bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Antiseptic efficacy of an innovative perioperative surgical skin preparation: A confirmatory FDA phase 3 analysis
Authors: Edmiston Charles E. , Lavin Philip , Spencer Maureen , Borlaug Gwen , Seabrook Gary R. , Leaper David 
Published: March 2020

AbstractBackground:An innovative approach to perioperative antiseptic skin preparation is warranted because of potential adverse skin irritation, rare risk of serious allergic reaction, and perceived diminished clinical efficacy of current perioperative antiseptic agents. The results of a confirmatory US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) phase 3 efficacy analysis of a recently approved innovative perioperative surgical skin antiseptic agent are discussed.Methods:The microbial skin flora on abdominal and groin sites in healthy volunteers were microbiologically sampled following randomization to either ZuraGard, a 2% chlorhexidine/70% isopropyl alcohol preparation (Chloraprep), or a control vehicle (alcohol-free ZuraGard). Mean log10reduction of colony-forming units (CFU) was assessed at 30 seconds, 10 minutes, and 6 hours.Results:For combined groin sites (1,721 paired observations) at all time points, the mean log10CFU reductions were significantly greater in the ZuraGard group than in the Chloraprep group (P< .02). Mean log10CFU reductions across combined abdominal and groin sites at all time points (3,277 paired observations) were significantly greater in the ZuraGard group than in the Chloraprep group (P< .02).Conclusions:A confirmatory FDA phase 3 efficacy analysis of skin antisepsis in human volunteers documented that ZuraGard was efficacious in significantly reducing the microbial burden on abdominal and groin test sites, exceeding that of Chloraprep. No significant adverse reactions were observed following the application of ZuraGard.Trial registration:ClinicalTrials.govidentifiers: NCT02831998 and NCT02831816.
Transhumance, Climate Change and Conflicts: Reflections on the Legal Implications of Grazing Reserves and Ruga Settlements in Nigeria
Authors: Ele Millicent N 
Published: March 2020

AbstractIn recent times, clash after clash has arisen between herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria. These conflicts were linked to the effects of climate change in northern Nigeria, but have been exacerbated by other factors including ethno-religious sentiments. Herdsmen forced to migrate southwards face intense competition for arable and grazing land with the farmers in Nigeria's middle belt. This invariably leads to conflicts, often resulting in gruesome murder and carnage. Thousands have died, many more have been maimed and millions displaced because of this crisis. As a solution, the Nigerian government proposes to set up grazing reserves and rural grazing area settlements in all states of the federation. The problem with this proposal is how and where to obtain the land. This article reflects on the legal implications of the proposal and argues in favour of grazing reserves and ranching on the basis of a private freehold / leasehold tenure arrangement, not through the compulsory acquisition of land by the government.
Ideas, Interests, and the Transition to a Floating Exchange System
Authors: KI YOUN , JEUNG YONGWOO 
Published: March 2020

Abstract:Milton Friedman’s idea of flexible exchange rates was heresy for Americans until the mid-1960s. However, by the late 1970s the idea became embedded in academic thought, policymaking, and business practices. This article analyzes how floating currencies, once eschewed, became embraced as legitimate in the US through the late 1960s and early 1970s. It demonstrates how business leaders’ economic interests and laissez-faire economists’ framework for causes of and solutions to business hardships contributed to society’s acceptance of currency flexibility. Increasing societal support of flexible currencies strengthened the power of float-advocates within the US government, facilitating the transition of the international monetary system from fixed exchange rates to floating. This study highlights how material interests and policy discourses contributed to America’s new policy orientation. It also addresses the origins of the neoliberal international financial order by documenting how American elites reconstituted the state-market balance in global finance while navigating monetary crises.
Pre-operative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio predicts low cardiac output in children after cardiac surgery
Authors: Iliopoulos Ilias , Alder Matthew N. , Cooper David S. , Villarreal Enrique G. , Loomba Rohit , Sahay Rashmi D. , Fei Lin , Steele Paul E. , Flores Saul 
Published: March 2020

