bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fractional order models of leaves
Authors: Lopes António M , Machado JA Tenreiro 
Published: April 2013

Leaves are mainly responsible for food production in vascular plants. Studying individual leaves can reveal important characteristics of the whole plant, namely its health condition, nutrient status, the presence of viruses and rooting ability. One technique that has been used for this purpose is Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy, which consists of determining the electrical impedance spectrum of the leaf. In this paper we use EIS and apply the tools of Fractional Calculus to model and characterize six species. Two modeling approaches are proposed: firstly, Resistance, Inductance, Capacitance electrical networks are used to approximate the leaves’ impedance spectra; afterwards, fractional-order transfer functions are considered. In both cases the model parameters can be correlated with physical characteristics of the leaves.
Ethics in Municipal Health Services: Working Systematically with, and Developing Competence in Ethics
Authors: Lillemoen Lillian , Pedersen Reidar 
Published: April 2013

The Norwegian Parliament has decided to give priority to ethics in municipal health services. This priority is supposed to raise competence in ethics within municipal health services. As part of the national project, the participating municipalities were encouraged to develop and carry out local projects. In this article, we present a local ethics project in one of the participating municipalities in central eastern Norway. The local project for raising competence in ethics was carried out in cooperation with researchers at the Centre for Medical Ethics (CME) at the University of Oslo. Most people agree that ethics are important in health services. However, there are many ways to increase competence in ethics and to stimulate ethical reflection. In this article we present a broad overview of this local ethics project, but special focus will be put on presenting the actions that have been used for increasing the level of ethical competence and stimulating ethical reflection among the participants. We describe our evaluation of the project and the research we carried out. Explanations will be given for the thought process behind the decisions that were made.
Couples’ experiences of interacting with outside others in chronic fatigue syndrome: a qualitative study
Authors: Brooks Joanna , King Nigel , Wearden Alison 
Published: April 2013

Objectives Social isolation and stigma are frequently reported by patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis and relationships in the home environment with those close to the patients (their ‘significant others’) may thus be particularly important. Rather little attention has yet been paid to the beliefs and experiences of ‘significant others’ themselves in this context. This study sought to explore in-depth the beliefs and experiences of both patients and ‘significant others’ in relation to chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. Methods In-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview schedule designed around the core constructs of the Common-Sense Model of self-regulation were conducted with two patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis and their spouses. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse interview data. Results Experiences of social interactions in relation to chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis with others outside of the relationship dyad emerged as a key issue for all participants when reflecting on their experiences of living with the condition. These concerns are presented under two themes: interactions with healthcare professionals and interactions with the social world. Conclusions It is evident that significant others play an important role in the lived experience of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. For both patients and significant others, the wider social world and interactions with outside others may be important influences on dyadic coping in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. Both future research and treatment interventions could usefully include a ‘significant other’ perspective.
Examining the energy envelope and associated symptom patterns in chronic fatigue syndrome: does coping matter?
Authors: Brown Abigail A , Evans Meredyth A , Jason Leonard A 
Published: April 2013

Objective/Hypothesis The objective of this study was to examine sub-types of individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome based on variables that are associated with the energy envelope theory and to examine the role of coping strategies in explaining the differences found between the subtypes. Methods Cluster analysis was used. Grouping variables included physical functioning, post-exertional malaise severity, and the extent to which an individual was outside of the energy envelope. These clusters were evaluated using discriminant function analysis to determine whether they could be differentiated based on coping styles. Results Cluster analysis identified three groups. Clusters 1 and 2 were consistent with the energy envelope theory. However, Cluster 3 was characterized by patients with the most impairment, but they were to a lesser extent exceeding their energy envelope. Coping strategies explained a small percentage (10%) of the variance in differentiating the clusters. Discussion Energy maintenance may be associated with improved functioning and less severe symptoms for some. However, patients in Cluster 3 were closer to remaining within their energy envelope and also used higher levels of adaptive coping but were more impaired than Cluster 2. This suggests that adaptive coping strategies were not associated with improved health, as members of Cluster 3 were severely limited in functioning.
A Systematic Review on the Reporting of Outcome Data in Studies on Autologous Osteochondral Transplantation for the Treatment of Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus
Authors: Hannon Charles P. , Baksh Nikolas , Newman Hunter , Murawski Christopher D. , Smyth Niall A. , Kennedy John G. 
Published: April 2013

