bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COOMET.PR-K3.a comparison of luminous intensity
Authors: Khlevnoy B , Tarasova O , Scums D , Gorshkova T , Ivashin E , Krempasky M , Kupko A , Vyrodova N , Woolliams E
Published: April 2020

This report gives the results of the COOMET.PR-K3 comparison of luminous intensity. Five laboratories took part in the comparison. COOMET.PR-K3 was piloted by Belarusian State Institute of Metrology (BelGIM). The linkage to KCRV was provided through the participation of the All-Russian Research Institute for Optical and Physical measurement (VNIIOFI) and Slovak Institute of Metrology (SMU). Other participants were National Scientific Center "Institute of Metrology" (NSC IM), Ukraine and Kazakhstan Institute of Metrology (KazInMetr).

BelGIM, NSC IM and KazInMetr were non-linked laboratories. A set of three incandescent lamps was used as traveling comparison artefact. Degrees of equivalence of all three non-linked laboratories were within their expanded uncertainties.

Main text

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCPR, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
SIM.M.T-S2 supplementary bilateral comparison calibration of a reference torque wrench final report
Authors: Galvan J J , Torres-Guzman J C , Arias J A , Betancur I D
Published: April 2020

A Regional Metrology Organization (RMO) key comparison on the calibration of a reference torque wrench was carried out between the Centro Nacional de Metrologia (CENAM, Mexico) and the Instituto Nacional de Metrologia (INM, Colombia), between September 2017 and October 2017. The results of this comparison are reported here, along with descriptions of torque standards used by CENAM and INM, and the uncertainty budget for these standards. This report also describes the protocol for the comparison and presents the data acquired. The results are analyse, determining the degree of equivalence between the torque measurements from CENAM and INM.

Main text

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Volume comparison at 100 μL—calibration of micropipettes
Authors: Sadek A M , Batisa Elsa , Samira Souiyam , Tawiah Prince , Mautjana Thomas , Molefe Peter T , Mubaiwa Munyaradzi , Kalonga Given , Rusimbi Vida Kirenga , Ondoro Dominic O , Bond Onekalit James , Assefa Solomon
Published: April 2020

An inter-comparison in the calibration of micropipette was conducted among 12 different National Metrology Institutes between 2014 and 2016. Three 100 μL micropipettes were supplied as transfer artifacts. However, one of the three micropipettes did not fulfil the stability assessment criterion and therefore it was excluded from the inter-comparison. The other two micro pipettes were transferred among the participants. The results reported by the participants were corrected to the standard atmospheric pressure to ensure that the comparison is conducted under approximately the same conditions. The key comparison reference value and its standard uncertainty were calculated as a weighted mean from the results reported by the participants. The outlier values were handled throughout the iterative chi-square consistency check method where only one result was excluded from the calculation of the reference value. Except only one participant's results, the results reported by the other participants were in consistent with the key comparison reference value.

Main text

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
The Rb
+
–Rb collision rate in the energy range of 103–104 K
Authors: Li Xiao-Kang , Zhang Dian-Cheng , Lv Shuang-Fei , Liu Jin-Yun , Jia Feng-Dong , Lin Xiao-He , Li Rui , Wu Yong , Xu Xiang-Yuan , Xue Ping , Liu Xiao-Jing , Zhong Zhi-Ping
Published: April 2020

We study both theoretically and experimentally the energy dependence of the low-energy Rb+–Rb total collision rate k
ia in the energy range from 103 to 104 K. We calculate the integral elastic cross-section and the resonant charge-transfer cross-section by the quantum mechanical molecular orbital close-coupling method, and then obtain k
ia for temperatures by averaging the cross-sections over a Maxwell–Boltzmann velocity distribution. The experiments are conducted in an ion–neutral hybrid trap, where the Rb+ ions are created by photo-ionization of the cold atoms in a magneto-optic trap (MOT) and accumulated in the linear Paul ion trap. The total ion–atom collision rate k
ia is measured by monitoring the fluorescence reduction of the steady-state MOT atoms by sequentially introducing photo-ionization and ion–atom collisions. The ion–atom collision energy E
col ≈ T
i is modified by changing T
i due to T
i being more than six orders of magnitude larger than the T
a of cold atoms. The temperature of ions T
i is obtained by comparing the time-of-flight mass spectrometry of Rb+ from experimental results to that obtained by SIMION simulation. The equilibrium steady T
i is modified by changing the initial root-mean-squared position of the ion cloud, and the k
ia are measured with E
col from 8000 to 16 000 K. Both the theoretical and experimental results show that k
ia increases with E
col. More specifically, the measured k
ia increases rapidly with the enlargement of E
col near 10 000 K. The theoretical calculation results show that k
ia increases slowly with E
col. The specific difference may be due to the influence of the ratio of excited states f
e on the trend of k
ia at different E
col.
Electric field control of ordered oxygen vacancy planes and antiferromagnetic structures in strontium cobaltite
Authors: Cui Bin , Huan Yu , Hu Jifan
Published: April 2020

