bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Supportive periodontal therapy in moderate‐to‐severe periodontitis patients: A two‐year randomized clinical trial
Authors: Angst Patrícia Daniela Melchiors , Finger Stadler Amanda , Mendez Marina , Oppermann Rui Vicente , van der Velden Ubele , Gomes Sabrina Carvalho 
Published: August 2019

AbstractAimEvaluate supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) consisting of oral prophylaxis with oral hygiene instructions as sole intervention (test) or combined with subgingival instrumentation removing/disrupting the subgingival biofilm (control).Material and MethodsSixty‐two treated periodontitis patients (50.97 ± 9.26 years, 24 smokers) were randomly assigned to receive, every 3 months during 2 years, either test or control treatment. Examination included periodontal probing depth (PPD), bleeding on probing (BOP) and clinical attachment loss (CAL). Generalized estimating equations were used for analyses.ResultsBaseline demographics and smoking were similar between groups. However, at baseline, mean PPD was greater in test group than in control group (2.32 mm vs. 2.17 mm, p = .03), but similar after 2 years (2.23 mm vs. 2.15 mm, respectively). With time, significant PPD and BOP decrease and CAL increase were observed although without significant differences between groups. At sites ≥ 5 mm, PPD decrease was greater in test group than in control group irrespective of sex and smoking habit (p = .034). The distribution of sites gaining or losing attachment ±2 mm was similar between groups.ConclusionOral prophylaxis with oral hygiene instructions alone or in combination with subgingival instrumentation was able to maintain the previously obtained periodontal condition to a comparable extent during 2 years of SPT.
Scoring Stability in a Large‐Scale Assessment Program: A Longitudinal Analysis of Leniency/Severity Effects
Authors: Palermo Corey , Bunch Michael B. , Ridge Kirk 
Published: August 2019

AbstractAlthough much attention has been given to rater effects in rater‐mediated assessment contexts, little research has examined the overall stability of leniency and severity effects over time. This study examined longitudinal scoring data collected during three consecutive administrations of a large‐scale, multi‐state summative assessment program. Multilevel models were used to assess the overall extent of rater leniency/severity during scoring and examine the extent to which leniency/severity effects were stable across the three administrations. Model results were then applied to scaled scores to estimate the impact of the stability of leniency/severity effects on students’ scores. Results showed relative scoring stability across administrations in mathematics. In English language arts, short constructed response items showed evidence of slightly increasing severity across administrations, while essays showed mixed results: evidence of both slightly increasing severity and moderately increasing leniency over time, depending on trait. However, when model results were applied to scaled scores, results revealed rater effects had minimal impact on students’ scores.
Mathematical modeling and effect of drying temperature on physicochemical properties of new commercial grape “Kyoho” seeds
Authors: Sridhar Kandi , Charles Albert L. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractGrape seeds (Kyoho: Vitis labruscana), an agricultural waste with value‐added potential, was investigated for the relationship between its physicochemical properties and drying temperature fitted with four thin layer drying models in a hot air oven. Experimental moisture ratio decreased with an increase in drying temperature; moreover, moisture diffusivity (Deff) ranged from 2.69 ± 1.82 × 10−8 (303.15 K) to 8.68 ± 1.25 × 10−8 (333.15 K) m2/s with activation energy of 33.72 ± 0.76 kJ/mol (R2 = 0.9914). Logarithmic (303.15 K: R2 = 0.9944, 333.15 K: R2 = 1) and Henderson–Pabis (313.15 K: R2 = 0.9611, 323.15 K: R2 = 0.9706) models were the most suitable for predicting experimental drying curves. Drying temperature had significant (p < .001) effects on physicochemical properties of Kyoho seeds except for color (1.36 ± 0.13 to 1.76 ± 0.29) and oil holding capacity (0.70 ± 0.01 to 0.94 ± 0.02 g/g). This study demonstrated the role of drying models to develop grape seed value‐added products.Practical applicationsThe study was conducted to investigate the thin layer drying characteristics of Kyoho seeds at different drying temperatures. Moreover, the effect of drying temperature on physicochemical properties was evaluated. The proposed models should be useful to understand the behavior of drying models and predicted the effect of drying temperature on physicochemical properties. The insights gained from this study may be useful in food processing industries for designing grape seed drying equipment, which may contribute to the development of value‐added products from grape seeds.
Gap junctions coordinate the propagation of glycogenolysis induced by norepinephrine in the pineal gland
Authors: Eugenin Eliseo A. , Valdebenito Silvana , Gorska Anna Maria , Martínez Agustin D. , Bitran Marcela , Sáez Juan C. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractChemical and electrical synapses are the two major communication systems that permit cell‐to‐cell communication within the nervous system. Although most studies are focused on chemical synapses (glutamate, γ‐aminobutyric acid, and other neurotransmitters), clearly both types of synapses interact and cooperate to allow the coordination of several cell functions within the nervous system. The pineal gland has limited independent axonal innervation and not every cell has access to nerve terminals. Thus, additional communication systems, such as gap junctions, have been postulated to coordinate metabolism and signaling. Using acutely isolated glands and dissociated cells, we found that gap junctions spread glycogenolytic signals from cells containing adrenoreceptors to the entire gland lacking these receptors. Our data using glycogen and lactate quantification, electrical stimulation, and high‐performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, demonstrate that gap junctional communication between cells of the rat pineal gland allows cell‐to‐cell propagation of norepinephrine‐induced signal that promotes glycogenolysis throughout the entire gland. Thus, the interplay of both synapses is essential for coordinating glycogen metabolism and lactate production in the pineal gland.
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A rat model of placental inflammation explains the unexplained elevated maternal serum alpha‐fetoprotein associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes
Authors: Hu Jilin , Zhang Jinman , Chan Ying , Zhu Baosheng 
Published: August 2019

