bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Guiding or Following the Crowd? Strategic Communication as Reputational and Regulatory Strategy
Authors: Müller Moritz , Braun Caelesta 
Published: April 2021

AbstractA recently emerging literature demonstrates that reputational concerns explain why regulatory agencies strategically communicate and engage with their manifold audience. We complement this literature by examining the potential of strategic communication as a reputational and regulatory strategy. Based on a reputational approach to public agencies, we assume agencies to strategically diversify between proactively or reactively engaging with public concerns raised by their audiences, depending on whether a core or evolving competency is at stake. We test these assumptions empirically by examining frame alignment between formal communication of the European Central Bank (ECB) and public concerns raised by ECB audiences. Our analysis yields two key findings. First, our findings indicate external frame alignment signaling a strategic reactive strategy by the ECB to diversify its timing in responding to concerns raised by its audiences. Second, we find a pattern of internal frame alignment between the ECB’s core competencies and evolving competencies, indicating strategic linkage of attention to various competencies. Our study demonstrates how analyzing an agency’s formal communication in tandem with public concerns of its audiences via machine learning techniques can significantly improve our understanding of agency responsiveness and yields significant insights into the democratic legitimacy of regulatory agencies.
Patterns of Antimicrobial Use in Hospitalized Children: A Repeated Point Prevalence Survey From Pakistan
Authors: Arif Sara , Sadeeqa Saleha , Saleem Zikria 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Three repeated point prevalence surveys (PPSs) were conducted in pediatric wards of 5 hospitals using the methodology developed by Global-PPS to identify key targets for interventions and antibiotic stewardship programs. Out of the 916 hospitalized patients, 865 (94.6%) were treated with at least 1 antibiotic.
BALRoGO: Bayesian Astrometric Likelihood Recovery of Galactic Objects – Global properties of over one hundred globular clusters with Gaia EDR3
Authors: Vitral Eduardo 
Published: April 2021

ABSTRACT
We present BALRoGO: Bayesian Astrometric Likelihood Recovery of Galactic Objects, a public code to measure the centres, effective radii, and bulk proper motions of Milky Way (MW) globular clusters and Local Group dwarf spheroidals, whose data are mixed with MW field stars. Our approach presents innovative methods such as surface density fits allowing for strong interloper contamination and proper motion fits using a Pearson VII distribution for interlopers, instead of classic Gaussian-mixture recipes. We also use non-parametric approaches to represent the colour–magnitude diagram of such stellar systems based in their membership probabilities, previously derived from surface density and proper motion fits. The robustness of our method is verified by comparing its results with previous estimates from the literature as well as by testing it on mock data from N-body simulations. We applied BALRoGO to Gaia EDR3 data for over 100 MW globular clusters and nine Local Group dwarf spheroidals, and we provide positions, effective radii, and bulk proper motions. Finally, we make our algorithm available as an open source software.
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with end-stage kidney disease: principles, methodology and clinical applications of the optimal tool for exercise tolerance evaluation
Authors: Pella Eva , Boutou Afroditi , Boulmpou Aristi , Papadopoulos Christodoulos E , Papagianni Aikaterini , Sarafidis Pantelis 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. Exercise intolerance as well as reduced cardiovascular reserve is extremely common in patients with CKD. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a non-invasive, dynamic technique that provides an integrative evaluation of cardiovascular, pulmonary, neuropsychological and metabolic function during maximal or submaximal exercise, allowing the evaluation of functional reserves of these systems. This assessment is based on the principle that system failure typically occurs when the system is under stress and thus CPET is currently considered to be the gold standard for identifying exercise limitation and differentiating its causes. It has been widely used in several medical fields for risk stratification, clinical evaluation and other applications, but its use in everyday practice for CKD patients is scarce. This article describes the basic principles and methodology of CPET and provides an overview of important studies that utilized CPET in patients with ESKD, in an effort to increase awareness of CPET capabilities among practicing nephrologists.
The Comparative Effectiveness of Varenicline and Nicotine Patches for Smoking Abstinence During Pregnancy: Evidence From a Population-based Cohort Study
Authors: Choi Stephanie K Y , Tran Duong T , Kemp-Casey Anna , Preen David B , Randall Deborah , Einarsdottir Kristjana , Jorm Louisa R , Havard Alys 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Introduction
In the general population, varenicline is consistently shown to be more efficacious for smoking cessation than nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Current clinical guidelines for the management of smoking during pregnancy recommend against the use of varenicline, whilst supporting the use of NRT. However, little is known about the comparative effectiveness of these smoking cessation therapies among pregnant women.

