bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparative impact of diverse regulatory loci on Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation
Authors: Atwood Danielle N. , Loughran Allister J. , Courtney Ashleah P. , Anthony Allison C. , Meeker Daniel G. , Spencer Horace J. , Gupta Ravi Kr. , Lee Chia Y. , Beenken Karen E. , Smeltzer Mark S. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe relative impact of 23 mutations on biofilm formation was evaluated in the USA300, methicillin‐resistant strain LAC. Mutation of sarA, atl, codY, rsbU, and sigB limited biofilm formation in comparison to the parent strain, but the limitation imposed by mutation of sarA was greater than that imposed by mutation of any of these other genes. The reduced biofilm formation of all mutants other than the atl mutant was correlated with increased levels of extracellular proteases. Mutation of fur‐ and mgrA‐enhanced biofilm formation but in LAC had no impact on protease activity, nuclease activity, or accumulation of the polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA). The increased capacity of these mutants to form a biofilm was reversed by mutation of sarA, and this was correlated with increased protease production. Mutation of sarA, mgrA, and sigB had the same phenotypic effect in the methicillin‐sensitive strain UAMS‐1, but mutation of codY increased rather than decreased biofilm formation. As with the UAMS‐1 mgrA mutant, this was correlated with increased production of PIA. Examination of four additional clinical isolates suggests that the differential impact of codY on biofilm formation may be a conserved characteristic of methicillin‐resistant versus methicillin‐sensitive strains.
Nonmotor symptoms in healthy Ashkenazi Jewish carriers of the G2019S mutation in the LRRK2 gene
Authors: Mirelman Anat , Alcalay Roy N. , Saunders‐Pullman Rachel , Yasinovsky Kira , Thaler Avner , Gurevich Tanya , Mejia‐Santana Helen , Raymond Deborah , Gana‐Weisz Mali , Bar‐Shira Anat , Ozelius Laurie , Clark Lorraine , Orr‐Urtreger Avi , Bressman Susan , Marder Karen , Giladi Nir ,   the LRRK2 AJ consortium
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe asymptomatic carriers of the Leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) G2019S mutation represent a population at risk for developing PD. The aim of this study was to assess differences in nonmotor symptoms between nonmanifesting carriers and noncarriers of the G2019S mutation.MethodsTwo hundred fifty‐three subjects participated in this observational cross‐sectional multicenter study. Standard questionnaires assessing anxiety, depression, cognition, smell, nonmotor symptoms, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior were administered. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, family relations, education, and site.ResultsOne hundred thirty‐four carriers were identified. Carriers had higher nonmotor symptoms score on the Nonmotor symptoms (NMS) questionnaire (P = 0.02). These findings were amplified in carriers older than age 50 y, with higher nonmotor symptoms scores and trait anxiety scores (P < 0.03).ConclusionsIn this cross‐section study, carriers of the G2019S LRRK2 mutation endorsed subtle nonmotor symptoms. Whether these are early features of PD will require a longitudinal study. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Aerosol deposition in the lungs of spontaneously breathing rats using Gd‐DOTA‐based contrast agents and ultra‐short echo time MRI at 1.5 Tesla
Authors: Wang Hongchen , Sebrié Catherine , Ruaud Jean‐Pierre , Guillot Geneviève , Bouazizi Khaoula , Willoquet Georges , Maître Xavier , Darrasse Luc , de Rochefort Ludovic 
Published: March 2015

