bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The cost of providing end of life care for nursing care home residents: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Ennis Liam , Kinley Julie , Hockley Jo , McCrone Paul 
Published: October 2015

Background The proportion of people dying in long-term care institutions is predicted to increase in future years. Establishing the costs associated with the provision of such care is important as it represents a potentially increasing burden. Aim This study describes the end of life healthcare costs for nursing home residents. The study also explores the effects of resident characteristics on costs, through regression modelling. Setting This study took place in south-east England. Participants Thirty-eight nursing care homes took part in the study, comprising 2444 individual residents. Methods Using a retrospective cohort design, end of life service use was recorded from residents’ nursing care home notes. In this study, end of life was defined as the last six months of life, or from time of residency if this was less than six months. Costs were calculated assuming a healthcare payer perspective. Results The total mean healthcare cost per resident was £3906. Hospital stays accounted for two-thirds (67%) of these costs. Fifty-six percent of these hospital stays occurred in the final month of life. Death in hospital vs. in the nursing care home was associated with an average increase in costs of £4223. Conclusions Death in hospital is costly, and is seldom identified as a preferred place of death. Therefore, interventions are needed which help nursing care home staff to identify when an individual is dying, and have the skill and confidence to make difficult decisions regarding care provision at the end of life.
Screening of Glaucoma or Cataract Prevalence in Vitiligo Patients and Its Relationship With Periorbital Steroid Use
Authors: Khurrum Huma , AlGhamdi Khalid M. , Osman Essam 
Published: October 2015

Background/Aim: There is scarce literature connecting vitiligo and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). Most literature reports that secondary complications are a direct consequence of corticosteroid treatment of vitiligo. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of ocular problems in patients with vitiligo and to determine its association with periorbital topical corticosteroid use. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 90 patients with vitiligo. The Vitiligo European Task Force questionnaire was completed for each patient. A control group comprising 90 healthy individuals who did not have vitiligo and who were matched on age and gender was used for comparison. A complete ophthalmologic examination was performed. A family history of glaucoma and the use of topical steroids were recorded. Results: Two (2/90, 2.2%) of the patients with vitiligo had glaucoma compared with none of the individuals in the control group ( P = .25). Nineteen of the 90 patients with vitiligo used periorbital steroids, and of these patients, 10.5% (2/19) developed glaucoma. The duration of periorbital corticosteroid use was 4.50 ± 2.1 years. Eighty-nine percent (17/19) of the vitiligo patients who applied the potent topical corticosteroid (class I) clobetasol propionate to the periorbital area did not develop glaucoma. In contrast, glaucoma was not observed in 79% (71/90) of the vitiligo patients who did not use steroids. Cataract, uveitis, or fundus problems were not observed in either group. Conclusion: The study suggests that patients who have vitiligo and use topical steroids periorbitally do not have an increased risk of glaucoma or cataracts. Future studies that have a larger sample size and use a detailed steroid use protocol are needed.
Investigating Perceived Usability and Choice Satisfaction of Alternative Search Engine’s Presentation for Older Adults
Authors: Abegaz Tamirat , Dillon Edward C. , Gilbert Juan E. 
Published: October 2015

Information search and retrieval is a feature used by various software applications, in particular web search engines. When conducting information search and retrieval, a user exhibits perceptual, motoric, and cognitive capabilities. However, these capabilities tend to deteriorate as adults age. As a result, older adults have shown a tendency to exhibit superficial behaviors that ultimately influence their decision-making during search and retrieval. It has been found that decision-making can be influenced by one’s emotional state. Meanwhile, unconscious exposure to certain elements such as visual stimuli can induce one’s emotional state. This article discusses a study that examined the employment of visual stimuli such as colors, shapes, and their combinations on user satisfaction and search performance with older adults while using search engine interface prototypes. Our findings show that the integration of certain stimuli within search engine interfaces potentially improves web search performance and experience for older adults.
Connecting Accessibility and User Experience in the Mobile Age
Authors: Lew Gavin , Resnick Marc L. , Campbell Bo , Weber Astrid , Batra Sanjay 
Published: October 2015

Note: Slides from the panelists’ presentations will be available on the User Experience Day archive website and on Slideshare after the meeting for your viewing pleasure. This year is the 25th anniversary of the ADA which gives us a chance to reflect on the relationship between accessibility and experience design practices for the web and consumer products. This panel brings together five viewpoints to discuss how to incorporate accessibility into user-centered design. Accessibility aims to remove barriers for people with disabilities by allowing them to perceive, navigate, and interact with web applications, tools, and mobile devices. These panelists explore the idea that designing for people with disabilities improves the experience for all users. By discussing the challenges in each of their industries, the panelists talk about how and when accessibility enters into their design thinking. Overall, our goal is spur dialogue on how to promote more inclusive practices.
Observers’ Judgments of the Effects of Glare on their Visual Acuity
Authors: Sewall Ashley A. Stafford , Borzendowski Stephanie A. Whetsel , Tyrrell Richard A. , Stephens Benjamin R. , Rosopa Patrick J. , Fekety Drea K. 
Published: October 2015

