bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preferences for tree fruit market attributes among smallholder farmers in Eastern Rwanda
Authors: Ihli Hanna , Seegers Ronja , Winter Etti , Chiputwa Brian , Gassner Anja 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThe increasing demand for high‐value agricultural products such as fresh fruit presents opportunities for farmers in developing countries due to their higher market value compared with traditional staple crops. This study uses data on trust, risk, and time preferences obtained through behavioral experiments, combined with a discrete choice experiment to understand their effect on farmers’ choices of marketing attributes, collecting data from 252 farmers from Eastern Rwanda. The results reveal that farmers, overall, have positive attitudes toward collective marketing channels with guaranteed immediate payments, written contracts, provision of inputs, credit, and training, a personal relationship with a buyer, and low investment costs. Additionally, farmers with lower levels of risk aversion were found to have a greater preference for immediate payment than farmers with higher levels of risk aversion. Farmers with higher future orientation are more likely to choose contracts that guarantee inputs and/or services and written contracts, and they attach lower relative importance to immediate payments than farmers with lower future orientation. Farmers with higher trust levels attach lower relative importance to immediate payments, written contracts, and a personal relationship with a buyer than farmers with lower trust levels.
Longitudinal vegetation turnover in an eastern Rift Valley riparian corridor
Authors: Giberti Giulia Silvia , Gumiero Bruna , Kiprotich Alfred Koech , Methu Stephen Wanjiku , Harper David Malcolm , Pacini Nic 
Published: August 2021

AbstractEast African riparian corridors are biodiversity hot spots that occur in catchments degrading under deforestation and overgrazing. Quadrats and belt transects were employed to investigate plant succession along the River Gilgil, in the Kenyan Rift Valley. The study found that most species (total 365) were broadly distributed across the tropics, but Rift Valley endemics were 12.5%, and 4%–18% were exotic. Plant composition varied with altitude, lithology, soils and rainfall. Agglomerative (Jaccard) hierarchical clustering and Non‐metric Dimensional Scaling identified two and three vegetation groups, for quadrats and transects, respectively, correlated with lithology and soils. Indicator species analysis highlighted that the upstream portion of the catchment was characterised by forest taxa with few exotics. The downstream included woodland species adapted to mesic/xeric conditions and to overgrazing. Longitudinal change in species composition (β diversity) between sites was assessed by taking into consideration the contribution of ‘spatial species turnover’ and ‘nestedness’, resulting from species replacement and species loss, respectively. The β diversity of the riparian corridor vegetation was 0.40 and spatial turnover accounted for 80%–85% of this, while the rest was attributed to the nestedness component. Riverine and native trees increased downstream but with low regeneration. Afromontane vegetation extended its distribution towards lower altitudes.
False acetabulum is preoperative guidance for Crowe type IV hips on hip reduction without femoral shortening during total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Sun Jing‐Yang , Zhang Bo‐Han , Shen Jun‐Min , Du Yin‐Qiao , Zhou Yong‐Gang 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBackgroundWe aimed to analyze if the false acetabulum is a good indicator for determining femoral shortening.MethodsWe retrospectively included 102 patients with unilateral Crowe type IV developmental dysplasia who underwent primary total hip arthroplasty from April 2008 to May 2019. Based on the presence of false acetabulum, the 102 hips were further classified Crowe IVA group and Crowe IVB group. Radiographic measurement included the height of greater trochanter (HGT) preoperatively and postoperatively, which reflected the distalisation of greater trochanter (DGT). Harris hip score (HHS), limb length discrepancy (LLD), and complications were collected as clinical evaluation.ResultsSixty hips were classified into Crowe IVA group, and 42 hips were classified into Crowe IVB group. Within Crowe IVA group, the proportion of hips treated with subtrochanteric osteotomy was significantly higher than that in Crowe IVB group (97% vs. 12%) (P < 0.001). The DGT in Crowe IVA group was also greater (67 vs. 32 mm) (P < 0.001). At last follow‐up, both two groups obtained excellent clinical scores. There was no significant difference in postoperative LLD between the two groups (P = 0.001). Six dislocations occurred and three patients developed femoral nerve palsy, while all recovered in a year.ConclusionThe false acetabulum is a promising and good indicator for determining femoral shortening.
