bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chronic alcohol abuse affects the clinical course and outcome of community-acquired bacterial meningitis
Authors: Paciorek Marcin , Bednarska Agnieszka , Krogulec Dominika , Makowiecki Michał , Kowalska Justyna D , Bursa Dominik , Świderska Anna , Puła Joanna , Raczyńska Joanna , Skrzat-Klapaczyńska Agata , Radkowski Marek , Laskus Tomasz , Horban Andrzej 
Published: March 2019

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of the study was to determine the effect of chronic alcohol abuse on the course and outcome of bacterial meningitis (BM).Materials/methodsWe analyzed records of patients with BM who were hospitalized between January 2010 and December 2017 in the largest neuroinfection center in Poland.Results340 adult patients (211 men and 129 women) were analyzed. Forty-five (13.2%) patients were alcoholics (39 men and 6 women). Compared to non-alcoholics, alcoholics were more likely to present with seizures (33.3% vs 12.6%, p<0.001), scored higher on the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) (median 3 vs 2, p<0.001) and lower on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) (median 10 vs 12, p<0.001) and had worse outcome as measured by the Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) (median 3 vs 5, p<0.001). Furthermore, alcoholics were less likely to complain of headache (23.3% vs 52.3%, p<0.001) and nausea/vomiting (11.4% vs 33.6%, p=0.005) and had lower concentration of glucose in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (median 0,58 mmol/L vs 1,97, p=0.025). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, alcoholism was independently associated with lower GCS (OR 0.716, 95% CI 0.523-0.980, p=0.036), presence of seizures (OR 4.580, 95% CI 1.065-19.706, p=0.041), male gender (OR 4.617, 95% CI 1.060-20.113, p=0.042) and absence of nausea/vomiting (OR 0.205, 95%CI 0.045-0.930, p=0.040). Furthermore, alcoholism (regression coefficient [−0.636], 95% CI [− 1.21] – [−0.06], p=0.031), lower GCS score (regression coefficient 0.144, 95% CI 0.06-0.23, p=0.001) and higher urea blood concentration (regression coefficient [−0.052], 95% CI [−0.10] – [−0.01], p=0.018) were independently associated with worse outcome measured by GOS.ConclusionsCompared to non-alcoholics, chronic alcohol abusers are more likely to present with seizures, altered mental status, higher SOFA score and have an increased risk of unfavorable outcome. In multivariate analysis seizures and low GCS were independently associated with alcoholism, while alcoholism was independently associated with worse outcome.
Value-driven attentional capture enhances distractor representations in early visual cortex
Authors: Itthipuripat Sirawaj , Vo Vy A. , Sprague Thomas C. , Serences John T. 
Published: March 2019

ABSTRACTWhen a behaviorally relevant stimulus has been previously associated with reward, behavioral responses are faster and more accurate compared to equally relevant but less valuable stimuli. Conversely, task irrelevant stimuli that were previously associated with a high reward can capture attention and distract processing away from relevant stimuli (e.g. the chocolate bar in the pantry when you are looking for a nice healthy apple). While increasing the value of task-relevant stimuli systematically up-regulates neural responses in early visual cortex to facilitate information processing, it is not clear if the value of task-irrelevant distractors influences behavior via competition in early visual cortex or via competition at later stages of decision-making and response selection. Here, we measured fMRI in human visual cortex while subjects performed a value-based learning task, and applied a multivariate inverted encoding model to assess the fidelity of distractor representations in early visual cortex. We found that the fidelity of neural representations related to task-irrelevant distractors increased when the distractors were previously associated with a high reward. Moreover, this value-based modulation of distractor representations only occurred when the distractors were previously selected as targets on preceding trials. Together, these findings suggest that value-driven attentional capture begins with sensory modulations of distractor representations in early areas of visual cortex.
Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Regulatory Mechanism for Trophoblast Cell-Fate Divergence in Human Peri-Implantation Embryo
Authors: Lv Bo , An Qin , Zeng Qiao , Lu Ping , Zhu Xianmin , Ji Yazhong , Fan Guoping , Xue Zhigang 
Published: March 2019

AbstractMultipotent trophoblasts undergo dynamic morphological movement and cellular differentiation after embryonic implantation to generate placenta. However, the mechanism controlling trophoblast development and differentiation during peri-implantation development remains elusive. In this study, we modeled human embryo peri-implantation development from blastocyst to early post-implantation stages by using an in vitro coculture system, and profiled the transcriptome of individual trophoblast cells from these embryos. We revealed the genetic networks regulating peri-implantation trophoblast development. While determining when trophoblast differentiation happens, our bioinformatic analysis identified T-box transcription factor 3 (TBX3) as a key regulator for the differentiation of cytotrophoblast into syncytiotrophoblast. The function of TBX3 in trophoblast differentiation is then validated by a loss-of-function experiment. In conclusion, our results provided a valuable resource to study the regulation of trophoblasts development and differentiation during human peri-implantation development.
School externalities and scholastic performance: an efficiency analysis
Authors: Deutsch Joseph , Dumas Audrey , Silber Jacques 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the determinants of scholastic performance using an efficiency analysis perspective.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors apply data envelopment analysis (DEA) at the pupil level using the 2009 PISA survey in Azerbaijan. Before applying DEA with multiple outputs, this paper integrates the maximum amount of available information on inputs via the use of correspondence analysis.

