bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Credit constraints, labor productivity, and the role of regional institutions: Evidence from manufacturing firms in Europe
Authors: Rodríguez‐Pose Andrés , Ganau Roberto , Maslauskaite Kristina , Brezzi Monica 
Published: November 2020

AbstractThis paper examines the relationship between credit constraints—proxied by the investment‐to‐cash flow sensitivity—and firm‐level economic performance— defined in terms of labor productivity—during the period 2009–2016, using a sample of 22,380 manufacturing firms from 11 European countries. It also assesses how regional institutional quality affects productivity at the level of the firm both directly and indirectly. The empirical results highlight that credit rationing is rife and represents a serious barrier for improvements in firm‐level productivity and that this effect is far greater for micro and small than for larger firms. Moreover, high‐quality regional institutions foster productivity and help mitigate the negative credit constraints–labor productivity relationship that limits the economic performance of European firms. Dealing with the European productivity conundrum thus requires greater attention to existing credit constraints for micro and small firms, although in many areas of Europe access to credit will become more effective if institutional quality is improved.
Achillea millefolium antagonism to Pratylenchus brachyurus
Authors: Baldisera Sephora Serrano , Schwengber Raiane Pereira , Ferreira Paulo Giliard da Silva , Jacomassi Ezilda , Gazim Zilda Cristiani , Santana‐Gomes Simone de Melo 
Published: November 2020

AbstractPratylenchus brachyurus is a phytonematode species mostly damaging crops. It is mainly controlled by agrochemicals which are harmful to the environment and public health. Such outcomes encourage the development of research on products and/or processes to control this phytonematode and to contribute to the sustainability of agricultural systems. Thus, the aim of the current study was to assess host suitability of Achillea millefolium to P. brachyurus, as well as the nematicidal potential of its essential oil and root exudates. We conducted two experiments with two different plant species—Glycine max (soya bean) and Achillea millefolium (yarrow)—based on a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement to assess host suitability. Plants were assessed 5, 10 and 15 days after inoculation through the fuchsine acid staining technique. Based on the results, A. millefolium was an unfavourable host to this phytonematode. Therefore, it can be recommended for crop rotation and/or succession systems in small areas. We tested the nematicidal activity of the essential oil and exudates of A. millefolium at concentrations of 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 µg/ml in a BOD incubator at 26°C for 48 hr. The essential oil showed increasing linear regression, that is the higher was the concentration, the higher was the mortality rate. Exudates showed a quadratic behaviour (p ≤ .05), leading to 60.83% nematode mortality. Therefore, the essential oil and root exudates of A. millefolium have the potential to control P. brachyurus. The essential oil showed antagonistic properties likely because of the presence of germacrene D (39.55%), (E,E)‐α‐farnesene (25.70%) and chamazulene (8.91%).
A Systematic Review of Factors Impacting Suicide Risk Among Rural Adults in the United States
Authors: Mohatt Nathaniel V. , Kreisel Carlee J. , Hoffberg Adam S. , MPH Leah Wendleton , Beehler Sarah J. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractPurposeSuicide rates continue to be significantly higher in rural compared to urban communities in the United States, with the suicide rate disparity continuing to grow since 1999. This systematic review synthesizes rural‐specific factors related to increased suicide risk.MethodsOVID Medline, EMBASE, OVID PsycINFO, Web of Science, SocINDEX, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched for articles published after 2003 investigating rural adult suicide in the United States. Selection criteria were: (1) study participants > 18 years old; (2) included rural participants or communities; (3) included suicidal self‐directed violence outcomes; (4) within the United States; (5) published after 2003; (6) presented peer‐reviewed original data; (7) identified rural‐specific risk or protective factors for suicide or barriers to treatment.FindingsOf the 1,058 records screened, 34 studies were included. The strength of evidence was relatively stronger for individual level factors including lethal means, alcohol and substance use.ConclusionsAccess to firearms is strongly related to elevated rural US suicide rates, with substance use, economic stress, and behavioral health care utilization as additional individual level factors that may contribute to the disparity. At the community level, economic distress and access to care were commonly identified factors. Future research should better quantify how risk factors contribute to rural suicide and examine interdependence across social‐ecological levels. Suicide prevention efforts for the rural United States must address access to lethal means, in particular the use of firearms, and navigate limited access to quality behavioral health care.
Exceptional Survival Among Kentucky Stage IV Non‐small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: Appalachian Versus Non‐Appalachian Populations
Authors: Pravosud Vira , Vanderford Nathan L. , Huang Bin , Tucker Thomas C. , Arnold Susanne M. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractPurposeTo determine differences in exceptional survival (ES)—survival of 5 years or more past diagnosis—between stage IV non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients residing in the Appalachian versus non‐Appalachian regions of Kentucky.MethodsThis was a population‐based, retrospective case‐control study of Kentucky patients, diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2011. The data were drawn from the Kentucky Cancer Registry.FindingsFindings from the multivariable logistic regression revealed no significant differences in the odds of ES between patients who resided in Appalachian versus non‐Appalachian Kentucky. Being female and undergoing surgery only as the first course of treatment were associated with higher odds of ES. Increasing age, unspecified histology, having poorly differentiated or undifferentiated carcinomas, and receiving radiation therapy only as the first course of treatment were associated with decreased odds of ES.ConclusionDifferences in the odds of ES among stage IV NSCLC patients were not related to residence in Appalachian versus non‐Appalachian Kentucky. ES was associated with other nongenetic and treatment factors that warrant further investigations.
Hydroxychloroquine Controversies: Clinical Trials, Epistemology, and the Democratization of Science
Authors: Berlivet Luc , Löwy Ilana 
Published: November 2020

