bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mycosis fungoides with spongiosis: A potential diagnostic pitfall
Authors: Shamim Huma , Johnson Emma F. , Gibson Lawrence E. , Comfere Nneka 
Published: April 2019

AbstractBackgroundMycosis fungoides (MF) is characterized by epidermotropic atypical lymphocytes in the absence of spongiosis. However, we describe an unusual presentation of MF with spongiosis, mimicking benign inflammatory dermatoses and highlight the importance of pathologic interpretation for diagnostic confirmation.MethodsA cross‐sectional study of consecutive patients diagnosed with MF with spongiosis was conducted. The clinical, histopathologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular genetic features of cases were reviewed.ResultsWe identified nine cases of MF (age range 34‐82 years; mean 75 years), with an initial diagnosis of dermatitis (6/9), psoriasis (4/9), or other inflammatory dermatoses (2/9). Pruritus, pain, and blisters were common clinical manifestations. The most common areas of involvement were the extremities (8/9). Epidermotropism with spongiosis was a central histopathological feature in all cases.ConclusionThese cases highlight prominent spongiosis in MF and overlap with common benign inflammatory dermatoses. We present these cases to show the diagnostic pitfalls associated with spongiotic presentations of MF. Dermatitis, psoriasis, and other inflammatory skin conditions not responsive to standard therapy warrant further work‐up including biopsy to rule out MF. Multiple skin biopsies and review by a dermatopathologist with expertise in the diagnosis of cutaneous lymphoma is highly recommended.
“Cyst” on the forearm of a 28‐year‐old female: Case report of a CIC‐rearranged sarcoma
Authors: Lehane Fiona , Tsikleas George , Bettington Andrew , Limarporn Kunawut , Wilkinson Lisa , Lehane Katie 
Published: April 2019

AbstractCapicua transcriptional repressor (CIC)‐rearranged sarcomas are part of the group of Ewing‐like sarcomas or atypical Ewing sarcomas which, thanks to the progress in molecular diagnosis, are being defined by particular genetic abnormalities separating this group into distinct entities with their own particular histological and immunohistochemical features, as well as different survival outcomes. We report the case of a healthy 28‐year‐old female presenting with a tender lesion on her forearm which after ultrasound examination was clinically favored to represent an infected sebaceous cyst. Hematoxylin‐eosin staining showed a lobulated neoplasm within the subcutis composed of poorly differentiated epithelioid to round cells with a small amount of amphophilic cytoplasm. Frequent mitotic figures and tumor necrosis were present. Immunohistochemical studies showed patchy focal CD99 membranous positivity, negative WT1 and TLE1 staining and diffuse nuclear positivity for ETV4 (performed at outside laboratory). FISH analysis showed significant CIC rearrangement enabling a final diagnosis of an undifferentiated small round cell sarcoma harboring the t(4;19)(q35;q13.1) and CIC‐DUX4 fusion. This case shows the importance of awareness of this entity as, unlike Ewing sarcoma, these lesions present in the soft tissues rather than bone and may, as in this case, arise in the superficial soft tissues and be submitted to a dermatopathology practice.
How justified is abandoning money in the conduct of monetary policy in Australia on the grounds of instability in the money‐demand function?
Authors: Hossain Akhand Akhtar 
Published: April 2019