A comparison of prostate cancer prediction models in men undergoing both magnetic resonance imaging and transperineal biopsy: Are the models still relevant?
Authors: Doan Paul , Graham Petra , Lahoud John , Remmers Sebastiaan , Roobol Monique J , Kim Lawrence , Patel Manish I. 
Published: August 2021

ObjectiveTo externally validate and compare the performance of the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer risk calculator 3/4 (ERSPC‐RC3/4), the Prostate Biopsy Collaborative Group risk calculator (PBCG‐RC) and the van Leeuwen model to determine which prediction model would perform the best in a contemporary Australian cohort undergoing transperineal (TP) biopsy.Materials and MethodsA retrospective review identified all patients undergoing TP biopsy across two centres. Of the 797 patients identified, 373 had the data required to test all three risk calculators. The probability of high‐grade prostate cancer, defined as International Society of Urological Pathology Grade Group >1, was calculated for each patient. For each prediction model discrimination was assessed using area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration using numerical and graphical summaries, and net benefit using decision curve analysis.ResultsAssessment of model discrimination for detecting high‐grade prostate cancer showed AUCs of 0.79 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74–0.84) for the ERSPC‐RC3/4, 0.81 (95% CI 0.77–0.86) for the van Leeuwen model, and 0.68 (95% CI 0.63–0.74) for the PBCG‐RC, compared to 0.58 (95% CI 0.52–0.65) for prostate‐specific antigen alone. The ERSPC‐RC3/4 was the best calibrated in the moderate‐risk range of 10–40%, whilst the van Leeuwen model was the best calibrated in the low‐risk range of 0–10%. The van Leeuwen model demonstrated the greatest net benefit from 10% risk onwards, followed closely by the ERSPC‐RC3/4 and then the PBCG‐RC.ConclusionThe ERPSC‐RC3/4 demonstrated good performance and was comparable to the van Leeuwen model with regard to discrimination, calibration and net benefit for an Australian population undergoing TP prostate biopsy. It is one of the most accessible risk calculators with an easy‐to‐use online platform, therefore, we recommend that Australian urologists use the ERSPC‐RC3/4 to predict risk in the clinical setting.
Genomic profile – a possible diagnostic and prognostic marker in upper tract urothelial carcinoma
Authors: Grahn Alexandra , Eisfeldt Jesper , Malm Camilla , Foroughi Asl Hassan , Jaremko Georg , Tham Emma , Brehmer Marianne 
Published: August 2021

ObjectivesTo investigate gene alterations as diagnostic and prognostic markers in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC).Patients and MethodsPatients with UTUC who underwent nephroureterectomy between 2005 and 2012 were followed until November 2020. DNA was extracted from paraffin‐embedded tumour tissue. Next‐generation sequencing using a 388‐gene panel was performed. First a blinded analysis using principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering was used to search for patterns of mutations. Then a comparative analysis using analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to search for mutations enriched in groups of various grades, stages, and survival. In addition, careful manual annotation was used to identify pathogenic mutations over‐represented in tumours of high grade/stage and/or poor survival.ResultsA total of 39 patients were included. All tumour stages and grades were represented in the cohort. The median follow‐up was 10.6 years. In all, 11 patients died from UTUC during the follow‐up. Tumour mutational burden showed a statistically significant correlation with stage, grade, and stage + grade. Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 tumours had different mutational patterns. Patients who died from UTUC had pathogenic mutations in specific genes e.g. tumour protein p53 (TP53) and HRas proto‐oncogene, GTPase (HRAS). Patients with Ta Grade 1 tumours with a known pathogenic fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) mutation did not die from UTUC.ConclusionThe genetic analysis was highly concordant with histopathological features and added prognostic information in some cases. Thus, results from genomic profiling may contribute to the choice of treatment and follow‐up regimens in the future.
