bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lactobacillus reuteri reduces bone loss in older women with low bone mineral density: a randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind, clinical trial
Authors: Nilsson A. G. , Sundh D. , Bäckhed F. , Lorentzon M. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractBackgroundThe importance of the gut microbiome for bone metabolism in mice has recently been demonstrated, but no studies are available in humans. Lactobacillus reuteri ATCCPTA 6475 (L. reuteri 6475) has been reported to increase bone mineral density (BMD) in mice but its effect on the human skeleton is unknown. The objective of this trial was to investigate if L. reuteri 6475 affects bone loss in older women with low BMD.MethodsIn this double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study, women from the population who were 75 to 80 years old and had low BMD were randomized to orally receive 1010 colony‐forming units of L. reuteri 6475 daily or placebo. The predefined primary end‐point was relative change after 12 months in tibia total volumetric BMD (vBMD).ResultsNinety women were included and 70 completed the study. L. reuteri 6475 reduced loss of total vBMD compared to placebo both in the intention‐to‐treat (ITT) analysis [−0.83% (95% confidence interval [CI], −1.47 to −0.19%) vs. −1.85% (95% CI, −2.64 to −1.07%); mean difference 1.02% (95% CI, 0.02–2.03)] and per protocol analysis [−0.93% (95% CI, −1.45 to −0.40) vs. −1.86% (95% CI, −2.35 to −1.36); mean difference 0.93% (95% CI, 0.21–1.65)]. In general, similar but smaller effects were observed in the secondary bone variable outcomes, but these differences did not reach statistical significance in the ITT population. Adverse events did not differ between groups.ConclusionsSupplementation with L. reuteri 6475 should be further explored as a novel approach to prevent age‐associated bone loss and osteoporosis.
International consensus on the assessment of bruxism: Report of a work in progress
Authors: Lobbezoo F. , Ahlberg J. , Raphael K. G. , Wetselaar P. , Glaros A. G. , Kato T. , Santiago V. , Winocur E. , De Laat A. , De Leeuw R. , Koyano K. , Lavigne G. J. , Svensson P. , Manfredini D. 
Published: June 2018

SummaryIn 2013, consensus was obtained on a definition of bruxism as repetitive masticatory muscle activity characterised by clenching or grinding of the teeth and/or by bracing or thrusting of the mandible and specified as either sleep bruxism or awake bruxism. In addition, a grading system was proposed to determine the likelihood that a certain assessment of bruxism actually yields a valid outcome. This study discusses the need for an updated consensus and has the following aims: (i) to further clarify the 2013 definition and to develop separate definitions for sleep and awake bruxism; (ii) to determine whether bruxism is a disorder rather than a behaviour that can be a risk factor for certain clinical conditions; (iii) to re‐examine the 2013 grading system; and (iv) to develop a research agenda. It was concluded that: (i) sleep and awake bruxism are masticatory muscle activities that occur during sleep (characterised as rhythmic or non‐rhythmic) and wakefulness (characterised by repetitive or sustained tooth contact and/or by bracing or thrusting of the mandible), respectively; (ii) in otherwise healthy individuals, bruxism should not be considered as a disorder, but rather as a behaviour that can be a risk (and/or protective) factor for certain clinical consequences; (iii) both non‐instrumental approaches (notably self‐report) and instrumental approaches (notably electromyography) can be employed to assess bruxism; and (iv) standard cut‐off points for establishing the presence or absence of bruxism should not be used in otherwise healthy individuals; rather, bruxism‐related masticatory muscle activities should be assessed in the behaviour's continuum.
Long‐term outcome in patients with acute liver failure
Authors: Putignano Antonella , Figorilli Francesco , Alabsawy Eman , Agarwal Banwari , Jalan Rajiv 
Published: June 2018

