bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparative effectiveness of antitumour necrosis factor agents, biologics with an alternative mode of action and tofacitinib in an observational cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Switzerland
Authors: Finckh A , Tellenbach C , Herzog L , Scherer A , Moeller B , Ciurea A , von Muehlenen I , Gabay C , Kyburz D , Brulhart L , Müller R , Hasler P , Zufferey P 
Published: May 2020

BackgroundMultiple biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying rheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) are approved for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including TNF inhibitors (TNFi), bDMARDs with other modes of action (bDMARD-OMA) and Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi). Combination of b/tsDMARDs with conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) is recommended, yet monotherapy is common in practice.ObjectiveTo compare drug maintenance and clinical effectiveness of three alternative treatment options for RA management.MethodsThis observational cohort study was nested within the Swiss RA Registry. TNFi, bDMARD-OMA (abatacept or anti-IL6 agents) or the JAKi tofacitinib (Tofa) initiated in adult RA patients were included. The primary outcome was overall drug retention. We further analysed secondary effectiveness outcomes and whether concomitant csDMARDs modified effectiveness, adjusting for potential confounding factors.Results4023 treatment courses of 2600 patients were included, 1862 on TNFi, 1355 on bDMARD-OMA and 806 on Tofa. TNFi was more frequently used as a first b/tsDMARDs, at a younger age and with shorter disease duration. Overall drug maintenance was significantly lower with TNFi compared with Tofa [HR 1.29 (95% CI 1.14 to 1.47)], but similar between bDMARD-OMA and Tofa [HR 1.09 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.24)]. TNFi maintenance was decreased when prescribed without concomitant csDMARDs [HR: 1.27 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.49)], while no difference was observed for bDMARD-OMA or Tofa maintenance with respect to concomitant csDMARDs.ConclusionTofa drug maintenance was comparable with bDMARDs-OMA and somewhat higher than TNFi. Concomitant csDMARDs appear to be required for optimal effectiveness of TNFi, but not for bDMARD-OMA or Tofa.
Empirical analysis on the illicit trade of cigarettes in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Hien Thi Thu , Giang Long Thanh , Pham Toan Ngoc 
Published: May 2020