The design of headlamps must balance two conflicting goals: providing sufficient forward illumination to assure adequate visibility while not being a glare source for other road users. By projecting illumination downward onto the nearer roadway, low beam headlamps emphasize the latter goal at the expense of the former. Yet, the illumination provided by low beams is insufficient to assure safety. When drivers use high beam headlamps their ability to see and respond to hazards improves substantially. While it is common for drivers to report that they have been “blinded” by oncoming headlights, it is unclear whether observers can accurately judge when they are visually disabled by glare. This experiment sought to use lab-based psychophysical methods to quantify the accuracy with which observers can judge when a glare source reduces their visual acuity. Seventeen observers estimated their disability glare threshold - the luminance of a glare source that would be just sufficient to impair their ability to discern the orientation of a Landolt C (high and low contrast and of varying sizes). These estimated disability glare thresholds were compared to the participant’s actual disability glare thresholds. Across all stimuli, participants consistently underestimated their ability to recognize the Landolt C stimuli through the veiling luminance of the glare source. On average, estimates of glare threshold were 88% lower than actual glare threshold intensities. Additionally, participants’ judgments were significantly affected by the size of the stimulus but not stimulus contrast. These results confirm that observers can exaggerate the debilitating effects of glare. This work may be useful in understanding why typical drivers may under use their high beam headlamps. A driver that overestimates the extent to which light from their own headlamps visually disables other road users may choose not to use these higher intensity headlamps, despite the significant visibility benefits provided by high beam headlamps. As long as drivers have the ability to decide when the use of high beams is appropriate, it seems worthwhile to understand the factors that influence their usage of high beams and, simultaneously, to explore ways to encourage appropriate reliance on high beams.
The role of age and postural stability for visually induced motion sickness in a simulated driving task
Authors: Keshavarz Behrang , Novak Alison C. , Hettinger Lawrence J. , Stoffregen Thomas A. , Campos Jennifer L. 
Published: October 2015

Background: Visually-induced motion sickness (VIMS) is a common sensation using driving simulators, typically characterized by pallor, cold sweat, fatigue, dizziness, and/or nausea. Postural instability resulting from visual motion inputs has been discussed as a potential cause of VIMS. Interestingly, older adults are not only known to have reduced postural stability compared to younger adults, they have also been shown to be more susceptible to VIMS. The present study aimed to evaluate whether VIMS can be reduced through passive restraint, whether age affects VIMS, and how these factors interact. Methods: Twenty-one younger and 16 older adults participated in two simulated driving sessions for up to 25 minutes each using a console video game. The participant’s upper body was either restrained or unrestrained. In the restrained condition, participants’ torso and head were fixed to the backrest of the seat using elastic straps. In the unrestrained condition, the backrest of the seat was removed and participants could move freely during driving. The order of sessions was counterbalanced. VIMS was measured using the Fast Motion Sickness Scale and the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire. Postural sway was measured for 60 s with eyes closed before and after driving using a force plate. Results: During the unrestrained condition, 44% of older and 57% of younger adults reported sickness. For these participants, passive restraint resulted in a significant reduction in VIMS ( p = .002), particularly in older adults. In general, older adults did not report more VIMS than younger adults. With respect to postural control, older participants showed significantly more sway than younger adults both before and after the driving task. No group differences in postural sway showed between sick and non-sick participants. However, we found moderate to high positive correlations between the severity of VIMS and the amount of postural sway, indicating that stronger VIMS was accompanied by more postural sway. Discussion: Our findings indicate that passive restraint can be an efficient method to reduce (but not fully eliminate) VIMS during a driving task in users who experience sickness. Specifically older adults appear to benefit from passive restraint to reduce VIMS. Positive correlations between VIMS and postural stability support the assumption that postural control is involved to some degree in the occurrence of VIMS. Conclusion: Our results indicate that supporting postural stability can help to reduce the occurrence of VIMS, particularly in older adults. These findings have implications for the design and use of driving simulators and other virtual environments that bear the potential to create VIMS.
Mandibular Cartilage Collagen Network Nanostructure
Authors: Vanden Berg-Foels Wendy S. 
Published: October 2015