AbstractBackground & AimsAcute liver failure patients who meet poor prognostic criteria have high early mortality without emergency liver transplantation. A recent study however, reported that patients that survive spontaneously have a poorer outcome compared with patients undergoing transplantation. In this single centre study, we aimed to confirm or refute this observation.MethodsEarly survivors (acute liver failure patients who survived 90 days after the ICU admission) were assessed for long‐term outcomes in four distinctive cohorts, incorporating aetiology (Acetaminophen overdose or non‐Acetaminophen overdose), and management strategy (conservative or liver transplantation). Chi Squared or Fisher test were used to compare outcomes among the four cohorts (P < 0.05) and Kaplan–Meier curve (Log Rank test) to represent cumulative survival.ResultsTwo hundred consecutive acute liver failure patients between 1990 and 2014 were included; mean age 38.3, ±12.8, male 70, 35%. 124/200 (62%) early survivors were identified; 13/124 (10.5%) acetaminophen patients underwent transplantation and 48/124 (38.7%) survived spontaneously; 36/124 (29.0%) non‐acetaminophen underwent transplantation and 27/124 (21.8%) survived spontaneously. A total of 11/124 (8.9%) died subsequently (median survival 5.3± IQR 9.1), three spontaneous survivors and eight transplanted patients (P = 0.025); of the eight transplanted patients, six died of transplant related complications and two of suicide.ConclusionThe results of this study suggest that although liver transplantation is a life‐saving procedure for acute liver failure patients, they have a worse long‐term outcome compared with spontaneous survivors. Novel therapies to increase the percentage of spontaneous survivors are urgently needed.
Distribution of the plankton assemblages during the winter and summer along the southern coast of the Kerkennah Islands (Tunisia, Eastern Mediterranean Sea)
Authors: Rekik Amira , Ayadi Habib , Elloumi Jannet 
Published: June 2018

AbstractWe studied the distribution of microphytoplankton, ciliates and mesozooplankton in relation to environmental factors in the coastal waters around the Kerkennah Islands. Diatom species were more abundant in winter, representing 74% of the total microphytoplankton abundance, whereas dinoflagellate abundance was higher in summer (58%). Naked ciliates dominated during the winter (73%) and loricate ciliates dominated during the summer (67%). Copepods were the most abundant mesozooplankton group present during the entire period of study, comprising 93%–98% of the total mesozooplankton community. The results indicate that (i) species distribution differed significantly between winter and summer, (ii) environmental factors such as temperature, salinity and nutrients influenced plankton assemblages; and (iii) the highest abundance of several pollution indicator species was due to direct exposure to the polluted coast of Sfax and the effect of tidal asymmetries generating nutrient‐rich inputs from the city.
Health‐related quality of life and health utility of Chinese patients undergoing nocturnal home haemodialysis in comparison with other modes of dialysis
Authors: Wong Carlos K H , Chen Julie Y , Fung Samuel K S , Lo Wai Kei , Lui Sing Leung , Chan Tak Mao , Cheng Yuk Lun , Kong Irene , Wan Eric Y F , Lam Cindy L K 
Published: June 2018

ABSTRACTBackgroundTo compare the health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) and health utility of Chinese patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing nocturnal home haemodialysis (Home HD) against those patients undergoing other modes of dialysis.MethodsChinese ESRD patients undergoing Home HD were recruited in renal specialist outpatient clinics at three public hospitals in Hong Kong. SF‐12 Health Survey (SF‐12) was used to measure HRQOL and generate the SF‐6D heath utility score. Mean scores of SF‐12 domains, physical and mental component summary and SF‐6D health utility of 41 patients undergoing Home HD were compared with available scores of patients receiving other forms of dialysis, namely, peritoneal dialysis (PD) (n = 103), hospital in‐centre HD (n = 135) or community in‐centre HD (n = 118). Adjusted linear regression models were used to examine the impact of mode of dialysis on the HRQOL and health utility scores, accounting for the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.ResultsESRD patients undergoing PD and community in‐centre HD had better health utility, physical and mental component summary scores than the hospital in‐centre HD. Adjusted analysis showed that hospital in‐centre HD reported worse physical component summary and health utility scores when compared with PD and community in‐centre HD.ConclusionHRQOL and health utility scores of patients undergoing Home HD were similar to those undergoing PD and community in‐centre HD. Better physical aspects of HRQOL and health utility was observed in PD and community‐based HD than hospital in‐centre HD, providing evidence for the increase in capacity of non‐hospital‐based HD, which provided flexibility as well as patient centredness and empowerment in Hong Kong.
3D facial soft tissue changes after rapid maxillary expansion on primary teeth: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Fastuca R. , Campobasso A. , Zecca P. A. , Caprioglio A. 
Published: June 2018

