bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Perioperative outcomes and complications associated with allogeneic duraplasty for the management of Chiari malformations Type I in 48 pediatric patients
Authors: Foreman Paul , Safavi-Abbasi Sam , Talley Melanie C. , Boeckman Lindsay , Mapstone Timothy B. 
Published: June 2012

Object
The authors debate the optimal management for Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) while sharing their experience with posterior fossa decompression and duraplasty (PFDD).

Methods
The charts of 48 consecutive pediatric patients surgically treated for CM-I were retrospectively reviewed.

Results
Patients ranged in age from 2 to 17 years with an average age of 9.8 years. The most common presentations were headache, affecting 34 patients (71%), and pain (neck, back, or extremities), affecting 21 patients (44%). Twenty-seven patients (56%) had a syrinx. All 48 patients underwent PFDD utilizing acellular tissue matrix. The average hospital stay overall was 3.56 days, whereas the average stay for patients with (29 [60%] of 48) or without (19 [40%] of 48) scoliosis and/or syringomyelia was 3.72 and 3.32 days, respectively. The odds of a patient having a hospital stay of 4 or more days was nearly 3 times greater in patients with scoliosis and/or syringomyelia as compared with patients without either condition (OR 2.73, 95% CI 0.74–10.11, p = 0.1330). The average hospital stay for patients 0–8 years of age was 3.29 days; and for those 9–17 years of age, 3.78 days. The odds of a patient having a hospital stay of 4 or more days was nearly 4 times greater in 9- to 17-year-olds as compared with 0- to 8-year-olds (OR 3.73, 95% CI 1.03–13.52, p = 0.0455). Forty patients (89%) experienced early improvement in their signs and symptoms following PFDD. There were 2 revision PFDDs (4%).

Conclusions
Posterior fossa decompression and duraplasty is a safe and effective surgical option in the management of pediatric CM-I.
Motor nerve injuries following the minimally invasive lateral transpsoas approach
Authors: Cahill Kevin S. , Martinez Joseph L. , Wang Michael Y. , Vanni Steven , Levi Allan D. 
Published: June 2012

Object
The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of motor nerve injuries during the minimally invasive lateral interbody fusion procedure at a single academic medical center.

Methods
A retrospective chart review of 118 patients who had undergone lateral interbody fusion was performed. Both inpatient and outpatient records were examined to identify any new postoperative motor weakness in the lower extremities and abdominal wall musculature that was attributable to the operative procedure.

Results
In the period from 2007 to 2011 the lateral interbody fusion procedure was attempted on 201 lumbar intervertebral disc levels. No femoral nerve injuries occurred at any disc level other than the L4–5 disc space. Among procedures involving the L4–5 level there were 2 femoral nerve injuries, corresponding to a 4.8% injury risk at this level as compared with a 0% injury risk at other lumbar spine levels. Five patients (4.2%) had postoperative abdominal flank bulge attributable to injury to the abdominal wall motor innervation.

Conclusions
The overall incidence of femoral nerve injury after the lateral transpsoas approach was 1.7%; however, the level-specific incidence was 4.8% for procedures performed at the L4–5 disc space. Approximately 4% of patients had postoperative abdominal flank bulge. Surgeons will be able to minimize these motor nerve injuries through judicious use of the procedure at the L4–5 level and careful attention to the T-11 and T-12 motor nerves during exposure and closure of the abdominal wall.
Using a SWOT Analysis to Inform Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Strategies for a Remote First Nations Community in Canada
Authors: Skinner Kelly , Hanning Rhona M. , Sutherland Celine , Edwards-Wheesk Ruby , Tsuji Leonard J. S. 
Published: June 2012

