bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Safety of Early Discharge for Low-Risk Patients With Febrile Neutropenia: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Talcott James A. , Yeap Beow Y. , Clark Jack A. , Siegel Robert D. , Loggers Elizabeth Trice , Lu Charles , Godley Paul A. 
Published: September 2011

Purpose Febrile neutropenia commonly complicates cancer chemotherapy. Outpatient treatment may reduce costs and improve patient comfort but risk progression of undetected medical problems. Patients and Methods By using our validated algorithm, we identified medically stable inpatients admitted for febrile neutropenia (neutrophils < 500/μL) after chemotherapy and randomly assigned them to continued inpatient antibiotic therapy or early discharge to receive identical antibiotic treatment at home. Our primary outcome was the occurrence of any serious medical complication, defined as evidence of medical instability requiring urgent medical attention. Results We enrolled 117 patients with 121 febrile neutropenia episodes before study termination for poor accrual. We excluded five episodes as ineligible and three because of inadequate documentation of the study outcome. Treatment groups were clinically similar, but sociodemographic imbalances occurred because of block randomization. The median presenting absolute neutrophil count was 100/μL. Hematopoietic growth factors were used in 38% of episodes. The median neutropenia duration was 4 days (range, 1 to 15 days). Five outpatients were readmitted to the hospital. Major medical complications occurred in five episodes (8%) in the hospital arm and four (9%) in the home arm (95% CI for the difference, −10% to 13%; P = .56). No study patient died. Patient-reported quality of life was similar on both arms. Conclusion We found no evidence of adverse medical consequences from home care, despite a protocol designed to detect evidence of clinical deterioration. These results should reassure clinicians who elect to treat rigorously characterized low-risk patients with febrile neutropenia in suitable outpatient settings with appropriate surveillance for unexpected clinical deterioration.
A Complementarity Framework for Forward Contracting Under Uncertainty
Authors: Shanbhag Uday V. , Infanger Gerd , Glynn Peter W. 
Published: September 2011

We consider a particular instance of a stochastic multi-leader multi-follower equilibrium problem in which players compete in the forward and spot markets in successive periods. Proving the existence of such equilibria has proved difficult, as has the construction of globally convergent algorithms for obtaining such points. By conjecturing a relationship between forward and spot decisions, we consider a variant of the original game and relate the equilibria of this game to a related simultaneous stochastic Nash game where forward and spot decisions are made simultaneously. We characterize the complementarity problem corresponding to the simultaneous Nash game and prove that it is indeed solvable. Moreover, we show that an equilibrium to this Nash game is a local Nash equilibrium of the conjectured variant of the multi-leader multi-follower game of interest. Numerical tests reveal that the difference between equilibrium profits between the original and constrained games are small. Under uncertainty, the equilibrium point of interest is obtainable as the solution to a stochastic mixed-complementarity problem. Based on matrix-splitting methods, a globally convergent decomposition method is suggested for such a class of problems. Computational tests show that the effort grows linearly with the number of scenarios. Further tests show that the method can address larger networks as well. Finally, some policy-based insights are drawn from utilizing the framework to model a two-settlement six-node electricity market.
Temperature Effects on Suction Measurement Using the Filter Paper Technique
Authors: Haghighi Ali , Medero Gabriela M. , Marinho Fernando A. M. , Mercier Baptiste , Woodward Peter K. 
Published: September 2011

Abstract
This paper presents the results of an experimental study of thermal effects on filter paper calibration curves used to obtain the soil suction. When the temperature is significantly different from ambient values, it is essential to consider the influence of temperature on the filter paper calibration curves to obtain a reliable soil suction measurement. The calibration curve of Whatman No. 42 filter paper was determined at 10°C, 25°C, and 50°C using the vapor equilibrium technique with sodium chloride solutions at different concentrations and the axis translation technique. The experimental results showed a major influence of temperature on the filter paper calibration curves. Using the obtained experimental data a calibration equation was proposed, taking into account the effect of temperature. The obtained calibration curves were then used to determine the soil water retention curve of kaolin clay, which showed lower retention capacity at higher temperatures.
Typ oder Token? Zum Auftreten von est' in russischen Possessivsätzen
Authors: Zybatow Gerhild , Mueller-Reichau Olav 
Published: September 2011

