bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Occurrence and distribution pattern of acidic pharmaceuticals in surface water, wastewater, and sediment of the Msunduzi River, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Agunbiade Foluso O. , Moodley Brenda 
Published: July 2015

Abstract

The paucity of information on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the environment in African countries led the authors to investigate 8 acidic pharmaceuticals (4 antipyretics, 3 antibiotics, and 1 lipid regulator) in wastewater, surface water, and sediments from the Msunduzi River in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS). The method recoveries, limits of detection (LOD), and limits of quantification were determined. The method recoveries were 58.4% to 103%, and the LODs ranged between 1.16 ng/L and 29.1 ng/L for water and between 0.58 ng/g and 14.5 ng/g for sediment. The drugs were all present in wastewater and in most of the surface water and sediment samples. Aspirin was the most abundant pharmaceutical observed, 118 ± 0.82 μg/L in wastewater influent, and the most observed antibiotic was nalidixic acid (25.2–29.9 μg/L in wastewater); bezafibrate was the least observed. The distribution pattern of the antipyretic in water indicates more impact in suburban sites. The solid–liquid partitioning of the pharmaceuticals between sediment and water, measured as the distribution coefficient (log KD) gave an average accumulation magnitude of 10× to 32× in sediments than in water. The downstream distribution patterns for both water and sediment indicate discharge contributions from wastewater, agricultural activities, domestic waste disposal, and possible sewer system leakages. Although concentrations of the pharmaceuticals were comparable with those obtained from some other countries, the contamination of the present study site with pharmaceuticals has been over time and continues at present, making effective management and control necessary. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:36–46. © 2015 SETAC
Heterogeneous access class barring with QoS guarantee in machine‐type communications
Authors: Han Xiao , Lim Teng Joon , Xu Jie 
Published: July 2015

AbstractIn machine‐to‐machine (M2M) communications, networking a large number of devices with bursty heterogeneous traffic is one of the most critical challenges. In the medium access control layer, the access class barring (ACB) mechanism may be used to regulate the transmission of packets by machine‐type communications devices. In the current literature, the backlogged and newly arrived devices are treated with no difference and are given identical ACB factors (homogeneous ACB scheme), which means that there is a substantial probability that some devices will be backlogged for many slots and then subsequently violate their delay constraints. In this paper, a heterogeneous genie‐aided ACB scheme is first proposed, in which the backlogged and newly arrived devices are treated differently. A more practical scheme is then proposed. Simulation results show that our proposed heterogeneous genie‐aided ACB scheme and practical heterogeneous ACB algorithm always outperform the homogeneous ACB scheme in terms of delay violation probability. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Urocortin Attenuates TGFβ1‐Induced Snail1 and Slug Expressions: Inhibitory Role of Smad7 in Smad2/3 Signaling in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Jin Lai , Zhu Chao , Wang Xiaofei , Li Chuanhua , Cao Chunxuan , Yuan Jie , Li Shengnan 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTCorticortropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) family are multifunctional endocrine‐factors that regulate proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of various types of cancer cells. Deregulation of the transforming growth factor β1(TGFβ1) signal transduction promotes aggressive metastatic properties in late‐stage breast cancers. We previously have demonstrated in breast cancer cell line that CRH suppressed TGFβ1‐induced Epithelial‐Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) via induction of E‐cadherin. Our present data in MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231 cells showed that Urocortin (Ucn, a member of CRH family) inhibited TGFβ1 signaling by reducing Smad2/3 activation and subsequent nuclear translocation through increasing Smad7 expression, leading to downregulation of Snail1 and Slug, the two EMT promoters. We further found that Antalarmin (CRH receptor type 1, CRHR1 antagonist) and Antisauvagine‐30 (CRH receptor type2, CRHR2 antagonist) abrogated the effects of Ucn on TGFβ1 signaling, implying that both active CRHR1 and CRHR2 participate in Ucn‐repressed TGFβ1 signaling. Our findings, for the fist time, identify Ucn as a potential mediator that inhibits oncogenic signaling by TGFβ1 and suggest that activating CRHR1 and R2 may prove effective in diminishing breast cancer progression stimulated by TGFβ1. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 2494–2503, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Meta‐analysis of hepatic cytochrome P450 ontogeny to underwrite the prediction of pediatric pharmacokinetics using physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling
Authors: Upreti Vijay V. , Wahlstrom Jan L. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe accurate prediction of pharmacokinetics (PK) is fundamental to underwriting safety and efficacy in pediatric clinical trials; age‐dependent PK may be observed with pediatrics because of the growth and maturation processes that occur during development. Understanding the ontogeny of drug‐metabolizing enzymes is a critical enabler for pediatric PK prediction, as enzyme expression or activity may change with age. Although ontogeny functions for the cytochrome P450s (CYPs) have been developed, disconnects between ontogeny functions for the same CYP may exist, depending on whether the functions were derived from in vitro or in vivo data. This report describes the development of ontogeny functions for all the major hepatic CYPs based on in vitro or in vivo data; these ontogeny functions were subsequently incorporated into a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model and evaluated. Pediatric PK predictions based on in vivo–derived ontogeny functions performed markedly better than those developed from in vitro data for intravenous (100% versus 51% within 2‐fold, respectively) and oral (98% versus 67%, respectively) dosing. The verified models were then applied to complex pediatric scenarios involving active metabolites, CYP polymorphisms and physiological changes because of critical illness; the models reasonably explained the observed age‐dependent changes in pediatric PK.
An integrative population pharmacokinetics approach to the characterization of the effect of hepatic impairment on clobazam pharmacokinetics
Authors: Tolbert Dwain , Bekersky Ihor , Chu Hui‐May , Ette Ene I. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractAn integrative population pharmacokinetics (PPK)–based approach was used to characterize the effect of hepatic impairment on clobazam PK and its major metabolite in systemic circulation,N‐desmethylclobazam (N‐CLB). At therapeutic clobazam dosages, N‐CLB plasma concentrations are 3–5 times greater than the parent compound. PK data from clinical trials in patients with Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS; OV‐1002 and OV‐1012), healthy participants (OV‐1016), and participants with and without renal impairment (OV‐1032), as well as those from a publication describing the effects of hepatic impairment on clobazam PK, were merged to create the PPK model. Individual patient clobazam PK parameters from the publication were used to generate patient plasma‐concentration data. Clobazam PK was linear and the formation of N‐CLB was elimination‐rate limited. Hepatic impairment did not affect the total apparent clearance of clobazam but may affect the PK of N‐CLB. Because the formation of N‐CLB is elimination‐rate limited and the total apparent clearance of clobazam is unaffected by hepatic impairment, the PPK model suggests that patients with LGS and hepatic impairment may not require clobazam dosage modification.
Multimodal MRI can identify perfusion and metabolic changes in the invasive margin of glioblastomas
Authors: Price Stephen J. , Young Adam M.H. , Scotton William J. , Ching Jared , Mohsen Laila A. , Boonzaier Natalie R. , Lupson Victoria C. , Griffiths John R. , McLean Mary A. , Larkin Timothy J. 
Published: July 2015

PurposeTo use perfusion and magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy to compare the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)‐defined invasive and noninvasive regions. Invasion of normal brain is a cardinal feature of glioblastomas (GBM) and a major cause of treatment failure. DTI can identify invasive regions.Materials and MethodsIn all, 50 GBM patients were imaged preoperatively at 3T with anatomic sequences, DTI, dynamic susceptibility perfusion MR (DSCI), and multivoxel spectroscopy. The DTI and DSCI data were coregistered to the spectroscopy data and regions of interest (ROIs) were made in the invasive (determined by DTI), noninvasive regions, and normal brain. Values of relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), N‐acetyl aspartate (NAA), myoinositol (mI), total choline (Cho), and glutamate + glutamine (Glx) normalized to creatine (Cr) and Cho/NAA were measured at each ROI.ResultsInvasive regions showed significant increases in rCBV, suggesting angiogenesis (invasive rCBV 1.64 [95% confidence interval, CI: 1.5–1.76] vs. noninvasive 1.14 [1.09–1.18]; P < 0.001), Cho/Cr (invasive 0.42 [0.38–0.46] vs. noninvasive 0.35 [0.31–0.38]; P = 0.02) and Cho/NAA (invasive 0.54 [0.41–0.68] vs. noninvasive 0.37 [0.29–0.45]; P = < 0.03), suggesting proliferation, and Glx/Cr (invasive 1.54 [1.27–1.82] vs. noninvasive 1.3 [1.13–1.47]; P = 0.028), suggesting glutamate release; and a significantly reduced NAA/Cr (invasive 0.95 [0.85–1.05] vs. noninvasive 1.19 [1.06–1.31]; P = 0.008). The mI/Cr was not different between the three ROIs (invasive 1.2 [0.99–1.41] vs. noninvasive 1.3 [1.14–1.46]; P = 0.68). In the noninvasive regions, the values were not different from normal brain.ConclusionCombining DTI to identify the invasive region with perfusion and spectroscopy, we can identify changes in invasive regions not seen in noninvasive regions. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;43:487–494.
