bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A retrospective study on the aetiology, management, and outcome of brain abscess in an 11-year, single-centre study from China
Authors: Zhang Chenran , Hu Liuhua , Wu Xiaojun , Hu Guohan , Ding Xuehua , Lu Yicheng 
Published: June 2014

Abstract

Background
Brain abscesses continue to pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in developed and developing countries. Their aetiology and management remain complex and unclear, making improvement of treatments and outcome difficult.

Methods
To determine the demographics, management, and the variables that affect the outcome in subjects with brain abscesses treated at a single centre over an 11-year period, we retrospectively analysed data in 60 patients with brain abscesses surgically treated with stereotactically guided aspiration or open craniotomy excision in Shanghai Changzheng Hospital between January 2001 and December 2011. Such variables as age, gender, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score at admission, clinical presentation, location, number of lesions, predisposing factors, mechanism of infection, aetiological agent, and therapy were analysed independently.

Results
Our analysis demonstrated that patient age and gender were factors that influence the occurrence of brain abscess; female patients and patients greater than 40 years of age were most likely to suffer a brain abscess. We also found that a patient’s GCS score upon admission did not influence outcome. While frequency of successful culturing of the infectious agent was low, positive cultures were obtained in only 8 of the cases (13.33%), in which the most common isolate was Streptococcus milleri. Outcome was favourable in 78.33% of the subjects, while the mortality rate was 20%. The outcome of one patient was poor due to the abscess in the basal ganglia region.

Conclusions
Stereotactically guided aspiration is an effective treatment for brain abscess with an overall favourable outcome. Mortality due to brain abscess was not directly related to surgery nor surgical technique. Additional studies will continue to reveal patients trends that may improve treatment for brain abscess.
Granulocyte‐to‐dendritic cell‐ratio as marker for the immune monitoring in patients with renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Riemann Dagmar , Hase Sabine , Fischer Kersten , Seliger Barbara 
Published: June 2014

AbstractBackgroundNeutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been shown to be a predictor of patients’ outcome for several types of malignancies.FindingsUsing multicolor flow cytometry we searched for predictive markers to monitor blood immune cells in patients with renal cell carcinoma undergoing surgery of the primary tumor. Due to a high standard deviation, pre‐surgery NLR values did not significantly differ between tumor patients and the control group. In contrast, the granulocyte‐to‐dendritic cell (DC) ratio revealed significant higher values in tumor patients. Whereas NLR values did not differ between patients with early stage tumors and locally advanced tumors, the granulocyte/DC ratio was significantly different in these groups. Additionally, comparison of both ratios before and after tumor resection in the two groups “open surgery” and “laparoscopy” could demonstrate the suitability of granulocyte/DC ratio as a marker for immune monitoring.ConclusionsGranulocyte/DC ratio may serve as a new putative biomarker for the immune monitoring of tumor patients.
A cyclodextrin-based approach for selective detection of catecholamine hormone mixtures
Authors: Yang Jung-Hoon , Kim Hyun Tae , Kim Hanseup 
Published: June 2014

AbstractThis paper presents an electrochemical sensing approach that enables quantitative detection of three major catecholamine hormones from a mixture by specifically employing a chemically-modified microelectrode array with α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrin (CD) ‘catchers’ holding unique physical matching (size and shape) as well as chemical enticing (stereochemistry and surface charge) properties. The developed neurotransmitter sensor has selectively identified L-tyrosine, dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) and dopamine in the absence of ascorbic acid. It exhibited the relatively linear sensitivities to each neurotransmitter with logarithmically increasing concentrations range of 5μM-10mM, while demonstrating stability up to 6 hours from the fabrication and the average accuracy of 91.2%.
Substrate and strain alter the muscle-derived mesenchymal stem cell secretome to promote myogenesis
Authors: De Lisio Michael , Jensen Tor , Sukiennik Richard A , Huntsman Heather D , Boppart Marni D 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
Introduction
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) reside in a variety of tissues and provide a stromal role in regulating progenitor cell function. Current studies focus on identifying the specific factors in the niche that can alter the MSC secretome, ultimately determining the effectiveness and timing of tissue repair. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the extent to which substrate and mechanical strain simultaneously regulate MSC quantity, gene expression, and secretome.

Methods
MSCs (Sca-1+CD45-) isolated from murine skeletal muscle (muscle-derived MSCs, or mMSCs) via fluorescence-activated cell sorting were seeded onto laminin (LAM)- or collagen type 1 (COL)-coated membranes and exposed to a single bout of mechanical strain (10%, 1 Hz, 5 hours).