AbstractThe role of money in the design and conduct of monetary policy has reemerged as an important issue in both advanced and developing economies, especially since the 2007 global financial crisis. A growing body of recent literature suggests that the causal relationship between money supply growth and inflation remains intact across countries and over time and that this relation is not conditional on the stability of the money‐demand function or whether money is endogenous or exogenous. Moreover, critical for a rule‐based monetary policy is the presence of a long‐run stable money‐demand function, rather than a short‐run money‐demand model that may exhibit instability for many reasons, including problems with estimating a money‐demand model with high‐frequency data. Provided that a stable money‐demand function exists, it could be useful to establish long‐run equilibrium relations among money, output, prices, and exchange rates, as the classical monetary theory suggests. Within this analytical framework, this paper addresses the question of whether money has any role in the conduct of monetary policy in Australia. The conventional wisdom is that the money‐demand function in Australia has been unstable since the mid‐1980s due to financial deregulation and reforms; this led to a change in the strategy of monetary policy for price stability in the form of inflation targeting that ignores money insofar as inflation and its control are concerned. This paper reports empirical findings for Australia, obtained from a longer quarterly data series over the period 1960Q1–2015Q1, which suggest that instability in the narrow‐money‐demand function in Australia was primarily due to the exclusion of variables which have become important in the deregulated environment since the 1980s. These findings are confirmed by an expanded form of the narrow‐money‐demand function that was found stable over the past two decades, although it experienced multiple structural breaks over the study period. The paper draws the conclusion that abandoning the monetary aggregate as an instrument of monetary policy in Australia, under a rule‐based monetary policy such as inflation targeting, cannot be justified by instability in the money‐demand function or even by lack of a causal link between money supply growth and inflation.
Social collateral, dynamic incentives, and joint liability in a two‐step trust game: Lending to the unbankable
Authors: Barboza Gustavo 
Published: April 2019

AbstractAsymmetric information and lack of collateral creates a suboptimal allocation of financial resources to those in most need. When uncollateralised borrowers approach financial institutions, the presence of moral hazard and adverse selection results in no lending. Conversely, group‐lending contracts—joint liability, dynamic lending, and social cost for defaulting—control for information asymmetries and create a co‐operative trust game between borrowers leading to an undominated optimal strategy to repay, and therefore, for the lender to Give. Group lending proves superior to typical individual borrowing and lending when no collateral is available. Social collateral and trust are fundamental pieces of the successful work of MicroFinance. Resulting contracts and correspondent payoffs are Pareto efficient.
Race performance following epiglottic entrapment surgery in Thoroughbred yearlings
Authors: Curtiss A. L. , Aceto H. , Embertson R. M. 
Published: April 2019

SummaryBackgroundEpiglottic entrapment can occur in yearling Thoroughbreds (TB); however, race performance following surgical correction is unknown.ObjectivesTo determine the race performance of horses treated surgically for epiglottic entrapment as yearlings as compared to an untreated cohort. A second objective was to identify risk factors for treated horses not racing post‐operatively.Study designRetrospective cohort and case–control studies.MethodsMedical (1989–2014) and race records of 66 treatedTBracehorses were reviewed. Observed abnormalities on pre‐ and post‐operative endoscopic images and surgical method were recorded. Race records (EquineLine) were recorded. Racing performance of treated yearlingTBs and two of their maternal half‐siblings, which were used as the untreated cohort, was evaluated in a cohort study. A case–control study was used to investigate risk factors for not racing post‐operatively among treated horses. Quarterly starts and earnings were compared to an untreated cohort. Survival analysis was used to assess career longevity. Rates of racing and earnings were compared between groups using Poisson and negative binomial regression respectively. Associations between clinical variables and not racing post‐surgery were evaluated using logistic regression.ResultsSixty‐six treated horses were identified, 65 of which had at least one half‐sibling. Proportions of horses that raced were similar for treated and maternal cohorts (70.0 vs. 70.8%, P = 0.9). Treated horses performed similarly to untreated horses. In treated horses, epiglottic entrapment with abnormal right arytenoid movement was associated with never racing (OR15.40, 95%CI1.64–144.23, P = 0.02). More females were affected by epiglottic entrapment than males (47/66 vs. 19/66 respectively, P<0.001).Main limitationsThe retrospective design over a prolonged period of time with cases obtained from a single hospital population. Low case numbers likely influenced the outcome of the multivariable analysis.ConclusionsThoroughbred racehorses treated in their yearling year for epiglottic entrapment had no differences in performance variables compared to their untreated cohort. Epiglottic entrapment with abnormal right arytenoid movement might decrease odds of racing post‐operatively.
Broader niches revealed by fossil data do not reduce estimates of range loss and fragmentation of African montane trees
Authors: Ivory Sarah J. , Russell James , Early Regan , Sax Dov F. 
Published: April 2019

