bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Plasma DNA End-Motif Profiling as a Fragmentomic Marker in Cancer, Pregnancy, and Transplantation
Authors: Jiang Peiyong , Sun Kun , Peng Wenlei , Cheng Suk Hang , Ni Meng , Yeung Philip C. , Heung Macy M.S. , Xie Tingting , Shang Huimin , Zhou Ze , Chan Rebecca W.Y. , Wong John , Wong Vincent W.S. , Poon Liona C. , Leung Tak Yeung , Lam W.K. Jacky , Chan Jason Y.K. , Chan Henry L.Y. , Chan K.C. Allen , Chiu Rossa W.K. , Lo Y.M. Dennis 
Published: February 2020

Abstract

Plasma DNA fragmentomics is an emerging area of research covering plasma DNA sizes, end points, and nucleosome footprints. In the present study, we found a significant increase in the diversity of plasma DNA end motifs in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Compared with patients without HCC, patients with HCC showed a preferential pattern of 4-mer end motifs. In particular, the abundance of plasma DNA motif CCCA was much lower in patients with HCC than in subjects without HCC. The aberrant end motifs were also observed in patients with other cancer types, including colorectal cancer, lung cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. We further observed that the profile of plasma DNA end motifs originating from the same organ, such as the liver, placenta, and hematopoietic cells, generally clustered together. The profile of end motifs may therefore serve as a class of biomarkers for liquid biopsy in oncology, noninvasive prenatal testing, and transplantation monitoring.

Significance:
Plasma DNA molecules originating from the liver, HCC and other cancers, placenta, and hematopoietic cells each harbor a set of characteristic plasma DNA end motifs. Such markers carry tissue-of-origin information and represent a new class of biomarkers in the nascent field of fragmentomics.
This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 627
Arterial Stiffness and Cognition Among Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Observational and Longitudinal Studies
Authors: Alvarez‐Bueno Celia , Cunha Pedro G. , Martinez‐Vizcaino Vicente , Pozuelo‐Carrascosa Diana P. , Visier‐Alfonso Maria Eugenia , Jimenez‐Lopez Estela , Cavero‐Redondo Ivan 
Published: February 2020

Background
To estimate the strength of the cross‐sectional and longitudinal association between arterial stiffness, measured by pulse‐wave velocity, and cognitive function, distinguishing between global cognition, executive functions, and memory and to examine the influence of demographic, clinical, and assessment characteristics on this relationship.

Methods and Results

Systematic review of
MEDLINE
(via PubMed), Scopus, and
WOS
databases from their inception to March 2019, to identify cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies on the association between pulse‐wave velocity and cognitive domains (ie, global cognition, executive functions, and memory) among adult population. A total of 29 cross‐sectional and 9 longitudinal studies support the negative relationship between arterial stiffness and cognitive function, including global cognition, executive function, and memory. Demographic, clinical, and assessment characteristics did not substantially modify the strength of this association.

Conclusions
Evidence reveals a negative association between arterial stiffness, measured using pulse‐wave velocity, and cognition, specifically executive function, memory, and global cognition. This association seems to be independent of demographic, clinical, and assessment characteristics. These results accumulate evidence supporting that pulse‐wave velocity assessment could be a useful tool to identify individuals at high risk of cognitive decline or early stages of cognitive decline, to implement interventions aimed at slowing the progression to dementia.
Complementing Optical Remote Sensing with Synthetic Aperture Radar Observations of Hail Damage Swaths to Agricultural Crops in the Central United States
Authors: Bell Jordan R. , Gebremichael Esayas , Molthan Andrew L. , Schultz Lori A. , Meyer Franz J. , Hain Christopher R. , Shrestha Suravi , Payne K. Cole 
Published: February 2020

