bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Feasibility trial of a digital self-management intervention ‘My Breathing Matters’ to improve asthma-related quality of life for UK primary care patients with asthma
Authors: Ainsworth Ben , Greenwell Kate , Stuart Beth , Raftery James , Mair Frances , Bruton Anne , Yardley Lucy , Thomas Mike 
Published: November 2019

ObjectiveTo assess the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) and acceptability of an asthma self-management digital intervention to improve asthma-specific quality of life in comparison with usual care.Design and settingA two-arm feasibility RCT conducted across seven general practices in Wessex, UK.ParticipantsPrimary care patients with asthma aged 18 years and over, with impaired asthma-specific quality of life and access to the internet.Interventions‘My Breathing Matters’ (MBM) is a digital asthma self-management intervention designed using theory, evidence and person-based approaches to provide tailored support for both pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of asthma symptoms.OutcomesThe primary outcome was the feasibility of the trial design, including recruitment, adherence and retention at follow-up (3 and 12 months). Secondary outcomes were the feasibility and effect sizes of specific trial measures including asthma-specific quality of life and asthma control.ResultsPrimary outcomes: 88 patients were recruited (target 80). At 3-month follow-up, two patients withdrew and six did not complete outcome measures. At 12 months, two withdrew and four did not complete outcome measures. 36/44 patients in the intervention group engaged with MBM (median of 4 logins, range 0–25, IQR 8). Consistent trends were observed to improvements in asthma-related patient-reported outcome measures.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of a definitive RCT that is required to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a digital asthma self-management intervention.Trial registration numberISRCTN15698435.
Using frailty and quality of life measures in clinical care of the elderly in Canada to predict death, nursing home transfer and hospitalisation - the frailty and ageing cohort study
Authors: Rosenberg Ted , Montgomery Patrick , Hay Vikki , Lattimer Rory 
Published: November 2019

ObjectiveTo assess the value of using frailty measures in primary care for predicting death, nursing home transfer (NHT) and hospital admission.DesignCohort study.Setting and participantsAll 380 people, mean age 88.4, living in the community and receiving home-based primary geriatric care from one practice in Victoria, Canada.Interventions/measurementsA 60 min baseline assessment which included: Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), EuroQol EQ-5D-5L (EQ-5D), EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) and Gait Speed (Gaitspeed).OutcomesDeath, NHT and hospital admission.ResultsDuring 18 months of follow-up, there were 39 (10.3%) deaths, 48 (12.6%) NHTs and 93 (24.5%) individuals admitted to hospital. All three outcomes were predicted by: CFS Level 6+7/4+5 (HR death 5.92, 95% CI 3.12 to 11.22, NHT 6.00, 95% CI 3.37 to 10.66 and hospital admission 2.92, 95% CI 1.93 to 4.40); EQ-5D Quintile 1/Quintile 5 (death 6.26, 95% CI 2.11 to 18.62; NHT 3.18, 95% CI 1.29 to 7.82 and hospital admission 2.94, 95% CI 1.47 to 5.87); EQ-VAS Q1/Q5 (death 7.0, 95% CI 2.34 to 20.93; NHT 3.38, 95% CI 1.22 to 9.35 and hospital admission 6.69, 95% CI 3.20 to 13.99) and Gaitspeed (death 5.87, 95% CI 1.78 to 19.34; NHT 8.51, 95% CI 3.18 to 22.79 and hospital admission 11.05, 95% CI 5.45 to 22.40). Medical diagnoses, multiple comorbidities and polypharmacy were weaker predictors of these outcomes. Cox regression analyses showed CFS (adjusted HR 2.88, 95% CI 1.23 to 6.68), EQ-VAS (0.96, 95% CI 0.93 to 0.98), estimated glomerular filtration rate (0.97, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.00) and haemoglobin (0.97, 95% CI 0.94 to 0.99) were independently associated with death. Gaitspeed (0.13, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.57), Geriatric Depression Scale (1.39, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.82) and dementia diagnosis (4.61, 95% CI 1.86 to 11.44) were associated with NHT. Only CFS (1.75, 95% CI 1.21 to 2.51) and EQ-VAS (0.98, 95% CI 0.96 to 0.99) were associated with hospital admission. No other diagnoses, polypharmacy nor multiple comorbidities predicted these outcomes.ConclusionsFor elderly people, standardised simple measures of frailty and health status were stronger predictors of death, NHT and hospital admission than medical diagnoses. Consideration should be given to adding these measures into usual medical care for this age group.
Vitamin C therapy for patients with sepsis or septic shock: a protocol for a systematic review and a network meta-analysis
Authors: Fujii Tomoko , Belletti Alessandro , Carr Anitra , Furukawa Toshi A , Luethi Nora , Putzu Alessandro , Sartini Chiara , Salanti Georgia , Tsujimoto Yasushi , Udy Andrew A , Young Paul J , Bellomo Rinaldo 
Published: November 2019

