bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Multiple Sclerosis-Fatigue Self– Efficacy (MS-FSE) scale: initial validation
Authors: Thomas Sarah , Kersten Paula , Thomas Peter W 
Published: August 2014

Objective: To examine the validity and sensitivity to change of the Multiple Sclerosis-Fatigue Self-Efficacy scale. Design: A validation study nested within a randomized controlled trial. Setting: Community setting. Participants: Adults with a clinically definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and significant fatigue taking part in a randomized controlled trial evaluating a group-based fatigue management programme (FACETS) for people with multiple sclerosis ( N=164). Main measures: The 9-item Multiple Sclerosis-Fatigue Self-Efficacy scale was completed at baseline, 1-, 4- and 12 months post intervention. Validity, internal consistency and sensitivity to change were examined using classical test theory and Rasch analysis. Results: Item 3 was unanswered by 6% of respondents as they did not know any other people with multiple sclerosis; remaining analyses were carried out with this item deleted. All response choices were utilised, no floor or ceiling effects were evident and there were few missing responses. Cronbach’s alphas were high (baseline, 0.89; follow-up 1, 0.93; follow-up 2, 0.94; follow-up 3, 0.90). The Multiple Sclerosis-Fatigue Self-Efficacy scale (8-item) demonstrated good sensitivity to change following attendance of the FACETS programme (within participant effect sizes 0.66 and 0.69 and 0.54 at 1, 4, and 12 months follow-up). Principal Components Analysis yielded one component. In the Rasch analysis two items with disordered thresholds were rescored. Item 8 displayed differential item functioning by disability and was combined into a testlet with item 4, resulting in a unidimensional scale. The sample was well targeted to the scale. Conclusion: At a scale level the Multiple Sclerosis-Fatigue Self-Efficacy scale is internally valid and has good sensitivity to change.
The association between attributions of responsibility for motor vehicle accidents and patient satisfaction: a study within a no-fault injury compensation system
Authors: Thompson Jason , Berk Michael , O’Donnell Meaghan , Stafford Lesley , Nordfjaern Trond 
Published: August 2014

Objective: This study set out to test the relationship between attributions of responsibility for motor vehicle accidents and satisfaction with personal injury compensation systems. Design: The study analysed survey data from 1394 people injured in a motor vehicle accident who were compensated under a no-fault personal injury compensation system. Patients’ ratings of satisfaction with the compensation system across five domains (resolves your issues, keeps you up-to-date, treats you as an individual, cares about you, and overall satisfaction) were analysed alongside patient attributions of responsibility for their accident (not responsible, partly responsible, totally responsible). Postaccident physical and mental health status, age, gender, and duration of compensation claim were controlled for in the analysis. Results: A multivariate analysis of covariance indicated attributions of responsibility for accidents were significantly associated with levels of patient satisfaction across all five domains under study ( F (10, 2084) = 3.7, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.02). Despite access to virtually indistinguishable services, patients who attributed responsibility for their accidents to others were significantly less satisfied with the injury compensation system than those who attributed responsibility to themselves. Conclusions: Satisfaction with no-fault motor vehicle injury compensation services are associated with patients’ attributions of responsibility for their accident. Compensation systems and other rehabilitation services monitoring patient satisfaction should adjust for attributions of responsibility when assessing levels of patient satisfaction between time periods, services, or injured populations. Differences in levels of patient satisfaction observed between compensation or rehabilitation populations may reflect differences in attributions of responsibility for accidents rather than objective service quality.
Evaluation of measurement equivalence of the Family Satisfaction with the End-of-Life Care in an ethnically diverse cohort: Tests of differential item functioning
Authors: Teresi Jeanne A , Ocepek-Welikson Katja , Ramirez Mildred , Kleinman Marjorie , Ornstein Katherine , Siu Albert 
Published: August 2014

Background: The Family Satisfaction with End-of-Life Care is an internationally used measure of satisfaction with cancer care. However, the Family Satisfaction with End-of-Life Care has not been studied for equivalence of item endorsement across different socio-demographic groups using differential item functioning. Aims: The aims of this secondary data analysis were (1) to examine potential differential item functioning in the family satisfaction item set with respect to type of caregiver, race, and patient age, gender, and education and (2) to provide parameters and documentation of differential item functioning for an item bank. Design: A mixed qualitative and quantitative analysis was conducted. A priori hypotheses regarding potential group differences in item response were established. Item response theory and Wald tests were used for the analyses of differential item functioning, accompanied by magnitude and impact measures. Results: Very little significant differential item functioning was observed for patient’s age and gender. For race, 13 items showed differential item functioning after multiple comparison adjustment, 10 with non-uniform differential item functioning. No items evidenced differential item functioning of high magnitude, and the impact was negligible. For education, 5 items evidenced uniform differential item functioning after adjustment, none of high magnitude. Differential item functioning impact was trivial. One item evidenced differential item functioning for the caregiver relationship variable. Conclusion: Differential item functioning was observed primarily for race and education. No differential item functioning of high magnitude was observed for any item, and the overall impact of differential item functioning was negligible. One item, satisfaction with “the patient’s pain relief,” might be singled out for further study, given that this item was both hypothesized and observed to show differential item functioning for race and education.
Landfill restoration and biodiversity: A case of study in Northern Italy
Authors: Camerini Giuseppe , Groppali Riccardo 
Published: August 2014

