bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Replacing nebulizers by MDI-spacers for bronchodilator and inhaled corticosteroid administration
Authors: Alhaider S.A. , Alshehri H.A. , Al-Eid K. 
Published: October 2014

Background and objectives:
Metered-dose inhalers plus spacers (MDI-spacer) are as effective as, or better than, nebulizers in aerosol delivery. The selection of aerosol delivery system for hospitalized children can have a significant impact on the utilization of healthcare resources.

Design and setting:
A quality improvement project to evaluate the impact of conversion to MDI-spacer to administer bronchodilators (BDs) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) to hospital-ized children on the utilization of hospital resources. The project was conducted in a tertiary pediatric ward from April to May 2013.

Materials and methods:
The project was conducted over a six-week period. In the first two weeks, data were gathered from all hospitalized children receiving BDs and/or ICSs by nebu-lizers. This data collection was followed by a two-week washout period during which training of healthcare providers and operational changes were implemented to enhance the conversion to MDI-spacer. In the last two weeks, data were gathered from hospitalized children after con-version to MDI-spacer. The primary outcomes included the mean time (in minutes) of medica-tion preparation and delivery. Secondary outcomes included the following: need for respiratory therapy assistance, estimated cost of treatment sessions, and patient/caregiver satisfaction.

Results:
Five hundred seventy-five treatment sessions were enrolled (288 on nebulizers, 287 on MDI-spacer). The nebulizer group had more male predominance and were slightly older compared to the MDI-spacer group (male: 59% vs. 53% and mean age: 52 vs. 40 months respectively). The duration of treatment preparation and delivery was significantly lower in the MDI-spacer group (2 min reduction in preparation time and 5 min reduction in delivery time; p < 0.01). Caregivers mastered MDI-spacer use after an average of two observed ses-sions, eliminating the need for respiratory therapy assistance during the hospital stay. Medica-tion cost analysis showed savings in favor of MDI-spacer (cost reduction per 100 doses: 50% for albuterol, 30% for ipratropium bromide, and 87% for ICSs). The patient satisfaction survey showed "very good” to "excellent” levels in both groups.

Conclusions:
Conversion to MDI-spacer for BDs and ICSs administration in hospitalized children improve hospital resource utilization.
Feed-forward control of a perturbed backward-facing step flow
Authors: Gautier N. , Aider J.-L. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractClosed-loop control of an amplifier flow is experimentally investigated. A feed-forward algorithm is implemented to control the flow downstream of a backward-facing step (BFS) perturbed by upstream perturbations. Upstream and downstream data are extracted from real-time velocity fields to compute an ARMAX model used to effect actuation. This work, done at Reynolds number 430, investigates the practical feasibility of this approach which has shown great promise in a recent numerical study by Hervé et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 702, 2012, pp. 26–58). The linear nature of the regime is checked, two-dimensional upstream perturbations are introduced, and the degree to which the flow can be controlled is quantified. The resulting actuation is able to effectively reduce downstream energy levels and fluctuations. The limitations and difficulties of applying such an approach to an experiment are also discussed.
Musk deerMoschus cupreuspersist in the eastern forests of Afghanistan
Authors: Ostrowski Stephane , Rahmani Haqiq , Ali Jan Mohammad , Ali Rita , Zahler Peter 
Published: October 2014

AbstractNuristan province, in north-east Afghanistan, holds a significant portion of the country's remaining forests, but because of the inaccessible terrain and the recent history of poor security little is known about the wildlife inhabiting these forests. We conducted transect surveys in central Nuristan and confirmed the presence of musk deerMoschus cupreus> 60 years after the last documented observation of the species in Afghanistan. We found that, in summer, musk deer inhabit remote alpine scrub on scattered rock outcrops and in upper fringes of closed coniferous forests at c. 3,000–3,500 m. They invariably use steep slopes (≥ 20°), which makes them difficult to approach. We built a data-driven geographical model, which predicted that suitable habitat for musk deer in Afghanistan extends over c. 1,300 km2in the contiguous provinces of Nuristan (75.5%), Kunar (14.4%) and Laghman (10.1%). Although relatively vast, the area of habitat potentially available to musk deer in Afghanistan appears to be highly fragmented. Despite indications of unsustainable hunting, this Endangered species persists in Afghanistan and targeted conservation programmes are required to protect it and its forest habitat.
Residential dynamics and neighbourhood conditions of older migrants and native Dutch older adults in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Authors: VAN DER GREFT SABINE , MUSTERD SAKO , THISSEN FRANS 
Published: October 2014