AbstractNeutrophil–lymphocyte ratio has been associated with clinical outcomes in several groups of cardiac patients, including patients with coronary artery disease, cardiac failure, and cardiac transplant recipients. We hypothesised that pre- and/or post-operative haematological cell counts are associated with clinical outcomes in children undergoing cardiac surgery for CHD. We performed a post hoc analysis of data collected as part of a prospective observational cohort study (n = 83, data available n = 47) of children evaluated for glucocorticoid receptor levels after cardiac surgery (July 2015–January 2016). The association of neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio with low cardiac output syndrome, time to inotrope free, and vasoactive-inotropic score was examined using proportional odds analysis, cox regression, and linear regression models, respectively. A majority (80%) of patients were infants (median/interquartile range 4.1/0.2–7.6 months) with conotruncal (36%) and left-sided obstructed lesions (28%). Two patients required mechanical circulatory support and three died. Higher pre-operative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio was associated with higher cumulative odds of severe/moderate versus mild low cardiac output on post-operative day 1 (odds ratio 2.86; 95% confidence interval 1.18–6.93; p = 0.02). Pre-operative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio was not significantly associated with time to inotrope free or vasoactive-inotrope score. Post-operative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio was also not associated with outcomes. In children after congenital heart surgery, higher pre-operative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio was associated with a higher chance of low cardiac output in the early post-operative period. Pre-operative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio maybe a useful prognostic marker in children undergoing congenital heart surgery.
Nutrition status in adult Chilean population: economic, ethnic and sex inequalities in a post-transitional country
Authors: Mujica-Coopman María F , Navarro-Rosenblatt Deborah , López-Arana Sandra , Corvalán Camila 
Published: March 2020

AbstractObjective:To assess the relationship between malnutrition, socioeconomic status (SES) and ethnicity in Chilean adult population.Design:Nationally representative survey (ENS) conducted in 2016–2017. Sociodemographic information, weight, height and hemoglobin (Hb) were measured (2003 ENS). Excess weight was defined as BMI ≥25 kg/m2. Undernutrition included underweight (BMI <18·5 kg/m2), short stature (height <1·49 m in women and <1·62 m in men) or anaemia (Hb <12 g/l). Education and household income level were used as indicators of SES; ethnicity was self-reported. We applied linear combinations of estimators to compare the prevalence of excess weight and undernutrition by SES and ethnicity.Setting:Chile.Participants:In total, 5082 adults ≥20 years (64 % women) and 1739 women ≥20 years for anaemia analyses.Results:Overall, >75 % of women and men had excess weight. Low SES women either by income or education had higher excess weight ((82·0 (77·1, 86·1) v. 65·0 (54·8, 74·1)) by income; (85·3 (80·6, 89·0) v. 68·2 (61·6, 74·1) %) by education) and short stature (20–49 years; 31(17·9, 48·2) v. 5·2 (2·2,11·4) by education); obesity was also more frequent among indigenous women (20–49 years; 55·8 (44·4, 66·6) v. 37·2 (32·7, 42·0) %) than non-indigenous women. In men, excess weight did not significantly differ by SES or ethnicity, but short stature concentrated in low SES (20–49 years; 47·6 (24·6, 71·6) v. 4·5 (2·1, 9·5) by education) and indigenous men (21·5 (11·9, 5·5, 11·9) v. 8·2 (5·5, 11·9)) (P < 0·05 for all).Conclusions:In Chile, malnutrition is disproportionately concentrated among women of low SES and indigenous origin; these inequalities should be considered when implementing prevention policies.
The Structure of Climate Variability Across Scales
Authors: Franzke Christian L. E. , Barbosa Susana , Blender Richard , Fredriksen Hege‐Beate , Laepple Thomas , Lambert Fabrice , Nilsen Tine , Rypdal Kristoffer , Rypdal Martin , Scotto Manuel G, , Vannitsem Stéphane , Watkins Nicholas W. , Yang Lichao , Yuan Naiming 
Published: March 2020

