bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Can the POLARS tool accurately predict low anterior resection syndrome in rectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic resection?
Authors: Bogacki Paweł , Krzak Jan , Gach Tomasz , Szwed Wojciech , Szura Mirosław 
Published: October 2019

IntroductionRadical rectal cancer resection can lead to a long-term bowel function impairment known as low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). It remains unclear how to determine which patients are at a higher risk of developing LARS post-surgery. The POLARS tool was designed to predict the onset and severity of LARS in rectal cancer patients after surgery. The study aimed to assess the accuracy of POLARS in predicting the onset of LARS.Material and methodsA total of 66 rectal cancer patients treated laparoscopically between January 2016 and December 2017 were included in this retrospective study. Using POLARS, the predictive value for the occurrence of LARS was documented. During an average 17-month follow-up period, the bowel function of the patients was assessed using the dedicated LARS questionnaire. The predicted and actual scores were then compared.ResultsStudy participants included 36 women (54.5%) and 30 men (45.5%), with a mean age of 62.55 years (standard deviation: 10.2; range: 37–81). The mean predicted score according to POLARS was 24.5 (i.e. category “minor LARS”), and the mean actual score in the follow-up period was 16.42 (“no LARS” category). In only 39% of patients, the predicted LARS category was the same as the actual LARS category assessed by the questionnaire. Worse bowel function than reported at follow-up was predicted in 75% of all mispredictions.ConclusionsPOLARS did not prove to be accurate in predicting the risk and severity of LARS in these patients, although the average numbers appear promising. Further evaluation of the POLARS tool using a larger cohort is needed.
The efficacy of nebivolol on spontaneously hypertensive rats with overactive bladder – an experimental study
Authors: Wróbel Andrzej , Stępniak Anna , Bańczerowska-Górska Małgorzata , Stangel-Wójcikiewicz Klaudia , Czuczwar Piotr 
Published: October 2019

IntroductionOveractive bladder (OAB) is a disease that significantly decreases quality of life. Adverse effects of the drugs currently used in OAB treatment limit their use in patients with hypertension. Nebivolol (a β<sub>1</sub>-adrenergic receptor blocker) is approved for hypertension treatment, but also shows agonistic activity on β<sub>3</sub>-adrenergic receptor, located in the urinary bladder. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of nebivolol on OAB symptoms and cardiovascular parameters in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) – an animal model of OAB and hypertension.Material and methodsFemale Wistar-Kyoto (WHY) and SHR rats were used in the experiments. Nebivolol was administered intra-arterially at a single daily dose of 0.05 mg/kg for 14 days. Subsequently, cystometry and bladder blood flow assessment were performed. Then, 24-hour measurement of heart rate, blood pressure, and urine production was carried out. In addition, the bladders of experimental rats were removed and processed to conduct biochemical analyses.ResultsThe main finding of this study is that the treatment with nebivolol resulted in an improvement of cystometric parameters characteristic for OAB in SHR. Nebivolol normalised blood pressure in SHR, while in WHY the cardiovascular parameters remained unchanged. Biomarkers characteristic for OAB were elevated in SHR compared to WHY, and nebivolol decreased their values in SHR while it had no influence on WHY.ConclusionsNebivolol alleviates OAB symptoms and normalises blood pressure in SHRs. These results suggest that nebivolol may be a useful treatment alternative for OAB patients with pre-existing hypertension.
Rituximab therapy in adults with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome
Authors: Zhong Hongzhen , Li Hong-Yan , Zhou Tianbiao , Weng Wenjuan 
Published: October 2019

IntroductionPatients with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS) suffer frequent relapse with adverse effects caused by long-term prednisolone treatment. Recently, the chimeric monoclonal antibody against the protein CD20 (rituximab – RTX) was observed to be efficacious and safe in the treatment of patients with SDNS. We summarized the scientific literature to evaluate RTX therapy in the clinical management of SDNS.Material and methodsPubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were investigated from interception to 2019-6-6, without language limitation. The analysis was restricted to adults ≥ 19 years of age. Data were administered and analyzed through the Review manager 5.3 software.ResultsAfter RTX treatment, relapse times, prednisolone dose, and proteinuria decreased, whereas serum albumin was increased. The clinical parameters blood pressure and total cholesterol diminished also, whereas bone mineral density was improved. Overall, RTX ameliorated the adverse effects of prednisolone. Moreover, the Th1/Th2 ratio was changed except for the CD19 and CD20 cell counts. Additionally, most of the adverse effects of RTX were mild and well tolerated.ConclusionsIn the studies that we considered, we concluded that RTX treatment was effective and safe in the therapy of patients with SDNS. Nevertheless, more randomized controlled trials are required to explore the mechanism of RTX action and verify its efficacy.
Cross-cultural pilot study on the relationship between study addiction and narcissism among undergraduate students in Poland and India
Authors: Atroszko Paweł Andrzej , Sawicki Artur , Kamble Shanmukh 
Published: October 2019

