bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mental health trajectories from childhood to young adulthood affect the educational and employment status of young adults: results from the TRAILS study
Authors: Veldman Karin , Reijneveld Sijmen A , Almansa Ortiz Josue , Verhulst Frank C , Bültmann Ute 
Published: February 2015

BackgroundYoung adults at work without basic educational level (BEL), and young adults in Neither Employment, Education nor Training (NEET) are at high risk of adverse employment outcomes. Evidence lacks on the impact of mental health problems during childhood, adolescence and young adulthood on employment outcomes of young adults. Therefore, the aims of this study were to (1) identify trajectories of mental health problems from childhood to young adulthood and (2) investigate the relation between these trajectories and the educational or employment status of young adults.MethodsData were used from the Tracking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS), a Dutch prospective cohort study with 9-year follow-up. Trajectories of mental health problems measured at ages 11, 13.5, 16 and 19 years were identified in 1711 young adults with latent class growth models.ResultsYoung adults with high-stable trajectories of total problems, from childhood to young adulthood, were more likely to work without BEL or be in NEET at age 19, than to be at school or to work with BEL (28.0% vs 16.0%, p=0.01). The same was found for externalising problems (35.3% vs 23.2%, p=0.02). For internalising and attention problems, no statistically significant differences were found.ConclusionsYoung adults with high-stable trajectories of mental health problems from age 11 to 19, were at risk of adverse employment outcomes. Interventions reducing mental health problems in childhood may improve the educational or employment status of young adults and their chances for successfully entering the labour market.
Intravenous thrombolysis of large vessel occlusions is associated with higher hospital costs than small vessel strokes: a rationale for developing stroke severity-based financial models
Authors: Rai Ansaar T , Evans Kim , Riggs Jack E , Hobbs Gerald R 
Published: February 2015

BackgroundOwing to their severity, large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes may be associated with higher costs that are not reflected in current coding systems. This study aimed to determine whether intravenous thrombolysis costs are related to the presence or absence of LVO.MethodsPatients who had undergone intravenous thrombolysis over a 9-year period were divided into LVO and no LVO (nLVO) groups based on admission CT angiography. The primary outcome was hospital cost per admission. Secondary outcomes included admission duration, 90-day clinical outcome, and discharge destination.Results119 patients (53%) had LVO and 104 (47%) had nLVO. Total mean±SD cost per LVO patient was $18 815±14 262 compared with $15 174±11 769 per nLVO patient (p=0.04). Hospital payments per admission were $17 338±13 947 and $15 594±16 437 for LVO and nLVO patients, respectively (p=0.4). A good outcome was seen in 33 LVO patients (27.7%) and in 69 nLVO patients (66.4%) (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.3, p<0.0001). Hospital mortality occurred in 31 LVO patients (26.1%) and in 7 nLVO patients (6.7%) (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.5, p<0.0001). 31 LVO patients (32.6%) were discharged to home versus 64 nLVO patients (61.5%) (OR 4.5, 95% CI 2.6 to 8, p<0.0001). Admission duration was 7.5±6.9 days in LVO patients versus 4.9±4.2 days in nLVO patients (p=0.0009). Multivariate regression analysis after controlling for comorbidities showed the presence of LVO to be an independent predictor of higher total hospital costs.ConclusionsThe presence or absence of LVO is associated with significant differences in hospital costs, outcomes, admission duration, and home discharge. These differences can be important when developing systems of care models for acute ischemic stroke.
TetGen, a Delaunay-Based Quality Tetrahedral Mesh Generator
Authors: Si Hang 
Published: February 2015

