bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reproductive and Birth Outcomes in Haiti Before and After the 2010 Earthquake
Authors: Harville Emily W. , Do Mai 
Published: June 2015

AbstractObjectiveWe aimed to examine the relationship between exposure to the 2010 Haiti earthquake and pregnancy wantedness, interpregnancy interval, and birth weight.MethodsFrom the nationally representative Haiti 2012 Demographic and Health Survey, information on “size of child at birth” (too small or not) was available for 7280 singleton births in the previous 5 years, whereas information on birth weight was available for 1607 births. Pregnancy wantedness, short (<1 year) interpregnancy interval, and maternal-reported birth weight were compared before and after the earthquake and by level of damage. Multiple logistic regression and linear regression analyses were conducted.ResultsPost-earthquake births were less likely to be wanted and more likely to be born after a short interpregnancy interval. Earthquake exposure was associated with increased likelihood of a child being born too small: timing of birth (after earthquake vs. before earthquake, adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.45), region (hardest-hit vs. rest of country; aOR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.14- 1.80), and house damage (aOR: 1.27 95% CI: 1.02-1.58). Mean birth weight was 150 to 300 g lower in those exposed to the earthquake.ConclusionsExperience with the earthquake was associated with worse reproductive and birth outcomes, which underscores the need to provide reproductive health services as part of relief efforts. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:59-66)
Structural basis for mutation-induced destabilization of profilin 1 in ALS
Authors: Boopathy Sivakumar , Silvas Tania V. , Tischbein Maeve , Jansen Silvia , Shandilya Shivender M. , Zitzewitz Jill A. , Landers John E. , Goode Bruce L. , Schiffer Celia A. , Bosco Daryl A. 
Published: June 2015

Significance
Mutations in profilin 1 (PFN1) were recently shown to cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); however, little is known about the pathological mechanism of PFN1 in disease. We demonstrate that ALS-linked mutations cause PFN1 to become destabilized in vitro and in cells, likely through a mechanism that involves mutation-induced cavities within the protein core. Changes in protein stability due to disease-causing mutations can play a pivotal role across different disease mechanisms. The destabilized mutant-PFN1 species identified here can serve as an upstream trigger for either loss-of-function or gain-of-toxic-function mechanisms and thus emerges from these studies as a pertinent therapeutic target for the incurable disease ALS.
Self-assessment of competences in management education
Authors: Hernández López Lidia , de Saá Pérez Petra , Ballesteros Rodríguez Jose Luis , García Almeida Desiderio 
Published: June 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to discuss the theoretical and practical need for research into the learning conditions that influence a student’s self-assessment of their competences in management education. By means of a theoretical review, the paper introduces a model that integrates various learning conditions related to a student’s affective learning ability and the role of the teacher that may have an influence on a student’s self-assessment of their competences in the field of management.Design/methodology/approach– The authors describe the analysis of data from questionnaires on the experience of undergraduate students from business administration at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.Findings– The results reveal the importance of a student’s motivation for professional development, their self-efficacy as well as the important role of the teacher in a student’s self-assessment of their competences.Originality/value– The paper fulfils an identified need to study the conditions that influence a student’s self-assessment of their learning.
Enhanced LL‐37 expression following vitamin D supplementation in patients with cirrhosis and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
Authors: Zhang Chong , Zhao Lianrong , Ding Yang , Sheng Qiuju , Bai Han , An Ziying , Xia Tingting , Wang Jingyan , Dou Xiaoguang 
Published: June 2015

