bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of Nasal Surgery on Speech Resonance
Authors: Brandt Michael G. , Rotenberg Brian W. , Moore Corey C. , Bornbaum Catherine C. , Dzioba Agnieszka , Glicksman Jordan T. , Doyle Philip C. 
Published: March 2014

Objectives: The nose and paranasal sinuses contribute to speech resonance and changes to these structures may alter speech nasality. This change may influence one’s vocational and social functioning and quality of life. Our investigation explored objective and subjective changes in nasality following nasal surgery in a prospective and longitudinal fashion. Methods: Recordings of sustained vowel and sentence stimuli and voice-related quality of life measurements were obtained preoperatively and at 2, 4, 8, and 24 weeks postoperatively from individuals undergoing nasal and/or sinus surgery. Objective measures of fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and harmonic to noise ratio (HNR) were determined. Pre- and postoperative speech samples were assessed by 15 naïve listeners. Results: In all, 15 subjects completed the study. Neither speakers nor listeners perceived a subjective change in nasality following surgery. No statistically significant change in microacoustic measures were identified. Although nasal sentences did not reveal differences for 3 microacoustic measures, a difference in HNR was identified. Conclusions: Patients undergoing nasal surgery did not exhibit subjective changes in resonance postoperatively. Aside from a difference in HNR for the nasal sentence, objective microacoustics remained unchanged. These results demonstrate the stability of oranasal resonance despite nasal surgery and provide valuable data for patient informed decision-making.
The effects of elastic tubing-based resistance training compared with conventional resistance training in patients with moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Ramos Ercy Mara Cipulo , de Toledo-Arruda Alessandra Choqueta , Fosco Luciana Cristina , Bonfim Rafaela , Bertolini Giovana Navarro , Guarnier Flavia Alessandra , Cecchini Rubens , Pastre Carlos Marcelo , Langer Daniel , Gosselink Rik , Ramos Dionei 
Published: March 2014

Objective: To investigate the effects of elastic tubing training compared with conventional resistance training on the improvement of functional exercise capacity, muscle strength, fat-free mass, and systemic inflammation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Design: A prospective, randomized, eight-week clinical trial. Setting: The study was conducted in a university-based, outpatient, physical therapy clinic. Subjects: A total of 49 patients with moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to perform elastic tubing training or conventional resistance training three times per week for eight weeks. Main measures: The primary outcome measure was functional exercise capacity. The secondary outcome measures were peripheral muscle strength, health-related quality of life assessed by the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRDQ), fat-free mass, and cytokine profile. Results: After eight weeks, the mean distance covered during six minutes increased by 73 meters (±69) in the elastic tubing group and by 42 meters (±59) in the conventional group ( p < 0.05). The muscle strength and quality of life improved in both groups ( P < 0.05), with no significant differences between the groups. There was a trend toward an improved fat-free mass in both groups ( P = 0.05). After the first and last sessions, there was an increase in interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) in both groups, while tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was stimulated only in the conventional training group. Conclusion: Elastic tubing training had a greater effect on functional exercise capacity than conventional resistance training. Both interventions were equally effective in improving muscle strength and quality of life.
The correlation of radiographic outcome to functional outcome following fracture of the distal radius in elderly patients: A literature review
Authors: Reynolds Paula J 
Published: March 2014

Introduction Fractures of the distal radius are common in the elderly population. Elderly patients have been considered to be functionally low-demand, but as the population becomes more active, expectations of outcomes may be increasing. The aim of this review was to determine whether there is any correlation between radiographic and functional outcome for elderly patients following fracture of the distal radius. Methods Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, Embase and AMED were searched for studies including elderly patients managed conservatively or surgically following distal radius fracture, either alone or in combination with younger patients. Results Eleven studies were selected for review. A wide variety of outcome measures and radiological parameters were found to be used. Of the 11 studies, 6 found no correlation between functional outcome and radiological outcome. Discussion The literature reviewed suggests functional outcome for elderly patients following distal radius fracture is not dependant on radiological outcome. This may give therapists better insight into potential outcomes for their patients, however further studies may be required to determine the most effective therapeutic management of these patients.
Leucine modulates dynamic phosphorylation events in insulin signaling pathway and enhances insulin-dependent glycogen synthesis in human skeletal muscle cells
Authors: Di Camillo Barbara , Eduati Federica , Nair Sreekumaran K , Avogaro Angelo , Toffolo Gianna M 
Published: March 2014