TetGen is a C++ program for generating good quality tetrahedral meshes aimed to support numerical methods and scientific computing. The problem of quality tetrahedral mesh generation is challenged by many theoretical and practical issues. TetGen uses Delaunay-based algorithms which have theoretical guarantee of correctness. It can robustly handle arbitrary complex 3D geometries and is fast in practice. The source code of TetGen is freely available.
This article presents the essential algorithms and techniques used to develop TetGen. The intended audience are researchers or developers in mesh generation or other related areas. It describes the key software components of TetGen, including an efficient tetrahedral mesh data structure, a set of enhanced local mesh operations (combination of flips and edge removal), and filtered exact geometric predicates. The essential algorithms include incremental Delaunay algorithms for inserting vertices, constrained Delaunay algorithms for inserting constraints (edges and triangles), a new edge recovery algorithm for recovering constraints, and a new constrained Delaunay refinement algorithm for adaptive quality tetrahedral mesh generation. Experimental examples as well as comparisons with other softwares are presented.
Achieving Effective Test Suites for Reactive Systems using Specification Mining and Test Suite Reduction Techniques
Authors: Bokil Prasad , Krishnan Padmanabhan , Venkatesh R. 
Published: February 2015

Failures in reactive embedded systems are often unacceptable. Moreover, effective testing of such systems to detect potential critical failures is a difficult task.
We present an automated black box test suite generation technique for reactive systems. The technique is based on dynamic mining of specifications, in form of a finite state machine (FSM), from initial runs. The set of test cases thus produced contain several redundant test cases, many of which are eliminated by a simple greedy test suite reduction algorithm to give the final test suite. The effectiveness of tests generated by our technique was evaluated using five case studies from the reactive embedded domain. Results indicate that a test suite generated by our technique is promising in terms of effectiveness and scalability. While the test suite reduction algorithm removes redundant test cases, the change in effectiveness of test suites due to this reduction is examined in the experimentation.
We present our specification mining based test suite generation technique, the test suite reduction technique and results on industrial case studies.
Concurrent Bounded Model Checking
Authors: Phan Quoc-Sang , Malacaria Pasquale , Pǎsǎreanu Corina S. 
Published: February 2015

We introduce a methodology, based on symbolic execution, for Concurrent Bounded Model Checking. In our approach, we translate a program into a formula in a disjunctive form. This design enables concurrent verification, with a main thread running symbolic execution, without any constraint solving, to build subformulas, and a set of worker threads running a decision procedure for satisfiability checks.
We have implemented this methodology in a tool called JCBMC, the first bounded model checker for Java. JCBMC is built as an extension of Java Pathfinder, an open-source verification platform developed by NASA. JCBMC uses Symbolic PathFinder (SPF) for the symbolic execution, Z3 as the solver and implements concurrency with multi-threading.
For evaluation, we compare JCBMC against SPF and the Bounded Model Checker CBMC. The results of the experiments show that we can achieve significant advantages of performance over these two tools.
Minimizing the Size of Path Conditions Using Convex Polyhedra Abstract Domain
Authors: Lloyd Justin , Sherman Elena 
Published: February 2015

