bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Future initiatives to reduce lung cancer incidence in the United Kingdom: smoking cessation, radon remediation and the impact of social change
Authors: Denman Antony R , Rogers Stephen , Timson Karen , Phillips Paul S , Crockett Robin GM , Groves-Kirkby Christopher J 
Published: March 2014

Aims: Smoking and radon cause lung cancer, with smoking being the more significant risk factor. Although programmes to identify UK houses with raised radon levels and to encourage remedial action started in 1990, uptake has been limited and those most at risk, smokers and young families, are not being reached. The risks from smoking and radon are multiplicative. Public health campaigns have reduced smoking prevalence significantly. Since most radon-induced lung cancers occur in smokers, reducing the number of smokers will reduce the number of radon-induced lung cancers. This article considers the impact of reducing smoking prevalence on the effectiveness of radon remediation programmes, combining this with demographic trends and regional variations to assess implications for future public health. Methods: Results on cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation and radon remediation programmes were combined with government figures for smoking prevalence to estimate the number of cancers averted and the cost-effectiveness of such programmes, taking into account demographic changes, including increasing life expectancy. Regional variations in smoking prevalence and smoking cessation programmes were reviewed, comparing these to the geographic variation of radon. Results: The continuing impact of smoking cessation programmes in reducing smoking prevalence will reduce the number of radon-induced lung cancers, but with a lag. Smoking cessation programmes are more cost-effective than radon remediation programmes, presenting an additional opportunity to reduce radon risk to smokers. Regional data show no correlation between smoking prevalence and radon levels. Conclusions: Reduced smoking prevalence reduces the effectiveness of radon remediation programmes. This, coupled with limited uptake of radon remediation, suggests that radon remediation programmes should be targeted, and that an integrated public health policy for smoking and radon is appropriate. Lack of correlation between smoking prevalence and radon suggests that local assessment of relative priorities for public health strategies, such as the ‘Total Place’ initiative, is appropriate.
Patient-oriented Computerized Clinical Guidelines for Mobile Decision Support in Gestational Diabetes
Authors: García-Sáez Gema , Rigla Mercedes , Martínez-Sarriegui Iñaki , Shalom Erez , Peleg Mor , Broens Tom , Pons Belén , Caballero-Ruíz Estefanía , Gómez Enrique J. , Hernando M. Elena 
Published: March 2014

Background: The risks associated with gestational diabetes (GD) can be reduced with an active treatment able to improve glycemic control. Advances in mobile health can provide new patient-centric models for GD to create personalized health care services, increase patient independence and improve patients’ self-management capabilities, and potentially improve their treatment compliance. In these models, decision-support functions play an essential role. Methods: The telemedicine system MobiGuide provides personalized medical decision support for GD patients that is based on computerized clinical guidelines and adapted to a mobile environment. The patient’s access to the system is supported by a smartphone-based application that enhances the efficiency and ease of use of the system. We formalized the GD guideline into a computer-interpretable guideline (CIG). Results: We identified several workflows that provide decision-support functionalities to patients and 4 types of personalized advice to be delivered through a mobile application at home, which is a preliminary step to providing decision-support tools in a telemedicine system: (1) therapy, to help patients to comply with medical prescriptions; (2) monitoring, to help patients to comply with monitoring instructions; (3) clinical assessment, to inform patients about their health conditions; and (4) upcoming events, to deal with patients’ personal context or special events. Conclusions: The whole process to specify patient-oriented decision support functionalities ensures that it is based on the knowledge contained in the GD clinical guideline and thus follows evidence-based recommendations but at the same time is patient-oriented, which could enhance clinical outcomes and patients’ acceptance of the whole system.
Etiology and Biomechanics of Tarsometatarsal Injuries in Professional Football Players
Authors: Kent Richard W. , Lievers W. Brent , Riley Patrick O. , Frimenko Rebecca E. , Crandall Jeff R. 
Published: March 2014