AbstractOne of the most intriguing facets of the climate system is that it exhibits variability across all temporal and spatial scales; pronounced examples are temperature and precipitation. The structure of this variability, however, is not arbitrary. Over certain spatial and temporal ranges, it can be described by scaling relationships in the form of power laws in probability density distributions and autocorrelation functions. These scaling relationships can be quantified by scaling exponents which measure how the variability changes across scales and how the intensity changes with frequency of occurrence. Scaling determines the relative magnitudes and persistence of natural climate fluctuations. Here, we review various scaling mechanisms and their relevance for the climate system. We show observational evidence of scaling and discuss the application of scaling properties and methods in trend detection, climate sensitivity analyses, and climate prediction.
Large Earthquakes Driven by Fluid Overpressure: The Apennines Normal Faulting System Case
Authors: Chiarabba C. , Buttinelli M. , Cattaneo M. , De Gori P. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractFluid overpressure is a primary mechanism behind fault interaction and earthquakes triggering. The Apennines section within the young Alpine mobile belt is a key locus to investigate the interplay between fluids and faults. Here, seismicity develops along the extending mountain belt and the key role of fluids has been invoked in past large earthquake sequences. In this study, we use seismological data to get improved images of the Apennines normal faulting system, trying to catch evidences for the involvement of fluids in the preparatory phase of large earthquakes. We observe that extension preferentially reutilizes inherited fragments of faults which were assembled during the Mio‐Pliocene contraction, with steep segments that floor on a regional‐scale gently east dipping plane. We find evidences for wide volumes of overpressured fluids at the base of the seismogenic layer, which are connected to the activation of the recent large earthquakes. The recognition of fluids compartments with overpressuring and diffusion molding seismicity is a key to understand faulting processes and possibly develop forecasts scenarios.
Feedback Between Reservoir Operation and Floodplain Development: Implications for Reservoir Benefits and Beneficiaries
Authors: Wallington Kevin , Cai Ximing 
Published: March 2020

AbstractCurrently, reservoir operation researchers and decision makers weigh the trade‐off between water conservation and flood control at the event and seasonal scales but have neglected the role of socioeconomic dynamics which unfold over longer time scales. However, ongoing advances in understanding human‐flood interactions provide an exemplary opportunity to diverge from this traditional treatment and instead incorporate feedbacks from downstream floodplain development in reservoir operation decisions. To do so, we modify and couple existing mathematical frameworks for optimal reservoir operation and leveed floodplain dynamics. The new coupled model demonstrates that, where reservoir operation persistently maximizes event‐ to seasonal‐scale benefits (i.e., the status quo), most reservoir‐floodplain systems will coevolve toward states of high preference for flood protection and highly developed floodplains. Further, under the status quo operation strategy, less benefits can be achieved as time goes on, benefits shift from water conservation consumers to floodplain inhabitants, and risk is transferred from floodplain inhabitants to water conservation consumers. We compare the status quo operation strategy to a strategy which stabilizes the floodplain development level and show that allowing excess (i.e., more than is optimal at the seasonal scale) flooding now preserves future water conservation benefits by disincentivizing floodplain development. Finally, we illustrate this coevolution and its ramifications at two U.S. reservoir‐floodplain systems where floodplain development has seemingly undermined hydropower production. The insights from this study fill a knowledge gap for floodplain managers and reservoir operators tasked with achieving economically efficient use of floodplains and reservoir storage.
Silencing of circRACGAP1 sensitizes gastric cancer cells to apatinib via modulating autophagy by targeting miR-3657 and ATG7
Authors: Ma Ling , Wang Zhangding , Xie Mengyan , Quan Yunlin , Zhu Weiyou , Yang Fengming , Zhao Chenhui , Fan Yu , Fang Na , Jiang Huning , Wang Qiang , Wang Shouyu , Zhou Jianwei , Chen Xiaofeng , Shu Yongqian 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThe positive results of the apatinib phase III trial have cast new light on treatment for patients with advanced gastric cancer (GC). However, in terms of safety, apatinib toxicities may lead to a dose modification or treatment interruption. Therefore, proper intervention is urgently needed to help patients benefit from apatinib treatment. In this study, we found that apatinib promoted autophagy activation via upregulation of ATG7 expression and autophagy inhibition enhanced apatinib-induced apoptosis. With microRNA and circular RNA-sequencing analyses of GC xenograft models, we demonstrated that circRACGAP1 functioned as an endogenous sponge for miR-3657 to inhibit its activity and further upregulate ATG7 expression. Silencing of circRACGAP1 inhibited apatinib-induced autophagy, which was rescued by miR-3657. Moreover, knockdown of circRACGAP1 sensitized GC cells to apatinib via autophagy inhibition in vitro and in vivo. These findings provided the first evidence that the circRACGAP1-miR-3657-ATG7 axis mediates a novel regulatory pathway critical for the regulation of apatinib sensitivity in GC. Thus, specific blockage of circRACGAP1 may be a potential therapeutic strategy to reduce the toxicities of apatinib and enhance its therapeutic effect in human GC.
Emerging strategies to bridge the gap between pharmacogenomic research and its clinical implementation
Authors: Lauschke Volker M. , Ingelman-Sundberg Magnus 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThe genomic inter-individual heterogeneity remains a significant challenge for both clinical decision-making and the design of clinical trials. Although next-generation sequencing (NGS) is increasingly implemented in drug development and clinical trials, translation of the obtained genomic information into actionable clinical advice lags behind. Major reasons are the paucity of sufficiently powered trials that can quantify the added value of pharmacogenetic testing, and the considerable pharmacogenetic complexity with millions of rare variants with unclear functional consequences. The resulting uncertainty is reflected in inconsistencies of pharmacogenomic drug labels in Europe and the United States. In this review, we discuss how the knowledge gap for bridging pharmacogenomics into the clinics can be reduced. First, emerging methods that allow the high-throughput experimental characterization of pharmacogenomic variants combined with novel computational tools hold promise to improve the accuracy of drug response predictions. Second, tapping of large biobanks of therapeutic drug monitoring data allows to conduct high-powered retrospective studies that can validate the clinical importance of genetic variants, which are currently incompletely characterized. Combined, we are confident that these methods will improve the accuracy of drug response predictions and will narrow the gap between variant identification and its utilization for clinical decision-support.
Quantifying Human Engagement into Playful Activities
Authors: Reguera David , Colomer-de-Simón Pol , Encinas Iván , Sort Manel , Wedekind Jan , Boguñá Marián 
Published: March 2020