BackgroundThis paper examined how a higher tax on tobacco would affect illicit trade in Vietnam.Methodology and dataThis paper used the gap method to estimate the gap between cigarette domestically tax-paid sales and domestic consumption. Data were from the tax-paid sales by the Vietnam Steering Committee on Smoking and Health (VINACOSH), the Vietnam Tobacco Association, the General Tax Department, as well as two rounds of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in 2010 and 2015.Key resultsThe results indicated that Vietnam had a negative volume of illicit trade, either a result of under-reporting of tobacco use or due to net smuggling of tax-paid cigarettes out of the country. Furthermore, the trend showed an increased negative volume over time, which indicated that increases in tobacco taxes in the interleading years did not result in an increase in illicit trade in tobaccos in Vietnam.ConclusionsVietnam’s low prices on domestic cigarettes created favourable conditions for cigarette smugglers and provided easy access to illicit cigarettes for the Vietnamese people, but the absence of a relationship between tax changes and smuggling suggested that potential increases in the excise tax should not be discouraged by the threat of an increase in illicit trade. The government should increase taxes on cigarettes to raise domestic cigarette prices and take strong policy measures to create a more transparent social environment, therefore effectively reducing the prevalence of illicit cigarettes in Vietnam.
Asymptotic freedom for $$\lambda \phi ^4_{\star }$$ QFT in Snyder–de Sitter space
Authors: Franchino-Viñas S. A. , Mignemi S. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractWe analyze the model of a self-interacting $$\phi ^4_{\star }$$ϕ⋆4 scalar field theory in Snyder–de Sitter space. After analytically computing the one-loop beta functions in the small noncommutativity and curvature limit, we solve numerically the corresponding system of differential equations, showing that in this limit the model possesses at least one regime in which the theory is asymptotically free. Moreover, in a given region of the parameter space we also observe a peculiar running of the parameter associated to the curvature, which changes its sign and therefore can be interpreted as a transition from an IR de-Sitter space to and UV anti-de Sitter one.
The tensorial connections
Authors: Fabbri Luca 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIn a series of recent papers, we have introduced an object that was constructed on the connection but which was proven to be a tensor: this object, thus called tensorial connection, has been defined and some of its properties have been given. In the present paper, we intend to present all the results found so far, complementing them with some new ones, in a systematic and organic manner.
Background evaluations for the chiral magnetic effect with normalized correlators using a multiphase transport model
Authors: Choudhury Subikash , Wang Gang , He Wanbing , Hu Yu , Huang Huan Zhong 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe chiral magnetic effect (CME) induces an electric charge separation in a chiral medium along the magnetic field that is mostly produced by spectator protons in heavy-ion collisions. The experimental searches for the CME, based on the charge-dependent angular correlations ($$\gamma $$γ), however, have remained inconclusive, because the non-CME background contributions are not well understood. Experimentally, the$$\gamma $$γcorrelators have been measured with respect to the second-order ($$\Psi _{2}$$Ψ2) and the third-order ($$\Psi _{3}$$Ψ3) symmetry planes, defined as$$\gamma _{112}$$γ112and$$\gamma _{123}$$γ123, respectively. The expectation was that with a proper normalization,$$\gamma _{123}$$γ123would provide a data-driven estimate for the background contributions in$$\gamma _{112}$$γ112. In this work, we calculate different harmonics of the$$\gamma $$γcorrelators using a charge-conserving version of a multiphase transport (AMPT) model to examine the validity of the said assumption. We find that the pure-background AMPT simulations do not yield an equality in the normalized$$\gamma _{112}$$γ112and$$\gamma _{123}$$γ123, quantified by$$\kappa _{112}$$κ112and$$\kappa _{123}$$κ123, respectively. Furthermore, we test another correlator,$$\gamma _{132}$$γ132, within AMPT, and discuss the relation between different$$\gamma $$γcorrelators.
Signatures of the two $$K_1(1270)$$ poles in $$D^+\rightarrow \nu e^+ V P$$ decay
Authors: Wang Guan-Ying , Roca Luis , Wang En , Liang Wei-Hong , Oset Eulogio 
Published: May 2020

AbstractWe analyze theoretically the $$D^+\rightarrow \nu e^+ \rho \bar{K}$$

D
+

→
ν

e
+

ρ

K

¯

and $$D^+\rightarrow \nu e^+ \bar{K}^* \pi $$

D
+

→
ν

e
+

K

¯

∗

π

decays to see the feasibility to check the double pole nature of the axial-vector resonance $$K_1(1270)$$

K
1

(
1270
)

predicted by the unitary extensions of chiral perturbation theory (UChPT). Indeed, within UChPT the $$K_1(1270)$$

K
1

(
1270
)

is dynamically generated from the interaction of a vector and a pseudoscalar meson, and two poles are obtained for the quantum numbers of this resonance. The lower mass pole couples dominantly to $$K^*\pi $$

K
∗

π

and the higher mass pole to $$\rho K$$

ρ
K

, therefore we can expect that different reactions weighing differently these channels in the production mechanisms enhance one or the other pole. We show that the different final VP channels in $$D^+\rightarrow \nu e^+ V P$$

D
+

→
ν

e
+

V
P

weigh differently both poles, and this is reflected in the shape of the final vector-pseudoscalar invariant mass distributions. Therefore, we conclude that these decays are suitable to distinguish experimentally the predicted double pole of the $$K_1(1270)$$

K
1

(
1270
)

resonance.
Can we fit nuclear PDFs with the high-x CLAS data?
Authors: Paukkunen Hannu , Zurita Pia 
Published: May 2020