Purpose. To plan community-driven health promotion strategies based on a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of the healthy eating and physical activity patterns of First Nation (FN) youth. Design. Cross-sectional qualitative and quantitative data used to develop SWOT themes and strategies. Setting. Remote, subarctic FN community of Fort Albany, Ontario, Canada. Subjects. Adult (n = 25) and youth (n = 66, grades 6–11) community members. Measures. Qualitative data were collected using five focus groups with adults (two focus groups) and youth (three focus groups), seven individual interviews with adults, and an environmental scan of 13 direct observations of events/locations (e.g., the grocery store). Quantitative data on food/physical activity behaviors were collected using a validated Web-based survey with youth. Analysis. Themes were identified from qualitative and quantitative data and were analyzed and interpreted within a SWOT matrix. Results. Thirty-two SWOT themes were identified (e.g., accessibility of existing facilities, such as the gymnasium). The SWOT analysis showed how these themes could be combined and transformed into 12 strategies (e.g., expanding and enhancing the school snack/breakfast program) while integrating suggestions from the community. Conclusion. SWOT analysis was a beneficial tool that facilitated the combination of local data and community ideas in the development of targeted health promotion strategies for the FN community of Fort Albany.
A Prospective Examination of the Relationship between Physical Activity and Dementia Risk in Later Life
Authors: Bowen Mary Elizabeth 
Published: June 2012

Purpose. To examine the relationship between vigorous physical activity and dementia risk. Design. Prospective study design utilizing physical activity data from the Health and Retirement Study and cognitive outcome data from the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study. Setting. Community-based. Subjects. Adults age 71 and over (N = 808) with 3 to 7 years of physical activity information prior to dementia/no dementia diagnosis. Measures. Physical activity was measured by participation in vigorous activities such as aerobics, sports, running, bicycling, and heavy housework three or more times per week (yes/no). Dementia diagnosis was based on an expert panel (e.g., neuropsychologists, neurologists, geropsychiatrists) who performed and reviewed a battery of neuropsychological tests. Analysis. Binary logistic regression models were used to account for demographic characteristics, genetic risk factors (one or two apolipoprotein E ε4 alleles), health behaviors (e.g., smoking, drinking alcohol), health indicators (body mass index), and health conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart disease) in a sequential model-building process. Results. The relationship between vigorous physical activity and dementia risk remained robust across models. In the final model, older adults who were physically active were 21% (p ≤ .05) less likely than their counterparts to be diagnosed with dementia. Conclusion. Vigorous physical activity may reduce the risk for dementia independently of the factors examined here. This study's findings are important given that few preventative strategies for dementia have been explored beyond hormonal therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Approaches to Studying Arf GAPs in Cells: In Vitro Assay with Isolated Focal Adhesions
Authors: Chen Pei‐Wen , Jian Xiaoying , Luo Ruibai , Randazzo Paul A. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe Arf GAPs are a family of proteins with a common catalytic function of hydrolyzing GTP bound to ADP‐ribosylation factors (Arf) with proposed cellular functions that are diverse (Inoue and Randazzo, 2007; Kahn et al., 2008). Understanding the biochemistry of the Arf GAPs is valuable for designing and interpreting experiments using standard cell biology techniques described elsewhere. The following briefly reviews some common approaches for in vivo studies of Arf GAPs and discusses the use of isolated cellular organelles to complement in vivo experiments. Detailed protocols for examining the activity of Arf GAPs in whole cell lysates and in association with isolated focal adhesions are provided. Curr. Protoc. Cell Biol. 55:17.13.1‐17.13.20. © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cardiac Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells and their Assembly into Engineered Heart Muscle
Authors: Soong Poh Loong , Tiburcy Malte , Zimmermann Wolfram‐Hubertus 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe advent of pluripotent human embryonic stem cells has created the unique opportunity for the development of a wide variety of humanized cellular tools for basic research, as well as industrial and clinical applications. It has, however, become apparent that embryonic stem cell derivatives in classical monolayer or embryoid body culture do not resemble bona fide tissues, mainly because of their limited organotypic organization and maturation in these culture formats. This shortcoming may be addressed by tissue engineering technologies aiming at the provision of a “natural” growth environment to facilitate organotypic tissue assembly. In this unit, we provide two harmonized basic protocols for (1) cardiac differentiation of human embryonic stem cells under serum‐free conditions and (2) the assembly of the stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes into engineered heart muscle. This protocol can be easily adapted to bioengineer heart muscle also from other stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes, including cardiomyocytes from human‐induced pluripotent stem cells. Curr. Protoc. Cell Biol. 55:23.8.1‐23.8.21. © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A Constrained Model for MSMA
Authors: Capella Antonio , Müller Stefan , Otto Felix 
Published: June 2012

