bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy
Authors: Masson-Roy Josée , Breiner Ari , Warman-Chardon Jodi , Pringle Catherine E. , Allan David , Bredeson Christopher , Huebsch Lothar , Kekre Natasha , Kennah Michael Lee , Martin Lisa , McDiarmid Sheryl , Altouri Sultan , Atkins Harold , Bourque Pierre R. 
Published: February 2021

ABSTRACT:

Background:
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) refractory to conventional therapy can lead to marked disability and represents a therapeutic challenge.

Objective:
To report five cases of treatment-refractory disabling CIDP treated with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT).

Methods:
This was a retrospective cohort study from a tertiary care referral center for both neuromuscular disease and AHSCT. Patients with CIDP treated with AHSCT between 2008 and 2020 were included. All patients had major persistent and disabling neuropathic deficits despite combinations of intensive immunosuppressive therapy. The primary outcome measures were: Medical Research Council sum score, Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale and requirement for ongoing CIDP immunotherapy after transplantation. We also analyzed safety outcomes by documenting all severe AHSCT-related complications.

Results:
Five patients with refractory CIDP underwent AHSCT. Three were classified as manifesting a typical syndrome, two were classified as the multifocal Lewis Sumner variant. The mean age at time of CIDP diagnosis was 33.4 years (range 24–46 years), with a median delay of 46 months (range 21–135 months) between diagnosis and AHSCT. The median follow-up period was 41 months. All five patients were able to wean off CIDP-related immunotherapy. Marked improvements in Medical Research Council scale and overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale were noted in 4/5 patients. One patient with longstanding neurogenic atrophy showed no improvement in disability scales. There were no treatment-related deaths or critical illnesses.

Conclusions:
AHSCT can achieve marked sustained clinical improvement of refractory CIDP and may allow for weaning off long-term complex immunotherapies.
The MIDAS Touch: Accurate and Scalable Missing-Data Imputation with Deep Learning
Authors: Lall Ranjit , Robinson Thomas 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPrincipled methods for analyzing missing values, based chiefly on multiple imputation, have become increasingly popular yet can struggle to handle the kinds of large and complex data that are also becoming common. We propose an accurate, fast, and scalable approach to multiple imputation, which we call MIDAS (Multiple Imputation with Denoising Autoencoders). MIDAS employs a class of unsupervised neural networks known as denoising autoencoders, which are designed to reduce dimensionality by corrupting and attempting to reconstruct a subset of data. We repurpose denoising autoencoders for multiple imputation by treating missing values as an additional portion of corrupted data and drawing imputations from a model trained to minimize the reconstruction error on the originally observed portion. Systematic tests on simulated as well as real social science data, together with an applied example involving a large-scale electoral survey, illustrate MIDAS’s accuracy and efficiency across a range of settings. We provide open-source software for implementing MIDAS.
Chemosensory genes in the head of Spodoptera litura larvae
Authors: Li Lu-Lu , Xu Ji-Wei , Yao Wei-Chen , Yang Hui-Hui , Dewer Youssef , Zhang Fan , Zhu Xiu-Yun , Zhang Ya-Nan 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest with a highly selective and sensitive chemosensory system involved in complex physiological behaviors such as searching for food sources, feeding, courtship, and oviposition. However, effective management strategies for controlling the insect pest populations under threshold levels are lacking. Therefore, there is an urgent need to formulate eco-friendly pest control strategies based on the disruption of the insect chemosensory system. In this study, we identified 158 putative chemosensory genes based on transcriptomic and genomic data for S. litura, including 45 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs, nine were new), 23 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), 60 odorant receptors (ORs, three were new), and 30 gustatory receptors (GRs, three were new), a number higher than those reported by previous transcriptome studies. Subsequently, we constructed phylogenetic trees based on these genes in moths and analyzed the dynamic expression of various genes in head capsules across larval instars using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Nine genes–SlitOBP8, SlitOBP9, SlitOBP25, SlitCSP1, SlitCSP7, SlitCSP18, SlitOR34, SlitGR240, and SlitGR242–were highly expressed in the heads of 3- to 5-day-old S. litura larvae. The genes differentially expressed in olfactory organs during larval development might play crucial roles in the chemosensory system of S. litura larvae. Our findings substantially expand the gene inventory for S. litura and present potential target genes for further studies on larval feeding in S. litura.
Gender Inequalities and Academic Journal Publishing: The View from the Journal of American Studies
Authors: JAMEELA MARYAM , MOYNIHAN SINÉAD , WITHAM NICK 
Published: February 2021