Creative Behavior, Motivation, Environment and Culture: The Building of a Systems Model
Authors: Hennessey Beth A. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractWith the exception of research examining the productivity of teams, the empirical study of creativity was until recently almost exclusively focused at the level of the individual creator. Investigators and theorists typically chose to decontextualize the creative process and failed to include a consideration of anyone or anything beyond the person doing the creating. The last decade has seen a long overdue proliferation of research focused on the creative milieu and the myriad of environmental factors that impact creators and serve to boost or inhibit their creativity of performance. In particular, the increasing globalization of corporate, entrepreneurial, and educational environments has underscored the need to take into consideration the impact of cultural forces. This article chronicles the construction of a systems model of creativity designed to incorporate a consideration of creative behavior at multiple levels of analysis. Over and above an examination of individual difference variables, the argument is made that creativity must be explored at the “little‐c” cultural level (e.g., the culture of the classroom or workplace), at the societal level, and at the “Big‐C” cultural level (i.e., culture writ large). An application of this systems approach is made to classroom‐based data collected in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
Measurement of the lens accommodation in viewing stereoscopic displays
Authors: Hong Hyungki , Kang Seok Hyon 
Published: July 2015

AbstractIn observing the stereoscopic display at the viewing distance of 1 m, the amount of the perceived depth was determined by the positions of the crossing point that the viewing direction of two eyes intersect. The positions of the crossing points of stereoscopic stimuli were controlled, and the accommodation was measured by the autorefractometer for the seven participants. Accommodation was also measured when viewing the real film chart which was placed at the same position as these crossing points. The accommodation change when viewing the stereoscopic display was measured to be noticeable only when the crossing point was quite near the participant, but this change was still much smaller compared with the accommodation change when viewing the real film chart. This change in accommodation implies the possible occurrence of fatigue related to the accommodation–convergence conflict, while the constant accommodation within the range of DOF implies no conflict between the accommodation and convergence. This measurement scheme may be used to define the range of DOF where the accommodation remains little changed, and thus define the depth of the 3D object at which no accommodation–convergence conflict occurs, for a given stereoscopic display.
Hysteretic Buckling for Actuation of Magnet–Polymer Composites
Authors: Ahmed Anansa S. , Ramanujan Raju V. 
Published: July 2015

The development of bioinspired, novel, high‐performance, “artificial muscle” materials is a topic of high current interest. Flexibility for folding and actuation are key parameters in the development of such artificial muscles, especially for self‐assembly and origami engineering. A current challenge is to develop a multifunctional material that combines the biological functions of actuation, sensing, and healing. In this work, for the first time experimental and modeling results of the actuation capability of a multifunctional magnet–polymer (Magpol) composite material that is already capable of damage sensing and self‐healing are reported. Actuation by constrained buckling of Magpol in an external magnetic field shows two buckling modes. The stress and strain are studied and optimized for various actuator geometries. Work density of up to 16 J kg−1 is obtained, comparable to electroactive polymers. Magpol is successfully able to lift more than four times its own weight at relatively low applied magnetic field. Good agreement is observed between the experimental and modeling results. An Ashby design chart is employed to compare its performance to other actuators. This work provides insight into the development of next generation flexible, active multifunctional materials.
