bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The cost disease blues–do the police suffer from Baumol's cost disease?
Authors: Vuorensyrjä Matti 
Published: January 2021

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the growth of unit costs per output in the Finnish police force (2002–2015). Is it higher than the growth of prices in the Finnish economy in general; i.e. higher than the inflation rate? Cost disease theory suggests this to be the case. It says that all labor-intensive, slow-progressive industries suffer from relatively rapidly growing real unit costs and that policing is one among these industries.Design/methodology/approachThe rates of growth of the division-specific unit costs of the police are compared to the inflation rate. Costs and prices are treated as indexed schedules, comparable to each other. The functional divisions under scrutiny are surveillance and emergency operations, criminal investigation, and permits and licenses. The period under analysis is 2002–2015.FindingsThe surveillance and emergency operations and criminal investigation divisions, but not the permits and licenses division, suffer from cost disease. Owing to the persistent digitalization efforts in permits and licenses, the physical productivity of the division has been growing at a rapid rate, and both the nominal and the real unit costs per output of the division have been decreasing over time.Research limitations/implicationsOwing to data limitations, use of a proxy was needed to estimate one of the key variables of the study.Originality/valueThe policy significance of the research question is potentially very high. Prior to this study, there was a near total lack of empirical evidence in this area.
Predictors of endometrial carcinoma in patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia at a tertiary gynaecological cancer centre in Western Australia
Authors: Rajadurai Vinita Angeline , Chivers Paola , Ayres Chloe , Mohan Ganendra Raj , Stewart Colin John Reid , Leung Yee Chit , Wan King Man , Cohen Paul Andrew 
Published: January 2021

AbstractAimOur objective was to assess clinical and pathological factors associated with a final diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma in patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia with a particular emphasis on the grading of atypia.Materials and methodsA retrospective review over five years on patients (N = 97) who underwent hysterectomy for a diagnosis of atypical endometrial hyperplasia at a statewide public tertiary gynaecologic oncology centre. Clinical and pathological characteristics were obtained.ResultsThe rate of concurrent endometrial carcinoma was 34% (n = 33) with most being stage 1A endometrioid. A significant group difference was reported for age at diagnosis (t = −2.20 P = 0.031 d = 0.43) with carcinoma patients on average older (Mage = 60.2 (8.9) years) than patients without carcinoma (Mage = 55.5 (12.3) years). No significant group differences were found for body mass index, endometrial thickness or time between diagnosis and treatment. Significantly higher rates of carcinoma were reported in patients with moderate atypical hyperplasia (27.6%) and severe atypical hyperplasia (66.7%), compared to mild atypical hyperplasia (7.1%). Only severe atypical hyperplasia (odds ratio (OR) = 21.5, 95% CI 2.8–163.1, P = 0.003) and postmenopausal status (OR = 13.2, 95% CI 1.3–139.0, P = 0.032) significantly increased the risk of carcinoma in a multivariate model.ConclusionSevere atypical hyperplasia and postmenopausal status were significant predictors of concurrent endometrial carcinoma in patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia. The grading of atypical hyperplasia may be utilised by gynaecologic oncologists in the triage and referral process of managing these patients; however, the grading system requires external validation in larger prospective studies.