The polarized ionic liquids (ILs) could generate intense electric fields on the surface of solid-state materials and create functional defects by ion migration within them, resulting in phase transitions of metal–insulator or paramagnet–ferromagnet, etc. Such a strong electric field even provides an opportunity for the control of spin ordering in antiferromagnetic (AFM) crystal which is difficult to be manipulated due to the strong exchange coupling between antiparallel spins in the whole bulk. Here we find that the ferromagnetic SrCoO3 of 40 nm could be transformed to AFM SrCoO2.5 with ordered oxygen vacancy planes either vertical (V-SrCoO2.5) or parallel (P-SrCoO2.5) to the surface by IL gating. The spin Hall magnetoresistances suggest that the AFM easy axes of V- and P-SrCoO2.5 are along [010] and

1

1

¯

0

, respectively. The orientations of gating induced oxygen vacancy planes are related to the oxygen framework rotation in the parent SrCoO3 and could be controlled by the strain engineering. Our results not only supply a novel way to manipulate the AFM spins by creating functional ordered defects, but also reveal the effect of oxygen framework rotation on the formation of oxygen vacancies under ionic liquid gating.
Charged domains in ferroelectric, polycrystalline yttrium manganite thin films resolved with scanning electron microscopy
Authors: Rayapati Venkata Rao , Bürger Danilo , Du Nan , Kowol Cornelia , Blaschke Daniel , Stöcker Hartmut , Matthes Patrick , Patra Rajkumar , Skorupa Ilona , Schulz Stefan E , Schmidt Heidemarie
Published: April 2020

We have investigated ferroelectric charged domains in polycrystalline hexagonal yttrium manganite thin films (Y1Mn1O3, Y0.95Mn1.05O3, Y1Mn0.99Ti0.01O3, and Y0.94Mn1.05Ti0.01O3) by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in secondary electron emission mode with a small acceleration voltage. Using SEM at an acceleration voltage of 1.0 kV otherwise homogenous surface charging effects are reduced, polarization charges can be observed and polarization directions (±Pz) of the ferroelectric domains in the polycrystalline thin films can be identified. Thin films of different chemical composition have been deposited by pulsed laser deposition on Pt/SiO2/Si structures under otherwise same growth conditions. Using SEM it has been shown that different charged domain density networks are existing in polycrystalline yttrium manganite thin films.
A dynamical model for fractal and compact growth in supercooled systems
Authors: Chan Ho-Kei , Dierking Ingo
Published: April 2020

A dynamical model that can exhibit both fractal percolation growth and compact circular growth is presented. At any given cluster size, the dimension of a cluster growing on a two-dimensional square lattice depends on the ratio between the rates of two probabilistic processes, namely (i) the aggregation of lattice sites into the growing cluster and (ii) the relaxation of lattice sites into those available for potential aggregation. The proposed model approaches the limit of two-dimensional invasion percolation if the aggregation process is much faster than the relaxation process, and it approaches Eden’s model for compact circular growth if the relaxation process is much faster than the aggregation process. Experimental examples of the fractal-growth regime include the percolation-like growth of bent-core smectics and calamitic smectics, where such fractal growth is attributed to the slow relaxation of molecules in a viscous supercooled medium.
Scoring functions for drug-effect similarity
Authors: Struckmann Stephan , Ernst Mathias , Fischer Sarah , Mah Nancy , Fuellen Georg , Möller Steffen
Published: April 2020

Motivation

The difficulty to find new drugs and bring them to the market has led to an increased interest to find new applications for known compounds. Biological samples from many disease contexts have been extensively profiled by transcriptomics, and, intuitively, this motivates to search for compounds with a reversing effect on the expression of characteristic disease genes. However, disease effects may be cell line-specific and also depend on other factors, such as genetics and environment. Transcription profile changes between healthy and diseased cells relate in complex ways to profile changes gathered from cell lines upon stimulation with a drug. Despite these differences, we expect that there will be some similarity in the gene regulatory networks at play in both situations. The challenge is to match transcriptomes for both diseases and drugs alike, even though the exact molecular pathology/pharmacogenomics may not be known.

Results

We substitute the challenge to match a drug effect to a disease effect with the challenge to match a drug effect to the effect of the same drug at another concentration or in another cell line. This is welldefined, reproducible in vitro and in silico and extendable with external data. Based on the Connectivity Map (CMap) dataset, we combined 26 different similarity scores with six different heuristics to reduce the number of genes in the model. Such gene filters may also utilize external knowledge e.g. from biological networks. We found that no similarity score always outperforms all others for all drugs, but the Pearson correlation finds the same drug with the highest reliability. Results are improved by filtering for highly expressed genes and to a lesser degree for genes with large fold changes. Also a network-based reduction of contributing transcripts was beneficial, here implemented by the FocusHeuristics. We found no drop in prediction accuracy when reducing the whole transcriptome to the set of 1000 landmark genes of the CMap’s successor project Library of Integrated Network-based Cellular Signatures. All source code to re-analyze and extend the CMap data, the source code of heuristics, filters and their evaluation are available to propel the development of new methods for drug repurposing.

