representativeness errors of the median and extreme precipitation across the United States are created for high-resolution (0.25°) and low-resolution areal averaged (0.9° lat × 1.25° lon) precipitation fields. For example, the range of the representativeness errors is estimated, for annual extreme precipitation, to be from +16% to −12% in the low-resolution data, when station density is 5 stations per 0.9° lat × 1.25° lon grid box.
On the Identification of the Downward Propagation of Arctic Stratospheric Climate Change over Recent Decades*
Authors: Ivy Diane J. , Solomon Susan , Thompson David W. J. 
Published: January 2014

Abstract
Dynamical coupling between the stratospheric and tropospheric circumpolar circulations in the Arctic has been widely documented on month-to-month and interannual time scales, but not on longer time scales. In the Antarctic, both short- and long-term coupling extending from the stratosphere to the surface has been identified. In this study, changes in Arctic temperature, geopotential height, and ozone observed since the satellite era began in 1979 are examined, comparing dynamically quiescent years in which major sudden stratospheric warmings did not occur to all years. It is shown that this approach clarifies the behavior for years without major warmings and that dynamically quiescent years are marked by a strengthening of the Arctic polar vortex over the past 30 years. The associated declines in stratospheric temperatures, geopotential height, and ozone are qualitatively similar to those obtained in the Antarctic (albeit weaker), and propagate downward into the Arctic lowermost stratosphere during late winter and early spring. In sharp contrast to the Antarctic, the strengthening of the Arctic stratospheric vortex appears to originate at a higher altitude, and the propagation to the Arctic troposphere is both very limited and confined to the uppermost troposphere, even when only dynamically quiescent years are considered in the analysis.
Platelet-Rich Plasma as a Treatment for Patellar Tendinopathy
Authors: Dragoo Jason L. , Wasterlain Amy S. , Braun Hillary J. , Nead Kevin T. 
Published: January 2014

Background: Previous studies have shown improvement in patellar tendinopathy symptoms after platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, but no randomized controlled trial has compared PRP with dry needling (DN) for this condition. Purpose: To compare clinical outcomes in patellar tendinopathy after a single ultrasound-guided, leukocyte-rich PRP injection versus DN. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: A total of 23 patients with patellar tendinopathy on examination and MRI who had failed nonoperative treatment were enrolled and randomized to receive ultrasound-guided DN alone (DN group; n = 13) or with injection of leukocyte-rich PRP (PRP group; n = 10), along with standardized eccentric exercises. Patients and the physician providing follow-up care were blinded. Participants completed patient-reported outcome surveys before and at 3, 6, 9, 12, and ≥26 weeks after treatment during follow-up visits. The primary outcome measure was the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment (VISA) score for patellar tendinopathy at 12 weeks, and secondary measures included the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, Tegner activity scale, Lysholm knee scale, and Short Form (SF-12) questionnaire at 12 and ≥26 weeks. Results were analyzed using 2-tailed paired and unpaired t tests. Patients who were dissatisfied at 12 weeks were allowed to cross over into a separate unblinded arm. Results: At 12 weeks after treatment, VISA scores improved by a mean ± standard deviation of 5.2 ± 12.5 points ( P = .20) in the DN group (n = 12) and by 25.4 ± 23.2 points ( P = .01) in the PRP group (n = 9); at ≥26 weeks, the scores improved by 33.2 ± 14.0 points ( P = .001) in the DN group (n = 9) and by 28.9 ± 25.2 points ( P = .01) in the PRP group (n = 7). The PRP group had improved significantly more than the DN group at 12 weeks ( P = .02), but the difference between groups was not significant at ≥26 weeks ( P = .66). Lysholm scores were not significantly different between groups at 12 weeks ( P = .81), but the DN group had improved significantly more than the PRP group at ≥26 weeks ( P = .006). At 12 weeks, 3 patients in the DN group failed treatment and subsequently crossed over into the PRP group. These patients were excluded from the primary ≥26-week analysis. There were no treatment failures in the PRP group. No adverse events were reported. Recruitment was stopped because interim analysis demonstrated statistically significant and clinically important results. Conclusion: A therapeutic regimen of standardized eccentric exercise and ultrasound-guided leukocyte-rich PRP injection with DN accelerates the recovery from patellar tendinopathy relative to exercise and ultrasound-guided DN alone, but the apparent benefit of PRP dissipates over time.
High CD56++CD16- natural killer (NK) cells among suboptimal immune responders after four years of suppressive antiretroviral therapy in an African adult HIV treatment cohort
Authors: Bayigga Lois , Nabatanzi Rose , Sekiziyivu Prossy Naluyima , Mayanja-Kizza Harriet , Kamya Moses R , Kambugu Andrew , Olobo Joseph , Kiragga Agnes , Kirimunda Sam , Joloba Moses , Nakanjako Damalie 
Published: January 2014