Background: Tarsometatarsal (TMT) dislocations are uncommon yet debilitating athletic injuries, particularly in American football. To date, the mechanisms of athletic TMT dislocation have been described only anecdotally. This lack of information confounds the development of preventative countermeasures. Purpose: To use video analysis to provide direct, independent identification of the etiologic and mechanistic variables responsible for TMT dislocations in professional football players. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Sixteen professional National Football League players who sustained publicly reported TMT dislocations were identified. Publicly broadcast game footage of the plays in which injury occurred was reviewed by a panel of 5 biomechanists. Consensus was reached regarding the details surrounding injury, and a weighting was assigned to each detail based on the panel’s confidence. Results: Roughly 90% of injuries occurred while the injured player was engaged with or by another player, a detail that has heretofore been undocumented. Few injuries resulted from direct loading of either the foot or the ipsilateral limb; however, the injured foot was frequently subjected to axial loading from ground engagement with the foot in plantar flexion and the toes dorsiflexed. Injurious loading was often due to external rotation of the midfoot (86%). Fifteen of 16 injuries were season ending. Conclusion: TMT dislocations are frequently associated with engagement by or with a second player but infrequently caused by a direct blow to the foot. Axial loading of the foot, external rotation, and pronation/supination are the most common conditions during injurious loading.
Notch signaling: switching an oncogene to a tumor suppressor
Authors: Lobry Camille , Oh Philmo , Mansour Marc R. , Look A. Thomas , Aifantis Iannis 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
The Notch signaling pathway is a regulator of self-renewal and differentiation in several tissues and cell types. Notch is a binary cell-fate determinant, and its hyperactivation has been implicated as oncogenic in several cancers including breast cancer and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Recently, several studies also unraveled tumor-suppressor roles for Notch signaling in different tissues, including tissues where it was before recognized as an oncogene in specific lineages. Whereas involvement of Notch as an oncogene in several lymphoid malignancies (T-ALL, B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia, splenic marginal zone lymphoma) is well characterized, there is growing evidence involving Notch signaling as a tumor suppressor in myeloid malignancies. It therefore appears that Notch signaling pathway’s oncogenic or tumor-suppressor abilities are highly context dependent. In this review, we summarize and discuss latest advances in the understanding of this dual role in hematopoiesis and the possible consequences for the treatment of hematologic malignancies.
Pressing the right buttons: signaling in lymphangiogenesis
Authors: Coso Sanja , Bovay Esther , Petrova Tatiana V. 
Published: March 2014

AbstractLymphatic vasculature is increasingly recognized as an important factor both in the regulation of normal tissue homeostasis and immune response and in many diseases, such as inflammation, cancer, obesity, and hypertension. In the last few years, in addition to the central role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C/VEGF receptor-3 signaling in lymphangiogenesis, significant new insights were obtained about Notch, transforming growth factor β/bone morphogenetic protein, Ras, mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase, and Ca2+/calcineurin signaling pathways in the control of growth and remodeling of lymphatic vessels. An emerging picture of lymphangiogenic signaling is complex and in many ways distinct from the regulation of angiogenesis. This complexity provides new challenges, but also new opportunities for selective therapeutic targeting of lymphatic vasculature.
Zonisamide reduces obstructive sleep apnoea: a randomised placebo-controlled study
Authors: Eskandari Davoud , Zou Ding , Karimi Mahssa , Stenlöf Kaj , Grote Ludger , Hedner Jan 
Published: March 2014

Carbonic anhydrase inhibition reduces apnoeic events in sleep disordered breathing. Zonisamide inhibits carbonic anhydrase, and induces weight loss in obese patients. This study explored the relative influence of these two properties, which may both alleviate obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was used as a standard care comparator.47 patients with moderate-to-severe OSA and a body mass index of 27–35 kg·m−2were randomised to receive either zonisamide, placebo or CPAP for 4 weeks. The open extension phase (20 weeks) compared CPAP and zonisamide. Polysomnography, biochemistry and symptoms were evaluated.At 4 weeks, zonisamide reduced apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) by a mean±sd33±39% and oxygen desaturation index by 28±31% (p=0.02 and 0.014, respectively; placebo adjusted). The mean compliance adjusted reduction of AHI after zonisamide and CPAP was 13 and 61%, respectively, (p=0.001) at 24 weeks. Body weight was marginally changed at 4 weeks, but reduced after zonisamide and increased after CPAP at 24 weeks (-2.7±3.0 kgversus2.3±2.0 kg, p<0.001). Zonisamide decreased bicarbonate at 4 and 24 weeks. Side-effects were more common after zonisamide.Zonisamide reduced OSA independent of body weight potentially by mechanisms related to carbonic anhydrase inhibition. The effect was less pronounced than that obtained by CPAP.
Regression methods for investigating risk factors of chronic kidney disease outcomes: the state of the art
Authors: Boucquemont Julie , Heinze Georg , Jager Kitty J , Oberbauer Rainer , Leffondre Karen 
Published: March 2014

AbstractBackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive and usually irreversible disease. Different types of outcomes are of interest in the course of CKD such as time-to-dialysis, transplantation or decline of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Statistical analyses aiming at investigating the association between these outcomes and risk factors raise a number of methodological issues. The objective of this study was to give an overview of these issues and to highlight some statistical methods that can address these topics.MethodsA literature review of statistical methods published between 2002 and 2012 to investigate risk factors of CKD outcomes was conducted within the Scopus database. The results of the review were used to identify important methodological issues as well as to discuss solutions for each type of CKD outcome.ResultsThree hundred and four papers were selected. Time-to-event outcomes were more often investigated than quantitative outcome variables measuring kidney function over time. The most frequently investigated events in survival analyses were all-cause death, initiation of kidney replacement therapy, and progression to a specific value of GFR. While competing risks were commonly accounted for, interval censoring was rarely acknowledged when appropriate despite existing methods. When the outcome of interest was the quantitative decline of kidney function over time, standard linear models focussing on the slope of GFR over time were almost as often used as linear mixed models which allow various numbers of repeated measurements of kidney function per patient. Informative dropout was accounted for in some of these longitudinal analyses.ConclusionsThis study provides a broad overview of the statistical methods used in the last ten years for investigating risk factors of CKD progression, as well as a discussion of their limitations. Some existing potential alternatives that have been proposed in the context of CKD or in other contexts are also highlighted.
Association of blood manganese level with diabetes and renal dysfunction: a cross-sectional study of the Korean general population
Authors: Koh Eun Sil , Kim Sung Jun , Yoon Hye Eun , Chung Jong Hee , Chung Sungjin , Park Cheol Whee , Chang Yoon Sik , Shin Seok Joon 
Published: March 2014

Abstract

Background
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between blood manganese levels and the prevalence of chronic diseases in the Korean population.

Methods
This was a cross-sectional study based on the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNAHNES). The study included 3996 participants 20 years of age or older whose blood manganese levels had been measured. The participants were also evaluated for the presence of five chronic diseases: diabetes, renal dysfunction, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and stroke.

Results
Blood manganese levels were significantly lower in the diabetes group compared with the non-diabetes group (1.26 ± 0.02 vs. 1.35 ± 0.01 μg/dL; p = 0.001) and the renal dysfunction group compared with those with normal renal function (1.28 ± 0.03 vs. 1.35 ± 0.01 μg/dL; p = 0.04). There was no significant association between blood manganese levels and the presence of ischemic heart disease or stroke. A multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index was performed; the odds ratio was 0.652 (95% CI: 0.46–0.92) for diabetes and 0.589 (95% CI: 0.39–0.88) for renal dysfunction when comparing the higher quartiles (Q2-4) with the lowest quartile (Q1) of blood manganese level. The prevalence of diabetes was 7.6% in Q1 and 5.3% in Q2-4 (p = 0.02). Similarly, the prevalence of renal dysfunction was 6.8% in Q1, compared with 4.6% in Q2-4 (p = 0.02).

Conclusion
The prevalence of diabetes and renal dysfunction increased in participants with low blood manganese levels, suggesting that blood manganese may play a role in glucose homeostasis and renal function.
Artemisia capillaris inhibits atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in Dermatophagoides farinae-sensitized Nc/Nga mice
Authors: Ha Hyekyung , Lee Hoyoung , Seo Chang Seob , Lim Hye-Sun , Lee Jun Kyoung , Lee Mee-Young , Shin Hyeunkyoo 
Published: March 2014

Abstract

Background

Artemisia capillaries Thunb. (AC) has been used to treat inflammatory and hepatic disorders such as hepatic injury, hepatic fibrosis and hepatitis. However, the efficacy of AC against atopic dermatitis (AD), an inflammatory disease, has not been examined. In the present study, AC was evaluated for anti-inflammatory and anti-AD effects using both in vitro and in vivo systems.

