bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and safety of 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 (Voluven) for perioperative volume replacement in children undergoing cardiac surgery: a propensity-matched analysis
Authors: Van der Linden Philippe , Dumoulin Melanie , Van Lerberghe Celine , Torres Cristel Sanchez , Willems Ariane , Faraoni David 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Introduction
Six percent hydroxyethyl starch (HES) 130/0.4 is considered an alternative to human albumin (HA) and crystalloids for volume replacement in children undergoing cardiac surgery. In this large propensity-matched analysis, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of replacing HA with HES for intraoperative volume therapy in children undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Methods
We retrospectively reviewed our database, including children who underwent cardiac surgery between January 2002 and December 2010. Four percent HA was used until 2005; it was replaced by HES thereafter. Demographic data, intra- and postoperative blood loss and blood component transfusions were recorded, together with the incidence of postoperative complications and mortality. We performed a propensity-matched analysis using 13 possible confounding factors to compare children who received either HES or HA intraoperatively. The primary objectives included the effects of both fluids on intraoperative fluid balance (difference between fluids in and fluids out (efficacy)) and blood loss and exposure to allogeneic blood products (safety). Secondary safety outcomes were mortality and the incidence of postoperative renal dysfunction.

Results
Of 1,832 children reviewed, 1,495 were included in the analysis. Intraoperative use of HES was associated with a less positive fluid balance. Perioperative blood loss, volume of red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma administered, as well as the number of children who received transfusions, were also significantly lower in the HES group. No difference was observed regarding the incidence of postoperative renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy or of morbidity and mortality.

Conclusions
These results confirm that the use of HES for volume replacement in children during cardiac surgery with CPB is as safe as HA. In addition, its use might be associated with less fluid accumulation. Further large studies are needed to assess whether the reduction in fluid accumulation could have a significant impact on postoperative morbidity and mortality.
Molecular subtyping for clinically defined breast cancer subgroups
Authors: Zhao Xi , Rødland Einar Andreas , Tibshirani Robert , Plevritis Sylvia 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Introduction
Breast cancer is commonly classified into intrinsic molecular subtypes. Standard gene centering is routinely done prior to molecular subtyping, but it can produce inaccurate classifications when the distribution of clinicopathological characteristics in the study cohort differs from that of the training cohort used to derive the classifier.

Methods
We propose a subgroup-specific gene-centering method to perform molecular subtyping on a study cohort that has a skewed distribution of clinicopathological characteristics relative to the training cohort. On such a study cohort, we center each gene on a specified percentile, where the percentile is determined from a subgroup of the training cohort with clinicopathological characteristics similar to the study cohort. We demonstrate our method using the PAM50 classifier and its associated University of North Carolina (UNC) training cohort. We considered study cohorts with skewed clinicopathological characteristics, including subgroups composed of a single prototypic subtype of the UNC-PAM50 training cohort (n = 139), an external estrogen receptor (ER)-positive cohort (n = 48) and an external triple-negative cohort (n = 77).

Results
Subgroup-specific gene centering improved prediction performance with the accuracies between 77% and 100%, compared to accuracies between 17% and 33% from standard gene centering, when applied to the prototypic tumor subsets of the PAM50 training cohort. It reduced classification error rates on the ER-positive (11% versus 28%; P = 0.0389), the ER-negative (5% versus 41%; P < 0.0001) and the triple-negative (11% versus 56%; P = 0.1336) subgroups of the PAM50 training cohort. In addition, it produced higher accuracy for subtyping study cohorts composed of varying proportions of ER-positive versus ER-negative cases. Finally, it increased the percentage of assigned luminal subtypes on the external ER-positive cohort and basal-like subtype on the external triple-negative cohort.

Conclusions
Gene centering is often necessary to accurately apply a molecular subtype classifier. Compared with standard gene centering, our proposed subgroup-specific gene centering produced more accurate molecular subtype assignments in a study cohort with skewed clinicopathological characteristics relative to the training cohort.
Predicting volume of distribution with decision tree-based regression methods using predicted tissue:plasma partition coefficients
Authors: Freitas Alex A , Limbu Kriti , Ghafourian Taravat 
Published: February 2015

Abstract

Background
Volume of distribution is an important pharmacokinetic property that indicates the extent of a drug’s distribution in the body tissues. This paper addresses the problem of how to estimate the apparent volume of distribution at steady state (Vss) of chemical compounds in the human body using decision tree-based regression methods from the area of data mining (or machine learning). Hence, the pros and cons of several different types of decision tree-based regression methods have been discussed. The regression methods predict Vss using, as predictive features, both the compounds’ molecular descriptors and the compounds’ tissue:plasma partition coefficients (Kt:p) – often used in physiologically-based pharmacokinetics. Therefore, this work has assessed whether the data mining-based prediction of Vss can be made more accurate by using as input not only the compounds’ molecular descriptors but also (a subset of) their predicted Kt:p values.