IntroductionVasoplegia is common and associated with a poor prognosis in patients with sepsis and septic shock. Vitamin C therapy in combination with vitamin B1 and glucocorticoid, as well as monotherapy in various doses, has been investigated as a treatment for the vasoplegic state in sepsis, through targeting the inflammatory cascade. However, the combination effect and the relative contribution of each drug have not been well evaluated. Furthermore, the best combination between the three agents is currently unknown. We are planning a systematic review (SR) with network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the different treatments and identify the combination with the most favourable effect on survival.Methods and analysisWe will include all randomised controlled trials comparing any intervention using intravenous vitamin C, vitamin B1 and/or glucocorticoid with another or with placebo in the treatment of sepsis. We are interested in comparing the following active interventions. Very high-dose vitamin C (≥12 g/day), high-dose vitamin C (≥6 g/day), vitamin C (<6 g/day); low-dose glucocorticoid (<400 mg/day of hydrocortisone (or equivalent)), vitamin B1 and combinations of the drugs above. The primary outcome will be all-cause mortality at the longest follow-up within 1 year but 90 days or longer postrandomisation. All relevant studies will be sought through database searches and trial registries. All reference selection and data extraction will be conducted by two independent reviewers. We will conduct a random-effects NMA to synthesise all evidence for each outcome and obtain a comprehensive ranking of all treatments. We will use the surface under the cumulative ranking curve and the mean ranks to rank the various interventions. To differentiate between the effect of combination therapies and the effect of a component, we will employ a component NMA.Ethics and disseminationThis SR does not require ethical approval. We will publish findings from this systematic review in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and present these at scientific conferences.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018103860.
Real-world effects of late window neurothrombectomy: procedure rates increase without night-time bias
Authors: Williams Michelle Marie , Leslie-Mazwi Thabele , Hirsch Joshua A , Kittel Carol , Spiotta Alejandro , De Leacy Reade , Mocco J , Albuquerque Felipe C , Ducruet Andrew F , Goyal Nitin , Arthur Adam S , Kan Peter , Mokin Maxim , Dumont Travis M , Reeves Alan , Wolfe Stacey Q , Fargen Kyle 
Published: November 2019

IntroductionWith the expansion of the interventional time window for stroke from emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO), the rate of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is expected to rise, potentially causing higher burnout rates and requiring hospitals to develop strategies for adequate coverage of these procedures.MethodsNeurointerventional physicians at 10 participating stroke centers prospectively recorded time requirements for all MT consultations over 30 consecutive 24-hour call periods, including both false positive consultations and MT procedures, during mid to late 2018. Consult start time, procedure start and end time, and data regarding commute to the hospital and delay in scheduled procedures were collected and compared with those from an identical prospective study performed in 2017.ResultsData were collected from a total of 300 days of call. A total of 166 procedures were performed (mean 0.55 per day), an increase from 0.32 per day in 2017. Overall mean MT direct time burden during each 24-hour call was 124 min (compared with 85 min in 2017). The percentage of consultations for thrombectomy varied based on time of day, with 87% of consults between the hours of midnight and 04:00 proceeding to thrombectomy compared with 37% between the hours of 16:00 and 20:00.ConclusionsMT procedural volumes have increased from one every 5 days in 2016 to one every 2 days in 2018. The highest percentage of consults leading to thrombectomy occur in the early morning hours after midnight. Compared with similar data from 2016 and 2017, call demands continue to escalate, representing a significant demand on neurointerventional teams.
Strategic timing and rate of phosphorus fertilization improves phosphorus-use efficiency in two contrasting cultivars of subirrigated greenhouse-grown chrysanthemum
Authors: Shelp Barry J. , Sutton William J. , Flaherty Edward J. 
Published: November 2019