This virtual special issue is the outcome of a project entitled Women and JAS, which was launched by the coeditors of the Journal of American Studies in October 2019 to document the involvement of women in the journal's day-to-day business from its inception in 1956 as the Bulletin of the British Association for American Studies. The project arises out of – and will hopefully contribute to – larger conversations about the progression of women scholars in academia. While the UK and US higher-education contexts (the contexts most pertinent to this discussion) differ, there are notable similarities in terms of the relationship between gender and career advancement. Both witness attrition of women from academia as they progress from undergraduate studies to PhD and beyond; both see disproportionate numbers of women scholars employed in precarious, part-time and/or teaching-only roles; both see a very low proportion of women in senior professorial roles; fewer women in both locations apply for (and are, therefore, awarded) major grants. In the UK, specifically, recent conversations around gender inequality in higher education have revolved around issues (and initiatives) such as the gender pay gap, Athena SWAN, sexual harassment and the effects of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), caring responsibilities and affective labour.
Predicting suicidal ideation in a nationally representative sample of young adults: a 12-month prospective study
Authors: Wetherall Karen , Cleare Seonaid , Eschle Sarah , Ferguson Eamonn , O'Connor Daryl B. , O'Carroll Ronan E. , O'Connor Rory C. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundEvidence-based theoretical models outlining the pathways to the development of suicidal ideation may inform treatment. The current research draws from the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPT) and the Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) Model of suicidal behaviour and aims to test the interaction between perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness as proposed by the IPT model, and the defeat-entrapment pathway as proposed by the IMV model, in the prediction of suicidal ideation at 12-month follow-up.MethodsThe Scottish Wellbeing Study is a nationally representative prospective study of young people aged 18–34 years (n = 3508) from across Scotland, who completed a baseline interview and a 12-month follow-up (n = 2420). The core factors from both the IPT (perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness) and the IMV model (defeat, internal and external entrapment) were measured alongside demographics, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation at baseline. At 12-month follow-up, suicidal ideation was assessed again.ResultsIn multiple regression analysis perceived burdensomeness and internal entrapment, with baseline suicidal ideation, predicted 12-month suicidal ideation. No support for the interaction between perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness in predicting 12-month suicidal ideation was found. However, there was evidence that internal, but not external, entrapment mediated the relationship between defeat and 12-month suicidal ideation, but no support was found for the moderation of burdensomeness and belongingness on the entrapment to suicidal ideation pathway.ConclusionsThe current findings highlight the importance of targeting perceived burdensomeness and internal entrapment to reduce the likelihood that suicidal ideation emerges in at risk individuals.
Choice, needs or equality? Discursive struggles about defining home care for older people in Sweden
Authors: Peterson Elin , Brodin Helene 
Published: February 2021

AbstractFocusing on Swedish home care for older people, this article explores the discursive (re)production of home care as an institution. Equality and universal service provision have been described as defining features of the Nordic care regime. At the same time, Nordic research has highlighted a shift in social care policy, from a focus on universalism and egalitarian ideals towards a focus on freedom of choice, diversity and individualised services. This article takes as a starting point that home care for older people is formed by different and potentially conflicting ideas. We understand home care as a contested formation and define institutional change in terms of ongoing discursive struggles. The analysis draws on qualitative semi-structured interviews with key informants, including politicians, local authority officials and representatives of interest organisations. Informants were engaged in policy making, implementation or advocacy related to care for older people. We examine the meanings attached to home care for older people and the analysis reveals three different discourses – on choice, needs and equality. By comparing and contrasting discourses, we reveal silences, conflicts and tensions, and highlight the politics involved in (re)creating home care as an institution.
The role of Hofstede's cultural dimensions in the design of user interface: the case of Arabic
Authors: Alsswey Ahmed , Al-Samarraie Hosam 
Published: February 2021