Abstract
This paper investigates the semantic composition of Russian possessive constructions. It is argued that in sentences of the kind u X est' Y, the Y-expression is used to refer to a type. Accordingly, the nominal sobaka in a sentence like U Igorja est' sobaka denotes the type ‘dog’. The fact that the sentence (utterance) is nevertheless about a particular dog, i.e. about some token of the type, is explained by the semantic impact of the existence predicate est'. It is demonstrated how the proposed analysis can account for the linguistic data known about Russian possessive constructions, and how it can be implemented in terms of DRT.
Duration of a Well-Child Visit: Association With Content, Family-Centeredness, and Satisfaction
Authors: Halfon Neal , Stevens Gregory D. , Larson Kandyce , Olson Lynn M. 
Published: September 2011

BACKGROUND:Studies of pediatric primary care suggest that time is an important limitation to the delivery of recommended preventive services. Given the increasingly frenetic pace of pediatric practice, there is an increased need to monitor the length of pediatric visits and the association of visit length with content, family-centered care, and parent satisfaction with care.OBJECTIVE:To examine the length of well-child visits and the associations of visit length with content, family-centered care, and parent satisfaction among a national sample of children.METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey of parents of children aged 4 to 35 months from the 2000 National Survey of Early Childhood Health (n = 2068).RESULTS:One-third (33.6%) of parents reported spending ≤10 minutes with the clinician at their last well-child visit, nearly half (47.1%) spent 11 to 20 minutes, and 20.3% spent &gt;20 minutes. Longer visits were associated with more anticipatory guidance, more psychosocial risk assessment, and higher family-centered care ratings. A visit of &gt;20 minutes was associated with 2.4 (confidence interval [CI]: 1.5–3.7) higher odds of receiving a developmental assessment, 3.2 (CI: 1.7–6.1) higher odds of recommending the clinician, and 9.7 (CI: 3.5–26.5) higher odds of having enough time to ask questions.CONCLUSIONS:Many well-child visits are of short duration, and shorter visits are associated with reductions in content and quality of care and parent satisfaction with care. Efforts to improve preventive services will require strategies that address the time devoted to well-child care. The results of this study should be interpreted in light of changes in practice standards, reimbursement, and outcome measurement that have taken place since 2000 and the limitations of the measurement of utilization solely on the basis of parent report.
Improvement of CdMnTe Detector Performance by MnTe Purification
Authors: Kim K. H. , Bolotnikov A. E. , Camarda G. S. , Tappero R. , Hossain A. , Cui Y. , Yang G. , Gul R. , James R. B. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTResidual impurities in manganese (Mn) are a big obstacle to obtaining high- performance CdMnTe (CMT) X-ray and gamma-ray detectors. Generally, the zone-refining method is an effective way to improve the material’s purity. In this work, we purified the MnTe compounds combining the zone-refining method with molten Te that has a very high solubility. We confirmed the improved purity of the material by glow-discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS). We also found that CMT crystals from a multiple refined MnTe source, grown by the vertical Bridgman method, yielded better performing detectors.
Effects of dislocations and sub-grain boundaries on X-ray response maps of CdZnTe radiation detectors
Authors: Hossain A. , Bolotnikov A. E. , Camarda G. S. , Cui Y. , Gul R. , Kim K. , Raghothamachar B. , Yang G. , James R. B. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTThe imperfect quality of CdZnTe (CZT) crystals for radiation detectors seriously diminishes their suitability for different applications. Dislocations and other dislocation-related defects, such as sub-grain boundaries and dislocation fields around Te inclusions, engender significant charge losses and, consequently, cause fluctuations in the detector’s output signals, thereby hindering their spectroscopic responses. In this paper, we discuss our results from characterizing CZT material by using a high-spatial-resolution X-ray response mapping system at BNL’s National Synchrotron Light Source. In this paper, we emphasize the roles of these dislocation-related defects and their contributions in degrading the detector’s performance. Specifically, we compare the effects of the sub-grain- and coherent twin-boundaries on the X-ray response maps.
Achondroplasia: Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Shah GS , Shrivastava MK , Shah D , Gupta N 
Published: September 2011