AbstractEngaging in playful activities, such as playing a musical instrument, learning a language, or performing sports, is a fundamental aspect of human life. We present a quantitative empirical analysis of the engagement dynamics into playful activities. We do so by analyzing the behavior of millions of players of casual video games and discover a scaling law governing the engagement dynamics. This power-law behavior is indicative of a multiplicative (i.e., “happy- get-happier”) mechanism of engagement characterized by a set of critical exponents. We also find, depending on the critical exponents, that there is a phase transition between the standard case where all individuals eventually quit the activity and another phase where a finite fraction of individuals never abandon the activity. The behavior that we have uncovered in this work might not be restricted only to human interaction with videogames. Instead, we believe it reflects a more general and profound behavior of how humans become engaged in challenging activities with intrinsic rewards.
Resistant starch from five Himalayan rice cultivars and Horse chestnut: Extraction method optimization and characterization
Authors: Gani Adil , Ashwar Bilal Ahmad , Akhter Gazalla , Gani Asir , Shah Asima , Masoodi Farooq Ahmad , Wani Idrees Ahmed 
Published: March 2020

AbstractIn this study resistant starch (RS) was extracted from five Himalayan rice cultivars and Indian Horse chestnut (HCN) using porcine pancreatin enzyme following which it was subsequently characterized for its physicochemical, structural and functional properties. In vitro digestibility test showed that RS content of the rice cultivars and HCN was in the range of 85.5 to 99.5%. The RS extracted from the rice cultivars and HCN showed significant difference in the apparent amylose content (AAC), ranging between 31.83 to 40.68% for rice and 45.79% for HCN. Water absorption capacity (WAC), swelling and solubility index of RS ranged from 112–133.9%, 5.28–7.25 g/g and 0.033–0.044 g/g, respectively. The rice RS granules were polyhedral and irregular shaped with granular length in the range of 4.8–5.9 µm. The HCN RS granule morphology showed smooth surfaced, round, elliptical, irregular and oval shapes with average granular length of 21 µm. Pasting behavior also varied significantly between rice RS and HCN RS with later showing the lower values of pasting properties. Thermal properties (T0, Tp, Tc) and ΔH gel also varied considerably between the rice RS and HCN RS, wherein the highest values for peak gelatinization temperature and gelatinization enthalpy were seen for CH-1039. X-ray diffraction pattern of rice RS and HCN RS showed the characteristic A type of pattern in consonance with cereal starches.
Kraft pulp mill dregs and grits as permeable reactive barrier for removal of copper and sulfate in acid mine drainage
Authors: Farage Rogério M. P. , Quina Margarida J. , Gando-Ferreira Licínio , Silva Cláudio M. , de Souza José João L. L. , Torres Caio M. M. E. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractMining is an essential human activity, but results in several environmental impacts, notably the contamination of ground and surface water through the presence of toxic substances such as metals and sulfates in mine drainage. Permeable reactive barriers (PRB) have been applied to remediate this environmental impact, but the high costs associated with the maintenance of this system are still a challenge. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the use of kraft pulp mill alkaline residues, known as dregs and grits, as material for PRB, and to determine their capacity for retaining copper and sulfate. The work was carried out in laboratory adsorption kinetics assays, batch assays and column tests. Tests for elemental characterization, point of zero charge, acid neutralization capacity, total porosity, bulk density and moisture of the dregs and grits were conducted. The results showed high retention of Cu due to a chemical precipitation mechanism, notably for dregs (99%) at 5 min in adsorption kinetics. The grits presented similar results after 180 min for the same assay. Sulfate retention was effective at pH below 5, with an efficiency of 79% and 89% for dregs and grits, respectively. Dregs presented the best results for acid drainage remediation, notably with a solid:liquid (S:L) ratio of 1:10.
