bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Determination of thyroid volume in infants with suspected congenital hypothyroidism—the limitations of both subjective and objective evaluation
Authors: Mansour Chourouk , Ouarezki Yasmine , Jones Jeremy Huw , Green Morag , Stenhouse Emily Jane , Irwin Greg , Hermanns Pia , Pohlenz Joachim , Donaldson Malcolm David Cairns 
Published: May 2020

Objective: To compare two methods of assessing gland size on thyroid ultrasound in newborn infants with suspected congenital hypothyroidism (CH). Methods: Images from infants with eutopic glands referred between 2007 and 2013 were evaluated blind by two sets of observers. Subjective gland size was categorised as small, borderline-small, normal, borderline-large and large. Objective gland volume, calculated as the sum of each lobe using the prolate ellipsoid formula (length x width x depth x π/6), was put into corresponding categories: <0.8, 0.81–1.0, 1.1– <2.2, 2.2–2.4 and >2.4 ml, derived from normative Scottish data. Results: Of 36 infants, permanent CH was present in 17, transient CH in 17, status uncertain in 2. Mean (SD) intraobserver error for thyroid volume measurement was 0.11 (0.23) ml [8.3%]. Subjective assessment by two observers was discordant in only four (10.8%) infants. However, subjective vs objective evaluation was discordant in 14 (39%). Eight (three permanent, five transient CH) had large glands subjectively but normal glands objectively; and six (four transient CH) had normal glands subjectively but small glands objectively. The former infants all showed a single flattened curve to the anterior thyroid margin, giving an impression of bulkiness. Gland shape was normal in the latter infants. Conclusion: Neither subjective nor objective evaluation predicts permanent vs transient CH. Altered gland shape may confound both methods, and undermine use of the conventional formula for measuring lobe volume. Advances in knowledge: Until more refined methods are available for assessing thyroid size, both subjective and objective evaluation are recommended in CH.
Evaluating adults’ health-related values and preferences about unprocessed red meat and processed meat consumption: protocol for a cross-sectional mixed-methods study
Authors: Valli Claudia , Howatt Victoria , Prokop-Dorner Anna , Rabassa Montserrat , Johnston Bradley C. , Zajac Joanna , Han Mi Ah , Kenji Nampo Fernando , Guyatt Gordon H. , Bala Malgorzata M. , Alonso-Coello Pablo 
Published: May 2020

Background: People need to choose from a wide range of foods, and in addition to availability and accessibility, people’s values and preferences largely determine their daily food choices. Given the potential adverse health consequences of red and processed meat and the limited knowledge on individuals’ health-related values and preferences on the topic, such data would be useful in the development of recommendations regarding meat consumption. Methods and analysis: We will perform an international cross-sectional mixed methods study in four countries across two continents. The study population will consist of adult omnivores currently consuming a minimum of three weekly servings of either unprocessed red meat or processed meat. We will explore participants’ willingness to stop or reduce their unprocessed red meat, or their processed meat consumption through a direct-choice exercise. This exercise will consist of presenting a scenario tailored to each individual’s average weekly consumption. That is, based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of the best estimate of the risk reduction in overall cancer mortality and cancer incidence, we will ask participants if they would stop their consumption, and/or reduce their average consumption. We will also present the corresponding certainty of the evidence for the potential risk reductions. Finally, for all included participants, we will measure their meat consumption three months after the interview and determine if they have made any changes to their average consumption. Ethics and dissemination: The research protocol was approved by the ethics committees in Canada (Research Ethics Board, Dalhousie University), Spain (Comitè Ètic d'Investigació Clínica de l'IDIAP Jordi Gol), Poland (The Bioethics Committee of the Jagiellonian University), and Brazil (National Research Ethics Commission). The study is based on voluntary participation and informed written consent. Results from this project will be disseminated through publications and presentations.
Forum Size and Content Contribution per Person: A Field Experiment
Authors: Baek Jiye , Shore Jesse 
Published: May 2020