AbstractAimIt has been reported in numerous studies that elevated maternal serum alpha‐fetoprotein (MS‐AFP) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO), such as pre‐eclampsia, stillbirth, preterm birth and fetal growth restriction. However, the mechanism linking elevated MS‐AFP and APO is obscure. In this study, we tried to explore the mechanism by using pregnant rats.MethodsLipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce placental inflammation in pregnant rats. Maternal serum and placental inflammatory cytokines and placental morphology were used to assess the level of placental inflammation. The incidences of APO and the levels of MS‐AFP were evaluated. The expressions of alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) in the related organs and fetal serum AFP levels were detected.ResultsCompared to saline‐treated pregnant rats, LPS led to elevated maternal serum and placental inflammatory cytokines and a higher rate of placental inflammation. Lipopolysaccharide resulted in the features of APO and at the same time elevated MS‐AFP. Maternal serum alpha‐fetoprotein levels were significantly correlated to the evaluation parameters of APO. Lipopolysaccharide did not increase the expressions of AFP in fetal liver, maternal liver and placenta, but reduced the fetal serum AFP levels.ConclusionThe phenomenon that elevated MS‐AFP is associated with APO, which has been reported in human pregnancies, is observed in our rat model. Placental inflammation can be the potential cause linking the two manifestations together. Although the source of elevated MS‐AFP is not identified, fetal blood circulation is suspected. Our study may provide an animal model for the future studies on this subject.
Response: How Do We Know What We Know About the Amish and Other Minorities?
Authors: Kraybill Donald B. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractThe appraisal by Cory Anderson, Joseph Donnermeyer, Jeffrey Longhofer, and Steven Reschly (hereafter, appraisers) highlights a methodological divide that is important to the study of the Amish and other ethnic or religious minorities. In my reply, I discuss how my work is rooted in a cultural analytic paradigm that differs from the appraisers’ methodological orientation. My reply includes a deconstruction of the appraisal and a discussion of its “shortcomings.” I conclude by showing how the discourse surrounding this appraisal raises important epistemological questions of how we understand human societies.
Predictors of sustained functional cure in hepatitis B envelope antigen‐negative patients achieving hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance with interferon‐alpha–based therapy
Authors: Li Ming‐Hui , Yi Wei , Zhang Lu , Lu Yao , Lu Hui‐Hui , Shen Ge , Wu Shu‐Ling , Hao Hong‐Xiao , Gao Yuan‐Jiao , Chang Min , Liu Ru‐Yu , Hu Lei‐Ping , Cao Wei‐Hua , Chen Qi‐Qi , Li Jun‐Nan , Wan Gang , Xie Yao 
Published: August 2019

AbstractHepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss is considered a functional cure in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, the durability of HBsAg loss after stopping treatment remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the sustained functional cure achieved by interferon therapy in hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg)‐negative CHB patients. In this prospective study, 176 HBeAg‐negative CHB patients with functional cure were enrolled for 12 weeks of cessation treatment, and treatment information and baseline data were collected. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) biomarkers and clinical biochemical indicators were evaluated every 3 months; liver imaging examinations were performed every 3‐6 months during the 48‐week follow‐up. The sustained functional cure was evaluated. After the 48‐week follow‐up, the sustained functional cure rate was 86.63%. The cumulative rates of HBsAg reversion and HBV DNA reversion were 12.79% and 2.33%, respectively. Consolidation treatment ≥ 12 weeks after HBsAg loss achieved a significantly higher rate of sustained functional cure and significantly lower rate of HBsAg reversion than consolidation treatment < 12 weeks (76.19% vs 90.00%, P = 0.022 and 23.81% vs 9.23%, P = 0.014, respectively). Patients with hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) had higher rate of sustained functional cure than patients achieving HBsAg loss but without HBsAb (89.86% vs 73.53%, P = 0.012). Consolidation treatment ≥ 12 weeks (odds ratio [OR] 16.478; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.135‐127.151; P = 0.007) and high HBsAb levels (OR 8.312; 95% CI, 1.824‐37.881; P = 0.006) were independent predictors of sustained functional cure. Results suggested that 12 weeks of consolidation therapy after HBsAg clearance and elevated HBsAb levels help to improve functional cure.
Long‐term efficacy and safety of peginterferon in the treatment of children with HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Liu Yunhua , Li Hui , Yan Xiaohui , Wei Jia 
Published: August 2019

AbstractAchieving ‘clinical cure’ in children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) with safe and effective antiviral treatment is an unmet medical need. Peginterferon (PegIFN) has higher hepatitis B s antigen (HBsAg) clearance than nucleoside analogs (NUC). Currently, studies on interferon (IFN) in the treatment of Chinese children with CHB are relatively rare. This study aimed to further explore the efficacy of PegIFNα‐2a as an antiviral treatment in Chinese children and analyse the long‐term follow‐up after drug discontinuation. We enrolled 118 patients with CHB (2‐16 years old, 79 cases are males) treated with PegIFNα‐2a by the author in the Third People's Hospital of Kunming City from February 2009 to February 2015. The course of treatment was 52 weeks, with a follow‐up period of 104 weeks. All the patients completed at least 1 dose, of which 104 completed at least 36 weeks of treatment and 104 weeks of follow‐up. During treatment and follow‐up, indicators such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and HBV serological markers were monitored, and the efficacy and safety of PegIFNα‐2a in the treatment of CHB patients were observed. Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) clearance and seroconversion rates were 53.8% and 49%, respectively, when the drug was discontinued; 72.1% and 72.1%, respectively, at the end of the follow‐up; and 98.2% and 98%, respectively, for sustained response. HBsAg clearance and seroconversion rates were 48.1% and 47.1%, respectively, when the drug was discontinued; 53.8% and 52.9%, respectively, at the end of the follow‐up; and 94% and 95.9%, respectively, for sustained response. The HBV DNA suppression rate was 89.4% when the drug was discontinued, 90.4% at the end of the follow‐up and 97.8% for sustained response. Two patients had virological relapse (2.3%) during follow‐up; however, no clinical relapse occurred. Multivariate regression analysis showed that genotype B, weight < 25 kg or between 25 and 45 kg, and reduction of HBsAg by more than 1 log following 24 weeks of treatment were independent predictors of HBsAg clearance at the end of follow‐up. Adverse events that occurred during treatment were similar to those reported in previous clinical studies on PegIFN. The results of this study showed that PegIFN was safe and effective in the treatment of children with CHB, and sustained response could be achieved after treatment. PegIFN treatment of children with CHB helps more achieve ‘clinical cure’.
Long‐term consequences of stopping HBIG and/or nucleotide analogues in liver transplant recipients administered hepatitis B vaccination to prevent HBV reinfection
Authors: Duan Bin‐Wei , Tian Lan‐Tian , Lin Dong‐Dong , Zhang Jing , Guo Qing‐Liang , Wu Ju‐Shan , Zeng Dao‐Bing , Lu Shi‐Chun 
Published: August 2019

