bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Structured Sequence Learning: Animal Abilities, Cognitive Operations, and Language Evolution
Authors: Petkov Christopher I. , ten Cate Carel 
Published: July 2019

AbstractHuman language is a salient example of a neurocognitive system that is specialized to process complex dependencies between sensory events distributed in time, yet how this system evolved and specialized remains unclear. Artificial Grammar Learning (AGL) studies have generated a wealth of insights into how human adults and infants process different types of sequencing dependencies of varying complexity. The AGL paradigm has also been adopted to examine the sequence processing abilities of nonhuman animals. We critically evaluate this growing literature in species ranging from mammals (primates and rats) to birds (pigeons, songbirds, and parrots) considering also cross‐species comparisons. The findings are contrasted with seminal studies in human infants that motivated the work in nonhuman animals. This synopsis identifies advances in knowledge and where uncertainty remains regarding the various strategies that nonhuman animals can adopt for processing sequencing dependencies. The paucity of evidence in the few species studied to date and the need for follow‐up experiments indicate that we do not yet understand the limits of animal sequence processing capacities and thereby the evolutionary pattern. This vibrant, yet still budding, field of research carries substantial promise for advancing knowledge on animal abilities, cognitive substrates, and language evolution.
The impact of tongue dimension on air volume in brachycephalic dogs
Authors: Jones Brittani A. , Stanley Bryden J. , Nelson Nathan C. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractObjectiveTo compare the dimensions and density of the tongue in brachycephalic and mesaticephalic dog breeds and to document the relative extents of the nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal airways occupied by the tongue and palatal tissues.Study designCase control study.AnimalsSixteen brachycephalic dogs and 12 mesaticephalic dogs.MethodsThe volume of the tongue was measured with computed tomography in all dogs. Cross‐sectional areas of tongue, oropharynx, nasopharynx, and palatal soft tissue were evaluated at two levels, the caudal aspect of the hard palate and the level of the hamulae of the pterygoid. Density of the tongue and soft palate were measured. All variables were compared between brachycephalic and mesaticephalic dogs (P≤ .05).ResultsAbsolute tongue volumes did not differ between groups, the volume of the tongue was greater in brachycephalic dogs than in mesaticephalic dogs when expressed relative to (a) body weight (median 5650, interquartile range [IQR] 4833‐6522 vs median 4454, IQR 4309‐4743, respectively), (b) ratio between skull length/width (70 833, IQR 62490‐126 209 vs 48 064, IQR 22984‐64 279, respectively), and (c) skull length (689.93, IQR 618.55‐970.61 vs 460.04, IQR 288.77‐561.69, respectively). The proportion of air (oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal)/soft tissue (tongue and palatal tissue) in brachycephalic dogs was decreased by approximately 60%, and the tongue was approximately 10 times denser in brachycephalic dogs than in mesaticephalic dogs.ConclusionA relative macroglossia was detected in brachycephalic dogs along with reduced air volume in the upper airway. Tongues of brachycephalic dogs were denser than those of mesaticephalic dogs.Clinical significanceThe relative macroglossia in brachycephalic breeds may contribute to upper airway obstruction.
Static Analysis of Suspended Pipes
Authors: Nordgren R. P. , Langner C. G. 
Published: July 2019

Abstract
We analyze a suspended pipe with the application to offshore pipelaying and suspended production risers. Basic equations from the planar theory of elastic rods are reduced to a second-order ordinary differential equation with special end conditions that is solved numerically. Dimensionless results are given for the maximum curvature in the sag portion of the pipe and the slope angle at the upper end of the pipe in the absence of hydrodynamic forces. Both a rigid and a compliant seafloor are treated. We find that tension is highly effective in limiting curvature. A equation is found for the applied tension at the upper end of the pipe. Our results are intended for preliminary design studies that can be followed by more sophisticated analyses.
Improved care and survival in severe malnutrition through eLearning
Authors: Choi Sunhea , Yuen Ho Ming , Annan Reginald , Monroy-Valle Michele , Pickup Trevor , Aduku Nana Esi Linda , Pulman Andy , Portillo Sermeño Carmen Elisa , Jackson Alan A , Ashworth Ann 
Published: July 2019

