bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of dual release of stromal cell‐derived factor‐1 and basic fibroblast growth factor with nerve conduit for peripheral nerve regeneration: An experimental study in mice
Authors: Shintani Kosuke , Uemura Takuya , Takamatsu Kiyohito , Yokoi Takuya , Onode Ema , Okada Mitsuhiro , Tabata Yasuhiko , Nakamura Hiroaki 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundThe development of drug delivery systems has enabled the release of multiple bioactive molecules. The efficacy of nerve conduits coated with dual controlled release of stromal cell‐derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) for peripheral nerve regeneration was investigated.Materials and methodsSixty‐two C57BL6 mice were used for peripheral nerve regeneration with a nerve conduit (inner diameter, 1 mm, and length, 7 mm) and an autograft. The mice were randomized into five groups based on the different repairs of nerve defects. In the group of repair with conduits alone (n = 9), a 5‐mm sciatic nerve defect was repaired by the nerve conduit. In the group of repair with conduits coated with bFGF (n = 10), SDF‐1 (n = 10), and SDF‐1/bFGF (n = 10), it was repaired by the nerve conduit with bFGF gelatin, SDF‐1 gelatin, and SDF‐1/bFGF gelatin, respectively. In the group of repair with autografts (n = 10), it was repaired by the resected nerve itself. The functional recovery, nerve regeneration, angiogenesis, and TGF‐β1 gene expression were assessed.ResultsIn the conduits coated with SDF‐1/bFGF group, the mean sciatic functional index value (−88.68 ± 10.64, p = .034) and the axon number (218.8 ± 111.1, p = .049) were significantly higher than the conduit alone group, followed by the autograft group; in addition, numerous CD34‐positive cells and micro vessels were observed. TGF‐β1 gene expression relative values in the conduits with SDF‐1/bFGF group at 3 days (7.99 ± 5.14, p = .049) significantly increased more than the conduits alone group.ConclusionNerve conduits coated with dual controlled release of SDF‐1 and bFGF promoted peripheral nerve regeneration.
Assessment and correction of macroscopic field variations in 2D spoiled gradient‐echo sequences
Authors: Soellradl Martin , Lesch Andreas , Strasser Johannes , Pirpamer Lukas , Stollberger Rudolf , Ropele Stefan , Langkammer Christian 
Published: December 2019

PurposeTo model and correct the dephasing effects in the gradient‐echo signal for arbitrary RF excitation pulses with large flip angles in the presence of macroscopic field variations.MethodsThe dephasing of the spoiled 2D gradient‐echo signal was modeled using a numerical solution of the Bloch equations to calculate the magnitude and phase of the transverse magnetization across the slice profile. Additionally, regional variations of the transmit RF field and slice profile scaling due to macroscopic field gradients were included. Simulations, phantom, and in vivo measurements at 3 T were conducted for and myelin water fraction (MWF) mapping.ResultsThe influence of macroscopic field gradients on and myelin water fraction estimation can be substantially reduced by applying the proposed model. Moreover, it was shown that the dephasing over time for flip angles of 60° or greater also depends on the polarity of the slice‐selection gradient because of phase variation along the slice profile.ConclusionSubstantial improvements in accuracy and myelin water fraction mapping coverage can be achieved using the proposed model if higher flip angles are required. In this context, we demonstrated that the phase along the slice profile and the polarity of the slice‐selection gradient are essential for proper modeling of the gradient‐echo signal in the presence of macroscopic field variations.