Promoting contribution of content is a key challenge for platforms that support the collective creation or transfer of knowledge. We use a field experiment on a massive open online course to study the role of forum size (number of people in a forum) in the contribution of content per person. We find that larger forums elicit more contributions per person. The number of questions and other help-seeking threads posted per person was unchanged by forum size, but replies and other more conversational posts increased sharply. Most of the positive effect of size was in a subset of socially responsive subjects. The implication of social responsiveness driving our results is that the unequal distribution of contribution in online platforms is unlikely to be easily changed: if more contributions are elicited from infrequent contributors, the greatest contributors would contribute even more because there would be more to respond to. This paper was accepted by Chris Forman, information systems.
Competition and Opacity in the Financial System
Authors: Zhang Gaoqing 
Published: May 2020

This paper studies the effect of competition on opacity in the financial system. In my model, two financial institutions competing for investors simultaneously make a public disclosure decision when both are exposed to rollover risk. I find that in the face of rollover risk, competition between financial institutions has a nonmonotonic effect on their disclosure decisions. More intense competition can reduce disclosure and make the financial system more opaque, especially when investors’ private information about the financial institutions is sufficiently precise. This paper was accepted by Suraj Srinivasan, accounting.
Platform Preannouncement Strategies: The Strategic Role of Information in Two-Sided Markets Competition
Authors: Chellappa Ramnath K. , Mukherjee Rajiv 
Published: May 2020

The release of a new platform version is often preceded by prelaunch activities including a preannouncement of new features, improvements, and other innovations. The information contained within these preannouncements not only shape expectations of distinct but connected sides, for example, users and developers in a video game platform, but also informs a rival platform in a competitive market. Through a game-theoretic analysis of three different preannouncement strategies (formal, informal, and no-preannouncement) in a duopoly, our research furthers the understanding of externality-related information on expectation formation and the associated competitive dynamics. The literature on the role of information in platform competition is limited, and as the first to model the use of this information (through preannouncements) as a strategic lever, we characterize the firms’ equilibrium preannouncement strategies under different market conditions including when agents have an option to switch and/or the ability to multihome. Our findings show a clear relationship between the equilibrium preannouncement strategies and agents’ strength of taste preferences. In markets with weak preferences, firms pursue a no-preannouncement strategy in equilibrium to a formal preannouncement strategy where users and developers have strong taste preferences. Overall, our welfare analyses reveal that in a competitive market, firms will prefer not to preannounce their platform features even if preannouncement may increase expected network effects. Consumer and social welfare are both higher in multihoming markets than in single-homing ones. This paper was accepted by Chris Forman, information systems.
Youngstock housing design
Authors: Robertson Jamie 
Published: May 2020

The design of livestock systems needs to address the requirements of the animals to be housed, as well as those for labour, safety, and sustainability, including finance. Youngstock housing is no different, except that the industry appears to have forgotten the first part, and insists on placing youngstock in general purpose buildings, or buildings that were originally designed for another purpose. The output data on calf health and performance is an indictment of the lack of the well-designed youngstock housing. The following is intended to promote further development of calf systems by addressing the basic design requirements for youngstock. The basic requirements for space, bedding, ventilation, feed and water are all freely available in Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) publications ( AHDB 2018a , 2018b ).
Dual-periodically poled lithium niobate microcavities supporting multiple coupled parametric processes
Authors: Zhang Li , Hao Zhenzhong , Luo Qiang , Gao Ang , Zhang Ru , Yang Chen , Gao Feng , Bo Fang , Zhang Guoquan , Xu Jingjun 
Published: May 2020

Periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) microcavities with additional reciprocal vectors attract attention as a platform for efficient parametric nonlinear optical processes with wavelength and polarization flexibility. Here, we report the simultaneous realization of multiple coupled parametric processes in PPLN microdisk cavities with dual periods as a result of the significantly increased number of reciprocal vectors to fulfill quasi-phase matchings for a series of nonlinear processes. PPLN microdisks with up to

1.43
×

10

5

quality factors and unit domain size of 90 nm in width were fabricated using CMOS compatible microfabrication techniques and electrically poled with the help of piezoresponse force microscopy. The conversion efficiency of second-harmonic signal was measured to be

