bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Selection principle of the synthetic route for fabrication of HfB2 and HfB2‐SiC ceramics
Authors: Zhu Qi‐Qi , Zhang Yan , Guo Wei‐Ming , Sun Shi‐Kuan , Lin Hua‐Tay 
Published: June 2019

AbstractDensification, microstructure, and mechanical properties of spark plasma sintered HfB2 and HfB2‐SiC ceramics using HfB2 powders from borothermal reduction and boro/carbothermal reduction were investigated and compared. It was found that HfB2ceramics obtained by boro/carbothermal reduction exhibited a significantly higher sinterability compared to that by borothermal reduction. Inversely, HfB2‐SiC ceramics obtained by borothermal reduction exhibited a refined microstructure and better mechanical properties (Vickers hardness: 23.60 ± 2.43 GPa; fracture toughness: 5.89 ± 0.30 MPa.m1/2) than that by boro/carbothermal reduction. These results indicated that optimal fabrication of HfB2‐based ceramics could be achieved by the selection of synthetic route of HfB2 powders.
‘You can always see it from a different angle’ — Art as Resistance
Authors: Johansen Martin Blok 
Published: June 2019

AbstractIn this article, taking three selected works by the Danish artist Julie Nord as my point of departure, I will analyse and discuss the role of art in educational theory and practice. In this analysis and discussion I present two concepts, ‘resistance’ and ‘undecidability’, which are rooted in the theories of Dutch professor of education and director of research Gert Biesta and the French philosopher Jacques Derrida, respectively. The two concepts are used to analyse the three works of art and then come to grips with the empirical part of the study. The empirical part explores how a Danish fifth‐grade class (ages 11–12) interacts with works of art characterised by these very things, resistance and undecidability. The point the article makes is that it is not always what is easy and unambiguous that offers the best conditions for learning and gives school pupils a desire to learn. Rather it is often what is full of resistance and is difficult to decipher and understand.
Comparison of the amount and patterns of late enhancement in Chagas disease according to the presence and type of ventricular tachycardia
Authors: Melendez‐Ramirez Gabriela , Soto Maria Elena , Velasquez Alvarez Leyli Claribel , Meave Aloha , Juarez‐Orozco Luis Eduardo , Guarner‐Lans Veronica , Morales Jose Luis 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackgroundVentricular tachycardia (VT) is one of the main predictors of mortality in Chagas cardiomyopathy (CC). Although the substrate of sustained and nonsustained‐VT (NS‐VT) seems to be the same, little is known about the distribution of late enhancement (LE). Our aim was to compare the clinical findings and the amount and patterns of LE in Chagas disease according to the presence and type of VT.Methods and ResultsMagnetic resonance imaging was performed in 54 Chagas seropositive patients: 8 indeterminate and 46 with CC of whom 15 were without VT, 13 with NS‐VT, and 18 with sustained‐VT (S‐VT). There were 31 males (57%), mean age was 55.9 ± 12.2 years. LE was found in 87% of all patients and in 50%, 80%, and 100% of the indeterminate, without VT and VT groups, respectively. The percentage of LE increased progressively in the indeterminate, CC without VT, and CC with VT groups; without a significant difference between NS‐VT and S‐VT (0.93%, 15.2%, 23.2%, and 21.4%, respectively). The amount of LE increased with the functional class. LE in the basal and mid lateral wall was more frequent in VT, without difference between S‐VT and NS‐VT. The only predictor of VT was the percentage of LE, odds ratio (OR), 6.2; (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.7‐28.4; P = .01) with a cutoff of Odds Ratio 17.1%.ConclusionsThe amount of LE increases in relation to the clinical stage of the disease and its functional class in Chagas seropositive patients. The amount of LE was the main predictor of VT, without difference between S‐VT and NS‐VT.
Trends in the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of diabetes in rural areas of northern China from 1992 to 2011
Authors: Zhang Hongyan , Qi Dongwang , Gu Hongfei , Wang Tao , Wu Yanan , Li Jingyan , Ni Jingxian , Liu Jie , Tu Jun , Ning Xianjia , Wang Jinghua 
Published: June 2019

