bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Visual performance and optical quality with soft lenses in keratoconus patients
Authors: Jinabhai Amit , Radhakrishnan Hema , Tromans Cindy , O’Donnell Clare 
Published: January 2012

Citation information: Jinabhai A, Radhakrishnan H, Tromans C & O’Donnell C. Visual performance and optical quality with soft lenses in keratoconus patients. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2012, 32, 100–116. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2011.00889.xAbstractPurpose:  To assess visual performance and ocular aberrations in keratoconic patients using toric soft contact lenses (SCL), rigid‐gas‐permeable (RGP) contact lenses and spectacle lens correction.Methods:  Twenty‐two keratoconus patients (16 RGP lens wearers and six spectacle wearers) were fitted with toric SCL. Ocular aberrations were measured with and without the patient’s habitual RGP lenses and with the SCL in place. In the spectacle wearers, aberrations were measured with and without the SCL. Visual performance (high‐ and low‐contrast visual acuity) was evaluated with the patient’s habitual correction and with the SCL.Results:  In the RGP lens wearers both the habitual lenses and the toric SCL significantly reduced coma, trefoil, 3rd‐order, 4th‐order cylinder and higher‐order root‐mean‐square (RMS) aberrations (p ≤ 0.015). In the spectacle wearers the toric SCL significantly reduced coma, 3rd‐order and higher‐order RMS aberrations (p ≤ 0.01). The patients’ habitual RGP lenses gave better low‐contrast acuity (p ≤ 0.006) compared to the toric SCL; however, no significant difference was found between lens types for high‐contrast acuity (p = 0.10). In the spectacle wearers no significant differences in visual performance measurements were found between the patients’ spectacles and the toric SCL (p ≥ 0.06).Conclusion:  The results show that RGP lenses provided superior visual performances and greater reduction of 3rd‐order aberrations compared to toric SCL in this group of keratoconic patients. In the spectacle‐wearing group, visual performance with the toric SCL was found to be comparable to that measured with spectacles. Nevertheless, with the exception of spherical aberration, the toric SCL were successful in significantly reducing uncorrected higher‐order aberrations.
Inhibition of Apoptosis Protects Mice from Ethanol‐Mediated Acceleration of Early Markers of CCl4‐Induced Fibrosis but not Steatosis or Inflammation
Authors: Roychowdhury Sanjoy , Chiang Dian J. , Mandal Palash , McMullen Megan R. , Liu Xiuli , Cohen Jessica I. , Pollard John , Feldstein Ariel E. , Nagy Laura E. 
Published: January 2012

Background:Correlative evidence indicates that apoptosis is associated with the progression of alcoholic liver disease. If apoptosis contributes to ethanol (EtOH)‐induced steatohepatitis and/or fibrosis, then mice deficient in Bid, a key pro‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 family member, or mice treated with a pan‐caspase inhibitor (VX166) should be resistant to EtOH‐induced liver injury.Methods:This hypothesis was tested in mice using a model of chronic, heavy EtOH‐induced liver injury, as well as in a model in which moderate EtOH feeding accelerated the appearance of early markers of hepatic fibrosis in response to acute carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) exposure.Results:Chronic EtOH feeding to mice increased TUNEL‐ and cytokeratin‐18‐positive cells in the liver, as well as the expression of receptor‐interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3), a marker of necroptosis. In this model, Bid−/− mice or wild‐type mice treated with VX166 were protected from EtOH‐induced apoptosis, but not EtOH‐induced RIP3 expression. Bid deficiency or inhibition of caspase activity did not protect mice from EtOH‐induced increases in plasma alanine and aspartate amino transferase activity, steatosis, or mRNA expression of some inflammatory cytokines. Moderate EtOH feeding to mice enhanced the response of mice to acute CCl4 exposure, resulting in increased expression of α‐smooth muscle actin and accumulation of extracellular matrix protein. VX166‐treatment attenuated EtOH‐mediated acceleration of these early indicators of CCl4‐induced hepatic fibrosis, decreasing the expression of α‐smooth muscle actin, and the accumulation of extracellular matrix protein.Conclusions:EtOH‐induced apoptosis of hepatocytes was mediated by Bid. Apoptosis played a critical role in the accelerating the appearance of early markers of CCl4‐induced fibrosis by moderate EtOH but did not contribute to EtOH‐induced hepatocyte injury, steatosis, or expression of mRNA for some inflammatory cytokines.
Imaging Spectrum of Pediatric Corpus Callosal Pathology: A Pictorial Review
Authors: Hyun Yoo Jeong , Hunter Jill 
Published: January 2012