Aims and Methods
Routinely-collected records of all births in two Australian States during 2011 and 2012 were used to create a population-based cohort of women who smoked during the first half of pregnancy. Pharmaceutical dispensing data were used to identify varenicline and nicotine patch dispensings in the first half of pregnancy. Propensity score matching was used to account for the potentially different distribution of confounding factors between the treatment groups. The outcome was defined as smoking abstinence during the second half of pregnancy.

Results
After propensity score-matching, our cohort comprised 60 women who used varenicline and 60 who used nicotine patches during the first half of pregnancy. More varenicline users (33.3%, 95% CI: 21.7%–46.7%) quit smoking than nicotine patch users (13.3%, 95% CI: 5.9%–24.6%). The adjusted rate difference was 24.2% (95% CI: 10.2%–38.2%) and the adjusted relative risk was 2.8 (95% CI: 1.4–5.7).

Conclusions
Varenicline was almost three times more effective than nicotine patches in assisting pregnant women to quit smoking. Further studies are needed to corroborate our results. Together with data on the safety of varenicline during pregnancy, evidence regarding the relative benefit of varenicline and NRT during pregnancy important for informing clinical decisions for pregnant smokers.

Implications
This study is the first to measure the comparative effectiveness of varenicline and nicotine patches during pregnancy – women using varenicline were almost three times as likely to quit smoking than those using nicotine patches. This study addressed a clinically important question using an observational study, noting that there is an absence of evidence from randomized controlled trials because of the ethical issues associated with including pregnant women in clinical trials of medicines of unknown safety.
Harm Reduction Associated with Dual Use of Cigarettes and e-Cigarettes in Black and Latino Smokers: Secondary Analyses from a Randomized Controlled e-Cigarette Switching Trial
Authors: Arnold Michael J , Nollen Nicole L , Mayo Matthew S , Ahluwalia Jasjit S , Leavens Eleanor L , Zhang Guanlin , Rice Myra , Pulvers Kim 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Introduction
Most adult cigarette smokers who use e-cigarettes are dual cigarette and e-cigarette (CC-EC) users, yet little is known about relative consumption of cigarettes to e-cigarettes and any associated harm reduction.

Methods
Rate of substitution from cigarettes to e-cigarettes at week 6 and change in biomarkers of exposure and potential harm were examined among dual dual cigarette and e-cigarette users [64/114 (56%); 35 Black, 29 Latino] in an e-cigarette switching randomized trial.

Results
Dual users averaged 79% substitution of cigarettes for e-cigarettes at week 6, resulting in a reduction from baseline of 70.0 ± 54.1 cigarettes per week (p &lt; .001). Total nicotine consumption remained stable (baseline: 1160.5 ± 1042.1 pg/mL of cotinine, week 6: 1312.5 ± 1725.9 pg/mL of cotinine, p = .47), while significant reductions were seen in the potent lung carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridul)-1-butanol (NNAL) (-55.9 ± 88.6 ng/ml, p &lt; .001), carbon monoxide (-6.3 ± 8.6 ppm, p &lt; .001), and self-reported respiratory symptoms (−3.3 ± 8.0, p = .002). No significant changes were found in blood pressure or spirometry. Greater substitution from cigarettes to e-cigarettes was associated with larger reductions in NNAL (r = −.29, p = .02).

