bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The impact of body temperature abnormalities on the disease severity and outcome in patients with severe sepsis: an analysis from a multicenter, prospective survey of severe sepsis
Authors: Kushimoto Shigeki , Gando Satoshi , Saitoh Daizoh , Mayumi Toshihiko , Ogura Hiroshi , Fujishima Seitaro , Araki Tsunetoshi , Ikeda Hiroto , Kotani Joji , Miki Yasuo , Shiraishi Shin-ichiro , Suzuki Koichiro , Suzuki Yasushi , Takeyama Naoshi , Takuma Kiyotsugu , Tsuruta Ryosuke , Yamaguchi Yoshihiro , Yamashita Norio , Aikawa Naoki 
Published: November 2013

Abstract
Introduction
Abnormal body temperatures (Tb) are frequently seen in patients with severe sepsis. However, the relationship between Tb abnormalities and the severity of disease is not clear. This study investigated the impact of Tb on disease severity and outcomes in patients with severe sepsis.

Methods
We enrolled 624 patients with severe sepsis and grouped them into 6 categories according to their Tb at the time of enrollment. The temperature categories (≤35.5°C, 35.6–36.5°C, 36.6–37.5°C, 37.6–38.5°C, 38.6–39.5°C, ≥39.6°C) were based on the temperature data of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scoring. We compared patient characteristics, physiological data, and mortality between groups.

Results
Patients with Tb of ≤36.5°C had significantly worse sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores when compared with patients with Tb >37.5°C on the day of enrollment. Scores for APACHE II were also higher in patients with Tb ≤35.5°C when compared with patients with Tb >36.5°C. The 28-day and hospital mortality was significantly higher in patients with Tb ≤36.5°C. The difference in mortality rate was especially noticeable when patients with Tb ≤35.5°C were compared with patients who had Tb of >36.5°C. Although mortality did not relate to Tb ranges of ≥37.6°C as compared to reference range of 36.6–37.5°C, relative risk for 28-day mortality was significantly greater in patients with 35.6–36.5°C and ≤35.5°C (odds ratio; 2.032, 3.096, respectively). When patients were divided into groups based on the presence (≤36.5°C, n = 160) or absence (>36.5°C, n = 464) of hypothermia, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) as well as SOFA and APACHE II scores were significantly higher in patients with hypothermia. Patients with hypothermia had significantly higher 28-day and hospital mortality rates than those without hypothermia (38.1% vs. 17.9% and 49.4% vs. 22.6%, respectively). The presence of hypothermia was an independent predictor of 28-day mortality, and the differences between patients with and without hypothermia were observed irrespective of the presence of septic shock.

Conclusions
In patients with severe sepsis, hypothermia (Tb ≤36.5°C) was associated with increased mortality and organ failure, irrespective of the presence of septic shock.

Trial registration
UMIN-CTR IDUMIN000008195
Do Private Equity Returns Result from Wealth Transfers and Short-Termism? Evidence from a Comprehensive Sample of Large Buyouts
Authors: Harford Jarrad , Kolasinski Adam 
Published: November 2013

We test whether the well-documented high returns of private equity sponsors result from wealth transfers from other financial claimants and counterparties and from a focus on short-term profits at the expense of long-term value. Debt investors who finance buyouts, as well as buyers of private equity portfolio companies, represent the two potential sources of wealth transfers. However, we find that, on average, public companies benefit when they buy financial sponsors' portfolio companies, experiencing positive abnormal returns upon the announcement of the acquisition and long-run posttransaction abnormal returns indistinguishable from zero. We further find that large portfolio company payouts to private equity on average have no relation to future portfolio company distress, suggesting that debt investors are not suffering systematic wealth losses either. However, we find some evidence of wealth transfers from both strategic buyers and debt investors in some special situations. Finally, we find that portfolio companies invest no differently than a matched sample of public control firms, even when they are not profitable, an observation inconsistent with short-termism. This paper was accepted by Brad Barber, finance.
Convergence of metrics under self-dual Weyl tensor and scalar curvature bounds
Authors: Xu Yiyan 
Published: November 2013