Availability

https://bitbucket.org/ibima/moldrugeffectsdb

Contact

steffen.moeller@uni-rostock.de

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Briefings in Bioinformatics online.
Reducing Antibiotic Use in Ambulatory Care Through Influenza Vaccination
Authors: Smith Emily R , Fry Alicia M , Hicks Lauri A , Fleming-Dutra Katherine E , Flannery Brendan , Ferdinands Jill , Rolfes Melissa A , Martin Emily T , Monto Arnold S , Zimmerman Richard K , Nowalk Mary Patricia , Jackson Michael L , McLean Huong Q , Olson Scott C , Gaglani Manjusha , Patel Manish M
Published: April 2020

Background

Improving appropriate antibiotic use is crucial for combating antibiotic resistance and unnecessary adverse drug reactions. Acute respiratory illness (ARI) commonly causes outpatient visits and accounts for ~41% of antibiotics used in the United States. We examined the influence of influenza vaccination on reducing antibiotic prescriptions among outpatients with ARI.

Methods

We enrolled outpatients aged ≥6 months with ARI from 50–60 US clinics during 5 winters (2013–2018) and tested for influenza with RT-PCR; results were unavailable for clinical decision making and clinical influenza testing was infrequent. We collected antibiotic prescriptions and diagnosis codes for ARI syndromes. We calculated vaccine effectiveness (VE) by comparing vaccination odds among influenza-positive cases with test-negative controls. We estimated ARI visits and antibiotic prescriptions averted by influenza vaccination using estimates of VE, coverage, and prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions and influenza.

Results

Among 37 487 ARI outpatients, 9659 (26%) were influenza positive. Overall, 36% of ARI and 26% of influenza-positive patients were prescribed antibiotics. The top 3 prevalent ARI syndromes included: viral upper respiratory tract infection (47%), pharyngitis (18%), and allergy or asthma (11%). Among patients testing positive for influenza, 77% did not receive an ICD-CM diagnostic code for influenza. Overall, VE against influenza-associated ARI was 35% (95% CI, 32–39%). Vaccination prevented 5.6% of all ARI syndromes, ranging from 2.8% (sinusitis) to 11% (clinical influenza). Influenza vaccination averted 1 in 25 (3.8%; 95% CI, 3.6–4.1%) antibiotic prescriptions among ARI outpatients during influenza seasons.

Conclusions

Vaccination and accurate influenza diagnosis may curb unnecessary antibiotic use and reduce the global threat of antibiotic resistance.
Rotavirus Vaccine Is Effective Against Rotavirus Gastroenteritis Resulting in Outpatient Care: Results From the Medically Attended Acute Gastroenteritis (MAAGE) Study
Authors: Burke Rachel M , Groom Holly C , Naleway Allison L , Katz Eric M , Salas Bianca , Mattison Claire P , Donald Judy , Tsaknaridis Laura , Biggs Christianne , Bowen Michael D , Tate Jacqueline E , Parashar Umesh D , Schmidt Mark , Hall Aron J
Published: April 2020

Background

Rotavirus is a common cause of severe pediatric acute gastroenteritis. Two vaccines are licensed in the United States and have demonstrated high effectiveness against moderate to severe disease. However, fewer data are available on rotavirus vaccine effectiveness (VE) against milder disease.

Methods

We leveraged active surveillance data from Kaiser Permanente Northwest to calculate rotavirus VE against medically attended rotavirus illness among age-eligible children. We utilized a test-negative case-control design and applied 4 distinct case definitions based on reverse transcription–quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test results. VE was calculated as 100 × (1 − odds ratio), and models were adjusted for age group.

Results

The VE analysis population comprised 842 children, 799 (95%) of whom had mild disease requiring at most a clinic visit and 698 (83%) of whom were fully vaccinated against rotavirus. Age-adjusted VE was 70% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37–86%) against disease defined solely by qRT-PCR results, 72% (95% CI, 31–89%) against disease as defined by qRT-PCR with a quantification cycle (C q ) value <27, 73% (95% CI, 32–90%) against disease that was qRT-PCR positive but EIA negative, and 62% (95% CI, –20–88%) against disease defined solely by EIA. Results were similar when restricting to disease resulting in at most an ambulatory clinic or emergency department visit.

Conclusions

These results support the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in protecting US children from mild to moderate and severe disease. Our findings are also useful to show the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination against qRT-PCR–defined illness.
Responding to the COVID-19 Outbreak in Singapore: Staff Protection and Staff Temperature and Sickness Surveillance Systems
Authors: Htun Htet Lin , Lim Dwee Wee , Kyaw Win Mar , Loh Wan-Ning Janis , Lee Lay Tin , Ang Brenda , Chow Angela
Published: April 2020

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Since the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) in Singapore has routinely fit-tested staff for high-filtration N95 respirators and established Web-based staff surveillance systems. The routine systems were enhanced in response to Singapore’s first imported COVID-19 case on 23 January 2020.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study from 23 January to 23 February 2020 among healthcare workers to evaluate the effectiveness of the staff protection and surveillance strategy in TTSH, a 1600-bed multidisciplinary acute-care hospital colocated with the 330-bed National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). As of 23 February 2020, TTSH/NCID has managed 76% of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Singapore. The hospital adopted a multipronged approach to protect and monitor staff with potential COVID-19 exposures: (1) risk-based personal protective equipment, (2) staff fever and sickness surveillance, and (3) enhanced medical surveillance of unwell staff.