Matching Graft Quality to Recipient’s Disease Severity Based on the Survival Benefit in Liver Transplantation
Authors: Winter Audrey , Féray Cyrille , Antoine Corinne , Azoulay Daniel , Daurès Jean-Pierre , Landais Paul 
Published: March 2020

AbstractPersistent shortage and heterogeneous quality of liver grafts encourages the optimization of donor-recipient matching in liver transplantation (LT). We explored whether or not there was a survival benefit (SB) of LT according to the quality of grafts assessed by the Donor Quality Index (DQI) and recipients’ disease severity, using the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) in 8387 French patients wait-listed between 2009 and 2014. SB associated with LT was estimated using the sequential stratification method in different categories of MELD and DQI. For each transplantation, a stratum was created that matched one transplanted patient with all eligible control candidates. Strata were thereafter combined, and a stratified Cox model, adjusted for covariates, was fitted in order to estimate hazard ratios that qualified the SB according to each MELD and DQI sub-group. A significant SB was observed for all MELD and DQI sub-groups, with the exception of high MELD patients transplanted with “high-risk” grafts. More specifically, in decompensated-cirrhosis patients, “high-risk” grafts did not appear to be detrimental in medium MELD patients. Interestingly, in hepatocellular-carcinoma (HCC) patients, a significant SB was found for all MELD-DQI combinations. For MELD exceptions no SB was found. In terms of SB, “low-risk” grafts appeared appropriate for most severe patients (MELD > 30). Conversely, low/medium MELD and HCC patients presented an SB while allocated “high-risk” grafts. Thus, SB based matching rules for LT candidates might improve the survival of the LT population as a whole.
Relationship between environmental radiation and radioactivity and childhood thyroid cancer found in Fukushima health management survey
Authors: Toki H. , Wada T. , Manabe Y. , Hirota S. , Higuchi T. , Tanihata I. , Satoh K. , Bando M. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractEnvironmental radioactive contamination caused by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident has aroused great concern regarding a possible increase in the incidence of childhood thyroid cancer. The ultrasound examinations were conducted immediately after the accident as part of the Fukushima Health Management Survey (FHMS), which is divided into the preliminary baseline survey (PBLS) and the full-scale survey (FSS). Some of their outcomes are reported regularly and made available to the public. We have detailed measurements of the air-dose rates and radioactive elements in soil in many places all over the Fukushima prefecture. To study the dose-response relationship, we begin with the assumption that the external and internal doses are correlated with the air-dose rate and the amount of131I in soil, respectively. We then investigate the relationship between these estimated doses and the PBLS and FSS thyroid cancer cases. Our analysis shows that the dose-response curve with the FSS data clearly differs from that with the PBLS data. Finally, we consider the potential mitigating effects of evacuation from highly contaminated areas in both external and internal exposure scenarios.