AbstractBackgroundBranched-chain amino acids, especially leucine, are known to interact with insulin signaling pathway and glucose metabolism. However, the mechanism by which this is exerted, remain to be clearly defined. In order to examine the effect of leucine on muscle insulin signaling, a set of experiments was carried out to quantitate phosphorylation events along the insulin signaling pathway in human skeletal muscle cell cultures. Cells were exposed to insulin, leucine or both, and phosphorylation events of key insulin signaling molecules were tracked over time so as to monitor time-related responses that characterize the signaling events and could be missed by a single sampling strategy limited to pre/post stimulus events.ResultsLeucine is shown to increase the magnitude of insulin-dependent phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) at Ser473 and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3β) at Ser21-9. Glycogen synthesis follows the same pattern of GSK3β, with a significant increase at 100 μM leucine plus insulin stimulus. Moreover, data do not show any statistically significant increase of pGSK3β and glycogen synthesis at higher leucine concentrations. Leucine is also shown to increase the magnitude of insulin-mediated extracellularly regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation; however, differently from AKT and GSK3β, ERK shows a transient behavior, with an early peak response, followed by a return to the baseline condition.ConclusionsThese experiments demonstrate a complementary effect of leucine on insulin signaling in a human skeletal muscle cell culture, promoting insulin-activated GSK3β phosphorylation and glycogen synthesis.
Comorbidity of dementia: a cross-sectional study of primary care older patients
Authors: Poblador-Plou Beatriz , Calderón-Larrañaga Amaia , Marta-Moreno Javier , Hancco-Saavedra Jorge , Sicras-Mainar Antoni , Soljak Michael , Prados-Torres Alexandra 
Published: March 2014

Abstract

Background
The epidemiologic study of comorbidities of an index health problem represents a methodological challenge. This study cross-sectionally describes and analyzes the comorbidities associated with dementia in older patients and reviews the existing similarities and differences between identified comorbid diseases using the statistical methods most frequently applied in current research.

Methods
Cross-sectional study of 72,815 patients over 64 seen in 19 Spanish primary care centers during 2008. Chronic diseases were extracted from electronic health records and grouped into Expanded Diagnostic Clusters®. Three different statistical methods were applied (i.e., analysis of prevalence data, multiple regression and factor analysis), stratifying by sex.

Results
The two most frequent comorbidities both for men and women with dementia were hypertension and diabetes. Yet, logistic regression and factor analysis demonstrated that the comorbidities significantly associated with dementia were Parkinson’s disease, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, anemia, cardiac arrhythmia, chronic skin ulcers, osteoporosis, thyroid disease, retinal disorders, prostatic hypertrophy, insomnia and anxiety and neurosis.

Conclusions
The analysis of the comorbidities associated with an index disease (e.g., dementia) must not be exclusively based on prevalence rates, but rather on methodologies that allow the discovery of non-random associations between diseases. A deep and reliable knowledge about how different diseases are grouped and associated around an index disease such as dementia may orient future longitudinal studies aimed at unraveling causal associations.
Meniscal pathology - the evidence for treatment
Authors: Mezhov Veronica , Teichtahl Andrew J , Strasser Rupert , Wluka Anita E , Cicuttini Flavia M 
Published: March 2014

AbstractWhilst arthroscopic surgery for the treatment of meniscal tears is the most commonly performed orthopaedic surgery, meniscal tears at the knee are frequently identified on magnetic resonance imaging in adults with and without knee pain. The evidence for arthroscopic treatment of meniscal tears is controversial and lacks a supporting evidence base; it may be no more efficacious than conservative therapies. Surgical approaches to the treatment of meniscal pathology can be broadly categorised into those in which partial menisectomy or repair are performed. This review highlights that the major factor determining the choice of operative approach is age: meniscal repair is performed exclusively on younger populations, while older populations are subject to partial menisectomy procedures. This is probably because the meniscus is less amenable to repair in the older population where other degenerative changes co-exist. In middle-aged to older adults, arthroscopic partial menisectomy (APM) may treat the meniscus tear, but does not address the degenerative whole organ disease of knee osteoarthritis. Thus far, there is no convincing evidence that operative approaches are superior to conservative measures as the first-line treatment of older people with knee pain and meniscal tears. However, in two randomised controlled trials (RCTs) approximately one-third of subjects in the exercise groups had persisting knee pain with some evidence of improvement following APM, although the characteristics of this subgroup are unclear. From the available data, a first-line trial of conservative therapy, which includes weight loss, is recommended for the treatment of degenerative meniscal tears in older adults. The exception to this may be when mechanical symptoms, such as knee locking, predominate. Although requiring corroboration by RCTs, there is accumulating evidence from cohort studies and case series that meniscal repair rather than APM may improve function and reduce the long-term risk of knee osteoarthritis in young adults. There is no clear evidence from RCTs that one surgical method of meniscal repair is superior to another.
A GC polymorphism associated with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level is a risk factor for hip fracture in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis: 10-year follow-up of the Institute of Rheumatology, Rheumatoid Arthritis cohort study
Authors: Yoshida Shinji , Ikari Katsunori , Furuya Takefumi , Toyama Yoshiaki , Taniguchi Atsuo , Yamanaka Hisashi , Momohara Shigeki 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
Introduction
Vitamin D deficiency has been reported to be common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have a higher prevalence of osteoporosis and hip fracture than healthy individuals. Genetic variants affecting serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration, an indicator of vitamin D status, were recently identified by genome-wide association studies of Caucasian populations. The purpose of this study was to validate the association and to test whether the serum 25(OH)D-linked genetic variants were associated with the occurrence of hip fracture in Japanese RA patients.