The Effect of Sediment Cover and Female Characteristics on the Hatching Success of Walleye
Authors: Gatch Alexander J. , Koenigbauer Scott T. , Roseman Edward F. , Höök Tomas O. 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Natural and anthropogenic sources of sedimentation have the potential to degrade spawning habitat and negatively affect incubating fish embryos. Walleye Sander vitreus are lithophilic broadcast spawners that use specific spawning habitats that are vulnerable to degradation caused by deposition of suspended sediments. We measured the effect of different types of sediment cover on hatching success of Walleye eggs and assessed whether differences in female Walleye (female length and mean egg size) account for tolerance to sediment cover. Experiments were carried out in 2018 to test the effect of sediment cover on hatching success and in 2019 to test how female identity and female length or mean egg size may interact with sediment cover to influence hatching success. Eggs in both experiments were exposed to instantaneous sediment cover (0–7 mm) of either sand or silt from fertilization until day 15 of incubation. Results indicated that Walleye eggs were sensitive to silt cover (71% mortality with 2 mm of silt cover) but not sand cover (47% mortality with 7 mm of sand cover). Hatching success differed significantly among individual females. Although there was an indication that hatching success was marginally negatively related to female length and positively related to mean egg size, sediment cover seemed to have similar effects on eggs, regardless of female length or egg size. Susceptibility of Walleye eggs to mortality caused by sediment cover further underscores the need to limit large-scale sediment loading and resuspension in aquatic systems.
The Societal Value of Broader Access to Antiobesity Medications
Authors: Kabiri Mina , Sexton Ward Alison , Ramasamy Abhilasha , van Eijndhoven Emma , Ganguly Rahul , Smolarz B. Gabriel , Zvenyach Tracy , Goldman Dana P. , Baumgardner James R. 
Published: December 2019

ObjectiveObesity and its complications place an enormous burden on society. Yet antiobesity medications (AOM) are prescribed to only 2% of the eligible population, even though few individuals can sustain weight loss using other strategies alone. This study estimated the societal value of greater access to AOM.MethodsBy using a well‐established simulation model (The Health Economics Medical Innovation Simulation), the societal value of AOM for the cohort of Americans aged ≥ 25 years in 2019 was quantified. Four scenarios with differential uptake among the eligible population (15% and 30%) were modeled, with efficacy from current and next‐generation AOM. Societal value was measured as monetized quality of life, productivity gains, and savings in medical spending, subtracting the costs of AOM.ResultsFor the 217 million Americans aged ≥ 25 years, AOM generated $1.2 trillion in lifetime societal value under a conservative scenario (15% annual uptake using currently available AOM). The introduction of next‐generation AOM increased societal value to $1.9 to $2.5 trillion, depending on uptake. Finally, societal value was higher for younger individuals and Black and Hispanic individuals compared with White individuals.ConclusionsThis study suggests that AOM provide substantial gains to patients and society. Policies promoting broader clinical access to and use of AOM warrant consideration to reach national goals to reduce obesity.
Risk factors associated with delayed methotrexate clearance and increased toxicity in pediatric patients with osteosarcoma
Authors: Young Elizabeth P. , Cheng W. Susan , Bernhardt Melanie B. , Wang Lisa L. , Rainusso Nino , Foster Jennifer H. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractHigh‐dose methotrexate (HD‐MTX; 12 g/m2) is part of standard therapy for pediatric osteosarcoma (OS). Risk factors associated with MTX toxicity in children with OS are not well defined. We investigated the association between peak MTX levels (four‐hour) and delayed MTX clearance or treatment toxicity. Information was retrieved from electronic medical records of 33 OS patients treated with HD‐MTX at Texas Children's Hospital from 2008 to 2015. We found that the four‐hour MTX level did not contribute to toxicity or delayed MTX clearance. We demonstrated that certain demographic characteristics are associated with delayed clearance and increased toxicity.