ABSTRACTA wide spectrum of pediatric corpus callosal diseases can occur in the pediatric age group. Cross‐sectional magnetic resonance imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis of these patients. We reviewed our imaging record and collected cases of corpus callosal pathology. The purpose of this review is to illustrate the imaging features of various corpus callosal lesions encountered in children.
Use of spinosad and predatory mites for the management of Frankliniella occidentalis in low tunnel‐grown strawberry
Authors: Rahman Touhidur , Spafford Helen , Broughton Sonya 
Published: January 2012

AbstractFrankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a major pest of strawberry. The efficacy of three species of predatory mites, Typhlodromips montdorensis (Schicha), Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) (both: Acari: Phytoseiidae), and Hypoaspis miles (Berlese) (Acari: Laelapidae), and their compatibility with spinosad for the control of this thrips was evaluated in commercial strawberry in spring. Low tunnel‐grown strawberry was treated with ‘water then mites’, ‘spinosad then mites’, or ‘mites then spinosad’. Predatory mites were released as single‐, two‐ and three‐species combinations. Overall, spinosad‐treated plants had fewer thrips than water‐treated plants (control). In all treatment regimes, each species of predatory mite reduced the number of thrips relative to those plants that received no mites. Predatory mites were most effective in reducing thrips when released after spinosad was applied. Any multiple‐species combination of predatory mites reduced thrips numbers more than single‐species releases. The two‐species combination of T. montdorensis (foliage inhabiting) and H. miles (soil dwelling) was the most effective in suppressing thrips. The next most effective combination was a three‐species release. Of multiple‐species combinations, the two‐species combination of T. montdorensis and N. cucumeris was the least effective in suppressing thrips numbers. The spinosad and mites only temporarily reduced the numbers of F. occidentalis. This suggests that further application of predatory mites, spinosad, or both is required to maintain F. occidentalis populations below an economically damaging level.
Diagnosis and treatment of rectovaginal endometriosis: an overview
Authors: KRUSE CHRISTINA , SEYER‐HANSEN MIKKEL , FORMAN AXEL 
Published: January 2012

Abstract Rectovaginal endometriosis can be a cause of severe pain, dyspareunia and intestinal problems. A thorough examination is needed and should include diagnostic imaging, such as transvaginal or transrectal ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging. Medical therapies, such as oral contraceptives, progestins and levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine devices, all seem to reduce pain and should always be considered. Surgical treatment is challenging and implies a risk of severe complications. It is preferable to treat endometriotic lesions with superficial infiltration into the rectal wall by local laparoscopic excision, while segmental rectal resection is needed in the case of severe intestinal infiltration. This review describes available diagnostic tools, the possibilities for medical treatment and the alternative surgical approaches.
FOBT Completion in FQHCs: Impact of Physician Recommendation, FOBT Information, or Receipt of the FOBT Kit
Authors: Davis Terry C. , Arnold Connie L. , Rademaker Alfred W. , Platt Daci J. , Esparza Julia , Liu Dachao , Wolf Michael S. 
Published: January 2012

