bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of Blastocyst Morphology and Developmental Speed on Transfer Strategy for Grade “C” Blastocyst in Vitrified-warmed Cycles
Authors: He yuxia , Chen shiping , Liu jianqiao , Kang xiangjin , Liu haiying 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: High-quality single blastocyst transfer (SBT) is increasingly recommended to patients because of its acceptable pregnancy outcomes and significantly reduced multiple pregnancy rate compared to double blastocyst transfer (DBT). However, there is no consensus on whether this transfer strategy is also suitable for poor-quality blastocysts. Moreover, the effect of the development speed of poor-quality blastocysts on pregnancy outcomes has been controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of blastocyst development speed and morphology on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes during the frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle of poor-quality blastocysts and to ultimately provide references for clinical transfer strategies.Methods: A total of 2,038 FET cycles of poor-quality blastocysts were analyzed from January 2014 to December 2019 and divided based on the blastocyst development speed and number of embryos transferred: the D5-SBT (n=476), D5-DBT (n=365), D6-SBT (n=730), and D6-DBT (n=467) groups. The SBT group was further divided based on embryo morphology: D5-AC/BC (n=407), D5-CA/CB (n=69), D6-AC/BC (n=580), and D6-CA /CB (n=150).Results: When blastocysts reach the same development speed, the live birth and multiple pregnancy rates of DBT were significantly higher than those of SBT. Moreover, there was no statistical difference in the rates of early miscarriage and live birth between the AC/BC and CA/CB groups. When patients in the SBT group were stratified by blastocyst development speed, the rates of clinical pregnancy (42.44% vs. 20.82%) and live birth (32.35% vs. 14.25%) of D5-SBT group were significantly higher than those of D6-SBT group. Furthermore, for blastocysts in the same morphology group (AC/BC or CA/CA group), the rates of clinical pregnancy and live birth in the D5 group were also significantly higher than those of D6 group. Conclusion: For poor-quality D5 blastocysts, SBT can be recommended to patients because of acceptable pregnancy outcomes and significantly reduced multiple pregnancy rate compared with DBT. For poor-quality D6, the DBT strategy is recommended to patients to improve pregnancy outcomes. When blastocysts reach the same development speed, the transfer strategy of selecting blastocyst with inner cell mass “C” or blastocyst with trophectoderm “C” does not affect the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.
Dynamic Handoff Policy for RAN&nbsp;Slicing by Exploiting Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Wu Yuansheng , Zhao Guanqun , Ni Dadong , Du Junyi 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
It has been widely acknowledged that network slicing is a key architectural technology to accommodate diversified services for the next generation network (5G). By partitioning the underlying network into multiple dedicated logical networks, 5G can support a variety of extreme business service needs. As network slicing is implemented in radio access networks (RAN), user handoff becomes much more complicated than that in traditional mobile networks. As both physical resource constraints of base stations (BSs) and logical connection constraints of network slices should be considered in handoff decision, an intelligent handoff policy becomes imperative. In this paper, we model the handoff in RAN slicing as a Markov decision process (MDP) and resort to deep reinforcement learning to pursue long-term performance improvement in terms of user quality of Service (QoS) and network throughput. The effectiveness of our proposed handoff policy is validated via simulation experiments.
Combined Polar Codes and 2-12 QAM over AWGN and Rayleigh Fading Channels
Authors: Oliveira Flávia Camila Morais , Alcoforado Maria de Lourdes Melo Guedes , Markarian Garik , Júnior Valdemar Cardoso da Rocha 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
This article investigates a communication system using polar codes combined with a 2-12 QAM modulation scheme over channels disturbed by additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) as well as over channels disturbed by Rayleigh fading in addition to AWGN. The 2-12 QAM modulation is compatible with legacy 16 QAM still widely used, and when combined with appropriate error correcting codes produces results that approach the Shannon limit.