AbstractNuclear parton distribution functions (nuclear PDFs) are non-perturbative objects that encode the partonic behaviour of bound nucleons. To avoid potential higher-twist contributions, the data probing the high-x end of nuclear PDFs are sometimes left out from the global extractions despite their potential to constrain the fit parameters. In the present work we focus on the kinematic corner covered by the new high-x data measured by the CLAS/JLab collaboration. By using the Hessian re-weighting technique, we are able to quantitatively test the compatibility of these data with globally analyzed nuclear PDFs and explore the expected impact on the valence-quark distributions at high x. We find that the data are in a good agreement with the EPPS16 and nCTEQ15 nuclear PDFs whereas they disagree with TuJu19. The implications on flavour separation, higher-twist contributions and models of EMC effect are discussed.
Lattice-Tip Focal Ablation Catheter That Toggles Between Radiofrequency and Pulsed Field Energy to Treat Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Reddy Vivek Y. , Anter Elad , Rackauskas Gediminas , Peichl Petr , Koruth Jacob S. , Petru Jan , Funasako Moritoshi , Minami Kentaro , Natale Andrea , Jais Pierre , Nakagawa Hiroshi , Marinskis Germanas , Aidietis Audrius , Kautzner Josef , Neuzil Petr 
Published: May 2020

Background:
The tissue selectivity of pulsed field ablation (PFA) provides safety advantages over radiofrequency ablation in treating atrial fibrillation. One-shot PFA catheters have been shown capable of performing pulmonary vein isolation, but not flexible lesion sets such as linear lesions. A novel lattice-tip ablation catheter with a compressible 9-mm nitinol tip is able to deliver either focal radiofrequency ablation or PFA lesions, each in 2 to 5 s.

Methods:
In a 3-center, single-arm, first-in-human trial, the 7.5F lattice catheter was used with a custom mapping system to treat paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation. Toggling between energy sources, point-by-point pulmonary vein encirclement was performed using biphasic PFA posteriorly and either temperature-controlled irrigated radiofrequency ablation or PFA anteriorly (RF/PF or PF/PF, respectively). Linear lesions were created using either PFA or radiofrequency ablation.

Results:
The 76-patient cohort included 55 paroxysmal and 21 persistent atrial fibrillation patients undergoing either RF/PF (40 patients) or PF/PF (36 patients) ablation. The pulmonary vein isolation therapy duration time (transpiring from first to last lesion) was 22.6±8.3 min/patient, with a mean of 50.1 RF/PF lesions/patient. Linear lesions included 14 mitral (4 RF/2 RF+PF/8 PF), 34 left atrium roof (12 RF/22 PF), and 44 cavotricuspid isthmus (36 RF/8 PF) lines, with therapy duration times of 5.1±3.5, 1.8±2.3, and 2.4±2.1 min/patient, respectively. All lesion sets were acutely successful, using 4.7±3.5 minutes of fluoroscopy. There were no device-related complications, including no strokes. Postprocedure esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed minor mucosal thermal injury in 2 of 36 RF/PF and 0 of 24 PF/PF patients. Postprocedure brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed diffusion-weighted imaging+/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery- and diffusion-weighted imaging+/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery+ asymptomatic lesions in 5 and 3 of 51 patients, respectively.

Conclusions:
A novel lattice-tip catheter could safely and rapidly ablate atrial fibrillation using either a combined RF/PF approach (capitalizing on the safety of PFA and the years of experience with radiofrequency energy) or an entirely PF approach.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifiers: NCT04141007 and NCT04194307.
Congenital Heart Disease and Risk of Suicide and Self‐Harm: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Udholm Sebastian , Nyboe Camilla , Lundbye‐Christensen Søren , Nordentoft Merete , Hjortdal Vibeke E. 
Published: May 2020

Background

In this nationwide study, we used the unique Danish registries to estimate the risk of suicide and deliberate self‐harm in patients with congenital heart disease (
CHD
).

Methods and Results

We identified all Danish citizens receiving a diagnosis of
CHD
between 1977 and 2007. As a reference cohort, we randomly selected 10 citizens for each patient, matched by sex and birth year. Using the Fine and Gray competing risk regression, we estimated the cumulative incidences of suicide and self‐harm, and Cox proportional regression analysis was used to compare the risk of suicide and deliberate self‐harm in patients with
CHD
with the reference cohort. We identified 14 433 patients with
CHD
. Mean follow‐up was 21.3 years, with a maximum follow‐up of 42 years. Since the time of diagnosis, 2659 patients had died, with a median age of death of 23 years. A total of 15 patients had died by suicide, compared with 232 suicides in the reference cohort. Patients with
CHD
had a low and similar risk of dying by suicide when compared with the reference cohort (cause‐specific hazard ratio, 0.81; 95%
CI
, 0.48–1.37; and subhazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.41–1.16). We identified 336 events of self‐harm among patients with
CHD
, and 3484 events in the reference group. The overall risk of deliberate self‐harm was not increased in patients with
CHD
when compared with the reference group (subhazard ratio, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.85–1.06).