AbstractA user interface (UI) design that meets the preferences, differences, and needs of the group of users can potentially increase the usability of a system. Users, in general, feel more familiar with the context that reflects their cultural values and practices. The Arabic culture plays a significant role in how Arab users interact and communicate with technologies. The customs, artifacts, and traditions of the Arab world are different in nature from the Western cultures. Thus, it is essential to consider these differences when designing the UI prototype. This study investigated the role of certain cultural preferences in the design of UI for Arab users. A think-aloud approach and Hofstede's cultural dimensions were used on 23 Arab users to generate the necessary design guidelines for the UI of mobile health application. Then, 78 participants were recruited to evaluate the proposed UI design. The usability results showed high satisfaction among Arab users about the role of culture in the design of the UI. Findings from this study can be used by designers and developers to aid their design of UI for group-specific cultural preferences and values.
Another pre-Sasanian Middle Persian inscription
Authors: SIMS-WILLIAMS NICHOLAS 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
A pre-Sasanian Middle Persian inscription on a silver bowl is published here for the first time and compared with a similar inscription published by P. O. Skjærvø in 2000 and identified by him as naming members of the dynasty which ruled Persis (Fārs) in the 1st century bce. The commentary concentrates on the word šʾtḥw, apparently a name for this type of bowl, and on the importance of these inscriptions for the history of the Pahlavi script.
Association between hourly wages and dietary intake after the first phase of implementation of the Minneapolis minimum wage ordinance
Authors: Chapman Leah Elizabeth , Berkowitz Seth A , Ammerman Alice , De Marco Molly , Ng Shu Wen , Zimmer Catherine , Caspi Caitlin E 
Published: February 2021

AbstractObjective:In 2018, Minneapolis began phased implementation of an ordinance to increase the local minimum wage to $15/h. We sought to determine whether the first phase of implementation was associated with changes in frequency of consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V), whole-grain-rich foods, and foods high in added sugars among low-wage workers.Design:Natural experiment.Setting:The Wages Study is a prospective cohort study of 974 low-wage workers followed throughout the phased implementation of the ordinance (2018–2022). We used difference-in-difference analysis to compare outcomes among workers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to those in a comparison city (Raleigh, North Carolina). We assessed wages using participants’ pay stubs and dietary intake using the National Cancer Institute Dietary Screener Questionnaire.Participants:Analyses use the first two waves of Wages data (2018 (baseline), 2019) and includes 267 and 336 low-wage workers in Minneapolis and Raleigh, respectively.Results:After the first phase of implementation, wages increased in both cities, but the increase was $0·84 greater in Minneapolis (P = 0·02). However, the first phase of the policy’s implementation was not associated with changes in daily frequency of consumption of F&V (IRR = 1·03, 95 % CI: 0·86, 1·24, P = 0·73), whole-grain-rich foods (IRR = 1·23, 95 % CI: 0·89, 1·70, P = 0·20), or foods high in added sugars (IRR = 1·13, 95 % CI: 0·86, 1·47, P = 0·38) among workers in Minneapolis compared to Raleigh.Conclusions:The first phase of implementation of the Minneapolis minimum wage policy was associated with increased wages, but not with changes in dietary intake. Future research should examine whether full implementation is associated dietary changes.
Improved nutrition and resilience will make conservation agriculture more attractive for Zambian smallholder farmers
Authors: Mhlanga Blessing , Mwila Mulundu , Thierfelder Christian 
Published: February 2021