Real‐world data on microsatellite instability status in various unresectable or metastatic solid tumors
Authors: Akagi Kiwamu , Oki Eiji , Taniguchi Hiroya , Nakatani Kaname , Aoki Daisuke , Kuwata Takeshi , Yoshino Takayuki 
Published: January 2021

AbstractMicrosatellite instability‐high (MSI‐H) is an important biomarker for predicting the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) on advanced solid tumors. Microsatellite instability‐high is detected in various cancers, but its frequency varies by cancer type and stage. Therefore, precise frequency is required to plan ICI therapy. In this study, the results of MSI tests actually carried out in clinical practice were investigated. In total, 26 469 samples of various cancers were examined between December 2018 and November 2019 to determine whether programmed cell death‐1 blockade was indicated. The results of MSI tests were obtained for 26 237 (99.1%) of these samples. The male : female ratio was 51:49 and mean age was 64.3 years. In all samples, the overall frequency of MSI‐H was 3.72%. By gender, the frequency of MSI‐H was higher in female patients (4.75%) than in male patients (2.62%; P < .001). A comparison by age revealed that the frequency of MSI‐H was significantly higher in patients younger than 40 years of age (6.12%) and 80 years or older (5.77%) than in patients aged between 60 and 79 years (3.09%; P < .001). Microsatellite instability‐high was detected in 30 cancer types. Common cancer types were: endometrial cancer, 16.85%; small intestinal cancer, 8.63%; gastric cancer, 6.74%; duodenal cancer, 5.60%; and colorectal cancer, 3.78%. Microsatellite instability‐high was detected in cancer derived from a wide variety of organs. The frequency of MSI‐H varied by cancer type and onset age. These data should prove especially useful when considering ICI treatment.
Regulation of oral antigen delivery early in life: Implications for oral tolerance and food allergy
Authors: Yokanovich Lila T. , Newberry Rodney D. , Knoop Kathryn A. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe increasing incidence of food allergy remains a significant public health concern. Food allergy is partially due to a lack, or loss of tolerance to food allergens. Clinical outcomes surrounding early life practices, such as breastfeeding, antibiotic use and food allergen exposure, indicate the first year of life in children represents a unique time for shaping the immune system to reduce allergic outcomes. Animal models have identified distinctive aspects of when and where dietary antigens are delivered within the intestinal tract to promote oral tolerance prior to weaning. Additionally, animal models have identified contributions from maternal proteins from breast milk and bacterial products from the gut microbiota in regulating dietary antigen exposure and promoting oral tolerance, thus connecting decades of clinical observations on the benefits of breastfeeding, early food allergen introduction and antibiotic avoidance in the first year of life in reducing allergic outcomes. Here, we discuss how exposure to gut luminal antigens, including food allergens, is regulated in early life to generate protective tolerance and the implications of this process for preventing and treating food allergies.
Neck CT imaging and correlation with thyroid cancer incidence across age, gender and race
Authors: Ma Grace M. Y. , Makary Mina S. , Shujaat Taimur M. , Prevedello Luciano M. , Erdal Selnur B. S. , Nguyen Xuan V. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractObjectiveIncidental detection of thyroid cancers has been proposed as a cause of thyroid cancer increases over past decades, but few studies assess the impact of imaging utilization on thyroid cancer incidence. This study quantifies neck CT prevalence and its relationship with thyroid cancer incidence as a function of age, sex and race.Design and PatientsMedical records of over 1 million patients at our institution were retrospectively analysed to quantify neck CT prevalence from 2004 to 2011 (study period). A national cancer database was used to compute thyroid cancer incidences over the study period and a reference period (1974‐81) and to calculate change in thyroid incidence between the two periods. Both populations were partitioned into demographic subgroups of varying age, sex and race. Linear correlation between neck imaging and thyroid cancer incidence changes among subgroups was assessed using Pearson's correlation.ResultsNeck CT imaging and change in thyroid cancer incidence varied across all examined demographic variables, particularly age. When stratifying by age, CT use correlated strongly with recent national thyroid cancer incidence (R = .97) and with 30‐year change in thyroid cancer incidence (R = .87). Across all demographic subgroups, CT prevalence correlated strongly and positively with change in thyroid cancer incidence (R = .60), greater for whites (R = .60) and blacks (R = .70) than other races (R = .28).ConclusionDifferences in neck CT usage strongly and positively correlates with the variation in thyroid cancer trends based on age, gender and race.