ABSTRACTThe share of older migrants in Dutch cities is increasing. However, only limited knowledge has been gained about the urban conditions that older migrants live in and how these compare to those of their native Dutch counterparts. This paper contributes to filling this knowledge gap using detailed information on residential patterns, housing conditions and levels of neighbourhood deprivation in the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and links this information to data about housing and neighbourhood satisfaction and perceived safety. Empirical evidence demonstrates that there is strong path dependence with regard to the places in which one finds different groups of older non-Western migrants. Older non-Western migrants in Amsterdam are highly concentrated in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The number of concentrations has increased significantly over the past decade, as well as the concentration levels. Nevertheless, we did not find indications of social isolation. With regard to housing conditions, we found better conditions for socio-economically similar groups of native Dutch and Surinamese 55+ residents, compared to Turkish and Moroccan 55+ residents. These conditions correspond with levels of housing satisfaction. Surinamese older people are more positive about their neighbourhoods. We hypothesise that this is related to the restructuring of neighbourhoods where Surinamese 55+ residents are concentrated. Although the immediate environment of older non-Western people is characterised by high levels of social deprivation, this does not translate into dissatisfaction with social relations or feelings of lack of safety. This suggests that their residential concentration in particular urban neighbourhoods may also bring significant opportunities.
Human tularemia in Italy. Is it a re-emerging disease?
Authors: D'ALESSANDRO D. , NAPOLI C. , NUSCA A. , BELLA A. , FUNARI E. 
Published: October 2014

SUMMARYTularemia is a contagious infectious disease due toFrancisiella tularensis that can cause serious clinical manifestations and significant mortality if untreated. Although the frequency and significance of the disease has diminished over the last decades in Central Europe, over the past few years, there is new evidence suggesting that tularemia has re-emerged worldwide. To know the real epidemiology of the disease is at the root of correct control measures. In order to evaluate whether tularemia is re-emerging in Italy, data on mortality and morbidity (obtained by the National Institute of Statistics; ISTAT), Italian cases described in the scientific literature and data concerning hospitalizations for tularemia (obtained by the National Hospital Discharge Database) were analysed. From 1979 to 2010, ISTAT reported 474 cases and no deaths. The overall number of cases obtained from the literature review was at least 31% higher than that reported by ISTAT. Moreover, the number of cases reported by ISTAT was 3·5 times smaller than hospitalized cases. In Italy tularemia is sporadic, rarely endemic and self-limiting; but, although the trend of reported tularemia does not support the hypothesis of a re-emerging disease, the study demonstrates a wide underreporting of the disease. The real frequency of the disease should be carefully investigated and taken into account in order to implement specific prevention measures.
Streamlining of Medical Relief to Areas Affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake with the “Area-based/Line-linking Support System”
Authors: Yamanouchi Satoshi , Ishii Tadashi , Morino Kazuma , Furukawa Hajime , Hozawa Atsushi , Ochi Sae , Kushimoto Shigeki 
Published: October 2014