AbstractA mathematical description of transformation processes in magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMA) under applied stresses and external magnetic fields needs a combination of micromagnetics and continuum elasticity theory. In this note, we discuss the so‐called constrained theories, i.e., models where the state described by the pair (linear strain, magnetization) is at every point of the sample constrained to assume one of only finitely many values (that reflect the material symmetries). Furthermore, we focus on large body limits, i.e., models that are formulated in terms of (local) averages of a microstructured state, as the one proposed by DeSimone and James. We argue that the effect of an interfacial energy associated with the twin boundaries survives on the level of the large body limit in form of a (local) rigidity of twins. This leads to an alternative (i.e., with respect to reference1) large body limit. The new model has the advantage of qualitatively explaining the occurrence of a microstructure with charged magnetic walls, as observed in SPP experiments in reference2.
Dynamic Processes in Sandwich Polymer Light‐Emitting Electrochemical Cells
Authors: van Reenen Stephan , Janssen René A. J. , Kemerink Martijn 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe operational mechanism of polymer light‐emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) in sandwich geometry is studied by admittance spectroscopy in combination with numerical modeling. At bias voltages below the bandgap of the semiconducting polymer, this allows the determination of the dielectric constant of the active layer, the conductivity of mobile ions, and the thickness of the electric double layers. At bias voltages above the bandgap, p–n junction formation gives rise to an increase in capacitance at intermediate frequencies (≈10 kHz). The time and voltage dependence of this junction are successfully studied and modeled. It is shown that impedance measurements cannot be used to determine the junction width. Instead, the capacitance at intermediate biases corresponds to a low‐conductivity region that can be significantly wider than the recombination zone. Finally, the long settling time of sandwich polymer LECs is shown to be due to a slow process of dissociation of salt molecules that continues after the light‐emitting p–n junction has formed. This implies that in order to significantly decrease the response‐time of LECs an electrolyte/salt combination with a minimal ion binding energy must be used.
Elaborately Aligning Bead‐Shaped Nanowire Arrays Generated by a Superhydrophobic Micropillar Guiding Strategy
Authors: Wu Yuchen , Chen Xiao , Su Bin , Song Yanlin , Jiang Lei 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBead‐shaped 1D structures are of great interest due to their unique applications in mesoscopic optics/electronics and their specific ability to collect tiny droplets. Here, a novel method to fabricate aligning bead‐shaped nanowire arrays assisted by highly adhesive superhydrophobic surfaces based on a micropillar guiding strategy is presented. Different from previous fabrication techniques, bead‐shaped nanowires generated in this method are strictly oriented in a large scale. Rayleigh instability, which occurs at ultralow polymer concentration, can introduce bead‐shaped nanowires at the cost of structural strength. Thus, PS spheres are more suitable to serve as bead building blocks to generate firm bead‐shaped nanowire arrays. The bead number is tunable by tailoring the polystyrene‐sphere/polyvinyl‐formal ratio. Furthermore, as‐prepared bead‐shaped nanowires have the unique ability to directionally drive tiny drops and collect coalesced microdroplets when placed in mist. With an increase in humidity, the nanowires show a segmented swelling behavior in the “bead” parts whereas the “joint nanowire” parts remain the same. Because such bead‐shaped nanowires are formed regularly, collected microdroplets upon the beads would not interact with each other. The findings offer new insight into the alignment of bead‐shaped nanostructures and might provide promising opportunities in fundamental research and for industrial applications.
Enhancement of Proton Conduction at Low Humidity by Incorporating Imidazole Microcapsules into Polymer Electrolyte Membranes
Authors: Wang Jingtao , Yue Xiujun , Zhang Zizhuo , Yang Zheng , Li Yifan , Zhang Han , Yang Xinlin , Wu Hong , Jiang Zhongyi 
Published: June 2012