Identification of A Key Major-Effect QTL Associated With Pre-Harvest Sprouting in Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus L.) Using the QTL-Seq Method
Authors: Cao Ming ming , Li Shu ju , Deng Qiang , Wang Hui zhe , Yang Rui huan 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: Cucumber (Cucumis sativusL.) is cultivated worldwide, and it is essential to produce enough high-quality seeds to meet demand. Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) in cucumber is a critical problem and causes serious damage to seed production and quality. Nevertheless, the genetic basis and molecular mechanisms underlying cucumber PHS remain unclear. QTL-seq is an efficient approach for rapid quantitative trait loci (QTL) identificationthat simultaneously takes advantage of bulked-segregant analysis (BSA) and whole-genome resequencing. In the present research, QTL-seq analysis was performed to identify QTLs associated with PHS in cucumber using an F2 segregating population.Results: Two QTLs that spanned 7.3 Mb on Chromosome 4 and 0.15 Mb on Chromosome 5 were identified by QTL-seq and named qPHS4.1and qPHS5.1, respectively. Subsequently, SNP and InDel markers selected fromthe candidate regions were used to refine the intervals using the extended F2populations grown in the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Finally, qPHS4.1 was narrowed to 0.53 Mb on chromosome 4 flanked by the markers SNP-16 and SNP-24 and was found to explain 19-22% of the phenotypic variation in cucumber PHS. These results reveal that qPHS4.1 is the key major-effect QTL associated with PHS in cucumber. Based on gene annotations and qRT-PCR expression analyses, Csa4G622760and Csa4G622800 were proposed as the candidate genes. Conclusions: These results provide novel insights into the genetic mechanism controlling PHS in cucumber and highlight the potential for marker-assisted selection of PHS resistance breeding.
Hydroxyapatite-Coated Compaction Short Stem Represents a Characteristic Pattern of Peri-Prosthetic Bone Remodelling After Total Hip Arthroplasty
Authors: Hayashi Shinya , Hashimoto Shingo , Kuroda Yuichi , Nakano Naoki , Matsumoto Tomoyuki , Kamenaga Tomoyuki , Niikura Takahiro , Kuroda Ryosuke 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Purpose: We aimed to investigate the differences in peri-prosthetic bone remodelling between the full hydroxyapatite (HA)-collared compaction short stem and the short tapered-wedge stem.Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 159 consecutive patients (159 joints) undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) using the full HA compaction short (n=64) and short tapered-wedge (n=95) stems. Body mass index (BMI), peri-prosthetic bone mineral density (BMD), and clinical factors, including the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) activity score, were assessed and compared.Results: Both groups showed similar peri-prosthetic BMD changes. Peri-prosthetic BMD was almost maintained in the distal femur and Gruen zone 6 with both type of stems, but significant BMD loss was found in zones 1 and 7 in both groups and in zone 2 of the full HA compaction stem group. Significant positive correlations were found between the proximal femoral BMD changes and the UCLA score in the tapered-wedge stem group but not between BMD changes and clinical factors in the full HA compaction stem group. Femoral bone shape affected the peri-prosthetic BMD changes in the tapered-wedge stem but not in the full HA compaction group. The stem collar of the full HA compaction stem did not affect peri-prosthetic BMD, but unique bone remodelling in the calcar region was observed in 27.6% cases.Conclusion: Peri-prosthetic bone remodelling remained unaffected by clinical and radiographic factors after THA with the new short full HA compaction stem. Therefore, the new stem may be useful in a variety of cases.