AbstractAims/IntroductionThe worldwide prevalence of diabetes mellitus has been increasing over the past decades, particularly in developing countries. Because of the lack of information regarding changes in diabetes mellitus prevalence, awareness, treatment and control in rural China, we assessed these trends – overall and in the context of related health conditions – to explore the impact of these primary health issues on these rates in a poorly educated, rural population.Materials and MethodsDiabetes mellitus prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates were compared between two surveys carried out in 1992 and 2011. The residents of three villages, aged 35–64 years, were recruited for this study.ResultsIn 1992, 1,091 individuals were interviewed and, in 2011, 2,338 individuals were interviewed. Between the two surveys, the overall diabetes mellitus prevalence in the study population was lower in 1992 than that in 2011 (P < 0.001); among men, the prevalence was 5.2‐fold higher in 2011 than in 1992 (10.5 vs 1.7%) and nearly 4.3‐fold higher (11.2 vs 2.1%) among women. Men aged 35–44 years, with >6 years of education, stage I hypertension and being overweight, had a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus in 2011 than in 1992. Similarly, for the same time periods, there was also a higher diabetes mellitus prevalence among women aged 55–64 years, with 1–6 years of education, stage III hypertension and who were overweight. However, there were no significant changes in diabetes mellitus awareness, treatment or control in this population.ConclusionsThese results suggest that particular efforts must be made to enhance diabetes mellitus prevention, control and public awareness in rural communities in China.
Implementing lower‐risk brief resolved unexplained events guideline reduces admissions in a modelled population
Authors: Oglesbee Scott J. , Roberts Melissa H. , Sapién Robert E. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractRationaleAmerican Academy of Pediatrics released a clinical practice guideline (CPG) in 2016 recommending the term apparent life‐threatening events (ALTE) be replaced by brief resolved unexplained events (BRUE). The CPG provides recommendations for the clinical evaluation and management of infants with this condition based on the risk of a serious underlying disorder or repeat event. The lower‐risk CPG was applied to a modelled population, studying predictors of hospital admission, defined as length of stay (LOS) ≥ 24 hours.MethodsAn algorithm was derived using a Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network database. Propensity score weighting, based on probability of following the CPG, determined the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of hospital admission. Multiple imputation allowed any missing data problems be addressed and a sensitivity analysis of database robustness.ResultsApplying the modelling algorithm, 3116 observations were identified, among whom 1974 (63.4%) the CPG was followed and 1142 (36.6%) not followed. The CPG was followed for 60.1% of infants staying ≥24 hours compared with 76.6% of infants staying <24 hours (P < .001). After propensity score weighting and multiple imputation, the likelihood of hospital admission was significantly lower when the CPG was followed (aOR = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.39‐0.62, P < .001).ConclusionsResults suggest that use of the CPG under strict conditions would lead to fewer hospital admissions among infants with a lower‐risk BRUE. Implementation of CPGs in modelled populations may help clinicians identify unanticipated factors and address these issues beforehand. We noted differences in care based on race, necessitating further investigation.
Dietary acid load in relation to depression and anxiety in adults
Authors: Milajerdi Alireza , Hassanzadeh Keshteli Ammar , Haghighatdoost Fahimeh , Azadbakht Leila , Esmaillzadeh Ahmad , Adibi Peyman 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackgroundNo previous study has examined the association of dietary acid load (DAL) with depression and anxiety in adults. The present study aimed to investigate the association between DAL and the risk of depression and anxiety in Iranian adults.MethodsIn total, 4378 non‐academic healthy personnel (1909 men and 2469 women) were included in this cross‐sectional study. A validated detailed food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess dietary intakes of participants. DAL was estimated using the protein to potassium ratio (Pro:K). Depression and anxiety were screened using an Iranian validated Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaire.ResultsParticipants with the highest DAL had a higher risk of depression compared to those in the lowest category [odds ratio (OR) = 1.57; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.27–1.95, Ptrend < 0.001), which remained unchanged after controlling for probable confounders, such that those in the top category of DAL had a 100% higher risk of having depression than those in the bottom category (OR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.52–2.64). In addition, a significant positive association was seen between DAL and anxiety in a crude model (OR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.02–1.78, Ptrend = 0.01) and even after adjustment for a wide range of confounders, such that participants in the top category of DAL had a 92% greater risk of anxiety than those in the bottom category (OR = 1.92; 95% CI = 1.35–2.74, Ptrend < 0.001).ConclusionsIn the present study, we found a significant direct association between DAL and the risk of depression, as well as anxiety. Further studies, in particular prospective cohorts are required to confirm these findings.
On Targeting Frameworks And Optimal Monetary Policy
Authors: BODENSTEIN MARTIN , ZHAO JUNZHU 
Published: June 2019