BackgroundScaling up improved management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) has been identified as the nutrition intervention with the greatest potential to reduce child mortality but it requires improved operational capacity.ObjectiveTo investigate whether an eLearning course, which can be used at scale in resource-poor countries, leads to improved diagnosis, clinical management and survival of children with SAM.DesignA 2-year preintervention and postintervention study between January 2015 and February 2017.SettingEleven healthcare facilities: nine in Ghana, one in Guatemala, and one in El Salvador.InterventionScenario-based eLearning course ‘Caring for infants and young children with severe malnutrition’.Main outcome measuresIdentification of children with SAM, quality of care, case-fatality rate.MethodsMedical record reviews of children aged 0–60 months attending eleven hospitals between August 2014 and July 2016, observations in paediatric wards, and interviews with senior hospital personnel.ResultsPostintervention there was a significant improvement in the identification of SAM: more children had the requisite anthropometric data (34.9% (1300/3723) vs 15.9% (629/3953)) and more were correctly diagnosed (58.5% (460/786) vs 47.1% (209/444)). Improvements were observed in almost all aspects of the WHO ‘Ten Steps’ of case-management, and case-fatality fell from 5.8% (26/449) to 1.9% (14/745) (Post-pre difference=−3.9%, 95% CI −6.6 to −1.7, p<0.001).ConclusionsHigh quality, interactive eLearning can be an effective intervention in scaling up capacity building of health professionals to manage SAM effectively, leading to a reduction in mortality.
Eighty-two per cent of male professional football (soccer) players return to play at the previous level two seasons after Achilles tendon rupture treated with surgical repair
Authors: Grassi Alberto , Rossi Guendalina , D'Hooghe Pieter , Aujla Randeep , Mosca Massimiliano , Samuelsson Kristian , Zaffagnini Stefano 
Published: July 2019

ObjectiveTo evaluate the time to return to playing following acute Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) and surgical repair in professional male football (soccer) players.MethodsProfessional male football (soccer) players who sustained an ATR and underwent surgical repair were identified through internet-based injury reports from January 2008 to August 2018. Only League 1 and 2 players with injuries who had at least 1 year of follow-up from the search date were included. Injury history and time to return to play were retrieved from the public platformtransfermarkt.com. For athletes who competed for at least two seasons after returning to play, re-ruptures and number of matches played were reported.Results118 athletes (mean age 27.2±7.2 years) were included. 113 (96%) returned to unrestricted practice after a mean of 199±53 days, with faster recovery in players involved in national teams. Return to competition was after a mean of 274±114 days. In the 76 athletes with at least two seasons of follow-up, 14 (18%) did not compete at the pre-injury level during the two seasons following the index injury. Six players (8%) sustained a re-rupture within the first two seasons after return to play; four re-ruptures were in footballers who returned to play <180 days after injury. Age >30 years and re-ruptures had higher odds ratios of not returning to the same level of play.Conclusions96% of professional male football players who underwent surgery to repair an ATR returned to unrestricted practice and then competition after an average time of 7 and 9 months, respectively. However, 18% did not return to the same level of play within the two seasons following their return, with a higher risk in those experiencing a re-rupture.
Frequency of self-monitoring of blood glucose in relation to weight loss and A1C during intensive multidisciplinary weight management in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity
Authors: Tomah Shaheen , Mahmoud Noor , Mottalib Adham , Pober David M , Tasabehji Mhd Wael , Ashrafzadeh Sahar , Hamdy Osama 
Published: July 2019

