bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparative Power of Family‐Based Association Strategies to Detect Disease‐Causing Variants Under Two‐Locus Models
Authors: Babron Marie‐Claude , Guilloud‐Bataille Michel , Sahbatou Mourad , Demenais Florence , Génin Emmanuelle , Dizier Marie‐Hélène 
Published: August 2012

Not accounting for interaction in association analyses may reduce the power to detect the variants involved. We investigate the powers of different designs to detect under two‐locus models the effect of disease‐causing variants among several hundreds of markers using family‐based association tests by simulation. This setting reflects realistic situations of exploration of linkage regions or of biological pathways.We define four strategies: (S1) single‐marker analysis of all Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), (S2) two‐marker analysis of all possible SNPs pairs, (S3) lax preliminary selection of SNPs followed by a two‐marker analysis of all selected SNP pairs, (S4) stringent preliminary selection of SNPs, each being later paired with all the SNPs for two‐marker analysis.Strategy S2 is never the best design, except when there is an inversion of the gene effect (flip‐flop model). Testing individual SNPs (S1) is the most efficient when the two genes act multiplicatively. Designs S3 and S4 are the most powerful for nonmultiplicative models. Their respective powers depend on the level of symmetry of the model.Because the true genetic model is unknown, we cannot conclude that one design outperforms another. The optimal approach would be the two‐step strategy (S3 or S4) as it is often the most powerful, or the second best. Genet.
Factors associated with depression and anxiety in older adults with intellectual disabilities: results of the healthy ageing and intellectual disabilities study
Authors: Hermans Heidi , Evenhuis Heleen M. 
Published: August 2012

ObjectiveThe objective of this article is to study which factors are associated with depression and anxiety in older adults with intellectual disabilities (ID).MethodsDepressive and anxiety symptoms were studied in 990 participants with borderline to profound ID, aged ≥ 50 years, using self‐report and informant‐report screening questionnaires. In 290 participants, major depression and anxiety disorders were assessed with a standardised psychiatric interview. Associations with personal, medical and psychosocial factors, which were collected through questionnaires and participants' medical and psychological records, were studied using multiple logistic regression analysis.ResultsIncreased depressive symptoms were positively associated with increased anxiety symptoms, number of life events during the past year and chronic diseases (heart failure, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus and malignity in the previous 5 years) and negatively with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) abilities. Major depression was positively associated with chronic diseases and negatively with IADL abilities. Increased anxiety symptoms were positively associated with borderline or mild ID and increased depressive symptoms and negatively associated with Down syndrome, epilepsy and social contacts. Anxiety disorders showed no significant associations.ConclusionsTo develop effective prevention and treatment policies, factors associated with depression and anxiety in older adults with ID should be further examined in longitudinal research. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Perceptions of the use of complementary therapy and Siddha medicine among rural patients with HIV/AIDS: a case study from India
Authors: Torri Maria Costanza 
Published: August 2012

ABSTRACTAllopathic practitioners in India are outnumbered by practitioners of traditional Indian medicine, such as Ayurveda and Siddha. These forms of traditional medicine are currently used by up to two‐thirds of its population to help meet primary healthcare needs, particularly in rural areas. Gandeepam is one of the pioneering Siddha clinics in rural Tamil Nadu that is specialized in providing palliative care to HIV/AIDS patients with effective treatment. This article examines and critically discusses the perceptions of patients regarding the efficacy of Siddha treatment and their motivation in using this form of treatment. The issues of gender equality in the access of HIV/AIDS treatment as well as the possible challenges in complementing allopathic and traditional/complementary health sectors in research and policy are also discussed. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of complementing allopathic treatment with traditional medicine for short‐term symptoms and some opportunistic diseases present among HIV/AIDS patients. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of plasma electrolytic oxidation in the solutions containing Ca, P, Si, Na on the properties of titanium
Authors: Krupa Danuta , Baszkiewicz Jacek , Zdunek Joanna , Sobczak Janusz W. , Lisowski Wojciech , Smolik Jerzy , Słomka Zbigniew 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe surface layers were formed on titanium by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) in the solutions which contain various amounts of Na2SiO3x5H2O, Na3PO4x12H2O and Ca(CH3COO)2xH2O. The layers were characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and an X‐ray diffractometer (XRD). The titanium/oxide surface layer interface was analyzed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The adhesive strength of the oxide layers was evaluated by the scratch‐test. The bioactivity of the surface was determined by soaking in a simulated body fluid (SBF) for 7 and 30 days. The corrosion resistance was determined by electrochemical methods after 13, 181, and 733 h exposure in SBF at a temperature of 37°C. The oxide layers obtained were rough and porous and enriched with Ca, P, Si, and Na and their properties depended on the concentration of the components of the electrolyte. The results of the electrochemical examinations, after a 13 h exposure in SBF, show that the surface modification by PEO improves the corrosion resistance of titanium and it is not degraded after a long‐term exposure in SBF. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results indicate that the surface layers have a complex structure. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2012.
