bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Upregulation of CRISP‐3 and kallikrein in stallion seminal plasma is associated with poor tolerance of cooled storage
Authors: Kareskoski Anna Maria , Palviainen Mari , Johannisson Anders , Katila Terttu 
Published: January 2020

AbstractFor unknown reasons, stallion fertility and sperm longevity during cooled storage of semen vary markedly between individuals. Spermatozoa from individual stallions react differently to the presence, or the removal, of seminal plasma (SP). The aim was to evaluate differences in protein content in stallion seminal plasma with either a positive or a negative effect on sperm chromatin integrity during storage. Stallion semen samples from different ejaculate fractions were stored at 5°C for 24 hr. Sperm survival was assessed after storage using a sperm chromatin structure assay. Protein expression in SP with either positive or negative effects on sperm survival during storage was studied using two‐dimensional differential gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Lower sperm chromatin integrity was associated with upregulation of the proteins kallikrein, CRISP‐3 and HSP‐1, while higher chromatin integrity was associated with upregulation of TIMP‐2. In the sperm‐rich fractions, kallikrein and CRISP‐3 differed significantly between SP samples with differing effects on sperm chromatin integrity. In the sperm‐poor fractions, TIMP‐2 and HSP‐1 differed significantly between the two SP groups. Differences in the seminal plasma proteome are associated with sperm longevity during cooled storage.
A wait‐and‐see approach to investments: Do elections play a role?
Authors: Kanyam Daniel A. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractUnlike previous studies on electoral investment cycle—the tendency for firms to reduce investment expenditure during an election year relative to nonelection years—that have primarily focused on developed countries, this study documents cycles in private investments in relation to the timing of national elections across a broader set of African countries. The estimation results indicate that during election years, private investment decreases by an average of 16% relative to nonelection years. The results also reveal that private investment falls in the year leading up to an election and increases in the immediate year after an election, consistent with the view that electoral uncertainty deters investments. These findings suggest that electoral investment cycles apply strongly to African countries.
Oil shocks and fiscal policy procyclicality in Angola: Assessing the role of asymmetries and institutions
Authors: da Costa António Alexandre Ernesto , Rodriguez‐Gil Antonio 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe aim of this article is to examine procyclicality in Angola, assess whether it behaves asymmetrically over the oil cycle, and test the hypothesis that institutions and fiscal rules can moderate procyclicality. Received wisdom suggests that in resource‐rich economies, fiscal policy tends to be procyclical albeit improvements in the past decades due to institutional reforms. Similar evidence is available for oil‐rich economies; however, we know little about how procyclicality behaves over the oil cycle; that is, whether spending (and revenue) grows faster during oil‐market booms, than during downturns. Further, evidence on institutions and fiscal rules in oil‐exporting economies is still ambiguous. We bridge both gaps by examining fiscal policy procyclicality in Angola, one of the largest oil‐producers in Africa, and a country that has experienced an intense process of institutional reforms since 2002. Therefore, it is an ideal candidate for our study. We use data for the 2004–2014 period to estimate a threshold vector error correction model that extends vector autoregressive and vector correction methods used up to date. Our results indicate that revenue and spending are generally procyclical to oil shocks, that revenue is more procyclical during booms, and that institutional quality, net inflows, financial openness, and fiscal rules affect procyclicality.
Cyclic Maya diagrams and rational solutions of higher order Painlevé systems
Authors: Clarkson Peter A. , Gómez‐Ullate David , Grandati Yves , Milson Robert 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis paper focuses on the construction of rational solutions for the ‐Painlevé system, also called the Noumi‐Yamada system, which are considered the higher order generalizations of PIV. In this even case, we introduce a method to construct the rational solutions based on cyclic dressing chains of Schrödinger operators with potentials in the class of rational extensions of the harmonic oscillator. Each potential in the chain can be indexed by a single Maya diagram and expressed in terms of a Wronskian determinant whose entries are Hermite polynomials. We introduce the notion of cyclic Maya diagrams and characterize them for any possible period, using the concepts of genus and interlacing. The resulting classes of solutions can be expressed in terms of special polynomials that generalize the families of generalized Hermite, generalized Okamoto, and Umemura polynomials, showing that they are particular cases of a larger family.