PurposeAerosol toxicology and drug delivery through the lungs, which depend on various parameters, require methods to quantify particle deposition. Intrapulmonary‐administered MRI contrast agent combined with lung‐specific imaging sequences has been proposed as a high performance technique for aerosol research. Here, aerosol deposition is assessed using ultra‐short echo (UTE) sequences.MethodsBefore and after administration of Gd‐DOTA‐based aerosol delivered nose‐only in free‐breathing healthy rats, a T1‐weighted 3D UTE sequence was applied in a clinical 1.5 Tesla scanner. Administration lasted 14 min, and the experiment was performed on six rats. A contrast‐enhanced quantitative analysis was done.ResultsFifty percent signal enhancement was obtained in the lung parenchyma. Lung clearance of the contrast agent was evaluated to be 14% per h (corresponding to a characteristic clearance time of 3.6 h) and aerosol deposition was shown to be homogeneous throughout the lung in healthy rats. The total deposited dose was estimated to be 1.05 µmol/kg body weight, and the concentration precision was 0.02 mM.ConclusionThe UTE protocol with nebulized Gd‐DOTA is replicable to significantly enhance the lung parenchyma and to map aerosol deposition. This functional strategy, applied in a clinical system with a clinical nebulization setup and a low inhaled dose, suggests a feasible translation to human. Magn Reson Med 75:594–605, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Is pilates as effective as conventional pelvic floor muscle exercises in the conservative treatment of post‐prostatectomy urinary incontinence? A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Pedriali Fabiana Rotondo , Gomes Cíntia Spagnolo , Soares Larissa , Urbano Mariana Ragassi , Moreira Eliane Cristina Hilberath , Averbeck Márcio Augusto , de Almeida Silvio Henrique Maiade 
Published: March 2015

AimsTo verify the efficacy of a Pilates exercise program compared to conventional pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) protocol in the conservative treatment of post‐prostatectomy urinary incontinence (PPUI).MethodsBaseline assessment was performed four weeks postoperatively and included 24 hr pad test, bladder diary, and the ICIQ‐SF. Patients were randomised into three groups: Pilates (G1), PFME combined with anal electrical stimulation (G2), and a control group (G3). Both treatment groups had to perform 10 weekly treatment sessions. Primary outcomes were mean reduction of daily pads and mean reduction of ICIQ‐SF score four months after surgery. The significance level was set at P < 0.05.Results85 patients completed the study. Differences between treatment groups (G1 and G2) in terms of mean reduction in daily pad usage, 24 hr pad test, and ICIQ‐SF scores were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The control group differed from G1 in daily pad usage (P = 0.01) and ICIQ‐SF score (P = 0.0073). Intergroup comparisons revealed that 57.7% of the volunteers in G1 and 50% of the individuals from G2 no longer used pads by the end of the treatment period (P = 0.57). In the control group, 22.6% were not using pads four months after surgery, with statistical difference compared to G1 (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe Pilates exercise program proved to be as effective as conventional PFME to speed up continence recovery in PPUI. It also achieved a higher rate of fully continent patients when compared to the control group in the short‐term. Neurourol. Urodynam. 35:615–621, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Padé approximate linearization algorithm for solving the quadratic eigenvalue problem with low‐rank damping
Authors: Lu Ding , Huang Xin , Bai Zhaojun , Su Yangfeng 
Published: March 2015

SummaryThe low‐rank damping term appears commonly in quadratic eigenvalue problems arising from physical simulations. To exploit the low‐rank damping property, we propose a Padé approximate linearization (PAL) algorithm. The advantage of the PAL algorithm is that the dimension of the resulting linear eigenvalue problem is only n + ℓm, which is generally substantially smaller than the dimension 2n of the linear eigenvalue problem produced by a direct linearization approach, where n is the dimension of the quadratic eigenvalue problem, and ℓ and m are the rank of the damping matrix and the order of a Padé approximant, respectively. Numerical examples show that by exploiting the low‐rank damping property, the PAL algorithm runs 33–47% faster than the direct linearization approach for solving modest size quadratic eigenvalue problems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A generalised method for ratchet analysis of structures undergoing arbitrary thermo‐mechanical load histories
Authors: Lytwyn M. , Chen H. F. , Ponter A. R. S. 
Published: March 2015