Structured AbstractObjectivesThe aim of the present randomized controlled trial (RCT) was therefore the tridimensional evaluation of soft tissue changes after rapid maxillary expansion in growing patients.Setting and Sample PopulationTreated group comprised 17 patients (10 males and 7 females) with a mean age of 9.8 ± 1.2 years, and control group comprised 17 patients (13 males and 4 females) with a mean age of 9.1 ± 2.1 years.Material & MethodsAll patients of the treated group underwent maxillary expansion with Haas‐type expander while patients of the control group underwent no treatment. 3D facial scans were acquired at T1, at the beginning of treatment or observation period, and at T2, 18 months apart. The mean interval between the timepoints was 18.2 ± 0.4 months.ResultsThe main differences between groups were reported in the nasal area. Nasal width (Alr‐All) significantly increased in the treated group compared with the control. The increase in intereye and mouth width in the study group did not show differences with the control group. No significant differences were reported for lips’ protrusion, angular measurements and facial heights between groups. The total nose volume difference was significantly higher in the treated group compared with control, and this result was related mainly to the significant increase in the nasal dorsum volume.ConclusionMaxillary expansion produced significant increase in the nasal base and nasal volumes, but its clinical relevance is still questionable.
Fecal pancreatic elastase‐1 in the evaluation of pancreatic function after pediatric intestinal transplantation
Authors: Kaufman Stuart S. , Zhong Xiaogang Simon , Elsabbagh Ahmed M. , Bailey Dominique , Yazigi Nada A. , Khan Khalid M. , Matsumoto Cal S. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractFat malabsorption is common after SBT. To identify whether anatomic variant transplants differ in occurrence of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency that could contribute to fat malabsorption, we measured FPE repeatedly in 54 recipients of a SBT, ages 6.2 to 320 months. FPE determination most distant from SBT was 6.1 years. Of the 54, 39% received an isolated intestinal graft (native pancreas only), 48% received an en bloc liver‐intestinal‐pancreas graft (native and graft pancreas), and 13% received a multivisceral graft (graft pancreas only). Initial FPE was normal (>200 μg/g) in 15 of the 54 at a median of 22 (11‐61) days after SBT. Recipients of a liver‐intestine‐pancreas transplant were more likely to have normal FPE within 30 days after SBT than were isolated intestinal or multivisceral transplant recipients (47%, 19%, and 0%, respectively, P = .049). Of the remaining 39 patients, 34 eventually demonstrated a normal FPE at a median of 168 (31‐943) days after SBT. Type of SBT did not influence the likelihood of achieving a normal FPE level or time when it occurred. Five (9%) patients failed to achieve normal FPE, including 3 who died within 2 years after SBT. In conclusion, possessing both graft and native pancreas as in transplantation of an en bloc liver‐intestinal‐pancreas graft facilitates early normalization of FPE that eventually occurs in most patients irrespective of transplant type. Failure to recover normal pancreatic function may be associated with severe post‐transplant complications.
Differences in the gene transcription state of Botrytis cinerea between necrotic and symptomless infections of lettuce and Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Emmanuel C. J. , van Kan J. A. L. , Shaw M. W. 
Published: June 2018