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to systematically review studies on autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) for osteochondral lesions (OCLs) of the talus and descriptively analyze the outcome data reported to determine whether it is consistent from one study to another and able to be pooled for systematic review. Methods. A systematic electronic search was performed using the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases. Studies that were published between January 1966 and June 2011 were included in the review. Only studies that reported data specifically on AOT for treatment of OCLs of the talus and written in English were included in this review. A predefined data sheet with 36 variables was created, and it was determined whether or not each of those variables were reported or not reported. The 36 variables were then grouped into 6 categories, and the categorical means were reported. Results. A total of 20 studies were included in this systematic review. The categories of general demographics and study design were generally well reported (each more than 80% of studies). Patient-reported outcomes and clinical variables were reported less in 73% and 67% of studies, respectively. The least-reported categories were patient history (45%) and imaging data (49%). Conclusions. Inconsistencies and an underreporting of data were apparent between studies, such that pooling was deemed not possible. An effort must be made by investigators to ensure that there is adequate reporting of data in studies of AOT treatment for OCLs of the talus. Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV
Only severe thrombocytopenia results in bleeding and defective thrombus formation in mice
Authors: Morowski Martina , Vögtle Timo , Kraft Peter , Kleinschnitz Christoph , Stoll Guido , Nieswandt Bernhard 
Published: April 2013

Key PointsHemostasis, thrombosis, and ischemic brain infarction efficiently occur at unexpectedly low platelet counts in mice. The threshold platelet count required for occlusive thrombus formation differs between thrombosis models.
Hypothalamic IGF-I Gene Therapy Prolongs Estrous Cyclicity and Protects Ovarian Structure in Middle-Aged Female Rats
Authors: Rodríguez Silvia S. , Schwerdt José I. , Barbeito Claudio G. , Flamini Mirta A. , Han Ye , Bohn Martha C. , Goya Rodolfo G. 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
There is substantial evidence that age-related ovarian failure in rats is preceded by abnormal responsiveness of the neuroendocrine axis to estrogen positive feedback. Because IGF-I seems to act as a permissive factor for proper GnRH neuronal response to estrogen positive feedback and considering that the hypothalamic content of IGF-I declines in middle-aged (M-A) rats, we assessed the effectiveness of long-term IGF-I gene therapy in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) of M-A female rats to extend regular cyclicity and preserve ovarian structure. We used 3 groups of M-A rats: 1 group of intact animals and 2 groups injected, at 36.2 weeks of age, in the MBH with either a bicistronic recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) harboring the genes for IGF-I and the red fluorescent protein DsRed2, or a control rAAV expressing only DsRed2. Daily vaginal smears were taken throughout the study, which ended at 49.5 weeks of age. We measured serum levels of reproductive hormones and assessed ovarian histology at the end of the study. Although most of the rats injected with the IGF-I rAAV had, on the average, well-preserved estrous cyclicity as well as a generally normal ovarian histology, the intact and control rAAV groups showed a high percentage of acyclic rats at the end of the study and ovaries with numerous enlarged cysts and scarce corpora lutea. Serum LH was higher and hyperprolactinemia lower in the treated animals. These results suggest that overexpression of IGF-I in the MBH prolongs normal ovarian function in M-A female rats.
Cited3 activates Mef2c to control muscle cell differentiation and survival
Authors: Devakanmalai Gnanapackiam Sheela , Zumrut Hasan E. , Özbudak Ertuğrul M. 
Published: April 2013