SummaryA novel approach is presented based upon the Linear Matching Method framework in order to directly calculate the ratchet limit of structures subjected to arbitrary thermo‐mechanical load histories. Traditionally, ratchet analysis methods have been based upon the fundamental premise of decomposing the cyclic load history into cyclic and constant components, respectively, in order to assess the magnitude of additional constant loading a structure may accommodate before ratcheting occurs. The method proposed in this paper, for the first time, accurately and efficiently calculates the ratchet limit with respect to a proportional variation between the cyclic primary and secondary loads, as opposed to an additional primary load only. The method is a strain‐based approach and utilises a novel convergence scheme in order to calculate an approximate ratchet boundary based upon a predefined target magnitude of ratchet strain per cycle. The ratcheting failure mechanism evaluated by the method leads to less conservative ratchet boundaries compared with the traditional Bree solution. The method yields the total and plastic strain ranges as well as the ratchet strains for various levels of loading between the ratchet and limit load boundaries. Two example problems have been utilised in order to verify the proposed methodology. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effect of Occupation‐based Cognitive Rehabilitation for Traumatic Brain Injury: A Meta‐analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Park Hae Yean , Maitra Kinsuk , Martinez Kristina Marie 
Published: March 2015

AbstractTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability among people younger than 35 years in the United States. Cognitive difficulty is a common consequence of TBI. To address cognitive deficits of patients with TBI, various cognitive rehabilitation approaches have been used for the clinical setting. The purpose of this study was to investigate the overall effect of occupation‐based cognitive rehabilitation on patients' improvement in cognitive performance components, activity of daily living (ADL) performance, and values, beliefs and spirituality functions of patients with TBI. The papers used in this study were retrieved from the Cochrane Database, EBSCO (CINAHL), PsycINFO, PubMed and Web of Science published between 1997 and 2014. The keywords for searching were cognitive, rehabilitation, occupation, memory, attention, problem‐solving, executive function, ADL, values, beliefs, spirituality, randomized controlled trials and TBI. For the meta‐analysis, we examined 60 effect sizes from nine studies that are related to the occupation‐based cognitive rehabilitation on persons with TBI. In persons with TBI, overall mental functions, ADL, and values, beliefs and spirituality were significantly improved in the groups that received occupation‐based cognitive rehabilitation compared with comparison groups (mean d = 0.19, p < .05). Evidence from the present meta‐analytic study suggests that occupation‐based cognitive rehabilitation would be beneficial for individuals with TBI for improving daily functioning and positively be able to affect their psychosocial functions. Collecting many outcome measures in studies with relatively few participants and the final data are less reliable than the whole instrument itself. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of specific occupation‐based cognitive rehabilitations programmes in order to improve consistency among rehabilitation providers. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Caregiver and health care provider preferences of nutritional support in a hematopoietic stem cell transplant unit
Authors: Williams‐Hooker Ruth , Adams Marissa , Havrilla David A. , Leung Wing , Roach Robin R. , Mosby Terezie T. 
Published: March 2015

BackgroundMany pediatric oncology patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) require nutritional support (NS) because of their inability to consume adequate caloric intake enough calories orally. Although NS can be provided either enteraly (EN) or parenteraly (PN), EN is the preferred method of NS as long as if the gastrointestinal tract is functioning. In this qualitative study, we determined the type of NS preferences and the reservations of caregivers of pediatric HSCT patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) as well as those of health care (HC) providers working on the HSCT unit.ProceduresA survey was developed and completed anonymously by HC providers and caregivers. The hypothesis was that HC providers and caregivers would prefer PN because it is convenient to use in patients who already have a central line in place.ResultsMost caregivers preferred PN to EN, while most HC providers preferred EN to PN. The barrier between EN initiation and caregivers' approval was the caregivers' perception that EN was invasive and painful, most common obstacle for initiation of EN among caregivers was that it hurts/is invasive, while the barrier with HC providers was vomiting and/abdominal pain associated with EN.ConclusionsIf caregivers were better educated about NS and the advantages/disadvantages of the different forms of NS, their preferences may change. There have been policy changes at St. Jude have been implemented since this study, and an outpatient dietitian now provides education to caregivers about NS during the pre‐evaluation for HSCT. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:1473–1476. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Value of surgical resection in children with high‐risk neuroblastoma
Authors: Englum Brian R. , Rialon Kristy L. , Speicher Paul J. , Gulack Brian , Driscoll Timothy A. , Kreissman Susan G. , Rice Henry E. 
Published: March 2015