BackgroundStudy addiction has been suggested as a potential early form of work addiction which is recently gaining increasing attention as a potential behavioural addiction. It was suggested that underlying psychological vulnerabilities can be risk factors for study/work addiction. Previous studies indicated that work addiction could be related to narcissistic personality. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the relationship between study addiction and narcissism in the very distinct cultures of Poland and India.Participants and procedureIn a pen-and-pencil cross-sectional study, the Bergen Study Addiction Scale, Single Item Narcissism Scale, and questions concerning demographics were administered to 1127 undergraduate students in Poland and 292 undergraduate students in India (Karnataka province).ResultsStudy addiction was positively related to narcissistic personality among students in Poland, as well as among students in India. This relationship tended to be stronger in the sample from India, which may reflect the cultural differences; however, the difference was not statistically significant.ConclusionsThese initial results suggest that study addiction is positively related to narcissism, and potentially to a narcissistic personality disorder. Narcissism is a complex construct which has been gaining increasing attention in recent years. More sophisticated studies on its relationship with study and work addiction, especially in a cross-cultural context, are highly warranted.
Stratospheric ozone trends for 1985–2018: sensitivity to recent large variability
Authors: Ball William T. , Alsing Justin , Staehelin Johannes , Davis Sean M. , Froidevaux Lucien , Peter Thomas 
Published: October 2019

Abstract. The Montreal Protocol, and its subsequent amendments, has successfully prevented catastrophic losses of stratospheric ozone, and signs of recovery are now evident. Nevertheless, recent work has suggested that ozone in the lower stratosphere (< 24 km) continued to decline over the 1998–2016 period, offsetting recovery at higher altitudes and preventing a statistically significant increase in quasi-global (60∘ S–60∘ N) total column ozone. In 2017, a large lower stratospheric ozone resurgence over less than 12 months was estimated (using a chemistry transport model; CTM) to have offset the long-term decline in the quasi-global integrated lower stratospheric ozone column. Here, we extend the analysis of space-based ozone observations to December 2018 using the BASICSG ozone composite. We find that the observed 2017 resurgence was only around half that modelled by the CTM, was of comparable magnitude to other strong interannual changes in the past, and was restricted to Southern Hemisphere (SH) midlatitudes (60–30∘ S). In the SH midlatitude lower stratosphere, the data suggest that by the end of 2018 ozone is still likely lower than in 1998 (probability ∼80 %). In contrast, tropical and Northern Hemisphere (NH) ozone continue to display ongoing decreases, exceeding 90 % probability. Robust tropical (>95 %, 30∘ S–30∘ N) decreases dominate the quasi-global integrated decrease (99 % probability); the integrated tropical stratospheric column (1–100 hPa, 30∘ S–30∘ N) displays a significant overall ozone decrease, with 95 % probability. These decreases do not reveal an inefficacy of the Montreal Protocol; rather, they suggest that other effects are at work, mainly dynamical variability on long or short timescales, counteracting the positive effects of the Montreal Protocol on stratospheric ozone recovery. We demonstrate that large interannual midlatitude (30–60∘) variations, such as the 2017 resurgence, are driven by non-linear quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) phase-dependent seasonal variability. However, this variability is not represented in current regression analyses. To understand if observed lower stratospheric ozone decreases are a transient or long-term phenomenon, progress needs to be made in accounting for this dynamically driven variability.
Millennial-scale denudation rates in the Himalaya of Far Western Nepal
Authors: Ojha Lujendra , Ferrier Ken L. , Ojha Tank 
Published: October 2019