Methods
DNA samples of 1,957 Japanese RA patients were obtained from the Institute of Rheumatology, Rheumatoid Arthritis (IORRA) cohort DNA collection. First, five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were reported to be associated with serum 25(OH)D concentration by genome-wide association studies were genotyped. The SNPs that showed a significant association with serum 25(OH)D level in the cross-sectional study were used in the longitudinal analysis of hip fracture risk. The genetic risk for hip fracture was determined by a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model in 1,957 patients with a maximum follow-up of 10 years (median, 8 years).

Results
Multivariate linear regression analyses showed that rs2282679 in GC (the gene encoding group-specific component (vitamin D binding protein)) locus was significantly associated with lower serum 25(OH)D concentration (P = 8.1 × 10-5). A Cox proportional hazards model indicated that rs2282679 in GC was significantly associated with the occurrence of hip fracture in a recessive model (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.52 (1.05-6.05), P = 0.039).

Conclusions
A two-staged analysis demonstrated that rs2282679 in GC was associated with serum 25(OH)D concentration and could be a risk factor for hip fracture in Japanese RA patients.
Candidate genes and functional noncoding variants identified in a canine model of obsessive-compulsive disorder
Authors: Tang Ruqi , Noh Hyun Ji , Wang Dongqing , Sigurdsson Snaevar , Swofford Ross , Perloski Michele , Duxbury Margaret , Patterson Edward E , Albright Julie , Castelhano Marta , Auton Adam , Boyko Adam R , Feng Guoping , Lindblad-Toh Kerstin , Karlsson Elinor K 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
Background
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a severe mental disease manifested in time-consuming repetition of behaviors, affects 1 to 3% of the human population. While highly heritable, complex genetics has hampered attempts to elucidate OCD etiology. Dogs suffer from naturally occurring compulsive disorders that closely model human OCD, manifested as an excessive repetition of normal canine behaviors that only partially responds to drug therapy. The limited diversity within dog breeds makes identifying underlying genetic factors easier.

Results
We use genome-wide association of 87 Doberman Pinscher cases and 63 controls to identify genomic loci associated with OCD and sequence these regions in 8 affected dogs from high-risk breeds and 8 breed-matched controls. We find 119 variants in evolutionarily conserved sites that are specific to dogs with OCD. These case-only variants are significantly more common in high OCD risk breeds compared to breeds with no known psychiatric problems. Four genes, all with synaptic function, have the most case-only variation: neuronal cadherin (CDH2), catenin alpha2 (CTNNA2), ataxin-1 (ATXN1), and plasma glutamate carboxypeptidase (PGCP). In the 2 Mb gene desert between the cadherin genes CDH2 and DSC3, we find two different variants found only in dogs with OCD that disrupt the same highly conserved regulatory element. These variants cause significant changes in gene expression in a human neuroblastoma cell line, likely due to disrupted transcription factor binding.