Symbolic execution (SE) is a path-sensitive program analysis technique widely used in program verification. As it interprets a program path on symbolic inputs, SE generates a set of constraints called a path condition (PC). A PC describes possible concrete values that can traverse the same path during program execution. In order to determine whether such a set is non-empty, symbolic execution utilizes constraint solvers to determine whether a PC is satisfiable.
The further SE explores a program path, the more constraints are added to PCs. This raises the issue of the scalability of the approach since SE needs more memory to store large PCs and a solver needs additional time to decide them. Approaches such as,slicing and decomposition of a PC addresses the latter but not the former issue.
In this work we propose an orthogonal to the previous efforts technique that minimizes the number of constraints in a PC. The idea is to identify in the PC a set of linear constraints describing a polyhedron and use effiocient techniques to remove the redundant constraints in that set. In this work, we outsource this task to Parma Polyhedra Library (PPL). Our experiments have shown that this approach reduced the size of PCs and if a solver is insensitive to the PPL's constraint format the solver's time to decide PCs is reduced also.
The Combination of the PARP Inhibitor Rucaparib and 5FU Is an Effective Strategy for Treating Acute Leukemias
Authors: Falzacappa Maria Vittoria Verga , Ronchini Chiara , Faretta Mario , Iacobucci Ilaria , Di Rorà Andrea Ghelli Luserna , Martinelli Giovanni , Meyer Lüder Hinrich , Debatin Klaus-Michael , Orecchioni Stefania , Bertolini Francesco , Pelicci Pier Giuseppe 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
The existing treatments to cure acute leukemias seem to be nonspecific and suboptimal for most patients, drawing attention to the need of new therapeutic strategies. In the last decade the anticancer potential of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors became apparent and now several PARP inhibitors are being developed to treat various malignancies. So far, the usage of PARP inhibitors has been mainly focused on the treatment of solid tumors and not too much about their efficacy on leukemias is known. In this study we test, for the first time on leukemic cells, a combined therapy that associates the conventional chemotherapeutic agent fluorouracil (5FU), used as a source of DNA damage, and a PARP inhibitor, rucaparib. We demonstrate the efficacy and the specificity of this combined therapy in killing both acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoid leukemia cells in vitro and in vivo. We clearly show that the inhibition of DNA repair induced by rucaparib is synthetic lethal with the DNA damage caused by 5FU in leukemic cells. Therefore, we propose a new therapeutic strategy able to enhance the cytotoxic effect of DNA-damaging agents in leukemia cells via inhibiting the repair of damaged DNA. Mol Cancer Ther; 14(4); 889–98. ©2015 AACR.
SapC–DOPS Nanovesicles as Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer
Authors: Zhao Shuli , Chu Zhengtao , Blanco Victor M. , Nie Yunzhong , Hou Yayi , Qi Xiaoyang 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Lung cancer is the deadliest type of cancer for both men and women. In this study, we evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of a biotherapeutic agent composed of a lysosomal protein (Saposin C, SapC) and a phospholipid (dioleoylphosphatidylserine, DOPS), which can be assembled into nanovesicles (SapC–DOPS) with selective antitumor activity. SapC–DOPS targets phosphatidylserine, an anionic phospholipid preferentially exposed in the surface of cancer cells and tumor-associated vasculature. Because binding of SapC to phosphatidylserine is favored at acidic pHs, and the latter characterizes the milieu of many solid tumors, we tested the effect of pH on the binding capacity of SapC–DOPS to lung tumor cells. Results showed that SapC–DOPS binding to cancer cells was more pronounced at low pH. Viability assays on a panel of human lung tumor cells showed that SapC–DOPS cytotoxicity was positively correlated with cell surface phosphatidylserine levels, whereas mitochondrial membrane potential measurements were consistent with apoptosis-related cell death. Using a fluorescence tracking method in live mice, we show that SapC–DOPS specifically targets human lung cancer xenografts, and that systemic therapy with SapC–DOPS induces tumor apoptosis and significantly inhibits tumor growth. These results suggest that SapC–DOPS nanovesicles are a promising treatment option for lung cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 14(2); 491–8. ©2015 AACR.
Sex Differences in Perceived Stress and Early Recovery in Young and Middle-Aged Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Xu Xiao , Bao Haikun , Strait Kelly , Spertus John A. , Lichtman Judith H. , D’Onofrio Gail , Spatz Erica , Bucholz Emily M. , Geda Mary , Lorenze Nancy P. , Bueno Héctor , Beltrame John F. , Krumholz Harlan M. 
Published: February 2015

Background—
Younger age and female sex are both associated with greater mental stress in the general population, but limited data exist on the status of perceived stress in young and middle-aged patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction.