Abstract. The Himalayas stretch ∼3000 km along the Indo-Eurasian plate boundary. Along-strike variations in the fault geometry of the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) have given rise to significant variations in the topographic steepness, exhumation rate, and orographic precipitation along the Himalayan front. Over the past 2 decades, the rates and patterns of Himalayan denudation have been documented through numerous cosmogenic nuclide measurements in central and eastern Nepal, Bhutan, and northern
India. To date, however, few denudation rates have been measured in Far
Western Nepal, a ∼300 km wide region near the center of the Himalayan arc, which presents a significant gap in our understanding of
Himalayan denudation. Here we report new catchment-averaged millennial-scale denudation rates inferred from cosmogenic 10Be in fluvial quartz at seven sites in Far Western Nepal. The inferred denudation rates range from 385±31 t km−2 yr−1 (0.15±0.01 mm yr−1) to 8737±2908 t km−2 yr−1 (3.3±1.1 mm yr−1) and, in combination with our analyses of channel topography, are broadly consistent with previously published relationships between catchment-averaged denudation rates and normalized channel steepness across the Himalaya. These data show that the denudation rate patterns in Far Western Nepal are consistent with those observed in central and eastern Nepal. The denudation rate estimates from Far Western Nepal show a weak correlation with catchment-averaged specific stream power, consistent with a Himalaya-wide compilation of previously published stream power values. Together, these observations are consistent with a dependence of denudation rate on both tectonic and climatic forcings, and they represent a first step toward filling an important gap in denudation rate measurements in Far Western Nepal.
Education and public engagement using an active research project: lessons and recipes from the SEA-SEIS North Atlantic Expedition's programme for Irish schools
Authors: Lebedev Sergei , Bonadio Raffaele , Gómez-García Clara , de Laat Janneke I. , Bérdi Laura , Chagas de Melo Bruna , Farrell Daniel , Stalling David , Tirel Céline , Collins Louise , McCarthy Sadhbh , O'Donoghue Brendan , Schwenk Arne , Smyth Mick , Bean Christopher J. ,   the SEA-SEIS Team
Published: October 2019

Abstract. An exciting research project, for example with an unusual
field component, presents a unique opportunity for education and public
engagement (EPE). The adventure aspect of the fieldwork and the drive and
creativity of the researchers can combine to produce effective, novel EPE
approaches. Engagement with schools, in particular, can have a profound
impact, showing the students how science works in practice, encouraging them
to study science, and broadening their career perspectives. The project
SEA-SEIS (Structure, Evolution And Seismicity of the Irish offshore,
https://www.sea-seis.ie, last access: 6 October 2019) kicked off in 2018 with a 3-week expedition on the research
vessel (RV) Celtic Explorer in the North Atlantic. Secondary and primary
school students were invited to participate and help scientists in the
research project, which got the students enthusiastically engaged. In a
nation-wide competition before the expedition, schools from across Ireland
gave names to each of the seismometers. During the expedition, teachers were
invited to sign up for live, ship-to-class video link-ups, and 18 of these
were conducted. The follow-up survey showed that the engagement was not only
exciting but encouraged the students' interest in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and STEM-related careers. With most of
the lead presenting scientists on the ship being female, both girls and boys
in the classrooms were presented with engaging role models. After the
expedition, the programme continued with follow-up, geoscience-themed
competitions (a song-and-rap one for secondary and a drawing one for primary
schools). Many of the programme's best ideas came from teachers, who were
its key co-creators. The activities were developed by a diverse team
including scientists and engineers, teachers, a journalist, and a sound
artist. The programme's success in engaging and inspiring school students
illustrates the EPE potential of active research projects. The programme
shows how research projects and the researchers working on them are a rich
resource for EPE, highlights the importance of an EPE team with diverse
backgrounds and expertise, and demonstrates the value of co-creation by the
EPE team, teachers, and school students. It also provides a template for a
multifaceted EPE programme that school teachers can use with flexibility,
without extra strain on their teaching schedules. The outcomes of an EPE
programme coupled with research projects can include both an increase in the
students' interest in STEM and STEM careers and an increase in the
researchers' interest and proficiency in EPE.
Ubiquitous increases in flood magnitude in the Columbia River
Basin under climate change
Authors: Queen Laura E. , Mote Philip W. , Rupp David E. , Chegwidden Oriana , Nijssen Bart 
Published: October 2019