Conclusions

This is the first study to estimate the risk of suicide and deliberate self‐harm in patients with
CHD
. We found that patients with
CHD
do not have an increased risk of suicide or deliberate self‐harm when compared with a large reference cohort.
Pyrogenic carbon improves the physiological performance of a C3 species planted on a green roof
Authors: Licht Jeff , Smith Nicholas G. 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
Plants utilizing C3 physiology have a more difficult time establishing in rooftop environments than plants with more heat and drought adapted constitutions, such as species that employ crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). CAM species are much less susceptible to limitations of shallow, infertile soil-less media under abiotic and biotic stress. It is thought that soil amendments might improve rooftop media in a way that allows for C3 species to prosper in rooftop environments. While compost is typically added to media to achieve this goal, we hypothesized that the addition of an anthropogenic pyrogenic carbon (PyC) supplement, instead, would enable better organic and mineral sorption and water retention, resulting in improved physiological performance of C3 species. To test this, we grew a C3 legume species, wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria L R.Br. ex), in control compost-amended media and media amended by PyC on a rooftop in Massachusetts, USA. We found PyC-amended media had greater mean organic and mineral nutrient sorption. We also found 16% greater soil water holding capacity (GWL/ψg) than control media. In addition, wild indigo photosynthetic intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) was significantly increased by 19% when grown in PyC-amended as compared to control media. We conclude that amending green roof media with PyC provides greater benefits than compost amendments for colonization of a C3 legume, wild indigo. Our results gathered over seven years suggest that PyC from converted waste stream cardboard could be used to improve the rooftop performance of other leguminous species, including agricultural crops.
An Event-Based Approach to Explore Selected Present and Future Atmospheric River–Induced Floods in Western Norway
Authors: Hegdahl Trine J. , Engeland Kolbjørn , Müller Malte , Sillmann Jana 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe aim of this study is to investigate extreme precipitation events caused by atmospheric rivers and compare their flood impact in a warmer climate to current climate using an event-based storyline approach. The study was set up by selecting four high-precipitation events from 30 years of present and future climate simulations of the high-resolution global climate model EC-Earth. The two most extreme precipitation events within the selection area for the present and future climate were identified, and EC-Earth was rerun creating 10 perturbed realizations for each event. All realizations were further downscaled with the regional weather prediction model, AROME-MetCoOp. The events were thereafter used as input to the operational Norwegian flood-forecasting model for 37 selected catchments in western Norway, and the magnitude and the spatial pattern of floods were analyzed. The role of the hydrological initial conditions, which are important for the total flooding, were analyzed with a special emphasis on snow and soil moisture excess. The results show that the selected future extreme precipitation events affected more catchments with larger floods, compared to the events from present climate. In addition, multiple realizations of the meteorological forcing and four different hydrological initial conditions, for example, soil saturation and snow storage, were important for the estimation of the maximum flood level. The meteorological forcing (e.g., the internal variability/perturbed output) accounts for the highest contribution to the spread in flood magnitude; however, for some events and catchments the hydrological initial conditions affected the magnitudes of floods more than the meteorological forcing.
Food Elimination in the Management of Refractory Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Pilot Study
Authors: Odat Haitham , Al-Qudah Mohannad 
Published: May 2020