Results
mMSC proliferation was not directly affected by substrate or strain; however, gene expression of growth and inflammatory factors and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins was downregulated in mMSCs grown on COL in a manner independent of strain. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) may be involved in substrate regulation of mMSC secretome as FAK phosphorylation was significantly elevated 24 hours post-strain in mMSCs plated on LAM but not COL (P <0.05). Conditioned media (CM) from mMSCs exposed to both LAM and strain increased myoblast quantity 5.6-fold 24 hours post-treatment compared with myoblasts treated with serum-free media (P <0.05). This response was delayed in myoblasts treated with CM from mMSCs grown on COL.

Conclusions
Here, we demonstrate that exposure to COL, the primary ECM component associated with tissue fibrosis, downregulates genes associated with growth and inflammation in mMSCs and delays the ability for mMSCs to stimulate myoblast proliferation.
Tumor formation and antitumor immunity; the overlooked significance of histamine
Authors: Falus Andras , Gilicze Anna 
Published: June 2014

AbstractHA is a biogenic amine, widely distributed throughout the body. Given the observations that HA, the decarboxylated amino acid histidine, can be induced and made available in an unstored, diffusible form in tissues undergoing rapid growth (such as tumors and regenerating tissues), it could have a role in antitumor response beyond the well-studied inflammatory and allergic responses.
Echolocation behaviour of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) in an obstacle avoidance task of increasing difficulty
Authors: Sändig Sonja , Schnitzler Hans-Ulrich , Denzinger Annette 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
Four big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) were challenged in an obstacle avoidance experiment to localize vertically stretched wires requiring progressively greater accuracy by diminishing the wire-to-wire distance from 50 to 10 cm. The performance of the bats decreased with decreasing gap size. The avoidance task became very difficult below a wire separation of 30 cm, which corresponds to the average wing span of E. fuscus. Two of the bats were able to pass without collisions down to a gap size of 10 cm in some of the flights. The other two bats only managed to master gap sizes down to 20 and 30 cm respectively. They also performed distinctly worse at all other gap sizes. With increasing difficulty of the task, the bats changed their flight and echolocation behaviour. Especially at gap sizes of 30 cm and below, flight paths increased in height and flight speed was reduced. In addition, the bats emitted approach signals which were arranged in groups. At all gap sizes the largest numbers of pulses per group were observed in the last group before passing the obstacle. The more difficult the obstacle avoidance task, the more pulses there were in the groups and the shorter the within-group pulse intervals. In comparable situations, the better performing bats always emitted groups with more pulses than the less well-performing individuals. We hypothesize that the accuracy of target localization increases with the number of pulses per group and that each group is processed as a package.
The oxidative cost of unstable social dominance
Authors: Beaulieu Michaël , Mboumba Sylvère , Willaume Eric , Kappeler Peter M. , Charpentier Marie J. E. 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
High social rank is expected to incur fitness costs under unstable social conditions. A disruption of the oxidative balance may underlie such effects, but how markers of oxidative stress vary in relation to social rank and stability is unknown. We examined in mandrills whether the mating season characterized by social instability between males (but not between females) affected their oxidative balance differently according to their social rank. Outside the mating season, high-ranking males showed the lowest levels of oxidative damage, while during the mating season, they were the only males to experience increased oxidative damage. In contrast, in females, the mating season increased oxidative stress for all of them, irrespective of their social rank. These results support the hypothesis that the coupling between social rank and social stability is responsible for differential costs in terms of oxidative stress, which may explain inter-individual differences in susceptibility to socially-induced health issues.
Fast and slow processes underlie the selection of both step frequency and walking speed
Authors: Pagliara Renato , Snaterse Mark , Donelan J. Maxwell 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
People prefer gaits that minimize their energetic cost. Research focused on step frequency selection suggests that a fast predictive process and a slower optimization process underlie this energy optimization. Our purpose in this study was to test whether the mechanisms controlling step frequency selection are used more generally to select one of the most relevant characteristics of walking — preferred speed. To accomplish this, we contrasted the dynamic adjustments in speed following perturbations to step frequency against the dynamic adjustments in step frequency following perturbations to speed. Despite the use of different perturbations and contexts, we found that the responses were very similar. In both experiments, subjects responded to perturbations by first rapidly changing their speed or step frequency towards their preferred pattern, and then slowly adjusting their gait to converge onto their preferred pattern. We measured similar response times for both the fast processes (1.4±0.3 s vs. 2.7±0.6 s) and the slow processes (74.2±25.4 s vs. 79.7±20.2 s). We also found that the fast process, while quite variable in amplitude, dominated the adjustments in both speed and step frequency. These distinct but complementary experiments demonstrate that people rely heavily on prediction to rapidly select the most relevant aspects of their preferred gait, and then gradually fine-tune that selection, perhaps using direct optimization of energetic cost.
High fatty acid oxidation capacity and phosphorylation control despite elevated leak and reduced respiratory capacity in northern elephant seal muscle mitochondria
Authors: Chicco Adam J. , Le Catherine H. , Schlater Amber E. , Nguyen Alex D. , Kaye Spencer D. , Beals Joseph W. , Scalzo Rebecca L. , Bell Christopher , Gnaiger Erich , Costa Daniel P. , Crocker Daniel E. , Kanatous Shane B. 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) are extreme, hypoxia-adapted endotherms that rely largely on aerobic metabolism during extended breath-hold dives in near freezing water temperatures. While many aspects of their physiology have been characterized to account for these remarkable feats, the contribution of adaptations in the aerobic powerhouses of muscle cells, the mitochondria, are unknown. In the present study, the ontogeny and comparative physiology of elephant seal muscle mitochondrial respiratory function was investigated under a variety of substrate conditions and respiratory states. Intact mitochondrial networks were studied by high-resolution respirometry in saponin-permeabilized fiber bundles obtained from primary swimming muscles of pup, juvenile, and adult seals, and compared to fibers from adult human vastus laterais. Results indicate that seal muscle maintains a high capacity for fatty acid oxidation despite a progressive decrease in total respiratory capacity as animals mature from pups to adults. This is explained by a progressive increase in phosphorylation control and fatty acid utilization over pyruvate in adult seals compared to humans and seal pups. Interestingly, despite higher indices of oxidative phosphorylation efficiency, juvenile and adult seals also exhibit a ~50% greater capacity for respiratory leak compared to humans and pups. The ontogeny of this phenotype suggests it is an adaptation of muscle to the prolonged breath-hold exercise and highly variable ambient temperatures experienced by mature elephant seals. These studies highlight the remarkable plasticity of mammalian mitochondria to meet the demands for both efficient ATP production and endothermy in a cold, oxygen-limited environment.
Strong negative effects of simulated heat waves in a tropical butterfly
Authors: Fischer Klaus , Klockmann Michael , Reim Elisabeth 
Published: June 2014