Greenhouse floriculture operations pose significant environmental risk due to extensive inputs of fertilizer, especially nitrogen and phosphorus (P). Recent evidence shows that the use efficiency for nitrogen or sulphur is markedly improved in subirrigated potted chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) by supplying a moderate level of the nutrient during vegetative growth, and removing the entire nutrient suite at the onset of reproductive growth, without adverse effects on plant quality. Here, two split-plot experiments were conducted with subirrigated, potted, disbudded chrysanthemums grown in a peat:perlite mixture under greenhouse conditions (high- or low-ambient light) with inorganic orthophosphate (Pi) treatment (2.6 mmol L−1 Pi supplied during the vegetative and reproductive stages, and 2.6, 1.95, or 1.3 mmol L−1 Pi supplied during the vegetative stage only) as the main plot and cultivar (‘Olympia’ and ‘Covington’) as the subplot. Market quality plants with sufficient tissue P were produced even when Pi delivery was reduced by approximately 75% over the crop cycle, compared with industry standards. The primary mechanism for sustaining plant growth with decreasing Pi delivery was improved acquisition or uptake efficiency, although some changes in internal P-utilization efficiency were evident, including the remobilization of both organic P and Pi during inflorescence development. Differences in biomass yields, tissue P concentrations, content-based P-use efficiency (PUEC = mg shoot dry mass/mg shoot P content) with constant Pi acquisition, and uptake- versus remobilization-based P supply for inflorescence growth established that ‘Olympia’ has a greater P-utilization efficiency than ‘Covington’. This modified subirrigation practice could contribute significantly to low-input production of floricultural crops.
Measurement of the 13C(n,$\gamma$) thermal cross section via neutron irradiation and AMS
Authors: Wright T. , Bennett S. , Heinitz S. , Köster U. , Mills R. , Soldner T. , Steier P. , Wallner A. , Wieninger T. 
Published: November 2019

Abstract.Ampoules of amorphous 99.5% enriched 13C were irradiated at the PF1b neutron beam line at the high-flux ILL research reactor in order to produce 14C atoms. The precise ratio of 14C/13C was subsequently measured at the VERA Accelerator Mass Spectrometer, allowing the 13C(n,$ \gamma$γ)14C thermal cross section to be accurately determined. This is the first measurement of this cross section at sub-eV energies via this technique and the result of $ 1.52 \pm 0.07$1.52±0.07 mb for the thermal cross section is in good agreement with other recent measurements which were performed via Prompt Gamma-ray Activation Analysis.
Unified description of multiplicity distributions and Bose–Einstein correlations at the LHC based on the three-negative binomial distribution
Authors: Biyajima Minoru , Mizoguchi Takuya 
Published: November 2019

Using the Monte Carlo data at 7 TeV collected by the ATLAS collaboration (PYTHIA 6), we examine the necessity of applying the three-negative binomial distribution (T-NBD). By making use of the T-NBD formulation, we analyze the multiplicity distribution (MD) and the Bose–Einstein correlation (BEC) at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In the T-NBD framework, the BEC is expressed by two degrees of coherence [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] and two kinds of exchange functions [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] that act over interaction ranges [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. Using the calculated [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] based on the T-NBD, along with free [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], we analyze the BEC data at 0.9 and 7 TeV. The estimated parameters [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are almost coincident and seem to be consistent with [Formula: see text] collisions. We also present an enlarged Koba–Nielsen–Olesen (KNO) scaling function based on the T-NBD, and apply it to KNO scaling at LHC energies. The enlarged scaling function describes the observed violation of the KNO scaling.
Phase assemblage and properties of a nonoxide composite fabricated by a two-step gas-pressure sintering
Authors: Yin Li , Wang Yuxin , Jiang Songtao , He Zhen , Huang Saifang 
Published: November 2019