Prescribing practices for antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with prosthetic joints
Authors: Teixeira Erica C. , Warren John J. , McKernan Susan C. , McQuistan Michelle R. , Qian Fang 
Published: January 2020

AbstractAimsWith the increasing number of patients with prosthetic joints, recommendations for antibiotic prophylaxis (AP) prior to dental procedures to prevent prosthetic joint infections (PJI) have changed.Methods and resultsThis survey evaluated dentists’ AP practices for patients with prosthetic joints undergoing dental procedures and their familiarity with the American Dental Association Guidelines (ADA CPG) and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Appropriate Use Criteria (AAOS AUC). Dentists’ attitudes about antibiotic resistance, medical‐legal aspects, and adverse effects to using AP were examined. Dentists (n = 574) were familiar (51.2%) with ADA CPG and with the AAOS AUC (25.8%). Familiarity varied according to years since graduation. Female dentists (63.5%) were more likely to be very familiar with the ADA CPG than male dentists (49.5%). Overall, 65.4% of respondents believed that AP is not effective in the prevention of PJI, and 19.4% believed there is enough evidence to support AP. For a healthy patient, 28.9% of dentists would never recommend AP, 44.9% would recommend AP within the first two years since prosthetic joint replacement.ConclusionsDentists’ recommendations for the use of AP varied depending on different factors, including health status of the patient, dental procedure, time elapsed since joint surgery, suggesting that adherence to the ADA CPG and AUC is still challenging.
It takes two to tango: Preschool siblings’ musical play and prosociality in the home
Authors: Cirelli Laura K. , Peiris Rachel , Tavassoli Nasim , Recchia Holly , Ross Hildy 
Published: January 2020

AbstractIn childhood, musical play is an important part of home life and, potentially, sibling play. Considering the social–emotional relevance of musical activities, siblings’ engagement in musical play may also be associated with social development. The current longitudinal study examined musical play in 39 pairs of siblings during naturalistic home play at two time points: (a) when siblings were 2 and 4 years old (T1), and (b) 2 years later when siblings were 4 and 6 years old (T2). Musical play, especially singing and dancing, was more prevalent at T2. Birth order effects were also revealed; 4‐year‐old second‐borns (T2) engaged in more solo musical play than 4‐year‐old firstborns (T1), but 4‐year‐old firstborns initiated joint musical play more often than 4‐year‐old second‐borns. Associations between musical play and prosociality also emerged. Specifically, both older and younger siblings’ rates of prosociality correlated positively with older sibling musical play at each time point. These findings reveal intriguing effects of age and birth order on both solo and joint musical play between siblings, and highlight a potential link between spontaneous musical play in the home and social development.
Communities, Complexity, and the ‘Conchoration’: Network Analysis and the Ontology of Geographic Units
Authors: Nelson Garrett Dash 
Published: January 2020

AbstractWhether to treat regions as distinct, bordered entities or meshes of borderless flows has long been a debate for geographers. This paper uses the methodological and conceptual insights of network analysis to argue for an approach to regionalisation that treats them neither as perfectly enclosed nor perfectly borderless. By comparing the many contested readings of ‘community’ in geography and the social sciences to the operational definition of a ‘community’ in graph theory, I extend historic questions about the spatial definition of human communities and describe how network analysis can offer insight about the texture of human geography. A case study, using network data about commuting in the New England region of the US, shows how these algorithmically‐detected regions are both stable and fluid at once. The paper proposes the term ‘conchoration’ to describe the ontology of emergent, functionally whole regions which are nevertheless perforated and interdependent.