Results
Comparison of the models that used only molecular descriptors, in particular, the Bagging decision tree (mean fold error of 2.33), with those employing predicted Kt:p values in addition to the molecular descriptors, such as the Bagging decision tree using adipose Kt:p (mean fold error of 2.29), indicated that the use of predicted Kt:p values as descriptors may be beneficial for accurate prediction of Vss using decision trees if prior feature selection is applied.

Conclusions
Decision tree based models presented in this work have an accuracy that is reasonable and similar to the accuracy of reported Vss inter-species extrapolations in the literature. The estimation of Vss for new compounds in drug discovery will benefit from methods that are able to integrate large and varied sources of data and flexible non-linear data mining methods such as decision trees, which can produce interpretable models.
Understanding the MIND phenotype: macrophage/microglia inflammation in neurocognitive disorders related to human immunodeficiency virus infection
Authors: Brown Amanda 
Published: February 2015

AbstractTissue macrophages play important roles in maintaining homeostasis in most organs of the body including the brain where microglia represent the resident phagocytic cells of this compartment. The possibility of one day harnessing macrophage plasticity to treat or ameliorate disorders including obesity, cancer, organ damage, intestinal disorders, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular disease in which these cells play a role, is a very exciting prospect. Inflammatory signaling is required for regenerative repair, healing, and pathogen clearance functions. However, when the inflammatory response persists in a chronic fashion over an extended period of time, damage to neurons is followed by neuronal injury and dysfunction. Macrophages in the brain are heterogeneous arising from tissues during embryogenesis, and in the adult, from bone marrow derived monocytes that enter through the blood–brain‐barrier. While much of our insight regarding macrophage functional subtypes has been garnered through elegant studies in mice, which are amenable to genetic manipulation, far less is known about such cells in human tissues, and particularly in the brain under normal, disease, or injurious conditions. In this regard, non‐human primate models for human immunodeficiency virus have been extremely useful for understanding the contribution of bone marrow‐derived monocytes in neurological disease and their interaction and impact on the activation state of resident microglia in the brain. This review will focus on what has been learned from the rhesus macaque models about the types of macrophages present in the brains of animals with encephalitis. In vitro studies, which have used human blood monocytes differentiated into macrophages to address the question of macrophage subsets in HIV infection will be highlighted. Recent insights on macrophage phenotype and persistent inflammation in the brain in HIV‐associated neurocognitive disorder from immunohistochemical studies on human autopsy tissue will be examined.
Thermographic inspection of cracks in the mixed materials statue: Ratto delle Sabine
Authors: Di Tuccio Maria C , Ludwig Nicola , Gargano Marco , Bernardi Adriana 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
This work describes a simple use of active Infrared Thermography developed to detect the level of weathering of a statue with respect to cracks observed on the surface. The statue “Ratto delle Sabine” of Giambologna is exposed in the Galleria of the Accademia in Florence-Italy and was the object onto which the methodology of analysis was used. Radiographic analyses indicated that the statue was originally made out of composite materials (mainly wood and tissue at the inner part and raw clay at the outer part). This artefact is a model which was originally not conceived to last for a long time and nowadays shows severe cracks. Thermal investigations have been done in laboratory and in field to evaluate the level of weathering of the statue, in particular related to the previously mentioned cracks. The main purpose of this study was to find a way to detect and/or demonstrate eventual interconnections between the different cracks and to evaluate the state of weathering of the statue. The methodology is based on insufflating hot air locally into the cracks of the statue during a short time, monitoring at the same time the surface temperature evolution near to the place of inflow and observing if the hot air emerges at the opposite side.
To assess the eventual danger of this methodology of blowing in hot air locally, preliminary tests were made in laboratory using samples composed out of different combinations of materials (raw clay, wood, tissue, etc.) similar to the ones composing the statue. Such tests have shown that a heating time of a few minutes was sufficient to highlight the leaking of warm air from the inflow opening to the back side and this without an excessive temperature increase of the surface near the infiltration point. This was done respecting the conservation restrictions and rules for the these materials. Results in lab and field demonstrated the potential efficiency of the method to monitor the conservation state of this fragile artefact. In this specific application the method allowed to identify four critical points in the “Ratto delle Sabine” model.
The person behind the patient: a feasibility study using the Patient Dignity Question for patients with palliative care needs in hospital
Authors: Johnston Bridget , Gaffney Marion , Pringle Jan , Buchanan Deans 
Published: February 2015