Development of Portland cement for orthopedic applications, establishing injectability and decreasing setting times
Authors: Wynn‐Jones Gareth , Shelton Richard M , Hofmann Michael P 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe injectability of Portland cement (PC) with calcium chloride and calcium nitrate additives was investigated using a syringe with a 2 mm aperture for potential clinical applications such as vertebroplasty. Addition of either additive at 10 wt % increased the quantity of cement extruded through the syringe from approximately 25 wt % for the PC standard, to over 95 wt %. 10 wt % additions of either additive also decreased setting times from over 2 h to below 25 min. The compressive strength of the modified cements was all greater than the compressive strength of a human vertebral body. Decreasing either additive to 5 wt % generated compressive strengths after 24 h setting equal to polymethylmethacrylate, the cement used for the majority of vertebroplasty procedures. An initial early exotherm in the chloride cements was coupled with an X‐ray diffraction (XRD) peak that indicated the early formation of the ettringite cement phase. In contrast, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and XRD data indicated that calcium nitrate may have stimulated early calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) production (the main strength producing phase of PC). Combining the two additives produced a synergistic effect with cements having increased injectabilities and compressive strengths compared with either addition used individually. This study has demonstrated that by modifying PC with nonproprietary chemicals it was possible to significantly increase cement injectability and reduce setting times whilst maintaining compressive strengths, making PC suitable for potential orthopedic applications. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2012.
Effect of Morphology of La0.8Sr0.2Co0.2Fe0.8O3‐δ Cathode on the Electrochemical Performance of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
Authors: Hung I‐Ming , Wu Jun‐Sheng , Hsu You‐Wen , Lee Yu‐Chen 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe objective of this study was using different morphology of La0.8Sr0.2Co0.2Fe0.8O3‐δ (LSCF) cathode to reduce the polarization of solid oxide fuel cell. Three kinds of LSCF powders with different particle size were used to investigate the affection on the electrochemical property of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). XRD and TEM results confirmed that the grain size of LSCF powders decreased with the grinding ball size decreased. Conductivity of LSCF electrodes increased with increasing temperature that showed the characteristics of p‐type conductor. At high temperature, there aremore oxygen vacancies in smaller particle size LSCF, that will increase the energy gap of charge carrier transfer between the B‐site cations and oxygen ions. AC impedance analysis revealed that smaller particle size LSCF had lower polarization resistance and the total polarization resistance was only 0.92 Ωcm2 at 800 °C. However, sintering shrinkage of smaller particle size LSCF was too large that attributed the poor adhesion between cathode and electrolyte. At 800 °C, the power density based on large particle sized LSCF was 65 mW/cm2, which was higher than that of the cell based on small particle sized LSCF.