Burning Resistance of Lignitic Coals Under Oxygen-Enriched Conditions
Authors: Uguz Ozlem , Haykiri-Acma Hanzade , Yaman Serdar 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Oxygen-enriched air combustion of low-grade fuels with high inorganic matter is of great interest due to the efficient burning of such fuels and mitigation of emissions. For this purpose, this study aims to investigate the combined effects of oxygen enrichment and temperature on burnout levels. The oxygen-enriched air combustion performance of two Turkish lignites with different geological ages (early Miocene-Pliocene period Kutahya-Tuncbilek (KT) lignite and Pleistocene period Adiyaman-Golbasi (AG) lignite) was investigated in a horizontal tube reactor. The lignite samples were heated slowly (10 °C/min) to the temperatures of 200–600 °C for AG lignite and 200–800 °C for KT lignite under N2/O2 atmospheres with O2 ratios of 21, 30, 40, and 50 vol%. The solid residue remained after this oxidative heat treatment was characterized by proximate/ultimate analyses, higher heating value, (HHV) thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, (FTIR) X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. It was concluded that AG lignite that is relatively younger lignite is more susceptible to the O2-enriched conditions as the treatment temperature or O2 concentration increases. It was also determined that the combined effects of temperature and O2 concentration are much more profound than the individual effects of these parameters.
Pinch Point Analysis of Air Cooler in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle Operating Over Ambient Temperature Range
Authors: Deshmukh Ankur , Kapat Jayanta 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
The supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton power cycle is getting commercially attractive for power generation due to its numerous advantages like zero water discharge, compactness, and low environmental emission and potential to reach high thermal efficiency. A typical recuperated closed cycle consists of three heat exchangers (main heat exchanger, cooler, and recuperator) and two turbomachinery (turbine and compressor). The cooler using ambient air for cooling is the focus of this study. The steady-state air cooler model is set up to study the effect of air cooler size on cycle efficiency. The effect of change in the ambient air temperature on the air cooler pinch point for different air cooler sizes is analyzed using the transient air cooler model. The simulation is set up for the design of the approximately 100 MWe cycle with an operating temperature of 700 °C and a pressure of 250 bar. Transient calculations are done using LMS AMESim. LMS AMESim is the Siemens PLM commercially available software. This work thus serves as a framework to develop a basis for the design of the air cooler in the power cycle as a function of transient operating conditions.
Assessing the Usability of a Task-Shifting Device for Inserting Subcutaneous Contraceptive Implants for Use in Low-Income Countries
Authors: Jiang Kevin C. , Mohedas Ibrahim , Biks Gashaw Andargie , Adefris Mulat , Tadesse Adafrie Takele , Bekele Delayehu , Abebe Zerihun , Kolli Ajay , Weiner Annabel , Davila José , Mengstu Biruk , Bell Carrie , Sienko Kathleen H. 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have limited access to long-acting contraceptives. Access to long-acting contraceptives, such as subcutaneous contraceptive implants, could be increased by task-shifting implant administration from advanced to minimally trained healthcare providers. The objective of this study was to investigate the usability of a task-shifting device for administering subcutaneous contraceptive implants. Healthcare providers (n = 128) from multiple health centers in Ethiopia were trained to administer implants on an arm simulator with the traditional method and a method using the device. Participants were observed while inserting implants into the arm simulator, and procedural error rates were calculated. Observations were analyzed using an iterative inductive coding methodology. For the device-assisted method, minimally trained healthcare providers had larger procedural error rates than other professions (p = 0.002). For the traditional method, physicians had larger procedural error rates than nurses and midwives (p = 0.03). Several procedural errors were identified such as participants inserting and removing the trocar and plunger completely or inserting and/or removing the trocar too far or not enough. These findings reinforce the importance of performing formative usability testing during the early phases of a medical device design process, considering users' mental models, and avoiding assumptions about healthcare providers' abilities.
Effect of Mechanically Passive, Wearable Shoulder Exoskeletons on Muscle Output During Dynamic Upper Extremity Movements: A Computational Simulation Study
Authors: Nelson Allison J. , Hall Patrick T. , Saul Katherine R. , Crouch Dustin L. 
