bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparing Clinician-Assessed and Patient-Reported Performance Status for Predicting Morbidity and Mortality in Patients With Advanced Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy
Authors: Wood William A. , Deal Allison M. , Stover Angela M. , Basch Ethan 
Published: January 2021

PURPOSE: Performance status (PS) is assessed during cancer treatment to determine clinical trial eligibility, appropriateness for treatment, and need for supportive care. There is rising interest for patients to report this information directly. We determined whether clinician- and patient-reported PS were equally associated with mortality and service utilization in patients with cancer. METHODS: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from an radiotherapy plus chemotherapy in which 441 patients with advanced cancer and clinicians reported PS using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group scale. Simple kappa statistics measured agreement between clinician-reported performance status (cPS) and patient-reported performance status (pPS). Associations of cPS and pPS with emergency department (ED) and hospital visits and overall survival were evaluated via Cox regression, competing risk regression, and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: cPS and pPS correlated weakly (kappa = 0.27). Both pPS and cPS were associated with survival, ED visits, and hospitalizations, but only cPS remained associated after adjustment (survival: HR, 1.75; P < .0001). The first available cPS predicted mortality more strongly than the first available pPS (HR for death, comparing PS ≥ 1 v 0: 2.05 for cPS and 1.41 for pPS). When pPS questionnaires were repeated over time and averaged, associations with outcomes were stronger as measured by AIC model fit. Both pPS and cPS were associated with EQ-5D subcomponents (eg, 75%-77% with no usual activity deficits for PS 0, v 42%-51% for PS ≥ 1). CONCLUSION: Both clinician-reported PS and patient-reported PS provide useful information and can be considered for clinical trials and routine care.
Noninvasive Detection of Polyclonal Acquired Resistance to FGFR Inhibition in Patients With Cholangiocarcinoma Harboring FGFR2 Alterations
Authors: Varghese Anna M. , Patel Juber , Janjigian Yelena Y. , Meng Fanli , Selcuklu S. Duygu , Iyer Gopakumar , Houck-Loomis Brian , Harding James J. , O’Reilly Eileen M. , Abou-Alfa Ghassan K. , Lowery Maeve A. , Berger Michael F. 
Published: January 2021

PURPOSE Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) 2 alterations, present in 5%-15% of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (IHC), are targets of FGFR-directed therapies. Acquired resistance is common among patients who respond. Biopsies at the time of acquired resistance to targeted agents may not always be feasible and may not capture the genetic heterogeneity that could exist within a patient. We studied circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a less invasive means of potentially identifying genomic mechanisms of resistance to FGFR-targeted therapies. MATERIALS AND METHODS Serial blood samples were collected from eight patients with FGFR-altered cholangiocarcinoma for ctDNA isolation and next-generation sequencing (NGS) throughout treatment and at resistance to anti-FGFR–targeted therapy. ctDNA was sequenced using a custom ultra-deep coverage NGS panel, incorporating dual index primers and unique molecular barcodes to enable high-sensitivity mutation detection. RESULTS Thirty-one acquired mutations in FGFR2, 30/31 located in the kinase domain, were identified at resistance in six of eight patients with detectable ctDNA. Up to 13 independent FGFR2 mutations were detected per patient, indicative of striking genomic concordance among resistant subclones. CONCLUSION ctDNA could be an effective means to longitudinally monitor for acquired resistance in FGFR2-altered IHC. The numerous acquired genetic alterations in FGFR2 suggest frequent polyclonal mechanisms of resistance that cannot be detected from single-site tissue biopsies.
Revisiting Risk and Benefit in Early Oncology Trials in the Era of Precision Medicine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Phase I Trials of Targeted Single-Agent Anticancer Therapies
Authors: Mackley Michael P. , Fernandez Nicholas R. , Fletcher Benjamin , Woolcott Christy G. , Fernandez Conrad V. 
Published: January 2021