AbstractPurpose: To determine the effect of common components of primary care‐based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening interventions on fecal occult blood test (FOBT) completion within rural and urban community clinics, including: (1) physician's spoken recommendation, (2) providing information or education about FOBTs, and (3) physician providing the FOBT kit; to determine the relative effect of these interventions; and to compare the effect of each intervention between rural and urban clinics.Methods: We conducted structured interviews with patients aged 50 years and over receiving care at community clinics that were noncompliant with CRC screening. Self‐report of ever receiving a physician's recommendation for screening, FOBT information or education, physician providing an FOBT kit, and FOBT completion were collected.Findings: Participants included 849 screening‐eligible adults; 77% were female and 68% were African American. The median age was 57; 33% lacked a high school diploma and 51% had low literacy. In multivariable analysis, all services were predictive of rural participants completing screening (physician recommendation: P= .002; FOBT education: P= .001; physician giving FOBT kit: P < .0001). In urban clinics, only physician giving the kit predicted FOBT completion (P < .0001). Compared to urban patients, rural patients showed a stronger relationship between FOBT completion and receiving a physician recommendation (risk ratio [RR]: 5.3 vs 2.1; P= .0001), receiving information or education on FOBTs (RR: 3.8 vs 1.9; P= .0002), or receiving an FOBT kit from their physician (RR: 22.3 vs 10.1; P= .035).Conclusions: Participants who receive an FOBT kit from their physician are more likely to complete screening.
Birds in space and time: genetic changes accompanying anthropogenic habitat fragmentation in the endangered black‐capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla)
Authors: Athrey Giridhar , Barr Kelly R. , Lance Richard F. , Leberg Paul L. 
Published: January 2012

AbstractAnthropogenic alterations in the natural environment can be a potent evolutionary force. For species that have specific habitat requirements, habitat loss can result in substantial genetic effects, potentially impeding future adaptability and evolution. The endangered black‐capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla) suffered a substantial contraction of breeding habitat and population size during much of the 20th century. In a previous study, we reported significant differentiation between remnant populations, but failed to recover a strong genetic signal of bottlenecks. In this study, we used a combination of historical and contemporary sampling from Oklahoma and Texas to (i) determine whether population structure and genetic diversity have changed over time and (ii) evaluate alternate demographic hypotheses using approximate Bayesian computation (ABC). We found lower genetic diversity and increased differentiation in contemporary samples compared to historical samples, indicating nontrivial impacts of fragmentation. ABC analysis suggests a bottleneck having occurred in the early part of the 20th century, resulting in a magnitude decline in effective population size. Genetic monitoring with temporally spaced samples, such as used in this study, can be highly informative for assessing the genetic impacts of anthropogenic fragmentation on threatened or endangered species, as well as revealing the dynamics of small populations over time.
Renal Amyloidosis in Dogs: A Retrospective Study of 91 Cases with Comparison of the Disease betweenShar‐Pei and Non‐Shar‐Pei Dogs
Authors: Segev G. , Cowgill L. D. , Jessen S. , Berkowitz A. , Mohr C.F. , Aroch I. 
Published: January 2012

BackgroundRenal amyloidosis (RA) is a progressive and fatal renal disease.HypothesisClinical and pathologic manifestations ofRAdiffer betweenChineseShar‐Pei (CSPs) and non‐Shar‐Pei (NSPs) dogs.Animals91 client‐owned dogs.MethodsRetrospective review of medical records of dogs with a histological diagnosis ofRA. Clinical and clinicopathologic data, hospitalization, complications, and outcome were compared betweenCSPs andNSPs.ResultsComorbid diseases were present in 64% of all dogs.CSPs were significantly younger compared toNSPs (median, 4.8 years; range: 3.6–17 versus median: 9.0 years; range: 2.4–11.1;P < .0001). The frequency of hypoalbuminemia, the most common biochemical abnormality, was higher inNSPs compared to CSPs (100% versus 64.7%, respectively;P < .001). Median serum creatinine concentration at presentation was 5.5 mg/dL, and was 3‐fold higher inCSPs compared toNSPs (P = .005). Increased urine protein : creatinine ratio was present in 96% of all dogs. Nephrotic syndrome was present in 10% ofNSPs but not inCSPs. Glomerular amyloid deposition, present in bothCSPs (78.6%) andNSPs (95.6%) was most commonly diffuse, global, and severe. Renal medullar amyloidosis was more common inCSPs (100%) compared to NSPs (49.0%,P = .002), as was extrarenal amyloid deposition. The median survival time of all dogs was 5 days (range: 0–443 days). Serum creatinine concentration was significantly and negatively associated with survival (P = .025).Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceThe clinical and pathologic manifestations of amyloidosis differ betweenCSPs andNSPs. The survival time observed herein was unexpectedly low, and argues for early surveillance and management of the underlying predisposing conditions.
Comparison ofIVandIMFormulations of SyntheticACTHforACTHStimulation Tests in Healthy Dogs
Authors: Cohen T.A. , Feldman E.C. 
Published: January 2012