Published: January 2020

Wearable passive (ie, spring powered) shoulder exoskeletons could reduce muscle output during motor tasks to help prevent or treat shoulder musculoskeletal disorders. However, most wearable passive shoulder exoskeletons have been designed and evaluated for static tasks, so it is unclear how they affect muscle output during dynamic tasks. The authors used a musculoskeletal model and Computed Muscle Control optimization to estimate muscle output with and without a wearable passive shoulder exoskeleton during 2 simulated dynamic tasks: abduction and upward reach. To an existing upper extremity musculoskeletal model, the authors added an exoskeleton model with 3-dimensional representations of the exoskeleton components, including a spring, cam wheel, force-transmitting shoulder cable, and wrapping surfaces that permitted the shoulder cable to wrap over the shoulder. The exoskeleton reduced net muscle-generated moments in positive shoulder elevation by 28% and 62% during the abduction and upward reach, respectively. However, muscle outputs (joint moments and muscle effort) were higher with the exoskeleton than without at some points of the movement. Muscle output was higher with the exoskeleton because the exoskeleton moment opposed the muscle-generated moment in some postures. The results of this study highlight the importance of evaluating muscle output for passive exoskeletons designed to support dynamic movements to ensure that the exoskeletons assist, rather than impede, movement.
Considerations in Processing Accelerometry Data to Explore Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in Older Adults
Authors: Cleland Claire L. , Ferguson Sara , McCrorie Paul , Schipperijn Jasper , Ellis Geraint , Hunter Ruth F. 
Published: January 2020

Processing decisions for accelerometry data can have important implications for outcome measures, yet little evidence exists exploring these in older adults. The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of three potentially important criteria on older adults, physical activity, and sedentary time. Participants (n = 222: mean age 71.75 years [SD = 6.58], 57% male) wore ActiGraph GT3X+ for 7 days. Eight data processing combinations from three criteria were explored: low-frequency extension (on/off), nonwear time (90/120 min), and intensity cut points (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ≥1,041 and >2,000 counts/min). Analyses included Wilcoxon signed-rank test, paired t tests, and correlation coefficients (significance, p < .05). Results for low-frequency extension on 90-min nonwear time and >1,041 counts/min showed significantly higher light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and lower sedentary time. Cut points had the greatest impact on physical activity and sedentary time. Processing criteria can significantly impact physical activity and/or sedentary time, potentially leading to data inaccuracies, preventing cross-study comparisons and influencing the accuracy of population surveillance.
Mixed methods pilot study of a low-carbohydrate diabetes prevention programme among adults with pre-diabetes in the USA
Authors: Hafez Griauzde Dina , Saslow Laura , Patterson Kaitlyn , Ansari Tahoora , Liestenfeltz Bradley , Tisack Aaron , Bihn Patti , Shopinski Samuel , Richardson Caroline R 
Published: January 2020

Objectives(1) To estimate weight change from a low-carbohydrate diabetes prevention programme (LC-DPP) and (2) to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an LC-DPP.Research designSingle-arm, mixed methods (ie, integration of quantitative and qualitative data) pilot study.SettingPrimary care clinic within a large academic medical centre in the USA.ParticipantsAdults with pre-diabetes and Body Mass Index of ≥25 kg/m2.InterventionWe adapted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP)—an evidence-based, low-fat dietary intervention—to teach participants to follow a very low-carbohydrate diet (VLCD). Participants attended 23 group-based classes over 1 year.Outcome measuresPrimary outcome measures were (1) weight change and (2) percentage of participants who achieved ≥5% wt loss. Secondary outcome measures included intervention feasibility and acceptability (eg, attendance and qualitative interview feedback).ResultsOur enrolment target was 22. One person dropped out before a baseline weight was obtained; data from 21 individuals were analysed. Mean weight loss in kilogram was 4.3 (SD 4.8) at 6 months and 4.9 (SD 5.8) at 12 months. Mean per cent body weight changes were 4.5 (SD 5.0) at 6 months and 5.2 (SD 6.0) at 12 months; 8/21 individuals (38%) achieved ≥5% wt loss at 12 months. Mean attendance was 10.3/16 weekly sessions and 3.4/7 biweekly or monthly sessions. Among interviewees (n=14), three factors facilitated VLCD adherence: (1) enjoyment of low-carbohydrate foods, (2) diminished hunger and cravings and (3) health benefits beyond weight loss. Three factors hindered VLCD adherence: (1) enjoyment of high-carbohydrate foods, (2) lack of social support and (3) difficulty preplanning meals.ConclusionsAn LC-DPP is feasible, acceptable and may be an effective option to help individuals with pre-diabetes to lose weight. Data from this pilot will be used to plan a fully powered randomised controlled trial of weight loss among NDPP versus LC-DPP participants.Trial registration numberNCT03258918.