AbstractWe show that speed limit policy, a monetary policy strategy that focuses on stabilizing inflation and the change in the output gap, consistently outperforms flexible inflation targeting and flexible price level targeting in empirical medium‐scale DSGE models under discretionary policymaking. In contrast to small‐scale New Keynesian models, this welfare ranking of the targeting frameworks is not overturned when inflation dynamics are mostly backward‐looking. Importantly, the performance of the speed limit policy shows less sensitivity to its parameterization than other frameworks that target the inflation rate or the price level.
Amniotic fluid‐derived mesenchymal stem cell products combined with microneedling for acne scars: A split‐face clinical, histological, and histometric study
Authors: El-Domyati Moetaz , Moftah Noha H. , Nasif Ghada A. , Ragaie Maha H. , Ibrahim Michel R. , Ameen Sameh W. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackgroundPostacne scars are still a challenge in its management. Microneedling is a popular minimally invasive technique in treatment of such scars. However, the addition of topical stem cell products after microneedling is considered a new treatment regimen for these scars.ObjectiveTo compare efficacy of amniotic fluid‐derived mesenchymal stem cell‐conditioned media (AF‐MSC‐CM) and microneedling vs microneedling alone in management of atrophic acne scars.MethodsTen cases with atrophic postacne scars received five sessions of microneedling, with 2‐week interval on both sides of the face. Then, AF‐MSC‐CM was topically applied to right side of the face after microneedling. Clinical examination with histopathological and computerized histometric analysis was done 1 month after the sessions.ResultsThere was significant increase in the improvement percentage of acne scars on right side (dermaroller and AF‐MSC‐CM) vs left side of face (dermaroller; P < 0.001). Histologically, improvement of character of collagen and elastic fibers was noticed, especially on right side. Meanwhile, significant increase in epidermal thickness on both sides of face was detected.ConclusionAmniotic fluid‐derived mesenchymal stem cell‐conditioned media combined with microneedling is more effective in management of atrophic postacne scars than microneedling alone.
Safety and efficacy of mifepristone versus dinoprostone gel in induction of labor: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Jindal Nidhi , Rao Rohini , Dhiman Bishan , Kandoria Meenakshi , Jamwal Ankita 
Published: June 2019

AbstractAimThe aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mifepristone for cervical ripening and induction of labor and compare the results with dinoprostone gel which is an established agent for labor induction.MethodsA total of 100 patients were enrolled in a prospective study and assigned to one of two treatment protocols. After the exclusion of 10 patients, there were 46 patients in the mifepristone group and 44 in the dinoprostone group. Outcome was evaluated using the improvement in Bishop score, admission delivery interval, duration between induction and the onset of active phase of labor and the mode of delivery.ResultsThe baseline demographics in the two groups were comparable. The improvement in Bishop's score at first post‐intervention assessment was significantly better in dinoprostone group. Duration between instillation and active phase assessment was significantly lesser in dinoprostone group while the admission delivery interval was lesser in mifepristone group. There was no difference in mode of delivery between the two groups.ConclusionThe results of the study suggest that oral administration of 200 mg mifepristone in term patients is an effective method of labor induction; and is more convenient and equally safe as compared to intravaginal instillation of dinoprostone.
Cut it out! Thoracic surgeon’s approach to pulmonary mucormycosis and the role of surgical resection in survival
Authors: Multani Ashrit , Reveron‐Thornton Rosyli , Garvert Donn W. , Gomez Carlos A. , Montoya Jose G. , Lui Natalie S. 
Published: June 2019