AbstractThe normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) has been frequently used to map hail damage to vegetation, especially in agricultural areas, but observations can be blocked by cloud cover during the growing season. Here, the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1A/1B C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery in co- and cross polarization is used to identify changes in backscatter of corn and soybeans damaged by hail during intense thunderstorm events in the early and late growing season. Following a June event, hail-damaged areas produced a lower mean backscatter when compared with surrounding, unaffected pixels [vertical–vertical (VV): −1.1 dB; vertical–horizontal (VH): −1.5 dB]. Later, another event in August produced an increase in co- and cross-polarized backscatter (VV: 0.7 dB; VH: 1.7 dB) that is hypothesized to result from the combined effects of crop growth, change in structure of damaged crops, and soil moisture conditions. Hail damage regions inferred from changes in backscatter were further assessed through coherence change detections to support changes in the structure of crops damaged within the hail swath. While studies using NDVI have routinely concluded a decrease in NDVI is associated with damage, the cause of change with respect to the damaged areas in SAR backscatter values is more complex. Influences of environmental variables, such as vegetation structure, vegetation maturity, and soil moisture conditions, need to be considered when interpreting SAR backscatter and will vary throughout the growing season.
Power Sector Reforms and Performance Assessment of Power Sector Utilities of Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Maurya Nagendra Kumar 
Published: February 2020

A series of power sector reforms were undertaken by the state government aimed at introducing a set of regulatory reforms and at unbundling of what was originally an integrated State Electricity Board. The reforms aimed at segregating production, distribution and regulation functions. Ratification of the Electricity Act 2003 led to a further deepening of the reform process by dismantling monopoly in the power sector. The paper provides an overview of the impact of power sector reforms on the operational and financial performance of the power sector utilities of Uttar Pradesh. Utilising the data obtained from the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd. and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Uttar Pradesh, the paper highlights the status of transmission and distribution losses, aggregate technical and commercial losses, plant load factor, operating and financial performance of the state power utilities of Uttar Pradesh between 2002–2003 and 2015–2016 (the latest point of time for which data is available). In addition to other financial indicators, liquidity, asset management, leverage and profitability ratios have been calculated to analyse the financial performance. The paper concludes that the state power-utilities are yet to cover a long distance to become financially and commercially viable. However, the positive impact of the reform measures has been abundantly visible since the financial year 2012–2013.
Analysis of Disialyllacto-N-Tetraose (DSLNT) Content in Milk From Mothers of Preterm Infants
Authors: Hassinger Denise , Clausen Dana M. , Nitka Sarah , Herdt Aimee , Griffin Ian 
Published: February 2020

Background Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) have been recognized for the protective effects they may elicit among high risk infants. One HMO, disialyllacto-N-tetraose (DSLNT), has been shown to reduce the risk for developing necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. Research aims To measure DSLNT content in the human milk from mothers of preterm infants, and (1) assess variability; (2) establish correlations between maternal factors and/or an infant’s risk for developing necrotizing enterocolitis; and (3) determine the effect of pasteurization. Methods DSLNT was measured in 84 samples of preterm milk, in human donor milk, and in Holder and flash pasteurized samples. Preterm infant outcomes were assessed by medical record review. Results DSLNT content of mother’s own milk was highly variable and decreased significantly with increasing postnatal age. Four preterm infants (6.7%) developed necrotizing enterocolitis (Bell stage II or greater), 4 (6.7%) developed spontaneous intestinal perforation, and 1 developed both. DSLNT z-score was below the age-specific M within 8 (89%) of the 9 milk samples from mothers whose babies developed necrotizing enterocolitis ( p = 0.039), but the DSLNT content did not differ between infants with necrotizing enterocolitis, spontaneous intestinal perforation, or neither condition ( p > 0.1). DSLNT levels were significantly reduced in samples of donor milk compared to mothers’ own milk ( p = 0.0051). Pasteurization did not significantly reduce DSLNT content. Conclusions DSLNT content of human milk is variable and may be lower in milk from mothers whose infants developed necrotizing enterocolitis. DSLNT content is unaffected by flash or Holder pasteurization.
Immunological biomarkers in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparative cross-sectional study from a tertiary care center in South India
Authors: Seth G , Sundaresh A , Mariaselvam C M , Kumar G , Chengappa K G , Adarsh M B , Tamouza R , Negi VS 
Published: February 2020