Conclusions
The predominant dual-use pattern was characterized by regular e-cigarette and intermittent cigarette use. Findings demonstrate the short-term harm reduction potential of this dual-use pattern in Black and Latino smokers and suggest that the greatest benefit, aside from cessation of both products, is achieved by higher substitution of e-cigarettes for cigarettes. Findings need confirmation in a larger sample with longer follow-up in dual users with greater variability in the rate of substitution.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier
NCT03511001

Implications
Findings suggest short-term harm reduction potential of dual cigarette-e-cigarette use for Black and Latino smokers. Results also demonstrate the heterogeneity of dual-use, with the greatest harm reduction seen in dual users with higher rates of substitution from cigarettes to e-cigarettes. Study results should be confirmed in a full clinical trial with long-term follow-up to evaluate maintenance of dual-use patterns and associated harm reduction potential over time.
Sensing stress responses in potato with whole-plant redox imaging
Authors: Hipsch Matanel , Lampl Nardy , Zelinger Einat , Barda Orel , Waiger Daniel , Rosenwasser Shilo 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Environmental stresses are among the major factors that limit crop productivity and plant growth. Various nondestructive approaches for monitoring plant stress states have been developed. However, early sensing of the initial biochemical events during stress responses remains a significant challenge. In this work, we established whole-plant redox imaging using potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants expressing a chloroplast-targeted redox-sensitive green fluorescence protein 2 (roGFP2), which reports the glutathione redox potential (EGSH). Ratiometric imaging analysis demonstrated the probe response to redox perturbations induced by H2O2, DTT, or a GSH biosynthesis inhibitor. We mapped alterations in the chloroplast EGSH under several stress conditions including, high-light (HL), cold, and drought. An extremely high increase in chloroplast EGSH was observed under the combination of HL and low temperatures, conditions that specifically induce PSI photoinhibition. Intriguingly, we noted a higher reduced state in newly developed compared with mature leaves under steady-state and stress conditions, suggesting a graded stress sensitivity as part of the plant strategies for coping with stress. The presented observations suggest that whole-plant redox imaging can serve as a powerful tool for the basic understanding of plant stress responses and applied agricultural research, such as toward improving phenotyping capabilities in breeding programs and early detection of stress responses in the field.
TWAS results are complementary to and less affected by linkage disequilibrium than GWAS
Authors: Li Delin , Liu Qiang , Schnable Patrick S 
Published: April 2021

AbstractA genome-wide association study (GWAS) is used to identify genetic markers associated with phenotypic variation. In contrast, a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) detects associations between gene expression levels and phenotypic variation. It has previously been shown that in the cross-pollinated species, maize (Zea mays), GWAS, and TWAS identify complementary sets of trait-associated genes, many of which exhibit characteristics of true positives. Here, we extend this conclusion to the self-pollinated species, Arabidopsis thaliana and soybean (Glycine max). Linkage disequilibrium (LD) can result in the identification, via GWAS, of false-positive associations. In all three analyzed plant species, most trait-associated genes identified via TWAS are well separated physically from other candidate genes. Hence, TWAS is less affected by LD than is GWAS, demonstrating that TWAS is particularly well suited for association studies in genomes with slow rates of LD decay, such as soybean. TWAS is reasonably robust to the plant organs/tissues used to determine expression levels. In summary, this study confirms that TWAS is a promising approach for accurate gene-level association mapping in plants that is complementary to GWAS, and established that TWAS can exhibit substantial advantages relative to GWAS in species with slow rates of LD decay.
Resolution of enthesitis by guselkumab and relationships to disease burden: 1-year results of two phase 3 psoriatic arthritis studies
Authors: McGonagle Dennis , McInnes Iain B , Deodhar Atul , Schett Georg , Shawi May , Kafka Shelly , Karyekar Chetan S , Kollmeier Alexa P , Hsia Elizabeth C , Xu Xie L , Sheng Shihong , Agarwal Prasheen , Zhou Bei , Ritchlin Christopher T , Rahman Proton , Mease Philip J 
Published: April 2021