Findings
The results show that scholastic efficiency depends positively on the externalities due to the resources of the school and to a peer effect. The analysis of the determinants of these externalities shows how they influence scholastic performance and has some policy implications.

Practical implications
Education policies should promote the resource externality, because its effect is more homogeneous among pupils. The mechanisms generating school externalities should be taken into consideration by educational authorities, when allocating resources to school and should give some guidelines about how to use these resources and how to manage a school in order to promote peer effects externalities.

Originality/value
The authors distinguish various sources of efficiency: that of the pupil and that due to school externalities operating via resources and peer effects. The authors relate the efficiency due to school externalities to individual, family and school characteristics.
Getting Better, Slowly. Ethnicity, Gender and Party in London's Local Government
Authors: Muroki Mercy , Cowley Philip 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThis article reports black and Asian descriptive representation in London's elected local government. In both absolute and relative terms, the levels of descriptive representation are higher than previously, and London's Asian population is now represented proportionately, although black Londoners remain under‐represented. Such aggregate levels of representation, however, mask considerable disparities between the two groups in many instances. The same is true of gender representation, with overall figures hiding the fact that Asian men are over‐represented (and white women broadly proportionately represented) while black men are the least represented category analysed.
First record of the western black widow spider Latrodectus hesperus Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935 (Araneae: Theridiidae) in South Korea
Authors: Choi Moon Bo , Lee Sue Yeon , Yoo Jung Sun , Jun Jumin , Kwon Ohseok 
Published: March 2019

AbstractTwo individuals of Latrodectus hesperus Chamberlin & Ivie were newly found in munitions storage at military facilities in Daegu, South Korea. A female was first discovered on August 31, 2018, and followed by another female along with three egg sacs on September 20, 2018. These spiders were identified based on morphological characters and DNA barcode sequence analysis. Additional surveys were made around the initial detection site to examine the range and spread of this species, but no additional individuals were found.
Missense mutation in PRKCQ is associated with Crohn's disease
Authors: Zhang Yu Wei , Xu Xiao Ying , Zhang Jie , Yao Xin , Lu Chao , Chen Chun Xiao , Yu Chao Hui , Sun Jing 
Published: March 2019

ObjectiveRecent genome‐wide association studies have demonstrated that rs2236379 in PRKCQ is a novel significant locus for Crohn's disease (CD). However, the association has not been replicated in any populations. We therefore aimed to investigate the prevalence of the PRKCQ rs2236379 variant in the Chinese Han population and evaluate whether the genetic variant of PRKCQ confers susceptibility to CD and is associated with its clinical characteristics.MethodsA total of 283 patients with CD and 381 healthy controls were enrolled. Genomic DNA was extracted from their whole blood samples and polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism was used for genotyping. The association between PRKCQ polymorphisms and susceptibility to CD, and between genotypes and clinical phenotypes was analyzed.ResultsA higher frequency of the T allele was discovered in CD patients than in healthy controls (P = 0.027). A significant difference in the distribution of the TT and CT/CC genotypes was observed between CD patients and controls (P = 0.024). The TT genotype showed a significant association with susceptibility to CD (odds ratio 1.647, 95% confidence interval: 1.088‐2.574, P = 0.019). Patients with CD with the rs2236379 TT mutant risk genotype were most likely to exhibit perianal disease (P = 0.044).ConclusionsOur research revealed an association between the PRKCQ rs2236379 (C>T) and CD. The TT homozygous mutation increased the risk of developing CD and may contribute to perianal disease.
Recurrent Kawasaki disease at a tertiary care center in Chandigarh, North West India: 24 years of clinical experience
Authors: Guleria Sandesh , Pilania Rakesh Kumar , Jindal Ankur Kumar , Bhattarai Dharmagat , Suri Deepti , Singh Surjit 
Published: March 2019