AbstractClimate change poses a significant challenge to all natural systems on Earth. Especially increases in extreme weather events such as heat waves have the potential to strongly affect biodiversity, though their effects are poorly understood due to a lack of empirical data. Therefore, we here explore the sensitivity of a tropical ectotherm, which are in general believed to have a low warming tolerance, to experimentally simulated climate change using ecologically realistic diurnal temperature cycles. Increasing the mean temperature permanently by 3°C had mostly minor effects on developmental traits in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Simulated heat waves (strongly elevated temperatures for some time though retaining the same overall temperature mean), in contrast, caused strong negative effects by prolonging development time (by up to 10%) and reducing body mass (-21%), especially when combined with reduced relative humidity. Detrimental effects were carried over into the adult stage, diminishing subsequent performance. Most strikingly, higher temperatures suppressed adult immune function (haemocytes: -54%, lysozyme activity: -32%), which may potentially change the way species interact with antagonists. Heat waves thus reduced fitness parameters by 10-25% for development time and body mass and by up to 54% for immune parameters even in this plastic and widespread butterfly, exemplifying the potentially dramatic impact of extreme weather events on biodiversity.
Risk Attitude, Beliefs Updating, and the Information Content of Trades: An Experiment
Authors: Bisière Christophe , Décamps Jean-Paul , Lovo Stefano 
Published: June 2014

We conduct a series of experiments that simulate trading in financial markets. We find that the information content of the order flow varies with the strength of subjects' prior beliefs about fundamentals. The presence of intrinsic uncertainty about the asset's fundamentals reduces informational efficiency. This originates from subjects' risk attitudes and biases in the way some subjects update their beliefs. The behavior of approximately 63% of the subjects is consistent with the expected utility maximization. These subjects are either risk averse (52%) or risk loving (11%). About 22% of the subjects display non-Bayesian updating of beliefs: underconfidence emerges for weak prior beliefs, and confirmation bias occurs for strong prior beliefs. Non-Bayesian belief updating reduces market efficiency when subjects' prior beliefs are weak and increases it when the prior beliefs are strong. Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2013.1886 . This paper was accepted by Jerome Detemple, finance.
Comparison of Three Small-Scale Devices for the Investigation of the Electrical Conductivity/Resistivity of Swelling and Other Clays
Authors: Kaufhold S. , Grissemann C. , Dohrmann R. , Klinkenberg M. , Decher A. 
Published: June 2014