Results

A total of 10 583 staff were placed on hospitalwide fever and sickness surveillance, with 1524 frontline staff working in COVID-19 areas under close surveillance. Among frontline staff, a median of 8 staff illness episodes was seen per day; almost 10% (n = 29) resulted in hospitalization. None of the staff was found to be infected with COVID-19.

Conclusions

A robust staff protection and health surveillance system that is routinely implemented during non–outbreak periods and enhanced during the COVID-19 outbreak is effective in protecting frontline staff from the infection.
Time and the Rise of China
Authors: Edelstein David M
Published: April 2020

How do various temporal dynamics affect international politics? Time has been gaining more attention in recent years in the literature on politics, generally, and international relations, more specifically, but no effort has been made systematically to apply these insights to the case of power transitions. This article explores how four different factors—time horizons, timing, sequencing, and trajectories—influence the way that states behave, specifically in the context of power transitions. Each of these dynamics contributes to a richer understanding of the nature of great power cooperation and competition. For each of these four dynamics, the article lays out the logic of what each uniquely adds to the existing literature on power transitions and then demonstrates the logic by drawing on the historical record of power transitions. Then, the article examines a variety of factors at the individual, state, and systemic level that might influence how each of these temporal dynamics unfolds. Throughout, the article comments on implications of the argument for contemporary relations between the United States and China.
Faecal immunochemical test to triage patients with abdominal symptoms for suspected colorectal cancer in primary care: review of international use and guidelines
Authors: van Melle Marije , Yep Manzano Samir I S , Wilson Hugh , Hamilton Willie , Walter Fiona M , Bailey Sarah E R
Published: April 2020

Background

Recently, faecal immunochemical tests (FITs) have been introduced for investigation of primary care patients with low-risk symptoms of colorectal cancer (CRC), but recommendations vary across the world. This systematic review of clinical practice guidelines aimed to determine how FITs are used in symptomatic primary care patients and the underpinning evidence for these guidelines.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase and TRIP databases were systematically searched, from 1 November 2008 to 1 November 2018 for guidelines on the assessment of patients with symptoms suggestive of CRC. Known guideline databases, websites and references of related literature were searched. The following questions were addressed: (i) which countries use FIT for symptomatic primary care patients; (ii) in which populations is FIT used; (iii) what is the cut-off level used for haemoglobin in the faeces (FIT) and (iv) on what evidence are FIT recommendations based.

Results

The search yielded 2433 publications; 25 covered initial diagnostic assessment of patients with symptoms of CRC in 15 countries (Asia, n = 1; Europe, n = 13; Oceania, n = 4; North America, n = 5; and South America, n = 2). In three countries (Australia, Spain and the UK), FIT was recommended for patients with abdominal symptoms, unexplained weight loss, change in bowel habit or anaemia despite a low level of evidence in the symptomatic primary care patient population.

Conclusions

Few countries recommend FITs in symptomatic patients in primary care either because of limited evidence or because symptomatic patients are directly referred to secondary care without triage. These results demonstrate a clear need for research on FIT in the symptomatic primary care population.
Deletion of the trehalose tps1 gene in Kluyveromyces lactis does not impair growth in glucose
Authors: Gomes Antonio M V , Orlandi Ana Carolina A L , Parachin Nádia S
Published: April 2020

Trehalose is a non-reducing disaccharide composed of two α-glucose molecules and synthesized by an enzyme complex containing four subunits TPS1 (EC 2.4.1.15), TPS2 (EC 3.1.3.12), TPS3 and TSL1. First reports about trehalose classified this sugar as an energy reserve compound like glycogen. However, lately, trehalose is known to assist yeast cells during heat, osmotic and starvation stresses. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the deletion of the tps1 encoding gene eliminated the yeast ability to grow on glucose as the sole carbon source. Kluyveromyces lactis is a yeast present in various dairy products and is currently utilized for the synthesis of more than 40 industrial heterologous products. In this study, the deletion of the tps1 gene in K. lactis showed that unlike S. cerevisiae, tps1 gene disruption does not cause growth failure in glucose, galactose, or fructose. The µMAX rate values of K. lactis tps1Δ strains were equal than the non-disrupted strains, showing that the gene deletion does not affect the yeast growth. After gene disruption, the absence of trehalose into the metabolism of K. lactis was also confirmed.
Shallow elasticity structure from colocated pressure and seismic stations in the Piñon Flat Observatory and estimation of Vs30
Authors: Tanimoto Toshiro , Wang Jiong
Published: April 2020

