bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Roles played by community cadres to support retention in PMTCT Option B+ in four African countries: a qualitative rapid appraisal
Authors: Besada Donela , Goga Ameena , Daviaud Emmanuelle , Rohde Sarah , Chinkonde Jacqueline Rose , Villeneuve Susie , Clarysse Guy , Raphaely Nika , Okokwu Steve , Tumwesigye Nathan , Daries Nathalie , Doherty Tanya 
Published: March 2018

ObjectivesTo explore the roles of community cadres in improving access to and retention in care for PMTCT (prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV) services in the context of PMTCT Option B+ treatment scale-up in high burden low-income and lower-middle income countries.Design/MethodsQualitative rapid appraisal study design using semistructured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) between 8 June and 31 July 2015.Setting and participantsInterviews were conducted in the offices of Ministry of Health Staff, Implementing partners, district offices and health facility sites across four low-income and lower-middle income countries: Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi and Uganda. A range of individual interviews and FGDs with key stakeholders including Ministry of Health employees, Implementation partners, district management teams, facility-based health workers and community cadres. A total number of 18, 28, 31 and 83 individual interviews were conducted in Malawi, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC and Uganda, respectively. A total number of 15, 9, 10 and 16 mixed gender FGDs were undertaken in Malawi, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC and Uganda, respectively.ResultsCommunity cadres either operated solely in the community, worked from health centres or in combination and their mandates were PMTCT-specific or included general HIV support and other health issues. Community cadres included volunteers, those supported by implementing partners or employed directly by the Ministry of Health. Their complimentary roles along the continuum of HIV care and treatment include demand creation, household mapping of pregnant and lactating women, linkage to care, infant follow-up and adherence and retention support.ConclusionsCommunity cadres provide an integral link between communities and health facilities, supporting overstretched health workers in HIV client support and follow-up. However, their role in health systems is neither standardised nor systematic and there is an urgent need to invest in the standardisation of and support to community cadres to maximise potential health impacts.
Risk factors of asthma exacerbation based on asthma severity: a nationwide population-based observational study in South Korea
Authors: Kang Hye-Rim , Song Hyun Jin , Nam Jin Hyun , Hong Sung-Hyun , Yang So-Young , Ju SangEun , Lee Sang Won , Kim Tae-Bum , Kim Hye-Lin , Lee Eui-Kyung 
Published: March 2018

ObjectivesAsthma exacerbation, associated with many risks factors, can reflect management failure. However, little is known about how risk factors are associated with exacerbation, according to asthma severity. We aimed to investigate differences in risk factors in patients with different asthma severity and evaluate whether risk factors differed between frequent exacerbators and patients with single exacerbation.DesignNationwide population-based observational study.SettingKorean National Sample Cohort database.ParticipantsWe included 22 130 adults with asthma diagnoses more than twice (ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth revision) codes J45 and J46) and one prescription for asthma medication from 2010 to 2011.Outcome measuresAsthma exacerbation was defined as having a corticosteroid (CS) burst characterised by a prescription of high-dose oral CS for ≥3 days or one systemic CS injection, hospitalisation or emergency department visit.ResultsAmong severities, history of CS bursts was significantly associated with exacerbation. In mild and moderate asthma, exacerbation was significantly associated with age ≥45 years, being female, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and chronic rhinitis. High medication possession ratio (MPR≥50%), compared with low MPR (<20%) showed adjusted ORs of 0.828 (95% CI 0.707 to 0.971) and 0.362 (0.185 to 0.708) in moderate and severe asthma, respectively. In severe asthma, compared with mild asthma, only allergic rhinitis and history of hospitalisation were strongly associated with exacerbation. When comparing frequent exacerbators to patients with single exacerbation, age ≥45 years, atopic dermatitis, anxiety and history of CS burst were significant risk factors in mild and moderate asthma, whereas no risk factors were significant in severe asthma.ConclusionsDifferent associations between risk factors and asthma exacerbations based on asthma severity suggest that patients with mild asthma require greater attention to their age and comorbidities, whereas those with severe asthma require greater attention to hospitalisation history and drug adherence.
Canadian Child Safety Report Card: a comparison of injury prevention practices across provinces
Authors: Fridman Liraz , Fraser-Thomas Jessica L , Pike Ian , Macpherson Alison K 
Published: March 2018

