bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Delivering rhFGF‐18 via a bilayer collagen membrane to enhance microfracture treatment of chondral defects in a large animal model
Authors: Howard Daniel , Wardale John , Guehring Hans , Henson Frances 
Published: February 2015

ABSTRACTAugmented microfracture techniques use growth factors, cells, and/or scaffolds to enhance the healing of microfracture‐treated cartilage defects. This study investigates the effect of delivering recombinant human fibroblastic growth factor 18 (rhFHF18, Sprifermin) via a collagen membrane on the healing of a chondral defect treated with microfracture in an ovine model. Eight millimeter diameter chondral defects were created in the medial femoral condyle of 40 sheep (n = 5/treatment group). Defects were treated with microfracture alone, microfracture + intra‐articular rhFGF‐18 or microfracture + rhFGF‐18 delivered on a membrane. Outcome measures included mechanical testing, weight bearing, International Cartilage Repair Society repair score, modified O'Driscoll score, qualitative histology, and immunohistochemistry for types I and II collagen. In animals treated with 32 μg rhFGF‐18 + membrane and intra‐articularly, there was a statistically significant improvement in weight bearing at 2 and 4 weeks post surgery and in the modified O'Driscoll score compared to controls. In addition, repair tissue stained was more strongly stained for type II collagen than for type I collagen. rhFGF‐18 delivered via a collagen membrane at the point of surgery potentiates the healing of a microfracture treated cartilage defect. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:1120–1127, 2015.
Decadal Trends of Soil Loss and Runoff in the Koga Catchment, Northwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Yeshaneh Eleni , Salinas Jose Luis , Blöschl Günter 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThis study used the physically based distributed Annualized Agricultural Non‐Point Source model to simulate decadal trends in soil loss and runoff with changes in land use/cover in the 98·4 km2 upper part of the Koga catchment. The study indicated that soil loss in the study area has increased from 17 Mg ha−1 y−1 in 1957 to 25 Mg ha−1 y−1 in 2010 because of a decrease in the amount of woody vegetation cover. We found that over the past 50 years, high risk erosion areas with soil loss greater than 35 Mg ha−1 y−1 covered, on average, 41% of the study area, while these same areas contributed, on average, 78% of the soil loss from the study area. Twenty one percent of the study area has been in the high risk erosion category throughout all the years since 1957. The total amount of soil loss from the study area varied with changes in the amount of woody vegetation cover. Other factors such as landforms and soil type also affected the amount of soil erosion. Whereas most of the high erosion areas were found in the upper part of the catchment, most of the high runoff areas were found in the lower part of the catchment, indicating that the amount of soil erosion is not directly related to runoff volume in the study area. Crop fields contributed to most of the soil loss in the study area. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Model predictive filtering MR thermometry: Effects of model inaccuracies, k‐space reduction factor, and temperature increase rate
Authors: Odéen Henrik , Todd Nick , Dillon Christopher , Payne Allison , Parker Dennis L. 
Published: February 2015