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the Patient Dignity Question (PDQ) ‘what do I need to know about you as a person to take the best care of you that I can?’, as a person-centred intervention for patients with palliative needs in the acute hospital setting in Scotland, UK. Method: To test the feasibility of the research design, a purposive sample of nine patients and five health-care professionals (HCPs) were recruited from acute wards in the east of Scotland. Responses to the PDQ were assessed using a PDQ feedback questionnaire to gauge participant reaction to its use. A person-centred climate questionnaire (PCQ-P) was used to assess responses to the environment in relation to the person-centred approach. Results: The results from responses to the PDQ feedback questionnaire indicate that it is feasible to carry out this type of study for people with palliative care needs in the acute care setting, and that participants found the PDQ acceptable. The PCQ-P was effective in determining the person-centred nature of the hospital climate. However, it was not possible to determine if the PDQ had a direct influence on this, without pre- and post-intervention data. Conclusions: The PDQ was feasible and acceptable for this group of participants as a means by which HCPs may enhance person-centred care for people with palliative needs in an acute hospital. Testing the implementation of the PDQ in a before-and-after study would be beneficial.
Development of a questionnaire to measure the key attributes of the community palliative care specialist nurse role
Authors: Cameron Dee , Johnston Bridget 
Published: February 2015

Background: Recent worldwide economic events have forced an examination of the nurse's contribution to high-quality, effective, person-centred care. Since the role of specialist nurses is considered one of the least understood or valued developments in nursing, specialist nurses must demonstrate their contribution to quality, person-centred health care. Aim: To develop a questionnaire which aims to measure the quality of care provided by palliative care specialist nurses from the patients' perspective and to undertake initial validation. Method: The process of questionnaire development involved six phases including systematic literature reviews, patient advisory groups and expert panel reviews, each of which contributed to the questionnaire face and content validity. Johnston's Expert Palliative Care Nurse Model ( 2002 ; 2005 ) provided an evidence-based framework for the development of the questionnaire, and enabled the identification of the key attributes of the palliative care specialist nurse role, thereby providing the themes on which to base the questionnaire. Results: The Quality Measure for Palliative Nursing, a questionnaire, was developed. The themes identified in the questionnaire—personal characteristics, communication skills, knowledge, relationship with patient and providing comfort—aim to facilitate measurement of the quality of care provided by palliative care specialist nurses. Designed for use by palliative patients the Quality Measure for Palliative Nursing is a one-page questionnaire comprising of 15 questions. Conclusions: The Quality Measure for Palliative Nursing is unique since it aims to measure the quality of care provided by community palliative care specialist nurses, and could also be used to measure patient satisfaction with the quality of care provided. Further testing is recommended to ensure that this questionnaire can provide reliable and valid results.
Chitosan-Coated Gold Nanoparticles as Promising Nanosystem for Directional Drug Delivery to Target Organs
Authors: Mochalova A.E. , Koryagin A.S. , Salomatina E.V. , Apryatina K.V. , Smirnova L.A. 
Published: February 2015

The present research under the application of a chitosan-coated gold nanoparticles nanosystem was made on experimental animals into the chitosan transportation property of orally administered nanostructured gold delivery into the bloodstream and its further distribution through the animals’ organs. Transportation properties are dependent on the molecular weight of chitosan: in case the molecular weight is equal or more than 30’000 an accumulation of nanoparticles is found in kidney, liver, lung and spleen as opposed to the oligomer of chitosan with the molecular weight of ~ (5-10)* 103 when the nanostructured gold is detected in kidney and liver only. The adaptogenic activity of the chitosan-coated gold nanoparticles nanosystem was revealed in conditions of hypoxia simulation. A significant feature of the nanosystem is that the nanostructured gold is completely egested from an organism within a month.
Cation Exchange and Mineral Reactions Observed in MX 80 Buffer Samples of the Prototype Repository In Situ Experiment in Äspö, Sweden
Authors: Dohrmann Reiner , Kaufhold Stephan 
Published: February 2015

AbstractBentonites are candidate materials for high-level radioactive waste (HLRW) repositories and, therefore, are investigated with respect to long-term stability. In order to identify possible bentonite alteration processes, long-term in situ tests are conducted in rock laboratories. The prototype repository in situ experiment (PR) is one of the best examples of this kind of test due to the size of the installation as well as the duration. In the present study, chemical and mineralogical alteration processes of the bentonite MX 80 after an 8 y heating period were investigated. The water content of all samples increased following inflowing Na-Ca-Cl-type granitic groundwater causing cation exchange in the bentonite buffer materials. Exchangeable magnesium was desorbed in the buffer and MgO concentration increased at the bentonite-Cu canister interface; the Mg sink could not be detected, however. CaO also accumulated at this interface mainly as Ca carbonate and Ca sulfate. Cu corrosion products were identified at the bentonite-canister interface by chemical analysis, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), and differential thermal analysis. Up to 0.5 mm into the bentonites Cu could be detected by SEM-EDX. No cristobalite dissolution was observed in contrast to other in situ tests in which iron heaters were used. The corrosion products and the lubricant which was added during manufacturing of the bentonite blocks were mixed with the bentonite at the bentonite-canister interface. A quantitative measure of that mixture was the decrease in the cation exchange capacity (CEC). The CEC also reduced in all other samples, however, compared to the CECs of the reference samples, particularly in the warmer deposition hole 5 compared to the colder deposition hole 6. Overall, the PR in situ experiment proved that cation exchange reactions occurred in full-scale bentonite buffer experiments in all bentonite blocks but structural degradation of smectite could not be identified.
Analyzing Expanding Clays by Thermoporometry Using a Stochastic Deconvolution of the DSC Signal
Authors: Kozlowski Tomasz , Walaszczyk Łukasz 
Published: February 2015