AbstractBackground & AimsThe morbidity and mortality of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) are high among patients with cirrhosis; however, the mechanisms of SBP pathogenesis are poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the role of the vitamin D‐LL‐37 pathway in the pathogenesis and treatment in patients with cirrhosis and SBP.MethodsSerum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D concentrations of 119 patients with chronic liver diseases were tested. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) and LL‐37 in peritoneal leucocytes of cirrhotic and ascitic patients with SBP were detected and compared with those without SBP. Then the peritoneal macrophages of non‐infected patients were cultured and activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to analyse the changes of VDR and LL‐37 expressions after incubation with vitamin D.ResultsVitamin D deficiency or insufficiency was found in all of patients with cirrhosis. LPS inhibited VDR and LL‐37 expression in peritoneal macrophages [1.3‐fold decrease (P = 0.003) and 20‐fold decrease (P = 0.010) respectively]. However, vitamin D could reverse the inhibition of both VDR and LL‐37 [1.5‐fold increase (P = 0.001) and 2000‐fold increase (P < 0.001) respectively]. The effect of the incubation time following vitamin D supplementation was significant for LL‐37 expression, with a peak expression found at 36 h (P < 0.001).ConclusionsWhen vitamin D levels were low, bacteria inhibited VDR and LL‐37 responses in peritoneal macrophages as a mechanism to evade antibacterial defence. Vitamin D supplementation could up‐regulate peritoneal macrophage VDR and LL‐37 expressions, which resulted in an enhanced immunological defence against SBP in patients with cirrhosis and ascites.
Incidence of Melanoma in Children: A Population‐Based Study in Olmsted County, Minnesota
Authors: Lowe Garrett C. , Brewer Jerry D. , Peters Margot S. , Davis Dawn M. R. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractBackgroundThe incidence of melanoma has been rising in the United States, with conflicting evidence regarding trends in children.MethodsWe identified patients 0 to 17 years old with a diagnosis of melanoma from January 1, 1970, through December 31, 2010, in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Information on survival and demographic characteristics was abstracted, and estimates of true incidence were calculated.ResultsThe estimated true incidence of melanoma in children from 1970 to 2010 was found to be 0.62 per 100,000 girls and 0.45 per 100,000 boys. The incidence of melanoma in this population did not increase with time after adjusting for age and sex. Only one case of metastatic disease (lymph node) was identified. Girls were more commonly affected and the mean age of disease onset was 14 years. Five of the seven melanomas in this population arose in association with a nevus, and none involved the trunk. Overall and disease‐specific survival rates were not calculated because all patients studied were alive at the last follow‐up.ConclusionThe estimated true incidence rates of pediatric melanoma from our population‐based study in Olmsted County, Minnesota, appear stable. This finding is in contrast to our prior research showing rapidly increasing incidence rates of melanoma in young and middle‐aged adults from the same population.
A New Energy Storage Substation for the Portland to Milwaukie Light Rail Extension
Authors: Pham Kinh D. , Looijenga Kai , Wallis Gene , Ramirez Xavier 
Published: June 2015

The $1.4 billion Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail (PMLR) Extension Project includes a light rail alignment that travels 7.3 miles, connecting Portland State University in downtown Portland, inner Southeast Portland, Milwaukie and North Clackamas County. Revenue service on the alignment is scheduled to begin in September 2015.
An energy storage substation (ESS) with super-capacitor technology manufactured by Siemens is being installed in place of a utility-connected substation at the Tacoma substation location to capture the energy generated by braking light rail vehicles and store it in energy savings mode, feeding it back to the traction power supply during vehicle acceleration. In voltage stabilization mode, the ESS will enable the rail system to maintain voltage system stability by ensuring the system voltage to remain within the required voltage ranges and prevent system disruptions due to low system voltage conditions.
This paper will discuss the features of the 677KW 2.5KWH Tacoma ESS including super-capacitor based energy storage system technology, ESS equipment arrangement, protection and controls. Economic benefits of cost savings in energy (KWH) consumption and power demand (KW) charges will also be discussed. Field accepting test plans and test procedures will also be presented.
Technical Note: Experimental determination of the effective point of measurement of two cylindrical ionization chambers in a clinical proton beam
Authors: Sugama Yuya , Nishio Teiji , Onishi Hiroshi 
Published: June 2015

