bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Emergency Physician and Advanced Practice Provider Diagnostic Testing and Admission Decisions in Chest Pain and Abdominal Pain
Authors: Pines Jesse M. , Zocchi Mark S. , Ritsema Tamara S. , Bedolla John , Venkat Arvind ,   for the US Acute Care Solutions Research Group
Published: October 2020

AbstractObjectiveWe compare utilization of diagnostic resources and admissions in emergency department (ED) patients with chest pain and abdominal pain when managed by advanced practice providers (APPs) and physicians.MethodsWe used 2016 to 2019 data from a national emergency medicine group. We compared visits managed by physicians and APPs based on demographics and observed resource utilization (labs, radiography, computed tomography) use and hospital admission/transfer, stratified by patient age. To reduce selection bias, we created inverse propensity score weights (IPWs). To estimate the average treatment effect for APP visits for each outcome, we included IPWs in a multivariable linear probability model with a dummy variable indicating treatment by an APP and used a facility fixed effect. We then estimated the average treatment effect comparing physician to APP visit for all visits and for discharged visits separately, stratified by the study outcomes. Sensitivity analyses were performed using different cohort definitions and adjusting for past medical history.ResultsIn chest pain, we included 77,568 visits seen by 1,011 APPs and 586,031 visits seen by 1,588 physicians. In abdominal pain, we included 184,812 ED visits seen by 1,080 APPs and 761,230 visits seen by 1,689 physicians. For both chest pain and abdominal pain visits, physicians saw more older adult patients (55+ years) and admitted a higher percentage of visits than APPs. For chest pain, physicians saw more circulatory system diseases (70.7% vs. 58.6%); APPs saw more respiratory system diseases (17.1% vs. 9.8%). In abdominal pain, emergency physicians saw more digestive system diseases (28.5% vs. 23.3%); APPs saw more genitourinary system diseases. After matching with IPW, predicted probabilities of laboratory, radiology, and admissions either did not vary or were slightly lower for APPs compared to physicians for all outcomes. Sensitivity analyses showed similar results, including controlling for past medical history.ConclusionDiagnostic testing and hospitalization rates for chest pain and abdominal pain between APPs and physicians is largely similar after matching for severity and complexity. This suggests that APPs do not have observably higher use of ED and hospital resources in these conditions in this national group.
The status and population dynamic of Buffon’s kob (Kobus kob kob, ERXLEBEN 1777) in the Faro National Park, Northern Cameroon
Authors: Kondasso Taïga Léa , Kamgang Serge Alexis , Bakwo Fils Eric Moïse , Samuel Tsakem Christian , Rduch Vera 
Published: October 2020

AbstractAssessing the population status of wildlife is useful for enhancing biodiversity management strategies in protected areas. This study was carried out within the framework of the Faro National Park (FNP) management plan. The objective was to provide baseline data on the status and population dynamics of the Buffon's kob (Kobus kob kob). The surveys were conducted in the month of June at the beginning of the rainy season. Data were collected along 145 line transects of 2.5 km apart and analysed using Distance 7.2 and Quantum GIS 3.4 software. The Buffon's kob population was estimated to comprise around 4,094 ± 1,303 individuals, with an overall density of 1.24 individuals/km2. When compared to results from a study conducted in the year 2000, the concentration of Buffon's kob was higher in the northern part of the national park as opposed to the southern part, as was previously recorded. The population trend shows an extensive decline of approximately 80% compared to records of the year 2000. There was also a weak negative correlation between Buffon's kob density and human activities in the FNP.
Financial structure and cooperative efficiency: A pecking‐order evidence from sugarcane farmers in Eswatini
Authors: Mnisi Kuhle Prudence , Alhassan Abdul Latif 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThis study examines the effect of financial structure on technical efficiency of sugarcane farmer cooperatives (FCs) in Eswatini. Using annual data on 114 FCs from 2014 to 2017, the paper employs the one‐step Stochastic Frontier Analysis technique to estimate technical inefficiency and its determinants. The results indicate that the sugarcane FCs operate with high level of technical efficiency, averaging 85.48%. While all sources of financing were observed to improve technical efficiency, the effects were observed to follow a ‘pecking‐order’, with the greatest effect observed from internal revenue followed by grants and loans. The implications of the findings for financing decisions of FCs in emerging economies are discussed.
Beyond focus: Exploring variability of service provision of agricultural cooperatives
Authors: Sebhatu Kifle T. , Taheri Fatemeh , Berhanu Tekeste , Maertens Miet , Van Passel Steven , D'Haese Marijke 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe wide array of services provided by agricultural cooperatives for their members is often not considered in academic studies. Addressing this gap in the literature, our paper explores the wide array of services provided by agricultural cooperatives and how these extend beyond those they were initially intended to provide. We study the extent and characteristics of service portfolios from 511 agricultural cooperatives in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Results from two‐limit Tobit models confirm that government and NGO‐initiated cooperatives have a wide service portfolio compared to member‐initiated cooperatives. In many of the studied cooperatives, the services they provide and their portfolios are more diverse than expected. Cooperatives seem to go beyond their focal areas of intervention. Also, those cooperatives that are more outward‐oriented and where the chair has contact with other cooperatives or businesses, have a wider service portfolio. These results may help to explain the mixed findings on the impact of cooperative membership.
Involvement of SIRT3‐GSK3β deacetylation pathway in the effects of maternal diabetes on oocyte meiosis
Authors: Xin Yongan , Jin Yifei , Ge Juan , Huang Zhenyue , Han Longsen , Li Congyang , Wang Danni , Zhu Shuai , Wang Qiang 
Published: October 2020