BackgroundThe value of gross total resection (GTR) for children with high‐risk neuroblastoma (NB) is controversial. We hypothesized that patients undergoing GTR would demonstrate improved overall survival (OS) compared those having <GTR.MethodsUsing a single institutional database, we reviewed the medical records of all children with high‐risk NB undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) as part of multimodality therapy from 1990 to 2012. Children had received surgical care at multiple institutions (n = 14) prior to HSCT and were divided into two groups based on extent of surgical resection: GTR (no visible or palpable disease at end of operation) and <GTR (no surgery, biopsy only, or subtotal resection). Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox hazards models evaluated differences in overall survival (OS).ResultsOne hundred four children underwent HSCT, and 87 (83.6%) had adequate data for analysis. Thirty eight percent had GTR while 62% had <GTR prior to HSCT. There was no significant difference in OS in patients undergoing GTR compared to <GTR (Log rank test: P = 0.49). Post‐hoc analysis demonstrated a survival advantage for patients undergoing >90% resection compared to <90% resection (P = 0.008). Multivariable Cox models confirmed these findings with improved survival in children undergoing >90% vs. <90% resection but no difference in GTR vs. <GTR.ConclusionGross total resection prior to HSCT in high‐risk NB patients is not associated with improved OS compared to <GTR; however, these results suggest that >90% resection is associated with improved OS compared to less than 90% resection. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:1529–1535. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Use of patient registries and administrative datasets for the study of pediatric cancer
Authors: Rice Henry E. , Englum Brian R. , Gulack Brian C. , Adibe Obinna O. , Tracy Elizabeth T. , Kreissman Susan G. , Routh Jonathan C. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractAnalysis of data from large administrative databases and patient registries is increasingly being used to study childhood cancer care, although the value of these data sources remains unclear to many clinicians. Interpretation of large databases requires a thorough understanding of how the dataset was designed, how data were collected, and how to assess data quality. This review will detail the role of administrative databases and registry databases for the study of childhood cancer, tools to maximize information from these datasets, and recommendations to improve the use of these databases for the study of pediatric oncology. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:1495–1500. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Minimization of the auxiliary reagent loading for direct arylation polymerization (DArP) of 2‐bromo‐3‐hexylthiophene
Authors: Rudenko Andrey E. , Latif Alia A. , Thompson Barry C. 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACTIn this work, we present a powerful set of synthetic strategies aimed at minimization of auxiliary reagent loading for direct arylation polymerization (DArP) of 2‐bromo‐3‐hexylthiophene. As such, we report efficient lowering of Pd(OAc)2 catalyst loading as well as loading of other auxiliary reagents, such as neodecanoic acid and N,N‐dimethylacetamide. Unprecedented low loadings of catalyst down to 0.0313% (313 ppm) were achieved, while producing polymer in high yield (91% after Soxhlet extraction), with a high molecular weight (24.2 kDa) and carefully controlled chemical structure thus making the optimized DArP protocol significantly more cost‐effective, convenient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. The resulting polymer samples were thoroughly investigated in terms of their chemical structure as well as optical, thermal, chain ordering and electronic properties using GPC analysis, 1H NMR, MALDI, UV–vis, GIXRD spectroscopy, DSC, and SCLC hole mobility measurements. The results demonstrate that the reagent lowering strategies increase the polymer regioregularity from 94.6 to 96.5% as evidenced by 1H NMR spectra and corroborated by GIXRD, DSC, and UV–vis measurements. Additionally, polymer samples obtained at low reagent loading are more uniformly proton‐terminated as evidenced by 1H NMR and MALDI end‐group analysis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 1492–1499
Synthesis of bithiazole‐based crystalline polymers via palladium‐catalyzed direct CH arylation
Authors: Lu Wei , Kuwabara Junpei , Kuramochi Masahiro , Kanbara Takaki 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACTPalladium‐catalyzed direct arylation polycondensation afforded a bithiazole‐based homopolymer and donor–acceptor (D–A)‐type copolymers where the bithiazole unit served as an acceptor unit. The results of polymerization strongly depended on the solubility of the polymers; long alkyl chain substituents were required for the formation of high‐molecular‐weight polymers in high yields owing to low solubility of the bithiazole‐based polymers. X‐ray diffraction studies revealed that the obtained polymers were highly crystalline. In particular, a well‐ordered lamellar structure was observed in the D–A‐type copolymer with flexible alkyl chains after thermal annealing, presumably owing to the combination of interchain interactions between the bithiazole units and the electrostatic D–A interactions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 1396–1402
Analysis of metronidazole in equine plasma using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry and high‐resolution accurate mass spectrometry
Authors: Ilomuanya Margaret , Uboh Cornelius , Ciallella John , Li Xiaoging , Liu Ying , Ifudu Ndu , Azubuike Chukwuemeka , Igwilo Cecilia 
Published: March 2015