AbstractIntroductionWhen disasters that affect a wide area occur, external medical relief teams play a critical role in the affected areas by helping to alleviate the burden caused by surging numbers of individuals requiring health care. Despite this, no system has been established for managing deployed medical relief teams during the subacute phase following a disaster.After the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, the Ishinomaki Medical Zone was the most severely-affected area. Approximately 6,000 people died or were missing, and the immediate evacuation of approximately 120,000 people to roughly 320 shelters was required. As many as 59 medical teams came to participate in relief activities. Daily coordination of activities and deployment locations became a significant burden to headquarters. The Area-based/Line-linking Support System (Area-Line System) was thus devised to resolve these issues for medical relief and coordinating activities.MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed to examine the effectiveness of the medical relief provided to evacuees using the Area-Line System with regards to the activities of the medical relief teams and the coordinating headquarters. The following were compared before and after establishment of the Area-Line System: (1) time required at the coordinating headquarters to collect and tabulate medical records from shelters visited; (2) time required at headquarters to determine deployment locations and activities of all medical relief teams; and (3) inter-area variation in number of patients per team.ResultsThe time required to collect and tabulate medical records was reduced from approximately 300 to 70 minutes/day. The number of teams at headquarters required to sort through data was reduced from 60 to 14. The time required to determine deployment locations and activities of the medical relief teams was reduced from approximately 150 hours/month to approximately 40 hours/month. Immediately prior to establishment of the Area-Line System, the variation of the number of patients per team was highest. Variation among regions did not increase after establishment of the system.ConclusionThis descriptive analysis indicated that implementation of the Area-Line System, a systematic approach for long-term disaster medical relief across a wide area, can increase the efficiency of relief provision to disaster-stricken areas.YamanouchiS,IshiiT,MorinoK,FurukawaH,HozawaA,OchiS,KushimotoS.Streamlining of medical relief to areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake with the “Area-based/Line-linking Support System.”Prehosp Disaster Med.2014;29(6):1-9.
Fine Structure of Neurally Differentiated iPS Cells Generated from a Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Patient: A Case Study
Authors: Herszfeld Daniella , Payne Natalie L. , Sylvain Aude , Sun Guizhi , Bernard Claude C. , Clark Joan , Sathananthan Henry 
Published: October 2014

AbstractWe compared the characteristics of neural cells derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from a patient with multiple sclerosis versus neurally differentiated control iPS cells of a healthy individual. The iPS cells were differentiated toward the oligodendrocyte lineage using a four-step protocol established for the differentiation of embryonic stem cells. The resulting cell population was immunostained on day 112 of differentiation for the presence of oligodendrocytes and analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Both patient and control samples resembled a mixed population of neural cells rather than oligodendroglia of high purity, including neural stem cell-like cells and possibly oligodendrocytes demonstrable by TEM.
Transcriptional specialization of human dendritic cell subsets in response to microbial vaccines
Authors: Banchereau Romain , Baldwin Nicole , Cepika Alma-Martina , Athale Shruti , Xue Yaming , Yu Chun I , Metang Patrick , Cheruku Abhilasha , Berthier Isabelle , Gayet Ingrid , Wang Yuanyuan , Ohouo Marina , Snipes LuAnn , Xu Hui , Obermoser Gerlinde , Blankenship Derek , Oh Sangkon , Ramilo Octavio , Chaussabel Damien , Banchereau Jacques , Palucka Karolina , Pascual Virginia 
Published: October 2014

AbstractThe mechanisms by which microbial vaccines interact with human APCs remain elusive. Herein, we describe the transcriptional programs induced in human DCs by pathogens, innate receptor ligands and vaccines. Exposure of DCs to influenza, Salmonella enterica and Staphylococcus aureus allows us to build a modular framework containing 204 transcript clusters. We use this framework to characterize the responses of human monocytes, monocyte-derived DCs and blood DC subsets to 13 vaccines. Different vaccines induce distinct transcriptional programs based on pathogen type, adjuvant formulation and APC targeted. Fluzone, Pneumovax and Gardasil, respectively, activate monocyte-derived DCs, monocytes and CD1c+ blood DCs, highlighting APC specialization in response to vaccines. Finally, the blood signatures from individuals vaccinated with Fluzone or infected with influenza reveal a signature of adaptive immunity activation following vaccination and symptomatic infections, but not asymptomatic infections. These data, offered with a web interface, may guide the development of improved vaccines.
Implementation of Quantitative and Systems Pharmacology in Large Pharma
Authors: Visser S A G , de Alwis D P , Kerbusch T , Stone J A , Allerheiligen S R B 
Published: October 2014