Abstract

We establish a C
1,α-compactness theorem for metrics
with bounded self-dual Weyl tensor and scalar curvature. The main ingredient is the C
1,α-harmonic radius estimate, where
a blow up analysis as in [Invent. Math. 102 (1990), 429–445] is used. Our result is
motivated by, and may be applied to, the Calabi flow on complex
surfaces.
Fetal behavioral states are stable over daytime – evidence by longitudinal and cross-sectional fetal biomagnetic recordings
Authors: Sonanini Alessandra , Stingl Krunoslav , Preissl Hubert , Brändle Johanna , Hoopmann Markus , Kagan Oliver , Wallwiener Diethelm , Abele Harald , Kiefer-Schmidt Isabelle 
Published: November 2013

Abstract

Aims: Fetal behavioral states can be distinguished by biomagnetic recordings. We performed a longitudinal and a cross-sectional study to address the question whether the distribution of fetal behavioral states changes during the daytime.

Methods: For the longitudinal study, 32 magnetocardiographic recordings were performed on a singleton pregnancy on a weekly basis. On each examination day, two recordings were performed at different times between 25 and 40 weeks of gestation. For the cross-sectional study, fetal magnetocardiograms (fMCG) were recorded in a group of 32 singleton pregnancies matched for gestational age and daytime to the longitudinal study. The recordings were separated into two gestational age groups (less and more than 32 weeks). Fetal behavioral states were extracted from actocardiograms generated from MCG.

Results: No significant differences in fetal behavioral state distribution were found between morning and afternoon recordings in either the longitudinal or the cross-sectional study.

Conclusion: This is the first magnetographic approach to show that daytime does not influence the distribution of fetal behavioral states in standardized recordings of 30 min length. This result implies that fetal magnetography recordings at normal daytimes can be combined without a bias and future recordings can be conducted independently of daytime as long as the varying behavioral states are generally taken into account during analysis.
Seismic Surface-wave Prospecting Methods for Sinkhole Hazard Assessment along the Dead Sea Shoreline
Authors: Ezersky Michael G , Bodet Ludovic , Akawwi Emad , Al-Zoubi Abdallah S , Camerlynck Christian , Dhemaied Amine , Galibert Pierre-Yves 
Published: November 2013

The Dead Sea (DS) coastal areas have been dramatically hit by sinkhole occurrences since around 1990. It has been shown that the sinkholes along both Israeli and Jordanian shorelines are linked to evaporate karst cavities that are formed by slow salt dissolution. Both the timing and location of sinkholes suggest that: 1) the salt weakens as the result of unsaturated water circulation, thus enhancing the karstification process; and 2) sinkholes appear to be related to the decompaction of the sediments above karstified zones. The location, depth, thickness and weakening of salt layers along the DS shorelines, as well as the thickness and mechanical properties of the upper sedimentary deposits, are thus considered as controlling factors of this on-going process. The knowledge of shear-wave velocities (Vs) should add valuable insights on mechanical properties of both the salt and its overburden. We have suggested Vs estimation using surface-wave prospecting methods, based on surface-wave dispersion measurements and inversion. Two approaches have been used. Along the Israeli shoreline, Vs mapping has been performed to discriminate weak and hard zones within salt layers, after calibration of inverted Vs near boreholes. It has been shown that there is a Vs increase in the DS direction. Initially examined weak zones, located near the salt edge, associated with karstified salt, are characterized by Vs values of 760–1,050 m/s, and extend 60–100 m from the salt edge in the DS direction. Hard salt zones with velocity Vs values greater than 1,500 m/s are located at distances of more than 100–220 m from the salt edge. Finally, transition zones (1,050 < Vs < 1,500 m/s) have a 40–160 m spread. On a Jordanian site, roll-along acquisition and dispersion stacking has been performed to achieve multi-modal dispersion measurements along linear profiles. Inverted pseudo-2-D Vs sections present low Vs anomalies in the vicinity of existing sinkholes and made it possible to detect decompacted sediments associated with potential sinkhole occurrences. Moreover, Vs profiles showed a high velocity unit at 40–50 m depth that can be interpreted as a salt layer.
Seismic Reflection for Hardrock Mineral Exploration: Lessons from Numerical Modeling
Authors: Greenhalgh Stewart , Manukyan Edgar 
Published: November 2013