BackgroundTwo commercially available forms of syntheticACTHare used to diagnose and monitor hyper‐ and hypoadrenocorticism in dogs.ObjectiveTo compare the biologic activity of the liquid and lyophilized forms of cosyntropin.AnimalsEighteen privately owned healthy dogs were included.MethodsDogs were assigned to one of 2 groups of 9 dogs each. Group 1 dogs were tested with the lyophilized product first and the liquid solution 30–60 days later. The Group 2 dogs were tested with the liquid solution first and the lyophilized drug 30–60 days later. For theACTHstimulation tests, serum samples were collected before and 1 hour afterIMadministration of 0.25 mg reconstituted lyophilized product or 1 hour afterIVadministration of 0.25 mg of liquid solution. Cortisol concentrations of all serum samples were measured by use of a commercial cortisol radioimmunoassay.ResultsSerum cortisol concentrations before and afterACTHstimulation did not differ significantly between groups (P = .57). In addition, no individual dog had as much as a 20% difference in serum cortisol concentrations after administration of eitherACTHformulation.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceGiven the lack of significant differences of theACTHstimulation test results, the lyophilized and liquid solution products can be used interchangeably.
The role of movement exaggeration in the anticipation of deceptive soccer penalty kicks
Authors: Smeeton N.J. , Williams A.M. 
Published: January 2012

Human movement containing deception about the true outcome is thought to be perceived differently compared to the non‐deceptive version. Exaggeration in the movement is thought to change the perceiver's mode of functioning from an invariant to a cue‐based mode. We tested these ideas by examining anticipation in skilled and less skilled soccer players while they viewed temporally occluded (−240 ms, −160 ms, −80 ms, 0 ms, +80 ms) deceptive, non‐deceptive, and non‐deceptive‐exaggerated penalty kicks. Kinematic analyses were used to ascertain that the kicking actions differed across conditions. The accuracy of judging the direction of an opponent's kick as well as response confidence were recorded. Players were over confident when anticipating deceptive penalty kicks compared to non‐deceptive kicks, suggesting a cue‐based mode was used. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between less skilled players’ confidence ratings and their accuracy 80 ms before ball‐foot contact in the deceptive and non‐deceptive‐exaggerated conditions, but not the non‐deceptive condition. Because both deceptive and non‐deceptive‐exaggerated kicks contained exaggeration, results suggest exaggerated movements in the kickers’ action at 80 ms before ball‐foot contact explains why a cue‐based mode prevails when anticipating deceptive kicks at this time point.
A non-solvable extension of ℚ unramified outside 7
Authors: Dieulefait Luis V. 
Published: January 2012

AbstractWe consider a mod 7 Galois representation attached to a genus 2 Siegel cusp form of level 1 and weight 28 and using some of its Fourier coefficients and eigenvalues computed by N. Skoruppa and the classification of maximal subgroups of PGSp(4,p) we show that its image is as large as possible. This gives a realization of PGSp(4,7) as a Galois group over ℚ and the corresponding number field provides a non-solvable extension of ℚ which ramifies only at 7.
Role of nitric oxide and prostanoids in the regulation of leg blood flow and blood pressure in humans with essential hypertension: effect of high‐intensity aerobic training
Authors: Nyberg Michael , Jensen Lasse G. , Thaning Pia , Hellsten Ylva , Mortensen Stefan P. 
Published: January 2012