SummaryBackgroundMucormycosis portends a poor prognosis with mortality rates ranging from 50% to 70% in pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) and up to 95% in disseminated disease. However, detailed outcomes data have been lacking. It remains unknown how to identify patients who would benefit from surgical resection.ObjectivesWe present our experience with patients undergoing surgical resection for PM, including an analysis of factors affecting postoperative survival. We also describe a thoracic surgeon's approach through illustrative cases.Patients/MethodsWe conducted a single‐centre retrospective study of all adult patients with PM who received antifungal therapy and underwent surgical resection or who received antifungal therapy alone at Stanford between January 2004 and June 2018.ResultsTwelve patients received antifungal therapy and underwent surgical resection and 13 patients received antifungal therapy alone. From infection onset to death (or right‐censoring if still alive), patients who underwent surgical resection had a median survival of 406 days (mean, 561.3; range, 22‐2510), and patients who received antifungal therapy alone had a median survival of 28 days (mean, 66.7; range, 8‐447). In patients who underwent surgical resection, median postoperative survival time was 154 days (range, 11‐2495), in‐hospital mortality was 16.7%, and 1‐year mortality was 50.0%. Age, primary disease, ASA status, extrapulmonary dissemination, laterality, multilobar involvement, number of lesions, largest lesion size, platelet count, surgical approach, type of resection or extent of resection were not significantly associated with postoperative survival.ConclusionsSurgical resection significantly increases survival and should be strongly considered for selected patients with PM.
Elevated serum levels of periostin in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
Authors: Wu Ge , Meng Xun , Zheng Peiyan , Zhang Xiaohua Douglas , Li Lu , Hu Haisheng , Sun Baoqing 
Published: June 2019

SummaryBackgroundSerum periostin levels have been reported to be an indicator of Th2 inflammation in asthmatic patients.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate serum levels of periostin in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and to evaluate its diagnostic and monitoring value in the disease.MethodsPatients with ABPA (n = 19) and asthma (n = 24), including severe asthma with fungal sensitisation (SAFS, n = 11) and severe asthma without fungal sensitization (SAwFS, n = 13), were enrolled. Serum levels of periostin were analysed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Serum total IgE and Aspergillus fumigatus specific IgE, IgG were measured by ImmunoCAP. Levels of cytokines (IFN‐γ, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐8, IL‐10, IL‐13 and IL‐17A) were measured by Meso Scale Discovery (MSD).ResultsSerum levels of periostin in ABPA patients (85.55 ng/mL, [68.28‐166] ng/mL) were higher than those in SAFS (50.99 ng/mL, [32.02‐71.80] ng/mL; P < 0.01). Among the analysed cytokines, IL‐5 levels in ABPA (1.55 pg/mL, [0.96‐3.33] pg/mL) were higher than those in SAFS (0.31 pg/mL, [0.26‐0.56] pg/mL; P < 0.05) or SAwFS (0.34 pg/mL, [0.21‐0.56] pg/mL; P < 0.01). Serum periostin levels was positively associated with total IgE levels (r = 0.319, P < 0.05), serum IL‐5 levels (r = 0.484, P < 0.01) and blood eosinophil counts (r = 0.428, P < 0.05). In ROC analysis, the clinical reference value of periostin was 68.8 ng/mL for differential diagnosis of ABPA and SAFS, with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.81. Longitudinally, serum periostin levels did not change significantly after treatment in ABPA.ConclusionsThese findings suggested that serum levels of periostin were up‐regulated in ABPA patients, which may be associated with eosinophilic inflammation.
Investigating everyday acts of contributing as ‘admission tickets’ to belong to the nation in Norway
Authors: Strømsø Mette 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThis article examines the centrality of contributing to questions of belonging in Norway. Building on the diversity of individuals living within a shared national space, the study identifies how everyday acts of contributing were conceived of by the participants as ‘admission tickets’ to belong. The study further investigates the participants' motivations and desires for contributing and unveils how, given their migration background (internal, international or non‐migrant), they respond to expectations of contributing from different positions of ontological security. The participants reveal ontological (in)security at different geographical scales, and they seek to manage this less secure position of national or local belonging through their acts of contributing in everyday life.
Skin preparation for prevention of peripheral blood culture contamination in children
Authors: Yodoshi Toshifumi , Ueda Shinichiro , Goldman Ran D 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackgroundIn Japan, blood cultures for children are performed by pediatric residents, and povidone‐iodine (PI) is the recommended solution for skin preparation. Given that PI needs to be applied for 1.5–2 min before venipuncture, skin preparation may be suboptimal if this is not followed. In this study, we investigated the blood culture contamination rate after skin preparation with only 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) or IPA plus PI.MethodsWe performed a retrospective study of patients aged ≤6 years who provided blood cultures in the emergency department or pediatric ward. Patients with indwelling central venous catheter were excluded. We evaluated the impact of changing the method of skin preparation, comparing the traditional method using IPA plus PI between 2008 and 2010 (IPA + PI group) with the simplified method using only IPA between 2015 and 2017 (IPA group).ResultsA total of 5,365 blood culture samples were eligible for this study. Of these, 171 (3.2%) had an organism identified in blood culture. Of the blood culture‐positive samples, 68 (1.3%) were true positive and 103 (1.9%) were contaminated. Thirty‐eight (1.6%) of 2,407 cultures in the IPA group were contaminated, whereas 65 (2.2%) of 2,958 cultures in the IPA + PI group were contaminated (OR, 0.72; 95%CI: 0.48–1.07; P = 0.1). Coagulase‐negative Staphylococcus grew significantly less in the IPA group (1.7% vs 1.0%, P = 0.02).ConclusionsA single application of 70% IPA may be the optimal skin preparation method for obtaining peripheral blood cultures from children in Japan.
Exogenous application of melatonin improves plant resistance to virus infection
Authors: Zhao L. , Chen L. , Gu P. , Zhan X. , Zhang Y. , Hou C. , Wu Z. , Wu Y.‐F. , Wang Q.‐C. 
Published: June 2019