The seismic reflection technique is an essential tool that is extensively applied in hydrocarbon exploration and development, but in hardrock mining and mineral exploration its use has been restricted. Ore bodies present quite elusive targets, in that they are often of limited lateral extent, have steep boundaries and complex shape, lie within high velocity undifferentiated rock and are characterized by small reflection signatures. Additional complications are that they occur at relatively shallow depth and the weak diffracted signals from the mineralization are frequently masked by many overlapping and interfering arrivals, especially mode conversions and reverberations within the weathered surface layer. Conventional CDP (common depth point) reflection profiling and even pre-stack migration reflection approaches do not favor the imaging of such structures. We have undertaken numerical model studies to determine the response of ore bodies and related geological structures (contacts, intrusions) with a view to detection and recognition on actual seismic sections. One type of modeling performed is 3-D acoustic, based on the Kirchhoff integral, to highlight the influence of out-of-plane reflections and the complicated diffraction patterns produced. The other type of modeling is full 2-D finite difference time-domain elastic simulation to not only study the reflection behavior of steeply dipping structures, but also to investigate the influence of mode conversions and to identify the most troublesome forms of noise. It is clear that ore bodies and associated geology present detectable targets, but the high velocity contrast at the base of weathering produces strong surface waves and reverberations which obscure the events of interest. The modeling can help in designing field layouts, which require long apertures and close detector spacing to image steep dips and avoid spatial aliasing problems. The classes of models investigated are quite limited, but the results nevertheless serve to illustrate the difficulties.
Geophysical Modeling of Typical Cavity Shapes to Calculate Detection Probability and Inform Survey Design
Authors: James Paul , Ferreira Pedro 
Published: November 2013

Feasibility analysis of near-surface cavity detection is presented using modeling of the gravity, gravity gradient, magnetic, magnetic gradient, and ground penetrating radar techniques. The geophysical signal is modeled over typical cavity shapes in three-dimensional subsurface environments with varying geologies and survey parameters. The cavity detection probability is calculated for each technique in the outlined environments and these values are used to aid technique choice, assess the feasibility of cavity detection, assess the limits of detection for each technique, and optimise survey design before entering the field. Tests in a range of conditions show that technique choice is conditional to site characteristics and site parameters, and highlight the need for modeling in the desk study stage of site investigation and survey design. Detection probability results show that standard survey direction practice in magnetometry is not always optimal, and demonstrate the importance of site specific noise level consideration. Comparisons with case study measurements demonstrate that the modelling and subsequent detection probability calculation chose appropriate techniques and survey parameters, but also highlights the limitations of the method.
A 12-Year Retrospective Survey of Management of Patients with Malignant Neoplasms in the Orbital Cavity in a Brazilian Cancer Hospital
Authors: Sirianni Daniela , Leles Cláudio Rodrigues , Mendonça Elismauro Francisco 
Published: November 2013