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most commonly reported chronic diseases. Refractory CRS represents a subgroup of patients who continue to be symptomatic even after adequate medical and surgical therapy. These patients started to form a significant portion of patients with CRS. Food elimination as a therapeutic method to control symptoms of different chronic diseases, such as eosinophilic esophagitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis, has been described in the literature with variable success rates. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of food elimination therapy as adjuvant treatment in refractory patients having CRS with positive food sensitization. Design: Prospective open-label study. Setting: Tertiary academic center. Methods: Consecutive adult patients with refractory nonobstructive CRS (patients who had persistent sinonasal symptoms despite endoscopic sinus surgery and patent sinuses ostia with adequate medical treatment) with positive food sensitization were included. Subjects were asked to eliminate the sensitized food from their diet. Clinical outcome was assessed using the Lund-Kennedy symptom and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic appearance scores. Results: Twenty-two patients were initially enrolled in the study. Six patients were excluded; 4 were lost to follow-up, and 2 did not eliminate the causal food for the required period. The average age of the patients was 36 years old. There were 10 female and 6 male patients. Nasal discharge and facial pressure were the most common presenting symptoms. Shellfish, egg, and meat mix were the most common eliminated foods. There was a significant difference in the patients’ Lund-Kennedy symptom and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic appearance scores at 6 and 12 weeks after food elimination therapy. Conclusions: Food elimination in refractory CRS is an effective adjuvant treatment and should be considered in the treatment algorithm of patients with persistent symptoms after successfully performed sinus surgery.
…And into the Fire—A Guide to G/C/T Internship Experiences for Pre Professionals
Authors: Jenkins Reva C. W. , Stewart Emily D. 
Published: May 2020

Growing numbers of professionals in the field of education for the gifted and talented are advocating cooperatives and practicum experiences as an essential component of graduate preparation (Feldhusen, 1977; Frasier, 1977; Maker, 1975; Nix, 1976). Increasing attention is also being drawn to the need for professionals in gifted education to be innovators or change agents (Curry & Sato, 1977; Frasier, 1977), and the potential value of practica or internships in developing appropriate skills relative to the change agent role. An internship program can serve three basic functions: 1) to develop a system which focuses on providing appropriate experiences for persons preparing to pursue careers in the field of education for gifted/creative/talented students; 2) to make available appropriate experiences relative to training persons to perform specialized tasks, and 3) to assist in the development of a state-wide network of training resources. The Internship Guide described herein contains information relative to fulfilling these purposes. Three types of information are included in the Guide.1 First, a hypothetical timeline of related activities displays the scope and sequencing of a comprehensive internship program. A description of the four basic program components provides an elaboration of the information presented in the timeline. A rationale for each component describes its basic purposes. A Guidelines section includes specific suggestions for implementation. Where appropriate, sample forms relating to the respective components are referenced at the end of each section. The third type of information that might be helpful to prospective internship supervisors is contained in the appendices, where several sample forms are included. (Note: the authors recommend adapting these forms to suit local training program characteristics and needs.)
Swallow tail sign on susceptibility map-weighted imaging (SMWI) for disease diagnosing and severity evaluating in parkinsonism
Authors: Liu Xueling , Wang Na , Chen Chen , Wu Pu-Yeh , Piao Sirong , Geng Daoying , Li Yuxin 
Published: May 2020

Background Loss of swallow tail sign (STS) on iron-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been recognized as an imaging feature in parkinsonism (PS). Purpose To investigate the diagnostic and differential diagnostic value of STS scale on susceptibility map-weighted imaging (SMWI) in PS, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), progressive supranuclear palsy syndrome (PSP), and multiple system atrophy (MSA), and to evaluate its correlation with disease severity. Material and Methods Ninety-nine patients (55 PD, 29 PSP, and 15 MSA) and 47 healthy controls (HC) were prospectively recruited and scanned using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM). STS was visually assessed on SMWI derived from QSM. STS scale in the range of 0–4 at participant level was calculated by summing bilateral STS scores (0–2). We used receiver operating characteristic analysis of STS scale for evaluating the diagnostic power of parkinsonism and Spearman’s correlation for assessing disease severity. Results Frequency distribution of STS scale was significantly different in parkinsonism and HC groups, and among PD, PSP, and MSA subgroups. STS scale ≤3 could distinguish parkinsonism from HC with high accuracy (91.78%), PD from HC (91.18%), and MSA from HC (88.71%). STS scale ≤2 could distinguish PSP from HC (96.05%). STS scale = 0 could distinguish PSP from PD (70.24%) and PSP from MSA (72.73%). STS scale was negatively correlated with H–Y stage ( P = 0.007, r = −0.359) and duration of disease ( P = 0.006, r = −0.367) in PD patients. Conclusion STS scale on SMWI may serve as a useful imaging biomarker for diagnosis of parkinsonism and disease progression evaluation in PD.