ObjectiveWe evaluated the relationship between frequency of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) and body weight, A1C, and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity enrolled in a 12-week intensive multidisciplinary weight management (IMWM) program.Research design and methodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of 42 patients who electronically uploaded their SMBG data over 12 weeks of an IMWM program and divided them into tertiles based on their average frequency of SMBG per day. Mean (range) SMBG frequencies were 2.3 (1.1–2.9) times/day, 3.4 (3–3.9) times/day, and 5 (4–7.7) times/day in the lowest, middle, and highest tertiles, respectively. Anthropometric and metabolic parameters were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention.ResultsParticipants in the highest tertile achieved a median change (IQR) in body weight of −10.4 kg (−7.6 to −14.4 kg) compared with −8.3 kg (−5.2 to −12.2 kg), and −6.9 kg (−4.2 to −8.9 kg) in the middle and lowest tertiles, respectively (p=0.018 for trend). Participants in the highest tertile had a median change (IQR) in A1C of −1.25% (−0.6 to −3.1%) compared with −0.8% (−0.3% to −2%) and −0.5% (−0.2% to −1.2%) in the middle and lowest tertiles, respectively (p=0.048 for trend). The association between change in body weight and SMBG frequency remained significant after adjusting for age, sex, baseline body mass index, diabetes duration, and use of insulin therapy.ConclusionsIncreased frequency of SMBG during IMWM is associated with significantly better weight loss and improvement of A1C in patients with T2D and obesity. These findings may suggest future clinical recommendations aimed at increasing SMBG frequency to achieve the most favorable outcomes.
Segregation of two variants suggests the presence of autosomal dominant and recessive forms of WFS1-related disease within the same family: expanding the phenotypic spectrum of Wolfram Syndrome
Authors: Lusk Laina , Black Emily , Vengoechea Jaime 
Published: July 2019

BackgroundWFS1 was initially described as causative agent of autosomal recessive (AR) Wolfram syndrome, a childhood-onset disorder involving diabetes, optic atrophy, hearing loss and neurodegenerative features. However, the discovery of autosomal dominant (AD) disorders caused by this gene has resulted in clinical counselling and result interpretation challenges.ObjectiveWe seek to report a family that appears to segregate dominant and recessive forms of WFS1-related disease.Methods/resultsA 19-year-old woman presented with progressive childhood sensorineural hearing loss and recent optic atrophy, with biallelic mutations in WFS1: c.2486T>C (likely pathogenic) and c.2470G>A (uncertain significance). Her A1C was normal. Her sister carried the same variants and had a similar phenotype. Their father carried c.2486T>C and was found to have mild–moderate hearing loss but no optic atrophy or neurological symptoms. The mother carried c.2470G>A and had a normal audiogram and ophthalmological exam. Providing anticipatory guidance for this family was difficult given the phenotypic variability of WFS1-related disorders and the uncertainty surrounding whether the inheritance pattern was AR or AD.ConclusionThe clinical correlation of the variants identified in this family suggests an AR Wolfram-like syndrome, without the typical diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus nor neurological decline. To our knowledge, this is a novel WFS1-related phenotype.
Tobacco control in Nepal during a time of government turmoil (1960–2006)
Authors: Bhatta Dharma , Crosbie Eric , Bialous Stella , Glantz Stanton 
Published: July 2019

BackgroundNepal was a monarchy, then a dictatorship, then a democracy. This paper reviews how tobacco control progressed in Nepal in the context of these changes in government from 1950 through 2006.MethodsWe triangulated tobacco industry documents, newspaper articles and key informant interviews.ResultsUntil 1983, the tobacco industry was mostly state owned. Transnational tobacco companies entered the Nepalese market through ventures with Surya Tobacco Company Private Limited (with Imperial Tobacco Company and British American Tobacco) in 1983 and Seti Cigarette Factory Limited (with Philip Morris International [PMI]) in 1985. Seminars and conferences on tobacco, celebrations of World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) and efforts by WHO helped promote tobacco control in Nepal beginning in the 1970s. Tobacco advocates in Nepal pushed the government to issue executive orders banning smoking in public places in 1992 and tobacco advertising in electronic media in 1998, and to introduce a tobacco health tax in 1993. The tobacco industry lobbied against these measures and succeeded in keeping the tobacco tax low by challenging it in court. Tobacco advocates sued the government in 2003 and 2005, resulting in a June 2006 Supreme Court decision upholding the smoking and advertising bans and requiring the government to enact a comprehensive tobacco control law.ConclusionsPolitical instability, conflict, weak governance and the dictatorship significantly affect tobacco control activities in low-income and middle-income countries. Nepal shows that tobacco control advocates can take advantage of global events, such as WNTD, and use domestic litigation to maintain support from civil societies and to advocate for stronger tobacco control policies.
IntermetallicMPt3(M= Ti, Zr, Hf): Elastic, electronic, optical and thermal properties
Authors: Mitro S. K. , Rahman M. A. , Parvin F. , Islam A. K. M. A. 
Published: July 2019