AimThe climate tolerances of many species are broader than those estimated from current native ranges. Indeed, the niches of some Afromontane trees are up to 50% larger after incorporation of fossil data. This expansion could reduce estimates of species' future range loss owing to climate change but also implies strong non‐climatic limitations on species' current ranges. One such limitation is land use, which fossil data suggest influences Afromontane tree distribution, preventing these trees from occupying warmer conditions than they do currently. We aimed to assess the degree to which the broader climatic tolerances revealed by fossil data buffer projected range loss from climate and land use for Afromontane trees.LocationAfrica.Time periodLast 21,000 years.Major taxa studiedAfromontane trees.MethodsWe used species distribution models informed by both current and fossil distributions to project future ranges under climate and land‐use projections.ResultsWe found that projected range reductions are only slightly ameliorated by incorporation of fossil distributions, and these improvements diminish further under severe land‐use or climate change scenarios. Taxa that are less impacted by climate are more impacted by intense land use. Depending on the severity of climate and land use, the geographical extent of Afromontane tree species' ranges will contract by 40–85%, and the trees will be completely lost from large portions of Africa. We projected that the surviving species' ranges will become increasingly fragmented.Main conclusionsMaintaining Afromontane ecosystems will require mitigation of both climate and land‐use change and protection of areas to optimize connectivity. Our findings caution that species with climate tolerances broader than their current range might not necessarily fare better under strong changes in climate or land use.
Small mammals have big tails in the tropics
Authors: Alroy John 
Published: April 2019

AbstractAimThe aim was to test whether large‐scale patterns of variation in the bodily proportions of small mammals relate to latitude and climate.LocationThe New World.Time periodCurrent.Major taxa studiedMarsupials, lipotyphlans and rodents.MethodsDistributional, morphological and phylogenetic data were compiled for 149 faunal samples including 360 species of New World small mammals. Phylogenetic autocorrelation was addressed using phylogenetic generalized least squares regression.ResultsThe faunal data show that tails are systematically larger in the tropics relative to head and body lengths. Furthermore, the data for individual species demonstrate a negative relationship between tail length and the distance of the midpoint of a geographical range from the equator. Hind foot and ear length also decline at high latitudes, but the relationships are much weaker. Allen's rule states that all extremities, including ears, feet and tails, should be larger at low latitudes because heat loss is not a limiting factor. However, no correlation between any measurement and mean annual temperature is found in two major groups (cricetid rodents and didelphid marsupials) or in all mammals combined.Main conclusionsAllen's rule does not apply at the macroevolutionary scale, and a new one does. Given that long tails stabilize movement between tree branches and are better suited for being prehensile, this rule might relate to increasing arboreality in the tropics.
A consistent species richness–climate relationship for oaks across the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Xu Xiaoting , Dimitrov Dimitar , Shrestha Nawal , Rahbek Carsten , Wang Zhiheng 
Published: April 2019