Abstract

Background
Up to 40% of HIV-infected individuals receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) have poor CD4+ T-cell recovery. The role of natural killer (NK) cells in immune recovery during HAART is not well understood. We described the profiles of NK cell subsets and their expression of activating receptor, NKG2D and cytotoxicity receptor NKp46 among suboptimal immune responders to despite four years of suppressive HAART.

Methods
A case control study utilized frozen peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from a cohort of HIV-infected adults that initiated HAART in 2004/5, at CD4 < 200 cells/μl. Cases were ‘suboptimal’ responders; patients within the lowest quartile of CD4+ T-cell reconstitution, with a median CD4 count increase of 129 (-43-199) cells/μl (difference between CD4 count at baseline and after 4 years of HAART) and controls were ‘super-optimal’ responders; patients within the highest quartile of CD4 T-cell reconstitution with a median CD4 count increase of 528 (416-878) cells/μl). Expression of NK cell lineage markers (CD56+/-CD16+/-) and receptors NKG2D and NKp46, was measured among PBMC from 29 cases of ‘suboptimal’ responders’ and 23 controls of ‘super-optimal responders’, and compared among ‘suboptimal’ and ‘super-optimal’ responders. NK cell populations were compared using the Holm Sidak multiple comparison test and p values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Data was analyzed using FLOWJO and GraphPad Prism 6.

Results
‘Suboptimal responders’ had a higher proportion of cytokine producing CD56++CD16+/- (CD56bri) NK cells than the ‘super-optimal responders’ p = 0.017, and CD56neg NK cells were lower among suboptimal than super-optimal responders (p = 0.007). The largest NK cell subset, CD56dim, was comparable among suboptimal responders and ‘super-optimal immune responders’. Expression of NKG2D and NKp46 receptors on NK cell subsets (CD56bri, CD56neg and CD56dim), was comparable among ‘suboptimal’ and ‘super-optimal’ immune responders.

Conclusions
The pro-inflammatory CD56++CD16-- NK cells were higher among ‘suboptimal’ responders relative to ‘super-optimal’ responders, despite four years of suppressive HAART. Alteration of NK cell populations could inhibit host immune responses to infections among suboptimal responders. We recommend further analysis of NK cell function among suboptimal immune responders in order to inform targeted interventions to optimize immune recovery among HAART-treated adults.
A panel of genes methylated with high frequency in colorectal cancer
Authors: Mitchell Susan M , Ross Jason P , Drew Horace R , Ho Thu , Brown Glenn S , Saunders Neil FW , Duesing Konsta R , Buckley Michael J , Dunne Rob , Beetson Iain , Rand Keith N , McEvoy Aidan , Thomas Melissa L , Baker Rohan T , Wattchow David A , Young Graeme P , Lockett Trevor J , Pedersen Susanne K , LaPointe Lawrence C , Molloy Peter L 
Published: January 2014

Abstract

Background
The development of colorectal cancer (CRC) is accompanied by extensive epigenetic changes, including frequent regional hypermethylation particularly of gene promoter regions. Specific genes, including SEPT9, VIM1 and TMEFF2 become methylated in a high fraction of cancers and diagnostic assays for detection of cancer-derived methylated DNA sequences in blood and/or fecal samples are being developed. There is considerable potential for the development of new DNA methylation biomarkers or panels to improve the sensitivity and specificity of current cancer detection tests.