Methods
The contents of six compounds (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, hyperoside, isoquercitrin and scoparone) in AC were simultaneously assayed using HPLC system. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of AC, NO production was measured in RAW264.7 cell stimulated with 1 μg/mL LPS. Histamine levels were assayed in MC/9 cells stimulated with 50 nM PMA and 1 μM A23187. To examine the role of AC in vivo, AC (10 mg/mouse/day) was topically applied for four weeks the back and ears of Dermatophagoides farinae-sensitized Nc/Nga mice. Protopic ointment (0.1% tacrolimus) was used as a positive control.

Results
The contents of the six components in AC range from 0.44 to 43.14 mg/g. Chlorogenic acid (21.06 ± 0.08 mg/g) and isochlorogenic acid A (43.14 ± 0.12 mg/g) were major components in AC. AC inhibited NO and histamine production in cells respectively. In D. farinae-sensitized Nc/Nga mice, the topical application of AC reduced dermatitis scores, hemorrhage, hypertrophy and hyperkeratosis of the epidermis in the dorsal skin and ear. The treatment of AC also reduced the plasma levels of histamine (1.5 fold) and IgE (1.4 fold).

Conclusions
Our results suggest that AC should be explored as a potential therapeutic agent to treat atopic dermatitis and analysis by HPLC will help to improve the quality of AC.
Structural and electronic properties of germanene/MoS2 monolayer and silicene/MoS2 monolayer superlattices
Authors: Li Xiaodan , Wu Shunqing , Zhou Sen , Zhu Zizhong 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
Superlattice provides a new approach to enrich the class of materials with novel properties. Here, we report the structural and electronic properties of superlattices made with alternate stacking of two-dimensional hexagonal germanene (or silicene) and a MoS2 monolayer using the first principles approach. The results are compared with those of graphene/MoS2 superlattice. The distortions of the geometry of germanene, silicene, and MoS2 layers due to the formation of the superlattices are all relatively small, resulting from the relatively weak interactions between the stacking layers. Our results show that both the germanene/MoS2 and silicene/MoS2 superlattices are manifestly metallic, with the linear bands around the Dirac points of the pristine germanene and silicene seem to be preserved. However, small band gaps are opened up at the Dirac points for both the superlattices due to the symmetry breaking in the germanene and silicene layers caused by the introduction of the MoS2 sheets. Moreover, charge transfer happened mainly within the germanene (or silicene) and the MoS2 layers (intra-layer transfer), as well as some part of the intermediate regions between the germanene (or silicene) and the MoS2 layers (inter-layer transfer), suggesting more than just the van der Waals interactions between the stacking sheets in the superlattices.
The effect of multileaf collimator leaf width on the radiosurgery planning for spine lesion treatment in terms of the modulated techniques and target complexity
Authors: Chae Soo-Min , Lee Gi Woong , Son Seok Hyun 
Published: March 2014

Abstract

Purpose
We aim to evaluate the effects of multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf width (5 mm vs. 2.5 mm) on the radiosurgery planning for the treatment of spine lesions according to the modulated techniques (intensity-modulated radiotherapy [IMRT] vs. volumetric-modulated arc therapy [VMAT]) and the complexity of the target shape.

Methods
For this study, artificial spinal lesions were contoured and used for treatment plans. Three spinal levels (C5, T5, and L2 spines) were selected, and four types of target shapes reflecting the complexity of lesions were contoured. The treatment plans were performed using 2.5-mm and 5-mm MLCs, and also using both static IMRT and VMAT. In total, 48 treatment plans were established. The efficacy of each treatment plan was compared using target volume coverage (TVC), conformity index (CI), dose gradient index (GI), and V30%.

Results
When the 5-mm MLC was replaced by the 2.5-mm MLC, TVC and GI improved significantly by 5.68% and 6.25%, respectively, while CI did not improve. With a smaller MLC leaf width, the improvement ratios of the TVC were larger in IMRT than VMAT (8.38% vs. 2.97%). In addition, the TVC was improved by 14.42-16.74% in target type 4 compared to the other target types. These improvements were larger in IMRT than in VMAT (27.99% vs. 6.34%). The V30% was not statistically different between IMRT and VMAT according to the MLC leaf widths and the types of target.

