bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Outcome in Children Operated for Membranous Subaortic Stenosis
Authors: Tefera Endale , Gedlu Etsegenet , Bezabih Abebe , Moges Tamirat , Centella Tomasa , Marianeschi Stefano , Nega Berhanu , van Doorn Carin , Sasson Lior , Teodori Michael 
Published: July 2015

Background: The optimal surgical procedure for treatment of fibromembranous subaortic stenosis has been a subject of debate. We report our experience with patients treated for membranous subaortic stenosis using membrane resection alone and membrane resection plus aggressive septal myectomy. Methods: Patients followed in the pediatric cardiology clinic of a university hospital, who had undergone surgery for subaortic stenosis between 2002 and 2013 were reviewed. Recurrence of subaortic membrane, residual left ventricular outflow gradient, and aortic valve function were analyzed. Results: Forty-six patients underwent surgery for subaortic membrane. Of these, 19 had membrane resection plus aggressive septal myectomy, while 27 had membrane resection alone. Mean age at surgery for the membrane resection group was 7.7 ± 3.9 years and 10.9 ± 3.6 years for the membrane resection plus aggressive myectomy group. Preoperative subaortic gradient for the membrane resection group was 75.5 ± 26.7 mm Hg and 103.2 ± 39.7 mm Hg for the membrane resection plus aggressive myectomy group. The mean follow-up left ventricular outflow tract gradient was 42.3 ± 31.3 mm Hg in the membrane resection group, while it was 11.6 ± 6.3 mm Hg in the aggressive septal myectomy group. Nine patients from the membrane resection group had significant regrowth of the subaortic membrane during the follow-up period, while none of the aggressive septal myectomy group had detectable membrane on echocardiography. Seven of the nine patients with recurrence of the subaortic membrane underwent subsequent membrane resection plus aggressive septal myectomy. Intraoperative finding in all these redo cases was recurrence (growth) of a subaortic membrane. Conclusion: Aggressive septal myectomy offers less chance of recurrence, freedom from reoperation, and an improved aortic valve function. This is especially important in sub-Saharan settings where a chance of getting a second surgery is unpredictable.
Burden of HIV-Related Neuropathic Pain in the United States
Authors: Mann Rachael , Sadosky Alesia , Schaefer Caroline , Baik Rebecca , Parsons Bruce , Nieshoff Edward , Stacey Brett R. , Tuchman Michael , Nalamachu Srinivas 
Published: July 2015

Background: HIV-related neuropathic pain (HIV-NeP) is common; however, the burden of HIV-NeP is not well-understood. Methods: The cross-sectional study aimed to characterize the HIV-NeP burden. A total of 103 patients with HIV-NeP recruited during routine office visits completed a questionnaire to assess patient-reported outcomes, including pain severity, health status, sleep, mood, and lost productivity. Physicians completed a 6-month retrospective chart review. Results: The sample was predominantly male and not employed for pay. A majority (75.7%) of patients experienced moderate or severe pain. Pain interference, general health, physical health, and depression were worse among patients with more severe pain (all Ps < .006). Most (87.4%) patients were prescribed at least 1 medication for NeP. HIV-related neuropathic pain was associated with 36.1% work impairment. Adjusted annualized costs increased with increasing pain severity ( P < .0001). Conclusion: The impact of HIV-NeP on health status, physical function, and depression increases with severity, resulting in substantial clinical and economic burden.
Acylcarnitines are anticoagulants that inhibit factor Xa and are reduced in venous thrombosis, based on metabolomics data
Authors: Deguchi Hiroshi , Banerjee Yajnavalka , Trauger Sunia , Siuzdak Gary , Kalisiak Ewa , Fernández José A. , Hoang Linh , Tran Minerva , Yegneswaran Subramanian , Elias Darlene J. , Griffin John H. 
Published: July 2015

Key PointsUntargeted and targeted metabolomics showed association of low plasma acylcarnitines levels with venous thrombosis risk. Long-chain acylcarnitines are anticoagulants that inhibit factor Xa by binding to factor Xa outside the γ-carboxy glutamic acid domain.
Evidence for Kinetic Limitations as a Controlling Factor of Ge Pyramid Formation: a Study of Structural Features of Ge/Si(001) Wetting Layer Formed by Ge Deposition at Room Temperature Followed by Annealing at 600 °C
Authors: Storozhevykh Mikhail S. , Arapkina Larisa V. , Yuryev Vladimir A. 
Published: July 2015