Landfilling is a worldwide common waste treatment method. Final recovery usually consists of capping the area with top soil on which vegetation can grow. Depending on the suitability of the recovery pattern, landfill sites can work as potential reserve of semi-natural habitats. A recovery pattern applied to land reclamation of two hazardous waste landfills sited in Northern Italy (Po floodplain) was studied to assess the results in terms of biodiversity. These landfills lie within a landscape dominated by intensive agriculture. After final sealing, both landfills were covered by soil on which a meadow was sown and a hedgerow was planted around the borders. One of the compared areas was not provided with a pond and the hedgerow was incomplete. Butterflies and birds were used as indicators, and their seasonal abundance was related to habitat structure and ecological factors. Meadows grown on both areas supported a rich butterfly population (30 species), including some species that are by now uncommon in the Po floodplain. In both areas butterfly abundance was affected by summer drought. The birds’ community included 57 species; 16 Species of European Conservation Concern (SPECs) were observed. Each bird community was different in the compared study areas because of their different size and habitat structure. For example, landfill A, provided with a pond and a more complex structure of the hedgerow, supported a richer birds community (52 species versus 39). Both restored landfills worked well as a stepping stone for migratory birds, but they were a reproductive habitat of poor quality.
Land suitability for waste disposal in metropolitan areas
Authors: Baiocchi Valerio , Lelo Keti , Polettini Alessandra , Pomi Raffaella 
Published: August 2014

Site selection for waste disposal is a complex task that should meet the requirements of communities and stakeholders. In this article, three decision support methods (Boolean logic, index overlay and fuzzy gamma) are used to perform land suitability analysis for landfill siting. The study was carried out in one of the biggest metropolitan regions of Italy, with the objective of locating suitable areas for waste disposal. Physical and socio-economic information criteria for site selection were decided by a multidisciplinary group of experts, according to state-of-the-art guidelines, national legislation and local normative on waste management. The geographic information systems (GIS) based models used in this study are easy to apply but require adequate selection of criteria and weights and a careful evaluation of the results. The methodology is arranged in three steps, reflecting the criteria defined by national legislation on waste management: definition of factors that exclude location of landfills or waste treatment plants; classification of the remaining areas in terms of suitability for landfilling; and evaluation of suitable sites in relation to preferential siting factors (such as the presence of quarries or dismissed plants). The results showed that more than 80% of the provincial territory falls within constraint areas and the remaining territory is suitable for waste disposal for 0.72% or 1.93%, according to the model. The larger and most suitable sites are located in peripheral areas of the metropolitan system. The proposed approach represents a low-cost and expeditious alternative to support the spatial decision-making process.
Self-Reported Reasons for Breastfeeding Cessation among Low-Income Women Enrolled in a Peer Counseling Breastfeeding Support Program
Authors: Rozga Mary R. , Kerver Jean M. , Olson Beth H. 
Published: August 2014

Background: Peer counseling programs have demonstrated efficacy in improving breastfeeding rates in the low-income population, but there is little research concerning why women enrolled in these programs ultimately discontinue breastfeeding. Objective: This study aimed to describe the self-reported reasons for discontinuing breastfeeding among women who are receiving peer counseling support by participant characteristics and timing of discontinuation. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of data collected from 7942 participants who discontinued breastfeeding while enrolled in a peer counseling breastfeeding support program from 2005 to 2011. Reasons for discontinuing breastfeeding were assessed in relation to participant characteristics and weaning age using chi-square analyses and Kruskall-Wallis analyses of variance. Results: The most common reasons reported for discontinuing breastfeeding were mother’s preference (39%) and low milk supply (21%), although reasons differed by age of infant weaning ( P < .001). Among participants who discontinued the earliest, the most commonly cited reasons were breastfeeding challenges [median duration (interquartile range), 4.7 (2.0, 13.4) weeks], followed by low milk supply [8.9 (4.6, 19.1) weeks] and mother’s preference [12.9 (5.0, 25.7) weeks]. Women who were younger, were less educated, were non-Hispanic black, were unmarried, and had no prior breastfeeding experience were the most likely to discontinue breastfeeding due to mother’s preference. Conclusion: Peer counselors are in a unique position to offer breastfeeding education and encouragement and may be able to use evidence presented here to anticipate specified concerns either prenatally or postpartum, to prevent early breastfeeding discontinuation.
Nonpermissive HLA-DPB1 mismatch increases mortality after myeloablative unrelated allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Pidala Joseph , Lee Stephanie J. , Ahn Kwang Woo , Spellman Stephen , Wang Hai-Lin , Aljurf Mahmoud , Askar Medhat , Dehn Jason , Fernandez Viña Marcelo , Gratwohl Alois , Gupta Vikas , Hanna Rabi , Horowitz Mary M. , Hurley Carolyn K. , Inamoto Yoshihiro , Kassim Adetola A. , Nishihori Taiga , Mueller Carlheinz , Oudshoorn Machteld , Petersdorf Effie W. , Prasad Vinod , Robinson James , Saber Wael , Schultz Kirk R. , Shaw Bronwen , Storek Jan , Wood William A. , Woolfrey Ann E. , Anasetti Claudio 
Published: August 2014