PURPOSE Phase I trials are a crucial step in the evaluation of new cancer therapies. Historically, low rates of response (5%) and comparably high rates of death from toxicities (0.5%) have contributed to debates on the ethics and orientation of these trials. With the introduction of novel targeted therapies, a contemporary estimate is needed. METHODS We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov for reports of phase I oncology trials of single-agent targeted immunomodulators, molecularly targeted therapies, and antiangiogenic agents, published between January 2015 and July 2018. Adult and pediatric trials of solid and hematological malignancies were eligible. Treatment-related adverse events (grades 3, 4, and 5) and response rates (objective, complete, and partial) were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS One hundred and fifty-eight trial reports, covering 6,707 patients, were included. The rate of treatment-related deaths was 0.0% (95% CI, 0.0 to 0.1), while 13.2% of patients (9.5 to 17.3) experienced a grade 3 or 4 treatment-related toxicity. The combined objective response rate was 6.4% (4.6 to 8.5). Among trials using tumor biomarkers as eligibility criteria, the objective response rate was higher (12.0% [7.3 to 17.6] compared to 4.9% [2.5 to 5.7], P value < .01). The same was true of trials focusing on a single tumor type (13.4% [8.2 to 19.4]) compared to multiple tumor types (3.8% [2.5 to 5.3], P value < .01). CONCLUSION Reduced grade 5 risk and improved benefit appears to exist in modern phase I oncology trials, particularly in trials that target single tumor types and integrate biomarkers as eligibility criteria. These findings provide information to support informed consent discussions, highlight the need for improved reporting of phase I oncology trials, and provide direction for optimizing their design.
Variation in alarm calls during different breeding stages of the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Authors: Huo Xiaona , Zhou Lei , Feng Jiang , Wu Hui 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACT
Acoustic signals play a key role in animal communication. Animals usually use alarm signals to warn mates or offspring of the presence of threats or to intimidate or distract predators. Birds commonly use acoustic signals as a means of communication. Alarm calls in passerines at different breeding stages can reflect their nest defense intensity. However, little is known about the characteristics, plasticity, and impact factors of alarm calls during the reproductive period in raptors. Here, from March to July in 2019, the alarm calls of eight pairs of common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) during the breeding period were recorded using a portable recorder with a strongly directed microphone in the Zuojia Nature Reserve, Jilin province, China. The differences in acoustic parameters of parental alarm calls in different breeding stages were analyzed. The results showed that the alarm calls of common kestrels were composed of multi-harmonic arched frequency modulation with the maximum energy distribution in the second harmonic. The duration and rate of the alarm calls increased significantly as the breeding season progressed, showing that parents spent increasing amounts of time on nest defense. Additionally, the acoustic parameters of alarm calls in common kestrels were significantly different depending on offspring numbers, suggesting that offspring numbers influenced parental nest defense. These results showed that differences in alarm calls during different breeding stages may reflect a trade-off between defense costs and reproductive benefits.
Polarisome assembly mediates actin remodeling during polarized yeast and fungal growth
Authors: Xie Ying , Miao Yansong 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACT
Dynamic assembly and remodeling of actin is critical for many cellular processes during development and stress adaptation. In filamentous fungi and budding yeast, actin cables align in a polarized manner along the mother-to-daughter cell axis, and are essential for the establishment and maintenance of polarity; moreover, they rapidly remodel in response to environmental cues to achieve an optimal system response. A formin at the tip region within a macromolecular complex, called the polarisome, is responsible for driving actin cable polymerization during polarity establishment. This polarisome undergoes dynamic assembly through spatial and temporally regulated interactions between its components. Understanding this process is important to comprehend the tuneable activities of the formin-centered nucleation core, which are regulated through divergent molecular interactions and assembly modes within the polarisome. In this Review, we focus on how intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) orchestrate the condensation of the polarisome components and the dynamic assembly of the complex. In addition, we address how these components are dynamically distributed in and out of the assembly zone, thereby regulating polarized growth. We also discuss the potential mechanical feedback mechanisms by which the force-induced actin polymerization at the tip of the budding yeast regulates the assembly and function of the polarisome.
Boosting Ammonia Synthesis under Mild Reaction Conditions by Precise Control of the Basic Oxide–Ru Interface
Authors: Sato Katsutoshi , Nagaoka Katsutoshi 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Strong basic oxide–supported Ru catalysts are easily prepared and handled, and they have been used as effective catalysts for ammonia synthesis under mild reaction conditions since the 1970s. Recent research has revealed that precise control of the boundary states between the basic oxide (i.e., rare-earth oxide, alkali earth oxide), oxygen defect sites, and Ru nanoparticles can be used to enhance ammonia synthesis under mild reaction conditions and inhibit hydrogen poisoning, which is a typical drawback of strong basic oxide–supported Ru catalysts.
Lithium-, Sodium-, and Potassium-ion Conduction in Polymeric and Discrete Coordination Systems
Authors: Yoshinari Nobuto , Konno Takumi 
Published: January 2021