Methods
Combined epigenomic methods – activation of gene expression in CRC cell lines following DNA demethylating treatment, and two novel methods of genome-wide methylation assessment – were used to identify candidate genes methylated in a high fraction of CRCs. Multiplexed amplicon sequencing of PCR products from bisulfite-treated DNA of matched CRC and non-neoplastic tissue as well as healthy donor peripheral blood was performed using Roche 454 sequencing. Levels of DNA methylation in colorectal tissues and blood were determined by quantitative methylation specific PCR (qMSP).

Results
Combined analyses identified 42 candidate genes for evaluation as DNA methylation biomarkers. DNA methylation profiles of 24 of these genes were characterised by multiplexed bisulfite-sequencing in ten matched tumor/normal tissue samples; differential methylation in CRC was confirmed for 23 of these genes. qMSP assays were developed for 32 genes, including 15 of the sequenced genes, and used to quantify methylation in tumor, adenoma and non-neoplastic colorectal tissue and from healthy donor peripheral blood. 24 of the 32 genes were methylated in >50% of neoplastic samples, including 11 genes that were methylated in 80% or more CRCs and a similar fraction of adenomas.

Conclusions
This study has characterised a panel of 23 genes that show elevated DNA methylation in >50% of CRC tissue relative to non-neoplastic tissue. Six of these genes (SOX21, SLC6A15, NPY, GRASP, ST8SIA1 and ZSCAN18) show very low methylation in non-neoplastic colorectal tissue and are candidate biomarkers for stool-based assays, while 11 genes (BCAT1, COL4A2, DLX5, FGF5, FOXF1, FOXI2, GRASP, IKZF1, IRF4, SDC2 and SOX21) have very low methylation in peripheral blood DNA and are suitable for further evaluation as blood-based diagnostic markers.
Patients’ preferences for osteoporosis drug treatment: a discrete-choice experiment
Authors: Hiligsmann Mickaël , Dellaert Benedict G , Dirksen Carmen D , van der Weijden Trudy , Goemaere Stefan , Reginster Jean-Yves , Watson Verity , Boonen Annelies 
Published: January 2014

Abstract
Introduction
The patient’s perspective is becoming increasingly important in clinical and policy decisions. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the preferences of patients with, or at risk of, osteoporosis for medication attributes, and to establish how patients trade between these attributes.

Methods
A discrete choice experiment survey was designed and patients were asked to choose between two hypothetical unlabelled drug treatments (and an opt-out option) that vary in five attributes: efficacy in reducing the risk of fracture, type of potential common side-effects, mode and frequency of administration and out-of-pocket costs. An efficient experimental design was used to construct the treatment option choice sets and a mixed logit panel data model was used to estimate patients’ preferences and trade-offs between attributes.

Results
A total of 257 patients with, or at risk of, osteoporosis completed the experiment. As expected, patients preferred treatment with higher effectiveness and lower cost. They also preferred either an oral monthly tablet or 6-month subcutaneous injection above weekly oral tablets, 3-month subcutaneous, 3-month intravenous or yearly intravenous injections. Patients disliked being at risk of gastro-intestinal disorders more than being at risk of skin reactions and flu-like symptoms. There was significant variation in preferences across the sample for all attributes except subcutaneous injection.