An algorithm developed in Tanimoto & Wang for deriving shallow elasticity structure from colocated pressure and seismic instruments is applied to data at nine stations in the Piñon Flat Observatory (PFO) in Southern California. Depth resolution kernels indicate that this approach can recover near-surface shear-modulus structure in the upper 50–100 m of the Earth. Our estimate for Vs30 at the closest station (BPH01) agrees with an independent result by Yong et al. which was based on an active source survey with a geophone array. Vs30 derived from the borehole S-wave speed model by Fletcher et al. also agrees with estimates at nearby locations, considering the size of uncertainties. Derived structures are much smoother than their models, however. This is because our method analyses slow quasi-static deformation of the solid Earth in the frequency range 0.005–0.05 Hz that inherently limits depth resolution. Lack of detailed variations in structures does not seem to be the problem for estimating Vs30 as Vs30 is an averaged quantity from the upper 30 m of the Earth. Also our estimates are not affected by different choices of frequency range in the inversion. However, our method may have some difficulty at stiff, hard-rock sites because ground deformation caused by surface pressure can become small and the key observables in our method, the ratios between seismic amplitude and surface pressure change, become difficult to measure accurately.
New era of trophoblast research: integrating morphological and molecular approaches
Authors: Io Shingo , Kondoh Eiji , Chigusa Yoshitsugu , Kawasaki Kaoru , Mandai Masaki , Yamada and Shigehito
Published: April 2020

Many pregnancy complications are the result of dysfunction in the placenta. The pathogenic mechanisms of placenta-mediated pregnancy complications, however, are unclear. Abnormal placental development in these conditions begins in the first trimester, but no symptoms are observed during this period. To elucidate effective preventative treatments, understanding the differentiation and development of human placenta is crucial. This review elucidates the uniqueness of the human placenta in early development from the aspect of structural characteristics and molecular markers. We summarise the morphogenesis of human placenta based on human specimens and then compile molecular markers that have been clarified by immunostaining and RNA-sequencing data across species. Relevant studies were identified using the PubMed database and Google Scholar search engines up to March 2020. All articles were independently screened for eligibility by the authors based on titles and abstracts. In particular, the authors carefully examined literature on human placentation. This review integrates the development of human placentation from morphological approaches in comparison with other species and provides new insights into trophoblast molecular markers. The morphological features of human early placentation are described in Carnegie stages (CS), from CS3 (floating blastocyst) to CS9 (emerging point of tertiary villi). Molecular markers are described for each type of trophoblast involved in human placental development. We summarise the character of human trophoblast cell lines and explain how long-term culture system of human cytotrophoblast, both monolayer and spheroid, established in recent studies allows for the generation of human trophoblast cell lines. Due to differences in developmental features among species, it is desirable to understand early placentation in humans. In addition, reliable molecular markers that reflect normal human trophoblast are needed to advance trophoblast research. In the clinical setting, these markers can be valuable means for morphologically and functionally assessing placenta-mediated pregnancy complications and provide early prediction and management of these diseases.
A Systematic Review on Cost-effectiveness Analyses of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring for Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: From Immunosuppressive to Anti-TNF Therapy
Authors: Yao Jiaqi , Jiang Xinchan , You Joyce H S
Published: April 2020

Background

There is a growing body of primary evidence on the cost-effectiveness of applying therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management with various drug therapies and strategies.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review on model-based cost-effectiveness analyses of applying TDM for IBD management.

Methods

Literature search was conducted (up to October 2019) in Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL Complete, and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. Studies published in the English language that met inclusion criteria were included: (1) patients with IBD, (2) TDM-based treatment was compared with a comparator, (3) types of analysis were cost-benefit, cost-consequence, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, or cost analysis, and (4) analyses conducted by model-based evaluation. The study quality was assessed using Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards.

Results

Six studies on drug monitoring for IBD patients (1 azathioprine and 5 infliximab) published in 2005 to 2019 were included. All studies targeted on patients with Crohn’s disease and reported TDM strategies to save cost when comparing with standard care. Four analyses evaluated both economic and clinical outcomes. Three analyses found the TDM strategies (for treatment initiation, advancement of therapy, or proactive monitoring) to improve clinical outcomes. One study found TDM strategies (reflex testing and concurrent testing) to gain lower quality-adjusted life years than standard care. Four of six (66.7%) studies achieved good to excellent rankings in quality assessment.

Conclusions

Compared with standard treatment without TDM, the TDM-guided strategies were consistently found to be cost-saving or cost-effective.
Relationship of vancomycin trough levels with acute kidney injury risk: an exposure–toxicity meta-analysis
Authors: Bellos Ioannis , Daskalakis Georgios , Pergialiotis Vasilios
Published: April 2020

Objectives

Nephrotoxicity represents a major complication of vancomycin administration, leading to high rates of morbidity and treatment failure. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between trough levels and risk of renal impairment, by defining an exposure–toxicity relationship and assessing its accuracy in predicting the development of acute kidney injury (AKI).

Methods

Medline, Scopus, CENTRAL, Clinicaltrials.gov and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched from inception. Studies examining the effects of trough levels on nephrotoxicity risk in adult patients were deemed eligible.