Abstract
The article presents an experimental study of an issue of whether the formation of arrays of Ge quantum dots on the Si(001) surface is an equilibrium process or it is kinetically controlled. We deposited Ge on Si(001) at the room temperature and explored crystallization of the disordered Ge film as a result of annealing at 600 °C. The experiment has demonstrated that the Ge/Si(001) film formed in the conditions of an isolated system consists of the standard patched wetting layer and large droplike clusters of Ge rather than of huts or domes which appear when a film is grown in a flux of Ge atoms arriving on its surface. We conclude that the growth of the pyramids appearing at temperatures greater than 600 °C is controlled by kinetics rather than thermodynamic equilibrium whereas the wetting layer is an equilibrium structure.

PACS:

Primary 68.37.Ef; 68.55.Ac; 68.65.Hb; 81.07.Ta; 81.16.Dn
Laser microdissection-based gene expression analysis in the aleurone layer and starchy endosperm of developing rice caryopses in the early storage phase
Authors: Ishimaru Tsutomu , Ida Masashi , Hirose Sakiko , Shimamura Satoshi , Masumura Takehiro , Nishizawa Naoko K. , Nakazono Mikio , Kondo Motohiko 
Published: July 2015

Abstract

Background
Rice endosperm is composed of aleurone cells in the outermost layers and starchy endosperm cells in the inner part. The aleurone layer accumulates lipids, whereas starchy endosperm mainly accumulates starch. During the ripening stage, the starch accumulation rate is known to be asynchronous, depending on the position of the starchy endosperm. Different physiological and molecular mechanisms are hypothesized to underlie the qualitative and quantitative differences in storage products among developing rice endosperm tissues.

Results
Target cells in aleurone layers and starchy endosperm were isolated by laser microdissection (LM), and RNAs were extracted from each endosperm tissue in the early storage phase. Genes important for carbohydrate metabolism in developing endosperm were analyzed using qRT-PCR, and some of the genes showed specific localization in either tissue of the endosperm. Aleurone layer-specific gene expression of a sucrose transporter, OsSUT1, suggested that the gene functions in sucrose uptake into aleurone cells. The expression levels of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPL2 and AGPS2b) in each endosperm tissue spatially corresponded to the distribution of starch granules differentially observed among endosperm tissues. By contrast, expressions of genes for sucrose cleavage—hexokinase, UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, and phosphoglucomutase—were observed in all endosperm tissues tested. Aleurone cells predominantly expressed mRNAs for the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. This finding was supported by the presence of oxygen (8 % concentration) and large numbers of mitochondria in the aleurone layers. In contrast, oxygen was absent and only a few mitochondria were observed in the starchy endosperm. Genes for carbon fixation and the GS/GOGAT cycle were expressed highly in aleurone cells compared to starchy endosperm.

Conclusions
The transcript level of AGPL2 and AGPS2b encoding ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase appears to regulate the asynchronous development of starch granules in developing caryopses. Aleurone cells appear to generate, at least partially, ATP via aerobic respiration as observed from specific expression of identified genes and large numbers of mitochondria. The LM-based expression analysis and physiological experiments provide insight into the molecular basis of the spatial and nutritional differences between rice aleurone cells and starchy endosperm cells.
Body fatness during childhood and adolescence and breast density in young women: a prospective analysis
Authors: Bertrand Kimberly A. , Baer Heather J. , Orav E. John , Klifa Catherine , Shepherd John A. , Van Horn Linda , Snetselaar Linda , Stevens Victor J. , Hylton Nola M. , Dorgan Joanne F. 
Published: July 2015

Abstract
Introduction
Overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence are associated with reduced breast cancer risk, independent of adult body mass index (BMI). These associations may be mediated through breast density.

Methods
We prospectively examined associations of early life body fatness with adult breast density measured by MRI in 182 women in the Dietary Intervention Study in Children (DISC) who were ages 25–29 at follow-up. Height, weight, and other factors were measured at baseline (ages 8–10) and annual clinic visits through adolescence. We used linear mixed-effects models to quantify associations of percent breast density and dense and non-dense breast volume at ages 25–29 with quartiles of age-specific youth body mass index (BMI) Z-scores, adjusting for clinic, treatment group, current adult BMI, and other well-established risk factors for breast cancer and predictors of breast density.