Methods and Results—

We examined sex difference in stress, contributing factors to this difference, and whether this difference helps explain sex-based disparities in 1-month recovery using data from 3572 patients with acute myocardial infarction (2397 women and 1175 men) 18 to 55 years of age. The average score of the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale at baseline was 23.4 for men and 27.0 for women (
P
<0.001). Higher stress in women was explained largely by sex differences in comorbidities, physical and mental health status, intrafamily conflict, caregiving demands, and financial hardship. After adjustment for demographic and clinical characteristics, women had worse recovery than men at 1 month after acute myocardial infarction, with mean differences in improvement score between women and men ranging from −0.04 for EuroQol utility index to −3.96 for angina-related quality of life (
P
<0.05 for all). Further adjustment for baseline stress reduced these sex-based differences in recovery to −0.03 to −3.63, which, however, remained statistically significant (
P
<0.05 for all). High stress at baseline was associated with significantly worse recovery in angina-specific and overall quality of life, as well as mental health status. The effect of baseline stress on recovery did not vary between men and women.

Conclusions—
Among young and middle-aged patients, higher stress at baseline is associated with worse recovery in multiple health outcomes after acute myocardial infarction. Women perceive greater psychological stress than men at baseline, which partially explains women’s worse recovery.
On the Internal Variability of Simulated Daily Precipitation*
Authors: Schindler Anne , Toreti Andrea , Zampieri Matteo , Scoccimarro Enrico , Gualdi Silvio , Fukutome Sophie , Xoplaki Elena , Luterbacher Jürg 
Published: February 2015

AbstractClimate model simulations are currently the main tool to provide information about possible future climates. Apart from scenario uncertainties and model error, internal variability is a major source of uncertainty, complicating predictions of future changes. Here, a suite of statistical tests is proposed to determine the shortest time window necessary to capture the internal precipitation variability in a stationary climate. The length of this shortest window thus expresses internal variability in terms of years. The method is applied globally to daily precipitation in a 200-yr preindustrial climate simulation with the CMCC-CM coupled general circulation model. The two-sample Cramér–von Mises test is used to assess differences in precipitation distribution, the Walker test accounts for multiple testing at grid cell level, and field significance is determined by calculating the Bejamini–Hochberg false-discovery rate. Results for the investigated simulation show that internal variability of daily precipitation is regionally and seasonally dependent and that regions requiring long time windows do not necessarily coincide with areas with large standard deviation. The estimated time scales are longer over sea than over land, in the tropics than in midlatitudes, and in the transitional seasons than in winter and summer. For many land grid cells, 30 seasons suffice to capture the internal variability of daily precipitation. There exist regions, however, where even 50 years do not suffice to sample the internal variability. The results show that diagnosing daily precipitation change at different times based on fixed global snapshots of one climate simulation might not be a robust detection method.
Paleoprecipitation Reconstruction in the Indus and Ganges Basins by Inverse Modeling of Tree-Ring-Based PDSI
Authors: Davtalab Rahman , Wang Dingbao , Zhu Tingju , Ringler Claudia 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe South Asian monsoon is critically important for agricultural production in the region that includes the vast, fertile Indus and Ganges basins. However, the behavior of the South Asian monsoon is not well understood because of its complex nature, and existing instrumental climate records are insufficient for investigating the risks of the low-frequency but high-impact megadroughts that have historically occurred. This paper develops an inverse Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) model to retrieve paleoprecipitation for the region during the time period of 1300–1899, using available data of the water-holding capacity of soil, temperature, and reconstructed PDSI based on the tree-ring analysis of Cook et al.. Temperature data are reconstructed by a regression analysis utilizing an existing temperature reconstruction in an adjacent region and the Pacific decadal oscillation. Based on the retrieved paleoprecipitation, several megadroughts are identified during the reconstruction period. The drought frequency in the Indus basin is higher than that in the Ganges basin. The intensity, frequency, and spatial extent of severe droughts increased from 1300–1899 to 1900–2010. As a signal of climate change, increasing intensity and frequency of severe drought in the Indus and Ganges River basins needs adaptation strategies and drought preparedness measures to secure the food production in this area.
Dexamethasone Controlled Release on TGF-β1 Treated Vocal Fold Fibroblasts
Authors: Kosinski Aaron M. , Pothen Jewel M. , Panitch Alyssa , Sivasankar M. Preeti 
Published: February 2015