AbstractObjectiveTo further characterize the effect of guselkumab, a selective IL-23p19-subunit inhibitor approved for PsA, on enthesitis and assess relationships between enthesitis resolution and patient status/outcomes.MethodsAdults with active PsA despite standard therapies in the phase 3 DISCOVER-1 and DISCOVER-2 studies were randomized 1:1:1 to guselkumab 100 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W); guselkumab 100 mg at week 0, week 4, Q8W; or placebo through week 20 followed by guselkumab 100 mg Q4W. Independent assessors evaluated enthesitis using the Leeds Enthesitis Index (LEI; total score 0–6). Enthesitis findings through week 24 were pre-specified to be pooled across studies; post hoc and week 52 analyses also employed pooled data.ResultsAmong 1118 randomized, treated patients in DISCOVER-1 and 2 who had ≥1 LEI site evaluated, 65% had enthesitis at baseline. These patients exhibited numerically more swollen and tender joints, systemic inflammation and impaired physical function than patients without enthesitis. Guselkumab Q4W and Q8W were superior to placebo in resolving pre-existing enthesitis at week 24 (45 and 50% vs 29%; both adjusted P = 0.0301). Enthesitis resolution rates continued to rise; 58% of guselkumab-randomized patients achieved resolution at week 52, including patients with mild (LEI = 1; 70–75%), moderate (LEI = 2; 69–73%) or severe (LEI = 3–6; 42–44%) enthesitis at baseline. Among guselkumab-randomized patients with resolved enthesitis at week 24, 42% achieved minimal disease activity at week 52, vs 17% of patients with unresolved enthesitis.ConclusionGuselkumab resulted in higher proportions of PsA patients with resolved enthesitis by week 24, with maintenance of resolution rates through 1 year. As enthesitis confers greater disease burden, sustained resolution could portend better patient outcomes.Clinical trial registrationDISCOVER 1 (NCT03162796) and DISCOVER 2 (NCT03158285)
Verticillium klebahnii and V. isaacii Isolates Exhibit Host-Dependent Biological Control of Verticillium Wilt Caused by V. dahliae
Authors: Puri Krishna D. , Hu Xiaoping , Gurung Suraj , Short Dylan P. G. , Sandoya German V. , Schild Marion , Zhang Yuanyuan , Zhao Jun , Anchieta Amy G. , Klosterman Steven J. , Subbarao Krishna V. 
Published: April 2021

Verticillium dahliae, the soilborne fungal pathogen, causes vascular wilt on many economically important crops, resulting in significant yield losses. V. klebahnii (isolate PD659) and V. isaacii (isolate PD660), two related species that cause few or no symptoms in some hosts, were evaluated as potential biocontrol agents (BCAs) in eggplant, lettuce, and tomato by pre-, post-, and coinoculation with a virulent race 1 isolate of V. dahliae (VdLs16). Initial studies demonstrated that the biocontrol efficacy of both BCAs was similar to reference BCA Talaromyces flavus (NRRL15936) across all hosts (α = 0.05). Subsequent experiments with PD659 against V. dahliae isolate Sm113 from eggplant, VdLs16 and VdLs17 isolates from lettuce, and Le1811 isolate from tomato demonstrated a significant biocontrol efficacy in eggplant and tomato but not in lettuce (at 95% confidence interval), suggesting host-dependent effectiveness of V. klebahnii. Confocal microscopy using green fluorescent protein-tagged tomato V. dahliae isolate Le1811 indicated delayed xylem colonization or lack of pathogen progression into the vascular system in a host-dependent manner on BCA-treated plants. Quantitative analyses of the expression of defense-related genes PR1a, PR5, acidic extracellular β-1,3-glucanase (GlucA), basic intracellular β-1,3-glucanase (GlucB), acidic extracellular chitinase (Chi3), basic intracellular chitinase (Chi9), and cysteine proteases (cysProteases) in tomato in the presence or absence of PD659 suggested an elevated expression of defense-related genes in compatible interaction of V. dahliae–tomato cultivar Early Pak. V. klebahnii (PD659) may delay the entry of V. dahliae by competing for space or nutrients during the initial stages of root colonization. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
When Feedback Backfires: Influences of Negative Discrepancies Between Physicians' Self and Assessors' Scores on Their Subsequent Multisource Feedback Ratings
Authors: van der Meulen Mirja W. , Arah Onyebuchi A. , Heeneman Sylvia , oude Egbrink Mirjam G. A. , van der Vleuten Cees P. M. , Lombarts Kiki M. J. M. H. 
Published: April 2021