Automatic Image Checkpoint Selection for Guider‐Follower Pedestrian Navigation
Authors: Kwan K. C. , Fu H. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIn recent years guider‐follower approaches show a promising solution to the challenging problem of last‐mile or indoor pedestrian navigation without micro‐maps or indoor floor plans for path planning. However, the success of such guider‐follower approaches is highly dependent on a set of manually and carefully chosen image or video checkpoints. This selection process is tedious and error‐prone. To address this issue, we first conduct a pilot study to understand how users as guiders select critical checkpoints from a video recorded while walking along a route, leading to a set of criteria for automatic checkpoint selection. By using these criteria, including visibility, stairs and clearness, we then implement this automation process. The key behind our technique is a lightweight, effective algorithm using left‐hand‐side and right‐hand‐side objects for path occlusion detection, which benefits both automatic checkpoint selection and occlusion‐aware path annotation on selected image checkpoints. Our experimental results show that our automatic checkpoint selection method works well in different navigation scenarios. The quality of automatically selected checkpoints is comparable to that of manually selected ones and higher than that of checkpoints by alternative automatic methods.
Pre‐implant global longitudinal strain as an early sign of pacing‐induced cardiomyopathy in patients with complete atrioventricular block
Authors: Chin Jung Yeon , Kang Ki‐Woon , Park Sang Hyun , Choi Yu Jeong , Jung Kyung Tae , Lee Soyoung , Youn Ho‐Joong 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIntroductionLong‐term right ventricular pacing is the only treatment for patients with a complete atrioventricular block (CAVB); however, it frequently triggers ventricular dys‐synchrony with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Previous studies showed that an early decline of LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) predicts pacing‐induced LV dysfunction. We aimed to investigate the potential ability of the initial LV strain to predict pacing‐induced cardiomyopathy (PICM) through long‐term follow‐ups.MethodsWe retrospectively enrolled 80 patients with CAVB with normal LV function who were implanted with dual‐chamber pacemakers between 2008 and 2018. Echocardiographic data and parameters (including longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain based on speckle‐tracking) were analyzed for the pre‐implant (≤6 months) and post‐implant periods. PICM was defined as a ≥10% reduction in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) resulting in an LVEF of <50% during the post‐implant period. Predictors of PICM were identified using Cox proportional hazard models.ResultsPatients who developed PICM were more likely to exhibit lower baseline LV GLS, as well as wider native and pacing QRS durations, than those who did not develop PICM (P = .016, P = .011, and P = .026, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, pre‐implant LV GLS (hazard ratio: 1.27; 95% confidence interval 1.009–1.492; P = .004) was independently associated with the development of PICM.ConclusionA lower baseline LV GLS predicts an increased risk of PICM. Patients with CAVB exhibiting low GLS are at increased risk of PICM. More frequent follow‐up visits are warranted in these patients, who may also require de novo His‐bundle pacing or an upgrade to biventricular pacing.
Bureaucrats or Ideologues? EU Merger Control as Market‐centred Integration*
Authors: Billows Sebastian , Kohl Sebastian , Tarissan Fabien 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSince 1989, no major European merger has been able to go through without EU approval. The introduction of a centralized merger control procedure was another increase in the powers of the Commission's Directorate‐General for Competition (DG COMP). While some see it playing a neo‐mercantilist role in a positive European integration, others underline its neoliberal ideological roots. Through our analysis of all merger decisions made between 1990 and 2016 (6,161 cases), we instead find evidence for market‐centred negative integration: DG COMP is particularly harsh towards coordinated market economies and targets sectors that have high levels of state intervention, thus thwarting the rise of ‘European champions’. Our interviews with merger experts and the decision citation data further suggest that this market‐centred logic of enforcement is not necessarily driven by ideology, but by the silent logic of bureaucratic autonomy. We thus contribute to the debate on the EU as a supranational force of economic liberalization.