AbstractObjectivesIt has been widely reported that maternal diabetes impairs oocyte quality. However, the responsible mechanisms remain to be explored. In the present study, we focused on whether SIRT3‐GSK3β pathway mediates the meiotic defects in oocytes from diabetic mice.Materials and methodsGSK3β functions in mouse oocyte meiosis were first detected by targeted siRNA knockdown. Spindle assembly and chromosome alignment were visualized by immunostaining and analysed under the confocal microscope. PCR‐based site mutation of specific GSK3β lysine residues was used to confirm which lysine residues function in oocyte meiosis. siRNA knockdown coupled with cRNA overexpression was performed to detect SIRT3‐GSK3β pathway functions in oocyte meiosis. Immunofluorescence was performed to detect ROS levels. T1DM mouse models were induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin.ResultsIn the present study, we found that specific depletion of GSK3β disrupts maturational progression and meiotic apparatus in mouse oocytes. By constructing site‐specific mutants, we further revealed that acetylation state of lysine (K) 15 on GSK3β is essential for spindle assembly and chromosome alignment during oocyte meiosis. Moreover, non–acetylation‐mimetic mutant GSK3β‐K15R is capable of partly preventing the spindle/chromosome anomalies in oocytes with SIRT3 knockdown. A significant reduction in SIRT3 protein was detected in oocytes from diabetic mice. Of note, forced expression of GSK3β‐K15R ameliorates maternal diabetes‐associated meiotic defects in mouse oocytes, with no evident effects on oxidative stress.ConclusionOur data identify GSK3β as a cytoskeletal regulator that is required for the assembly of meiotic apparatus, and discover a beneficial effect of SIRT3‐dependent GSK3β deacetylation on oocyte quality from diabetic mice.
Hyaluronate supports hESC‐cardiomyocyte cell therapy for cardiac regeneration after acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Tan Yuanqing , Wang Lei , Chen Gang , Liu Wenjing , Li Zhongwen , Wang Yukai , Wang Liu , Li Wei , Wu Jun , Hao Jie 
Published: October 2020

