bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transradial approach for challenging vascular access interventions
Authors: Rahmatzadeh Mitra , Vijayan Vikram , Ritter Carsten J , Hockley Joseph , Leong Benjamin DK , Sandford Monique , Mwipatayi Bibombe P 
Published: September 2014

Background Percutaneous interventional procedures for vascular access are usually performed using the draining cephalic or basilic vein. The transradial approach, which has been extensively investigated for coronary angiography and intervention, could be an attractive new technique for peri-anastomotic arteriovenous fistula stenosis. Method From June 2012 to February 2013, 30 patients with end-stage renal failure were evaluated for transradial vascular access intervention. A 4-French (Fr) micropuncture kit was used to access the radial artery and then subsequently upgraded to a 5-Fr sheath. Fourteen patients required an upgrade to a 6-Fr sheath for the final intervention. Results Primary technical success (residual stenosis <30%) was achieved in all cases where angioplasty was performed. Technical success regarding access was achieved in all patients. There were no peri-procedural complications. The post-interventional primary patency was calculated as 100%, 100%, 88.4% and 32.8% at 1, 6, 9 and 12 months, respectively. The post-interventional primary assisted patency was calculated as 100%, 100%, 100% and 63.3% at 1, 6, 9 and 12 months, respectively. Based on colour-coded Duplex scan and/or photoelectric plethysmography, all access-site arteries showed normal perfusion; however, the freedom from significant radial artery restenosis was 92.4% at 12-month follow-up. Conclusion The transradial approach for vascular access endovascular interventions is technically feasible and safe. It allows simultaneous treatment of peri-anastomotic lesions in fistulas with complex venous anatomy as well as lesions in the arterial inflow and central outflow.
Knee Function Assessment in Patients With Meniscus Injury
Authors: Naimark Micah B. , Kegel Gary , O’Donnell Thomas , Lavigne Stephanie , Heveran Chelsea , Crawford Dennis C. 
Published: September 2014

Background: Outcomes of meniscus surgery are typically assessed with patient questionnaires that help capture symptoms and functional limitations but may not provide an accurate representation of underlying joint health. There are currently no performance-based measures of knee function in patients with symptomatic meniscus injury. Purpose: To assess the reproducibility, response to partial meniscectomy, and correlation with patient-reported questionnaire outcomes of novel performance-based knee function tests. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A battery of 9 tests for activities that require knee movements essential for everyday living was developed. Intra- and interrater reproducibility was assessed in 50 meniscus tear patients completing the battery at 2 preoperative assessments with either the same or different examiners. Response to arthroscopic partial meniscectomy was evaluated in 35 of these patients 6 weeks after surgery. Subjects also completed the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) questionnaires pre- and postoperatively. Results: The intrarater intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were excellent for all tests (ICC > 0.8). Interrater ICC > 0.8 was observed for step-down, stair descent, star lunges, and timed treadmill travel. Performance on all tests improved significantly with surgery ( P < .05), with the greatest improvement in sit-to-stand and stair ascent and descent. A greater percentage response to surgery was seen on questionnaire outcomes (20%-65%) than on performance-based tests (3%-15%). Moderate to poor correlations existed between the KOOS activities of daily living subscale and the performance-based tests (all ICCs ≤ 0.4). Conclusion: Performance-based knee function tests demonstrated good reproducibility and responsiveness in patients undergoing partial meniscectomy. Clinical Relevance: As both patient perception and functional performance are determinants of patient outcomes, questionnaires and performance-based tests could be used simultaneously to provide complementary data to monitor short- and long-term outcomes after meniscus surgery.
AHAPS-functionalized silica nanoparticles do not modulate allergic contact dermatitis in mice
Authors: Ostrowski Anja , Nordmeyer Daniel , Mundhenk Lars , Fluhr Joachim W , Lademann Jürgen , Graf Christina , Rühl Eckart , Gruber Achim D 
Published: September 2014