AbstractCoordination compounds have been increasingly studied as a new class of promising candidates for the matrix of ionic conducting materials because of their designability and high crystallinity. The ionic conduction of light alkali metal ions (Li+ and Na+) has been developed in polymeric coordination systems, which are commonly used under nonaqueous conditions. Recent studies have shown that discrete coordination compounds, as well as hydrated polymeric coordination compounds, can function as excellent ionic conductors even for heavier K+.
Transition-metal Complexes with Triple Bonds to Si, Ge, Sn, and Pb and Relevant Complexes
Authors: Hashimoto Hisako , Nagata Koichi 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Transition-metal complexes featuring triple bonds to heavier Group 14 elements (Si, Ge, Sn, and Pb), which have long been synthetic challenges in organometallic chemistry, have been synthesized in the last few decades. In this highlight, synthetic methods for numerous kinds of complexes and their structural properties are overviewed. Application leading to new multiple bonded systems with M≡Ge–Ge≡M, M≡Si–M, and M=Si=M linkages, and to relevant metallotetrylenes are also highlighted.
Risk of vertebral fractures: evaluation on vertebral trabecular attenuation value and hydroxyapatite concentration in patients by chest spectral CT
Authors: Ma Qiang , Hou Xinmeng , Cheng Xiaoyue , You Yuangang , Yang Zhenghan , Ma Daqing , Wang Zhenchang 
Published: January 2021

Objectives:
To analyze vertebral fractures risk in patients with chest scans by evaluating vertebral hydroxyapatite concentration measured on spectral CT compared to trabecular attenuation value measured on conventional CT.

Methods:
Our retrospective study reviewed CT of 216 patients. Analysis of vertebral (T11 – L1) hydroxyapatite concentration by spectral imaging and trabecular attenuation value by conventional CT imaging were performed in patients with chest CT examinations. Specificity, sensitivity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) were performed by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves in patients with and without vertebral fractures.

Results:
In male patients, vertebral hydroxyapatite concentration had high area under the ROC curve (0.916), by using the optimal threshold of 72.27 mg/cm3, specificity, sensitivity, NPV, and PPV were 91.7, 80.2, 36.7, and 98.7%, respectively. In female patients, vertebral hydroxyapatite concentration also had high area under the ROC curve (0.870), by using the optimal threshold of 74.79 mg/cm3, specificity, sensitivity, NPV, and PPV were 100.0, 77.8, 47.4, and 100.0%, respectively. Area under the ROC curve was significantly different between spectral CT-measured bone hydroxyapatite concentration and conventional CT-measured attenuation value in distinguishing vertebral fractures (p = 0.007 for males; p = 0.005 for females).

Conclusions:
Quantitative assessment with spectral CT may appear as higher accuracy than that of conventional CT imaging to analyze risk of vertebral fractures. Hydroxyapatite concentration measured with chest spectral CT may be used to evaluate risk of bone fractures.