AbstractDesign and fabrication of hierarchically structured membranes with high proton conductivity is crucial to many energy‐relevant applications including proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Here, a series of imidazole microcapsules (IMCs) with tunable imidazole group loading, shell thickness, and lumen size are synthesized and incorporated into a sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) matrix to prepare composite membranes. The IMCs play two roles: i) Improving water retention properties of the membrane. The IMCs, similar to the vacuoles in plant cells, can render membrane a stable water environment. The lumen of the IMCs acts as a water reservoir and the shell of IMCs can manipulate water release. ii) They form anhydrous proton transfer pathways and low energy barrier pathways for proton hopping, imparting an enhanced proton transfer via either a vehicle mechanism or Grotthuss mechanism. In particular, at the relative humidity (RH) as low as 20%, the composite membrane exhibits an ultralow proton conductivity decline and the proton conductivity is one to two orders of magnitude higher than that of SPEEK control membrane. The enhanced proton conductivity affords the composite membrane an elevated peak power density from 69.5 to 104.5 mW cm−2 in a single cell. Moreover, the application potential of the composite membrane for CO2 capture is explored.
Magnetic resonance imaging pattern in natalizumab‐associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
Authors: Yousry Tarek A. , Pelletier Daniel , Cadavid Diego , Gass Achim , Richert Nancy D. , Radue Ernst‐Wilhelm , Filippi Massimo 
Published: June 2012

AbstractObjective:Natalizumab is an effective treatment for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) that is associated with a risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Recommendations were published in 2006 to improve early diagnosis of PML using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, due to the small number of MS patients initially diagnosed with PML, the imaging criteria could only be derived from PML lesions in patients with human immunodeficiency virus. Therefore, there is an urgent need to assess the MRI characteristics of PML in MS patients to update the existing recommendations.Methods:In this retrospective review, the first 40 natalizumab‐treated MS patients diagnosed with PML in the postmarketing setting were identified, of whom 22 (10 with clinically diagnosed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome) fulfilled the inclusion criteria for this study. Magnetic resonance images were analyzed according to predefined criteria by 5 independent readers.Results:The most frequent lesion pattern in early scans from PML patients was that of large (>3 cm, 15 of 18), subcortical (18 of 18), T2 or fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery hyperintense (18 of 18), T1‐hypointense (17 of 18), and diffusion‐hyperintense (15 of 15) lesions, with a sharp border toward the gray matter and an ill‐defined border toward the white matter (18 of 18) on T2‐weighted images. We could detect contrast enhancement in 41% (7 of 17) of the cases on the first scan at clinical presentation.Interpretation:Attention to characteristic MRI patterns, especially the presence of contrast enhancement, and the subcortical location may have utility in screening and early diagnosis of PML in natalizumab‐treated MS patients. ANN NEUROL 2012;72:779–787
Hemorrhagic transformation of ischemic stroke in diabetics on sulfonylureas
Authors: Kunte Hagen , Busch Markus A. , Trostdorf Katrin , Vollnberg Bernd , Harms Lutz , Mehta Rupal I. , Castellani Rudolf J. , Mandava Pitchaiah , Kent Thomas A. , Simard J. Marc 
Published: June 2012

AbstractObjective:Disability or death occurs more frequently in patients with hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after ischemic stroke. In rat models of stroke, sulfonylurea (SU) drugs such as glibenclamide (adopted US name, glyburide) confer protection against swelling and HT through actions on the novel SUR1‐regulated NCCa‐ATP channel. Here, we sought to determine whether the use of SU drugs in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) presenting with acute ischemic stroke might influence the incidence of HT.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed data on 220 patients with DM who presented with acute ischemic stroke, 43 of whom were managed with and continued to receive SU drugs, and 177 of whom were managed without (controls).Results:During a median length of stay in hospital of 11 days, 20 control patients (11%) experienced symptomatic HT (sHT), whereas no patient in the SU group experienced sHT (p = 0.016). No patient in the SU group died, compared to 18 (10%) in the control group (p = 0.027). Similarly favorable outcomes were observed after matching for baseline imbalances and excluding outliers. In support of the proposed mechanism, we present a case of sHT in which an analysis of brain tissues obtained intraoperatively showed prominent upregulation of SUR1, the target of SU drugs, in microvessels and neurons.Interpretation:We conclude that, in diabetic patients with acute ischemic stroke, prior and continued use of SU drugs is associated with reduced sHT compared to those whose treatment regimen does not include SU drugs. ANN NEUROL 2012;72:799–806
Crosslinking reaction and properties of two‐component waterborne polyurethane from terpene‐maleic ester type epoxy resin
Authors: Wu Guo‐min , Kong Zhen‐wu , Chen Cai‐feng , Chen Jian , Huo Shu‐ping , Jiang Jian‐chun 
Published: June 2012