BackgroundInjury prevention report cards that raise awareness about the preventability of childhood injuries have been published by the European Child Safety Alliance and the WHO. These report cards highlight the variance in injury prevention practices around the world. Policymakers and stakeholders have identified research evidence as an important enabler to the enactment of injury legislation. In Canada, there is currently no childhood injury report card that ranks provinces on injury rates or evidence-based prevention policies.MethodsThree key measures, with five metrics, were used to compare provinces on childhood injury prevention rates and strategies, including morbidity, mortality and policy indicators over time (2006–2012). Nine provinces were ranked on five metrics: (1) population-based hospitalisation rate/100 000; (2) per cent change in hospitalisation rate/100 000; (3) population-based mortality rate/100 000; (4) per cent change in mortality rate/100 000; (5) evidence-based policy assessment.ResultsOf the nine provinces analysed, British Columbia ranked highest in Canada and Saskatchewan lowest. British Columbia had a morbidity and mortality rate that was close to the Canadian average and decreased over the study period. British Columbia also had a number of injury prevention policies and legislation in place that followed best practice guidelines. Saskatchewan had a higher rate of injury hospitalisation and death; however, Saskatchewan’s rate decreased over time. Saskatchewan had a number of prevention policies in place but had not enacted bicycle helmet legislation.ConclusionsFuture preventative efforts should focus on harmonising policies across all provinces in Canada that reflect evidence-based best practices.
Optimal priority and threshold assignment for fixed-priority preemption threshold scheduling
Authors: Hatvani Leo , Afshar Sara , Bril Reinder J. 
Published: March 2018

Fixed-priority preemption-threshold scheduling (FPTS) is a generalization of fixed-priority preemptive scheduling (FPPS) and fixed-priority non-preemptive scheduling (FPNS). Since FPPS and FPNS are incomparable in terms of potential schedulability, FPTS has the advantage that it can schedule any task set schedulable by FPPS or FPNS and some that are not schedulable by either. FPTS is based on the idea that each task is assigned a priority and a preemption threshold. While tasks are admitted into the system according to their priorities, they can only be preempted by tasks that have priority higher than the preemption threshold.
This paper presents a new optimal priority and preemption threshold assignment (OPTA) algorithm for FPTS which in general outperforms the existing algorithms in terms of the size of the explored state-space and the total number of worst case response time calculations performed. The algorithm is based on back-tracking, i.e. it traverses the space of potential priorities and preemption thresholds, while pruning infeasible paths, and returns the first assignment deemed schedulable.
We present the evaluation results where we compare the complexity of the new algorithm with the existing one. We show that the new algorithm significantly reduces the time needed to find a solution. Through a comparative evaluation, we show the improvements that can be achieved in terms of schedulability ratio by our OPTA compared to a deadline monotonic priority assignment.
False-Positive Plasma Genotyping Due to Clonal Hematopoiesis
Authors: Hu Yuebi , Ulrich Bryan C. , Supplee Julianna , Kuang Yanan , Lizotte Patrick H. , Feeney Nora B. , Guibert Nicolas M. , Awad Mark M. , Wong Kwok-Kin , Jänne Pasi A. , Paweletz Cloud P. , Oxnard Geoffrey R. 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Purpose: Plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) genotyping is increasingly used in cancer care, but assay accuracy has been debated. Because most cfDNA is derived from peripheral blood cells (PBC), we hypothesized that nonmalignant mutations harbored by hematopoietic cells (clonal hematopoiesis, CH) could be a cause of false-positive plasma genotyping.
Experimental Design: We identified patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with KRAS, JAK2, or TP53 mutations identified in cfDNA. With consent, PBC DNA was tested using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) or next-generation sequencing (NGS) to test for CH-derived mutations.
Results: We first studied plasma ddPCR results from 58 patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC. Two had KRAS G12X detected in cfDNA, and both were present in PBC, including one where the KRAS mutation was detected serially for 20 months. We then studied 143 plasma NGS results from 122 patients with NSCLC and identified 5 JAK2 V617F mutations derived from PBC. In addition, 108 TP53 mutations were detected in cfDNA; for 33 of the TP53 mutations, PBC and tumor NGS were available for comparison, and 5 were present in PBC but absent in tumor, consistent with CH.
Conclusions: We find that most JAK2 mutations, some TP53 mutations, and rare KRAS mutations detected in cfDNA are derived from CH not tumor. Clinicians ordering plasma genotyping must be prepared for the possibility that mutations detected in plasma, particularly in genes mutated in CH, may not represent true tumor genotype. Efforts to use plasma genotyping for cancer detection may need paired PBC genotyping so that CH-derived mutations are not misdiagnosed as occult malignancy. Clin Cancer Res; 24(18); 4437–43. ©2018 AACR.
See related commentary by Bauml and Levy, p. 4352
GATA6 Regulates Aortic Valve Remodeling, and Its Haploinsufficiency Leads to Right-Left Type Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Authors: Gharibeh Lara , Komati Hiba , Bossé Yohan , Boodhwani Munir , Heydarpour Mahyar , Fortier Megan , Hassanzadeh Romina , Ngu Janet , Mathieu Patrick , Body Simon , Nemer Mona ,   On behalf of the Bicuspid Aortic Valve Consortium
Published: March 2018