Botrytis cinerea can establish long‐lived, symptomless, systemic infections in plant species. It is unclear how the fungus colonizes plant tissues without causing tissue damage and necrosis. Three hypotheses are: (i) the fungus state is similar in the two forms of infection, but the plant defences are more effective, leading to multiple small quiescent centres; (ii) excreted molecules that would trigger plant defences are suppressed; (iii) signal exchanges occur avoiding both extensive host cell death and complete spatial restriction of the pathogen. These hypotheses were tested by comparing transcript levels of a set of B. cinerea genes between symptomless and necrotizing infections. Four genes were analysed that participate in signalling pathways required for virulence, as well as five genes that directly participate in causing host cell death or degrading plant cell wall polysaccharides. In lettuce, necrotic infections on detached leaves (12–48 h after inoculation) had similar gene expression patterns to necrotic infections on leaves 44 days after inoculation of the seedlings. Symptomless infections on leaves that expanded after inoculation of young seedlings had similar fungal gene expression patterns at 14, 24 and 34 days after inoculation, which clearly differed from those in necrotizing infections. In Arabidopsis thaliana, there were differences in gene expression patterns between droplet inoculations on leaves, resulting in necrotic lesions, and symptomless infections in stems and leaves. The fungal gene expression patterns differed in detail between lettuce and A. thaliana. The observations suggest that the physiological state of B. cinerea during symptomless infection is distinct from necrotizing infections.
The impact of natural disasters on children's education: Comparative evidence from Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Cuong Viet , Minh Pham Nguyet 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe study finds a differential impact of different types of natural disasters on education and cognitive ability of children aged 12 to 15 years in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam using a Young Lives data set and child fixed‐effects regression. Floods tend to cause more harmful effects on children's education than droughts, frosts, and hailstorms. Exposure to floods reduces the number of completed grades of children in Ethiopia, India, and Vietnam. For the case of Vietnam, exposure to floods also decreases school enrollment, and cognitive ability scores of children. Although floods do not have a significant effect on children in India, droughts, frosts, and hailstorms have a significantly negative effect on cognitive ability test scores of children. In Peru, the effect of disasters on children's education is small and not statistically significant.
Return to play, performance, and career duration after anterior cruciate ligament rupture: A case–control study in the five biggest football nations in Europe
Authors: Niederer Daniel , Engeroff Tobias , Wilke Jan , Vogt Lutz , Banzer Winfried 
Published: June 2018

A media‐based collection and further analysis of relative return to play (RTP) rates and the corresponding quality of play after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture in top‐level football was the aim of our study. In the 5‐year case–control study, male players from the first two leagues of the five top leagues in Europe, who sustained a total ACL rupture during the season 2010/11 and/or 2011/12, were included. For them and a matched control sample (ratio 1:2), data were retrieved from the publicly available and validated media‐based platforms (transfermarkt.de & whoscored.com) until the end of season 2016/17. Injury and return to play‐specific data were calculated as rate ratios (RR) to compare the injured and matched control athletes rates and as a survival analysis (log‐rank test; career duration). Overall, 132 ACL‐injuries in 125 players occurred. The RTP rate was 98.2%, and the RTP to the same level was 59.4%. Five years post‐RTP, 69.9% of the ACL group were still engaged in football (RR = 87%), 40.9% at the same level (RR = 72%). Survival analysis revealed a systematic group difference in career duration compared to controls (Cox‐Mantel's χ2 = 5.8; P = 0.016). Game performance (scoring points, P < 0.001; rates/number of completed passes, P = 0.048; and minutes played, P < 0.001) was lower in the ACL athletes than in the matching group in the RTP and post‐RTP seasons. Although absolute and relative RTP rates after ACL reconstruction are high in professional football, career duration and game performance are lower than in the reference group.
Parfit's Fission Dilemma: Why Relation R Doesn't Matter
Authors: Pollock Henry 
Published: June 2018

AbstractIn his work on personal identity, Derek Parfit makes two revolutionary claims: firstly, that personal identity is not what matters in survival; and secondly, that what does matter is relation R. In this article I demonstrate his position here to be inconsistent, with the former claim being defensible only in case the latter is false. Parfit intends his famous fission argument to establish the unimportance of identity – a conclusion disputed by, among others, Mark Johnston. My approach is to critically assess their debate, focusing on Johnston'sreductioof Parfit's position. I contend that although Parfit's own response fails, there are other ways to save the fission argument. The unimportance of identity then comes at a cost, however, because thereductiocan only be avoided by accepting either that nothing matters in survival, or else that facts about particles and forces do. Either way, relation R cannot be what matters.
Safe and effective glycaemic control in premature infants: observational clinical results from the computerised STAR-GRYPHON protocol
Authors: Knopp (nee Dickson) Jennifer L , Lynn Adrienne M , Shaw Geoffrey M , Chase J Geoffrey 
Published: June 2018