AbstractAimAlthough the effects of climate on species richness are known, regional processes may lead to different species richness–climate relationships across continents resulting in species richness anomalies, especially for tropical groups. Phylogenetic niche conservatism may also influence species richness–climate relationships of different lineages. Here, we tested whether regional effects also exist for temperate lineages using the genus Quercus.LocationNorthern Hemisphere.Time periodPresent day.Major taxa studiedQuercus (Fagaceae).MethodsWe used a dated phylogeny and distribution data for Quercus to evaluate its global species richness patterns and phylogenetic niche conservatism. To evaluate the consistency in species richness–climate relationships across continents of the genus Quercus as a whole and the temperate subgenus Quercus, we conducted analyses of covariance with continent as the categorical variable and climate variables as the covariate. We calibrated four widely used models using the global data or data from each continent separately and evaluated the predictive power of each model for different continents using the root mean squared error.ResultsThe relationships between species richness and climate were not significantly different among continents for both the genus Quercus as a whole and the subgenus Quercus. Unlike the models based on European data, those based on North American and eastern Asian data predicted both the global species richness and the richness in other continents. The species richness of a subtropical subgenus Cyclobalanopsis was most influenced by water availability, while that of a temperate subgenus Quercus was most influenced by environmental temperature.Main conclusionsIn contrast to the subtropical subgenus Cyclobalanopsis, our results showed a consistent richness–climate relationship and absence of regional effects on species richness across continents for the temperate subgenus Quercus, likely suggesting that the species richness of temperate lineages, for example subgenus Quercus, may have reached equilibrium with the contemporary climate in the Northern Hemisphere.
Fermentation and chemical composition of high‐moisture lucerne leaf and stem silages harvested at different stages of development using a leaf stripper
Authors: Sikora Miranda C. , Hatfield Ronald D. , Kalscheur Kenneth F. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractLucerne (Medicago sativa L.) requires four or more cuttings at early bud stage per growing season to optimize the amount of crude protein and digestible fibre for feeding high‐producing dairy cows. However, there is potential to generate a nutrient‐dense feed from lucerne regardless of developmental stage by harvesting its protein‐rich leaves separate from its fibrous stems. In order to determine whether fractionated lucerne can be effectively ensiled under high‐moisture conditions and be nutritionally competitive with wilted whole‐plant silage, leaf and stem fractions, harvested at three developmental stages (early bud, 10%–20% bloom and >50% bloom), were directly ensiled in mini‐silos. At day 0, 1, 3, 21 and 140 of ensiling, silages were analysed for protein and non‐protein nitrogen fractions as well as their fermentation products and carbohydrate composition. Silages from unwilted leaves and stems were more heterofermentative than wilted whole‐plant silages; their fermentation shifted from primarily lactic acid to acetic acid production after 21 days. In leaf silages, the high degree of protein degradation into non‐protein nitrogen (~55%) was most likely due to fermentation quality. Nevertheless, at 140 days of ensiling, leaf silages had 21%–25% higher (p < 0.01) available protein (peptide amino acids, soluble and insoluble protein) content than wilted whole‐plant silages, regardless of developmental stage. Achievement of a more rapid pH decline and improved fractionation may further increase the nutritional value of leaf silages.
Spasmolytic polypeptide‐expressing metaplasia associated with higher expressions of miR‐21, 155, and 223 can be regressed by Helicobacter pylori eradication in the gastric cancer familial relatives
Authors: Kuo Hsin‐Yu , Chang Wei‐Lun , Yeh Yi‐Chun , Cheng Hsiu‐Chi , Tsai Yu‐Ching , Wu Chung‐Tai , Lin Sheng‐Hsiang , Yang Hsiao‐Bai , Lu Cheng‐Chang , Sheu Bor‐Shyang 
Published: April 2019

AbstractBackground and aimsSpasmolytic polypeptide‐expressing metaplasia (SPEM) is a preneoplastic gastric cancer lesion related to epigenetic microRNA (miRNA) expression. This study elucidated whether Helicobacter pylori‐infected first‐degree relatives of patients with gastric cancer (GCF) are susceptible to have SPEM and correlated with miR‐21, 155, and 223 expressions. We also validated whether SPEM and these miRNAs can be regressed after H pylori eradication.MethodsWe prospectively enrolled 148 GCF and 148 nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD) subjects without gastric cancer familial history as controls. Each case had received a panendoscopy to determine H pylori status and gastric histology, including SPEM. The cases with SPEM were followed after H pylori eradication to determine SPEM regression. The total RNA was extracted to analyze tissues miR‐21, 155, and 223 before and after eradication.ResultsGCF subjects had a higher prevalence of H pylori infection (73% vs 32%) and SPEM (42% vs 14%, P < 0.01) than controls. The tissue miR‐21, 155, and 223 in antrum were higher in cases with SPEM than in those without SPEM (P <= 0.05). There was similar SPEM reversibility after H pylori eradication between GCF subjects and controls (72% vs 69%, P = 0.852). In the SPEM regressed cases, tissue miR‐21, 155, and 223 decreased after H pylori eradication (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe H pylori‐infected GCF subjects were prone to have SPEM with higher tissues miR‐21, 155, and 223 expressions. H pylori eradication can result in a 70% SPEM regression, accompanied by a decline in miR‐21, 155, and 233 expression levels.
Systematic review: Would susceptibility‐guided treatment achieve acceptable cure rates for second‐line Helicobacter pylori therapy as currently practiced?
Authors: Baylina Mireia , Muñoz Neus , Sánchez‐Delgado Jordi , López‐Góngora Sheila , Calvet Xavier , Puig Ignasi 
Published: April 2019