Conclusion
The smaller MLC leaf width provided improved target coverage in both IMRT and VMAT, and its improvement was larger in IMRT than in VMAT. In addition, the smaller MLC leaf width was more effective for complex-shaped targets.
Gene silencing of Sugar-dependent 1 (JcSDP1), encoding a patatin-domain triacylglycerol lipase, enhances seed oil accumulation in Jatropha curcas
Authors: Kim Mi Jung , Yang Seong Wook , Mao Hui-Zhu , Veena Sivaramakrishnan P , Yin Jun-Lin , Chua Nam-Hai 
Published: March 2014

Abstract

Background
Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are the most abundant form of storage oil in plants. They consist of three fatty acid chains (usually C16 or C18) covalently linked to glycerol. SDP1 is a specific lipase for the first step of TAG catabolism in Arabidopsis seeds. Arabidopsis mutants deficient in SDP1 accumulate high levels of oils, probably due to blockage in TAG degradation. We applied this knowledge from the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, to engineer increased seed oil content in the biodiesel plant Jatropha curcas using RNA interference (RNAi) technology.

Results
As Jatropha is a biodiesel crop, any significant increase in its seed oil content would be an important agronomic trait. Using A. thaliana as a model plant, we found that a deficiency of SDP1 led to higher TAG accumulation and a larger number of oil bodies in seeds compared with wild type (Columbia-0; Col-0). We cloned Jatropha JcSDP1, and verified its function by complementation of the Arabidopsis sdp1-5 mutant. Taking advantage of the observation with Arabidopsis, we used RNAi technology to generate JcSDP1 deficiency in transgenic Jatropha. We found that Jatropha JcSDP1-RNAi plants accumulated 13 to 30% higher total seed storage lipid, along with a 7% compensatory decrease in protein content, compared with control (CK; 35S:GFP) plants. Free fatty acid (FFA) content in seeds was reduced from 27% in control plants to 8.5% in JcSDP1-RNAi plants.

Conclusion
Here, we showed that SDP1 deficiency enhances seed oil accumulation in Arabidopsis. Based on this result, we generated SDP1-deficient transgenic Jatropha plants using by RNAi technology with a native JcSDP1 promoter to silence endogenous JcSDP1 expression. Seeds of Jatropha JcSDP1-RNAi plants accumulated up to 30% higher total lipid and had reduced FFA content compared with control (CK; 35S:GFP) plants. Our strategy of improving an important agronomic trait of Jatropha can be extended to other oil crops to yield higher seed oil.
Treatment outcomes of carotid artery stenting with two types of distal protection filter device
Authors: Iko Minoru , Aikawa Hiroshi , Go Yoshinori , Nakai Kanji , Tsutsumi Masanori , Yu Iwae , Mizokami Taichiro , Sakamoto Kimiya , Inoue Ritsuro , Mitsutake Takafumi , Eto Ayumu , Hanada Hayatsura , Kazekawa Kiyoshi 
Published: March 2014

Abstract

Purpose
Preventing cerebral embolism from debris produced during carotid artery stenting (CAS) is important. This study compared the treatment outcomes of CAS using two types of filter-based embolic protection devices currently in use in Japan.

Materials and methods
We assessed 121 consecutive cases of CAS performed with FilterWire EZ™ between July 2010 and November 2012 and 37 consecutive cases of CAS performed with the Spider FX™ between November 2012 and June 2013. A Carotid Wallstent™ was used in all cases. The incidence of positive lesions on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) and stroke were compared between the groups.

Results
Postoperative DWI-positive lesions were observed in 38 (31.4%) and 14 (37.8%) patients in the FilterWire and Spider groups, respectively. In the FilterWire group, complications were transient ischemic attacks in 3 (2.5%) patients, cerebral infarction in 2 (1.7%) patients (1 patient each with minor and major stroke), and cerebral hemorrhage due to hyperperfusion syndrome in 1 (0.8%) patient. In the Spider group, except for cerebral infarction (minor stroke) in 1 (2.7%) patient, no complications were observed. No significant differences were observed in the incidence of complications between the groups.

Conclusion
FilterWire EZ and Spider FX are comparable in terms of treatment outcome.