Results

The meta-analysis was based on 60 studies, including 13 304 patients. The development of AKI was significantly linked to both higher initial [standardized mean difference (SMD): 0.82; 95% CI: 0.65–0.98] and maximum (SMD: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.82–1.29) trough levels. Dose–response analysis indicated a curvilinear relationship between trough levels and nephrotoxicity risk (χ2 = 127.1; P value < 0.0001). A cut-off of 15 mg/L detected AKI with a sensitivity of 62.6% (95% CI: 55.6–69.2) and a specificity of 65.5% (95% CI: 58.9–71.6), while applying a 20 mg/L threshold resulted in a sensitivity of 42.9% (95% CI: 34–52.2) and a specificity of 82.5% (95% CI: 73.9–88.8).

Conclusions

The present findings suggest that the development of vancomycin-induced AKI is significantly associated with higher initial and maximum trough levels. An exposure–response relationship was defined, indicating that increasing trough levels correlate with a significant rise of nephrotoxicity risk. Future studies should verify the effectiveness of individualized pharmacokinetic tools that would enable the attainment of trough level targets and minimize the risk of renal toxicity.
Diet complexity and l-threonine supplementation: effects on nutrient digestibility, nitrogen and energy balance, and body composition in nursery pigs
Authors: Koo Bonjin , Lee Jinyoung , Nyachoti Charles Martin
Published: April 2020

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary complexity and l-Thr supplementation on energy and nutrient utilization in nursery pigs. Thirty-two nursery pigs (7.23 ± 0.48 kg) were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement based on diet complexity (complex vs. simple) with different levels of l-Thr supplementation. The complex diet contained animal protein sources (e.g., fish meal and plasma) and a dairy product (e.g., dried whey) to mimic a conventional nursery diet. The simple diet was formulated with corn, wheat, and soybean meal. Both diets were supplemented with l-Thr to contain either 100% or 115% (SUP Thr) of the estimated standardized ileal digestible Thr requirement for 9 kg body weight pigs (NRC, 2012). The pigs were individually housed in metabolism crates and fed an experimental diet ad libitum for a 7-d adaptation period and 5 d of total but separate urine and fecal collection. On day 14, all pigs were euthanized to determine body composition. The diet complexity, l-Thr supplementation, and their interactions were considered main effects. Pigs fed the complex diet tended to exhibit greater (P < 0.10) apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of ash and urinary energy output than those fed the simple diet. The complex diet had greater (P < 0.05) digestible energy and net energy contents than the simple diet. Furthermore, the complex diet-fed pigs had lower (P < 0.05) plasma urea nitrogen concentration on day 14 than simple diet-fed pigs. The SUP Thr decreased (P < 0.05) ATTD of acid detergent fiber but trended (P < 0.10) toward a decrease in urinary nitrogen (N) output and an increase in N retention and body N mass. In conclusion, the simple diet for nursery pigs had lower digestible and net energy contents than a complex diet. The SUP Thr can improve N utilization and body protein deposition, irrespective of diet complexity.
How do house prices respond to mortgage supply?
Authors: Barone Guglielmo , David Francesco , de Blasio Guido , Mocetti Sauro
Published: April 2020

We examine the impact of household mortgages on house prices. Using biannual data on Italian cities in the period 2003–2015, we build an exogenous and fully data-driven indicator of mortgage supply stance and use it as instrument for actual extended mortgages. Our results indicate that mortgages have a positive and significant causal effect on house prices, with an estimated elasticity of around 0.1. The estimated effect is larger during the expansionary phase of the housing cycle. We also find evidence of significant spatial heterogeneity: mortgages push real estate values more in cities where the housing supply curve is less elastic or households are more dependent on external finance.
Personalized Cancer Follow-Up Care Pathways: A Delphi Consensus of Research Priorities
Authors: Leach Corinne R , Alfano Catherine M , Potts Jessica , Gallicchio Lisa , Yabroff K Robin , Oeffinger Kevin C , Hahn Erin E , Shulman Lawrence N , Hudson Shawna V
Published: April 2020

Development of personalized, stratified follow-up care pathways where care intensity and setting vary with needs could improve cancer survivor outcomes and efficiency of health-care delivery. Advancing such an approach in the United States requires identification and prioritization of the most pressing research and data needed to create and implement personalized care pathway models. Cancer survivorship research and care experts (n = 39) participated in an in-person workshop on this topic in 2018. Using a modified Delphi technique—a structured, validated system for identifying consensus—an expert panel identified critical research questions related to operationalizing personalized, stratified follow-up care pathways for individuals diagnosed with cancer. Consensus for the top priority research questions was achieved iteratively through 3 rounds: item generation, item consolidation, and selection of the final list of priority research questions. From the 28 research questions that were generated, 11 research priority questions were identified. The questions were categorized into 4 priority themes: determining outcome measures for new care pathways, developing and evaluating new care pathways, incentivizing new care pathway delivery, and providing technology and infrastructure to support self-management. Existing data sources to begin answering questions were also identified. Although existing data sources, including cancer registry, electronic medical record, and health insurance claims data, can be enhanced to begin addressing some questions, additional research resources are needed to address these priority questions.
The Discursive Construction of Facts in International Adjudication
Authors: Bernardino Ana Luísa
Published: April 2020