RationaleTreatment of racehorses with bicarbonate solutions to manage acidosis and muscle cramps prior to competition is banned in Pennsylvania (PA). Use of excess bicarbonate in horses causes diarrhea, requiring treatment with an antibiotic such as metronidazole (MTNZ). At present no method exists for detecting MTNZ in equine plasma. Thus, a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for the detection, quantification and confirmation of MTNZ was developed.MethodsThe analyte was recovered from plasma by liquid–liquid extraction using methyl tert‐butyl ether and separated on an ACE® C18 column with its guard column. The mobile phase comprised a mixture of 5 mM ammonium formate (pH 3.5) and acetonitrile (60:40; v/v). Mass analysis was performed on an LTQ XL linear ion trap mass spectrometer in positive electrospray ionization mode while accurate mass determination was also performed in positive electrospray ionization mode using high‐resolution accurate mass spectrometry (HRAMS).ResultsThe limit of detection (LOD), limit of confirmation (LOC) and lower limit of quantification (LLOD) were 1, 2 and 50 ng/mL, respectively. The analyte in plasma was stable at −20 and −70°C for 28 days, as well as for 24 h at 20°C in the autosampler. The percentage coefficients of variation (% CV) for the intra‐day and inter‐day precision for the LLOQ were 5.1:3.68 and 13.21:9.95, respectively, while the intra‐day accuracy was from 98.71 to 101.57% and that of the inter‐day was from 88.64 to 96.6%. The matrix effect was between 9 and 24%. The precursor → product ion transition m/z 172 → 128, a retention time of 2.92 min and the accurate mass of the [M+H]+ ion of the analyte (m/z 172.0173) were used as criteria for confirmation of the presence of MTNZ in equine plasma.ConclusionsThe method is highly sensitive and selective for the detection, identification and confirmation of MTNZ in equine plasma. Thus, illegal use of MTNZ in racehorses can be routinely monitored within the US State of Pennsylvania. The method is fast, sensitive, reproducible, and reliable. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Appropriability and the retrieval of knowledge after spillovers
Authors: Alnuaimi Tufool , George Gerard 
Published: March 2015

Research summary:Firms create and capture value through innovation. In technology‐driven firms, there has been an explicit emphasis on appropriability through imitation deterrence and cumulative inventions that build on prior firm innovation. We introduce systematic empirical evidence for a third mechanism of appropriability namely, knowledge retrieval, which is defined as the re‐absorption of previously spilled knowledge. We extend previous studies which consider technological complexity and organizational coupling as predictors of appropriability by examining their impact on knowledge retrieval. We find that technological complexity has a curvilinear relationship with retrieval while organizational coupling has a negative relationship. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of absorptive capacity, organizational design and appropriability of innovation.Managerial summary:It is a widely held assumption that knowledge should be protected and held tightly within the firm to ensure value creation and value capture. The implicit recognition is that knowledge spillovers, or knowledge leakage, is detrimental to performance. By examining the patterns of citations among patents of 142 semiconductor firms, we study how organizational structure and technological complexity play a role. We find that moderate technological complexity improves appropriability. If imitation deterrence is paramount, then the optimal structure would be a tightly‐coupled organization. In other instances, loosely‐coupled organizations may be superior because they foster internal cumulative innovations and, if spillovers were to occur, they also maximize knowledge retrieval. Our findings suggest that all is not lost when spillovers occur and that firms can continue to benefit in downstream innovations.Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.