AbstractBackgroundSusceptibility‐guided treatment has been proposed as a way to improve Helicobacter pylori eradication rates. Evidence on its efficacy for rescue therapy is very scarce. The aim of this study was to indirectly assess the applicability and effectiveness of susceptibility‐guided treatment by evaluating (a) the rate of acceptance of endoscopy, (b) its success in detecting resistances, and (c) infection cure rates in patients harboring strains found to be susceptible to the antibiotics administered in clinical trials in which the efficacy of second‐line treatments was reported.MethodsA systematic review of studies evaluating second‐line H pylori treatment was carried out in multiple databases. Studies reporting antibiotic susceptibility evaluation and/or cure rates in patients harboring sensitive and resistant strains were selected. Data were extracted in duplicate.ResultsThe systematic review identified 36 eligible studies. Acceptance was evaluated in only one study of 60 patients, of whom only 38 agreed to endoscopy. Among the 2890 patients who received endoscopy and culture, resistances were finally determined in 86.5%. Cure rate was 72.5% in the 113 patients harboring a clarithromycin‐susceptible strain after previous clarithromycin treatment, 93.5% in the 765 patients harboring a metronidazole‐susceptible strain, and 83.8% in the 192 patients harboring a levofloxacin‐susceptible strain. No studies with repeated administration of levofloxacin or metronidazole were found.ConclusionEven if the culture shows a clarithromycin‐sensitive strain, repeating clarithromycin after a first failure should be discouraged. Susceptibility‐guided treatment alone did not achieve adequate cure rates for rescue therapies. Additional measures are needed to design rescue treatments that consistently achieve excellent cure rates.
SEQUENTIAL EXPERT ADVICE: SUPERIORITY OF CLOSED‐DOOR MEETINGS
Authors: Bag Parimal K. , Sharma Tridib 
Published: April 2019

AbstractTwo career‐concerned experts sequentially give advice to a Bayesian decision maker (D). We find that secrecy dominates transparency, yielding superior decisions for D. Secrecy empowers the expert moving late to be pivotal more often. Further, (i) only secrecy enables the second expert to partially communicate her information and its high precision to D and swing the decision away from first expert's recommendation; (ii) if experts have high average precision, then the second expert is effective only under secrecy. These results are obtained when experts only recommend decisions. If they also report the quality of advice, fully revealing equilibrium may exist.
Intralesional radiofrequency treatment for venous lake
Authors: Poonia Kavita , Kumar Anand , Thami Gurvinder P. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractBackgroundVenous lakes are asymptomatic, cosmetically unacceptable vascular malformations commonly present over the lips. Most of the lesions do not warrant any therapeutic intervention.ObjectiveWe herein report a 20‐year‐old male patient with venous lake who was treated using intralesional radiofrequency (RF) by modified insulated intravenous cannula as an extended probe.MethodsAn RF ablation was performed under local infiltration anesthesia using intravenous infusion cannula as an extended insulated probe to deliver current.ResultsThe venous lake was obliterated immediately post‐procedure with minimal inflammatory change. It showed good cosmetic results with minimal scarring and no recurrence at 18 months of follow‐up.ConclusionsIntralesional RF using modified insulated probe is a useful alternative treatment and may be considered to treat small venous lakes.