A two month old male child presented to emergency of B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan and was admitted to Paediatric ward with history of fever, cough and respiratory distress. On examination the breathing was rapid and shallow. The child was small for age with an upper to lower segment ratio of 1.9. The anteroposterior diameter of thorax was reduced. We report a very rare case of achondroplasia which was recognized in a two month age child who presented with severe pneumonia. Usually the clinically features of achondroplasia is more prominent when the child is growing in height but we diagnosed it in a two months child after performing the skeletal survey. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v31i3.5363 J Nep Paedtr Soc 2011;31(3): 216-224-226
Complement Regulation at Necrotic Cell Lesions Is Impaired by the Age-Related Macular Degeneration-Associated Factor-H His402 Risk Variant
Authors: Lauer Nadine , Mihlan Michael , Hartmann Andrea , Schlötzer-Schrehardt Ursula , Keilhauer Claudia , Scholl Hendrik P. N. , Charbel Issa Peter , Holz Frank , Weber Bernhard H. F. , Skerka Christine , Zipfel Peter F. 
Published: September 2011

Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration is a leading form of blindness in Western countries and is associated with a common SNP (rs 1061170/Y402H) in the Factor H gene, which encodes the two complement inhibitors Factor H and FHL1. However, the functional consequences of this Tyr402 His exchange in domain 7 are not precisely defined. In this study, we show that the Tyr402 His sequence variation affects Factor H surface recruitment by monomeric C-reactive protein (mCRP) to specific patches on the surface of necrotic retinal pigment epithelial cells. Enhanced attachment of the protective Tyr402 variants of both Factor H and FHL1 by mCRP results in more efficient complement control and further provides an anti-inflammatory environment. In addition, we demonstrate that mCRP is generated on the surface of necrotic retinal pigment epithelial cells and that this newly formed mCRP colocalizes with the cell damage marker annexin V. Bound to the cell surface, Factor H–mCRP complexes allow complement inactivation and reduce the release of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α. This mCRP-mediated complement inhibitory and anti-inflammatory activity at necrotic membrane lesions is affected by residue 402 of Factor H and defines a new role for mCRP, for Factor H, and also for the mCRP–Factor H complex. The increased protective capacity of the Tyr402 Factor H variant allows better and more efficient clearance and removal of cellular debris and reduces inflammation and pathology.
IL-1α and IL-1β Recruit Different Myeloid Cells and Promote Different Stages of Sterile Inflammation
Authors: Rider Peleg , Carmi Yaron , Guttman Ofer , Braiman Alex , Cohen Idan , Voronov Elena , White Malka R. , Dinarello Charles A. , Apte Ron N. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe immune system has evolved to protect the host from invading pathogens and to maintain tissue homeostasis. Although the inflammatory process involving pathogens is well documented, the intrinsic compounds that initiate sterile inflammation and how its progression is mediated are still not clear. Because tissue injury is usually associated with ischemia and the accompanied hypoxia, the microenvironment of various pathologies involves anaerobic metabolites and products of necrotic cells. In the current study, we assessed in a comparative manner the role of IL-1α and IL-1β in the initiation and propagation of sterile inflammation induced by products of hypoxic cells. We found that following hypoxia, the precursor form of IL-1α, and not IL-1β, is upregulated and subsequently released from dying cells. Using an inflammation-monitoring system consisting of Matrigel mixed with supernatants of hypoxic cells, we noted accumulation of IL-1α in the initial phase, which correlated with the infiltration of neutrophils, and the expression of IL-1β correlated with later migration of macrophages. In addition, we were able to show that IL-1 molecules from cells transfected with either precursor IL-1α or mature IL-1β can recruit neutrophils or macrophages, respectively. Taken together, these data suggest that IL-1α, released from dying cells, initiates sterile inflammation by inducing recruitment of neutrophils, whereas IL-1β promotes the recruitment and retention of macrophages. Overall, our data provide new insight into the biology of IL-1 molecules as well as on the regulation of sterile inflammation.
Identification and Characterisation of a Calcium Carbonate‐Binding Protein, Blue Mussel Shell Protein (BMSP), from the Nacreous Layer
Authors: Suzuki Michio , Iwashima Ai , Tsutsui Naoaki , Ohira Tsuyoshi , Kogure Toshihiro , Nagasawa Hiromichi 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe nacreous layer of molluscan shells consists of a highly organised, layered structure comprising calcium carbonate aragonite crystals, each surrounded by an organic matrix. In the Japanese pearl oysterPinctada fucata, the Pif protein from the nacreous layer functions in aragonite binding, and plays a key role in nacre formation. Here, we investigated whether the blue musselMytilus galloprovincialisalso has a protein with similar functions in the nacreous layer. By using a calcium carbonate‐binding assay, we identified the novel protein blue mussel shell protein (BMSP) 100 that can bind calcium carbonate crystals of both aragonite and calcite. When the entire sequence of a cDNA encoding BMSP 100 was determined, it was found that BMSP is a preproprotein consisting of a signal peptide and two proteins, BMSP 120 and BMSP 100. BMSP 120 contains four von Willebrand factor A (VWA) domains and one chitin‐binding domain, thus suggesting that it has a role in maintaining structure within the matrix. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that BMSP 100 is present throughout the nacreous layer with dense localisation in the myostracum. Posttranslational modification analysis indicated that BMSP 100 is phosphorylated and glycosylated. These results suggest that there is a common molecular mechanism betweenP. fucataandM. galloprovincialisthat underlies the nacreous layer formation.
Active zone density is conserved during synaptic growth but impaired in aged mice
Authors: Chen Jie , Mizushige Takafumi , Nishimune Hiroshi 
Published: September 2011