AbstractA two‐component waterborne polyurethane (2K‐WPU) is prepared with the terpene‐maleic ester type epoxy resin‐based polyol dispersion and a hydrophilically modified hexamethylene diisocyanate tripolymer. Laser particle size analyzer and transmission electron microscopy are used to characterize the particle size distribution and the micromorphology of the 2K‐WPU. Crosslinking reaction kinetics of the 2K‐WPU is examined by fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) spectra. In the preliminary stage of the crosslinking reaction, it shows a very good fit with a second order reaction kinetics, and the apparent activation energy is 94.61 kJ mol−1. It is also shown from the FTIR spectra that the complete crosslinking reaction of the 2K‐WPU needs 7 h at 70°C. The crosslinked products of the 2K‐WPU have good thermal resistant properties, with glass‐transition temperatures (Tg) in the range of 35–40°C and 10% weight loss temperatures (Td) in the range of 275–287°C. The films obtained from the crosslinked products have good water‐resistance, antifouling, blocking resistance properties and impact strength of >50 cm, flexibility of 0.5 mm, adhesion of 1 grade, pencil hardness of HB‐2H. The pencil hardness and thermal‐resistant properties of the crosslinked products increase with the molar ratio of isocyanate (NCO) group to hydroxyl (OH) group. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Layer‐by‐layer structured gelatin nanofiber membranes with photoinduced antibacterial functions
Authors: Lu Ang , Ma Zhaocheng , Zhuo Jingyuan , Sun Gang , Zhang Guodong 
Published: June 2012

AbstractGelatin (GE) nanofiber suspensions prepared by the extrusion of an immiscible polymer solution blend were cast into nanofibrous membranes. An organic chemical capable of generating radicals under photoexposure, anthraquinone‐2,6‐disulfonic acid (AQS), was assembled layer by layer (LBL) onto the gelatin nanofiber membranes. The composite gelatin nanofibrous membranes assembled with AQS demonstrated excellent photoinduced antibacterial properties by killing bacteria. Scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated that the composite nanofibrous membranes maintained a well‐defined nanofiber morphology and large specific surface area after LBL assembly. Moreover, the nanofiber morphology and nanofibrous structure of the composite nanofibrous membranes were completely reserved after photoexposure. An analysis of the cell indicated that the composite gelatin nanofibrous membranes assembled with AQS exhibited the same biocompatibility as the original gelatin nanofibers. These results demonstrate that AQS LBL‐assembled gelatin nanofibrous membranes could be a potential candidate for wound dressing applications. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
The effect of microwave irradiation on poly(vinyl alcohol) dissolved in ethylene glycol
Authors: Bernal Andres , Kuritka Ivo , Kasparkova Vera , Saha Petr 
Published: June 2012

AbstractPoly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) dissolved in ethylene glycol is subjected to microwave (MW) irradiation for 1 h to determine possible degradation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results show that MW treatment produces a minor effect on the solutions. Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy suggests that PVA could undergoes loss of hydroxyl groups followed by formation of unsaturated conjugated bonds although the extent of degradation is limited, whereas size exclusion chromatography indicates that MW irradiation do not cause significant changes in PVA molar mass and neither chain cleavage nor crosslinking reactions are observed. Hence, polymer degradation induced by MWs in solution can be considered as negligible for prospective applications. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013