Cognitive Capacity Genomewide Polygenic Scores Identify Individuals Resilient to Cognitive Decline in Aging&nbsp;
Authors: Joo Yoonjung Yoonie , Cha Jiook , Freese Jeremy , Hayes M Geoffrey 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
The genetic underpinnings of cognitive resilience in aging remains unknown. Predicting an individual’s rate of cognitive decline—or cognitive resilience—using genetics will allow personalized intervention for cognitive enhancement and optimal selection of target samples in clinical trials. Here, using genome-wide polygenic scores(GPS) as the genomic indicators for variations of human intelligence, we examined the genetic liability of cognitive abilities in the behavioral/cognitive phenome to understand individual differences in cognitive capacity over time. Using the longitudinal sociogenomic data of 8,509 European-ancestry adults between the ages of mid-60s to 70s, we found that a higher cognitive GPS significantly correlated with a slower cognitive decline specifically in memory recall, but not in other cognitive domains. Linear mixed models with cognitive GPSs explained proportions of the variances in cognitive tests up to 60.4%. This study presents the novel genetic protective effects of cognitive ability on the decline of memory recall in aging population.
Exploring the impact of regional variation on outcome prioritisation in core outcome set development: a case study in the field of gastric cancer surgery
Authors: Alkhaffaf Bilal , Metryka Aleksandra , Blazeby Jane M , Glenny Anne-Marie , Williamson Paula R , Bruce Iain A 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
BackgroundInternational stakeholder participation is important in the development of core outcome sets (COS). Stakeholders, however, may value health outcomes differently when regional differences are considered. Here, we explore how region, health income and participant characteristics influence prioritisation of outcomes during development of a COS for gastric cancer surgery trials (the GASTROS study).Methods952 participants from 55 countries participating in a Delphi survey during COS development were eligible for inclusion. Recruits were grouped according to region (East or West), country income classification (high and low-to-middle income) and other characteristics (e.g. patients; age, sex, time since surgery, mode of treatment, surgical approach and healthcare professionals; clinical experience). Groups were compared with respect to how they categorised outcomes (‘consensus in’, ‘consensus out’, ‘no consensus’). Outcomes categorised as ‘consensus in’ or ‘consensus out’ by all 3 stakeholder groups would be automatically included in or excluded from the COS respectively.ResultsIn total, 13 outcomes were categorised ‘consensus in’, 13 ‘consensus out’ and 31 ‘no consensus’. There was little variation in prioritisation of outcomes by stakeholders from Eastern or Western countries and high or low-to-middle income countries. There was little variation in outcome prioritisation within either health professional or patient groups.ConclusionOur study suggests that there is little variation in opinion within stakeholder groups when participant region and other characteristics are considered. This finding may help COS developers when designing their Delphi surveys and recruitment strategies. Further work across other clinical fields is needed before broad recommendations can be made.
Methods for conducting international Delphi surveys to optimise global participation in Core Outcome Set development: a case study in gastric cancer informed by a comprehensive literature review.
Authors: Alkhaffaf Bilal , Blazeby Jane M , Metryka Aleksandra , Glenny Anne-Marie , Adeyeye Ademola , Costa Paulo Matos , Val Ismael Diez del , Gisbertz Suzanne , Guner Ali , Law Simon , Lee Hyuk-Joon , Li Ziyu , Nakada Koji , Nunez Rafael Mauricio Restrepo , Reim Daniel , Reynolds John V , Vorwald Peter , Zanotti Daniela , Allum William , Chaudry Asif , Griffiths Ewen , Williamson Paula , Bruce Iain 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
BackgroundCore outcome sets (COS) should be relevant to key stakeholders, and widely applicable and usable. Ideally, they are developed for international use to allow optimal data synthesis from trials. Electronic Delphi surveys are commonly used to facilitate global participation; however, this has limitations. It is common for these surveys to be conducted in a single language potentially excluding those not fluent in that tongue. The aim of this study is to summarise current approaches for optimising international participation in Delphi studies and make recommendations for future practice.MethodsA comprehensive literature review of current approaches to translating Delphi surveys for COS development was undertaken. A standardised methodology adapted from international guidance derived from 12 major sets of translation guidelines in the field of outcomes reporting was developed. As a case study this was applied to a COS project for surgical trials in gastric cancer to translate a Delphi survey into 7 target languages from regions active in gastric cancer research.Results332 abstracts were screened and four studies addressing COS development in rheumatoid and osteo-arthritis, vascular malformations and polypharmacy were eligible for inclusion. There was wide variation in methodological approaches to translation, including the number of forward translations, the inclusion of back translation, the employment of cognitive debriefing and how discrepancies and disagreements were handled. Important considerations were identified during the development of the gastric cancer survey including establishing translation groups, timelines, understanding financial implications, strategies to maximise recruitment and regulatory approvals. The methodological approach to translating the Delphi surveys were easily reproducible by local collaborators and resulted in an additional 637 participants to the 315 recruited to complete the source language survey. 99% of patients and 97% of healthcare professionals from non-English speaking regions used translated surveys.ConclusionConsideration of the issues described will improve planning by other COS developers and can be used to widen international participation from both patients and healthcare professionals.