AbstractPresynaptic active zones are essential structures for synaptic vesicle release, but the developmental regulation of their number and maintenance during aging at mammalian neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) remains unknown. Here, we analyzed the distribution of active zones in developing, mature, and aged mouse NMJs by immunohistochemical detection of the active zone‐specific protein Bassoon. Bassoon is a cytosolic scaffolding protein essential for the active zone assembly in ribbon synapses and some brain synapses. Bassoon staining showed a punctate pattern in nerve terminals and axons at the nascent NMJ on embryonic days 16.5–18.5. Three‐dimensional reconstruction of NMJs revealed that the majority of Bassoon puncta within an NMJ were attached to the presynaptic membrane from postnatal day 0 to adulthood, and colocalized with another active zone protein, Piccolo. During postnatal development, the number of Bassoon puncta increased as the size of the synapses increased. Importantly, the density of Bassoon puncta remained relatively constant from postnatal day 0 to 54 at 2.3 puncta/μm2, while the synapse size increased 3.3‐fold. However, Bassoon puncta density and signal intensity were significantly attenuated at the NMJs of 27‐month‐old aged mice. These results suggest that synapses maintain the density of synaptic vesicle release sites while the synapse size changes, but this density becomes impaired during aging. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:434–452, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Atlas of Wnt and R‐spondin gene expression in the developing male mouse lower urogenital tract
Authors: Mehta Vatsal , Abler Lisa L. , Keil Kimberly P. , Schmitz Christopher T. , Joshi Pinak S. , Vezina Chad M. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractProstate development is influenced by β‐catenin signaling, but it is unclear which β‐catenin activators are involved, where they are synthesized, and whether their mRNA abundance is influenced by androgens. We identified WNT/β‐catenin‐responsive β‐galactosidase activity in the lower urogenital tract (LUT) of transgenic reporter mice, but β‐galactosidase activity differed among the four mouse strains we examined. We used in situ hybridization to compare patterns of Wnts, r‐spondins (Rspos, co‐activators of β‐catenin signaling), β‐catenin‐responsive mRNAs, and an androgen receptor‐responsive mRNA in wild type fetal male, fetal female, and neonatal male LUT. Most Wnt and Rspo mRNAs were present in LUT during prostate development. Sexually dimorphic expression patterns were observed for WNT/β‐catenin‐responsive genes, and for Wnt2b, Wnt4, Wnt7a, Wnt9b, Wnt10b, Wnt11, Wnt16, and Rspo3 mRNAs. These results reveal sexual differences in WNT/β‐catenin signaling in fetal LUT, supporting the idea that this pathway may be directly or indirectly responsive to androgens during prostate ductal development. Developmental Dynamics 240:2548–2560, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sensitive Detection of Capsaicin by Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry at a Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrode in the Presence of Sodium Dodecylsulfate
Authors: Yardım Yavuz 
Published: September 2011