Quantitative and systems pharmacology concepts and tools are the foundation of the model‐informed drug development paradigm at Merck for integrating knowledge, enabling decisions, and enhancing submissions. Rigorous prioritization of modeling and simulation activities has enabled key drug development decisions and led to a high return on investment through significant cost avoidance. Critical factors for the successful implementation, examples on impact on decision making with associated return of investment, and drivers for continued success are discussed.CPT Pharmacometrics Syst. Pharmacol. (2014) 3, e142; doi:10.1038/psp.2014.40; published online 22 October 2014
Lab-on-a-brain: Implantable micro-optical fluidic devices for neural cell analysis in vivo
Authors: Takehara Hiroaki , Nagaoka Akira , Noguchi Jun , Akagi Takanori , Kasai Haruo , Ichiki Takanori 
Published: October 2014

AbstractThe high-resolution imaging of neural cells in vivo has brought about great progress in neuroscience research. Here, we report a novel experimental platform, where the intact brain of a living mouse can be studied with the aid of a surgically implanted micro-optical fluidic device; acting as an interface between neurons and the outer world. The newly developed device provides the functions required for the long-term and high-resolution observation of the fine structures of neurons by two-photon laser scanning microscopy and the microfluidic delivery of chemicals or drugs directly into the brain. A proof-of-concept experiment of single-synapse stimulation by two-photon uncaging of caged glutamate and observation of dendritic spine shrinkage over subsequent days demonstrated a promising use for the present technology.
Statistical significance of variables driving systematic variation in high-dimensional data
Authors: Chung Neo Christopher , Storey John D. 
Published: October 2014

Motivation: There are a number of well-established methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) for automatically capturing systematic variation due to latent variables in large-scale genomic data. PCA and related methods may directly provide a quantitative characterization of a complex biological variable that is otherwise difficult to precisely define or model. An unsolved problem in this context is how to systematically identify the genomic variables that are drivers of systematic variation captured by PCA. Principal components (PCs) (and other estimates of systematic variation) are directly constructed from the genomic variables themselves, making measures of statistical significance artificially inflated when using conventional methods due to over-fitting.Results: We introduce a new approach called the jackstraw that allows one to accurately identify genomic variables that are statistically significantly associated with any subset or linear combination of PCs. The proposed method can greatly simplify complex significance testing problems encountered in genomics and can be used to identify the genomic variables significantly associated with latent variables. Using simulation, we demonstrate that our method attains accurate measures of statistical significance over a range of relevant scenarios. We consider yeast cell-cycle gene expression data, and show that the proposed method can be used to straightforwardly identify genes that are cell-cycle regulated with an accurate measure of statistical significance. We also analyze gene expression data from post-trauma patients, allowing the gene expression data to provide a molecularly driven phenotype. Using our method, we find a greater enrichment for inflammatory-related gene sets compared to the original analysis that uses a clinically defined, although likely imprecise, phenotype. The proposed method provides a useful bridge between large-scale quantifications of systematic variation and gene-level significance analyses.Availability and implementation: An R software package, called jackstraw, is available in CRAN.Contact: jstorey@princeton.edu
Temporal aggregation of bottom trawling and its implication for the impact on the benthic ecosystem
Authors: van Denderen P. Daniël , Hintzen Niels T. , van Kooten Tobias , Rijnsdorp Adriaan D. 
Published: October 2014

Abstract
Understanding trawling impacts on the benthic ecosystem depends to a large extent on the ability to estimate trawling activity at the appropriate scale. Several studies have assessed trawling at fine spatial scales yearly, largely ignoring temporal patterns. In this study, we analysed these temporal patterns in beam trawl effort intensity at 90 stations of the Dutch continental shelf of the North Sea for a period of 10 years, at a fine temporal (weekly) and spatial (110 × 70 m) scale using Vessel Monitoring by Satellite (VMS) data. Our results show that trawling is aggregated in time and shows clear seasonality, related to the behavior of the fleet and migration patterns of the target fish species. The temporal patterns affect the overall impact on and the recovery of the benthic community, as is illustrated with a benthic population model. Our results imply that trawling impact studies using high-resolution data like VMS should take account of the possibility of temporal aggregation and seasonality in trawling to improve the assessment of the impact of trawling on the population dynamics of benthos.
Atomic carbon as a powerful tracer of molecular gas in the high-redshift Universe: perspectives for ALMA
Authors: Tomassetti M. , Porciani C. , Romano-Díaz E. , Ludlow A. D. , Papadopoulos P. P. 
Published: October 2014