Background Mandibular condyle cartilage (MCC) has a unique structure among articular cartilages; however, little is known about its nanoscale collagen network architecture, hampering design of regeneration therapies and rigorous evaluation of regeneration experiment outcomes in preclinical research. Helium ion microscopy is a novel technology with a long depth of field that is uniquely suited to imaging open 3D collagen networks at multiple scales without obscuring conductive coatings. Objective The objective of this research was to image, at the micro- and nanoscales, the depth-dependent MCC collagen network architecture. Design MCC was collected from New Zealand white rabbits. Images of MCC zones were acquired using helium ion, transmission electron, and light microscopy. Network fibril and canal diameters were measured. Results For the first time, the MCC was visualized as a 3D collagen fibril structure at the nanoscale, the length scale of network assembly. Fibril diameters ranged from 7 to 110 nm and varied by zone. The articular surface was composed of a fine mesh that was woven through thin layers of larger fibrils. The fibrous zone was composed of approximately orthogonal lamellae of aligned fibrils. Fibrocyte processes surrounded collagen bundles forming extracellular compartments. The proliferative, mature, and hypertrophic zones were composed of a branched network that was progressively remodeled to accommodate chondrocyte hypertrophy. Osteoid fibrils were woven around osteoblast cytoplasmic processes to create numerous canals similar in size to canaliculi of mature bone. Conclusion This multiscale investigation advances our foundational understanding of the complex, layered 3D architecture of the MCC collagen network.
A Novel Cross-Linked Hyaluronic Acid Porous Scaffold for Cartilage Repair
Authors: Bauer Christoph , Berger Manuela , Baumgartner Renate R. , Höller Sonja , Zwickl Hannes , Niculescu-Morzsa Eugenia , Halbwirth Florian , Nehrer Stefan 
Published: October 2015

Purpose An important feature of biomaterials used in cartilage regeneration is their influence on the establishment and stabilization of a chondrocytic phenotype of embedded cells. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a porous 3-dimensional scaffold made of cross-linked hyaluronic acid on the expression and synthesis performance of human articular chondrocytes. Materials and Methods Osteoarthritic chondrocytes from 5 patients with a mean age of 74 years were passaged twice and cultured within the cross-linked hyaluronic acid scaffolds for 2 weeks. Analyses were performed at 3 different time points. For estimation of cell content within the scaffold, DNA-content (CyQuant cell proliferation assay) was determined. The expression of chondrocyte-specific genes by embedded cells as well as the total amount of sulfated glycosaminoglycans produced during the culture period was analyzed in order to characterize the synthesis performance and differentiation status of the cells. Results Cells showed a homogenous distribution within the scaffold. DNA quantification revealed a reduction of the cell number. This might be attributed to loss of cells from the scaffold during media exchange connected with a stop in cell proliferation. Indeed, the expression of cartilage-specific genes and the production of sulfated glycosaminoglycans were increased and the differentiation index was clearly improved. Conclusions These results suggest that the attachment of osteoarthritic P2 chondrocytes to the investigated material enhanced the chondrogenic phenotype as well as promoted the retention.
Superficial Zone Extracellular Matrix Extracts Enhance Boundary Lubrication of Self-Assembled Articular Cartilage
Authors: Peng Gordon , McNary Sean M. , Athanasiou Kyriacos A. , Reddi A. Hari 
Published: October 2015

Objective Previous work has shown that increasing the production of boundary lubricant, superficial zone protein (SZP), did not reduce the friction coefficient of self-assembled articular cartilage constructs and was possibly due to poor retention of the lubricant. The aim of this investigation was to reduce the friction coefficient of self-assembled articular cartilage constructs through enhancing SZP retention by the exogenous addition of extracellular matrix (ECM) extracted from the superficial zone of native articular cartilage. Design Superficial zone cartilage was shaved from juvenile bovine femoral condyles using a dermatome, minced finely with razor blades, extracted with 4 M guanidine-hydrochloride, buffer exchanged with culture medium, and added directly to the culture medium of self-assembled articular cartilage constructs at low (10 µg/mL) and high (100 µg/mL) concentrations for 4 weeks. Biochemical and biomechanical properties were determined at the conclusion of 4 weeks culture. Results ECM treatment increased compressive and tensile stiffness of self-assembled articular cartilage constructs and decreased the friction coefficient. Glycosaminoglycan content decreased and collagen content increased significantly in self-assembled constructs by the ECM treatment. Conclusions Friction coefficients of self-assembled articular cartilage constructs were reduced by adding extracted superficial zone ECM into the culture medium of self-assembled articular cartilage constructs.
Acute cholecystitis after urological surgery: A report of 11 cases in our department and a review of the literature
Authors: Yokoyama Hitoshi , Hara Hiroaki , Ogawa Teruyuki , Ishizuka Osamu 
Published: October 2015