Key Points
High-resolution matching for HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DRB1 is required for optimal survival in myeloablative-unrelated donor transplantation. HLA-DPB1 nonpermissive mismatches should be avoided in otherwise matched transplants to minimize overall mortality.
Dental education evaluation in China: a systematic review
Authors: Yang Jingyi , Zhang Ying , Ye Xiaolong , Xie Cheng , Ge Xv , Lu Fan , Yu Qing , Sun Hantang 
Published: August 2014

Abstract

Background
Accreditation of education is very important for maintaining and improving education quality. With the development of modern dental education, more and more attention is being paid to accreditation of dental education in China. Current accreditation of dental education in China is called “dental education evaluation”. By using a systematic review, this paper aims to provide the general profile of the standards and process of dental education evaluation in China (DEEC).

Methods
A systematic review on DEEC was performed, CAJD and VIP databases were employed to identify all literatures which were relevant to DEEC. Profile and features of DEEC were compared with those of the Accreditation Standards for Dental Education Programs of the USA (ASDEPU).

Results
The current standards for the evaluation are composed of six modules and twenty-four items, the evaluation process consists of three stages There was some difference between DEEC and its American counterparts.

Conclusions
Accreditation on dental education is very important for the maintenance and improvement of education quality. As the primary form of dental education accreditation, DEEC is basically suitable for current dental education conditions in China, however, in order to keep pace with the changing conditions, both the standards and actions of DEEC should often be revised.
Effects of starting powder and thermal treatment on the aerosol deposited BaTiO3 thin films toward less leakage currents
Authors: Yao Zhao , Wang Cong , Li Yang , Kim Hong-Ki , Kim Nam-Young 
Published: August 2014

Abstract
To prepare high-density integrated capacitors with low leakage currents, 0.2-μm-thick BaTiO3 thin films were successfully deposited on integrated semiconductor substrates at room temperature by the aerosol deposition (AD) method. In this study, the effects of starting powder size were considered in an effort to remove macroscopic defects. A surface morphology of 25.3 nm and an interface roughness of less than 50 nm were obtained using BT-03B starting powder. The nano-crystalline thin films achieved after deposition were annealed at various temperatures to promote crystallization and densification. Moreover, the influence of rapid thermal annealing process on the surface morphology and crystal growth was evaluated. As the annealing temperature increased from room temperature to 650°C, the root mean square (RMS) roughness decreased from 25.3 to 14.3 nm. However, the surface was transformed into rough performance at 750°C, which agreed well with the surface microstructure trend. Moreover, the crystal growth also reveals the changes in surface morphology via surface energy analysis.
ZnO-porous silicon nanocomposite for possible memristive device fabrication
Authors: Martínez Lizeth , Ocampo Oscar , Kumar Yogesh , Agarwal Vivechana 
Published: August 2014

Abstract
Preliminary results on the fabrication of a memristive device made of zinc oxide (ZnO) over a mesoporous silicon substrate have been reported. Porous silicon (PS) substrate is employed as a template to increase the formation of oxygen vacancies in the ZnO layer and promote suitable grain size conditions for memristance. Morphological and optical properties are investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The proposed device exhibits a zero-crossing pinched hysteresis current-voltage (I-V) curve characteristic of memristive systems.
Field models and numerical dosimetry inside an extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic bioreactor: the theoretical link between the electromagnetically induced mechanical forces and the biological mechanisms of the cell tensegrity
Authors: Mognaschi Maria Evelina , Di Barba Paolo , Magenes Giovanni , Lenzi Andrea , Naro Fabio , Fassina Lorenzo 
Published: August 2014