Results
We observed inverse associations between age-specific BMI Z-scores at all youth clinic visits and percent breast density, adjusting for current adult BMI and other covariates (all p values <0.01). Women whose baseline BMI Z-scores (at ages 8–10 years) were in the top quartile had significantly lower adult breast density, after adjusting for current adult BMI and other covariates [least squares mean (LSM): 23.4 %; 95 % confidence interval (CI): 18.0 %, 28.8 %] compared to those in the bottom quartile (LSM: 31.8 %; 95 % CI: 25.2 %, 38.4 %) (p trend <0.01). Significant inverse associations were also observed for absolute dense breast volume (all p values <0.01), whereas there were no clear associations with non-dense breast volume.

Conclusions
These results support the hypothesis that body fatness during childhood and adolescence may play an important role in premenopausal breast density, independent of current BMI, and further suggest direct or indirect influences on absolute dense breast volume.

Clinical Trials Registration Number
NCT00458588; April 9, 2007
Measuring disease activity in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: the challenges of administrative burden and responsiveness to patient concerns in clinical research
Authors: Mikdashi Jamal , Nived Ola 
Published: July 2015

AbstractMeasuring lupus disease activity accurately remains a challenging and demanding task given the complex multi-system nature of lupus, an illness known for its variability between patients and within the same patient over time. Many have attempted to define what disease activity means and how it should be measured, and several instruments were devised for a standardized assessment of disease activity and outcome domains in clinical research. Several of these measuring tools have been able to detect clinical improvement and have demonstrated adequate reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change in observational studies, and some were found to be useful in randomized controlled trials. However, several failed clinical trials have confronted these metrics, as they were not intended for clinical trials. The Outcome Measures Rheumatology group and the US Food and Drug Administration have recommended using measures of disease activity, cumulative organ damage, health-related quality of life, and adverse events as outcomes of interest. Composite responder indices that determine disease global improvement, ensure no significant worsening in unaffected organ systems, and include a physician’s global assessment have been used in randomized clinical trials. Yet unmet therapeutic needs were further challenged by the complex content and psychometric information of the updated instruments, including increased administrative burden associated with demanding training and cost of instruments, and small effect size associated with responsiveness to patient concerns. Nevertheless, with the progress of novel targeted therapy, refining the disease activity metrics is essential. Selection of the disease activity endpoints which is a defining aspect of clinical trial design must be tailored to the outcome of interest and measured by a reliably rated scale characterized by minimal administrative burden. An optimal scale should be simple and practical and incorporate elements of patient concerns.
Pathophysiology of cutaneous lupus erythematosus
Authors: Achtman Jordan C , Werth Victoria P 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe pathophysiology of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) encompasses the complex interactions between genetics, the environment, and cells and their products. Recent data have provided enhanced understanding of these interactions and the mechanism by which they cause disease. A number of candidate genes have been identified which increase the risk of developing CLE. Ultraviolet radiation, the predominant environmental exposure associated with CLE, appears to initiate CLE lesion formation by inducing apoptosis, precipitating autoantigen presentation, and promoting cellular production of specific cytokines. Autoantibodies are a well-known entity in CLE, but their exact role remains unclear. Finally, cells ranging from native skin cells to innate and adaptive immune cells produce cytokines and other molecules and play specific roles in lesion formation and perpetuation. Native skin cells implicated in CLE include keratinocytes and endothelial cells. Innate immune cells crucial to CLE pathophysiology include dendritic cells and neutrophils. The primary adaptive immune cells thought to be involved include Th1 cells, Th17 cells, cytotoxic T cells, and invariant natural killer T cells. Though the pathophysiology of CLE has yet to be fully characterized, current research provides direction for future research and therapies.
Sustained biologic-free and drug-free remission in rheumatoid arthritis, where are we now?
Authors: Nagy György , van Vollenhoven Ronald F 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe advent of new medications and new treatment strategies for rheumatoid arthritis has made it possible to achieve remission in more patients than before. Furthermore, recent clinical trials and register studies suggest that some patients who initially required aggressive therapy may achieve biologic-free remission or even the ultimate goal of therapy, drug-free remission, resembling recovery. Here, we present a discursive review of the most important studies addressing these issues. Based on the overall results, it remains unclear if achieving biologic-free and drug-free remissions are primarily due to the natural course of the disease or to the early therapeutic intervention according to the ‘window of opportunity’ hypothesis. Although medication-free remission is only achievable in a small subset of patients, characterizing this patient cohort may provide important information about beneficial prognostic factors and the underlying mechanisms. In summary, in a subset of patients biologic-free and even drug-free remission can be achieved; pursuing these possibilities in practice may decrease the risk for long-term side effects and attenuate the economic burden of the disease.
Convergence theorems for finite family of a general class of multi-valued strictly pseudo-contractive mappings
Authors: Chidume Charles E , Okpala Mmaduabuchi E , Bello Abdulmalik U , Ndambomve Patrice 
Published: July 2015