Conclusions
The limited genetic diversity of dog breeds facilitates identification of genes, functional variants and regulatory pathways underlying complex psychiatric disorders that are mechanistically similar in dogs and humans.
Reflections from the world of policy-related research; Think tanks and cultural diversity – between theory and practice
Authors: Onghena Yolanda 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
In the current context of increased interactions with multiple mobilities, the acceleration of communication and the permeability of cultural borders multiply the benchmarks for people, ideas and discourses. It changes communication, ways to mobilize public opinion and mechanisms of dissemination and influence to situate action and reaction, senses of belongings and ruptures, trends and counter-trends. Making the connection between idea-makers and decision-makers, between theory and practice, is the aim of think tanks, those laboratories of ideas at the service of society. How can we link the social fabric with research and political actions? How can we avoid distrust with the necessary marketing of proposals and conclusions certified by think tanks to get the media’s attention? Discourses connect ideas with people, and in the time of global processes they have to be analysed through an interdisciplinary perspective in order to question the theory and the practice, the contexts and the flows. Think tanks can be the mediators for the renewal and transnationalization of research with the participation of social actors – professionals of justice, communication and young researchers – in parallel processes that are mutually influenced. This research/action raises the existence of an excessive usage of ‘containers’ concept in discourses, in which anything that creates incertitude can fit. In this way, the discourse related to migration has to be renovated and renewed. Words such as difference, identity and diversity can describe migration either as a problem or a solution, but always highlight it as being ab-normal and as being a global reaction to new realities. How can we imagine scenarios for action in which we all can move in one social framework beyond nacional boudearies? This article questions the role of think tanks from a reality in which a variety of opinions, perspectives and practices exist without coinciding in one single analysis.
Micromixing Characteristics in an Aerated Stirred Tank with Half Elliptical Blade Disk Turbine
Authors: Li Wanbo , Geng Xingye , Bao Yuyun , Gao Zhengming 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
The parallel-competing iodide-iodate reaction scheme was used to investigate the micromixing efficiency in an aerated stirred tank of 0.30 m diameter agitated by a half elliptical blade disk turbine. The mean specific energy dissipation rate Pm ranged from 0.5 to 2.2 W/kg, while the superficial gas velocity VS ranged from 0.015 to 0.047 m/s. Four sub-surface feed positions were considered. When the tank is fed just under the liquid surface or in the near-wall region, the micromixing efficiency can be enhanced by introducing gases with superficial gas velocities higher than 0.031 m/s. The effects of gas on the micromixing performance become complicated, while the tank is fed in the impeller discharging region. The increase of gas flow rate does not always have good effects on the micromixing performance. Moreover, the way to feed sulfuric acid can strongly affect the efficiency of the reaction scheme. For a single liquid phase, the micromixing time tm according to the incorporation model varies from 5 × 10−3 to 3 × 10−2 s. The dimensionless local specific energy dissipation rate Φ near the liquid surface is almost independent of Pm, while Φ in the impeller discharging area decreases with increasing Pm.
Multi-objective Differential Evolution for Dynamic Economic Emission Dispatch
Authors: Basu M. 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
Dynamic economic emission dispatch is an important optimization task in fossil fuel–based power plant operation for allocating generation among the committed units with predicted load demands over a certain period of time such that fuel cost and emission level are optimized simultaneously. It is a highly constrained dynamic multi-objective optimization problem involving conflicting objectives. This paper proposes multi-objective differential evolution for dynamic economic emission dispatch problem. Numerical results for a sample test system have been presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The results obtained from the proposed algorithm are compared with those obtained from nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II).
Testing for Multiple Structural Changes with Non-Homogeneous Regressors
Authors: Kurozumi Eiji 
Published: March 2014

AbstractThis paper investigates tests for multiple structural changes with non-homogeneous regressors, such as polynomial trends. We consider exponential-type, supremum-type and average-type tests as well as the corresponding weighted-type tests suggested in the literature. We show that the limiting distributions depend on regressors in general, and we need to tabulate critical values depending on them. Then, we focus on the linear trend case and obtain the critical values of the test statistics. The Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to investigate the finite sample properties of the tests proposed in the paper, and it is found that the specification of the number of breaks is an important factor for the finite sample performance of the tests. Since it is often the case that we cannot prespecify the number of breaks under the alternative but can suppose only the maximum number of breaks, the weighted-type tests are useful in practice.
A New Test for Cementation Potential of Embankment Dam Granular Filter Material
Authors: Rinehart Robert V. , Pabst Mark W. 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
Granular filters are used in embankment dams to protect against uncontrolled flow and internal erosion either through the embankment or the foundation. For proper performance, the filter material must not be able to sustain a crack even if the core material becomes cracked itself. Historically, the mechanism used to limit cracking potential is a restriction of no more than 5 % nonplastic fines. It has been recognized though that this requirement has not been effective in identifying cracking potential for all materials. Since the requirement is related to the exclusion of clay and silt size particles (i.e., fines) it appears to not always identify other minerals that can act as cementing agents. A supplemental test known as the Sand Castle Test was also developed, and although it did not specifically focus on detecting other binding agents it was thought to hold promise. However, since the original test lacked a precise procedure and sensitivity to some binding agents, a modification of the Sand Castle Test is being undertaken. This paper outlines the need for a new test and describes specimen preparation, Modified Sand Castle Test procedures, and results from 16 source materials from across the United States. A petrographic examination was carried out to investigate the cementing mechanisms in selected materials. Additionally, unconfined compression tests were performed on each material to help quantify the strength from cementation. The sand equivalency value was also determined for all materials to see how well it correlated with the Modified Sand Castle Test results. The Modified Sand Castle Test is shown to be a good indicator of cementation potential and correlates well with unconfined compressive strength, but to a lesser degree with sand equivalency value.