Advances in knowledge:
Hydroxyapatite concentration measured with chest spectral CT may be used to evaluate risk of bone fractures.
Reference intervals for complete blood count from Umbilical Cord Blood in newborns and comparison with Venous Blood Values
Authors: Gündüz Mehmet , Temel Hayrettin 
Published: January 2021

Background and Objective: Umbilical cord blood which can be obtained by a non-invasive method can be informative about the clinical status of the newborn. It was aimed to establish reference intervals for umbilical cord blood parameters, and to compare complete blood count results between umbilical cord and venous blood samples in this study.
Methods: This study was conducted at Medipol University Sefaköy Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul, Turkey. A total of 1898 newborns who were born in a two-year period between January 2018 and December 2019 were included in the study. Venous blood samples were taken from 184 of them, and umbilical cord blood samples were taken from 1714 newborns.
Results: The percentiles were determined according to gender and delivery method for the hematological parameters of umbilical cord blood. While mean platelet, eosinophil and mean corpuscular volume values ​​were similar between the groups (p>0.05 for each), and significant differences were found between the groups in terms of all other mean hematological parameters ​​(p<0.05 for each).
Conclusion: The results of the complete blood count of umbilical cord blood samples can provide reliable information about the newborn. There are significant differences between umbilical cord and venous blood samples in terms of hematological parameters. For these reasons, it is necessary to determine reliable value ranges for umbilical cord blood hematological parameters in newborns. Data of our study can be a guide for further studies and clinicians.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.2.2526
How to cite this:Gunduz M, Temel H. Reference intervals for complete blood count from Umbilical Cord Blood in newborns and comparison with Venous Blood Values. Pak J Med Sci. 2021;37(2):439-444. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.2.2526
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
A systematic review on the effects of high frequency chest wall compression and intrapulmonary percussive ventilation in patients with neuromuscular disease
Authors: Giacomino Katia , Hilfiker Roger , Magnin Tina , Allet Lara 
Published: January 2021

Background: Respiratory insufficiency is the most common cause of mortality among patients with a neuromuscular disease. Methods: We explored the effects of high frequency wall compression and intrapulmonary percussive ventilation, compared with standard care or no treatment, on the lung volume and capacity, and quality of life in patients with neuromuscular disease during respiratory infections or in stable periods. We further assessed the effects of these two interventions on clinical value, complications, and survival. The literature search was performed on Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, CENTRAL and PEDro. Randomised controlled trials and cross-over studies were eligible. Results: Five studies were included, and results were presented narratively. High frequency wall compression was not shown to be superior to standard care in terms of lung volume and capacity, quality of life, complications, and survival rate. Compared with standard care, intrapulmonary percussive ventilation showed non-significant differences in terms of lung volume and capacity, and the risk of respiratory infection. Standard care was nevertheless associated with a significantly higher risk of days of hospitalisation (Incidence Rate Ratio 8.5 [1.1-67]) and of antibiotic use than intrapulmonary percussive ventilation (Incidence Rate Ratio 43 [6-333]). Conclusions: Due to large variety of reported outcomes, missing data and limited number of studies, no meta-analysis could be conducted. The results should be interpreted with caution as the results have a very low certainty of evidence and reported outcomes have a high risk of bias. The evidence for high frequency wall compression and intrapulmonary percussive ventilation is still insufficient to draw final conclusions. Protocol registration: PROSPERO ID: CRD42017064703.
APLICANDO A DECOMPOSIÇÃO EM VALORES SINGULARES NO PROCESSAMENTO DE IMAGENS
Authors: Furtado Danilo Pinheiro , De Faria Cristiane Oliveira , Sasaki Diana 
Published: January 2021