In this work, a composite composed of [Formula: see text]-Sialon (Z[Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]4) and ZrN has been fabricated by a two-step gas-pressure sintering method, and the effects of ZrN content and applied pressure on the phase behavior, densification and mechanical properties have been investigated. The phase behaviors were mainly dependent on the ZrN content and the applied pressure. The composites composed of [Formula: see text]-Sialon (Z[Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]4), ZrN, 15R-Sialon (0.4 MPa) and 12H-Sialon (0.7 MPa) as major phases, with different intermediate phases depending on the ZrN content. It is revealed that with the two-step sintering technique, a higher applied gas pressure has a positive effect on mass loss, and significantly improved the mechanical properties. The addition of ZrN particles greatly helped the densification behavior, reduced the mass loss, and increased fracture toughness of the composites, but decreased hardness due to formation of intermediate phases and grain coarsening. The addition of ZrN increased the fracture toughness due to the toughening mechanisms of crack branching, crack deflection and crack bridging.
Vehicle Vision Robust Detection and Recognition Method
Authors: Lin Yueh-lung , Wen Conghua 
Published: November 2019

With the rapid growth of the global economy, the global car ownership is also increasing year by year, which has caused a series of problems, the most prominent of which is traffic congestion and traffic accidents. In order to solve the traffic problem, all countries are actively studying the intelligent transportation system, and one of the important research contents of the intelligent transportation system is vehicle detection. Vehicle detection based on vision is to capture vehicle images in the driving environment through a camera, and then use computer vision recognition technology for vehicle detection and recognition. Although computer vision recognition technology has made great progress, how to improve the detection accuracy of the image to be detected is still an important content of visual recognition technology research. Intelligent vehicle visual robust detection and identification of methods of research to reduce the growing incidence of traffic accidents, improve the existing road traffic safety and transportation efficiency, alleviate the degree of driver fatigue problem are of great significance. This paper considers the intelligent vehicle environmental awareness of the key technology to the goal of robust detection and recognition based on machine vision problems for further research. The particle filter is used to extract the local energy of the image to realize the fast segmentation of the region of interest (ROI). In order to further verify the ROI, a measure learning method based on multi-core embedding is proposed, and the semantic classification of ROI is realized by integrating the color, shape and geometric features of ROI. Experimental results show that the algorithm can effectively eliminate false sexy ROI interest, and the algorithm is robust to complex background, illumination changes, perspective changes and other conditions.
Role of the occipito-temporal theta rhythm in hand visual identification
Authors: Moreau Quentin , Parrotta Eleonora , Era Vanessa , Martelli Maria Luisa , Candidi Matteo 
Published: November 2019

Neuroimaging and EEG studies have shown that passive observation of the full body and of specific body parts is associated with 1) activity of an occipito-temporal region named the extrastriate body area (EBA), 2) amplitude modulations of a specific posterior event-related potential (ERP) component (N1/N190), and 3) a theta-band (4–7 Hz) synchronization recorded from occipito-temporal electrodes compatible with the location of EBA. To characterize the functional role of the occipito-temporal theta-band increase during the processing of body-part stimuli, we recorded EEG from healthy participants while they were engaged in an identification task (match-to-sample) of images of hands and nonbody control images (leaves). In addition to confirming that occipito-temporal electrodes show a larger N1 for hand images compared with control stimuli, cluster-based analysis revealed an occipito-temporal cluster showing an increased theta power when hands are presented (compared with leaves) and show that this theta increase is higher for identified hands compared with nonidentified ones while not being significantly different between not identified nonhand stimuli. Finally, single trial multivariate pattern analysis revealed that time-frequency modulation in the theta band is a better marker for classifying the identification of hand images than the ERP modulation. The present results support the notion that theta activity over the occipito-temporal cortex is an informative marker of hand visual processing and may reflect the activity of a network coding for stimulus identity. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Hands provide crucial information regarding the identity of others, which is a key information for social processes. We recorded EEG activity of healthy participants during the visual identification of hand images. The combination of univariate and multivariate pattern analysis in time- and time-frequency domain highlights the functional role of theta (4–7 Hz) activity over visual areas during hand identification and emphasizes the robustness of this neuromarker in occipito-temporal visual processing dynamics.
Conditioning by subthreshold synaptic input changes the intrinsic firing pattern of CA3 hippocampal neurons
Authors: Soldado-Magraner Saray , Brandalise Federico , Honnuraiah Suraj , Pfeiffer Michael , Moulinier Marie , Gerber Urs , Douglas Rodney 
Published: November 2019