AbstractThe claim that anti‐malaria drugs, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, can cure COVID‐19 became a focus of fierce political battles that pitted promoters of these pharmaceuticals, Presidents Bolsonaro and Trump among them, against “medical elites.” At the center of these battles are different meanings of effectiveness in medicine, the complex role of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in proving such effectiveness, the task of medical experts and the state in regulating pharmaceuticals, patients’ activism, and the collective production of medical knowledge. This article follows the trajectory of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as anti‐COVID‐19 drugs, focusing on the reception of views of their main scientific promoter, the French infectious disease specialist, Didier Raoult. The surprising career of these drugs, our text proposes, is fundamentally a political event, not in the narrow sense of engaging specific political fractions, but in the much broader sense of the politics of public participation in science.
Congenital dermoid sinus of the anterior chest region
Authors: Shin Hyun Beak , Park Ho Sung , Park Eun Hae , Jeong Yeon Jun 
Published: November 2020

AbstractBackgroundCongenital dermoid sinus of the anterior chest region (CDACR) is a rare developmental anomaly. Therefore, the aim of our study was to draw attention to this underrecognized lesion.MethodsFrom 2011 to 2019, our study group included 11 patients who presented to our hospital with pits and masses of their anterior chest walls. All lesions were surgically excised with histologic confirmation of the diagnosis of CDACR. The medical records of these patients were reviewed for the following data: patient age, gender, clinical characteristics of the lesion and site of involvement, department first visited, diagnostic evaluation, management, postoperative complications, and histopathological findings.ResultsThere was a clear left‐sided predominance, with 10/11 cases occurring on the left and a female predominance of eight cases out of 11. Although the pits were present at birth, the mean age at presentation was 19.7 months. All patients showed clinical signs of infection at the time of presentation and were treated with antibiotics. Seven patients had a history of abscess formation treated with incision and drainage. Ultrasound was performed in eight patients. In all cases, the lesions, including pit and sinus, were completely excised.ConclusionsCongenital dermoid sinus of the anterior chest region is likely underrecognized. We encountered a high frequency of complications such as infections or abscesses prior to surgical excision. Complete excision of CDACR is not technically difficult. Therefore, surgical removal should be considered, even for asymptomatic lesions, to avoid future complications and for cosmesis.
Retributivism and the proportionality dilemma
Authors: Ryberg Jesper 
Published: November 2020