Abstract
Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a common skin disease in people and may become a potential site of exposure to nanoparticles (NP). Silica nanoparticles (SiO2-NP) possess a promising potential for various medical and non-medical applications, including normal and diseased skin as target organs. However, it has been shown that negatively charged SiO2-NP may act as proinflammatory adjuvant in allergic diseases. The effect of topical SiO2-NP exposure on preexisting ACD has not been studied to date although this reflects a common in vivo situation. Of particular interest are the potential effects of positively charged N-(6-aminohexyl)-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (AHAPS)-functionalized SiO2-NP which are promising candidates for delivery systems, including gene delivery into the skin. Here, the effects of such AHAPS-functionalized SiO2-NP (55 ± 6 nm in diameter) were studied in an oxazolone-induced ACD model in SKH1 mice and compared to ACD mice treated with vehicle only. The clinical course of the disease was assessed by monitoring of the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and the erythema. In histologic and morphometric analyses, the distribution of particles, the degree of inflammation, epidermal thickness, and the inflammatory infiltrate were characterized and quantified by standard and special histological stains as well as immunohistochemistry for CD3+ lymphocytes. To assess possible systemic effects, serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Following administration of AHAPS-SiO2-NP for five consecutive days, no effects were observed in all clinical, histologic, morphometric, and molecular parameters investigated. In conclusion, positively charged AHAPS-SiO2-NP seem not to affect the course of ACD during exposure for 5 days.
Common fixed point of the generalized Mizoguchi-Takahashi’s type contractions
Authors: Javahernia Mojgan , Razani Abdolrahman , Khojasteh Farshid 
Published: September 2014

Abstract
In this work, we introduce a new class of contractive multi-valued mappings, called generalized Mizoguchi-Takahashi’s contractions, which is an extension of many known results in the literature. Finally, a partial answer to the conjecture which was introduced by Rouhani and Moradi is given.

MSC:47H10, 54C60.
On a nonlocal problem for fractional differential equations via resolvent operators
Authors: Chen Lizhen , Fan Zhenbin , Li Gang 
Published: September 2014

Abstract
Using the techniques of approximate solutions, the analytic resolvent method, and the uniform continuity of the resolvent, we discuss the existence of mild solutions for nonlocal fractional differential equations governed by a linear closed operator which generates a resolvent. An example is also given to illustrate the application of our theory.

MSC:34K37, 47A10.
Biocompatibility and resorption pattern of newly developed hyaluronic acid hydrogel reinforced three-layer poly (lactide-co-glycolide) membrane: histologic observation in rabbit calvarial defect model
Authors: You Hoon , Lee Eun-Ung , Kim You-Kyoung , Kim Bum-Chul , Park Jin-Young , Lim Hyun-Chang , Lee Jung-Seok , Noh InSup , Jung Ui-Won , Choi Seong-Ho 
Published: September 2014

Abstract

Background
The aim of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility and resorption pattern in three-layer poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) membrane according to the concentrations of hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel in rabbit calvarial defect model. Four standardized circular defects with 8 mm diameter were created on the four rabbit calvarium. Three-layer PLGA membranes (5% and 10% HA gel) were used as the test groups, both collagen membrane and monolayer PLGA membrane as the control groups.

Results
After sacrificing the animals after 4 and 8 weeks, block sections were harvested and histological observation was performed. Pus formation was observed in a site on the three-layer PLGA membranes (with 10% HA gel) of 4 weeks group and initial inflammatory responses were observed on the three-layer PLGA membrane group. However, when compared to both the monolayer PLGA membrane group and collagen membrane group, the HA gel-reinforced three-layer PLGA membrane showed improved cell occlusion and retention period, showing the formation of the capsule-like structure. There was no definite difference between the results of the membranes fabricated with either 5% or 10% HA hydrogel.