In this study, melatonin (MEL)‐mediated plant resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was examined to study local infection in Nicotiana glutinosa and systemic infection in Solanum lycopersicum. Exogenous application of 100 µm MEL increased anti‐virus infection activity to 37.4% in virus‐infected N. glutinosa plants. The same treatment significantly reduced relative levels of virus RNA analysed by qRT‐PCR and virus titres measured by dot‐ELISA, and increased the relative expression levels of the PR1 and PR5 genes analysed by qRT‐PCR, in virus‐infected S. lycopersicum. MEL treatment induced considerable accumulations of salicylic acid (SA) and nitric oxide (NO) but did not significantly affect production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the virus‐infected S. lycopersicum plants. Transgenic nahG N. tabacum was used to determine whether MEL‐induced TMV resistance was dependent on the SA pathway. The results showed that the relative RNA level of the TMV analysed by qRT‐PCR and virus titres analysed by dot‐ELISA were not reduced by the MEL treatment in the nahG transgenic N. tabacum seedlings treated twice with 100 µm MEL. The increased relative expression levels of PR1 and PR5 were greatly reduced when cPTIO, an NO scavenger, was included in the MEL treatment. A working model of MEL‐mediated plant resistance to TMV is proposed. MEL‐mediated plant resistance to viruses provides a new avenue to control plant viral diseases.
A Novel Approach to Chemical Mixture Risk Assessment—Linking Data from Population‐Based Epidemiology and Experimental Animal Tests
Authors: Bornehag Carl‐Gustaf , Kitraki Efthymia , Stamatakis Antonios , Panagiotidou Emily , Rudén Christina , Shu Huan , Lindh Christian , Ruegg Joelle , Gennings Chris 
Published: June 2019

AbstractHumans are continuously exposed to chemicals with suspected or proven endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Risk management of EDCs presents a major unmet challenge because the available data for adverse health effects are generated by examining one compound at a time, whereas real‐life exposures are to mixtures of chemicals. In this work, we integrate epidemiological and experimental evidence toward a whole mixture strategy for risk assessment. To illustrate, we conduct the following four steps in a case study: (1) identification of single EDCs (“bad actors”)—measured in prenatal blood/urine in the SELMA study—that are associated with a shorter anogenital distance (AGD) in baby boys; (2) definition and construction of a “typical” mixture consisting of the “bad actors” identified in Step 1; (3) experimentally testing this mixture in an in vivo animal model to estimate a dose–response relationship and determine a point of departure (i.e., reference dose [RfD]) associated with an adverse health outcome; and (4) use a statistical measure of “sufficient similarity” to compare the experimental RfD (from Step 3) to the exposure measured in the human population and generate a “similar mixture risk indicator” (SMRI). The objective of this exercise is to generate a proof of concept for the systematic integration of epidemiological and experimental evidence with mixture risk assessment strategies. Using a whole mixture approach, we could find a higher rate of pregnant women under risk (13%) when comparing with the data from more traditional models of additivity (3%), or a compound‐by‐compound strategy (1.6%).