Abstract‘Retributivism’ covers a wide range of theories which, even though they differ in various ways, all give some room for proportionality considerations with regard to the question of how severely offenders should be punished. This article addresses the question—well‐known from traditional ethical theory—as to whether proportionality constraints should be given an absolutist or a non‐absolutist interpretation. It is argued that both absolutist and some non‐absolutist accounts of proportionality constraints have counter‐intuitive implications and, more generally, that the non‐absolutist interpretation, to which most retributivists seem to subscribe, faces serious challenges with regard to how the thresholds of such constraints should be determined. It is concluded that, given the aspiration of providing genuine action guidance for penal practice, the retributivist faces a dilemma that is not easily resolved.
Medication management in dialysis: Barriers and strategies
Authors: Cardone Katie E. , Parker Wendy M. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractPeople with end‐stage kidney disease (ESKD) who require chronic dialysis are often reliant on complicated medication regimens to manage their health conditions. Due to the complexities of the advanced kidney disease, underlying comorbidities, and special instructions, medication regimens for patients on dialysis put patients at high risk for medication therapy problems related to safety, effectiveness, appropriateness, and adherence. This article explores the factors that affect optimal medication use for people on dialysis, including the broader drug use system, and offers recommendations around medication reconciliation, medication review, deprescribing, and considering social determinants of health to improve medication management among patients with ESKD.
Barriers to home dialysis: Unraveling the tapestry of policy
Authors: Fissell Rachel B. , Cavanaugh Kerri L. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractHome dialysis use as a treatment for end‐stage kidney disease varies locally, nationally, and internationally. There is a call to action in the United States to significantly increase access and uptake of home dialysis as the preferred dialysis treatment option. Although most do not object to patient choice in modality selection, the reality is that there are multilevel barriers both obvious and subtle that interfere with expanding home dialysis access. Financial barriers and how payment is structured continue to be key drivers, although new models of care are emerging that include for the first time incentives rather than penalties regarding home dialysis. Resources to support implementation include expert personnel requiring educational training. Policies requiring training curriculum content that is not only specified within nephrology but also for these multidisciplinary providers requisite for successful home dialysis to ensure professional expertise is ready and available, and also to cultivate champions of home modality within the broader nephrology community. Perhaps most importantly, innovation through expanded investment in research is necessary to advance practices, elevate quality, and improve outcomes. Policy in a variety of sectors at local, regional, national, and international levels has the potential to drastically drive expansion and increasing success of home dialysis.
Costs associated with transfusion therapy in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes in Sweden: a nationwide retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zhao Jingcheng , Dahlén Torsten , Edgren Gustaf 
Published: November 2020

AbstractBackground and objectivesBlood transfusion is a cornerstone therapy for many patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), but ranges from few to no transfusions to intensive transfusion therapy. To date, no large studies have described transfusion use or costs for patients with MDS, accounting for the range of disease severity.Materials and methodsA nationwide cohort study was conducted with all patients diagnosed with MDS in Sweden between 2008 and 2017, based on the Swedish MDS register and the Swedish part of the Scandinavian Donations and Transfusions Database 3 (SCANDAT3‐S). Patients were followed from diagnosis until death, emigration, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or end of follow‐up. Average cumulative transfusion count and costs over time were calculated, stratified by the revised international prognostic scoring system (IPSS‐R) and age at diagnosis. Costs calculations used data on incident transfusions and laboratory testing and were divided into: direct material costs, direct labour costs and laboratory costs.ResultsIn total, 2311 patients were included in the cohort. In the first four years after diagnosis, patients in the very low IPSS‐R category received on average 25 red cell (95% confidence interval, 20–32) and 4 (3–7) platelet transfusions. Conversely, patients in the very high‐risk category received on average 171 (135–200) red cell and 66 (51–78) platelet transfusions. Correspondingly, transfusion costs ranged from $8805 ($6482–$11 625) to $80 106 ($61 460–$95 792).ConclusionTransfusion count and costs for patients with MDS increased markedly with IPSS‐R risk category, but were similar across age groups. Transfusion costs were considerable for the highest IPSS‐R risk categories.
Use of Evidence‐Based Practice Among Healthcare Professionals After the Implementation of a New Competency‐Based Curriculum
Authors: Engels Cynthia , Boutin Emmanuelle , Boussely Fabien , Bourgeon‐Ghittori Irma , Couturier Bérengère , Fromantin Isabelle , Lafuente‐Lafuente Carmelo , Canoui‐Poitrine Florence 
Published: November 2020

AbstractBackgroundAlthough evidence‐based practice (EBP) has been spreading since the 1990s, it has not yet been sufficiently implemented.AimFollowing the reform of initial training for healthcare professions in France 2012, we sought to determine whether the new curriculum was associated with more frequent use of EBP.MethodsWe performed an online, cross‐sectional survey of nurses, occupational therapists, and podiatrists (divided into pre‐ and post‐reform groups) in June 2018. The questionnaire covered demographic data, use of EBP, and the perception of EBP. As holding a master’s degree may enhance knowledge and use of EBP, we adjusted for this variable. Categories to analyze qualitative data were created regarding the five steps in EBP and its definition.ResultsThe total sample was N = 595 (pre‐reform group n = 301; post‐reform group n = 294). The proportion of respondents who frequently read the professional literature was lower in the post‐reform group than in the pre‐reform group (33% vs. 54%, respectively; OR [95% CI] = .52 [.37–.73]; p < .001). The main stated reasons for reading the professional literature were “keeping up to date with practice” and “making clinical decisions.” Respondents in both groups mentioned a lack of time as the most frequent barrier to reading the literature (82%), a lack of access to bibliographical resources, and that EBP was not encouraged. Most professionals limited their definition of EBP to reading the literature and implementing research results.Linking Evidence to ActionThere is a need to teach the five steps of EBP more explicitly and to embed its position into daily practice, for example, through reflective analysis practice. Professional trainings about EBP should be offered on a regular basis. Guidance coming from the healthcare directorate should include expected daily practice time for reading and journal club and giving more access to international healthcare literature.
A Finite Element-Based Coarse-Grained Model for Cell–Nanomaterial Interactions by Combining Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formula and Brownian Dynamics
Authors: Ma Teng , Liu Yuanpeng , Lin Guochang , Wang Changguo , Tan Huifeng 
Published: November 2020