In this study, the structural and unexplored elastic, electronic, optical and thermal properties of Pt-based alloys MPt3(M = Ti, Hf) and only optical and thermal properties of ZrPt3are subjected to investigation using the method of the first principles. The results of pressure dependence of mechanical and thermal properties are discussed. The electronic band structures and density of state data show metallic conductivity for all the compounds. The main contribution at Fermi level comes from Ti 3d and Zr 4d (for TiPt3and ZrPt[Formula: see text] and Pt 5d (for HfPt[Formula: see text] orbitals.The materials’ optical reflectivity values, relatively high in the IR-visible-UV regions, range from [Formula: see text]62% to 72% in the visible region which show better performance values in comparison to those of some representative materials PtAl2, AuAl2and GdX3(X = In, Sn, Tl, Pb). The unexplored thermal behaviors are also investigated via quasi-harmonic Debye model at T = 0 and P = 0 as well as at elevated temperatures and pressures. In addition, when used as bonding materials, studied intermetallics with moderately high thermal expansion coefficients can match other substrates.This coupled with the estimated thermal conductivities (k[Formula: see text]) compared to several other species indicate that the intermetallics can be used in applications, such as thermal barrier coatings (TBC). This study has thus indicated possible alternative candidates for high-temperature applications which would initiate further research and development on the intermetallics under study.
Cost Allocation in Common Facilities Sharing
Authors: Briata Federica , Fragnelli Vito 
Published: July 2019

Briata, F. and Fragnelli, V. [2017] Free-riding in common facility sharing, in Transaction on Computation Collective Intelligence XXVII, pp. 129–138. dealt with the inefficiency and the free-riding situations that may arise from sharing the maintenance cost of a facility among its potential users and from dividing the cost of a check to assess who the users are among the agents that asked for it.They introduced two mechanisms for reducing the free-riding behaviors and considered the possibility that the check provides also information on the level at which the facility is used by each agent. In this paper, we improve the profitability of the check, introducing a TU-cost game for determining the quota of the total cost assigned to each agent in order to satisfy as many agents as possible. Two solutions are proposed and analyzed and the balancedness of the TU-cost game is studied and characterized.
Serum PD-1 Is Elevated after Pembrolizumab Treatment but Has No Predictive Value
Authors: Music Milena , Iafolla Marco A.J. , Ren Annie He , Soosaipillai Antoninus , Prassas Ioannis , Diamandis Eleftherios P. 
Published: July 2019

Abstract
Immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) uses antibody targeting of specific inhibitory receptors and ligands. The major limitations of ICB, such as high cost, limited success rate, and immune-related adverse events (irAE), highlight the need for predictive biomarkers. We analyzed pre-immunotherapy and post-immunotherapy serum samples of 24 patients treated with pembrolizumab for changes in PD-1 and over 1,000 additional protein markers using a multiplex proximity extension assay (PEA) to identify potential predictive biomarkers of response and/or toxicity. Candidates were selected based on the criteria that at least 2 patients within any of 3 patient groups (responders without irAEs, responders with irAEs, or nonresponders with irAEs) had either a ≥4-fold increase or 4-fold decrease in expression post-immunotherapy. Female and male control samples were used as technical duplicates. A patient group with no response and no irAEs was used to exclude candidates. Following treatment with pembrolizumab, there was a relative increase of PD-1 in the serum of all patients, compared with controls (average 4.4-fold). We identified 7 additional serum proteins that met our candidate selection criteria. These candidate markers did not have any significant association with response or toxicity to pembrolizumab. Overall, we show that serum PD-1 increases post-therapy with pembrolizumab treatment but has no predictive value for response or toxicity in this small set of patients.
The Effect of Sulforaphane on the Activity and Mineralization of Osteoblasts under Oxidative Stress
Authors: Chen Qiaofeng , Wu Shanpeng , Lu Tianxiang , Chen Jie , Xu Zhitong , Chen Jianting 
Published: July 2019