Infant TB Infection Prevention Study (iTIPS): a randomised trial protocol evaluating isoniazid to preventM. tuberculosisinfection in HIV-exposed uninfected children
Authors: LaCourse Sylvia M , Richardson Barbra A , Kinuthia John , Warr A J , Maleche-Obimbo Elizabeth , Matemo Daniel , Cranmer Lisa M , Escudero Jaclyn N , Hawn Thomas R , John-Stewart Grace C 
Published: January 2020

IntroductionHIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants in tuberculosis (TB) endemic settings are at high risk ofMycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) infection and TB disease, even in the absence of known Mtb exposure. Because infancy is a time of rapid progression from primary infection to active TB disease, it is important to define when and how TB preventive interventions exert their effect in order to develop effective prevention strategies in this high-risk population.Methods and analysisWe designed a non-blinded randomised controlled trial to determine efficacy of isoniazid (INH) to prevent primary Mtb infection among HEU children. Target sample size is 300 (150 infants in each arm). Children are enrolled at 6 weeks of age from maternal and child health clinics in Kenya and are randomised to receive 12 months of daily INH ~10 mg/kg plus pyridoxine or no INH. The primary endpoint is Mtb infection, assessed by interferon-gamma release assay QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) or tuberculin skin test after 12 months post-enrolment. Secondary outcomes include severe adverse events, expanded Mtb infection definition using additional QFT-Plus supernatant markers and determining correlates of Mtb infection. Exploratory analyses include a combined outcome of TB infection, disease and mortality, and sensitivity analyses excluding infants with baseline TB-specific responses on flow cytometry.Ethics and disseminationAn external and independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board monitors adverse events. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, presentations at local and international conferences to national and global policy-makers, the local community and participants.Trial registration numberNCT02613169; Pre-results.
Prompt atmospheric neutrinos in the quark–gluon string model
Authors: Sinegovsky S. I. , Sorokovikov M. N. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractWe calculate the atmospheric flux of prompt neutrinos, produced in decays of the charmed particles at energies beyond 1 TeV. Cross sections of theDmesons and$${\Lambda }^{+}_{c}$$Λc+baryons production inpAand$$\pi A$$πAcollisions are calculated in the phenomenological quark–gluon string model (QGSM) which is updated using recent measurements of cross sections of the charmed meson production in the LHC experiments. A new estimate of the prompt atmospheric neutrino flux is obtained and compared with the limit from the IceCube experiment, and with predictions of other charm production models.
Wormhole as a possible accelerator of high-energy cosmic-ray particles
Authors: Kirillov A. A. , Savelova E. P. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractWe present the simplest topological classification of wormholes and demonstrate that in open Friedmann models the genus$$n\ge 1$$n≥1wormholes are stable and do not require the presence of exotic forms of matter, or any modification of general relativity. We show that such wormholes may also possess magnetic fields. It is found that when the wormhole gets into a galaxy or a surrounding region, it works as an accelerator of charged particles. If the income of the energy from radiation is small, such a wormhole works simply as a generator of synchrotron radiation. Estimates show that the threshold energy of such an accelerator may vary from sufficiently modest energies of the order of a few Gev, up to enormous energies of the Planckian order and even higher, depending on wormhole parameters.