Introduction The prevalence of various immunological biomarkers in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) differs among various patients with varied neuropsychiatric manifestations and different populations. We studied the prevalence of these biomarkers; especially the neuron specific autoantibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and compared them among patients with and without neuropsychiatric involvement. Methodology This is a comparative cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in South India. The prevalence of immunological biomarkers including complement levels, systemic and brain specific autoantibodies (anti-myelin antibody, anti–myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein and anti–myelin-associated glycoprotein antibody) were assessed and compared among those with and without NPSLE and with different NPSLE manifestations. Results A total of 522 SLE patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the study participants was 28.5 ± 8.8 years and 93.5% were women. Neuropsychiatric manifestations were seen in 167 (32%) patients. Seizure was the most common neuropsychiatric manifestation seen in 41.3%, followed by psychosis (18.6%), mood disorder (16.8%), stroke (10.8%), mononeuropathy (10.2%), headache (9.6%), acute confusional state (6.6%) and aseptic meningitis (5.4%). Patients with NPSLE had a higher SLE disease activity index score. Most of the autoantibodies, that is anticardiolipin antibody (aCL), anti–β2 glycoprotein 1 antibody (β2GP1), lupus anticoagulant (LA), anti-nucleosome, anti–ribosomal P, anti-Ro52, anti-Ro60 and anti-La, were seen in higher proportion in the NPSLE group, although the difference failed to reach statistical significance. On subgroup analysis, psychosis was significantly higher in patients with anti-ribosomal P positivity than without (11.8% versus 4.1%, p.0.007; odds ratio (OR) 3.1, confidence interval (CI) 1.4–6.8), while stroke had a higher proportion among those with positive b2GP1 IgG (6.3% versus 1.8%, p.0.03; OR 3.6, CI 1.2–11.0). A higher proportion of demyelination was seen among the LA positive than the negative (10.3% versus 0.2%, p.0.03; OR 5.39, CI 1.15–24.17) and anti–myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein in mood disorder (14.3% versus 3.4%, p = 0.03; OR 4.66, CI 1.13–19.13). Conclusion No single biomarker correlated with NPSLE. Among different NPSLE manifestations, the prevalence of IgG β2GP1 in stroke, LA in demyelination, anti–ribosomal P in psychosis and anti–myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein in mood disorder were higher. Further studies on the pathogenic mechanisms underlying NPSLE and its different manifestations may help us to identify better biomarkers.
Women’s Collectives and Collective Action for Food and Energy Security: Reflections from a Community of Practice (CoP) Perspective
Authors: Dhal Sunita , Lane Linda , Srivastava Nilima 
Published: February 2020

In feminist political ecological discourses, women are seen as potential initiators and actors in collective action. Gendered differential practices in sustaining certain forms of collective action within the community have remained under-researched. Women play a key role as providers of food, water, fuel and fodder. They have also gained access to alternative means of livelihood and formed groups to conserve forest resources. Women’s roles hold the potential to ensure their claim to inclusion in the development process. This article formulates a set of interrelated questions to interrogate the role of community of practice (CoP) as an analytical framework to understand informal community action led by rural women. These questions concern the significance of collective action in relation to social structures, institutions and processes. Communities practise different kinds of sustainable and shared methods of collective action; for example, women’s collectives or self-help groups continuously work to create sustainable forms of collective action. We argue that the CoP framework provides an opportunity to explore the integral social basis of collective action, which cannot be understood without acknowledging women as important agents in shaping community initiatives.
The Impact of Financial Innovation on the Money Demand Function: An Empirical Verification in India
Authors: Adil Masudul Hasan , Hatekar Neeraj , Sahoo Pravakar 
Published: February 2020