PurposeEvaluate effects of model parameter inaccuracies (thermal conductivity, k, and ultrasound power deposition density, Q), k‐space reduction factor (R), and rate of temperature increase (
) in a thermal model‐based reconstruction for MR‐thermometry during focused‐ultrasound heating.MethodsSimulations and ex vivo experiments were performed to investigate the accuracy of the thermal model and the model predictive filtering (MPF) algorithm for varying R and
, and their sensitivity to errors in k and Q. Ex vivo data was acquired with a segmented EPI pulse sequence to achieve large field‐of‐view (192 × 162 × 96 mm) four‐dimensional temperature maps with high spatiotemporal resolution (1.5 × 1.5 × 2.0 mm, 1.7 s).ResultsIn the simulations, 50% errors in k and Q resulted in maximum temperature root mean square errors (RMSE) of 6°C for model only and 3°C for MPF. Using recently developed methods, estimates of k and Q were accurate to within 3%. The RMSE between MPF and true temperature increased with R and
. In the ex vivo study the RMSE remained below 0.7°C for R ranging from 4 to 12 and
of 0.28–0.75°C/s.ConclusionErrors in MPF temperatures occur due to errors in k and Q. These MPF temperature errors increase with increase in R and
, but are smaller than those obtained using the thermal model alone. Magn Reson Med 75:207–216, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The accuracy of prenatal ultrasound in determining the type of orofacial cleft
Authors: Loozen C. S. , Maarse W. , Manten G. T. R. , Pistorius L. , Breugem C. C. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of prenatal transabdominal ultrasound in determining the oral cleft type.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was performed on all consecutive cases of orofacial cleft diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound examination in the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital, between January 2002 and December 2012. Prenatal findings were compared with postnatal diagnoses.ResultsA total of 134 patients were included. The mean gestational age at ultrasound examination was 24 weeks + 5 days. Prenatal diagnosis was in accordance with postnatal findings in 76.9% of the cases (103/134) with regard to the cleft type. Underestimation of the cleft occurred in 19.4% (26/134), whereas in 3.7% (5/134), the extent was overestimated. In distinguishing bilateral from unilateral clefts, no errors were made.ConclusionPrenatal ultrasound is accurate in assessing the types of orofacial clefts in a large majority of the cases and is completely accurate in distinguishing between unilateral and bilateral clefts. This study indicates that it is a reliable technique to assess the cleft type, which is important for counseling future parents. Although, the clinician should be aware of the fact that a cleft palate is easily missed, and subsequently, underestimation of cleft extend is frequent. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CuOx/a‐Si:H heterojunction thin‐film solar cell with an n‐type µc‐Si:H depletion‐assisting layer
Authors: Lee Seong Hyun , Shin Myunhun , Yun Sun Jin , Lim Jung Wook 
Published: February 2015

AbstractWe showed that thin n‐type CuOx films can be deposited by radio‐frequency magnetron reactive sputtering and demonstrated the fabrication of n‐CuOx/intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon (i‐a‐Si:H) heterojunction solar cells (HSCs) for the first time. A highly n‐doped hydrogenated microcrystalline Si (n‐µc‐Si:H) layer was introduced as a depletion‐assisting layer to further improve the performance of n‐CuOx/i‐a‐Si:H HSCs. An analysis of the external quantum efficiency and energy‐band diagram showed that the thin depletion‐assisting layer helped establish sufficient depletion and increased the built‐in potential in the n‐CuOx layer. The fabricated HSC exhibited a high open‐circuit voltage of 0.715 V and an efficiency of 4.79%. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the impact of re‐centring initial conditions for ensemble forecasts
Authors: Lang Simon T. K. , Bonavita Massimo , Leutbecher Martin 
Published: February 2015