Colombia's cyberinfrastructure for biodiversity: Building data infrastructure in emerging countries to foster socioeconomic growth
Authors: De Vega Jose J. , Davey Robert P. , Duitama Jorge , Escobar Dairo , Cristancho‐Ardila Marco A. , Etherington Graham J. , Minotto Alice , Arenas‐Suarez Nelson E. , Pineda‐Cardenas Juan D. , Correa‐Alvarez Javier , Camargo Rodriguez Anyela V. , Haerty Wilfried , Mallarino‐Robayo Juan P. , Barreto‐Hernandez Emiliano , Muñoz‐Torres Monica , Fernandez‐Fuentes Narcis , Di Palma Federica ,   the Colombian Cyberinfrastructure Consortium for Biodiversity
Published: December 2019

Societal Impact StatementColombia is a “megadiverse” country with vast natural resources. A history of recent conflict means that information is only now being collected on the natural capital of regions that were previously unexplored. Better access to data, tools, and expertise is required for evidence‐supported decisions on the conservation of these resources. The development of a bespoke cyberinfrastructure could help fulfill this need by providing access to digital resources in a collaborative cyberenvironment. We outline key priorities and develop a reference framework for building cyberinfrastructure in Colombia. This framework could be applied to other fields and countries to promote knowledge exchange, scientific innovation, and socioeconomic growth.
Glycated Plasma Proteins as More Sensitive Markers for Glycemic Control in Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Zhang Lina , Zhang Qibin 
Published: December 2019

PurposeGlycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is used clinically for diagnosis and therapeutic management of diabetes. However, HbA1c reflects average blood glucose level over a long period. The aim of this study is to look for short period, more sensitive protein markers that correlate better with glycemic level.Experimental DesignThe glycated proteome of human plasma from type 1 diabetic individuals with good and poor (n = 20 each) glycemic control are analyzed using an online two‐dimensional proteomics approach. Selected glycated peptides are further validated for their potential as candidate biomarkers using parallel reaction monitoring.Results305 glycated peptides are quantified and 290 are significantly increased in samples with poor glycemic control. 76 of the 88 selected glycated peptides have receiver operating characteristic area under curve (AUC) values greater than 0.8. Six validated glycated peptides with high AUC show high correlation with HbA1c and have higher fold changes between poor and good glycemic control than HbA1c. The parent proteins have half‐lives shorter than HbA1c.Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceUsing an advanced proteomics platform for protein glycation analysis, glycated peptides and proteins are identified that are promising as more sensitive, shorter term indicators of glycemic control in diabetic patients than the commonly used HbA1c.
A Lithium‐Organic Primary Battery
Authors: Sun Pengfei , Bai Panxing , Chen Zifeng , Su Hai , Yang Jixing , Xu Kang , Xu Yunhua 
Published: December 2019

AbstractLithium primary batteries are still widely used in military, aerospace, medical, and civilian applications despite the omnipresence of rechargeable Li‐ion batteries. However, these current primary chemistries are exclusively based on inorganic materials with high cost, low energy density or severe safety concerns. Here, a novel lithium‐organic primary battery chemistry that operates through a synergetic reduction of 9,10‐anthraquinone (AQ) and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) is reported. In FEC‐presence, the equilibrium between the carbonyl and enol structures is disabled, and replaced by an irreversible process that corresponds to a large capacity along with methylene and inorganic salts (such as LiF, Li2CO3) generated as products. This irreversible chemistry of AQ yields a high energy density of 1300 Wh/(kg of AQ) at a stable discharge voltage platform of 2.4 V as well as high rate capability (up to 313 mAh g−1 at a current density of 1000 mA g−1), wide temperature range of operation (−40 to 40 °C) and low self‐discharge rate. Combined with the advantages of low toxicity, facile and diverse synthesis methods, and easy accessibility of AQ, Li‐organic primary battery chemistry promises a new battery candidate for applications that requires low cost, high environmental friendliness, and high energy density.