Abstract. The US and Canada have entered negotiations to modernize the Columbia River Treaty, signed in 1961. Key priorities are balancing flood risk, hydropower production, and improving aquatic ecosystem function while incorporating projected effects of climate change. In support of the US effort, Chegwidden et al. (2017) developed a large-ensemble dataset of past and future daily flows at 396 sites throughout the Columbia River Basin (CRB) and select other watersheds in western Washington and Oregon, generating a large ensemble using state-of-the art climate and hydrologic models. In this study, we use that dataset – the largest now available – to present new analyses of the effects of future climate change on flooding using water year maximum daily flows. For each simulation, flood statistics are estimated from Generalized Extreme Value distributions fit to simulated water year maximum daily flows for 50-year windows of the past (1950–1999) and future (2050–2099) periods. Our results contrast with previous findings: we find that the vast majority of locations in the CRB are estimated to experience an increase in future discharge magnitudes. We show that on the Columbia and Willamette rivers, increases in discharge magnitudes are smallest downstream and grow larger moving upstream. For the Snake River, however, the pattern is reversed, with increases in discharge magnitudes growing larger moving downstream to the confluence with the Salmon River tributary, and then abruptly dropping. We decompose the variation in results attributable to climate and hydrologic factors, finding that climate contributes more variation in larger basins while hydrology contributes more in smaller basins. Equally important for practical applications like flood control rule curves, the seasonal timing of flooding shifts dramatically on some rivers (e.g., on the Snake, 20th century floods occur exclusively in late spring, but by the end of the 21st century some floods occur as early as December) and not at all on others (e.g. the Willamette).
Geologic and geomorphic controls on rockfall hazard: how well do past rockfalls predict future distributions?
Authors: Borella Josh , Quigley Mark , Krauss Zoe , Lincoln Krystina , Attanayake Januka , Stamp Laura , Lanman Henry , Levine Stephanie , Hampton Sam , Gravley Darren 
Published: October 2019

Abstract. To evaluate the geospatial hazard relationships between recent
(contemporary) rockfalls and their prehistoric predecessors, we compare the
locations, physical characteristics, and lithologies of rockfall boulders
deposited during the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence (CES)
(n=185) with those deposited prior to the CES (n=1093). Population
ratios of pre-CES to CES boulders at two study sites vary spatially from ∼5:1 to 8.5:1. This is interpreted to reflect (i) variations in
CES rockfall flux due to intra- and inter-event spatial differences in
ground motions (e.g., directionality) and associated variations in source
cliff responses; (ii) possible variations in the triggering mechanism(s),
frequency, flux, record duration, boulder size distributions, and
post-depositional mobilization of pre-CES rockfalls relative to CES
rockfalls; and (iii) geological variations in the source cliffs of CES and
pre-CES rockfalls. On interfluves, CES boulders traveled approximately 100 to 250 m further downslope than prehistoric (pre-CES) boulders. This is interpreted to reflect reduced resistance to CES rockfall transport due to preceding anthropogenic hillslope de-vegetation. Volcanic breccia boulders are more dimensionally equant and rounded, are larger, and traveled further downslope than coherent lava boulders, illustrating clear geological control on rockfall hazard. In valley bottoms, the furthest-traveled pre-CES boulders are situated further downslope than CES boulders due to (i) remobilization of pre-CES boulders by post-depositional processes such as debris flows and (ii) reduction of CES boulder velocities and travel distances by collisional impacts with pre-CES boulders. A considered earth-systems approach is required when using preserved distributions of rockfall deposits to predict the severity and extents of future rockfall events.
Just Culture
Authors: Haerkens M.H.T.M. , Lindeman-Verhaar P.G.T. 
Published: October 2019

Just Culture
Medische zorg is te beschouwen als een hoogkritisch proces, waarbij de belangen en risico’s voor zowel patiënt als zorgprofessional groot zijn en de zorgverleners geacht worden optimaal te presteren in een steeds complexere multidisciplinaire context. Het is dan ook relevant om te beschouwen welke factoren van invloed zijn op het presteren en falen in het medische domein. Dit artikel beoogt deze materie te belichten vanuit de optiek van het vakgebied Human Factors. Al ligt daarbij de focus op de zorg, ook een parallel met de rechtspraktijk wordt getrokken.
Adapterama II: universal amplicon sequencing on Illumina platforms (TaggiMatrix)
Authors: Glenn Travis C. , Pierson Todd W. , Bayona-Vásquez Natalia J. , Kieran Troy J. , Hoffberg Sandra L. , Thomas IV Jesse C. , Lefever Daniel E. , Finger John W. , Gao Bei , Bian Xiaoming , Louha Swarnali , Kolli Ramya T. , Bentley Kerin E. , Rushmore Julie , Wong Kelvin , Shaw Timothy I. , Rothrock Jr Michael J. , McKee Anna M. , Guo Tai L. , Mauricio Rodney , Molina Marirosa , Cummings Brian S. , Lash Lawrence H. , Lu Kun , Gilbert Gregory S. , Hubbell Stephen P. , Faircloth Brant C. 
Published: October 2019