Conclusion
The HA reinforced three-layer PGLA membrane was retained longer than control group and showed good property in cell occlusion. Future study is under process to improve the inflammatory response of the three layer PLGA membranes, which were observed in this study.
The genome sequence of the Antarctic bullhead notothen reveals evolutionary adaptations to a cold environment
Authors: Shin Seung Chul , Ahn Do Hwan , Kim Su Jin , Pyo Chul Woo , Lee Hyoungseok , Kim Mi-Kyeong , Lee Jungeun , Lee Jong Eun , Detrich H William , Postlethwait John H , Edwards David , Lee Sung Gu , Lee Jun Hyuck , Park Hyun 
Published: September 2014

Abstract
Background
Antarctic fish have adapted to the freezing waters of the Southern Ocean. Representative adaptations to this harsh environment include a constitutive heat shock response and the evolution of an antifreeze protein in the blood. Despite their adaptations to the cold, genome-wide studies have not yet been performed on these fish due to the lack of a sequenced genome. Notothenia coriiceps, the Antarctic bullhead notothen, is an endemic teleost fish with a circumpolar distribution and makes a good model to understand the genomic adaptations to constant sub-zero temperatures.

Results
We provide the draft genome sequence and annotation for N. coriiceps. Comparative genome-wide analysis with other fish genomes shows that mitochondrial proteins and hemoglobin evolved rapidly. Transcriptome analysis of thermal stress responses find alternative response mechanisms for evolution strategies in a cold environment. Loss of the phosphorylation-dependent sumoylation motif in heat shock factor 1 suggests that the heat shock response evolved into a simple and rapid phosphorylation-independent regulatory mechanism. Rapidly evolved hemoglobin and the induction of a heat shock response in the blood may support the efficient supply of oxygen to cold-adapted mitochondria.

Conclusions
Our data and analysis suggest that evolutionary strategies in efficient aerobic cellular respiration are controlled by hemoglobin and mitochondrial proteins, which may be important for the adaptation of Antarctic fish to their environment. The use of genome data from the Antarctic endemic fish provides an invaluable resource providing evidence of evolutionary adaptation and can be applied to other studies of Antarctic fish.
Discovery of β-lactam-resistant variants in diverse pneumococcal populations
Authors: Hakenbeck Regine 
Published: September 2014

AbstractUnderstanding of antibiotic resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae has been hindered by the low frequency of recombination events in bacteria and thus the presence of large linked haplotype blocks, which preclude identification of causative variants. A recent study combining a large number of genomes of resistant phenotypes has given an insight into the evolving resistance to β-lactams, providing the first large-scale identification of candidate variants underlying resistance.
A meta-analysis of the risk of venous thromboembolism in inflammatory rheumatic diseases
Authors: Lee Jason J , Pope Janet E 
Published: September 2014

Abstract
Introduction
We performed a meta-analysis to investigate the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolisms (PEs) in patients with inflammatory arthritis, vasculitis and connective tissue diseases (CTDs) (systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren's syndrome, inflammatory myositis and systemic sclerosis (SSc)).

Methods
PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane databases and MEDLINE were searched to identify full-text English-language publications about adult patients with rheumatologic inflammatory diseases and venous thromboembolisms (VTEs). Data regarding rates of DVTs and PEs were extracted. Using random-effects models, pooled estimates for VTEs in individual and pooled diseases were compared with matched populations where possible. Studies were excluded if VTEs were described in the setting of pregnancy, postoperative outcomes or solely antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

Results
Most of the 5,206 studies were excluded because they did not state the rate or incidence of VTEs. In total, 25 studies remained for analysis. Ten studies that included rheumatoid arthritis comprised an aggregate of 5,273,942 patients and 891,530,181 controls with a cumulative VTE incidence of 2.18% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.82% to 2.54%) and an odds ratio of 2.23 (95% CI: 2.02 to 2.47) compared to age- and sex-matched populations. Ten studies comprised an aggregate of 54,697 SLE patients with a cumulative VTE incidence of 7.29% (95% CI: 5.82% to 8.75%). Four Sjögren's syndrome studies comprising an aggregate of 25,100 patients demonstrated a cumulative VTE incidence of 2.18% (95% CI: 0.79% to 3.57%). Four studies of inflammatory myositis comprising an aggregate of 8,245 patients yielded a cumulative VTE incidence of 4.03% (95% CI: 2.38% to 5.67%). The SSc- and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody vasculitis–related cumulative VTE rates (four studies each) were 3.13% and 7.97%, respectively.