Objective: Postoperative acute cholecystitis (PAC) after gastrointestinal surgery is considered to be a relatively common complication. However, PAC after urological surgery is extremely rare. Patients and methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 2583 patients who underwent urological surgery in our department from 2006 to 2014 to identify those who developed acute cholecystitis in the postoperative period. Results: Of the 2583 patients, 11 (0.4%) were diagnosed with PAC. The study population consisted of 10 (91%) men and one (9%) woman. Among them, five (45%) patients had acalculous cholecystitis. The median interval between the preceding urological surgery and the onset of PAC was 16 days (range, 3–39 days). Emergent cholecystectomy and/or gallbladder drainage was performed in eight (73%) cases. Although four (36%) patients developed septic shock and were treated in the intensive care unit, cholecystitis improved in all cases. One patient died of her underlying disease (adrenal cancer) two months after PAC. Conclusion: Most routinely performed urological surgeries can cause PAC. The symptoms of PAC may be masked in the postoperative period. Urologists must be aware of PAC and should not hesitate to perform further inspection and consultation with a gastroenterologist in cases in which it is suspected.
Ancestral role of Pax2/5/8 in molluscan brain and multimodal sensory system development
Authors: Wollesen Tim , Rodríguez Monje Sonia Victoria , Todt Christiane , Degnan Bernard M. , Wanninger Andreas 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBackgroundMollusks represent the largest lophotrochozoan phylum and exhibit highly diverse body plans. Previous studies have demonstrated that transcription factors such asPaxgenes play important roles during their development. Accordingly, in ecdysozoan and vertebrate model organisms, orthologs ofPax2/5/8are among others involved in the formation of the midbrain/hindbrain boundary, the auditory/geosensory organ systems, and the excretory system.MethodsPax2/5/8expression was investigated byin situhybridization during the development of representatives of the two major molluscan subclades, Aculifera and Conchifera.ResultsCompared to the investigated polyplacophoran and bivalve species that lack larval statocysts as geosensory organs and elaborate central nervous systems (CNS), cephalopods possess highly centralized brains and statocysts.Pax2/5/8is expressed in regions where sensory cells develop subsequently during ontogenesis. Expression domains include esthetes and the ampullary system in polyplacophorans as well as the eyes of cephalopods. NoPax2/5/8expression was observed in the less centralized CNS of bivalve, polyplacophoran, and gastropod embryos, thus arguing for a loss ofPax2/5/8involvement in CNS development in these lineages. In contrast,Pax2/5/8is expressed among others in brain lobes along the trajectory of the esophagus that divides the cephalopod brain.ConclusionsOur results, along with those onOtx- andHox-gene expression, demonstrate that the cephalopod condition is similar to that in mouse and fruit fly, withOtxbeing expressed in the anterior-most brain region (except for the vertical lobe) and aPax2/5/8expression domain separating theOtx-domain from aHox-gene-expressing posterior brain region. Thus,Pax2/5/8appears to have been recruited independently into regionalization of non-homologous complex brains of organisms as different as squid, fruit fly, and mouse. In addition,Pax2/5/8is expressed in multimodal sensory systems in mollusks such as the esthetes and the ampullary system of polyplacophorans as well as the eyes of cephalopods.Pax2/5/8-expressing cells are present in regions where the future sensory cells such as the polyplacophoran esthetes are situated and hencePax2/5/8expression probably predates sensory cell development during ontogeny. In mollusks,Pax2/5/8is only expressed in derivatives of the ectoderm and hence an ancestral role in molluscan ectoderm differentiation is inferred.
Characterizing selective pressures on the pathway for de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidines in yeast
Authors: Hermansen Russell A. , Mannakee Brian K. , Knecht Wolfgang , Liberles David A. , Gutenkunst Ryan N. 
Published: October 2015

Abstract
Background
Selection on proteins is typically measured with the assumption that each protein acts independently. However, selection more likely acts at higher levels of biological organization, requiring an integrative view of protein function. Here, we built a kinetic model for de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to relate pathway function to selective pressures on individual protein-encoding genes.

Results
Gene families across yeast were constructed for each member of the pathway and the ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitution rates (dN/dS) was estimated for each enzyme from S. cerevisiae and closely related species. We found a positive relationship between the influence that each enzyme has on pathway function and its selective constraint.

Conclusions
We expect this trend to be locally present for enzymes that have pathway control, but over longer evolutionary timescales we expect that mutation-selection balance may change the enzymes that have pathway control.