AbstractA fundamental understanding of the interactions between one-dimensional nanomaterials and the cell membrane is of great importance for assessing the hazardous effects of viruses and improving the performance of drug delivery. Here, we propose a finite element-based coarse-grained model to describe the cell entry of nanomaterials based on an absolute nodal coordinate formula and Brownian dynamics. The interactions between nanoparticles and lipid membrane are described by the Lennard–Jones potential, and a contact detection algorithm is used to determine the contact region. Compared with the theoretical and published experimental results, the correctness of the model has been verified. We take two examples to test the robustness of the model: the endocytosis of nanorods grafted with polymer chains and simultaneous entry of multiple nanorods into a lipid membrane. It shows that the model can not only capture the effect of ligand–receptor binding on the penetration but also accurately characterize the cooperative or separate entry of multiple nanorods. This coarse-grained model is computationally highly efficient and will be powerful in combination with molecular dynamics simulations to provide an understanding of cell–nanomaterial interactions.
A Parametric Investigation of Corneal Laser Surgery Based on the Multilayer Dynamic Photothermal Model
Authors: Zhang Juqi , Ren Yatao , Yin Yanmei , Qi Hong 
Published: November 2020

AbstractCorneal laser surgery is a widely used method for the treatment of ocular myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Although it is a well-established technique, the photothermal properties of the cornea are often overlooked, causing unexpected changes in temperature during laser irradiation. Therefore, there is a need for further investigation of the temperature response of the cornea under laser irradiation. In the present work, a photothermal corneal numerical model is presented, assuming the stratification of the cornea with laser ablation in an uncoagulated layer, a coagulated layer, a dehydrating layer, a dried layer, and a carbonized layer. The modified Pennes' bioheat transfer equation and Lambert-Beer's law are applied to simulate heat transfer in the corneal tissue during laser irradiation. And the corneal dynamic photothermal parameters are considered in the proposed model. The central surface temperature, the boundary and thickness of each layer, and the thermal damage during laser irradiation are investigated. From the model, it was found that in the steady-state process, the thickness of the coagulated layer was 2.6, 14.4, and 52.4 times larger than that of the dehydrating layer, the dried layer, and the carbonized layer, respectively. The thickness of the corneal thermal damage gradually increased, and reached a peak of 0.196 mm at about 18.2 ms. Subsequently, it sharply decreased by 0.01 mm before stabilizing. On this basis, the influence of laser intensity is investigated. The parametric investigation and analysis presented provide a theoretical basis for corneal laser surgery, which can be used to improve our understanding of laser-tissue surgery.
Direct Osmotic Pressure Measurements in Articular Cartilage Demonstrate Nonideal and Concentration-Dependent Phenomena
Authors: Zimmerman Brandon K. , Nims Robert J. , Chen Alex , Hung Clark T. , Ateshian Gerard A. 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
The osmotic pressure in articular cartilage serves an important mechanical function in healthy tissue. Its magnitude is thought to play a role in advancing osteoarthritis. The aims of this study were to: (1) isolate and quantify the magnitude of cartilage swelling pressure in situ; and (2) identify the effect of salt concentration on material parameters. Confined compression stress-relaxation testing was performed on 18 immature bovine and six mature human cartilage samples in solutions of varying osmolarities. Direct measurements of osmotic pressure revealed nonideal and concentration-dependent osmotic behavior, with magnitudes approximately 1/3 those predicted by ideal Donnan law. A modified Donnan constitutive behavior was able to capture the aggregate behavior of all samples with a single adjustable parameter. Results of curve-fitting transient stress-relaxation data with triphasic theory in febio demonstrated concentration-dependent material properties. The aggregate modulus HA increased threefold as the external concentration decreased from hypertonic 2 M to hypotonic 0.001 M NaCl (bovine: HA=0.420±0.109 MPa to 1.266±0.438 MPa; human: HA=0.499±0.208 MPa to 1.597±0.455 MPa), within a triphasic theory inclusive of osmotic effects. This study provides a novel and simple analytical model for cartilage osmotic pressure which may be used in computational simulations, validated with direct in situ measurements. A key finding is the simultaneous existence of Donnan osmotic and Poisson–Boltzmann electrostatic interactions within cartilage.