Core‐Shelled MCMB‐Li4Ti5O12 Anode Material for Lithium‐ion Batteries
Authors: Lee Meng‐Lun , Liao Shih‐Chieh , Chen Jing‐Ming , Yeh Jien‐Wei , Shih Han C. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractIn this study, we have synthesized and characterized Li4Ti5O12 (LTO)‐coated meso‐carbon micro beads (MCMB) as an anode material for Li‐batteries. The surface of MCMB powders was uniformly coated by the LTO nanoparticles to form a core‐shell structure via a sol‐gel process, followed by calcination. The average size of MCMB core was 15 μm while the thickness of LTO shell was 80 to 120 nm. We found that LTO‐coated MCMB had better rate‐capability and cycle life, compared with the pristine MCMB. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results showed that after 40 cycles, the cell resistance of the LTO‐coated MCMB electrode increased slightly, while that of the pristine MCMB electrode increased significantly. The enhanced performance of the LTO‐coated MCMB electrode is attributed to the LTO coating, which suppresses the increase in the charge‐transfer resistance during prolonged cycle.
Introduction to Energy Storage Sub‐program of National Science and Technology Program‐Energy in Taiwan
Authors: Liu Shiang‐Lin , Liu Ru‐Shi 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe Energy Storage Sub‐program was selected as one of the programs of the National Science and Technology Program‐Energy (NSTPE) following several resolutions: resolutions from meetings held by the Guiding Squad of Energy Policy and Technology Development and the Executive Yuan in Taiwan, 15 master plans on energy technology development drafted during the National Industrial TechnologyMeeting in November 2007, and the resolution passed during the 23rd Technology Meeting of the Executive Yuan in December 2007. The aims of the Energy Storage Sub‐program are as follows: (1) reduce the cost of production and develop high‐performance lithium ion battery, (2) construct an industry alliance among companies involved in the production of lithium‐ion batteries, (3) establish platforms for the evaluation, testing, and certification of energy storage technology and (4) develop key techniques for next‐generation supercapacitors while minimizing cost.
Amprenavir inhibits the migration in human hepatocarcinoma cell and the growth of xenografts
Authors: Esposito Vincenzo , Verdina Alessandra , Manente Lucrezia , Spugnini Enrico P. , Viglietti Rosaria , Parrella Roberto , Pagliano Pasquale , Parrella Giovanni , Galati Rossella , De Luca Antonio , Baldi Alfonso , Montesarchio Vincenzo , Chirianni Antonio 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe introduction of HAART (highly‐active‐antiretroviral‐therapy) has resulted in extended survival of HIV positive patients. Conversely, due to the prolonged expectancy of life and the ageing of the HIV positive population, tumors are now one of the major cause of death, and among them hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become a growing concern in these patients. Considering the potential anti‐tumoral effects of HIV protease inhibitors, we decided to evaluate the anti‐tumoral activity of Amprenavir on liver carcinoma and to evaluate its potential synergistic effects in combination with standard chemoterapic drugs, such as Doxorubicin. Our results indicate that Amprenavir had direct inhibitory effects on invasion of Huh‐7 hepatocarcinoma cell lines, inhibiting MMP proteolytic activation. Amprenavir was able to delay the growth of hepatocarcinoma xenografts in nude mice and had a synergistic effect with Doxorubicin. Furthermore, Amprenavir was able to promote regression of hepatocarcinoma growth in vivo by anti‐angiogenetic and overall anti‐tumor activities, independently by PI3K/AKT related pathways that at today is one of the more suggestive hypothesis to explain the anti‐tumor effects of the different protease inhibitors. In summary these findings suggest novel anti‐neoplastic action of Amprenavir on liver cancer showing the possibility of novel combination therapies. J. Cell. Physiol. 228: 640–645, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Clinical assessment of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Certal Victor , Catumbela Emanuel , Winck João C. , Azevedo Inês , Teixeira‐Pinto Armando , Costa‐Pereira Altamiro 
Published: August 2012

AbstractObjectives/Hypothesis:Clinical symptoms and signs are routinely used to investigate pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This study aimed to systematically assess the evidence for the diagnostic accuracy of individual or combined clinical symptoms and signs in predicting pediatric OSA.Study Design:A systematic review of the literature and diagnostic meta‐analysis.Methods:Four medical databases were searched (from inception to August 2011). Studies were included that compared the clinical assessment with the current gold standard (full polysomnography). The study quality was assessed using the quality assessment tool for diagnostic accuracy studies. Summary estimates of diagnostic accuracy were determined using the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, diagnostic odds ratio, and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) model for meta‐analyses.Results:Ten diagnostic studies with 1,525 patients were included in the review. There was substantial variation in the sensitivity and specificity among different symptoms and signs, as well as across studies. Tonsillar size and snoring reported by parents or caregivers had high sensitivity but low specificity. In contrast, excessive daytime somnolence, observed apnea, and difficulty in breathing during sleep had high specificity but low sensitivity. Seven models of a combination of symptoms and signs presented moderate sensitivity (range, 0.04–0.94) and specificity (range, 0.28–0.99). The HSROC indicates poor diagnostic performance of the symptoms and signs in predicting pediatric OSA.Conclusions:Neither single nor combined symptoms and signs have satisfactory performance in predicting pediatric OSA. Alternative diagnostic models are necessary to improve the accuracy.