AbstractLet H be a real Hilbert space, K a nonempty subset of H, and $T:K\rightarrow \mathit{CB}(K)$
T
:
K
→
CB
(
K
)
a multi-valued mapping. Then T is called a generalizedk-strictly pseudo-contractive multi-valued mapping if there exists $k\in[0,1)$
k
∈
[
0
,
1
)
such that, for all $x,y\in D(T)$
x
,
y
∈
D
(
T
)
, we have $D^{2}(Tx,Ty)\leq\|x-y\|^{2}+kD^{2}(Ax,Ay)$

D
2

(
T
x
,
T
y
)
≤

∥
x
−
y
∥

2

+
k

D
2

(
A
x
,
A
y
)
, where $A:=I-T$
A
:
=
I
−
T
, and I is the identity operator on K. A Krasnoselskii-type algorithm is constructed and proved to be an approximate fixed point sequence for a common fixed point of a finite family of this class of maps. Furthermore, assuming existence, strong convergence to a common fixed point of the family is proved under appropriate additional assumptions.
Fixed point theorems for Ćirić type mapping and application to integral equation
Authors: Ume Jeong Sheok 
Published: July 2015

AbstractIn this paper, we introduce a new class of Ćirić type single-valued mapping with respect to u-distance and prove some fixed point theorems for this mapping. An example is given to show that our results are a proper extension of many well-known results. As an application, we establish the existence of a solution for an integral equation.
Rapid bone regeneration by
Escherichia coli
-derived recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 loaded on a hydroxyapatite carrier in the rabbit calvarial defect model
Authors: Chung Chung-Hoon , Kim You-Kyoung , Lee Jung-Seok , Jung Ui-Won , Pang Eun-Kyoung , Choi Seong-Ho 
Published: July 2015

Abstract

Background

The aim of this study was to determine the osteoconductivity of hydroxyapatite particles (HAP) as a carrier for
Escherichia coli
-derived recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (ErhBMP-2). Two 8-mm diameter bicortical calvarial defects were created in each of 20 rabbits. One of each pair of defects was randomly assigned to be filled with HAP only (HAP group) or ErhBMP-2 loaded HAP (ErhBMP-2/HAP group), while the other defect was left untreated (control group). The animals were killed after either 2 weeks (
n
= 10) or 8 weeks (
n
= 10) of healing, and histological, histomorphometric, and tomographic analyses were performed.

Results

All experimental sites showed uneventful healing during the postoperative healing period. In both histomorphometric and tomographic analyses, the new bone area or volume of the ErhBMP-2/HAP group was significantly greater than that of the HAP and control groups at 2 weeks (
p
< 0.05). However, at 8 weeks, no significant difference in new bone area or volume was observed between the ErhBMP-2/HAP and HAP groups. The total augmented area or volume was not significantly different between the ErhBMP-2/HAP and HAP groups at 2 and 8 weeks.