AbstractA version of thermoporometry dedicated to analyzing the pore network of expanding clays is proposed here. The blurred, wide Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) peak obtained upon the melting of a frozen clay sample is processed by means of a deconvolution analysis based on searching for such a temperature distribution of “pulse-like heat events” which, convolved with the apparatus function, gives a minimal deviation from the observed heat flux function, i.e. the calorimetric signal. As a result, a sharp thermogram was obtained which can be transformed easily into the pore-size distribution curve. Results obtained for samples of two Clay Minerals Society Source Clays (montmorillonites SWy-2 from Wyoming and STx-1b from Texas) at different water contents indicate a greater resolution and sensitivity than that achieved by classical thermoporometry using the unprocessed DSC signal. Phenomena corresponding to the evolution of the pore network as a function of the water content have been detected in samples with large water contents subjected to free drying prior to the experiments.
Taiwanese Attitudes and Affective Reactions Toward Individuals and Coworkers Who Have Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Hsu Tsu-Hsuan , Huang Ying-Ting , Liu Yi-Hui , Ososkie Joseph , Fried Juliet , Bezyak Jill 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
This study investigated the attitudes of Taiwanese employees toward individuals and their supported coworkers with intellectual disabilities (ID). The findings indicated that the general attitudes of Taiwanese employees toward individuals with ID and their affective reactions toward their coworkers with ID were positive. These discoveries were contrary to previous beliefs that Taiwanese people tended to have societal stigma toward people and coworkers with ID. The outcomes also showed that the participants who had longer work contact with their coworkers with ID tended to have more positive attitudes toward them. Therefore, promoting supported employment trainings and opportunities for qualified people with ID was recommended.
Language Development in Infants and Toddlers With Fragile X Syndrome: Change Over Time and the Role of Attention
Authors: Kover Sara T. , McCary Lindsay M. , Ingram Alexandra M. , Hatton Deborah D. , Roberts Jane E. 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is associated with significant language and communication delays, as well as problems with attention. This study investigated early language abilities in infants and toddlers with FXS (n  =  13) and considered visual attention as a predictor of those skills. We found that language abilities increased over the study period of 9 to 24 months, with moderate correlations among language assessments. In comparison to typically developing infants (n  =  11), language skills were delayed beyond chronological age and developmental-level expectations. Aspects of early visual attention predicted later language ability. Atypical visual attention is an important aspect of the FXS phenotype with implications for early language development, particularly in the domain of vocabulary.
Cultural and Child-Related Predictors of Distress Among Latina Caregivers of Children With Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Long Kristin A. , Kao Barbara , Plante Wendy , Seifer Ronald , Lobato Debra 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe objective of this article is to examine associations among socioeconomic, cultural, and child factors and maternal distress among families of children with intellectual disabilities (ID). Latino and nonLatino White (NLW) mothers of children with and without ID (N  =  192) reported on familism, language acculturation, maternal distress, child adaptive functioning, and child behavior problems. Among mothers of children with ID, higher levels of child behavior problems mediated the association between Latina ethnicity and elevated maternal distress. Associations between child behavior problems and maternal distress in Latina mothers of children with ID were moderated by single-parent marital status, higher familism, and lower English usage. Thus, child and cultural factors contribute to elevated distress among Latina mothers of children with ID.
Development of a New Attention Rating Scale for Children With Intellectual Disability: The Scale of Attention in Intellectual Disability (SAID)
Authors: Freeman Nerelie C. , Gray Kylie M. , Taffe John R. , Cornish Kim M. 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Difficulties with attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity are thought to be as common among children with intellectual disability (ID) as they are in children without ID. Despite this, there is a lack of scales to specifically assess ADHD symptomatology in children and adolescents with ID. This article describes the development and evaluation of a teacher-completed measure; the Scale of Attention in Intellectual Disability (SAID). A community survey of 176 teachers of children 5–13 years of age, with ID at all levels of impairment indicated that the T-SAID is a reliable and valid measure. Integrating this scale with neuropsychological and clinical research holds exciting promise for enhancing our understanding of the nature of attention difficulties within populations with ID.