AbstractElectrical measurements are used in various fields of geoscience and technology, e.g. gas/oil exploration or landslide-barrier monitoring. Although clays are amongst the most conducting geomaterials their electrical properties are not yet fully understood. For example, in a recent high-level-radioactive-waste repository large-scale test, a bentonite barrier was monitored geoelectrically. To facilitate interpretation of the results, the reasons for the observed differences in the electrical conductivity must be understood (e.g. changes in water content, temperature, salinity of pore water, etc.). To improve understanding of the electrical properties of clay minerals, in situ measurements must be combined with laboratory measurements. In situ measurements allow the characterization of the material in its natural state and laboratory measurements, for small sample amounts, allow the user to vary relevant parameters systematically such as water content, temperature, the salinity of the pore water, or even the cation population if swelling clay minerals are present. In situ measurements using different electrode distances, from m to cm range, proved that small-scale investigations are essential because of small-scale material heterogeneities. In the laboratory, all the relevant parameters mentioned above can be controlled more easily for small sample amounts. In the present study three different small-scale devices (SSM1–SSM3) were compared. The geometry factor, K, was determined both by calculation and by a calibration against solutions of different conductivity. Calculated and measured geometry factors were in good agreement. SSM1 and SSM2 — both with four pin-shaped electrodes — were found to be particularly applicable for in situ measurements. SSM2, with point contacts at the tips of the pins, was considered to be an improvement over SSM1 because the effects of both water content and temperature gradients (which are particularly relevant near the surface) were less pronounced using SSM2. SSM3, in which the contacts are placed at the bottom of a 4.5 mL trough, proved to be useful when systematically varying all of the parameters influencing the electrical properties in the laboratory.
Influence of Molecular Structure of Quaternary Phosphonium Salts on Thai Bentonite Intercalation
Authors: Prahsarn Chureerat , Roungpaisan Nanjaporn , Suwannamek Nattaphop , Klinsukhon Wattana , Hayashi Hiromichi , Kawasaki Kazunori , Ebina Takeo 
Published: June 2014

AbstractA comprehensive study of the intercalation of organo-phosphonium salts into Thai bentonite (Mt) was conducted to investigate the influence of the molecular structures of organic moieties, including chain types (alkyl vs. aryl), chain length, and structural symmetry, on their intercalation. A series of quaternary phosphonium salts with systematically varied molecular structures (tetraphenyl phosphonium, TPP-Br; tetrabutyl phosphonium, TBP-Br; tetraoctyl phosphonium, TOP-Br; methyl triphenyl phosphonium, MTPP-Br; and butyl triphenyl phosphonium, BTPP-Br) was intercalated into Mt via an ion-exchange reaction. From thermogravimetric analysis results, tetrabutyl phosphonium-modified Mt (TBP) with shorter alkyl chain length began to decompose at a slightly lower temperature (263 vs. 351°C), yet showed comparable thermal stability (i.e. maximum decomposition temperature) at 470°C, compared to tetraoctyl phosphonium-modified Mt (TOP). Aryl phosphonium-modified Mt (TPP) showed a higher thermal decomposition temperature (576 vs. 470°C) than those of alkyl phosphonium-modified Mts (TBP and TOP). Introducing short alkyl chains into the aryl phosphonium moiety (MTPP, BTPP) caused a slight decrease in thermal decomposition temperature, but an increase in cation loadings of their modified Mts (71 and 73%, respectively). X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the flexibility of alkyl chains in TBP yielded smaller increases in basal spacing, i.e. lower degree of intercalation, compared to the rigid aryl structure in TPP. Increasing chain length resulted in greater basal spacing in alkyl phosphonium-modified Mts (1.67 nm. in TBP vs. 2.46 nm. in TOP). Such an effect, however, was less significant in aryl phosphonium-modified Mt.
Covering news with provincial characteristics: Comparing news coverage on health crises in China’s Guangdong and Henan provinces
Authors: Dong Dong 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
Against the theoretical background of media transformation and social change, this study delivers empirical evidence to support a recent theoretical call for ‘scaling’ and ‘rescaling’ media in China. A case study is used to illustrate how news institutions from different geographical locations within China differ in their news construction. News coverage of two health incidences sampled from six Chinese newspapers are analysed and compared. Two sets of hypotheses are tested. The study concludes that only by considering both the degree of commercialization and the geographical differences can we exhibit a relatively precise measurement of the everyday journalistic practice and its products.
Physical isolation and failed socialization on Pitcairn Island: A warning for the future?
Authors: Sheppard Si 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
In this essay I will attempt to account for the failure of state formation on Pitcairn Island by the Bounty mutineers in 1790. I will track the course of the mutiny itself, the settlement on Pitcairn, and the ensuing collapse of the polity. I will list the proximate reasons for this outcome, including gender imbalance, a racially stratified social order and the absence of representative conflict resolution mechanisms. I conclude that the ultimate cause for the anarchic quality of life on Pitcairn is the distinctive contribution of its effectively perfect geopolitical isolation. This historical exemplar should serve as a warning to the would-be founding fathers of the future if the next wave of human colonization commences with the possible establishment of settlements in the even greater isolation of outer space.