AbstractIn the present paper, a sensitive electroanalytical methodology for the determination of capsaicin using adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) at a boron‐doped diamond (BDD) electrode is presented. The voltammetric results indicate that in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) the BDD electrode remarkably enhances the oxidation of capsaicin which leads to an improvement of the peak current with a shift of the peak potential to less negative values. A linear working range of 0.05 to 6.0 µg mL−1 (0.16–20 µM) with a detection limit of 0.012 µg mL−1 (0.034 µM) has been obtained using BDD electrode by AdSV.
Density Forecasting with Time‐Varying Higher Moments: A Model Confidence Set Approach
Authors: Wilhelmsson Anders 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTDensity forecasts contain a complete description of the uncertainty associated with a point forecast and are therefore important measures of financial risk. This paper aims to examine whether the new more complicated models for financial returns that allow for time variation in higher moments lead to better out‐of‐sample density forecasts. Using two decades of daily Standard & Poor's 500 index returns I find that a model with time‐varying conditional variance, skewness and kurtosis produces significantly better density forecasts than the competing models. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preferential networks of the mediodorsal nucleus and centromedian–parafascicular complex of the thalamus—A DTI tractography study
Authors: Eckert Ulf , Metzger Coraline D. , Buchmann Julia E. , Kaufmann Jörn , Osoba Annemarie , Li Meng , Safron Adam , Liao Wei , Steiner Johann , Bogerts Bernhard , Walter Martin 
Published: September 2011

AbstractDistinct thalamic nuclei, like the mediodorsal (MD) nucleus and the centromedian/parafascicular complex (CM/Pf), are embedded in different basal ganglia—thalamocortical loops, which were shown to integrate cognitive and emotional aspects of human behavior. Despite well described connections on a microscopic scale, derived from tracing studies in animals, little is known about the intrinsic anatomical connections of these nuclei in humans. This lack of knowledge limits not only interpretation of functional imaging studies but also estimation of direct effects of deep brain stimulation which treats diseases as different as epilepsy or major depression. Therefore, non‐invasive diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies are key to analyzing connectivity patterns and elaborate approaches to close this gap. For our study, we explored the structural connectivity of the MD thalamic nuclei and the CM/Pf complex towards five cortical and six subcortical regions by using a preferential fiber calculation. We found both thalamic nuclei to be preferentially associated to distinct networks: whereas the MD is preferentially connected to prefrontal and limbic cortical regions, the CM is linked to subcortical regions. The anterior insula was the only cortical region associated with the subcortical network of the CM and the cortical network of the MD comprised one subcortical hub, the caudate nucleus, suggesting an integrative role of these two regions. Adding to predescribed anatomical tract tracing connectivities in animal studies, our finding lends support to the existence of similar basal ganglia‐thalamocortical circuits in humans and we could show a robust distinction of preferential connectivity for both thalamic nuclei. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.