Vertical Orientated Dion–Jacobson Quasi‐2D Perovskite Film with Improved Photovoltaic Performance and Stability
Authors: Li Fengzhu , Zhang Jie , Jo SaeByeok , Qin Minchao , Li Zhen , Liu Tiantian , Lu Xinhui , Zhu Zonglong , Jen Alex K.‐Y. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractDion–Jacobson (DJ) phase 2D layered perovskites with diammonium organic cations demonstrate improved stability over 3D perovskites under thermal/photo/moisture stresses. However, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of DJ phase perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) is often limited by the poor charge transport across the perovskite layers due to the crystal growth direction that tends to be parallel to the substrate. Here, a simple and effective method is demonstrated by employing a NH4SCN additive to facilitate the orientation of perovskite crystal growth to be perpendicular to the substrate. Also, the layer number distribution can be narrowed to around n = 3 and n = 4 with NH4SCN addition. The device derived from the quasi‐2D DJ (BDA)(MA)4Pb5I16 perovskite film processed with NH4SCN shows a PCE of 14.53%, which is among the highest values reported for 2D PVSCs prepared at room temperature. Moreover, the device retains 85% of its initial PCE after 900 h storage in ambient conditions with a humidity level of 50 ± 5%. These results demonstrate that this attractive approach will enable highly efficient and stable PVSCs to be made for renewable energy applications.
Disciplinary Literacy in a Second‐Grade Classroom: A Science Inquiry Unit
Authors: Welsh Kate Muir , Brock Cynthia H. , Robertson Dana A. , Thrailkill Laurie (Darian) 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe limited time available to teach content area subjects, given the intense demands for literacy and math instruction, is a common concern in U.S. elementary schools. Unfortunately, this is especially true in schools that serve students who are less economically advantaged. With time being a perennial concern for educators, integrated disciplinary literacy instruction is an alternative way to conceptualize content area and literacy instruction. The authors' purpose in this article is to show how a second‐grade teacher meaningfully used literacy as a tool in a science inquiry unit focused on environmental stewardship.
The classic prognostic factors in advanced Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients are losing their meaning at the time of Pet-guided treatments
Authors:   Fondazione Italiana Linfomi (Onlus), Bari Alessia , Marcheselli Raffaella , Sacchi Stefano , Re Alessandro , Pagani Chiara , Tucci Alessandra , Botto Barbara , Vitolo Umberto , Molinari Anna Lia , Puccini Benedetta , Pulsoni Alessandro , Santoro Armando , Tani Monica , Nassi Luca , Meli Erika , Pavone Vincenzo , Bonfichi Maurizio , Evangelista Andrea , Gioia Daniela , Levis Alessandro , Zinzani Pierluigi 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe International Prognostic Score (IPS) is the most commonly used risk stratification tool for patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). It incorporates seven clinical parameters independently associated with a poorer outcome: male sex, age, stage IV, hemoglobin level, white blood cell and lymphocyte counts, and albumin level. Since the development of the IPS, there have been significant advances in therapy and supportive care. Recent studies suggest that the IPS is less discriminating due to improved outcomes with ABVD therapy. The aim of the present study was to asses if classic prognostic factors maintain their prognostic meaning at the time of response-adapted treatment based on interim PET scans. We evaluated the prognostic significance of IPS in the 520 advanced stage HL patients enrolled in the PET-guided, HD0801 trial in which PET2-positive patients underwent a more intense treatment with an early stem-cell transplantation after 2 cycles of ABVD. We observed that in these patients, the IPS completely loses its prognostic value together with all the single parameters that contribute to the IPS. Furthermore, neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, and the ratio among them also no longer had any predictive value. We believe that the substantial improvement in survival outcomes in PET2-positive patients treated with early autologous transplantation could explain the complete disappearance of the residual prognostic significance of the IPS.