DNA methylation and histone acetylation are involved in Wnt10b expression during the secondary hair follicle cycle in Angora rabbits
Authors: Bai Liya , Sun Haitao , Jiang Wenxue , Yang Liping , Liu Gongyan , Zhao Xueyan , Hu Hongmei , Wang Jianying , Gao Shuxia 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSecondary hair follicles (SHFs) in the Angora rabbit exhibit classic cyclic hair development, but the multiple molecular signals involved in hair cycling are yet to be explored in detail. In the present study, we investigated the expression pattern, methylation and histone H3 acetylation status of Wnt10b, as a molecular signal participating in hair cycling, during the SHF cycle in the Angora rabbit. Expression of Wnt10b at the anagen phase was significantly higher than that at both the telogen and catagen phases, suggesting that Wnt10b might serve as a critical activator during cyclic transition of SHFs. Methylation frequency of the fifth CpG site (CpG5‐175 bp) in CpG islands at the anagen phase was lower than that at both the catagen and telogen phases. The methylation status of the CpG5 site was negatively correlated with Wnt10b expression. This indicated that the methylation of CpG5 might participate in Wnt10b transcriptional suppression in SHFs. Furthermore, histone H3 acetylation status in the regions‐256~−11 bp and 98 ~ 361 bp were significantly lower at both the catagen and telogen phases than at the anagen phase. The histone H3 acetylation level was significantly positively correlated with Wnt10b expression. This confirmed that histone acetylation was likely involved in upregulating Wnt10b transcription in SHFs. Additionally, potential binding to the transcription factors ZF57 and HDBP was predicted within the CpG5 site. In conclusion, our findings reveal the epigenetic mechanism of Wnt10b transcription and provide a new insight into epigenetic regulation during the SHF cycle in the Angora rabbit.
Home consumption of two fortified balanced energy protein supplements by pregnant women in Burkina Faso
Authors: de Kok Brenda , Moore Katie , Jones Leslie , Vanslambrouck Katrien , Toe Laeticia Celine , Ouédraogo Moctar , Ganaba Rasmané , de Pee Saskia , Bedford Juliet , Lachat Carl , Kolsteren Patrick , Isanaka Sheila 
Published: January 2021

AbstractBalanced energy protein (BEP) supplementation for pregnant and lactating women in low‐ and middle‐income countries is a promising strategy to improve birth outcomes and child growth. The objective of this study was to assess and compare the acceptability of new formulations of two fortified BEP supplements, a lipid‐based peanut paste and a vanilla biscuit, among 80 pregnant women in rural Burkina Faso, prior to an efficacy trial. A 10‐week individually randomized cross‐over study was designed, in which women received a weekly supply of each supplement for 4 weeks, and a daily choice between the supplements in the last 2 weeks. Questionnaires to assess daily consumption and supplement acceptability (n= 80) and home observations (n= 20) were combined with focus group discussions (n= 6) and in‐depth interviews with women (n= 80) and stakeholders (n= 24). Results showed that the two supplements were well accepted. Quantitative findings indicated high compliance (>99.6%) and high overall appreciation (Likert score >6 out of 7) of both supplements. The assessment of preferred choice in Weeks 9 and 10 indicated a slight preference for the vanilla biscuit. Qualitative findings indicated that perceived health benefits, support from household members and educational messages from health professionals were important drivers for acceptance and compliance. Sharing was not often reported but was identified during interviews as a possible risk. We recommend that future studies use a combination of methods to identify appropriate food supplements and context‐specific factors that influence acceptability, compliance and subsequent impact of nutritious food supplements.
Spatial pricing and collusion
Authors: Heywood John S. , Li Dongyang , Ye Guangliang 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe stability of collusion is compared assuming quadratic transport costs under two spatial pricing schemes, uniform mill pricing and spatial price discrimination. This comparison uniquely allows fully endogenous location choice and examines when two firms collude, when two of three firms collude and when three firms collude. Spatial price discrimination facilitates collusion more than uniform pricing in the first two of the three examinations but not in the third. This heterogeneity argues that the presence of price discrimination by itself does not inform antitrust authorities about the likelihood of collusion.