AbstractIntroductionEnormous progress has been made in cardiac regeneration using human embryonic stem cell‐derived cardiomyocyte (hESC‐CM) grafts in pre‐clinical trials. However, the rate of cell survival has remained very low due to anoikis after transplantation into the heart as single cells. Numerous solutions have been proposed to improve cell survival, and one of these strategies is to co‐transplant biocompatible materials or hydrogels with the hESC‐CMs.MethodsIn our study, we screened various combinations of biomaterials that could promote anoikis resistance and improve hESC‐CM survival upon co‐transplantation and promote cardiac functional recovery. We injected different combinations of Matrigel, alginate and hyaluronate with hESC‐CM suspensions into the myocardium of rat models with myocardial infarction (MI).ResultsOur results showed that the group treated with a combination of hyaluronate and hESC‐CMs had the lowest arrhythmia rates when stimulated with programmed electrical stimulation. While all three combinations of hydrogel‐hESC‐CM treatments improved rat cardiac function compared with the saline control group, the combination with hyaluronate most significantly reduced pathological changes from left ventricular remodelling and improved both left ventricular function and left ventricular ejection fraction by 28 days post‐infarction.ConclusionHence, we concluded that hyaluronate‐hESC‐CM is a superior combination therapy for promoting cardiac regeneration after myocardial infarction.
Qualitative analysis of helpful and unhelpful aspects of social relationships among young adults with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Gray Avia L. , Campbell MaryJane S. , Berg Cynthia A. , Wiebe Deborah J. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractAimsYoung adulthood is a high‐risk time for type 1 diabetes management when individuals are managing diabetes within changing social contexts and new social relationships. This qualitative study examined helpful and unhelpful aspects of social relationships in the daily lives of young adults with type 1 diabetes.MethodsSemi‐structured qualitative interviews with 29 young adults with type 1 diabetes (ages 22–24, mean = 23 years; 55% female) explored: (a) who in the past week was present when diabetes management occurred; (b) what others did that was helpful or unhelpful for diabetes management; (c) what made helpful and unhelpful aspects of social relationships more or less likely; and (d) what young adults disclosed to others about diabetes.ResultsRomantic partners and parents were commonly present and helpful in giving reminders and offering instrumental support, but the presence of trusted individuals was also helpful to management. Co‐workers and friends were present during episodes of diabetes management but were often unhelpful, especially when lacking knowledge about participants’ diabetes or its management. Participants also discussed conflicting and spontaneous changes in schedules were unhelpful to management. Disclosing diabetes to others and planning for social context barriers were described as strategies to facilitate helpful and reduce unhelpful aspects of social relationships.ConclusionsYoung adults face social barriers to management if they are unable to utilize their relationships effectively. Interventions to promote disclosure to trusted others and planning to avoid social context‐related barriers to diabetes management may facilitate more effective self‐management at this high‐risk time of development.
Africa’s “youth employment” crisis is actually a “missing jobs” crisis
Authors: Sumberg James , Fox Louise , Flynn Justin , Mader Philip , Oosterom Marjoke 
Published: October 2020

AbstractMotivationThe Sustainable Development Goals target decent work for all, including youth, by 2030. In sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), however, a “youth employment crisis” is now central to public and policy discourse. Consequently, the idea of “investing in youth” grows in importance, leading to a proliferation of interventions targeted to and specific to youth.PurposeThis article interrogates the framing of the problem as a “youth employment” crisis.Approach and MethodsThe article brings together evidence from a range of sources and disciplines, indicates where the evidence supports the current policy orthodoxy and where it does not, and maps out an alternative framing. Five pillars of the dominant narrative about youth employment are identified: demography, violence and civil unrest, training and skills, rural economy and urban economy. Three critical dimensions of Africa’s broader employment crisis are highlighted: economic risk, stability and protection.FindingsThe dominant narrative about Africa’s youth employment crisis foregrounds young people themselves, and strongly suggests that the crisis is all (and often only) about them. Little about the employment crisis, however, is youth‐specific. The “it’s all about the youth” framing ignores that young people are caught up in a broader “missing jobs crisis” that reflects fundamental structural constraints within African economies. In other words, the problem is with the economy, not the young people.Policy implicationsThe emphasis on youth‐specific targeting and youth‐specific interventions is largely misplaced. Instead of initiatives that only or specifically target youth, priority should be given to broader structural issues which have the potential to deliver better and larger results, for both young people and others. Reframing the problem from a youth employment crisis to a missing jobs crisis is a necessary first step. We provide a counter‐narrative to support this shift.
Evaluating a citizen security pilot in Honduras: The economic benefits of a much reduced murder rate
Authors: Cuesta Jose , Alda Erik 
Published: October 2020