Neste trabalho, investigamos a decomposição em valores singulares (SVD) em processamento de imagens, apresentando aplicações em dois tópicos desta área: compressão e autenticação de imagens.
Optimal birth interval and empowerment: a closer look at women's agency in Kenya
Authors: Kudeva Rumyana , Halaas Beth , Kagotho Njeri , Lee Guijin , Biswas Bipasha 
Published: January 2021

Background/Aims Birth interval is measured by the number of months between two consecutive births, and is an important factor related to maternal and child health, family planning, and empowerment. A woman's ability to regulate time between pregnancies remains a human rights issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to explore the impact of autonomous decision making and attitudes about intimate partner violence on birth interval among married/partnered women in Kenya. Methods This study analysed data from fecund women (15 − 49 years old) included in the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey. Autonomy and intimate partner violence perceptions were explored and analysed. The survey included married and partnered women. Structural equation modelling was used to determine the association between individual characteristics and optimal birth intervals. Results Women with higher permissive attitudes regarding intimate partner violence were more likely to report shorter birth intervals. Specifically, the results demonstrated that each unit increase in permissive attitudes towards domestic violence was associated with a 0.033 increase in the relative log odds of having birth intervals that were shorter than optimal. More than half of surveyed women (56%) reported using modern contraceptive methods, but 55% of them had non-optimal birth intervals. Conclusions Despite the majority of women using contraception, over half of surveyed women had non-optimal birth intervals. This calls for the expansion of education regarding contraceptive use for spacing of births. Equally, a shorter birth interval was associated with more permissive attitudes towards intimate partner violence. As perceptions of intimate partner violence may be socially constructed, targeting structural inequalities to address women's health may help this issue. Investigating data specific to Kenya will benefit the development of women's health and empowerment education strategies and interventions.
Women's adherence to iron supplementation during pregnancy in Kumasi, Ghana
Authors: Boampong Owusu Lydia , Omowumi Emikpe Abigael 
Published: January 2021

IntroductionAnaemia in pregnancy is caused by factors such as malaria, poor diet and hook worm infestation. Adherence to iron supplementation in pregnancy has been found to correct anaemia and improve fetal outcomes. In Ghana, though iron is given to pregnant women at no cost under the free maternal healthcare policy, anaemia prevalence is high. This calls for investigation into adherence to iron supplementation. This study investigated adherence of pregnant women to prescribed iron supplements in Kumasi, Ghana.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among postnatal women in Kumasi in November and December 2017. Women were selected through systematic random sampling and given a structured questionnaire to elicit information regarding their sociodemographic characteristics and iron supplementation intake during pregnancy. Results were analysed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test, with P≤0.05 considered to be significant.ResultsOverall, most of the women were between 22 and 35 years old (69.5%) and had some form of formal education (86.7%). The majority (96.6%) took iron supplements during pregnancy. Most (82.2%) had their supplements prescribed by a midwife or nurse. The majority of women (61.9%) adhered to their prescription. There was a significant relationship between education level and adherence to iron prescription.ConclusionsStrategies to improve education regarding adherence to the use of iron supplements by midwives are required.
Paramedic prescribing: implementation in practice
Authors: Best Pete , Taylor Vanessa 
Published: January 2021

Background: In April 2018, legislation was changed to allow paramedics to prescribe independently. There is limited research regarding how paramedics are implementing their prescribing qualification. Policy papers and other literature were largely written before April 2018 and therefore document expectations regarding prescribing paramedics within the healthcare system. Aim: To explore if paramedic prescribing is being practised as expected. This article reports part of a larger study that explored how paramedics are implementing their prescribing qualification in practice more broadly. Methods: A web-based survey was conducted using convenience sampling. The sample represents 14.65% of the total number of prescribing paramedics. Findings: Paramedics are working in a variety of areas of healthcare. Some paramedics do not have the required amount of experience or the educational background recommended to become a prescribing paramedic. It is unlikely that new pathways to care are being created by prescribing paramedics. It is unclear whether prescribing increases patient access to medications.