Improving stochastic local search for uniform k‐SAT by generating appropriate initial assignment
Authors: Fu Huimin , Zhang Wuyang , Wu Guanfeng , Xu Yang , Liu Jun 
Published: August 2021

AbstractStochastic local search (SLS) algorithms are well known for their ability to efficiently find models of random instances of the SAT problem, especially for uniform random k‐SAT instances. Two processes affect most SLS solvers—the initial assignment of the variables and the heuristics that select which variable to flip. In the last few years, the work on generating the appropriate initial assignment has not been paid much attention or seen much progress, while most SLS solvers focused on the heuristic algorithm. The present work aims to improve SLS algorithms on uniform random k‐SAT instances by developing effective methods for generating the initial assignment of variables in a controlled way. First, the allocation strategy introduced recently for 3‐SAT instances is extended to initialize the initial assignment on random k‐SAT instances. Then a concept of an initial probability distribution of the clause‐to‐variable ratio of the instance is introduced to determine the parameters of the allocation strategy. This combined method is added to the beginning of six state‐of‐the‐art SLS algorithms in order to generate initial assignments of variables in a controlled way instead of generating them randomly, resulting in six extended SLS algorithms named WalkSATlm_E, DCCASat_E, Score2SAT_E, CSCCSat_E, Probsat_E, and Sparrow_E, respectively. They are then evaluated in terms of their capabilities and efficiency on uniform random k‐SAT instance from the random track of SAT Competitions in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Experimental results show that these improved SLS solvers outperform their original performance, especially WalkSAT_E, Score2SAT_E, and CSCCSat_E outperform the winner of the random track of SAT competition in 2017. In addition, based on the initial probability distribution method, the present work proposes a parameter tuning and analysis of random 3‐SAT instances and provides an additional comparative analysis with the state‐of‐the‐art random SLS solvers based on large‐scale experiments.
Perinatal arterial ischemic stroke and periventricular venous infarction in infants with unilateral cerebral palsy
Authors: Vitagliano Melissa , Dunbar Mary , Dyck Holzinger Sasha , Letourneau Nicole , Dewey Deborah , Oskoui Maryam , Shevell Michael , Kirton Adam 
Published: August 2021

AimTo explore clinical factors associated with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) and periventricular venous infarction (PVI) in infants who develop unilateral cerebral palsy (CP).MethodThis was a case–control study. Data current to 2019 was extracted from the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry (CCPR). Cases were infants born at term with confirmed unilateral CP. Magnetic resonance images were stratified by expert review of reports as definitive perinatal stroke (AIS or PVI). Controls with common data elements were recruited from a population‐based study in Alberta. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to estimate associations expressed as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals.ResultsOf 2093 cases from the CCPR, 662 had unilateral CP, of whom 299 (45%) had perinatal stroke: AIS 169 (57%) and PVI 130 (43%). Median age at diagnosis for AIS was 11.9 months (interquartile range: 6.2–25.7mo; range 0.17–104.1mo), and 58.6% were male. Median age at diagnosis for PVI was 25.3 months (interquartile range: 14.5–38mo, range 0.7–114.7mo) and 57.7% were male. Independent associations for both AIS and PVI on multivariable analysis were chorioamnionitis, illicit drug exposure, diabetes, gestational age, and maternal age. Variables associated with AIS alone were low Apgar score and prolonged rupture of membranes. Variables associated with PVI alone were small for gestational age and primigravida.InterpretationControlled analysis of disease‐specific unilateral CP may offer unique perspectives on its pathophysiology. Acute intrapartum factors are mainly associated with AIS, while in utero factors are associated with PVI.
Does the value‐added tax Reform increase a firm’s collateral bank loans? Evidence from China
Authors: Zeng Jing , Wang Xiongyuan , Chan Kam C. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBy leveraging the value‐added tax (VAT) Reform as an exogenous event in China, we examine the impact of the tax cut on bank collateral loan on firms. Our findings suggest that (1) The Reform allows firms to deduct the tax of purchasing fixed assets that leads to a significant increase in the firm's collateral loan amounts. (2) The transmission mechanism is due to the increased level of corporate transparency and a lowered financial risk after the Reform. (3) The impact of the Reform on collateral bank loans is more pronounced for state‐owned firms, large firms, firms far away from lenders and firms located in low financial development regions.