Introduction:
With multisource feedback (MSF) physicians might overrate their own performance compared with scores received from assessors. However, there is limited insight into how perceived divergent feedback affects physicians' subsequent performance scores.

Methods:
During 2012 to 2018, 103 physicians were evaluated twice by 684 peers, 242 residents, 999 coworkers, and themselves in three MSF performance domains. Mixed-effect models quantified associations between the outcome variable “score changes” between first and second MSF evaluations, and the explanatory variable “negative discrepancy score” (number of items that physicians rated themselves higher compared with their assessors' scores) at the first MSF evaluation. Whether associations differed across assessor groups and across a physician's years of experience as a doctor was analyzed too.

Results:
Forty-nine percent of physicians improved their total MSF score at the second evaluation, as assessed by others. Number of negative discrepancies was negatively associated with score changes in domains “organization and (self)management” (b = −0.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.03 to −0.02; SE = 0.004) and “patient-centeredness” (b = −0.03; 95% CI, −0.03 to −0.02; SE = 0.004). For “professional attitude,” only negative associations between score changes and negative discrepancies existed for physicians with more than 6-year experience (b6–10yearsofexperience = −0.03; 95% CI, −0.05 to −0.003; SE = 0.01; b16–20yearsofexperience = −0.03; 95% CI, −0.06 to −0.004; SE = 0.01).

Discussion:
The extent of performance improvement was less for physicians confronted with negative discrepancies. Performance scores actually declined when physicians overrated themselves on more than half of the feedback items. PA score changes of more experienced physicians confronted with negative discrepancies and were affected more adversely. These physicians might have discounted feedback due to having more confidence in own performance. Future work should investigate how MSF could improve physicians' performance taking into account physicians' confidence.
Evaluation of a Nanoparticle-Based Busulfan Immunoassay for Rapid Analysis on Routine Clinical Analyzers
Authors: Hilaire Mary Rose , Gill Regina V. , Courtney Jodi B. , Baburina Irina , Gardiner JoAnn , Milone Michael C. , Shaw Leslie M. , Meng Qing H. , Salamone Salvatore J. 
Published: April 2021

Background:
Busulfan is an alkylating agent used in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for various malignant and nonmalignant disorders. Therapeutic drug monitoring of busulfan is common because busulfan exposure has been linked to veno-occlusive disease, disease relapse, and failed engraftment. The authors developed an automated immunoassay, along with stable calibrators and controls, and quantified busulfan in sodium heparin plasma.

Methods:
The authors evaluated a homogenous nanoparticle immunoassay, the MyCare Oncology Busulfan Assay Kit (Saladax Biomedical, Inc), for precision, sensitivity, accuracy, and linearity on an open channel clinical chemistry analyzer; they compared the method with 2 mass spectrometry methods (liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry), using anonymized, remnant patient samples.

Results:
The coefficients of variation for repeatability and within-laboratory precision were ≤9.0%. The linear range was 150–2000 ng/mL; samples up to 6000 ng/mL can be measured with sample dilution. Measured values deviated by ≤14% from assigned values. Comparison between validated mass spectrometry methods resulted in a correlation coefficient R ≥ 0.995.

Conclusions:
The MyCare Busulfan Assay Kit shows the precision, accuracy, linearity, and test range for performing busulfan concentration measurements in sodium heparin plasma on routine clinical chemistry analyzers.