AbstractFood and nutrition insecurity in southern Africa call for improvements in traditional agriculture systems. Conservation Agriculture (CA) based on minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop diversification has been implemented as a strategy to maintain yields while safeguarding the environment. However, less focus has been placed on potential synergistic benefits on nutrition security. Maize-based systems may increase household income through selling but may not lead to proportionate reduction in malnutrition. Crop diversification in CA systems can have a direct impact on the nutritional status of farm households due to improved dietary diversity. Here we assess how the integration of grain legumes, cowpeas and soybeans, in maize-based CA systems either as intercrops or rotational crops affects maize grain yield and stability, total energy yield, protein yield and surplus calories after satisfying the daily requirement per household. The experiments were carried out from 2012 to 2020 (nine consecutive cropping seasons) in six eastern Zambian on-farm communities using 966 observations. Results show that intercropping compromises maize yields with marginal yield penalties of −5% compared to no-till monocropping. However, intercropped yields were more stable across environments. Total system caloric energy and protein yield were highest in intercropping systems due to higher productivity per unit land area owing to the additive contribution of both maize and legumes. Total system caloric energy and protein yield reached yearly averages of 60 GJ ha−1 and 517 kg ha−1, respectively, for the intercropping system as compared to 48 GJ ha−1 and 263 kg ha−1 in monocropped maize systems. Tillage-based monocrop resulted in the least stable yields. Our results suggest that intercropping maize with grain legumes in CA systems is a promising option for smallholder farming households to improve dietary diversity, dietary quality and stability of yields thus contributing to sustainable agriculture intensification while maintaining food and nutrition security.
A Just Energy Transition and Functional Federalism: The Case of South Africa
Authors: Field Tracy-Lynn 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The traditional concern of federalism literature has been both descriptive and prescriptive. How do federalist systems allocate powers among central, regional, and even local governments? How can these powers be divided in a manner that allows for unity and diversity in policymaking and law? These questions are given greater pertinence by the seriousness of climate change and the need for a just transition to lower-carbon economies. Classical federalism, public choice theory, and dynamic energy federalism all have something to offer in the field of clean energy federalism. This article situates the ‘functional federalism’ that arises from South Africa's multi-sphere system of government within these debates. The article explains the system of functional federalism in South Africa and details the tripartite structure (physical, market, and regulatory) of the South African electricity sector. By delineating the complex interactions that have unfolded between governmental and non-governmental actors in the electricity sector in recent times, the article demonstrates that the South African case will be of continuing interest to scholars of federalism.
Refractivity‐From‐Clutter Capable, Software‐Defined, Coherent‐on‐Receive Marine Radar
Authors: Compaleo Joshua , Yardim Caglar , Xu Luyao 
Published: February 2021

AbstractRefractivity‐from‐clutter (RFC) is a technique for remote sensing of the lowest portion of vertical atmospheric refractivity profile, particularly evaporation and surface‐based ducts. It uses the sea‐surface backscattered radar signal to estimate the ducting conditions. The Lower Atmospheric Propagation (LATPROP) radar is a software‐defined, coherent‐on‐receive remote sensing system built on a low‐cost, commercial off‐the‐shelf marine radar platform operating at 9.41 GHz. The system is designed to specifically operate as a RFC‐capable platform sensitive to low clutter power returns from the sea surface. This paper examines the appropriate radar design, system modifications, and radar signal processing steps, and provides a comparison with existing RFC‐capable systems. The LATPROP system was deployed during the Coupled Air‐Sea Processes and electromagnetic Ducting Research West Campaign that took place off of the coast of Southern California during October 2017 and was shown to accurately capture the effects of the ducting conditions.
Differentiating the effect of antipsychotic medication and illness on brain volume reductions in first-episode psychosis: A Longitudinal, Randomised, Triple-blind, Placebo-controlled MRI Study
Authors: Chopra Sidhant , Fornito Alex , Francey Shona M. , O’Donoghue Brian , Cropley Vanessa , Nelson Barnaby , Graham Jessica , Baldwin Lara , Tahtalian Steven , Yuen Hok Pan , Allott Kelly , Alvarez-Jimenez Mario , Harrigan Susy , Sabaroedin Kristina , Pantelis Christos , Wood Stephen J. , McGorry Patrick 
Published: February 2021