The missing N1 or jittered P2: Electrophysiological correlates of pattern glare in the time and frequency domain
Authors: Tempesta Austyn J. , Miller Claire E. , Litvak Vladimir , Bowman Howard , Schofield Andrew J. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractExcessive sensitivity to certain visual stimuli (cortical hyperexcitability) is associated with a number of neurological disorders including migraine, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, autism and possibly dyslexia. Others show disruptive sensitivity to visual stimuli with no other obvious pathology or symptom profile (visual stress) which can extend to discomfort and nausea. We used event‐related potentials (ERPs) to explore the neural correlates of visual stress and headache proneness. We analysed ERPs in response to thick (0.37 cycles per degree [c/deg]), medium (3 c/deg) and thin (12 c/deg) gratings, using mass univariate analysis, considering three factors in the general population: headache proneness, visual stress and discomfort. We found relationships between ERP features and the headache and discomfort factors. Stimulus main effects were driven by the medium stimulus regardless of participant characteristics. Participants with high discomfort ratings had larger P1 components for the initial presentation of medium stimuli, suggesting initial cortical hyperexcitability that is later suppressed. The participants with high headache ratings showed atypical N1‐P2 components for medium stripes relative to the other stimuli. This effect was present only after repeated stimulus presentation. These effects were also explored in the frequency domain, suggesting variations in intertrial theta band phase coherence. Our results suggest that discomfort and headache in response to striped stimuli are related to different neural processes; however, more exploration is needed to determine whether the results translate to a clinical migraine population.
Toxoplasma gondii and multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Cicero Calogero Edoardo , Allibrio Francesca Elsa , Giuliano Loretta , Luna Jaime , Preux Pierre‐Marie , Nicoletti Alessandra 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBackground and purposeAccording to the hygiene hypothesis, infections by agents such as parasites have a protective role against the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Among parasites, Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular parasite, showed evidence of a protective effect. This study was undertaken to summarize the available evidence on the association between T. gondii infection and MS.MethodsA systematic review of all the available articles published up to November 2020 has been conducted independently by two investigators in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Lissa, and SciELO. The association between T. gondii infection and MS has been pooled with a random effects model.ResultsFrom 562 articles, seven were included in the systematic review and meta‐analysis for a global population of 752 MS cases and 1282 controls. T. gondii infection was associated with MS with a pooled odds ratio of 0.68 (95% confidence interval = 0.50–0.93).ConclusionsThe available evidence supports the hypothesis that T. gondii infection represents a protective factor against the development of MS.
Small‐scale fisheries and local food systems: Transformations, threats and opportunities
Authors: Arthur Robert I , Skerritt Daniel J , Schuhbauer Anna , Ebrahim Naazia , Friend Richard M , Sumaila U Rashid 
Published: August 2021

AbstractFish from marine and inland capture fisheries is an important food that contributes significantly to diets and health, but their contribution is somewhat overlooked in food security and poverty‐related policies. Given the current numbers of malnourished people globally, there is a pressing need to consider how to better realize the potential of fish in food systems that can address malnourishment. To do so, we re‐examine the fisheries literature from the perspective of food systems. Starting with nutritional needs and considering how these may be met through local food systems reveals an ongoing transformation that has implications for small‐scale fisheries, as increasingly become part of globalized food systems. We describe the factors that can change the nature of production, mediate access to fish and the distribution of benefits that can lead to impoverishment. This emphasizes the governance challenges that lie at the heart of complex, contested and increasingly globalized food systems, in which actors interact to shape the systems, determining who benefits and how. We draw attention to critical issues of access, power and the values and norms that underpin efforts to manage and transform fisheries, exposing the unequal struggle to secure access that small‐scale fishers and poor people must endure. We suggest a vital challenge for fisheries management is to engage with this struggle and develop policies and management measures that would enable fisheries to make positive contributions to food systems and nutritional security, while meeting global sustainable development objectives.