This article challenges the view according to which adjudicators’ ‘descriptions’ of the facts of a case are carbon copies of a reality that is independent of them. It presents a critical examination of how international judicial discourse constructs a dispute’s factual background and focuses on the question of knowing what judges do when they lay down the facts of the case. Drawing on pragmatist philosophy, this article argues that, more than a mere description, statements on the factual background of a dispute are an endorsement or commitment to a given claim. It does so through an analysis of different ways in which facts are constructed in international adjudication, showing how facts are theory-laden, always based on non-negligible selections and distinctions, and rely on a given narrative for their cogency.
Rare case of adhesive large bowel obstruction in acute burn patient: management of open abdomen with ABTHERA ADVANCE™ Open Abdomen Dressing†
Authors: Huang Yao C , Vujcich Elizabeth , Brown Jason
Published: April 2020

Large bowel obstructions (LBO) are rarely caused by adhesions. Surgical management of this condition may require an open approach but closure may not always be possible. There are many temporizing measures in clinical use; however, the ABTHERA ADVANCE™ Open Abdomen Dressing has demonstrated significantly improved outcomes compared to other negative pressure wound therapy dressings. There are few cases in the literature documenting adhesive LBO and none in an acutely unwell burn patient whose abdomen subsequently required the ABTHERA ADVANCE™ Open Abdomen Dressing. We emphasize the importance of considering adhesive LBO as a differential in bowel obstruction and highlight a novel but effective way of managing it in our unique case.
Zika among international travellers presenting to GeoSentinel sites, 2012–2019: implications for clinical practice
Authors: Angelo Kristina M , Stoney Rhett J , Brun-Cottan Gaelle , Leder Karin , Grobusch Martin P , Hochberg Natasha , Kuhn Susan , Bottieau Emmanuel , Schlagenhauf Patricia , Chen Lin , Hynes Noreen A , Perez Cecilia Perret , Mockenhaupt Frank P , Molina Israel , Crespillo-Andújar Clara , Malvy Denis , Caumes Eric , Plourde Pierre , Shaw Marc , McCarthy Anne E , Piper-Jenks Nancy , Connor Bradley A , Hamer Davidson H , Wilder-Smith Annelies
Published: April 2020

Introduction

International travellers contribute to the rapid spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) and its sentinel identification globally. We describe ZIKV infections among international travellers seen at GeoSentinel sites with a focus on ZIKV acquired in the Americas and the Caribbean, describe countries of exposure and traveller characteristics, and assess ZIKV diagnostic testing by site.

Methods

Records with an international travel-related diagnosis of confirmed or probable ZIKV from January 2012 through December 2019 reported to GeoSentinel with a recorded illness onset date were included to show reported cases over time. Records from March 2016 through December 2019 with an exposure region of the Americas or the Caribbean were included in the descriptive analysis. A survey was conducted to assess the availability, accessibility and utilization of ZIKV diagnostic tests at GeoSentinel sites.

Results

GeoSentinel sites reported 525 ZIKV cases from 2012 through 2019. Between 2012 and 2014, eight cases were reported, and all were acquired in Asia or Oceania. After 2014, most cases were acquired in the Americas or the Caribbean, a large decline in ZIKV cases occurred in 2018–19.

Between March 2016 and December 2019, 423 patients acquired ZIKV in the Americas or the Caribbean, peak reporting to these regions occurred in 2016 [330 cases (78%)]. The median age was 36 years (range: 3–92); 63% were female. The most frequent region of exposure was the Caribbean (60%). Thirteen travellers were pregnant during or after travel; one had a sexually acquired ZIKV infection. There was one case of fetal anomaly and two travellers with Guillain-Barré syndrome. GeoSentinel sites reported various challenges to diagnose ZIKV effectively.

Conclusion

ZIKV should remain a consideration for travellers returning from areas with risk of ZIKV transmission. Travellers should discuss their travel plans with their healthcare providers to ensure ZIKV prevention measures are taken.
The spectral impact of magnetic activity on disc-integrated HARPS-N solar observations: exploring new activity indicators
Authors: Thompson A P G , Watson C A , Haywood R D , Costes J C , de Mooij E , Collier Cameron A , Dumusque X , Phillips D F , Saar S H , Mortier A , Milbourne T W , Aigrain S , Cegla H M , Charbonneau D , Cosentino R , Ghedina A , Latham D W , López-Morales M , Micela G , Molinari E , Poretti E , Sozzetti A , Thompson S , Walsworth R
Published: April 2020

Stellar activity is the major roadblock on the path to finding true Earth-analogue planets with the Doppler technique. Thus, identifying new indicators that better trace magnetic activity (i.e. faculae and spots) is crucial to aid in disentangling these signals from that of a planet’s Doppler wobble. In this work, we investigate activity related features as seen in disc-integrated spectra from the HARPS-N solar telescope. We divide high-activity spectral echelle orders by low-activity master templates (as defined using both $\log {R^{\prime }_{HK}}$ and images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, SDO), creating ‘relative spectra’. With resolved images of the surface of the Sun (via SDO), the faculae and spot filling factors can be calculated, giving a measure of activity independent of, and in addition to, $\log {R^{\prime }_{HK}}$. We find pseudo-emission (and pseudo-absorption) features in the relative spectra that are similar to those reported in our previous work on α Cen B. In α Cen B, the features are shown to correlate better to changes in faculae filling factor than spot filling factor. In this work, we more confidently identify changes in faculae coverage of the visible hemisphere of the Sun as the source of features produced in the relative spectra. Finally, we produce trailed spectra to observe the radial velocity component of the features, which show that the features move in a redward direction as one would expect when tracking active regions rotating on the surface of a star.
Moving and reactive boundary conditions in moving-mesh hydrodynamics
Authors: Prust Logan J
Published: April 2020