Purpose:The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of different types of malignant tumors in the orbital cavity, surgical treatments, and subsequent prosthetic rehabilitation.Materials and Methods:A retrospective sample of 269 charts of patients attending a public reference cancer hospital in Goiania, Goias, Brazil, between 1998 and 2009 was selected. Study variables included demographic data, clinical and histopathological features, and patient rehabilitation. Frequency analysis, chi-square test and multiple logistic regression were used for data analysis.Results:Patients’ age ranged from 1 to 92 years and 50.2% were female. The most prevalent tumors were basal cell carcinoma (58%), retinoblastoma (17.1%), squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva (7.1%), malignant melanoma (6.7%), and rhabdomyosarcoma (4.5%). Surgical treatment was performed in 250 patients (92.3%), but only 29 patients (10.8%) received ocular prosthetic rehabilitation. Lower age (p<0.001) and enucleation surgery (p<0.001) were significantly associated with prosthetic rehabilitation.Conclusions:Results revealed high occurrence of mutilating interventions and low provision of prosthetic care, limited to younger patients who had undergone enucleation surgery. The high unmet demand for rehabilitation emphasizes the need to incorporate appropriate care for ocular and orbital deformities into the Brazilian public health system.
Institutional Environment, Ownership, and Disclosure of Intangibles: Evidence from East Asia
Authors: Ariff Akmalia M. , Cahan Steven F. , Emanuel David M. 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT
This paper examines the value relevance of voluntary disclosures about intangibles in eight East Asian countries, and the effect of variation in company-level and country-level governance on the valuation of these disclosures. Using Easton and Sommers' (2003) deflated valuation approach in analyses involving 459 companies, we find that the voluntary disclosures are value relevant, over and above the numbers in the balance sheet and income statement. We also find that the value relevance of these disclosures is conditional on the level of director ownership and the strength of the institutional features of a country.
Diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/CT, ultrasonography and MRI
Authors: Lee D. H. , Yoon J.-K , Lee S. J. , Kim T. H. , Kang D. K. , Kim K. S. , Jung Y. S. , Yim H. , An Y.-S. 
Published: November 2013

SummaryThe aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic abilities of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) compared with those of ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for axillary lymph node staging in breast cancer patients. Patients, methods: Pre- operative 18F-FDG PET/non-contrast CT, ultrasonography and MRI were performed in 215 women with breast cancer. Axillary lymph node dissection was performed in all patients and the diagnostic performance of each modality was evaluated using histopathologic assessments as the reference standard. ROC curves were compared to evaluate the diagnostic ability of several imaging modalities (i. e., ultrasonography, MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT). Results: In total, 132 patients (61.4%) had axillary lymph node metastasis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy for the detection of axillary lymph node metastasis were 72.3%, 77.3%, 66.7%, 81.6%, 75.3% for ultrasonography, 67.5%, 78.0%, 65.9%, 79.2%, 74.0% for MRI, and 62.7%, 88.6%, 77.6%, 79.1%, 78.6% for 18F-FDG PET/CT, respectively. There was no significant difference in diagnostic ability among the imaging modalities (i.e., ultrasonography, MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT). The diagnostic ability of 18F-FDG PET/CT was significantly improved by combination with MRI (p = 0.0002) or ultrasonography (p < 0.0001). The combination of 18F-FDG PET/CT with ultrasonography had a similar diagnostic ability to that of all three modalities combined (18F-FDG PET/CT+ultraso- nography+MRI, p = 0.05). Conclusion: The diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/CT for detection of axillary node metastasis was not significantly different from that of ultrasonography or MRI in breast cancer patients. Combining 18F-FDG PET/CT with ultrasonography or MRI could improve the diagnostic performance compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT alone.
Long-term prognosis of metacarpal and metatarsal fractures in dogs
Authors: Failing K. , Matis U. , Kornmayer M. 
Published: November 2013

SummaryObjectives: Lameness after metacarpal and metatarsal fractures in dogs is reported to occur with an incidence of 18% to 70%. On the basis of long-term results, the prognosis of these injuries was re-evaluated retrospectively.Methods: Medical records of 100 dogs with complete clinical and radiographic follow-up examinations after an average of four years (4 months – 14 years) were evaluated. According to their treatment, patients were allocated to three groups (Group 1 = conservative, Group 2 = surgical, Group 3 = combined). Assessment included complications during the healing period and the final radiographic and functional outcome, which was statistically compared for differences between groups (Fisher exact test, exact Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test). Further, risk factors for each bone were analyzed (stepwise, multiple logistic regression model). In 15 dogs, kinetic data (relative stance phase, peak vertical force and impulse) were investigated by computed gait analysis.Results: Complications were observed in 11 of 67 (16%) conservatively, in three of 25 (12%) surgically, and in three of eight (37%) conservatively and surgically treated dogs. Overall frequency of lameness evaluated by visual clinical assessment was three percent. Frequency of osteoarthritis and nonunion was also low, accounting for three percent and one percent respectively, although healing of mainly single-bone fractures resulted in malunions in 14% radiographically. Synostoses were found in 19% of patients, and significantly more frequent in surgically treated dogs. A higher risk of complications was identified for metatarsal compared to metacarpal fractures. Further, an increased risk for complications was detected for a higher degree of displacement and instability.Clinical significance: According to the longterm results found in this study, the prognosis for metacarpal and metatarsal fractures is better than reported in the literature to date. With the reservation that more severe injuries are generally treated surgically, and these fractures more frequently developed synostosis, no significant difference could be detected between conservative and surgical treatment.
Biomechanical testing of a β-tricalcium phosphate wedge for advancement of the tibial tuberosity
Authors: Barthelemy N. , Brunel L. , Claeys S. , Balligand M. , Etchepareborde S. 
Published: November 2013