Understanding the evolution of endosymbiotic organelles based on the targeting sequences of organellar proteins
Authors: Lee Dong Wook , Hwang Inhwan 
Published: January 2021

SummaryOrganellogenesis, a key aspect of eukaryotic cell evolution, critically depends on the successful establishment of organellar protein import mechanisms. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the evolution of the two endosymbiotic organelles, the mitochondrion and the chloroplast, is thought to have occurred at time periods far from each other. Despite this, chloroplasts and mitochondria have highly similar protein import mechanisms. This raises intriguing questions such as what underlies such similarity in the import mechanisms and how these similar mechanisms have evolved. In this review, we summarise the recent findings regarding sorting and specific targeting of these organellar proteins. Based on these findings, we propose possible evolutionary scenarios regarding how the signal sequences of chloroplasts and mitochondrial proteins ended up having such relationship.
A performance‐based measure of emotion response control: A preliminary MRI study
Authors: Steinert Steven W. , Daugherty Ana M. , Shankar Sneha , Schwarb Hillary , Cerjanic Alex , Sutton Bradley P. , Arble Eamonn P. 
Published: January 2021

Identifying performance‐based assessments of emotion regulation is needed for the study of myriad mood and neurological disorders. Color and form responses on the Rorschach Inkblot Method are valid measures of emotion response control, but have not been studied in relation to known neural correlations of emotion regulation. A discrepancy of color (CF + C) greater than form (FC) responses suggests low cognitive control over emotional responses. This preliminary report explores the discrepancy between form‐color responses as a correlate of regional cortical thickness. A sample of community‐dwelling adults were administered the Rorschach Inkblot Method and participated in a structural MRI scan. Greater middle frontal cortex thickness was associated with a positive discrepancy score [(CF + C) – FC], indicating less emotion response control (rs = 0.48, p < 0.05); a moderate, non‐significant correlation was also observed with insula cortex (rs = 0.42, p = 0.07).The results provide evidence in support of the Rorschach Inkblot Method as a valid behavioral measure of emotion response control. More specifically, these results support the use of color‐related variables included in contemporary evidence‐based Rorschach methods. The results are discussed with implications for the study of emotion regulation in mood disorders and sensitivity analyses based on the observed effect sizes are reported to inform future study planning.
No evidence that vitamin D is able to prevent or affect the severity of COVID-19 in individuals with European ancestry: a Mendelian randomisation study of open data
Authors: Amin Hasnat A , Drenos Fotios 
Published: January 2021

BackgroundUpper respiratory tract infections are reportedly more frequent and more severe in individuals with lower vitamin D levels. Based on these findings, it has been suggested that vitamin D can prevent or reduce the severity of COVID-19.MethodsWe used two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) to assess the causal effect of vitamin D levels on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and COVID-19 severity using publicly available data. We also carried out a genome-wide association analysis (GWA) of vitamin D deficiency in the UK Biobank (UKB) and used these results and two-sample MR to assess the causal effect of vitamin D deficiency on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and COVID-19 severity.ResultsWe found no evidence that vitamin D levels causally affect the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (ln(OR)=0.17 (95% CI −0.22 to 0.57, p=0.39)) nor did we find evidence that vitamin D levels causally affect COVID-19 severity (ln(OR)=0.36 (95% CI −0.89 to 1.61, p=0.57)). Based on our GWA analysis, we found that 17 independent variants are associated with vitamin D deficiency in the UKB. Using these variants as instruments for our two-sample MR analyses, we found no evidence that vitamin D deficiency causally affects the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (ln(OR)=−0.04 (95% CI −0.1 to 0.03, p=0.25)) nor did we find evidence that vitamin D deficiency causally affects COVID-19 severity (ln(OR)=−0.24 (95% CI −0.55 to 0.08, p=0.14)).ConclusionsIn conclusion, we found no evidence that vitamin D is protective against SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 severity. Our data support the recent statement by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence that the use of vitamin D supplementation to mitigate COVID-19 is not supported by the available data.