Background:
Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), the most common congenital heart defect affecting 1% to 2% of the population, is a major risk factor for premature aortic valve disease and accounts for the majority of valve replacement. The genetic basis and mechanisms of BAV etiology and pathogenesis remain largely undefined.

Methods:

Cardiac structure and function was assessed in mice lacking a
Gata6
allele. Human
GATA6
gene variants were analyzed in 452 BAV cases from the BAV consortium and 1849 controls from the Framingham GWAS (Genome Wide Association Study). GATA6 expression was determined in mice and human tissues using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Mechanistic studies were carried out in cultured cells.

Results:

Gata6
heterozygous mice have highly penetrant right-left (RL)-type BAV, the most frequent type in humans. GATA6 transcript levels are lower in human BAV compared with normal tricuspid valves. Mechanistically,
Gata6
haploinsufficiency disrupts valve remodeling and extracellular matrix composition through dysregulation of important signaling molecules, including matrix metalloproteinase 9. Cell-specific inactivation of
Gata6
reveals an essential role for GATA6 in secondary heart field myocytes because loss of 1
Gata6
allele from
Isl
-
1
-positive cells—but not from endothelial or neural crest cells—recapitulates the phenotype of
Gata6
heterozygous mice.

Conclusions:
The data identify a new cellular and molecular mechanism underlying BAV. The availability of an animal model for the most frequent human BAV opens the way for the elucidation of BAV pathogenesis and the development of much needed therapies.
Improving Community Stroke Preparedness in the HHS (Hip-Hop Stroke) Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Williams Olajide , Leighton-Herrmann Quinn Ellyn , Teresi Jeanne , Eimicke Joseph P. , Kong Jian , Ogedegbe Gbenga , Noble James 
Published: March 2018

Background and Purpose—
Deficiencies in stroke preparedness cause major delays to stroke thrombolysis, particularly among economically disadvantaged minorities. We evaluated the effectiveness of a stroke preparedness intervention delivered to preadolescent urban public school children on the stroke knowledge/preparedness of their parents.

Methods—
We recruited 3070 fourth through sixth graders and 1144 parents from 22 schools into a cluster randomized trial with schools randomized to the HHS (Hip-Hop Stroke) intervention or attentional control (nutrition classes). HHS is a 3-hour culturally tailored, theory-based, multimedia stroke literacy intervention targeting school children, which systematically empowers children to share stroke information with parents. Our main outcome measures were stroke knowledge/preparedness of children and parents using validated surrogates.