Traditional money demand functions are often criticized for persistent over-prediction, implausible parameter estimates, highly serially correlated errors and unstable money demand. This study argues that some of these problems may have emerged for the lack of factoring financial innovation into the money demand function. This study estimates money demand for India during the post-reform period, from 1996:Q2 to 2016:Q3. The money demand function is estimated with the linear ARDL approach to cointegration developed by Pesaran, Shin, & Smith (2001), Bounds testing approaches to the analysis of level relationships, Journal of Applied Econometrics, 16(3), 289–326, after employing various proxies for financial innovation. In conclusion, the study finds that there is a stable long-run relationship among variables, such as real money balances, and the scale and opportunity cost variables. In a nutshell, the study assesses the relative importance of financial innovation variables in the money demand equation, and finds that financial innovation plays a very significant role in the money demand specification and its stability. JEL Classification: E41, E44, E42, E52, O16, O53
Does Defence Spending and its Composition Affect Economic Growth in India?
Authors: Mohanty Ranjan Kumar , Panda Sidheswar , Bhuyan Biswabhusan 
Published: February 2020

The article investigates the relationship between economic growth and defence expenditure in India from 1970–1971 to 2015–2016. By using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag and Toda-Yamamoto Granger Causality approach, the empirical results find that defence expenditure has a positive and significant impact on economic growth in India. The study also finds that capital defence expenditure has a positive and significant effect on economic growth, while revenue defence expenditure does not have any substantial influence on it. The causality test confirms a bidirectional causality between defence expenditure and economic growth, while it finds a unidirectional causality that runs from capital defence expenditure to economic growth. The study suggests that defence spending, especially capital defence spending, should be encouraged to enhance economic growth in the Indian economy. JEL Classification: H56, O40, C32
Do Large Foreign Direct Investment Inflows Behave Differently From Smaller Inflows? Evidence from Developing Countries
Authors: Sahu Jagadish Prasad 
Published: February 2020

This article examines whether large inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) behave differently from smaller inflows in a sample of 56 developing countries for the period 1990–2017. We use the quantile regression method to investigate whether the responsiveness of FDI inflows to various push and pull factors differs across the conditional distribution of the former. Our results show that the magnitudes of the coefficients are significantly different across quantiles of FDI inflows for a number of covariates. That is to say, the coefficients are significantly larger for the upper quantiles compared to the lower ones. The interquantile regressions, which estimate the quantile differences, confirm the finding that large FDI inflows are more responsive to their covariates than smaller inflows. Our results suggest that large inflows of FDI are indeed different, both quantitatively and qualitatively, from smaller inflows. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the causes of large and smaller inflows separately for a better understanding of the determinants of FDI inflows to developing countries. JEL Classification: F21, F23, F41
A Real-business-cycle Model with a Stochastic Capital Share: Lessons for Bulgaria (1999–2018)
Authors: Vasilev Aleksandar 
Published: February 2020

We allow for a stochastic capital share into a real-business-cycle setup with a government sector. We calibrate the model to Bulgarian data for the period following the introduction of the currency board arrangement (1999–2018). We investigate the quantitative importance of the variability in capital share for cyclical fluctuations in Bulgaria. In particular, allowing for a stochastic capital share in the model increases variability of investment and employment, at the cost of decreasing the volatility of wages, and causing employment to become countercyclical. JEL Classification: E24, E32
Bilateral fungal infection inducing a serpiginous-like picture
Authors: Fernández-Vega González Alvaro , Fernández-Vega González Carlos , Fernández-Vega Sanz Beatriz , Peláez María Teresa , Merayo-Lloves Jesús 
Published: February 2020