Summary
Vertebrate muscle development occurs through sequential differentiation of cells residing in somitic mesoderm – a process that is largely governed by transcriptional regulators. Our recent spatiotemporal microarray study in zebrafish has identified functionally uncharacterized transcriptional regulators that are expressed at the initial stages of myogenesis. cited3 is one such novel gene encoding a transcriptional coactivator, which is expressed in the precursors of oxidative slow-twitch myofibers. Our experiments placed cited3 into a gene regulatory network, where it acts downstream of Hedgehog signaling and myoD/myf5 but upstream of mef2c. Knockdown of expression of cited3 by antisense morpholino oligonucleotides impaired muscle cell differentiation and growth, caused muscle cell death and eventually led to total immotility. Transplantation experiments demonstrated that Cited3 cell-autonomously activates the expression of mef2c in slow myofibers, while it non-cell-autonomously regulates expression of structural genes in fast myofibers. Restoring expression of cited3 or mef2c rescued all the cited3 loss-of-function phenotypes. Protein truncation experiments revealed the functional necessity of C-terminally conserved domain of Cited3, which is known to mediate interactions of Cited-family proteins with histone acetylases. Our findings demonstrate that Cited3 is a critical transcriptional coactivator functioning during muscle differentiation and its absence leads to defects in terminal differentiation and survival of muscle cells.
Fabrication of Photoelectrodes from LaTiO2N Particles for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
Authors: Nishimura Naoyuki , Maeda Kazuhiko , Takata Tsuyoshi , Lu Daling , Kubota Jun , Domen Kazunari 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
Methods of fabricating photoelectrodes from LaTiO2N particles on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glasses for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting were studied. Several sizes of LaTiO2N particles were synthesized by the nitridation of oxide precursors of varying particle size under ammonia flow. TiCl4 treatment, which binds particles both to each other and to substrates, was examined. Without TiCl4 treatment, photoelectrodes made from smaller LaTiO2N particles generated a higher photocurrent. On the other hand, photoelectrodes made from larger LaTiO2N particles generated a higher photocurrent with the treatment. The effect of electronic contact between particles on the PEC properties was examined.
Nanooptical Studies on Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Noble Metal Nanostructures
Authors: Okamoto Hiromi 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
Studies on physical and chemical properties of noble metal nanostructures, mainly by near-field optical microscopy and spectroscopy, are described. Near-field optical microscopy provides optical observation methodology with a spatial resolution in nanometer regime beyond the diffraction limit of light. We developed near-field imaging systems equipped with various light sources including ultrashort pulsed lasers, which enables advanced nonlinear and ultrafast near-field measurements as well as conventional near-field imaging. In particular, near-field two-photon excitation imaging was shown to provide a convenient tool to visualize the enhanced optical fields in the vicinities of metal nanostructures. With these methods we demonstrated that nanoscale optical field structures in metal nanostructures can be directly visualized. For single noble metal nanoparticles, such as gold nanorods as typical examples, plasmon standing wave functions were visualized. Ultrafast imaging revealed that sub-picosecond relaxation was reflected on the plasmon wave function images through thermally induced dielectric function changes of the metal. In some cases optical field distribution features arising from the lightning rod effects were observed, depending on the resonance conditions of the incident wavelengths with the plasmon modes. We also found anomalous near-field transmission phenomenon for nanoapertures blocked by nanodisks near the plasmon resonance wavelengths, which arise from the efficient near-field to propagating-field conversion ability of the nanodisks. In assembled nanoparticles, enhanced optical fields at the gap sites between the particles were visualized, which elucidates experimentally the mechanism of surface-enhanced Raman scattering. The characteristic field distributions in many particle assemblies were also observed and analyzed. Through these studies, we established a valuable methodology to investigate optical and spectroscopic properties of metal nanostructures, and the information obtained is available only by optical measurements with high spatial resolution.
Preconcentration of Trace Metals in Water Using a Newly Designed Thermoresponsive Chelating Polymer for the Sensitive Determination by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry
Authors: Saitoh Tohru , Arakawa Akihiro , Hiraide Masataka 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
A thermoresponsive polymer containing highly dense iminodiacetic acid segments was newly designed for the efficient preconcentration of trace metals in water. The polymer was synthesized by the water-soluble carbodiimide-mediated condensation of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) with polyallylamine and the subsequent conversion of amino groups to iminodiacetic acid. Metal ions in water were collected by adding the thermoresponsive polymer, sodium nitrate, dodecyltrimethylammonium chroride, and buffer components and then heating the resulting solution to form polymer deposits. The use of 0.02% (w/v) thermoresponsive polymer allowed the nearly complete (&gt;99.8%) collection of seven metals (Be, Co, Ni, Cu, Cd, In, and Pb) in the pH range of 6.8–8.3. The polymer deposits were readily collected as a condensed coagulate and dissolved with a small amount of water for the analysis by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Because of highly efficient (100-fold) concentration, these metals at pg cm−3–ng cm−3 levels were successfully determined. The precision and accuracy were evaluated by analyzing certified reference water samples.
Study on Electronic Properties of Composite Clusters toward Nanoscale Functional Advanced Materials
Authors: Nakajima Atsushi 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
Clusters consisting of 10–1000 atoms size-dependently exhibit novel electronic and geometric properties. In particular, composite clusters composed of several elements and/or components provide a promising way for a bottom-up approach for designing functional advanced materials, because the functionality of the composite clusters can be optimized not only by the cluster size but also by their compositions. This account surveys recent investigations of composite clusters focusing on the efforts to create a new functional composite cluster by a fine doping or hybridization based on their size-specific electronic properties. Organometallic clusters and caged clusters are demonstrated as a representative example of designing the functionality of magnetism and electronic state structures. In order to create functional nanomaterials, furthermore, a fine controlling methodology of the soft-landing technique has been developed to fix the composite clusters onto a surface decorated with a self-assembled monolayer. The embedded isolation mechanism on the substrate is discussed form the viewpoint of self-assembly phenomena with the molecular ordering of σ–σ interaction, and also the electronic structures characterized by molecular ordering of π–π interaction is intrinsically revealed by molecular clusters of π-conjugate polyacenes as a model for self-assembled aggregates.
Clinical focus and public accountability in English NHS Trust Board meetings
Authors: Endacott Ruth , Sheaff Rod , Jones Ray , Woodward Valerie 
Published: April 2013