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Influence of relative blood flow restriction pressure on muscle activation and muscle adaptation
Authors: Counts Brittany R. , Dankel Scott J. , Barnett Brian E. , Kim Daeyeol , Mouser J. Grant , Allen Kirsten M. , Thiebaud Robert S. , Abe Takashi , Bemben Michael G. , Loenneke Jeremy P. 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute and chronic skeletal muscle response to differing levels of blood flow restriction (BFR) pressure. Methods: Fourteen participants completed elbow flexion exercise with pressures from 40% to 90% of arterial occlusion. Pre/post torque measurements and electromyographic (EMG) amplitude of each set were quantified for each condition. This was followed by a separate 8‐week training study of the effect of high (90% arterial occlusion) and low (40% arterial occlusion) pressure on muscle size and function. Results: For the acute study, decreases in torque were similar between pressures [–15.5 (5.9) Nm, P = 0.344]. For amplitude of the first 3 and last 3 reps there was a time effect. After training, increases in muscle size (10%), peak isotonic strength (18%), peak isokinetic torque (180°/s = 23%, 60°/s = 11%), and muscular endurance (62%) changed similarly between pressures. Conclusion: We suggest that higher relative pressures may not be necessary when exercising under BFR. Muscle Nerve 53: 438–445, 2016
Paraspinal muscle denervation and balance impairment in lumbar spinal stenosis
Authors: Ozcan‐Eksi Emel Ece , Yagci Ilker , Erkal Hatice , Demir‐Deviren Sibel 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Denervation of the paraspinal muscles may impair posture and displace the center of gravity. Therefore, we assessed balance impairment in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) with and without paraspinal denervation. Methods: Thirty‐two women with LSS (15 symptomatic, 17 asymptomatic), aged 42–78 years, were assessed for disability, pain, and mobility, and underwent masked mini‐paraspinal mapping (mPSM). Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and device‐assisted balance (DAB) tests were used for balance assessment. Results: The symptomatic group had worse balance and higher mPSM scores than the asymptomatic group. Among DAB tests, limit of stability (LOS) had the highest correlations with BBS and mPSM in the symptomatic group. Conclusions: Paraspinal denervation correlated highly with static and dynamic balance in symptomatic patients. We recommend paraspinal mapping, balance assessment, rehabilitation, and follow‐up with the LOS test for symptomatic patients. Muscle Nerve 53: 422–430, 2016
A square‐shaped wrist as a predictor of carpal tunnel syndrome: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Shiri Rahman 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTIntroduction: This meta‐analysis aims to assess an association between wrist ratio (wrist thickness/wrist width) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Methods: Sixteen studies qualified for a random‐effects meta‐analysis. Results: Mean wrist ratio was higher in individuals with CTS compared with those without CTS [pooled mean difference 0.036, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.025–0.046]. Pooled odds ratio (OR) of CTS for mean wrist ratio was 4.56 (95% CI 2.97–6.99), and for wrist ratio ≥0.70 vs. <0.70 it was 2.73 (95% CI 1.49–5.01). In addition, the pooled OR for a 1‐unit (0.01) increase in wrist ratio was 1.12 (CI 1.09–1.16). The association between wrist ratio and CTS did not differ between men and women. Moreover, there was no evidence of publication bias. Conclusions: This meta‐analysis suggests that a square‐shaped wrist is a predictor for CTS in both men and women. Future studies should explore whether a square‐shaped wrist can potentiate the adverse effects of obesity and occupational workloads on CTS. Muscle Nerve 52: 709–713, 2015
Effects of Early‐Stage Group Psychoeducation Programme for Patients with Depression
Authors: Tanaka Sachie , Ishikawa Eri , Mochida Ayumi , Kawano Koujiro , Kobayashi Masayoshi 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a psychoeducational group programme on inpatients with depression. We compared the attributes and Inventory Scale for Mood and Sense of Fatigue (SMSF) scores of 45 people who participated in the programme (participation group) with those of 37 people who did not participate (control group). Further, we investigated the rate of readmission 6 months after discharge and the number of patients in the participation group who had consulted a psychiatric social worker. Statistically, there were no significant differences in the SMSF score between the two groups on admission and at the time of discharge. The programme had no effect on the readmission rate. However, the SMSF score of the participation group significantly improved from the start of the programme to patient discharge. Furthermore, improvement of depressive symptoms, feeling of recovery and adherence were found in the participation group. The programme seemed to provide a psychotherapeutic effect for the patients and promoted cooperation with occupational therapist and other specialists in the hospital. The efficacy of psychoeducation in preventing recurrence of depression remains to be demonstrated, and methods of investigating effective approaches for this purpose need to be considered in the future. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Minimal Prolongation of Prothrombin Time with Extended Exposure to Argatroban