Many weather forecasting centres generate the initial conditions for their ensemble prediction system by adding a set of perturbations to a single analysis. At the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), initial conditions from an ensemble of data assimilations (EDA) are re‐centred on the deterministic high‐resolution analysis. This study assesses how the re‐centring step affects the ensemble forecasts and what benefits starting directly from the perturbed EDA members may bring. Numerical experiments are based on suitably modified configurations of the ECMWF medium‐range ensemble.Re‐centring leads to an artificial increase of the climatological variance of the initial conditions for variables and spatial scales that are not well constrained in the analysis. For those variables and spatial scales, the EDA variance can reach a similar magnitude as the climatological variance. Re‐centring on the unperturbed member of the EDA leads to a degradation of the ensemble skill in comparison to starting directly from the perturbed EDA members. Depending on the amplitude of the EDA spread and which scales are less constrained, different lead times are affected. Furthermore, the re‐centring step increases the jumpiness of the ensemble forecasts in general and alters the precipitation frequency during the first 12 h of the forecasts.It also becomes apparent from our results that the benefit for the ECMWF ensemble of starting directly from EDA initial conditions is sensitive to several factors: the difference in analysis accuracy between the unperturbed EDA control and the high‐resolution analysis, the number of EDA members, and the EDA spread. At present, the forecast skill still benefits from centring the ensemble initial conditions on the high‐resolution analysis, but future changes to the EDA may change the balance.
Assessment of cardiac angle in fetuses with congenital heart disease at risk of 22q11.2 deletion
Authors: Vigneswaran T. V. , Kametas N. A. , Zinevich Y. , Bataeva R. , Allan L. D. , Zidere V. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractObjectivesTo evaluate fetal cardiac angle as a screening tool for 22q11.2 deletion among cases with cardiac anomalies known to be associated with this genetic condition, to examine the correlation of fetal cardiac angle with thymic–thoracic (TT)‐ratio, and to assess the performance of TT ratio as a covariate in screening for 22q11.2 deletion.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study that reviewed the records of 74 cases with cardiac anomalies known to be associated with 22q11.2 deletion (tetralogy of Fallot, common arterial trunk, interrupted aortic arch and right aortic arch) that were diagnosed between 2007 and 2013. The karyotype was known in all cases. The fetal cardiac angle and TT‐ratio were measured using stored three‐dimensional spatiotemporal image correlation volume datasets and compared in those with del.22q11.2 and those without.ResultsOf the 74 cases reviewed, 16 had 22q11.2 deletion. The mean cardiac angle was larger in the cases with 22q11.2 deletion than in those without (68.6° vs 58.7°, respectively; P = 0.02). Multivariate regression analysis showed an association between cardiac angle and TT‐ratio in fetuses with 22q11.2 deletion (r2 = 0.33; P = 0.02) but not in those with a normal karyotype (P = 0.4). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that fetal cardiac angle, but not TT‐ratio, is an independent predictor of 22q11.2 deletion among fetuses with 22q11.2 deletion‐associated cardiac anomalies (P = 0.02; area under the receiver–operating characteristics curve = 0.69).ConclusionsAn enlarged fetal cardiac angle is an independent predictor of 22q11.2 deletion among fetuses with 22q11.2 deletion‐associated cardiac anomalies. However, its performance as a single variable in a screening model is not sufficient to guide management decisions regarding invasive testing. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Hemodynamic effects of intravenous nicardipine in severely pre‐eclamptic women with a hypertensive crisis
Authors: Cornette J. , Buijs E. A. B. , Duvekot J. J. , Herzog E. , Roos‐Hesselink J. W. , Rizopoulos D. , Meima M. , Steegers E. A. P. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractObjectiveNicardipine permits rapid control of blood pressure in women with severe pre‐eclampsia (PE) and hypertensive crisis. Our objective was to investigate its maternal and fetal hemodynamic effects.MethodsTen severely pre‐eclamptic pregnant women who required intravenous nicardipine for severe hypertension were included in this prospective observational trial. Maternal macrocirculation was assessed by transthoracic echocardiography. Maternal microcirculatory perfusion was examined sublingually with the sidestream dark field imaging technique. Fetal hemodynamics were assessed by Doppler examinations of the uteroplacental and fetal circulations. Maternal cardiac output, total vascular resistance, mitral E/A ratio and capillary heterogeneity index, uterine artery pulsatility index and fetal cerebroplacental ratio were considered primary outcomes. Paired measurements, obtained before administration of nicardipine infusion and after stabilization of blood pressure, were compared.ResultsAdministration of nicardipine significantly reduced the mean arterial blood pressure (median difference, 26 mmHg; P = 0.002) and total vascular resistance (median difference, 791 dynes × s/cm5; P = 0.002) in all included women. This induced a reflex tachycardia with consequent increase in cardiac output of 1.55 L/min (P  =  0.004). There were no significant changes in the other determinants of maternal or fetal hemodynamic parameters.ConclusionsNicardipine effectively reduces blood pressure through selective afterload reduction that triggers an increase in cardiac output, without affecting maternal diastolic function, or microcirculatory, uteroplacental or fetal perfusion. This hemodynamic response is uniform and predictable. Fetomaternal cardiovascular profiling can be achieved by combining transthoracic echocardiography with obstetric Doppler. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Prävalenz von Schwerhörigkeit im Nordwesten Deutschlands
Authors: von Gablenz P. , Holube I. 
Published: February 2015

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund
Der mittlere Luftleitungshörverlust bei 0,5, 1, 2 und 4 kHz („pure tone average“, PTA-4) im besseren Ohr ist das international anerkannte Kriterium der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) zur Beschreibung des Hörvermögens. Zurzeit gibt es keine epidemiologischen Daten zum Hörverlust in der deutschen Bevölkerung, in der dieses Kriterium verwendet wird.