Conclusions
The inflammatory rheumatologic diseases studied were all associated with high rates of VTEs—more than three times higher than in the general population.
Quality-of-service in cloud computing: modeling techniques and their applications
Authors: Ardagna Danilo , Casale Giuliano , Ciavotta Michele , Pérez Juan F , Wang Weikun 
Published: September 2014

AbstractRecent years have seen the massive migration of enterprise applications to the cloud. One of the challenges posed by cloud applications is Quality-of-Service (QoS) management, which is the problem of allocating resources to the application to guarantee a service level along dimensions such as performance, availability and reliability. This paper aims at supporting research in this area by providing a survey of the state of the art of QoS modeling approaches suitable for cloud systems. We also review and classify their early application to some decision-making problems arising in cloud QoS management.
Comorbidity profile in dementia with Lewy bodies versus Alzheimer’s disease: a linkage study between the Swedish Dementia Registry and the Swedish National Patient Registry
Authors: Fereshtehnejad Seyed-Mohammad , Damangir Soheil , Cermakova Pavla , Aarsland Dag , Eriksdotter Maria , Religa Dorota 
Published: September 2014

Abstract
Introduction
Compared to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is usually associated with a more complex clinical picture and higher burden of care. Yet, few investigations have been performed on comorbidities and risk factors of DLB. Therefore, we aimed to compare clinical risk factors and comorbidity profile in DLB and AD patients using two nationwide registries.

Methods
This is a linkage study between the Swedish dementia registry (SveDem) and the Swedish National Patient Registry conducted on 634 subjects with DLB and 9161 individuals with AD registered during the years 2007–2012. Comorbidity profile has been coded according to the International Classification of Diseases version 10 (ICD 10) in addition to the date of each event. The main chapters of the ICD-10, the Charlson score of comorbidities and a selected number of neuropsychiatric diseases were compared between the DLB and AD groups. Comorbidity was registered before and after the dementia diagnosis.

Results
“Mental and behavioral disorders”, “diseases of the nervous system”, “diseases of the eye and adnexa”, diseases of the “circulatory”, “respiratory”, and “genitourinary” systems, “diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue” and “diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue” occurred more frequently in the DLB group after multivariate adjustment. Depression [adjusted OR = 2.12 (95%CI 1.49 to 3.03)] and migraine [adjusted OR = 3.65 (95%CI 1.48 to 9.0)] were more commonly recorded before the diagnosis of dementia in the DLB group. Following dementia diagnosis, ischemic stroke [adjusted OR = 1.89 (95%CI 1.21 to 2.96)] was more likely to happen among the DLB patients compared to the AD population.

Conclusions
Our study indicated a worse comorbidity profile in DLB patients with higher occurrence of depression, stroke and migraine compared with the AD group. Deeper knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of these associations is needed to explore possible reasons for the different pattern of comorbidity profile in DLB compared to AD and their prognostic significance.
Inference of dynamic biological networks based on responses to drug perturbations
Authors: Berlow Noah , Davis Lara , Keller Charles , Pal Ranadip 
Published: September 2014

AbstractDrugs that target specific proteins are a major paradigm in cancer research. In this article, we extend a modeling framework for drug sensitivity prediction and combination therapy design based on drug perturbation experiments. The recently proposed target inhibition map approach can infer stationary pathway models from drug perturbation experiments, but the method is limited to a steady-state snapshot of the underlying dynamical model. We consider the inverse problem of possible dynamic models that can generate the static target inhibition map model. From a deterministic viewpoint, we analyze the inference of Boolean networks that can generate the observed binarized sensitivities under different target inhibition scenarios. From a stochastic perspective, we investigate the generation of Markov chain models that satisfy the observed target inhibition sensitivities.
Positive solutions for a class of superlinear semipositone systems on exterior domains
Authors: Abebe Abraham , Chhetri Maya , Sankar Lakshmi , Shivaji R 
Published: September 2014

Abstract
We study the existence of a positive radial solution to the nonlinear eigenvalue problem