AbstractWe have implemented field models and performed a detailed numerical dosimetry inside our extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic bioreactor which has been successfully used inin vitroBiotechnology and Tissue Engineering researches. The numerical dosimetry permitted to map the magnetic induction field (maximum module equal to about 3.3 mT) and to discuss its biological effects in terms of induced electric currents and induced mechanical forces (compression and traction). So, in the frame of the tensegrity-mechanotransduction theory of Ingber, the study of these electromagnetically induced mechanical forces could be, in our opinion, a powerful tool to understand some effects of the electromagnetic stimulation whose mechanisms remain still elusive.
What has functional connectivity and chemical neuroimaging in fibromyalgia taught us about the mechanisms and management of `centralized' pain?
Authors: Napadow Vitaly , Harris Richard E 
Published: August 2014

AbstractResearch suggests that fibromyalgia is a central, widespread pain syndrome supported by a generalized disturbance in central nervous system pain processing. Over the past decades, multiple lines of research have identified the locus for many functional, chronic pain disorders to the central nervous system, and the brain. In recent years, brain neuroimaging techniques have heralded a revolution in our understanding of chronic pain, as they have allowed researchers to non-invasively (or minimally invasively) evaluate human patients suffering from various pain disorders. While many neuroimaging techniques have been developed, growing interest in two specific imaging modalities has led to significant contributions to chronic pain research. For instance, resting functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) is a recent adaptation of fMRI that examines intrinsic brain connectivity - defined as synchronous oscillations of the fMRI signal that occurs in the resting basal state. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) is a non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging technique that can quantify the concentration of multiple metabolites within the human brain. This review will outline recent applications of the complementary imaging techniques - fcMRI and 1H-MRS - to improve our understanding of fibromyalgia pathophysiology and how pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies contribute to analgesia in these patients. A better understanding of the brain in chronic pain, with specific linkage as to which neural processes relate to spontaneous pain perception and hyperalgesia, will greatly improve our ability to develop novel therapeutics. Neuroimaging will play a growing role in the translational research approaches needed to make this a reality.
Monogenic forms of childhood obesity due to mutations in the leptin gene
Authors: Funcke Jan-Bernd , von Schnurbein Julia , Lennerz Belinda , Lahr Georgia , Debatin Klaus-Michael , Fischer-Posovszky Pamela , Wabitsch Martin 
Published: August 2014

Abstract
Congenital leptin deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive monogenic obesity syndrome caused by mutations in the leptin gene. This review describes the molecular and cellular characteristics of the eight distinct mutations found so far in humans.
Diversity of the Dimer Structures of Toluene: Exploration by the GRRM Method
Authors: Omori Kio , Nakayama Hideyuki , Ishii Kikujiro 
Published: August 2014

Abstract
Quantum chemical calculations were performed to explore the equilibrium structures (EQs) of the toluene dimer using the GRRM (global reaction route mapping) method, and 23 EQs were found. 11 EQs among these exhibited only slight changes in the structure and relative order of the stability even when the structures were refined at higher calculation levels. The EQs with the largest stabilization included the interactions between a methyl C–H bond of one molecule and the π-electron system of another molecule.
One year adjustable intragastric balloon: safety and efficacy of the Spatz3 adjustable balloons
Authors: Machytka Evzen , Brooks Jeffrey , Buzga Marek , Mason John 
Published: August 2014

Background: The Spatz3 Adjustable balloon system is approved for 1 year implantation and allows multiple changes in the balloon volume during the course of implantation.Other intragastric balloons are currently approved for 6 months and their balloon volumes cannot be adjusted after implantation.Aim: To determine the efficacy and safety of the Spatz3 adjustable balloon system.Methods: Seventy seven consecutive patients (66 females and 11 males) in two medical centers were implanted with the Spatz3 adjustable balloon device and were followed prospectively. The patients’ mean BMI was 37.2; the mean weight was 108.7 kg; the mean age was 41 (16-68); the mean balloon volume was 469 ml (450-500 ml). Adjustments were made for intolerance or weight loss plateau.Results: The mean weight loss at 1 year was 17.2 kg with 15.9 % weight loss and 42.9 % Excess Weight Loss (%EWL). Eighteen patients underwent balloon volume adjustments: three downward adjustments of 100 -150 cc which alleviated early intolerance; 15 upward adjustments (mean 320 ml; range 200-500) at a mean 4.1 months (range 2-5 months) yielded additional mean wt loss of 8.2 kg (range 0-25 kg) after the adjustment. Three balloons were removed before the 1 year completion date due to intolerance and three others were removed for other reasons (pregnancy, gall bladder surgery, and alcoholism). There was one episode of gastric ulceration which required endoscopic therapy and balloon removal. There were no deflations or perforations. Conclusions: The Spatz3 adjustable balloon is a safe and effective treatment for weight loss. The adjustability function can yield greater weight loss for those who show weight loss plateau and can mitigate intolerance.