Colonization pressure: a second null model for invasion biology
Authors: Blackburn Tim M. , Cassey Phillip , Duncan Richard P. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractUnderstanding the causes of spatial variation in the distribution and richness of alien species is a key goal of invasion biology. Thanks to the increasing availability of geographical compendia of alien species it is also the subject of a burgeoning scientific literature. Here, we review elements of this literature to argue that understanding the causes of variation in alien species richness cannot be achieved without knowledge of the number of species introduced to an area—termed colonization pressure. The implications of a lack of information on colonization pressure are widespread and, we believe, poorly recognised. We start by discussing a recent general model for alien species richness that demonstrates why colonization pressure is a fundamental determinant of this. We then explore the literature on alien species richness, particularly on islands, to demonstrate how failing to account for colonization pressure affects our perception of richness drivers. We further show that ignoring colonization pressure can bias our understanding of patterns in the distributions of alien species. We finish by discussing situations when colonization pressure may be more or less important for our understanding of alien invasions.
Dissent in Consensusland: An Agonistic Problematization of Multi-stakeholder Governance
Authors: Fougère Martin , Solitander Nikodemus 
Published: December 2019

AbstractMulti-stakeholder initiatives involve actors from several spheres of society (market, civil society and state) in collaborative arrangements to reach objectives typically related to sustainable development. In political CSR literature, these arrangements have been framed as improvements to transnational governance and as being somehow democratic. We draw on Mouffe’s works on agonistic pluralism to problematize the notion that consensus-led multi-stakeholder initiatives bring more democratic control on corporate power. We examine two initiatives which address two very different issue areas: the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety (The Accord). We map the different kinds of adversarial relations involved in connection with the issues meant to be governed by the two initiatives, and find those adversarial relations to take six main shapes, affecting the initiatives in different ways: (1) competing regulatory initiatives; (2) pressure-response relations within multi-stakeholder initiatives; (3) pressure-response relations between NGOs and states through multi-stakeholder initiatives; (4) collaboration and competition between multi-stakeholder initiatives and states; (5) pressure-response relations between civil society actors and multi-stakeholder initiatives; and (6) counter-hegemonic movements against multi-stakeholder initiatives as hegemonic projects. We conclude that multi-stakeholder initiatives cannot be democratic by themselves, and we argue that business and society researchers should not look at democracy or politics only internally to these initiatives, but rather study how issue areas are regulated through interactions between a variety of actors—both within and without the multi-stakeholder initiatives—who get to have a legitimate voice in this regulation.
A Tale of Two Markets: How Lower-end Borrowers Are Punished for Bank Regulatory Failures in Nigeria
Authors: Omede P. I. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractIn 2009, the Nigerian banking system witnessed a financial crisis caused by elite borrowers in the financial market. Regulatory response to the Nigerian crisis closely mirrored the international response with increased capital and liquidity thresholds for commercial banks. While the rise of consumer protection on the agenda of prudential supervisors internationally was logical in that consumer debt was the main cause of the global recession, the Nigerian banking reforms of 2009 disproportionately affected access by poorer consumers, who ironically had little to do with the underlying causes of the crisis. As lending criteria become more stringent, poorer consumers of credit products are pushed into informal markets because of liquidity-induced credit rationing. Overall, consumer protection is compromised because stronger consumer protection rules for the formal sector benefits borrowers from formal institutions who constitute the minority of borrowers in all markets. While the passage of regulation establishing credit bureaux and the National Collateral Registry will, in theory, ease access to credit especially by lower-end borrowers, the vast size of the informal market continues to compound the information asymmetry problem, fiscal policies to tackle structural economic issues such as unemployment and illiteracy remain to be initiated, and bank regulators continue to pander to elite customers with policy responses that endorse too big to fail but deems lower-end consumers too irrelevant to save. The essay concluded that addressing the wide disparity in access to credit between the rich and poor through property rights reforms to capture the capital of the informal class, promoting regulation to check loan concentration, and stimulating competition by allowing Telecommunication Companies (TELCOs) and fintech companies to carry on lending activities because of their superior knowledge of lower-end markets will facilitate greater access. The risk of systemic failure deriving from consumer credit in Nigeria is insignificant compared to the consumer vulnerabilities resulting from the exposure of consumers to unregulated products in the informal market.