Effect of treatment with resiniferatoxin in an experimental model of pulpal inflammatory in mice
Authors: Muñoz‐Carrillo José Luis , Vargas‐Barboza Jazmín Monserrat , Villalobos‐Gutiérrez Paola Trinidad , Flores‐De La Torre Juan Armando , Vazquez‐Alcaraz Silverio Jafet , Gutiérrez‐Coronado Oscar 
Published: August 2021

AbstractAimTo evaluate whether treatment with resiniferatoxin (RTX) is capable of lowering the plasma levels of PGE2 and TNF‐α, as well as histopathological parameters in inflammation of pulp tissue in a mouse experimental model.MethodologyTen groups of six BALB/c mice were formed as follows: healthy group (HC), healthy group treated with RTX (HRTX), two groups with pulp inflammation at 14 and 18 hours (PI14/PI18), six groups with pulpal inflammation plus treatment with Ibuprofen (IBU14/IBU18), dexamethasone (DEX14/DEX18) and resiniferatoxin (RTX14/RTX18) at 14 and 18 hours, respectively. Pulpal inflammation was induced through occlusal exposure of the pulp of the maxillary first molar. The plasma levels of PGE2 and TNF‐α and the histological parameters of the pulp tissue of the HC and HRTX groups were evaluated at the time of acquiring the animals. In the other groups, the plasma levels of PGE2 and TNF‐α and the histopathological parameters were evaluated at 14 and 18 hours after pulp damage. Plasma levels of PGE2 and TNF‐α were quantified by ELISA, and the histopathological parameters were evaluated by H/E staining. Statistical significance was determined by one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test for overall differences between group means.ResultsA significant increase (*p < .05) in plasma levels of PGE2 and TNF‐α occurred 14 and 18 hours after pulp damage. In addition, treatment with RTX significantly decreased (*p < .05) the plasma levels of PGE2 and TNF‐α at 14 and 18 hours after pulp damage, as well as the infiltrate of inflammatory cells at 18 hours after pulp damage, similarly to treatment with ibuprofen and dexamethasone.ConclusionIt was possible to detect systemic levels of PGE2 and TNF‐α at 14 and 18 hours after pulp damage. Likewise, treatment with RTX was associated with an anti‐inflammatory effect similar to treatment with ibuprofen and dexamethasone. These findings place resiniferatoxin as a therapeutic alternative in the treatment of inflammatory diseases in Dentistry.
GATA2 rs2335052 and GATA2 rs78245253 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in Chinese patients with acute myelocytic leukemia
Authors: Fang Fang , Xu Jing , Kang Yefang , Ren Huanying , Muyey Daniel Muteb , Chen Xiuhua , Tan Yanhong , Xu Zhifang , Wang Hongwei 
Published: August 2021

AbstractIntroductionGATA binding protein 2 (GATA2) gene, involved in progression of hematologic malignancies and various solid tumors, is a susceptibility gene for inherited acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the influence of its single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on AML remains unknown.MethodsWe used allele‐specific PCR to genotype GATA2 rs2335052 and rs78245253 in 159 newly diagnosed AML (non‐M3) patients and 300 healthy volunteers, and all of participants came from China. And 34 common hematological tumor gene mutations in 159 AML patients were detected by next‐generation sequencing. Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression were used to analyze the association between the two SNPs and the prognosis of AML.ResultsWe found GATA2 rs2335052 C/T genotype, rs2335052 T/T genotype and rs78245253 G/C genotype in 51.6%, 13.8% and 11.3% AML patients. Our results demonstrated that GATA2 rs2335052 and rs78245253 were associated with certain laboratory features in AML patients, which had no effect on the pathogeny, chemotherapy response and recurrence of patients. Nevertheless, Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis showed that, compared with rs78245253 G/G genotype, rs78245253 G/C genotype was significantly related to a decrease in overall survival (OS) (P = .020). Additionally, multivariate cox regression analysis showed that GATA2 rs78245253 was an independent risk factor for OS of AML patients in China.ConclusionGATA2 rs78245253 was an independent predictor for prognosis of AML patients in China and may be used as a potential indicator to predict the survival of AML patients in China. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and clarify the underlying mechanism.