AbstractMotivationDuring the 2010s Honduras reported some of the highest rates of violent urban crime anywhere in the world. Before the 2010s, the government tried to control crime using heavy policing and sentencing (la mano dura), but with little apparent effect on alarming and rising rates of urban crime. This led to a switch to working with communities to make urban spaces safer, to change attitudes among young people vulnerable to perpetrating and suffering violent crime, and to encouraging secondary school students to remain in school.PurposeThe article assesses the success of the 2013–2019 pilot,Ciudades Seguras(Safe Cities), in three large municipalities. The project aimed at integrating crime prevention, social investment and municipal capacity building across the national and subnational administrations.Approaches and methodsThe project was designed with no regard to impact evaluation, without an adequate baseline, without controls. Hence, we develop a simple ex‐post cost–benefit analysis (CBA) that updates an ex‐ante CBA. Our approach has two advantages: (1) it provides rigorous estimates of the project’s impacts from assessing counterfactuals, data, and plausible individual and social benefits; and (2) it helps assess the quality of the original ex‐ante CBA estimates.FindingsReliable data on project impact is incomplete. Two findings, however, are striking. In the three cities, homicides fell dramatically from more than 850 per annum to below 500, against a projection of rates rising to 900 per annum. The other is that, contrary to programme plans, school dropout rates actually increased. The value of fewer murders outweighed disappointments on school retention. The benefit–cost ratio is estimated to be 1.75, higher than the ex‐ante estimate of the project. The value of the pilot remains unchanged when we include calculations from incomplete and/or unreliable data on sexual violence, injuries, thefts, and school dropout.Policy ImplicationsTwo conclusions can be drawn from this article. First, thatCiudades Segurasachieved great success in reducing murder rates, showing how working with communities to make cities safer and changing attitudes and expectations can work, when heavier policing does not. Second, that it is possible to assess the economic benefits derived from such programmes, even when adequate measures for subsequent evaluation were not included in the design of the pilot. [Correction added on 20 May 2021, after initial online publication: Abstract section has been updated in this version.]
Hypoplasia of the posterior mitral valve leaflet: Don’t forget to look beyond the mitral valve
Authors: Gabaldón‐Pérez Ana , Marcos‐Garcés Víctor , Muñoz Gil Jaime , Chorro Gascó Francisco Javier , Santas Enrique 
Published: October 2020

AbstractHypoplasia of the posterior mitral valve leaflet (PMVL) is a very rare finding in adulthood and can coexist with other congenital heart defects. In this image, a transesophageal echocardiography (TOE) carried out on a 59‐year‐old woman with a 2‐month history of dyspnea revealed a hypoplastic PMVL causing severe mitral regurgitation associated with a secundum‐type atrial septal defect (ASD) with left‐to‐right shunting. This case demonstrates how essential 3‐dimensional TOE is for a comprehensive assessment of the mitral valve and to improve the diagnostic accuracy of concomitant congenital heart abnormalities.
Seasonal changes in cuticular hydrocarbons in response to polyphenism in the host‐alternating aphid Prociphilus oriens
Authors: Tong Xin , Takata Yusuke , Akimoto Shin‐ichi 
Published: October 2020

AbstractIn most terrestrial arthropods, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) function to assist in desiccation tolerance and chemical communications. However, few studies have clarified whether CHC profiles change among developmental stages or among different morphs in non‐social insects. In the present study, we evaluated how CHC profiles change in accordance with polyphenism in the host‐alternating aphid Prociphilus oriens, which exhibits a complex life cycle and five distinct morphs. These morphs are sexual or asexual and adapt to different host plants. We found that all generations of P. oriens shared high proportions of n‐alkanes, but its composition varied among morphs. Three morphs that are attended by ants were characterized by relatively high proportions of n‐C25 to n‐C27, whereas two morphs that are not attended by ants had higher proportions of longer‐chain n‐alkanes, such as n‐C27 and n‐C29. The CHC profiles of sexual females were largely different from those of males. Considering that sexual females of Prociphilus spp. lack organs that secrete sex pheromones (scent plaques), the CHCs of sexual females are likely to function as a sex attractant. High proportions of methyl‐branched alkanes were detected in the long and flocculent waxy substances of autumnal migrants. These methyl‐branched alkanes are considered a cue to recognize conspecifics. We concluded that the functions and components of CHCs differ among morphs, and that those of sexual females differ from those of males and asexual generations because of their function in sexual communication.
MRGPRX2 sensing of cationic compounds—A bridge between nociception and skin diseases?
Authors: Corbière Auriane , Loste Alexia , Gaudenzio Nicolas 
Published: October 2020