Sulforaphane (SFN) is considered an antioxidant agent, but the biological effects on hypoxia-treated osteoblasts remain unclear. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate the effects of SFN on the activity and mineralization of osteoblasts in hypoxia. Osteoblasts were treated with hypoxia with or without SFN, and apoptosis was assayed with caspase 3 Activity Assay Kit and flow cytometer. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured with DCFH-DA. The levels of glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulphide were determined by the o-phthalaldehyde fluorimetric assay. Mineralization of Osteoblasts was detected by Alizarin red staining and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, and the relative proteins levels were examined by Western blotting. Our results showed that SFN reduced the hypoxia-mediated apoptosis and ROS levels in osteoblasts. The utilization of SFN improved the inhibitory effect of osteoblast mineralization by hypoxia. Additionally, the effect of alleviating hypoxia by SFN will be an increase in osteoblast activity. These findings clarify the effects of SFN on hypoxia-treated osteogenesis and will help identify novel therapeutic strategies for the protection of skeletal health.
High-Flux versus High-Retention-Onset Membranes: In vivo Small and Middle Molecules Kinetics in Convective Dialysis Modalities
Authors: Cordeiro Isis S.F. , Cordeiro Lilian , Wagner Carolina S. , Araújo Luiza Karla R.P. , Pereira Benedito J. , Abensur Hugo , Elias Rosilene M. , Silva Bruno C. 
Published: July 2019

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD) exhibit increased levels of uremic toxins, which are associated with poor outcomes. Recently, new dialysis membranes have allowed clearance of solutes with higher molecular weight, without significant albumin losses high-retention-onset-HD (HRO-HD). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Prospective crossover trial, in which 16 prevalent patients switched from high-flux HD (HF-HD) to online hemodiafiltration (olHDF) and HRO-HD for 4 weeks. The following variables were evaluated: pre- and post-dialysis serum concentrations of albumin, urea, phosphate (P), beta-2 microglobulin (β<sub>2</sub>M), and total mass (TM) extraction and dialyzer clearance of urea, P, and β<sub>2</sub>M. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Comparing HF-HD, olHDF, and HRO-HD, respectively, there were no differences regarding pre-dialysis serum concentrations of albumin (3.94 ± 0.36, 4.06 ± 0.22, and 3.93 ± 0.41 g/dL, <i>p</i> = 0.495), urea (166 ± 29, 167 ± 30, and 164 ± 27 mg/dL, <i>p</i> = 0.971), P (4.9 ± 2.1, 5.2 ± 1.6, and 4.9 ± 2.1 mg/dL, <i>p</i> = 0.879), and β<sub>2</sub>M (31.3 ± 7.1, 32.6 ± 8.6, and 33.7 ± 5.9 µg/mL, <i>p</i> = 0.646). β<sub>2</sub>M clearance was significantly lower in HF-HD in comparison to both olHDF and HRO-HD: 43 (37–53) versus 64 (48–85) mL/min, <i>p</i> = 0.013, and 69 (58–86) mL/min, <i>p</i> = 0.015, respectively. Post-dialysis β<sub>2</sub>M serum concentration was higher in HF-HD in comparison to olHDF and HRO-HD: 11.6 (9.6–12.4) vs. 5.7 (4.5–7.0) µg/mL, <i>p</i> = 0.001, and 5.6 (5.3–7.6) µg/mL, <i>p</i> = 0.001, respectively. TM extraction of urea, P, and β<sub>2</sub>M were similar across the 3 dialysis modalities. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> olHDF and HRO-HD were superior to HF-HD regarding β<sub>2</sub>M clearance, leading to lower post-dialysis β<sub>2</sub>M levels.
Generating Rhythmic Graphic Patterns and Paul Klee’s Concept of the Active Line
Authors: Maden Seçkin 
Published: July 2019

Abstract
Most studies that investigate auditory influence on visual design scenarios disregard the inherent temporal nature of sonic entities. This article addresses problems posed in the interaction of multiple data types—e.g. the visual representation of musical data—and the ways in which one type of information may shape another in simultaneous generations. The author’s proposed method for analogy takes advantage of the structural organization behind several rhythmic sequences to generate visual geometric patterns in which the temporal characteristics of the former affect the spatial features of the latter. The structural analysis of auditory rhythms shows that similar cyclical organizations also exist in their geometric correspondents.