Conclusions
Combining ErhBMP-2 with HAP could significantly promote rapid initial new bone formation. Moreover, HAP graft could increase new bone formation and space maintenance, therefore it might be one of the effective carriers of ErhBMP-2.
Paul Conduit
Authors: Conduit Paul 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACT
Paul Conduit was a research assistant in John Kilmartin's lab at the MRC/LMB in Cambridge, UK, before beginning his PhD in 2006 with Jordan Raff. In 2010 he moved with Jordan from the Gurdon Institute in Cambridge to the University of Oxford, where he continued his work as a postdoctoral fellow. Paul is now a Sir Henry Dale Wellcome Fellow at the University of Cambridge and has been a group leader at the Department of Zoology since April 2015. His lab studies microtubule nucleation from both centrosomes and from other microtubule-organising centres in the cell.
An Experimental Study of Stabilization of Trivalent Thallium by Natural Organic Matter
Authors: Watanabe Yusuke , Takahashi Yoshio 
Published: July 2015

Abstract
Stabilization of dissolved trivalent thallium, Tl(III), in water by complexation with humic acid and its analogue (poly(acrylic acid), PAA) was studied. Chromatographic analysis showed that Tl(III) was stabilized by the complexation, which allowed us to estimate the stability constant of Tl(III)–humate complex. Cyclic voltammograms of Tl showed that the redox potential of Tl(III)/Tl(I) redox couple in the presence of PAA was lower than that without PAA. These results suggest that Tl(III) can be present in natural water by the stabilization of Tl(III) rather than Tl(I) due to the formation of humate complex.
Cultivating Disaster Donors Using Data Analytics
Authors: Ryzhov Ilya O. , Han Bin , Bradić Jelena 
Published: July 2015

Nonprofit organizations use direct-mail marketing to cultivate one-time donors and convert them into recurring contributors. Cultivated donors generate much more revenue than new donors, but also lapse with time, making it important to steadily draw in new cultivations. The direct-mail budget is limited, but better-designed mailings can improve success rates without increasing costs. We propose an empirical model to analyze the effectiveness of several design approaches used in practice, based on a massive data set covering 8.6 million direct-mail communications with donors to the American Red Cross during 2009–2011. We find evidence that mailed appeals are more effective when they emphasize disaster preparedness and training efforts over post-disaster cleanup. Including small cards that affirm donors’ identity as Red Cross supporters is an effective strategy, whereas including gift items such as address labels is not. Finally, very recent acquisitions are more likely to respond to appeals that ask them to contribute an amount similar to their most recent donation, but this approach has an adverse effect on donors with a longer history. We show via simulation that a simple design strategy based on these insights has potential to improve success rates from 5.4% to 8.1%. This paper was accepted by Serguei Netessine, operations management.
Indien sehen und sterben. Die Indienreisen Alexanders des Großen in MS London Jews’ College no. 145
Authors: Bedeković Nataša 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe journey to India is an intrinsic part of the Alexander romances. Once transferred to fabulous surroundings, his journey becomes a suitable foundation for discussing and questioning diverse ethical values and cultural models. The Hebrew Alexander romance in MS London Jews’ College no. 145 divides Alexander’s Indian conquest into three parts, which are all told in the same manner. In each section of the journey he gains different experiences as he crosses inaccessible territories and fights against marvellous and monstrous creatures. They change his view of the world and make him understand that he is mortal. Alexander comes to India as a conqueror of the world who aspires to immortality, he travels there as an explorer, getting acquainted with the habits and philosophies of foreign cultures, and returns to Babylon as a sovereign who has been confronted with his own mortality.
Die Rolle jüdischer Finanziers bei reichsstädtischen Expansionsbestrebungen im späten Mittelalter
Authors: Scholl Christian 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThis article deals with the role Jewish moneylenders played in the expansion policy of Imperial Cities in the Later Middle Ages. It focuses on the examples of Zurich , Bern and Ulm because it was in these cases that Jews made the most important contributions to the creation of urban territories. As will be shown, there were several ways by which city councils could make use of Jewish money to support their territorial ambitions: Unfortunately, one way of acquiring money for territorial expansion was the plundering of Jewish communities, which happened in Ulm in 1385, for example. Apart from that, the city councils could gain territorial profit from Jewish businessmen granting loans to noblemen who were endowed with landed property in the vicinity of the cities. When these nobles could not repay their loans to the Jews, they were forced to cede their territories to the city councils which, in return, repaid the noble’s loans to the Jewish moneylenders. Probably due to the high interests, the city councils themselves, however, hardly ever took out loans to finance territorial expansion directly.