51
%

W

−
1

. Our work paves the way towards efficient cascaded parametric effects including third- and fourth-harmonic generations.
RESÚMENES DE TESIS: DOCTORADO EN FÍSICA
Authors: Collins Pablo Agustín 
Published: May 2020

Estudio del llenado capilar en estructuras nano-porosas mediante técnicas interferométricasLuisa Guadalupe Cencha - lgcencha@gmail.comDirector: Dr. Raul UrteagaCo-Director: Dr. Claudio L. A. BerliLugar de realización: Grupo de Semiconductores Nanoestructurados, Instituto de Física del Litoral (UNL-CONICET)Fecha de defensa: 19 de diciembre de 2018
Detection of circulating anti-skin antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence and by ELISA: a comparative systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Van de gaer Otto , de Haes Petra , Bossuyt Xavier 
Published: May 2020

Abstract

Background
Both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) are available for the diagnosis of autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBD). Many studies have reported on the performance of ELISAs and concluded that ELISAs could replace IIF. This study compares the diagnostic accuracy of ELISA and IIF for the detection of autoantibodies to desmoglein 1 (DSG1), desmoglein 3 (DSG3), bullous pemphigoid antigen 2 (BP180) and bullous pemphigoid antigen 1 (BP230) to support the diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris (PV), pemphigus foliaceus (PF) and bullous pemphigoid (BP).

Methods
A literature search was performed in the PubMed database. The meta-analysis was performed using summary values and a bivariate random effect model.

Results
The five included studies on PV did not demonstrate significant differences between IIF and DSG3-ELISA (sensitivity 82.3% vs. 81.6%, p = 0.9284; specificity 95.6% vs. 93.9%, p = 0.5318; diagnostic odds ratio [DOR] 101.60 vs. 67.760, p = 0.6206). The three included studies on PF did not demonstrate significant differences between IIF and DSG1-ELISA (sensitivity 80.6% vs. 83.1%, p = 0.8501; specificity 97.5% vs. 93.9%, p = 0.3614; DOR 160.72 vs. 75.615, p = 0.5381). The eight included studies on BP showed that BP230-ELISA differed significantly from both IIF on monkey esophagus (MO) and BP180-ELISA with regard to DOR (11.384 vs. 68.349, p = 0.0008; 11.384 vs. 41.699, p = 0.0125, respectively)

Conclusions
Our meta-analysis shows that ELISA performs as well as IIF for diagnosing PV, PF and BP.
The clinically effective use of cardiac markers by restructuring laboratory profiles at Cardiology wards
Authors: Keppel Martin H. , Kolbitsch Tobias , Hoppe Uta C. , Auer Simon , Felder Thomas K. , Oberkofler Hannes , Mrazek Cornelia , Haschke-Becher Elisabeth , Cadamuro Janne 
Published: May 2020

Abstract

Background
Laboratory overutilization is associated with diagnostic error and potential patient risk. We applied a demand management strategy in collaboration with the local Department of Cardiology to reduce the cardiac markers high-sensitive troponin T (hsTropT) and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) in laboratory ordering profiles (LOPs). The present study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the implemented strategies.

Methods
Strategies included educational measures and evidence-guided, active test de-selection from all cardiology ward LOPs, and/or permanent removal from LOPs. Tests remained available at all times. We evaluated overutilization by reductions in monthly orders, and assessed differences in 30-day all-cause readmission rate and length of patients’ hospital stay.

Results
Overall, we observed a mean reduction of 66.1% ± 7.6% (n = 277 ± 31) in hsTropT tests. Educational measures effectively reduced NTproBNP orders by 52.8% ± 17.7% (n = 60 ± 20). Permanent removal of tests from LOPs additionally decreased orders to a final extent of 75.8% ± 8.0% (n = 322 ± 31) in NTproBNP tests. The 30-day readmission rate and overall length of hospital stay did not increase.