Conclusions
This study revealed that osteoporotic patients preferred 6-month subcutaneous injection and oral monthly tablet, and disliked gastro-intestinal disorders. Moreover, patients were willing to pay a personal contribution or to trade treatment efficacy for better levels of other attributes. Preferences for treatment attributes varied across patients and this highlights the importance of clinical decision-making taking individual preferences into account to improve osteoporosis care.
Deaths by suicide and their relationship with general and
psychiatric hospital discharge: 30-year record linkage study
Authors: Dougall Nadine , Lambert Paul , Maxwell Margaret , Dawson Alison , Sinnott Richard , McCafferty Susan , Morris Carole , Clark David , Springbett Anthea 
Published: January 2014

BackgroundStudies have rarely explored suicides completed following discharge from
both general and psychiatric hospital settings. Such research might
identify additional opportunities for intervention.AimsTo identify and summarise Scottish psychiatric and general hospital
records for individuals who have died by suicide.MethodA linked data study of deaths by suicide, aged ⩾15 years from 1981 to
2010.ResultsThis study reports on a UK data-set of individuals who died by suicide
(n = 16 411), of whom 66% (n = 10
907) had linkable previous hospital records. Those who died by suicide
were 3.1 times more frequently last discharged from general than from
psychiatric hospitals; 24% of deaths occurred within 3 months of hospital
discharge (58% of these from a general hospital). Only 14% of those
discharged from a general hospital had a recorded psychiatric diagnosis
at last visit; an additional 19% were found to have a previous lifetime
psychiatric diagnosis. Median time between last discharge and death was
fourfold greater in those without a psychiatric history. Diagnoses also
revealed that less than half of those last discharged from general
hospital had had a main diagnosis of ‘injury or poisoning’.ConclusionsSuicide prevention activity, including a better psychiatric evaluation of
patients within general hospital settings deserves more attention.
Improved information flow between secondary and primary care could be
facilitated by exploiting electronic records of previous psychiatric
diagnoses.
A Multiactivity Latent Attrition Model for Customer Base Analysis
Authors: Schweidel David A. , Park Young-Hoon , Jamal Zainab 
Published: January 2014

Customer base analysis is a key element in customer valuation and can provide guidance for decisions such as resource allocation. Yet extant models often focus on a single activity, such as purchases from a retailer or donations to a nonprofit organization. These models do not consider other ways that an individual may engage with an organization, such as purchasing in multiple brands or contributing user-generated content. In this research, we propose a framework to generalize extant models for customer base analysis to multiple activities. Using the data from a website that allows users to purchase digital content and/or post digital content at no charge, we develop a flexible “buy ‘til you die” model to empirically examine how the two activities are related. Compared with benchmarks, our model more accurately forecasts the future behavior for both types of activities. In addition to finding evidence of coincidence between the activities while customers are “alive,” we find that the latent attrition processes are related. This suggests that conducting one type of activity is informative of whether customers are still alive to conduct another type of activity and, consequently, affects inferences of customer value.
Volume Flexibility in Services: The Costs and Benefits of Flexible Labor Resources
Authors: Kesavan Saravanan , Staats Bradley R. , Gilland Wendell 
Published: January 2014

Organizations can create volume flexibility—the ability to increase capacity up or down to meet demand for a single service—through the use of flexible labor resources (e.g., part-time and temporary workers, as compared to full-time workers). Although organizations are increasingly using these resources, the relationship between flexible labor resources and financial performance has not been examined empirically in the service setting. We use two years of archival data from 445 stores of a large retailer to study this relationship. We hypothesize and find that increasing the labor mix of temporary or part-time workers shows an inverted U-shaped relationship with sales and profit while temporary labor mix has a U-shaped relationship with expenses. Thus, although flexible labor resources can create volume flexibility for a firm along multiple dimensions, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.This paper was accepted by Serguei Netessine, operations management.
Einstellregeln für Füllstandsregelungen in der industriellen Praxis
Authors: Krämer Stefan , Völker Marten 
Published: January 2014