Unlike synaptic strength, intrinsic excitability is assumed to be a stable property of neurons. For example, learning of somatic conductances is generally not incorporated into computational models, and the discharge pattern of neurons in response to test stimuli is frequently used as a basis for phenotypic classification. However, it is increasingly evident that signal processing properties of neurons are more generally plastic on the timescale of minutes. Here we demonstrate that the intrinsic firing patterns of CA3 neurons of the rat hippocampus in vitro undergo rapid long-term plasticity in response to a few minutes of only subthreshold synaptic conditioning. This plasticity on the spike timing could also be induced by intrasomatic injection of subthreshold depolarizing pulses and was blocked by kinase inhibitors, indicating that discharge dynamics are modulated locally. Cluster analysis of firing patterns before and after conditioning revealed systematic transitions toward adapting and intrinsic burst behaviors, irrespective of the patterns initially exhibited by the cells. We used a conductance-based model to decide appropriate pharmacological blockade and found that the observed transitions are likely due to recruitment of low-voltage calcium and Kv7 potassium conductances. We conclude that CA3 neurons adapt their conductance profile to the subthreshold activity of their input, so that their intrinsic firing pattern is not a static signature, but rather a reflection of their history of subthreshold activity. In this way, recurrent output from CA3 neurons may collectively shape the temporal dynamics of their embedding circuits. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Although firing patterns are widely conserved across the animal phyla, it is still a mystery why nerve cells present such diversity of discharge dynamics upon somatic step currents. Adding a new timing dimension to the intrinsic plasticity literature, here we show that CA3 neurons rapidly adapt through the space of known firing patterns in response to the subthreshold signals that they receive from their embedding circuit, potentially adjusting their network processing to the temporal statistics of their circuit.
Parallel programming of saccades in the macaque frontal eye field: are sequential motor plans coactivated?
Authors: Basu Debaleena , Murthy Aditya 
Published: November 2019

We use sequences of saccadic eye movements to continually explore our visual environments. Previous behavioral studies have established that saccades in a sequence may be programmed in parallel by the oculomotor system. In this study, we tested the neural correlates of parallel programming of saccade sequences in the frontal eye field (FEF), using single-unit electrophysiological recordings from macaques performing a sequential saccade task. It is known that FEF visual neurons instantiate target selection whereas FEF movement neurons undertake saccade preparation, where the activity corresponding to a saccade vector gradually ramps up. The question of whether FEF movement neurons are involved in concurrent processing of saccade plans is as yet unresolved. In the present study, we show that, when a peripheral target is foveated after a sequence of two saccades, presaccadic activity of FEF movement neurons for the second saccade can be activated while the first is still underway. Moreover, the onset of movement activity varied parametrically with the behaviorally measured time available for parallel programming. Although at central fixation coactivated FEF movement activity may vectorially encode the retinotopic location of the second target with respect to the fixation point or the remapped location of the second target, with respect to the first our evidence suggests the possibility of early encoding of the remapped second saccade vector. Taken together, the results indicate that movement neurons, although located terminally in the FEF visual-motor spectrum, can accomplish concurrent processing of multiple saccade plans, leading to rapid execution of saccade sequences. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The execution of purposeful sequences underlies much of goal-directed behavior. How different brain areas accomplish sequencing is poorly understood. Using a modified double-step task to generate a rapid sequence of two saccades, we demonstrate that downstream movement neurons in the frontal eye field (FEF), a prefrontal oculomotor area, allow for coactivation of the first and second movement plans that constitute the sequence. These results provide fundamental insights into the neural control of action sequencing.