Background: Previous studies have suggested that greater focus on clinical matters in NHS commissioner and provider Trust Board meetings might improve the range, quality or cost of clinical care. This study reports the extent of clinical focus in Board meetings in three types of NHS Trust and considers the implications for public accountability. Methods: (1) Content analysis of published minutes of Board meetings from 105 randomly selected NHS Trusts in 2008/09. (2) Structured observation of 24 Board meetings in a qualitative sub-sample of eight of the above Trusts in 2008/09. Results: The percentage of clinical items among the items discussed by NHS Trust Boards ranged from 0% to 51%, but did not differ by Trust type. Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) recorded more items than NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts because of PCTs’ dual role as service providers and commissioners. There were significant differences between Trusts’ board meetings in the numbers of clinical items concerning service design, clinical outcomes and activity levels. The availability and accessibility of supposedly publicly-available minutes from NHS Foundation Trust Board meetings was sometimes problematic. Observation of meetings revealed a number of dynamics not evident in the minutes. Board meetings were generally chair-led (conducted according to the chair's discretion); collegial; had similar levels and extent of discussion from the non-executive directors, with a focus on current policy initiatives. Boards differed in the extent of public questioning, how they exercised internal governance over the provision and quality of patient care, and the extent of pre-planning before the Board meeting. Published minutes were not always an accurate record of meetings. Conclusions: Findings illuminate important transparency issues which should be given careful consideration in the English NHS.
Reducing ineffective practice: Challenges in identifying low-value health care using Cochrane systematic reviews
Authors: Garner Sarah , Docherty Mary , Somner John , Sharma Tarang , Choudhury Moni , Clarke Mike , Littlejohns Peter 
Published: April 2013

Objectives: Despite international agreement that stopping low value practices will increase efficiency, identifying them is difficult and controversial. Opponents of centralized lists of low value practices stress that the actual problem is inappropriate low value use, and better targeting and implementation of treatment thresholds is needed. Our objective was to use Cochrane Reviews to identify low value practices to support local disinvestment decisions. Methods: New or updated reviews were included if the authors concluded that the uncertain effectiveness of an intervention meant it should only be used in research, or that it was ineffective or harmful and should not be used. The reviews go through a production and quality assurance process, and are published as ‘Cochrane Quality and Productivity topics’ through the NHS Evidence website ( http://www.library.nhs.uk/qipp/ ). Results: Over a six-month period, 65 Cochrane reviews were processed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Of these, 28 identified potentially low value practices in the UK context. This was primarily due to a lack of randomized evidence of effectiveness, rather than robust evidence of a lack of effectiveness, or evidence of harm. Conclusions: Identifying low-value health care practices for local disinvestment (total or partial) is both practically and politically challenging, yet it is necessary to manage health budgets. This project identified that Cochrane Reviews can potentially identify low value health care practices. However, each review has to be reinterpreted for the UK context and additional analysis has to be undertaken to facilitate local implementation. Recommendations to improve the usability of systematic reviews are made.
Risk Estimation Versus Screening Performance: A Comparison of Six Risk Algorithms for Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Simmonds Mark C , Wald Nicholas J 
Published: April 2013

Background Risk of future cardiovascular disease (CVD) events is typically estimated from risk factors such as age, sex, blood pressure and cholesterol. Many ‘risk algorithms’ exist to estimate CVD risk. All should have similar screening performances because of the dominant effect of age in predicting who will and will not have a CVD event, regardless of the accuracy of CVD risk estimation. Six CVD risk algorithms were compared (Framingham 1991, Framingham 2008, Reynolds risk, ASSIGN, SCORE and QRISK2), each differing in the risk factors used and in CVD outcomes. Methods The six algorithms were applied to a simulated sample of 500,000 people aged 40-74, based on the population of England. CVD risk was calculated for each individual using all risk algorithms, and who did and did not have a CVD event in 10 years was simulated according to those estimated risks. Screening performance was assessed by estimating the detection rate (sensitivity) and false-positive rate (1 – specificity) at a range of cut-off values of CVD risk for each algorithm. The accuracy (calibration) of risk estimation was compared across the six algorithms. Results At a 20% false-positive rate the detection rates of the six algorithms ranged from 72% to 79%. The estimated risk cut-offs to achieve the same false-positive rate varied five-fold, from 4% to 21% because of the different risk factors and outcomes considered. Conclusions All six risk algorithms had similar screening performances. The accuracy (calibration) of CVD risk estimation does not materially affect screening performance. In distinguishing who will and will not develop CVD it is screening performance that matters rather than the accuracy of the risk estimation.