Objective: Corticosteroids may be beneficial in treating vocal fold scarring. Current drug delivery methods do not permit controlled corticosteroid release. Here we investigate the effects of poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microparticles loaded with the corticosteroid dexamethasone in reducing collagen synthesis and inflammation in vocal fold fibroblasts treated with and without TGF-β1. Study Design: Experimental, in vitro study. Methods: PLGA microparticles of differing molecular weight and terminating moieties were synthesized using a hydrogel template method. The release of dexamethasone was characterized from these microparticles over 4 days. Based on the release studies, ester-terminated low molecular weight PLGA microparticles were loaded with dexamethasone and applied to TGF-β1 treated vocal fold fibroblasts for 4 days. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were used to assess the effects of released dexamethasone on collagen synthesis and inflammatory mediators. Results: COL3A1 and COL1A2 were significantly down-regulated after exposure to ester-terminated low molecular weight PLGA microparticles loaded with dexamethasone. The loaded microparticles also reduced interleukin-6 synthesis. Conclusion: These data show promise in using a PLGA microparticle-based delivery system to control dexamethasone release over 4 days. Our findings lay the groundwork for developing more effective treatments for vocal fold scarring.
Effect of Lidocaine on Swallowing During FEES in Patients With Dysphagia
Authors: O’Dea Meredith B. , Langmore Susan E. , Krisciunas Gintas P. , Walsh Michael , Zanchetti Linsey L. , Scheel Rebecca , McNally Edel , Kaneoka Asako Satoh , Guarino Anthony J. , Butler Susan G. 
Published: February 2015

Purpose: The aims of this study were to assess the effects of 0.2 mL of 4% atomized lidocaine on swallowing and tolerability during Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES). Methods: A single blinded study was conducted with 17 dysphagic patients, who received 4 standardized boluses in 2 sequential FEES exams under 2 conditions: non-anesthetized (decongestant only) and anesthetized (lidocaine 4% + decongestant). After each procedure, patients rated their pain on the Wong Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale. Clinicians scored each swallow with the Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS) and an author-developed Residue Rating Scale. Because the assessments were ordinal, a series of Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were conducted to detect differences between the 2 conditions. Results: No significant differences were detected between groups on PAS or residue in the 4 boluses. Pain scores, however, were significantly lower in the anesthetized condition than the decongested-only condition ( P = .035). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that 0.2 mL of 4% lidocaine enhanced exam tolerability and did not impair the swallow in dysphagic patients.
The politics of budget surpluses: the case of China’s Hong Kong SAR
Authors: Fong Brian 
Published: February 2015

In recent years when many Western economies are facing serious public debt crises and undergoing massive fiscal austerity, China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)’s experience is quite different as it has achieved successive years of huge budget surpluses and has accumulated an unprecedented level of fiscal reserves. Ironically, the strong budgetary position does not help the Hong Kong government formulate a well-received budget. Despite the huge budget surpluses in recent years the Hong Kong government remains conservative in increasing recurrent expenditure items and chooses to spend billions of dollars on various one-off relief measures and set aside the remaining surpluses in fiscal reserves. However, such a budgetary strategy fails to accommodate rising public demands, and public resentment of the budget has boiled over into waves of social protests. Currently, much of the existing budgetary literature is focused on the politics of budget deficits in Western democracies. This article will make a contribution to the literature by offering an illustrative case study of the politics of budget surpluses. Points for practitioners This article uses the case of Hong Kong to illustrate the political challenges facing policy-makers in a time of huge budget surpluses. For policy-makers, the lesson from the case of Hong Kong is that consistent budget surpluses, similar to recurring budget deficits, will give rise to continuous budget battles. More policy learning is necessary for policy-makers to share the experiences of handling political challenges arising from budget surpluses.