Methoden
Eine populationstypische Stichprobe erwachsener Personen aus Oldenburg und Emden wurde zu einer eingeladen. Analysiert wird der Zusammenhang von Hörverlusten mit Alter, Geschlecht, Lärm, Berufsbereich und schulischer Bildung. Die alters- und geschlechtsspezifische Prävalenz nach WHO wird mit internationalen Studienergebnissen verglichen.

Ergebnisse
Die Prävalenz von Schwerhörigkeit nach der WHO-Klassifikation lag bei den Studienteilnehmern (n = 1866) bei etwa 16 %. Bei Männern, die häufiger in lärmbelasteten Berufsbereichen tätig waren, wurde eine höhere Prävalenz als bei Frauen gleichen Alters beobachtet. Der Unterschied zwischen den Geschlechtern ist jedoch geringer als in internationalen Vergleichsstudien. Bei Berücksichtigung beruflicher Lärmexposition gleichen sich beide Geschlechter im PTA-4, signifikante Unterschiede zwischen verschiedenen Berufsbereichen aber bleiben erhalten.

Schlussfolgerung
Im internationalen Vergleich liegt die altersabhängige Prävalenz in HÖRSTAT niedrig. Aus den Studienergebnissen der vergangenen 25 Jahre ist eine Tendenz zu abnehmender Prävalenz von Schwerhörigkeit im mittleren bis oberen Altersbereich zu beobachten.
Morphological and anatomical changes related to leg anomalies in Tegenaria atrica
Authors: Napiórkowska Teresa , Napiórkowski Paweł , Templin Julita 
Published: February 2015

AbstractA range of leg anomalies was detected in embryos of the Tegenaria atrica spiders exposed to alternating temperatures of 14 and 32 °C. Multiple anomalies were observed in 13 individuals. This study is based on five individuals: two individuals affected by oligomely combined, respectively, with heterosymely and polymely, one affected by polymely with heterosymely, one by complicated polymely (accompanied by the reduction in length and malformations of the distal parts of the legs), and one individual with pure polymely. Changes in the central nervous system of these five individuals were described in detail on the basis of histological sections. The changes were mainly related to the number of neuromeres. Individuals affected by polymely had additional ganglia corresponding to the number of additional appendages, whereas the absence of a leg (oligomely) was associated with the absence of a ganglion. Histological analysis showed the fusion of ganglia in the three polymelic specimens, even though additional appendages were not fused.
How to model and prove hybrid systems with KeYmaera: a tutorial on safety
Authors: Quesel Jan-David , Mitsch Stefan , Loos Sarah , Aréchiga Nikos , Platzer André 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThis paper is a tutorial on how to model hybrid systems as hybrid programs in differential dynamic logic and how to prove complex properties about these complex hybrid systems in KeYmaera, an automatic and interactive formal verification tool for hybrid systems. Hybrid systems can model highly nontrivial controllers of physical plants, whose behaviors are often safety critical such as trains, cars, airplanes, or medical devices. Formal methods can help design systems that work correctly. This paper illustrates how KeYmaera can be used to systematically model, validate, and verify hybrid systems. We develop tutorial examples that illustrate challenges arising in many real-world systems. In the context of this tutorial, we identify the impact that modeling decisions have on the suitability of the model for verification purposes. We show how the interactive features of KeYmaera can help users understand their system designs better and prove complex properties for which the automatic prover of KeYmaera still takes an impractical amount of time. We hope this paper is a helpful resource for designers of embedded and cyber–physical systems and that it illustrates how to master common practical challenges in hybrid systems verification.
Adolescent sexual and reproductive health: The global challenges
Authors: Morris Jessica L. , Rushwan Hamid 
Published: February 2015

AbstractAdolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) has been overlooked historically despite the high risks that countries face for its neglect. Some of the challenges faced by adolescents across the world include early pregnancy and parenthood, difficulties accessing contraception and safe abortion, and high rates of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. Various political, economic, and sociocultural factors restrict the delivery of information and services; healthcare workers often act as a barrier to care by failing to provide young people with supportive, nonjudgmental, youth‐appropriate services. FIGO has been working with partners and its member associations to break some of these barriers—enabling obstetricians and gynecologists to effect change in their countries and promote the ASRH agenda on a global scale.
Legal Protections to Promote Response Willingness Among the Local Public Health Workforce
Authors: Rutkow Lainie , Vernick Jon S. , Thompson Carol B. , Piltch-Loeb Rachael , Barnett Daniel J. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractObjectiveThe legal environment may improve response willingness among local health department (LHD) workers. We examined whether 3 hypothetical legal protections influence LHD workers’ self-reported response willingness for 4 emergency scenarios and whether specific demographic factors are associated with LHD workers’ response willingness given these legal protections.MethodsOur 2011–2012 survey included questions on demographics and about attitudes and beliefs regarding LHD workers’ willingness to respond to 4 emergency scenarios given specific legal protections (i.e., ensuring priority health care for workers’ families, granting workers access to mental health services, and guaranteeing access to personal protective equipment). Data were collected from 1238 LHD workers in 3 states.ResultsAcross scenarios, between 60% and 83% of LHD workers agreed that they would be more willing to respond given the presence of 1 of the 3 hypothetical legal protections. Among the 3 legal protections, a guarantee of personal protective equipment elicited the greatest agreement with improved response willingness.ConclusionsSpecific legal protections augment a majority of LHD workers’ response willingness. Policymakers must, however, balance improved response willingness with other considerations, such as the ethical implications of prioritizing responders over the general public. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:98–102)
The Impact of Healthcare-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infections on Post-Discharge Healthcare Costs and Utilization
Authors: Nelson Richard E. , Jones Makoto , Liu Chuan-Fen , Samore Matthew H. , Evans Martin E. , Graves Nicholas , Lee Bruce , Rubin Michael A. 
Published: February 2015

OBJECTIVEHealthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and cost among hospitalized patients. Little is known about their impact on post-discharge resource utilization. The purpose of this study was to estimate post-discharge healthcare costs and utilization attributable to positive MRSA cultures during a hospitalization.METHODSOur study cohort consisted of patients with an inpatient admission lasting longer than 48 hours within the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system between October 1, 2007, and November 30, 2010. Of these patients, we identified those with a positive MRSA culture from microbiology reports in the VA electronic medical record. We used propensity score matching and multivariable regression models to assess the impact of positive culture on post-discharge outpatient, inpatient, and pharmacy costs and utilization in the 365 days following discharge.RESULTSOur full cohort included 369,743 inpatients, of whom, 3,599 (1.0%) had positive MRSA cultures. Our final analysis sample included 3,592 matched patients with and without positive cultures. We found that, in the 12 months following hospital discharge, having a positive culture resulted in increases in post-discharge pharmacy costs ($776, P<.0001) and inpatient costs ($12,167, P<.0001). Likewise, having a positive culture increased the risk of a readmission (odds ratio [OR]=1.396, P<.0001), the number of prescriptions (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.138; P<.0001) and the number of inpatient days (IRR, 1.204; P<.0001,) but decreased the number of subsequent outpatient encounters (IRR, 0.941; P<.008).CONCLUSIONSThe results of this study indicate that MRSA infections are associated with higher levels of post-discharge healthcare cost and utilization. These findings indicate that financial benefits resulting from infection prevention efforts may extend beyond the initial hospital stay.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;00(0): 1–9