Authors: McAlister Renee K. , Ito Satoru 
Published: July 2015

In the setting of acute heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), argatroban is one of the initial anticoagulants of choice, which is eventually bridged to warfarin over a period of 5 or more days. Argatroban prolongs prothrombin time (PT) and increases international normalized ratio (INR). However, the effects of prolonged argatroban exposure on the PT and INR are not known. We describe an unusual case of prolonged argatroban treatment in a patient with heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis syndrome (HITTS) resulting in a minimal elevation of the INR. The patient received a total of 58 days of argatroban and was resistant to warfarin therapy, requiring a 13‐day bridge to achieve a therapeutic INR of 2.0 to 3.0. Ultimately, argatroban was successfully transitioned to warfarin therapy when the INR was 2.7 on both agents, producing the confirmatory true INR of 2.4. Argatroban and warfarin cotherapy did not increase the INR beyond 4.0 after prolonged argatroban exposure. Clinicians should consider this unusual response in other cases of prolonged argatroban use, and monitor INR carefully during warfarin and argatroban cotherapy. The use of other methods to monitor anticoagulant therapy, such as chromogenic factor X assay (CFX), may be helpful in this setting.
Evaluation of bedside pulmonary function in the neonate: From the past to the future
Authors: Reiterer F. , Sivieri E. , Abbasi S. 
Published: July 2015

SummaryPulmonary function testing and monitoring plays an important role in the respiratory management of neonates. A noninvasive and complete bedside evaluation of the respiratory status is especially useful in critically ill neonates to assess disease severity and resolution and the response to pharmacological interventions as well as to guide mechanical respiratory support. Besides traditional tools to assess pulmonary gas exchage such as arterial or transcutaenous blood gas analysis, pulse oximetry, and capnography, additional valuable information about global lung function is provided through measurement of pulmonary mechanics and volumes. This has now been aided by commercially available computerized pulmonary function testing systems, respiratory monitors, and modern ventilators with integrated pulmonary function readouts. In an attempt to apply easy‐to‐use pulmonary function testing methods which do not interfere with the infant́s airflow, other tools have been developed such as respiratory inductance plethysmography, and more recently, electromagnetic and optoelectronic plethysmography, electrical impedance tomography, and electrical impedance segmentography. These alternative technologies allow not only global, but also regional and dynamic evaluations of lung ventilation. Although these methods have proven their usefulness for research applications, they are not yet broadly used in a routine clinical setting. This review will give a historical and clinical overview of different bedside methods to assess and monitor pulmonary function and evaluate the potential clinical usefulness of such methods with an outlook into future directions in neonatal respiratory diagnostics. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015; 50:1039–1050. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cohesive Hamaker Constants and Dispersive Surface Energies of RDX, PETN, TNT, and Ammonium Nitrate‐Based Explosives
Authors: Harrison Aaron J. , Otte Andrew , Carvajal Theresa , Pinal Rodolfo , Beaudoin Stephen P. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractInverse gas chromatography (IGC) was used to characterize dispersive surface energies γSDand cohesive Hamaker constantsAiifor RDX, PETN, TNT, ammonium nitrate (AN), and AN‐based explosives at 303 K. The γSDfor RDX at 303 K is compared to previous studies and generally found to be in good agreement, substantiating the use of NESTT training materials to characterize explosives via IGC. Additionally, the effect of the amount of fuel in the AN mixtures on γSDis examined using simple linear regression. Finally, the IGC‐predictedAiivalues are compared to Lifshitz estimations forAiiof RDX, PETN, TNT, and AN.