Student Nurses’ Knowledge Acquisition on Oral Medication Administration: Comparison of Lecture Demonstration Vs. Video Demonstration
Authors: Sugathapala Ravilal Devananda Udeshika Priyadarshani , Chandrika Mattaka Gamage Ruwini 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
BackgroundOral Medication administration is one of the paramount nursing procedures, where nurses must pay their utmost commitment. The vital aims are to reduce medication errors and ensure patient safety. The objectives of this study were to evaluate whether the nursing students could learn and retain the basic guidelines for oral medication administration when they are taught using a video-assisted teaching method compared with the lecture-demonstration method and to assess the students' attitudes towards the two types of teaching methods.MethodsThis study was conducted as a quasi-experimental study with a pre and post-test design. Forty-five students in the first year of the bachelor's degree in nursing programme participated. All the participants completed a self- administered questionnaire, including socio demographic data and questions of oral medication administration. Subsequently, participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Oral medication administration procedure was taught using two different teaching methods. Finally, the post-test knowledge scores of both groups were assessed and analysed using the paired-sample t-test.ResultsThe results revealed that there was no significant difference in terms of age, gender and type of residence of students in the two groups. When comparing the pre-test mean score and post-test mean score using paired sample t-test, there was a statistically significant difference in both video demonstration group (t = -4.533, p < 0.001) and lecture-demonstration group (t = -4.208, p < 0.001). Almost all the students obtained good knowledge scores regardless of the method used in teaching oral medication administration. However, when comparing post-test scores of both groups using an independent sample t-test, it was identified that there was no significant difference between the two groups. Therefore, it was difficult to identify which method was effective than the other. According to the student feedback obtained at the end of the study, 67% of them preferred to have more video demonstrations in their skills classes.ConclusionThe results of this study suggested that oral medication administration can be effectively taught using lecture-demonstration and video-demonstration teaching methods.
Molecular and morphological clocks for estimating evolutionary divergence times
Authors: Barba-Montoya Jose , Tao Qiqing , Kumar Sudhir 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: Matrices of morphological characters are frequently used for dating species divergence times in systematics. In some studies, morphological and molecular character data from living taxa are combined, whereas others use morphological characters from extinct taxa as well. We investigated whether morphological data produce time estimates that are concordant with molecular data. If true, it will justify the use of morphological characters alongside molecular data in divergence time inference.Results: We systematically analyzed three empirical datasets from different species groups to test the concordance of species divergence dates inferred using molecular and discrete morphological data from extant taxa as test cases. We found a high correlation between their divergence time estimates, despite a poor linear relationship between branch lengths for morphological and molecular data mapped onto the same phylogeny. This was because node-to-tip distances showed a much higher correlation than branch lengths due to an averaging effect over multiple branches. We found that nodes with a large number of taxa often benefit from such averaging. However, considerable discordance between time estimates from molecules and morphology may still occur because some deeper nodes show a large time differences between these two types of data.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that node- and tip-calibration approaches may be better suited for nodes with many taxa. Nevertheless, we highlight the importance of evaluating the concordance of time structure in morphological and molecular data before any dating analysis using combined datasets.