AbstractBackgroundKawasaki disease (KD) is emerging as the most common medium vessel vasculitis in children. Recurrence of KD (0.8%‐3.0%) is unusual and not commonly reported.ObjectiveTo study the clinico‐laboratory profile of children with recurrent KD.MethodsCase records of 714 children with KD, registered from January 1994 to April 2018 in the Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic at the Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh, were reviewed and data were analyzed for children having had recurrent KD.ResultsSeven (0.98%) children (five boys; two girls) had recurrent KD in our cohort of 714 patients. Mean age at diagnosis was 4.3 years (range, 2‐9 years). Six (85.7%) had recurrence of KD within 1.5 years. Incomplete KD was more common during recurrence (71.4%) as compared to the first episode (33.3%). Five children with recurrent KD developed desquamation during the first week of illness. Laboratory investigations did not show any significant difference during the two episodes of KD. Six of the seven children in the first episode received treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Five of the seven children received IVIG during recurrence. One child had transient left main coronary artery ectasia during the first episode of KD as well as during recurrence and it normalized after treatment on both occasions.ConclusionRecurrences in KD are unusual. Over a period of 24 years the recurrence rate in our cohort of children with KD was 0.98%. Further, children with recurrences tended to have milder and incomplete form of the disease.
Detection of subclinical synovial hypertrophy by musculoskeletal gray‐scale/ power Doppler ultrasonography in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Han Nan , Tian Xiliang 
Published: March 2019

AbstractObjectiveLaboratory investigations are invasive methods. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a small field of view. Ultrasound can be performed at multiple parts of the body. The objective of the study was to find out subclinical synovial hypertrophy in systemic lupus erythematosus patients using gray‐scale/power Doppler ultrasonography.MethodsA total of 247 systemic lupus erythematosus (without musculoskeletal involvement) patients from 21 February 2017 to 28 October 2018 were included in the cross‐sectional study. Patients were subjected to physical examinations, laboratory tests, and gray‐scale/power Doppler ultrasonography examinations. Synovial hypertrophy was confirmed if it was present in at least 4 out of 100 of the examined location sites. MRI examinations were performed for confirmation purposes. Spearman correlation was performed between imaging and laboratory investigations at the 99% confidence level.ResultsNo correlation was observed for results of synovial hypertrophy between physical examinations/laboratory tests and gray‐scale/power Doppler ultrasonography examinations except erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.354). Cost of laboratory tests (315.47 ± 19.15 ¥/person) for subclinical synovial hypertrophy detection was higher than that of gray‐scale/power Doppler ultrasonography examinations (135.47 ± 8.17 ¥/person, P <0.0001, q = 230.87). Results of gray‐scale/power Doppler ultrasonography have a correlation with results of MRI (r = 0.34).ConclusionOnly perform gray‐scale/power Doppler ultrasonography examinations for regular maintenance of rheumatologic disease in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.
The Relationship Between Social Anxiety and Alcohol and Marijuana Use Outcomes Among Concurrent Users: A Motivational Model of Substance Use
Authors: Villarosa‐Hurlocker Margo C. , Bravo Adrian J. , Pearson Matthew R. ,   Protective Strategies Study Team
Published: March 2019