SummaryObjectives: to evaluate in vitro the strength of different compositions of beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) wedges in comparison with titanium foam and cages. To study the response to cyclic loading of the strongest β-TCP wedge, titanium foam and titanium cage.Methods: Compression test: Twenty-five tibiae were prepared for tibial tuberosity advancement using the modified Maquet technique. Five groups were defined depending on the material used to maintain the tibial tuberosity: Group 1 = titanium cage; Group 2 = wedges of porous titanium foam with 50% porosity (OrthoFoam®); Group 3 = blocks of biphasic synthetic bone (60% hydroxyapatite [HAP] and 40% _-TCP, porosity 80%); Group 4 = blocks of biphasic synthetic bone (60% HAP and 40% _-TCP, porosity 70%) and Group 5 = blocks of biphasic synthetic bone (65% HAP and 35% _-TCP, porosity 60%). Loads to failure were calculated for each implant. Cyclic study: Five additional tibiaes of group 1, 2 and 5 were fatigue tested from 100 to 500 N at a rate of 4 Hz for 200,000 cycles or until failure.Results: Compression test: For the five groups, the mean load at failure was 1895 N, 1917 N, 178 N, 562 N and 1370 N respectively. Cyclical study: All samples in the three groups tested withstood 200,000 cycles without failure.Clinical significance: The ideal implant to maintain tibial tuberosity advancement after the modified Maquet technique would be absorbable and allow osteoconduction and osteoinduction. As such, β-TCP wedges have many advantages and our study shows that they can withstand loads in the patellar tendon up to 500 N over 200,000 cycles in vitro and deserve more investigation.
Fire structures pine serotiny at different scales
Authors: Hernández‐Serrano Ana , Verdú Miguel , González‐Martínez Santiago C. , Pausas Juli G. 
Published: November 2013

• Premise of the study: Serotiny (delayed seed release with the consequent accumulation of a canopy seedbank) confers fitness benefits in environments with crown‐fire regimes. Thus, we predicted that serotiny level should be higher in populations recurrently subjected to crown‐fires than in populations where crown‐fires are rare. In addition, under a high frequency of fires, space and resources are recurrently available, permitting recruitment around each mother to follow the seed rain shadow. Thus, we also predicted spatial aggregation of serotiny within populations.• Methods: We compared serotiny, considering both the proportion and the age of serotinous cones, in populations living in contrasting fire regimes for two iconic Mediterranean pine species (Pinus halepensis, P. pinaster). We framed our results by quantitatively comparing the strength of the fire–serotiny relationship with previous studies worldwide.• Key results: For the two species, populations living under high crown‐fire recurrence regimes had a higher serotiny level than those populations where the recurrence of crown‐fires was low. For P. halepensis (the species with higher serotiny), populations in high fire recurrence regimes had higher fine‐scale spatial aggregation of serotiny than those inhabiting low fire recurrence systems. The strength of the observed fire–serotiny relationship in P. halepensis is among the highest in published literature.• Conclusions: Fire regime shapes serotiny level among populations, and in populations with high serotiny, recurrent fires maintain a significant spatial structure for this trait. Consequently, fire has long‐term evolutionary implications at different scales, emphasizing its prominent role in shaping the ecology of pines.