Conclusions
Our results indicate that cardiac markers in routine care are subject to extensive overutilization when used within LOPs. Educational measures are an effective strategy to overcome the overutilization of cardiac markers but may be more effective when combined with the removal of cardiac markers from LOPs.
Quantification of the HIV-1 total reservoir in the peripheral blood of naïve and treated patients by a standardised method derived from a commercial HIV-1 RNA quantification assay
Authors: Di Sante Laura , Costantini Andrea , Caucci Sara , Corsi Alice , Brescini Lucia , Menzo Stefano , Bagnarelli Patrizia 
Published: May 2020

Abstract

Objectives
HIV-1 DNA can persist in host cells, establishing a latent reservoir. This study was aimed to develop an extraction and amplification protocol for HIV-1 DNA quantification by modifying a quantitative commercial assay.

Methods
HIV-1 DNA was extracted on an Abbott m2000sp instrument, using an open-mode protocol. Two calibrators, spiked with a plasmid containing HIV-1 genome (103 and 105 cps/mL), were extracted and amplified to generate a master calibration curve. Precision, accuracy, linear dynamic range, limit of quantification (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) were determined. A cohort of patients, naïve or chronically infected, was analysed.

Results
Calibration curve was obtained from 42 replicates of standards (stds); precision was calculated (coefficients of variability [CVs] below 10%); accuracy was higher than 90%. Linearity covered the entire range tested (10–104 copies per reaction), and LOD (95%) was 12 copies per reaction. HIV-1 DNA was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in drug-naïve (62) than in chronically treated patients (50), and proviral loads correlated with lymphocytes (p = 0.0002) and CD4+ (p < 0.0001) counts only in naïve patients. Both groups displayed a significant inverse correlation between CD4+ nadir and proviral loads. A significant correlation (p < 0.0001) between viraemia and HIV-1 reservoir was disclosed. No significant difference was obtained from the comparison between proviral loads on whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the same patient.

Conclusions
The novelty of our approach relies on the selection of appropriate reference standard extracted and amplified as clinical specimens avoiding any underestimation of the reservoir. Results confirm HIV-1 DNA as a marker of disease progression, supporting the relationship between the width of latent reservoir and the immunological status of the patient.
Within-subject and between-subject biological variation of first morning void urine amino acids in 12 healthy subjects
Authors: Alp Hamit Hakan , Akbay Halil İbrahim , Çokluk Erdem , Huyut Zubeyir , Keskin Sıddık , Şekeroğlu Mehmet Ramazan 
Published: May 2020

Abstract

Background
Urine amino acid analysis is used for the assessment of various diseases. The aim of this study was to estimate the valid biological variation (BV) components (within- and between-subjects) required for the safe clinical application of free urine amino acids.

Methods
First morning void urine samples were taken from 12 healthy subjects (five females, seven males) once a week for 10 consecutive weeks, and amino acid analysis was performed using an Agilent 6470 triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer instrument. The obtained data were subjected to normality, outlier and variance homogeneity analyses prior to coefficient of variation (CV) analysis. Within- and between-subject BV values (CVI and CVG) of 39 amino acids were determined for all subjects. In addition, the index of individuality (II), reference change value (RCV), imprecision, bias and total error were estimated using BV data obtained from our study.

Results
The CVI values ranged from 8.9 (histidine) to 36.8% (trans-4-hydroxyprolin), while the CVG values ranged from 25.0 (1-methyl-L-histidine) to 63.3% (phenylalanine). The II value of most amino acids was less than 0.6 and ranged between 0.21 and 0.88. The imprecision, bias and total error ranged between 4.45 and 16.6, between 7.69 and 16.6, and between 18.4 and 43.2, respectively.

Conclusions
This study, designed according to a rigorous protocol, has the feature of being the first to give information about BV data of urine amino acids. We believe that the reference intervals have a limitation in the evaluation of consecutive results from an individual, so the use of RCV would be more appropriate.
Influence of reagent lots and multiple measuring systems on estimating the coefficient of variation from quality control data; implications for uncertainty estimation and interpretation of QC results
Authors: Ellis Ashley D. , Gross Alexander R. , Budd Jeffrey R. , Miller W. Greg 
Published: May 2020

Abstract

Background
Clinical laboratories use internal quality control (QC) data to calculate standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) to estimate uncertainty of results and to interpret QC results. We examined the influence of different instruments, and QC and reagent lots on the CV calculated from QC data.