Purpose:IAEA TRS‐398 notes that cylindrical ionization chambers are preferred for reference proton dosimetry. If a cylindrical ionization chamber is used in a phantom to measure the dose as a function of depth, the effective point of measurement (EPOM) must be taken into account. IAEA TRS‐398 recommends a displacement of 0.75 times the inner cavity radius (0.75R) for heavy ion beams. Theoretical models by Palmans and by Bhullar and Watchman confirmed this value. However, the experimental results vary from author to author. The purpose of this study is to accurately measure the displacement and explain the past experimental discrepancies.Methods:In this work, we measured the EPOM of cylindrical ionization chambers with high accuracy by comparing the Bragg‐peak position obtained with cylindrical ionization chambers (PTW 30013, PTW 31016) to that obtained using a plane‐parallel ionization chamber (PTW 34045).Results:The EPOMs of PTW 30013 and 31016 were shifted by 0.92 ± 0.07 R with R = 3.05 mm and 0.90 ± 0.14 R with R = 1.45 mm, respectively, from the reference point toward the source.Conclusions:The EPOMs obtained were greater than the value of 0.75R proposed by the IAEA TRS‐398 and the analytical results.
Sequential Chemoimmunotherapy of Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis Using a Single Low Dose of Liposomal Amphotericin B and a Novel DNA Vaccine Candidate
Authors: Seifert Karin , Juhls Christiane , Salguero Francisco J. , Croft Simon L. 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACTCombination therapies for leishmaniasis, including drugs and immunomodulators, are one approach to shorten treatment courses and to improve the treatment of complex manifestations of the disease. We evaluated a novel T-cell-epitope-enriched DNA vaccine candidate (LEISHDNAVAX) as host-directed immunotherapy in combination with a standard antileishmanial drug in experimental visceral leishmaniasis. Here we show that the DNA vaccine candidate can boost the efficacy of a single suboptimal dose of liposomal amphotericin B in C57BL/6 mice.
Molecular Markers and
In Vitro
Susceptibility to Doxycycline in Plasmodium falciparum Isolates from Thailand
Authors: Gaillard Tiphaine , Sriprawat Kanlaya , Briolant Sébastien , Wangsing Chirapat , Wurtz Nathalie , Baragatti Meïli , Lavina Morgane , Pascual Aurélie , Nosten François , Pradines Bruno 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACT

Determinations of doxycycline 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC
50
) for 620 isolates from northwest Thailand were performed via the isotopic method, and the data were analyzed by the Bayesian method and distributed into two populations (mean IC
50
s of 13.15 μM and 31.60 μM). There was no significant difference between the group with low IC
50
s versus the group with high IC
50
s with regard to copy numbers of the
Plasmodium falciparum
tetQ
(
pftetQ
) gene (
P
= 0.11) or
pfmdt
gene (
P
= 0.87) or the number of PfTetQ KYNNNN repeats (
P
= 0.72).
A Genome-Wide Screen Reveals that the Vibrio cholerae Phosphoenolpyruvate Phosphotransferase System Modulates Virulence Gene Expression
Authors: Wang Qiyao , Millet Yves A. , Chao Michael C. , Sasabe Jumpei , Davis Brigid M. , Waldor Matthew K. 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACT

Diverse environmental stimuli and a complex network of regulatory factors are known to modulate expression of
Vibrio cholerae
's principal virulence factors. However, there is relatively little known about how metabolic factors impinge upon the pathogen's well-characterized cascade of transcription factors that induce expression of cholera toxin and the toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP). Here, we used a transposon insertion site (TIS) sequencing-based strategy to identify new factors required for expression of
tcpA
, which encodes the major subunit of TCP, the organism's chief intestinal colonization factor. Besides identifying most of the genes known to modulate
tcpA
expression, the screen yielded
ptsI
and
ptsH
, which encode the enzyme I (EI) and Hpr components of the
V. cholerae
phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system (PTS). In addition to reduced expression of TcpA, strains lacking EI, Hpr, or the associated EIIA
Glc
protein produced less cholera toxin (CT) and had a diminished capacity to colonize the infant mouse intestine. The PTS modulates virulence gene expression by regulating expression of
tcpPH
and
aphAB
, which themselves control expression of
toxT
, the central activator of virulence gene expression. One mechanism by which PTS promotes virulence gene expression appears to be by modulating the amounts of intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP). Our findings reveal that the
V. cholerae
PTS is an additional modulator of the ToxT regulon and demonstrate the potency of loss-of-function TIS sequencing screens for defining regulatory networks.
Assessing a New Projective Problem Solving Tool Using Conjoint Analysis
Authors: Ramamoorthy Vijay , Ertas Atila , Tate Derrick 
Published: June 2015

An innovative process that assists users in non-quantitative problem solving is presented. The process, called Ramic, employs the idea of psychological projection in an innovative way to help users focus, express and think through problems. Its applicability ranges from assisting with simple non-analytic decision-making to developing and assessing strategies. In the virtual realm, harnessing the power of psychological projection for problem solving has been attempted in the form of a process called Sand Tray. Attempts at virtualization have garnered little traction potentially due to encumbrance of the interface. Ramic, in contrast, is innately set up for digital use through a relatively simple interface. A key question this paper explores is how to quantitatively measure the value of Ramic in relation to the well-established process of Sand Tray. Even though these processes operate on qualitative problems, a preference analysis tool called conjoint analysis is used to build an experiment and derive specific user utilities for each process. To perform the study, both processes required testing in the physical domain. A 32-person study is presented and indicates the Ramic projective process to have a 23% higher user utility than Sand Tray in the area of problem solving. As such, it presents an opportunity to explore a new way in which individuals can approach non-analytical problem solving and how computers can assist them in the task.
КЛІНІЧНІ ПРОЯВИ ТРОМБОФІЛІЧНИХ СТАНІВ В ПРОГНОЗУВАННІ ПЕРЕДЧАСНОГО ВІДШАРУВАННЯ НОРМАЛЬНО РОЗСТАШОВАНОЇ ПЛАЦЕНТИ
Authors: Венцківський Б. М. , Леуш С. С. , Ткалич В. О. , Костенко О. Ю. , Загородня О. С. 
Published: June 2015

В статті розглянуті клінічні прояви тромбофілій як факторів ризику розвитку передчасного відшарування нормально розташованої плаценти (ПВНРП). Передбачено виділення цих факторів для визначення ризику розвитку даної патології.
Large-scale geo-facial image analysis
Authors: Islam Mohammad T. , Greenwell Connor , Souvenir Richard , Jacobs Nathan 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
While face analysis from images is a well-studied area, little work has explored the dependence of facial appearance on the geographic location from which the image was captured. To fill this gap, we constructed GeoFaces, a large dataset of geotagged face images, and used it to examine the geo-dependence of facial features and attributes, such as ethnicity, gender, or the presence of facial hair. Our analysis illuminates the relationship between raw facial appearance, facial attributes, and geographic location, both globally and in selected major urban areas. Some of our experiments, and the resulting visualizations, confirm prior expectations, such as the predominance of ethnically Asian faces in Asia, while others highlight novel information that can be obtained with this type of analysis, such as the major city with the highest percentage of people with a mustache.
Dislocated metric and fixed point theorems
Authors: Pasicki Lech 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThe paper deals with the here defined dislocated strong quasi-metric (if $p(y,x)= 0$
p
(
y
,
x
)
=
0
, then $x=y$
x
=
y
; $0 \leq p(z,x) \leq p(z,y) + p(y,x)$
0
≤
p
(
z
,
x
)
≤
p
(
z
,
y
)
+
p
(
y
,
x
)
) and with the well-known notion of the dislocated metric (in addition, $p(y,x)= p(x,y)$
p
(
y
,
x
)
=
p
(
x
,
y
)
). In particular, the partial metric is a kind of dislocated metric. Our basic results on general contractions (also for cyclic mappings) and results of variational type can be treated as a starting point for further development.
Improvement of Automated Control Systems for Production and Production Logistics Development
Authors: Волочиенко  , Volochienko Vladimir 
Published: June 2015