Continuous velocity fields for collapse and blowout of a pressurized tunnel face in purely cohesive soil
Authors: Mollon Guilhem , Dias Daniel , Soubra Abdul‐Hamid 
Published: August 2012

SUMMARYFace stability analysis of tunnels excavated under pressurized shields is a major issue in real tunnelling projects. Most of the failure mechanisms used for the stability analysis of tunnels in purely cohesive soils were derived from rigid block failure mechanisms that were developed for frictional soils, by imposing a null friction angle. For a purely cohesive soil, this kind of mechanism is quite far from the actual velocity field. This paper aims at proposing two new continuous velocity fields for both collapse and blowout of an air‐pressurized tunnel face. These velocity fields are much more consistent with the actual failures observed in undrained clays. They are based on the normality condition, which states that any plastic deformation in a purely cohesive soil develops without any volume change. The numerical results have shown that the proposed velocity fields significantly improve the best existing bounds for collapse pressures and that their results compare reasonably well with the collapse and blowout pressures provided by a commercial finite difference software, for a much smaller computational cost. A design chart is provided for practical use in geotechnical engineering. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of non‐uniform traction and specimen height in the direct shear test on stress and deformation in a rock fracture
Authors: Giwelli Ausama A. , Matsuki Koji , Sakaguchi Kiyotoshi , Kizaki Akihisa 
Published: August 2012

SUMMARYIn the direct shear test (DST), an internal moment is distributed within the rock specimen by non‐coaxial shear loads applied to the specimen, which cause non‐uniform distributions of both the traction on the loading planes and the stress and deformation in the specimen. To examine the validity of the DST for a rock fracture and to clarify the effect of specimen height, both the stress and deformation in a fracture in the DST were analyzed for specimens with three different heights using a three‐dimensional finite element method with quadratic joint elements for a fracture model. The constitutive law of the fracture considers the dependence of the non‐linear behavior of closure on shear displacement and that of shear stiffness on normal stress and was implemented in simulation code to give a conceptional fracture with uniform mechanical properties to extract only the effect of non‐uniform traction on the stress and deformation in the fracture. The results showed that both normal and shear stresses are concentrated near the end edges of the fracture, and these stress concentrations decrease with a decrease in the specimen height according to the magnitude of the moment produced by the non‐coaxial shear loads. Furthermore, although closure is greater near the end edges of the fracture, where normal stress is concentrated, this concentration of closure is not so significant within the range of this study because of the non‐linear behavior of closure, that is, closure does not significantly increase with an increase in normal stress at large normal stresses. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of heat treatment of carbon nanofibers on the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of linear low density polyethylene nanocomposites
Authors: Villacorta Byron S. , Ogale Amod A. , Hubing Todd H. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe electrical properties and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EM SE) of nanocomposites consisting of heat‐treated carbon nanofibers (Pyrograf® III PR‐19, CNF) in a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) matrix were assessed. Heat treatment (HT) of carbon nanofibers at 2500°C significantly improved their graphitic crystallinity and intrinsic transport properties, thereby increasing the EM SE of the nanocomposites. Nanocomposites containing 11 vol% (20 wt%) PR‐19 HT displayed a DC electrical conductivity of about 1.0 ± 0.1 × 101 S/m (n = 4), about 10 orders of magnitude better than that of as‐received PR‐19 CNF nanocomposites. Over a frequency range of 30 MHz to 1.5 GHz, nanocomposites (2.5 mm thick) containing PR‐19 HT displayed EM SE average values of about 14 ± 2 dB (n = 4). Absorption was determined to be the main EM SE mechanism for the heat‐treated CNF nanocomposites. The nanocomposites possessed a modulus of 632 ± 36 MPa (n = 6) (nominally twice that of pure LLDPE) and a strain‐to‐failure of 180 ± 98% (n = 6), indicating that a significant ductility is retained in the nanocomposites. Such nanocomposites display potential as absorptive electromagnetic interference shielding materials for thin films and micromolding. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Deposition and production of highly reproducible hybrid Cu[(tBu)4Pc]‐polystyrene thin layers via spin casting
Authors: De Fonseca Brice , Bouvet Marcel , Suisse Jean‐Moïse , Rossignol Jérôme 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThis study focuses on the determination of a protocol for the production of a hybrid material composed of a polymer and a macrocyclic complex, namely polystyrene and a tetra‐tert‐butyl‐copper phthalocyanine (Cu[(tBu)4Pc]), in order to obtain a layer thickness of about 100 nm and a controlled porosity in a highly reproducible way. Several methods were implemented and their reproducibility was evaluated through elements of characterization such as optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. POLYM. ENG. SCI. 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Couples' Education and Regional Mobility – the Importance of Occupation, Income and Gender
Authors: Brandén Maria 
Published: August 2012

ABSTRACTPeople with high education are more geographically mobile than people with lower education. Further, highly educated men are more mobile than highly educated women, and the man's education affects couples' migration propensities more than the woman's. This study examines whether the reasons for the higher migration propensities among highly educated people are the occupational characteristics and income commonly associated with high education. Further, the study examines whether the reason for the asymmetric effect of men's education relative to women's is that these occupational characteristics and income are unevenly distributed between men and women with similar educational levels. I studied dual‐earner couples, with common children, residing in Sweden in 1997–2006. Results from logistic regressions indicate that both men's and women's education are positively related to couples' migration propensities, and that men's education has a larger impact on migration than women's, before adjusting for income and occupational characteristics. A substantial portion of the increased risk of migration among highly educated people can be attributed to income and occupational characteristics. Also, to a large extent, the differential effects of men's and women's education can be explained by the different types of occupations held by men and women within the same educational level, as well as by gender differences in monetary returns from education. When adjusting for these differences, only very minor gender differences in the effect of education remain. Despite theories on gender ideology, which implies men's attributes would dominate migration decisions, occupational characteristics have similar effects for men and women. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A comparative analysis of oxidation rates for thin films of SiGe versus Si
Authors: Long Ethan , Galeckas Augustinas , Kuznetsov Andrej Yu. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractIn order to evaluate the role of Ge as a catalyst or inhibitor for the oxidation process in SiGe, oxidation rates for sub‐100‐nm films of SiGe are examined and compared to previous reports and established models for Si oxidation. Values for the Ge concentration in the pile‐up layer at the oxidation interface are considered as well as the more traditional approach of considering the Ge content in the as‐grown SiGe film. The experimental results presented here indicate that oxidation rates for SiGe closely match those of Si and provide evidence that the presence of Ge in very thin films of SiGe does not lead to enhanced or retarded oxidation rates as compared to Si. This comparative analysis is performed with a focus on oxidation of epitaxial thin films of Si1−xGex in dry O2 at 1 atm at 800, 850, 900, 950, and 1000 °C.