AbstractChanges in brain volume are a common finding in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies of people with psychosis and numerous longitudinal studies suggest that volume deficits progress with illness duration. However, a major unresolved question concerns whether these changes are driven by the underlying illness or represent iatrogenic effects of antipsychotic medication. In this study, 62 antipsychotic-naïve patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) received either a second-generation antipsychotic (risperidone or paliperidone) or a placebo pill over a treatment period of 6 months. Both FEP groups received intensive psychosocial therapy. A healthy control group (n = 27) was also recruited. Structural MRI scans were obtained at baseline, 3 months and 12 months. Our primary aim was to differentiate illness-related brain volume changes from medication-related changes within the first 3 months of treatment. We secondarily investigated long-term effects at the 12-month timepoint. From baseline to 3 months, we observed a significant group x time interaction in the pallidum (p < 0.05 FWE-corrected), such that patients receiving antipsychotic medication showed increased volume, patients on placebo showed decreased volume, and healthy controls showed no change. Across the entire patient sample, a greater increase in pallidal grey matter volume over 3 months was associated with a greater reduction in symptom severity. Our findings indicate that psychotic illness and antipsychotic exposure exert distinct and spatially distributed effects on brain volume. Our results align with prior work in suggesting that the therapeutic efficacy of antipsychotic medications may be primarily mediated through their effects on the basal ganglia.
The clinical effectiveness of using a predictive algorithm to guide antidepressant treatment in primary care (PReDicT): an open-label, randomised controlled trial
Authors: Browning Michael , Bilderbeck Amy C. , Dias Rebecca , Dourish Colin T. , Kingslake Jonathan , Deckert Jürgen , Goodwin Guy M. , Gorwood Philip , Guo Boliang , Harmer Catherine J. , Morriss Richard , Reif Andreas , Ruhe Henricus G. , van Schaik Anneke , Simon Judit , Sola Victor Perez , Veltman Dick J. , Elices Matilde , Lever Anne G. , Menke Andreas , Scanferla Elisabetta , Stäblein Michael , Dawson Gerard R. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDepressed patients often do not respond to the first antidepressant prescribed, resulting in sequential trials of different medications. Personalised medicine offers a means of reducing this delay; however, the clinical effectiveness of personalised approaches to antidepressant treatment has not previously been tested. We assessed the clinical effectiveness of using a predictive algorithm, based on behavioural tests of affective cognition and subjective symptoms, to guide antidepressant treatment. We conducted a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial in 913 medication-free depressed patients. Patients were randomly assigned to have their antidepressant treatment guided by a predictive algorithm or treatment as usual (TaU). The primary outcome was the response of depression symptoms, defined as a 50% or greater reduction in baseline score of the QIDS-SR-16 scale, at week 8. Additional prespecified outcomes included symptoms of anxiety at week 8, and symptoms of depression and functional outcome at weeks 8, 24 and 48. The response rate of depressive symptoms at week 8 in the PReDicT (55.9%) and TaU (51.8%) arms did not differ significantly (odds ratio: 1.18 (95% CI: 0.89–1.56), P = 0.25). However, there was a significantly greater reduction of anxiety in week 8 and a greater improvement in functional outcome at week 24 in the PReDicT arm. Use of the PReDicT test did not increase the rate of response to antidepressant treatment estimated by depressive symptoms but did improve symptoms of anxiety at week 8 and functional outcome at week 24. Our findings indicate that personalisation of antidepressant treatment may improve outcomes in depressed patients.