We outline the methodology of implementing moving boundary conditions into the moving-mesh code manga. The motion of our boundaries is reactive to hydrodynamic and gravitational forces. We discuss the hydrodynamics of a moving boundary as well as the modifications to our hydrodynamic and gravity solvers. Appropriate initial conditions to accurately produce a boundary of arbitrary shape are also discussed. Our code is applied to several test cases, including a Sod shock tube, a Sedov–Taylor blast wave, and a supersonic wind on a sphere. We show the convergence of conserved quantities in our simulations. We demonstrate the use of moving boundaries in astrophysical settings by simulating a common envelope phase in a binary system, in which the companion object is modelled by a spherical boundary. We conclude that our methodology is suitable to simulate astrophysical systems using moving and reactive boundary conditions.
Three-dimensional core-collapse supernova simulations of massive and rotating progenitors
Authors: Powell Jade , Müller Bernhard
Published: April 2020

We present 3D simulations of the core-collapse of massive rotating and non-rotating progenitors performed with the general relativistic neutrino hydrodynamics code coconut-fmt. The progenitor models include Wolf-Rayet stars with initial helium star masses of $39\, \mathrm{ M}_{\odot }$ and $20\, \mathrm{ M}_{\odot }$, and an $18\, \mathrm{ M}_{\odot }$ red supergiant. The $39\, \mathrm{ M}_{\odot }$ model is a rapid rotator, whereas the two other progenitors are non-rotating. Both Wolf-Rayet models produce healthy neutrino-driven explosions, whereas the red supergiant model fails to explode. By the end of the simulations, the explosion energies have already reached $1.1\times 10^{51}\, $ and $0.6\times 10^{51}\, \mathrm{erg}$ for the $39\, \mathrm{ M}_{\odot }$ and $20\, \mathrm{ M}_{\odot }$ model, respectively. They produce neutron stars of relatively high mass, but with modest kicks. Due to the alignment of the bipolar explosion geometry with the rotation axis, there is a relatively small misalignment of 30° between the spin and the kick in the rapidly rotating $39\, \mathrm{ M}_{\odot }$ model. For this model, we find that rotation significantly changes the dependence of the characteristic gravitational-wave frequency of the f-mode on the proto-neutron star parameters compared to the non-rotating case. Its gravitational-wave amplitudes would make it detectable out to almost 2 Mpc by the Einstein Telescope. The other two progenitors have considerably smaller detection distances, despite significant low-frequency emission in the most sensitive frequency band of current gravitational-wave detectors.
Introducing the HD+B model for pulsar wind nebulae: a hybrid hydrodynamics/radiative approach
Authors: Olmi B , Torres D F
Published: April 2020

Identification and characterization of a rapidly increasing number of pulsar wind nebulae is, and will continue to be, a challenge of high-energy gamma-ray astrophysics. Given that such systems constitute -by far- the most numerous expected population in the TeV regime, such characterization is important not only to learn about the sources per se from an individual and population perspective, but also to be able to connect them with observations at other frequencies, especially in radio and X-rays. Also, we need to remove the emission from nebulae in highly confused regions of the sky for revealing other underlying emitters. In this paper, we present a new approach for theoretical modelling of pulsar wind nebulae: a hybrid hydrodynamic-radiative model able to reproduce morphological features and spectra of the sources, with relatively limited numerical cost.
Sub-galactic scaling relations between X-ray luminosity, star formation rate, and stellar mass
Authors: Kouroumpatzakis K , Zezas A , Sell P , Kovlakas K , Bonfini P , Willner S P , Ashby M L N , Maragkoudakis A , Jarrett T H
Published: April 2020

X-ray luminosity (LX) originating from high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) is tightly correlated with the host galaxy’s star formation rate (SFR). We explore this connection at sub-galactic scales spanning ∼7 dex in SFR and ∼8 dex in specific SFR (sSFR). There is good agreement with established relations down to SFR ≃ 10−3 M$_{\odot }\, \rm {yr^{-1}}$, below which an excess of X-ray luminosity emerges. This excess likely arises from low-mass X-ray binaries. The intrinsic scatter of the LX–SFR relation is constant, not correlated with SFR. Different star formation indicators scale with LX in different ways, and we attribute the differences to the effect of star formation history. The SFR derived from H α shows the tightest correlation with X-ray luminosity because H α emission probes stellar populations with ages similar to HMXB formation time-scales, but the H α-based SFR is reliable only for $\rm sSFR{\gt }10^{-12}$ M$_{\odot }\, \rm {yr^{-1}}$/M⊙.