ObjectivePrevious studies examine clinical outcomes of insulin therapy in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), without first developing safe and effective control protocols. This research quantifies the safety and performance of a computerised model-based control algorithmSTAR-GRYPHON (Stochastic TARgeted Glucose Regulation sYstem to Prevent Hyper- and hypO-glycaemia in Neonates).DesignRetrospective observational study of glycaemic control in very/extremely low birthweight infants treated with insulin from Christchurch Women’s Hospital NICU between January 2013 and June 2017. Blood glucose (BG) outcomes and control performance is compared with retrospective data (n=22) and literature.InterventionsInsulin infusion doses were calculated from 3 to 4 hourly BG measurements using a computerised model-based control algorithm, STAR-GRYPHON.Main outcome measuresMean BG, time in targeted range and incidence of hypoglycaemia.ResultsSTAR-GRYPHON (n=35) had lower mean BG concentration (7.0mmol/L vs 7.9 mmol/L), higher %BG within the 4.0–8.0 mmol/L target range (71.1% vs 50.9%) and lower %BG <4.0 mmol/L (0.6% vs 2.1%). There were only 2 BG <2.6 mmol/L (over n=2, 5.5% of patients, 0.03% of all BG outcomes), one of which may be attributed to clinical error. These results show better control to target and lower incidence of hypoglycaemia than most literature results from intensive insulin therapy protocols or study groups in children and infants.ConclusionsModel-based protocols can safely and effectively control BG in very premature infants and should be used in future studies to determine the effect of insulin therapy on clinical outcomes.
DETECTION AND DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN ALPHA PARTICLES AND PROTONS BASED ON PHONONIC CRYSTALS MATERIALS
Authors: MEHANEY AHMED , EISSA MOSTAFA F. , ALY ARAFA H. 
Published: June 2018

Ionizing particles detection based on phonons counting are considered as a growing research point of great interest. Phononic crystal (PnC) detectors have a higher resolution than other detectors. In the present work, we shall prepare a setup of a radiation detector based on a 1D PnC. The PnC detector can be used in detection and discrimination between protons and alpha particles with incident energy 1[Formula: see text]MeV. We have proposed a model capable of filtering the energies of two different ionizing particles (proton and alpha particle) of specific lattice frequencies in steps. Firstly, the high probability of phonons production was found at transmitted energy 5[Formula: see text]KeV from the whole path of protons and alpha particles through a vertical thin sheet made from Mylar and Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), respectively. The outgoing elastic waves are subjected to propagate through the proposed PnCs structure (Teflon-Polyethylene)2 that shows the different transmission percentage to each particle. Therefore, the detection and discrimination between ionizing ions were achieved.
Shear-zone hosted gold mineralization of the Arabian–Nubian Shield: devolatilization processes across the greenschist–amphibolite-facies transition
Authors: Abu-Alam Tamer , Abd El Monsef Mohamed , Grosch Eugene 
Published: June 2018

Abstract
Orogenic gold ores of the Arabian–Nubian Shield are structurally controlled by the Najd Fault System. The Najd Fault System controlled the exhumation of the metamorphic complexes and, as such, there is a genetic relationship between the metamorphism and the formation of the orogenic gold ores. In order to constrain this genetic relationship, field observations, petrography, geochemistry and fluid inclusions of four mines from the Egyptian side of the shield are presented. The studied gold-bearing dykes and veins are structurally controlled where the gold-bearing fluid precipitated in pre-existing second-order and third-order extensional faults of the major NW–SE Najd Fault System. Fluid inclusions indicate that the gold was precipitated at shallow- to medium-crustal levels, equivalent to a temperature range of 250–350°C, and from low salinity metamorphic fluids, possibly mixed with magmatic/meteoric water. Thermodynamic modelling suggests that gold-bearing fluids were generated due to metamorphic devolatilization processes across the greenschist–amphibolite-facies transition of ophiolitic and metasedimentary source rocks. The Najd Fault System enables the vertical transport of gold-bearing fluids from the source region to the depositional sites. Decreasing the temperature of the fluid is required to precipitate the gold. However, the gold precipitation process needs to be buffered by Fe-bearing wall rocks.