AbstractMast cells are innate immune cells located at many barrier sites in the body and known to protect the host against environmental threats and to be involved in allergic diseases. More recently, new studies have investigated their roles in the regulation of skin inflammation and transmission of pain and itch sensations. Mast cell signalling through the Mas‐related G protein‐coupled receptor (MRGPR) X2 or its mouse orthologue MRGPRB2 has been reported to be one of the major mechanism by which mast cell can regulate such processes. MRGPRX2 and MRGPRB2 can induce mast cell degranulation upon binding to a broad panel of cationic molecules such as neuropeptides, bacteria‐derived quorum sensing molecules, venom peptides, host defense peptides and, unfortunately, various FDA‐approved drugs. Upon activation, mast cells release granule‐associated proteases, lipids and multiple cytokines that can modulate vascular permeability, immune cells recruitment and activation status of tissue‐projecting nociceptive sensory neurons (ie nociceptors). Here, we discuss the modality of MRGPRX2‐dependent mast cell activation and its different consequences on the patterns of skin inflammation and associated diseases. We notably emphasize how MRGPRX2‐dependent skin mast cell activation might trigger various pathological traits such as pruritus, pain and inflammation and therefore become a potential therapeutic target for inflammatory pain, itch, atopic dermatitis and drugs‐induced injection site reactions.
Dihydroartemisinin inhibits the expression of von Willebrand factor by downregulation of transcription factor ERG in endothelial cells
Authors: Dong Fengyun , Zhao Xinghai , Wang Jianning , Huang Xin , Li Xiao , Zhang Liang , Dong Haixin , Liu Fuhong , Fan Mengge 
Published: October 2020

AbstractDihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi‐synthetic derivative of artemisinin, has effective antitumor and anti‐inflammatory actions. von Willebrand factor (vWF), a large multifunctional glycoprotein, has a prominent function in hemostasis and is a key factor in thrombus formation. In addition, vWF has been regarded as a prospective biomarker for the diagnosis of endothelial dysfunction. In our experiment, we observed that 25 μM DHA specifically downregulated the expression of vWF mRNA and protein in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Further investigations demonstrated that this DHA‐decreased vWF expression was mediated by the transcription factor ERG and not GATA3. Luciferase activity assay confirmed that DHA regulated the ERG binding with the −56 ETS‐binding motif on the human vWF promoter. Thus, the −56 ETS motif on the vWF promoter region regulates the expression of vWF gene which is induced by DHA. Taken together, we proved that DHA decreased the vWF transcription through the downregulation of ERG in HUVECs. As vWF plays a key role in vascular homeostasis, our findings suggest a new role of DHA in vascular diseases.
Production trends and technical efficiencies of culture‐based fisheries in five tropical irrigation reservoirs: A case study from Sri Lanka
Authors: Pushpalatha K. B. Chandrani , Kularatne Mohottala G. , Chandrasoma Jayantha , Amarasinghe Upali S. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractCulture‐based fisheries (CBF) are increasingly accepted as strategies for enhancing inland fisheries, especially in tropical Asia. In Sri Lanka, CBF development in irrigation reservoirs has gained momentum due to concerted efforts of government fisheries authorities for inland fisheries enhancement. In the present study, production trends of five irrigation reservoirs of Sri Lanka before and after the introduction of CBF were investigated and apparently optimal CBF yields were not realised. Hence, the stochastic frontier production function (SFPF) was employed to quantify technical efficiencies (TE) of CBF. For each reservoir, annual averages of input data from 2005 to 2018 (14 years) were used in the TE analysis. Hence, total sample size for estimation of SFPF was 70. Although CBF production gradually increased in all five reservoirs from 2005 to 2018, there were substantial variations of total fish production across the reservoirs. The SFPF indicated that CBF production could be further increased through more efficient management of inputs (i.e. number of fishers, mean number of fishing days per year and stocking density).