Abstract
We use a high-resolution hydrodynamic simulation that tracks the non-equilibrium abundance of molecular hydrogen within a massive high-redshift galaxy to produce mock Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) maps of the fine-structure lines of atomic carbon, C i 1–0 and C i 2–1. Inspired by recent observational and theoretical work, we assume that C i is thoroughly mixed within giant molecular clouds and demonstrate that its emission is an excellent proxy for H2. Nearly all of the H2 associated with the galaxy can be detected at redshifts z &lt; 4 using a compact interferometric configuration with a large synthesized beam (that does not resolve the target galaxy) in less than 4 h of integration time. Low-resolution imaging of the C i lines (in which the target galaxy is resolved into three to four beams) will detect ∼80 per cent of the H2 in less than 12 h of aperture synthesis. In this case, the resulting data cube also provides the crucial information necessary for determining the dynamical state of the galaxy. We conclude that ALMA observations of the C i 1–0 and 2–1 emission are well-suited for extending the interval of cosmic look-back time over which the H2 distributions, the dynamical masses, and the Tully–Fisher relation of galaxies can be robustly probed.
Genome, Transcriptome, and Functional Analyses of Penicillium expansum Provide New Insights Into Secondary Metabolism and Pathogenicity
Authors: Ballester Ana-Rosa , Marcet-Houben Marina , Levin Elena , Sela Noa , Selma-Lázaro Cristina , Carmona Lourdes , Wisniewski Michael , Droby Samir , González-Candelas Luis , Gabaldón Toni 
Published: October 2014

The relationship between secondary metabolism and infection in pathogenic fungi has remained largely elusive. The genus Penicillium comprises a group of plant pathogens with varying host specificities and with the ability to produce a wide array of secondary metabolites. The genomes of three Penicillium expansum strains, the main postharvest pathogen of pome fruit, and one Pencillium italicum strain, a postharvest pathogen of citrus fruit, were sequenced and compared with 24 other fungal species. A genomic analysis of gene clusters responsible for the production of secondary metabolites was performed. Putative virulence factors in P. expansum were identified by means of a transcriptomic analysis of apple fruits during the course of infection. Despite a major genome contraction, P. expansum is the Penicillium species with the largest potential for the production of secondary metabolites. Results using knockout mutants clearly demonstrated that neither patulin nor citrinin are required by P. expansum to successfully infect apples. Li et al. ( MPMI-12-14-0398-FI ) reported similar results and conclusions in MPMI's June 2015 issue.
A Microbial Avenue to Cell Cycle Control in the Plant Superkingdom
Authors: Tulin Frej , Cross Frederick R. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractResearch in yeast and animals has resulted in a well-supported consensus model for eukaryotic cell cycle control. The fit of this model to early diverging eukaryotes, such as the plant kingdom, remains unclear. Using the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, we developed an efficient pipeline, incorporating robotics, semiautomated image analysis, and deep sequencing, to molecularly identify &gt;50 genes, mostly conserved in higher plants, specifically required for cell division but not cell growth. Mutated genes include the cyclin-dependent kinases CDKA (resembling yeast and animal Cdk1) and the plant-specific CDKB. The Chlamydomonas cell cycle consists of a long G1 during which cells can grow &gt;10-fold, followed by multiple rapid cycles of DNA replication and segregation. CDKA and CDKB execute nonoverlapping functions: CDKA promotes transition between G1 and entry into the division cycle, while CDKB is essential specifically for spindle formation and nuclear division, but not for DNA replication, once CDKA-dependent initiation has occurred. The anaphase-promoting complex is required for similar steps in the Chlamydomonas cell cycle as in Opisthokonts; however, the spindle assembly checkpoint, which targets the APC in Opisthokonts, appears severely attenuated in Chlamydomonas, based on analysis of mutants affecting microtubule function. This approach allows unbiased integration of the consensus cell cycle control model with innovations specific to the plant lineage.