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of amplicons is used in a wide variety of contexts. In many cases, NGS amplicon sequencing remains overly expensive and inflexible, with library preparation strategies relying upon the fusion of locus-specific primers to full-length adapter sequences with a single identifying sequence or ligating adapters onto PCR products. In Adapterama I, we presented universal stubs and primers to produce thousands of unique index combinations and a modifiable system for incorporating them into Illumina libraries. Here, we describe multiple ways to use the Adapterama system and other approaches for amplicon sequencing on Illumina instruments. In the variant we use most frequently for large-scale projects, we fuse partial adapter sequences (TruSeq or Nextera) onto the 5′ end of locus-specific PCR primers with variable-length tag sequences between the adapter and locus-specific sequences. These fusion primers can be used combinatorially to amplify samples within a 96-well plate (8 forward primers + 12 reverse primers yield 8 × 12 = 96 combinations), and the resulting amplicons can be pooled. The initial PCR products then serve as template for a second round of PCR with dual-indexed iTru or iNext primers (also used combinatorially) to make full-length libraries. The resulting quadruple-indexed amplicons have diversity at most base positions and can be pooled with any standard Illumina library for sequencing. The number of sequencing reads from the amplicon pools can be adjusted, facilitating deep sequencing when required or reducing sequencing costs per sample to an economically trivial amount when deep coverage is not needed. We demonstrate the utility and versatility of our approaches with results from six projects using different implementations of our protocols. Thus, we show that these methods facilitate amplicon library construction for Illumina instruments at reduced cost with increased flexibility. A simple web page to design fusion primers compatible with iTru primers is available at: http://baddna.uga.edu/tools-taggi.html. A fast and easy to use program to demultiplex amplicon pools with internal indexes is available at: https://github.com/lefeverde/Mr_Demuxy.
A
nnwoodia
Authors: Boden Rich , Hutt Lee P. , Rae Alex 
Published: October 2019

Abstract

Ann.wood′i.a. N.L. fem. n.
Annwoodia
, named to honor Dr Ann Patricia Wood (b. 1952), formerly of University of Warwick and King's College London in the UK; British microbial physiologist and taxonomist who first described the type strain and made major contributions to the taxonomy of the “sulfur bacteria” and methylotrophic “
Proteobacteria
”, their physiology and ecology.

Proteobacteria / Betaproteobacteria / Nitrosomonadales / Thiobacillaceae / Annwoodia

Cells are short motile rods. Cytochrome
c
oxidase‐positive and catalase‐positive. Gram‐stain‐negative. Endospores, exospores, and cysts are not produced. Metabolically a facultative chemolithoautotroph, but heterotrophic growth is usually weak and only occurs on complex media. Autotrophic growth supported by reduced sulfur species and elementary sulfur. Carboxysomes are not produced. Uses Form IAq

d
‐ribulose 1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

(
RuBisCO
). Obligately respiratory, with molecular oxygen and nitrate the only known terminal electron acceptors. Ammonium is a nitrogen source but nitrate is not. The only known species is moderately thermophilic, growing at 30–55°C with optimal growth at 45°C. The major respiratory quinone is ubiquinone‐8 (UQ‐8). Dominant fatty acids are C
16:0
and C
16:1
. The G + C fraction of genomic DNA is 65.7 mol%. Has
aa
3
and
cbb
3
cytochrome
c
oxidases and
bd
‐I ubiquinol oxidase.

DNA G + C content (mol
%
)
: 65.68 (based on genome sequence).

Type species
:
Annwoodia aquaesulis
(Wood and Kelly 1988) Boden, Hutt and Rae 2017, 1202
VP
(
Thiobacillus aquaesulis
Wood and Kelly 1995, 418
VP
).