Results—

Among children, it was estimated that 1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0%–1%) of controls and 2% (95% CI, 1%–4%;
P
=0.09) of the intervention group demonstrated optimal stroke preparedness (perfect scores on the knowledge/preparedness test) at baseline, increasing to 57% (95% CI, 44%–69%) immediately after the program in the intervention group compared with 1% (95% CI, 0%–1%;
P
<0.001) among controls. At 3-month follow-up, 24% (95% CI, 15%–33%) of the intervention group retained optimal preparedness, compared with 2% (95% CI, 0%–3%;
P
<0.001) of controls. Only 3% (95% CI, 2%–4%) of parents in the intervention group could identify all 4 letters of the stroke FAST (Facial droop, Arm weakness, Speech disturbance, Time to call 911) acronym at baseline, increasing to 20% at immediate post-test (95% CI, 16%–24%) and 17% at 3-month delayed post-test (95% CI, 13%–21%;
P
=0.0062), with no significant changes (3% identification) among controls. Four children, all in the intervention group, called 911 for real-life stroke symptoms, in 1 case overruling a parent’s wait-and-see approach.

Conclusions—
HHS is an effective, intergenerational model for increasing stroke preparedness among economically disadvantaged minorities.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
https://clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01497886.
Steinernema borjomiense n. sp. (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), a new entomopathogenic nematode from Georgia
Authors: Gorgadze Oleg , Fanelli Elena , Lortkhipanidze Manana , Troccoli Alberto , Burjanadze Medea , Tarasco Estachio , De Luca Francesca 
Published: March 2018

Summary
A new species of entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema borjomiense n. sp., was isolated from the body of the host insect, Oryctes nasicornis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), in Georgia, in the territory of Borjomi-Kharagauli. Morphological characters indicate that the new species is closely related to species of the feltiae-group. The infective juveniles are characterised by the following morphological characters: body length of 879 (777-989) μm, distance between the head and excretory pore = 72 (62-80) μm, pharynx length = 132 (122-142) μm, tail length = 70 (60-80) μm, ratio a = 26.3 (23.0-29.3), H% = 45 (40-51), D% = 54 (47-59), E% = 102 (95-115), and lateral fields consisting of seven ridges (eight incisures) at mid-body. Steinernema borjomiense n. sp. was molecularly characterised by sequencing three ribosomal regions (the ITS, the D2-D3 expansion domains and the 18S rRNA gene) and the mitochondrial COI gene. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that S. borjomiense n. sp. differs from all other known species of Steinernema and is a member of the monticolum-group.
Does Host Country Institutional Quality Act as a Differentiator in Intra-regional FDI? Evidence from Selected Asian Economies
Authors: Bhasin Niti , Garg Shilpa 
Published: March 2018

With primary considerations such as trade and investment openness becoming similar for many economies due to globalization, the role of other factors such as institutional environment in promoting investment has captured increasing attention in recent times. In view of the growing importance of Asia as a prospective foreign direct investment (FDI) destination, we employ panel data regression data for 16 Asian economies over the period 2000–2012 to study if institutional quality affects FDI flows and stocks and whether it can act as a differentiator while selecting a location within Asia. Among the institutional variables employed, ‘political stability and absence of violence/terrorism’ were found to be significant determinants revealing the importance of a stable and safe political environment for FDI. However, ‘corruption’ and ‘regulatory inefficiency’ were found to affect FDI inflows positively, indicating the preference of foreign investors for a system where laws can be circumvented easily through corrupt bureaucracy and where regulations are weak or less stringent. JEL: F21, F23, O43, O53
Determinants of FDI in India and Sri Lanka
Authors: Iqbal Badar Alam , Rahman Mohd Nayyer , Yusuf Nadia 
Published: March 2018

Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment has remained an exhaustive endeavour for the researchers and at times it becomes a Pollyanna for policy making. The present piece of research is an attempt to gauge the determinants of FDI for India and Sri Lanka. The plausible determinants are selected for empirical testing such as Market Size, Inflation, Trade Openness and Current Account Balance. Proxy variables are selected in case the determinant is not measured in itself. Augmented Dicky Fuller test (Dicky & Fuller, 1981) is used for checking stationary and for hypotheses testing Ordinary Least Squares Regression is used. JEL: C13, E22, F21, F23
Maternal Dietary Diversity and Growth of Children Under 24 Months of Age in Rural Dodoma, Tanzania
Authors: Huang Megan , Sudfeld Christopher , Ismail Abbas , Vuai Said , Ntwenya Julius , Mwanyika-Sando Mary , Fawzi Wafaie 
Published: March 2018

Objective: To identify predictors of maternal dietary diversity in rural Dodoma, Tanzania and assess its association with child growth outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 361 mothers with children under 24 months of age was conducted in 5 villages in rural Dodoma, Tanzania. Maternal diets were assessed using food frequency questionnaires, and dietary diversity was categorized using Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) guidelines. Child anthropometric measures were taken to calculate height-for-age z-score (HAZ), weight-for-height z-score (WHZ), and weight-for-age z-score (WAZ). Linear and logistic regressions were used to examine the association between maternal dietary diversity and children’s growth outcomes. Results: About 40% of mothers did not consume a diverse diet (MDD-W < 5), and 35% of children were stunted. Household production of greater number of crops was associated with greater MDD-W scores ( P < .01). Greater maternal dietary diversity was associated with significantly greater child WHZ (mean difference = 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10-0.78; P = .01), WAZ (mean difference = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.08-0.65; P = .01), and reduced risk of wasting (odds ratio = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.07-0.66; P = .01). Conclusions: Greater maternal dietary diversity was associated with improved child WHZ and WAZ outcomes. Sustainable interventions to increase maternal dietary diversity may improve WHZ and WAZ in young children in similar settings.
Postnatal dilatation of umbilical cord vessels and its impact on wall integrity: Prerequisite for the artificial placenta
Authors: Peng Jenny , Rochow Niels , Dabaghi Mohammadhossein , Bozanovic Radenka , Jansen Jan , Predescu Dragos , DeFrance Bryon , Lee Sau-Young , Fusch Gerhard , Ravi Selvaganapathy Ponnambalam , Fusch Christoph 
Published: March 2018

Introduction: A lung assist device, which acts as an artificial placenta, can provide additional gas exchange for preterm and term newborns with respiratory failure. The concept of the lung assist device requires a large bore access via umbilical vessels to allow pumpless extracorporeal blood flow rates up to 30 mL/kg/min. After birth, constricted umbilical vessels need to be reopened for vascular access. The objective is to study the impact of umbilical vessel expansion on vessel integrity for achieving large bore access. Methods: Umbilical cords from healthy term deliveries were cannulated and dilatated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty catheters in 1 mm increments from 4 to 8 mm for umbilical artery and from 4 to 15 mm for umbilical vein, n = 6 per expansion diameter. Paraffin-embedded transverse sections of dilated and control samples were HE & Van Gieson stained. Effects of dilatation, shown by splitting, were measured. Results: Umbilical vessel expansion led to concentric splitting, shown by areas devoid of extracellular matrix and nuclei in the tunica intima and media. No radial splitting was observed. Results suggest an expansion threshold of umbilical artery at 6 mm and umbilical vein at 7 mm, while maximal splitting was observed above this threshold (3.6 ± 0.8%, p = 0.043 for umbilical artery 7 mm and 6.3 ± 1.8%, p = 0.048 for umbilical vein 8 mm). Endothelial cell sloughing was present in all dilated samples but not in the control samples. Conclusion: The suggested thresholds for safe expansions are similar to in utero umbilical vessel diameters and demonstrate a proof of concept for attaining large bore access for the lung assist device.