Key points
Nitric oxide and prostanoids are substances that dilate the blood vessels. We examined the role of these vasodilators in the regulation of blood flow to contracting muscle and systemic blood pressure before and after a training intervention in subjects with essential hypertension and in healthy controls.
We show that blood flow to the exercising leg is lower in essential hypertension.
Surprisingly, this effect on blood flow is not the result of a reduced capacity of the nitric oxide and prostanoid systems to dilate the blood vessels; however, these systems do appear to play a role in the training induced reduction in blood pressure.
These findings advance our understanding of vascular dysfunction associated with essential hypertension and the mechanisms underlying the blood pressure reducing effect of exercise.
Significant Reduction of Brain Cysts Caused by Toxoplasma gondii after Treatment with Spiramycin Coadministered with Metronidazole in a Mouse Model of Chronic Toxoplasmosis
Authors: Chew Wai Kit , Segarra Ignacio , Ambu Stephen , Mak Joon Wah 
Published: January 2012

ABSTRACT

Toxoplasma gondii
is a parasite that generates latent cysts in the brain; reactivation of these cysts may lead to fatal toxoplasmic encephalitis, for which treatment remains unsuccessful. We assessed spiramycin pharmacokinetics coadministered with metronidazole, the eradication of brain cysts and the
in vitro
reactivation. Male BALB/c mice were fed 1,000 tachyzoites orally to develop chronic toxoplasmosis. Four weeks later, infected mice underwent different treatments: (i) infected untreated mice (
n
= 9), which received vehicle only; (ii) a spiramycin-only group (
n
= 9), 400 mg/kg daily for 7 days; (iii) a metronidazole-only group (
n
= 9), 500 mg/kg daily for 7 days; and (iv) a combination group (
n
= 9), which received both spiramycin (400 mg/kg) and metronidazole (500 mg/kg) daily for 7 days. An uninfected control group (
n
= 10) was administered vehicle only. After treatment, the brain cysts were counted, brain homogenates were cultured in confluent Vero cells, and cysts and tachyzoites were counted after 1 week. Separately, pharmacokinetic profiles (plasma and brain) were assessed after a single dose of spiramycin (400 mg/kg), metronidazole (500 mg/kg), or both. Metronidazole treatment increased the brain spiramycin area under the concentration-time curve from 0 h to ∞ (AUC
0–∞
) by 67% without affecting its plasma disposition. Metronidazole plasma and brain AUC
0–∞
values were reduced 9 and 62%, respectively, after spiramycin coadministration. Enhanced spiramycin brain exposure after coadministration reduced brain cysts 15-fold (79 ± 23 for the combination treatment versus 1,198 ± 153 for the untreated control group [
P
< 0.05]) and 10-fold versus the spiramycin-only group (768 ± 125). Metronidazole alone showed no effect (1,028 ± 149). Tachyzoites were absent in the brain. Spiramycin reduced
in vitro
reactivation. Metronidazole increased spiramycin brain penetration, causing a significant reduction of
T. gondii
brain cysts, with potential clinical translatability for chronic toxoplasmosis treatment.
Exploring the limits of GPGPU scheduling in control flow bound applications
Authors: Malits Roman , Bolotin Evgeny , Kolodny Avinoam , Mendelson Avi 
Published: January 2012

GPGPUs are optimized for graphics, for that reason the hardware is optimized for massively data parallel applications characterized by predictable memory access patterns and little control flow. For such applications' e.g., matrix multiplication, GPGPU based system can achieve very high performance. However, many general purpose data parallel applications are characterized as having intensive control flow and unpredictable memory access patterns.
Optimizing the code in such problems for current hardware is often ineffective and even impractical since it exhibits low hardware utilization leading to relatively low performance.
This work tracks the root causes of execution inefficacies when running control flow intensive CUDA applications on NVIDIA GPGPU hardware.
We show both analytically and by simulations of various benchmarks that local thread scheduling has inherent limitations when dealing with applications that have high rate of branch divergence. To overcome those limitations we propose to use hierarchical warp scheduling and global warps reconstruction. We implement an ideal hierarchical warp scheduling mechanism we term ODGS (Oracle Dynamic Global Scheduling) designed to maximize machine utilization via global warp reconstruction. We show that in control flow bound applications that make no use of shared memory (1) there is still a substantial potential for performance improvement (2) we demonstrate, based on various synthetic and real benchmarks the feasible performance improvement.
For example, MUM and BFS are parallel graph algorithms suffering from significant branch divergence. We show that in those algorithms it's possible to achieve performance gain of up to x4.4 and x2.6 relative to previously applied scheduling methods.