Methods
Results for BioRad Multiqual frozen liquid QC samples over a 2-year interval were partitioned by QC and reagent lots. The mean and CV were calculated for each partition for each of three Abbott Architect c8000 instruments for measuring serum alanine amino transferase (ALT), creatinine (enzymatic), glucose and sodium.

Results
CVs differed among partitions and instruments for two QC levels by 5.8- and 3.3-fold for ALT, by 4.7- and 2.1-fold for creatinine, by 2.0- and 2.6-fold for glucose, and by 2.1- and 2.0-fold for sodium. Pooled CVs for two QC levels varied among instruments by 1.78- and 1.11-fold for ALT, by 1.63- and 1.11-fold for creatinine, by 1.08- and 1.06-fold for glucose, and by 1.24- and 1.31-fold for sodium.

Conclusions
The CVs from QC data varied substantially among QC and reagent lots and for different identical specification instruments. The CV used to estimate uncertainty for a measurement result or as the basis for interpreting individual QC results must be derived over a sufficient time interval to obtain a pooled CV that represents “typical” performance of a measuring system. An estimate of uncertainty provided to users of laboratory results will itself have uncertainty that can influence medical decisions.
Focused ethnography: a new tool to study diagnostic errors?
Authors: Chopra Vineet 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
While much attention has been given to quantifying errors in diagnosis, how best to study the process of diagnosis is less clear. Focused ethnography as a methodology is particularly valuable for studying healthcare processes because it examines specific questions, situations or problems among a smaller group of individuals. In this paper, we review this approach and illustrate how we applied it to study diagnostic errors in hospitalized patients.
Between Web search engines and artificial intelligence: what side is shown in laboratory tests?
Authors: Negrini Davide , Padoan Andrea , Plebani Mario 
Published: May 2020

Abstract

Background
The number of websites providing laboratory test information is increasing fast, although the accuracy of reported resources is sometimes questionable. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of online retrievable information by Google Search engine.

Methods
Considering urinalysis, cholesterol and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as keywords, the Google Search engine was queried. Using Google Trends, users’ search trends (interest over time) were evaluated in a 5-year period. The first three or 10 retrieved hits were analysed in blind by two reviewers and classified according to the type of owner or publisher and for the quality of the reported Web content.

Results
The interest over time constantly increased for all the three considered tests. Most of the Web content owners were editorial and/or publishing groups (mean percentage 35.5% and 30.0% for the first three and 10 hits, respectively). Public and health agencies and scientific societies are less represented. Among the first three and 10 hits, cited sources were found to vary from 26.0% to 46.7% of Web page results, whilst for cholesterol, 60% of the retrieved Web contents reported only authors’ signatures.

Conclusions
Our findings confirm those obtained in other studies in the literature, demonstrating that online Web searches can lead patients to inadequately written or reviewed health information.
Women's Power and Electability in Southeast Sulawesi: A Case Study for Provincial and National Legislative Candidate
Authors: Zuada La Husen , Adriadi Rekho , Kadir Abdul 
Published: May 2020

This research examined the role of power in increasing the choice of women legislative candidates. Women's electability has increased in the four election periods (2004, 2009, 2014, 2019) in Southeast Sulawesi. The interesting thing on the results of the 2014 election found that eight of the nine elected women legislators are the wives of four active regents, three former regents, and the governor during the election process. They are the 'new face' in the politics and previously have never become a legislative member, except become the Chair of the Dharma Wanita who are accompanying their husbands as regional heads. The reasons for women's electability in the legislative underlie this research. Through a qualitative approach, this study found that the power resources were owned by their families (money and bureaucracy) and personal abilities were also the factors of choice. In the context of Southeast Sulawesi, this study found a change in the vote mobilization strategies. Ethnic mobilization (locality) that characterized the local politics of Southeast Sulawesi had a smaller impact on the election, whereas money politics (economic resource) and bureaucratic politicization (normative) had a strong impact on the voters. This study enriches the findings in the vote mobilization strategies, namely the combination of locality/friends-neighbors (ethnicity), money and bureaucracy as the factors of politicians' electability.