This paper has been devoted to a retrospective review of production logistics formation in the frames
of “Logistics” Scientific School at The State University of Management. The author’s contribution to the
resolution of production management automation problems in the real time has been described. This
contribution enables to implement scientific and methodological preliminary work on situational management
for production logistics systems based on application of recognition methods and systems. Scientific novelty
of the author’s contribution in the SUM‘s Logistics Scientific School, consisting of development related to the
theory and tools for operational planning and management of engineering production based on application
of recognition methods and market influences accounting, has been represented. The practical importance
of situational management of production logistics systems has been revealed. Perspective directions for
application of recognition methods and systems in conditions of such active complex object as a machinebuilding
enterprise and logistics systems have been showed.
Information Logistics Direction as Part of SUM’s “Logistics” Scientific School
Authors: Родкина  , Rodkina Tatyana 
Published: June 2015

Features of generalized representation about scientific schools are considered as follows: 1) scientificeducational
school for future researchers formation; 2) research team as a group of scientists jointly
developing under the guidance of school head selected or created by him research program; 3) science
direction, emerging due to establishment of a particular tradition, covering a group of scientists and research
teams; 4) scientists, which have prepared their thesis under renowned scientist guidance, and become
candidates and doctors of sciences. Historical milestones and prospects of information logistics scientificeducational
school development, features of logistics as a scientific specialty in accordance with the Russian
Federation’s Higher Attestation Commission requirements, and the information logistics location in this
complex, basic postulates and areas in the information logistics as science in accordance with the Logistics
chair scientists’ views are investigating.
Features Management Effectiveness Evaluation in Modern Organizations
Authors: Бор  , Bor V. , Соклакова  , Soklakova Irina , Макарова  , Makarova E. 
Published: June 2015

The article deals with the problem of evaluating the effectiveness of management in modern organizations,
highlights the concept of efficiency as a mandatory element of the activities. Currently, the social environment
in which the organization operates has changed substantially. Russia&#180;s transition to market economic
fundamentals could not but affect the forms and methods of management of organizations. The problem of
accurate assessment and management of business performance management has come to dominate the
practice of management development processes of market globalization.
For the smooth operation Organization requires regular monitoring and forecasting of development prospects
of business segments efficiency dynamics to provide managers and businessmen the information they need
to make timely decisions in the field of strategic, tactical and operational business management. Under these
conditions, business analysis becomes vital for building an effective management system based on the
strategic objectives of ensuring the unity of the various functional areas and management horizons.
Monitoring is a specially organized, systematic observation of objects, phenomena and processes for
assessment, control or prediction.
The paper suggests a technique and an algorithm for monitoring the effectiveness and sustainability of
enterprises, providing control of the results of activities and mutually beneficial transactions, thus expanding
the possibilities of effectiveness management and enterprises’ sustainability, serving the best customer
satisfaction.
The authors pay attention to business reputation, which can be regarded as a market indicator of the
company&#180;s position in the business. They describe the role of goodwill in assessing the effectiveness of the
organization&#180;s management, the effects of positive and negative goodwill of the organization.
Kombinationsmöglichkeiten quantitativer und qualitativer Analysen am Beispiel einer sprachdidaktischen Untersuchung zur satzinternen Großschreibung
Authors: Betzel Dirk 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThe following paper presents the structure of a language teaching inspection of the topic of capitalization applied within sentences in the secondary education level, which comprises both a quantitative and a qualitative research part. The emphasis of this paper, in respect to its content, does not lie in the discussion of each and every result, but concentrates on the question of how the quantitative and qualitative results can be correlated to each other, and on what types of complementary information can be deducted from it from a language teaching point of view.