Prevalence, Distribution and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Bacterial Isolates from a Tertiary Hospital in Malawi
Authors: Kumwenda Pizga , Adukwu Emmanuel C. , Tabe Ebot S. , Ujor Victor C , Kamudumuli Pocha S. , Ngwira Maono , Wu Joseph Tsung Shu , Chisale Master R.O. 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background Bacterial infections are a significant cause of sickness and death in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed at establishing the prevalence, distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of major bacterial isolates from patients accessing medical care at a tertiary hospital in Malawi. Methods We retrospectively reviewed bacteria culture and antimicrobial susceptibility records for 4,617 patients from 2002 to 2014 at Mzuzu Central Hospital (MCH). No inclusion and exclusion criteria were followed. Data was analysed using excel (Microsoft office, USA) and GraphPad prism 7 software programs. Results The most prevalent isolates were S. aureus (34.7%, n = 783), Klebsiella species (17.4%, n = 393) and Proteus species (11.4%, n = 256). Most microorganisms were isolated from adults (88.3%, n = 3889) and pus was the main source (69.3%, n = 1224). S. pneumoniae was predominantly isolated from cerebrospinal fluid (60.3%, n = 44) largely collected from children (88.2%, n = 64). Overall, most bacteria exhibited high resistance to all regularly used antimicrobials excluding ciprofloxacin. Conclusions Our report demonstrates an increase in bacterial infection burden in sites other than blood stream and subsequent increase in prevalence of antimicrobial resistance for all major isolates. Creating an epidemiological survey unit at MCH will be essential to help inform better treatment and management options for patients with bacterial infections.
Effect of socio-demographic and health factors on the association between multimorbidity and acute care service use: population-based survey linked to administrative data
Authors: Fisher Kathryn Ann , Griffith Lauren , Gruneir Andrea , Upshur Ross , Perez Richard , Favotto Lindsay , Nguyen Francis , Markle-Reid Maureen , Ploeg Jenny 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: This study explores how socio-demographic and health factors shape the relationship between multimorbidity and one-year acute care service use (i.e., hospital, emergency department visits) in older adults in Ontario, Canada. Methods: We linked multiple cycles (2005-2006, 2007-2008, 2009-2010, 2011-2012) of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) to health administrative data to create a cohort of adults aged 65 and older. Administrative data were used to estimate one-year service use and to identify 12 chronic conditions used to measure multimorbidity. We examined the relationship between multimorbidity and service use stratified by a range of socio-demographic and health variables available from the CCHS. Logistic and Poisson regressions were used to explore the association between multimorbidity and service use and the role of socio-demographic factors in this relationship.Results: Of the 28,361 members of the study sample, 60% were between the ages of 65 and 74 years, 57% were female, 72% were non-immigrant, and over 75% lived in an urban area. Emergency department visits and hospitalizations consistently increased with the level of multimorbidity. This study did not find strong evidence of moderator or interaction effects across a range of socio-demographic factors. Stratified analyses revealed further patterns, with many being similar for both services – e.g., the odds ratios were higher at all levels of multimorbidity for men, older age groups, and those with lower household income. Rurality and immigrant status influenced emergency department use (higher in rural residents and non-immigrants) but not hospitalizations. Multimorbidity and the range of socio-demographic variables remained significant predictors of service use in the regressions. Conclusions: Strong evidence links multimorbidity with increased acute care service use. This study showed that a range of factors did not modify this relationship. Nevertheless, the factors were independently associated with acute care service use, pointing to modifiable risk factors that can be the focus of resource allocation and intervention design to reduce service in those with multimorbidity. The study’s results suggest that optimizing acute care service use in older adults requires attention to both multimorbidity and social determinants, with programs that are multifactorial and integrated across the health and social service sectors.