Zusammenfassung
Die Füllstandsregelung in chemischen Anlagen ist ein wichtiges praktisches Problem. Die Füllstände müssen entweder in bestimmten Grenzen gehalten oder auf einem festen Niveau geregelt werden. Diese Regelung ist eine besondere Herausforderung, da eine integrierende Strecke geregelt wird. Es werden im Allgemeinen PID-Regler des vorhandenen Leitsystems eingesetzt – oft ohne Nutzung des D-Anteils. In diesem Aufsatz werden die für Standregler in Chemieanlagen relevanten Fälle betrachtet. Der für die Fahrweise wichtige Fall der Störungsdämpfung durch Puffer wird besonders behandelt. Ziel des Beitrages ist es, auf Basis der analytischen Lösung des Problems und des H
∞-Ansatzes sehr einfache Formeln zu entwickeln, mit denen der Ingenieur vor Ort schnell und sicher Standregler einstellen kann.
A software environment for economic NMPC and dynamic real-time optimization of chemical processes
Authors: Elixmann David , Puschke Jennifer , Scheu Holger , Schneider René , Wolf Inga J. , Marquardt Wolfgang 
Published: January 2014

Abstract
This paper presents the OptoEcon-Toolbox, a modular software environment for the simulation of chemical and energy processes, and their control using optimizing sampled-data controllers.
Key features of this toolbox are modularity, which allows the realization of general multi-layer control architectures, and interfaces to powerful numerical software, which allows the usage of controller and plant surrogate models formulated in different modeling languages such as Modelica or gPROMS.
The capability of this toolbox is illustrated in a case study of an industrial copolymerization process.
Realisierung von Advanced Control in einem industriellen Polymerisationsprozess
Authors: Engell Sebastian , Finkler Tiago F. , Kawohl Michael , Piechottka Uwe 
Published: January 2014

Zusammenfassung
Der vorliegende Beitrag zeigt exemplarisch an einem industriellen Produktionsprozess das Potenzial modellbasierter Regelungsverfahren
auf. Ziel der Optimierung ist die Verbesserung der Produktqualität durch eine präzisere Temperaturregelung und die Reduzierung der
Batchzeiten. Hierfür wird ein nichtlinear modellbasierter prädiktiver Regler, welcher die Kühlleistung und die Monomerdosierung als
Stellgrößen nutzt, implementiert. In der Produktion kann die Regelgüte der Temperaturregelung wesentlich verbsssert und die Batchzeit
erheblich reduziert werden.
Adolescents’ view of health concept and its risk factors: a literature review
Authors: Parvizi Soroor , Hamzehgardeshi Zeinab 
Published: January 2014

Abstract
Background: Adolescence is the important period in human life. It is an essential prerequisite for playing social roles.
Objective: The current study conducted a review on the concept, dimensions, and influential factors on health and risk taking, instruments and measurements of high-risk behaviors, risk factors, and high-risk behavior protective factors through adolescent perspectives.
Methods: This literature review was conducted by electronic searching and library study on health and adolescents using Wiley Interscience, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and Springer (1990–2012). The keywords for searching data collection sources included health, youth, young, adolescents, risk behaviors, risk taking, related factors, protective factors, risk factors, adolescent perspectives, quantitative study, qualitative study, measurement, and instrument.
Results: This literature review led to the arrangement of subjects in nine general categories titled definition of health concept and its dimensions, adolescents and health in adolescence, risk taking in adolescence and its measuring tools, gender differences in adolescence health and risk taking, adolescents’ health and relationships, socioeconomic conditions and health, adolescents and psychiatric health, religion, and health, educational facilities and health, non-governmental organizations and their role in adolescents’ health. What has been achieved from a review of these articles is that several personal, social, and family factors are associated with health and risk taking in adolescents.
Conclusion: Generally, adolescents cared more about the psychosocial aspects of health than the physical dimensions. They also considered factors such as independence, communication, socioeconomic conditions, mental health, religion, and educational facilities synonymous with the concept of health. Therefore, in formulation and implementation of health promotion programs for adolescents, the concept of health and its various dimensions must be considered from adolescent perspectives.