−
Δ
u
=
λ

K
1

(
|
x
|
)
f
(
v
)

in

Ω
e

,

−
Δ
v
=
λ

K
2

(
|
x
|
)
g
(
u
)

in

Ω
e

,

u
(
x
)
=
v
(
x
)
=
0

if

|
x
|
=

r
0

(>0),

u
(
x
)
→
0

,

v
(
x
)
→
0

as

|
x
|
→
∞

, where

λ
>
0

is a parameter,

Δ
u
=
div
(
∇
u
)

is the Laplace operator,

Ω
e

=
{
x
∈

R
n

∣
|
x
|
>

r
0

,
n
>
2
}

, and

K
i

∈

C
1

(
[

r
0

,
∞
)
,
(
0
,
∞
)
)

;

i
=
1
,
2

are such that

K
i

(
|
x
|
)
→
0

as

|
x
|
→
∞

. Here

f
,
g
:
[
0
,
∞
)
→
R

are

C
1

functions such that they are negative at the origin (semipositone) and superlinear at infinity. We establish the existence of a positive solution for λ small via degree theory and rescaling arguments. We also discuss a non-existence result for

λ
≫
1

for the single equations case.

MSC: 34B16, 34B18.
Semi-classical solutions of perturbed elliptic system with general superlinear nonlinearity
Authors: Liao Fangfang , Tang Xianhua , Zhang Jian , Qin Dongdong 
Published: September 2014

Abstract
This paper is concerned with the following perturbed elliptic system:

−

ε
2

△
u
+
V
(
x
)
u
=

W
v

(
x
,
u
,
v
)

,

x
∈

R
N

,

−

ε
2

△
v
+
V
(
x
)
v
=

W
u

(
x
,
u
,
v
)

,

x
∈

R
N

,

u
,
v
∈

H
1

(

R
N

)

, where

V
∈
C
(

R
N

,
R
)

and

W
∈

C
1

(

R
N

×

R
2

,
R
)

. Under some mild conditions on the potential V and nonlinearity W, we establish the existence of nontrivial semi-classical solutions via variational methods, provided that

0
<
ε
≤

ε
0

, where the bound

ε
0

is formulated in terms of N, V, and W.

MSC: 35J10, 35J20.
Migration, risk attitudes, and entrepreneurship: evidence from a representative immigrant survey
Authors: Batista Catia , Umblijs Janis 
Published: September 2014

Abstract
Do more risk loving migrants opt for self-employment? We use a novel vignette-adjusted measure of risk preferences to investigate the link between risk aversion and entrepreneurship in migrant communities. Using an original representative household survey of the migrant population in the Greater Dublin Area, we find a significant negative relationship between risk aversion and entrepreneurship. Our results show that the use of vignettes improves the significance of the results, as they simultaneously correct for differential item functioning (where respondents interpret the self-evaluation scale in different ways) between entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs, and correct for variation in the use of self-evaluation scales between migrants from different countries of origin. This finding may help explaining the variability in results on the correlation between risk preferences and entrepreneurship reported in previous studies.

JEL: F22; J01; J15; J61; L26
The multifaceted nature of NLRP12
Authors: Tuncer Sinem , Fiorillo Maria Teresa , Sorrentino Rosa 
Published: September 2014

AbstractNLRs are a class of cytoplasmic PRRs with various functions, ranging from pathogen/damage sensing to the modulation of inflammatory signaling and transcriptional control of MHC and related genes. In addition, some NLRs have been implicated in preimplantation and prenatal development. NLRP12 (also known as RNO, PYPAF7, and Monarch-1), a member of the family containing an N-terminal PYD, a NBD, and a C-terminal LRR region, is one of the first described NLR proteins whose role remains controversial. The interest toward NLRP12 has been boosted by its recent involvement in colon cancer, as well as in the protection against some severe infections, such as that induced by Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague. As NLRP12 is mainly expressed by the immune cells, and its expression is down-regulated in response to pathogen products and inflammatory cytokines, it has been predicted to play a role as a negative regulator of the inflammatory response. Herein, we present an overview of the NLR family and summarize recent insights on NLRP12 addressing its contribution to inflammatory signaling, host defense, and carcinogenesis.