Purpose: To report the clinical findings of a patient who presented with an atypical bilateral fungal retinitis that was established by retinochoroidal biopsy. Methods: Case report. Results: A 56-year-old systemically healthy man presented with progressive visual loss in his left eye for 3 weeks. Visual acuity was 20/40 in the left eye, and 20/20 in the right eye and fundus examination showed macular retinal pigmented epithelium changes in his left eye. Over the following four months, his lesions progressed to serpiginous-like widespread retinal pigmented epithelium atrophy and his visual acuity decreased to 20/100, but no signs of ocular inflammation were found. Treatment with oral corticoids, valganciclovir and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole showed no efficacy. Blood analysis and cultures, laboratory investigations, and imaging tests were carried out looking for infectious and inflammatory diseases, but all tests were negative. Two months later, the patient presented with the same kind of lesions in the other eye (right eye), so he was subjected to retinochoroidal biopsy. Histopathological examination of specimen revealed the presence of intraretinal and choroidal fungal hyphae. Oral voriconazole was initiated achieving clinical remission, but no visual improvement was obtained. The source of the infection remains unknown since all tests results were negative. However, his profession as brewmaster might be related to the origin of the infection. Conclusion: Diagnosis of intraocular fungal infection can be challenging. Retinochoroidal biopsy may be useful to establish the diagnosis in those atypical cases with nonrevealing workup and inflammation localized to the retina.
Employment status three years after percutaneous coronary intervention and predictors for being employed: A nationwide prospective cohort study
Authors: Olsen Siv JS , Schirmer Henrik , Wilsgaard Tom , Bønaa Kaare H , Hanssen Tove A 
Published: February 2020

Background: Vocational support is recommended for patients in cardiac rehabilitation (CR), as returning to work is important in patients social readjusting after an acute coronary event. Information is lacking on whether CR leads to higher long-term employment after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Aims: The aims of this study were to determine employment status three years after PCI, to compare employment status between CR participants and CR non-participants and to assess predictors for employment. Methods: We included first-time PCI patients from the NorStent trial, who were of working age (<63 years; n = 2488) at a three-year follow-up. Employment status and CR participation were assessed using a self-report questionnaire. Propensity score method was used in comparing employment status of CR participants and CR non-participants. Results: Seventy per cent of participants who were <60 years of age at the index event were employed at follow-up and CR participation had no effect on employment status. Being male, living with a partner and attaining higher levels of education were associated with a higher chance of being employed, while being older, prior cardiovascular morbidity and smoking status were associated with lower chance of being employed at follow-up. Conclusion: Because a significant number of working-age coronary heart disease patients are unemployed three years after coronary revascularization, updated incentives should be implemented to promote vocational support. Such programmes should focus on females, patients lacking higher education and patients who are living alone, as they are more likely to remain unemployed.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy after FOLFIRINOX in advanced pancreatic cancer
Authors: de Jesus Victor H. F. , Camandaroba Marcos P. G. , Calsavara Vinicius F. , Riechelmann Rachel P. 
Published: February 2020

Background: There are no randomized data to guide treatment decisions for patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma following first-line FOLFIRINOX. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies using gemcitabine-based chemotherapy after FOLFIRINOX to assess treatment efficacy and toxicity. Methods: We included studies published between 2011 and 2018 that evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy after FOLFIRINOX in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. Primary outcomes were objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), any grade 3/4 toxicity rate, and progression-free survival (PFS). We used the random-effects model to generate pooled estimates for proportions. Results: Sixteen studies met the eligibility criteria. Overall, ORR was 10.8%, DCR was 41.1%, and any grade 3/4 toxicity rate was 28.6%. In subgroup analyses, gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel was associated with superior ORR (14.4 versus 8.4%; p = 0.038) and DCR (53.5 versus 30.5%; p < 0.001) compared with single-agent gemcitabine. Median PFS ranged from 1.9 to 6.4 months and numerically favored gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel. Conclusions: Our study suggests gemcitabine-based chemotherapy likely outperforms best supportive care after FOLFIRINOX in advanced pancreatic cancer. Also, gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel seems to be more active than single-agent gemcitabine (CRD42018100421).