BackgroundCollege students with more social anxiety symptoms are particularly vulnerable to problematic alcohol and marijuana use given their susceptibility for elevated anxiety symptoms in social settings combined with the normative nature of substance use. Existing research has established substance use as coping motivated for these students when examining alcohol and marijuana use problems separately. The next step is to determine whether students with more social anxiety who use both substances do so for similar or different reasons. The current study tested a comprehensive (i.e., all variables in the same model) motivational model of alcohol/marijuana use in a sample of college students from 10 universities across the United States who endorsed both past‐month alcohol and marijuana use.MethodsCollege students were recruited through psychology department participant pools and completed an online survey assessing mental health symptoms, substance use motives, and substances use behaviors. Current sample comprised concurrent alcohol/marijuana users (n = 2,034), 29.6% of whom endorsed clinically indicated levels of social anxiety and nearly one‐fourth exceeded the cutoff for hazardous drinking (23.2%) and hazardous marijuana use (21.9%).ResultsAcross both substances, coping motives significantly mediated the positive relationship between social anxiety symptoms and substance use problems. Unique to alcohol, conformity motives mediated the association between social anxiety symptoms and alcohol‐related problems.ConclusionsTaken together, students with more social anxiety who are focused on anxiety management may use either alcohol or marijuana; however, these students may experience more alcohol‐related problems when drinking to fit in with peers.
State alcohol policies, taxes, and availability as predictors of adolescent binge drinking trajectories into early adulthood
Authors: Fairman Brian J. , Simons‐Morton Bruce G. , Haynie Denise L. , Liu Danping , Goldstein Risë B. , Hingson Ralph W. , Gilman Stephen E. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractBackground and AimsA number of alcohol policies in the United States have been presumed to reduce underage youth drinking. This study characterized underage youth binge‐drinking trajectories into early adulthood and tested associations with the strength of the alcohol policy environment, beer excise taxes and number of liquor stores.DesignLongitudinal cohort study.SettingUnited States.ParticipantsA national cohort of 10th graders in 2010 (n = 2753), assessed annually from 2010 to 2015.MeasurementsParticipants reported on their 30‐day binge drinking [defined as consuming five or more+ (for boys) or four or more (for girls) drinks within 2 hours]. We scored the strength of 19 state‐level policies at baseline and summarized them into an overall score and two subdomain scores. We also assessed state beer excise taxes (dollars/gallon) and linked the number of liquor stores in 1 km to the participants’ geocoded address.FindingsWe identified five binge‐drinking trajectories: low‐risk (32.9%), escalating (26.1%), late‐onset (13.8%), chronic (15.1%) and decreasing (12.0%). Lower overall alcohol policy strength was associated with increased risk of being in the escalating versus low‐risk binge‐drinking class [relative risk ratio (RRR) = 1.44 per 1 standard deviation (SD) in policy score; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.17, 1.77)]. Higher beer excise taxes were associated with a reduced risk of being in the escalating class (RRR = 0.22 per 1‐dollar increase; 95% CI = 0.09, 0.50). The number of liquor stores was not significantly associated with any binge‐drinking trajectory.ConclusionsIn the United States, stronger state alcohol policies and higher beer excise taxes appear to be associated with lower risk of escalating alcohol consumption trajectories among underage youth.
Zoogeography of a South African Province: A framework for management
Authors: Power Richard John , Olivier Pieter I. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractState‐level conservation in South Africa is structured around distinct political entities (i.e. municipalities). This is problematic because an ecological approach that considers species distribution is required to delineate meaningful management units. To do so, vegetation types can be used as management units—however, it is uncertain whether vertebrate communities are associated with vegetation types as defined by the national vegetation map. Here, we investigate mammal diversity patterns within and among biomes (savannah and grassland) and bioregions and test whether different mammal communities were associated with different vegetation types. We used an extensive database of species occurrences in the North West Province. We found that species richness was higher in the savannah than grassland biome. Beta diversity was higher within the savannah than grassland biome, due to greater environmental heterogeneity, though one grassland bioregion was similar to the savannah bioregions. Mammal communities were significantly different among bioregions, but not biomes, suggesting mammal communities are congruent with vegetation type at finer scales (i.e. bioregional), but not at coarser scales (biomes). It thus makes sense to use a bioregional framework to design mammal management strategies. The invasion of grasslands by savannah species should be monitored, specifically given the predicted changes in climate.
Host plants and edaphic factors influence the distribution and diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungal fruiting bodies within rainforests from Tshopo, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Milenge Kamalebo Héritier , Seya Wa Malale Hippolyte Nshimba , Masumbuko Ndabaga Cephas , Nabahungu Léon Nsharwasi , Degreef Jérôme , De KeseL André 
Published: March 2019

AbstractEctomycorrhizal fungi constitute an important component of forest ecosystems that enhances plant nutrition and resistance against stresses. Diversity of ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi is, however, affected by host plant diversity and soil heterogeneity. This study provides information about the influence of host plants and soil resources on the diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungal fruiting bodies from rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Based on the presence of fungal fruiting bodies, significant differences in the number of ectomycorrhizal fungi species existed between forest stand types (p < 0.001). The most ectomycorrhizal species‐rich forest was the Gilbertiodendron dewevrei‐dominated forest (61 species). Of all 93 species of ectomycorrhizal fungi, 19 demonstrated a significant indicator value for particular forest stand types. Of all analysed edaphic factors, the percentage of silt particles was the most important parameter influencing EcM fungi host plant tree distribution. Both host trees and edaphic factors strongly affected the distribution and diversity of EcM fungi. EcM fungi may have developed differently their ability to successfully colonise root systems in relation to the availability of nutrients.
Birch pollen allergy in Europe
Authors: Biedermann T. , Winther L. , Till S. J. , Panzner P. , Knulst A. , Valovirta E. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractBirch and other related trees of the families Betulaceae and Fagaceae (alder, hazel, oak, hornbeam, chestnut, and beech) constitute the birch homologous group. This grouping is primarily based on the extensive IgE cross‐reactivity of allergen homologs to the major birch allergen Bet v 1. Birch pollen is the most dominant tree pollen in Northern and Central Europe and is a major cause of allergic rhinitis and, possibly, asthma symptoms. Over the last few decades, levels of birch pollen have risen and the period of exposure has increased due to climate changes. Subsequently, the prevalence of birch pollen sensitization has also increased. The cross‐reactivity and sequential pollen seasons within the birch homologous group create a prolonged symptomatic allergy period beyond birch pollen alone. Furthermore, many plant food allergens contain homologs to Bet v 1, meaning that the majority of patients with birch pollen allergy suffer from secondary pollen food syndrome (PFS). As a result, the negative impact on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients allergic to birch pollen is significant. The purpose of this manuscript was to narratively review topics of interest such as taxonomy, cross‐reactivity, prevalence, clinical relevance, PFS, and HRQoL with regard to birch pollen allergy from a European perspective.