AbstractBackgroundThe long‐term administration of nucleotide analogues (NAs) and hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) comprises standard prophylaxis for patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related liver diseases to prevent HBV reinfection after liver transplantation (LT). However, prolonging the prophylaxis strategy involves safety issues, such as the development of escape mutations and/or emerging resistant strains, and is also associated with high costs; further, it remains unclear how long prophylactic treatment should be continued.MethodLiver transplantation recipients responding to hepatitis B vaccination due to HBV‐related liver diseases were retrospectively analysed after stopping HBIG and/or NAs, administered to prevent HBV reinfection, after long‐term follow‐up. The safety and effectiveness of the strategy were then evaluated for these responders.ResultSeventy‐eight responders were enrolled. All responders discontinued HBIG, among which 36 stopped both HBIG and NAs. During follow‐up, four recipients experienced HBV reinfection, which was associated with HBV escape mutations, after the withdrawal of both HBIG and NAs. No death or graft loss occurred in recipients during the follow‐up period.ConclusionA careful withdrawal of HBIG and/or NAs is feasible and safe for responders to hepatitis B vaccination receiving transplants for HBV‐related liver diseases.
Modelling the survival of Listeria monocytogenes strains in soft lactic cheese following acid and salt stress exposures
Authors: Sibanda T. , Buys E.M. 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
This study evaluated the survival responses of Listeria monocytogenes strains (individually and mixed) in a soft lactic cheese following acid and salt stress exposures. The Weibull and log-linear with tail models were used to predict the survival responses of the pathogen in the cheese stored at 4°C for 15 days. Both models showed a good prediction accuracy for stressed L. monocytogenes cells (Af = 1·00) and higher prediction errors (Af = 1·12−1·14) for nonstressed cells. The inactivation rates (δ (d) and kmax (d−1)) were significantly lower (P &lt; 0·05) for cells subjected to stress exposure indicating the enhanced tolerance to food stress. However, while enhanced tolerance appeared to be the main effect of stress pre-exposure, in one susceptible strain (69), stress exposure led to higher rates of inactivation. When introduced into the food as mixed strains, one strain out-lived others and remained as the sole survivor. Such strains that perhaps have a predilection for the food environment can provide more cautious estimates of kinetic parameters for predicting L. monocytogenes responses in foods especially if their stress-hardened tolerant cells are used.

Significance and Impact of the Study
The ability to predict the growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes in contaminated RTE foods is essential for listeriosis risk assessment. The results of this study provided valuable information on the kinetic parameters of survival of some L. monocytogenes strains found within the South African food environment. In addition to showing differences in the survival responses among strains, the study also showed the importance of the pre-contamination state of the cells in influencing survival kinetics.
Conveying emphasis for intensity: Lexical and syntactic strategies
Authors: Beltrama Andrea , Trotzke Andreas 
Published: August 2019

AbstractEmphasis is a widely investigated notion in linguistics. In this article, we focus on emphasis for intensity, a general linguistic strategy whereby linguistic objects are given prominence by virtue of being selected from the upper range of a scale. We consider two linguistic domains where emphasis for intensity can be observed: the lexical domain, where it is conveyed via a variety of intensifiers, and the domain of syntax, where it can be conveyed via different types of non‐canonical word order. While distinct in many respects, such families of constructions can be seen as conveying a unified effect, raising a number of issues concerning how the relation between emphasis and scalarity is best captured across languages and constructions.
What is the most plausible account of the role of parafoveal processing in reading?
Authors: Andrews Sally , Veldre Aaron 
Published: August 2019

AbstractOnline reading requires exquisitely precise coordination of the oculomotor processes involved in extracting and integrating information from both the word currently fixated in foveal vision and upcoming words in the parafovea. Parafoveal preview effects, assessed using the gaze‐contingent boundary paradigm, provide a rich source of evidence about the extent and depth of processing conducted on upcoming parafoveal words and how it contributes to reading. This review focuses on recent demonstrations of plausibility preview effects which provide strong evidence that readers extract semantic information from parafoveal words and that newly identified words are rapidly and incrementally integrated with the developing representation of the sentence to generate graded predictions about potential plausible continuations. Individual differences in the quality of skilled readers' lexical representations, indexed by the combination of reading and spelling ability, determine how semantic and contextual information extracted from parafoveal words influences oculomotor control. This evidence has important implications for theories of eye‐movement control in online reading.
An acoustic perspective on 45 years of infant speech perception, Part 1: Consonants
Authors: Narayan Chandan R. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractIn this two‐part review, we examine major results from infant consonant (Part 1), vowel, and suprasegmental (Part 2) discrimination research over the past 45 years from an acoustic perspective—an exegesis of the developmental speech perception literature that appeals to both acoustic aspects of speech contrasts and historically relevant typological facts about the sound systems of the world's languages. We argue that infants' speech discrimination abilities are best viewed through a lens that considers both synchronic and diachronic aspects of the particular speech contrast. The key to this approach is the notion that acoustic–perceptual salience, or the relative separation of speech categories along perceptually relevant acoustic dimensions and corresponding discrimination performance in adults, is reflected in both infants perceptual performance and patterns observed in phonological typology and history. The review highlights challenges presented by four decades of literature, identifies broad patterns in infant consonant perception according to the acoustic properties of speech contrasts, and offers linguistically motivated explanations and directions for future research into the nature of young infants' discrimination abilities.
The impact of uncorrected astigmatism on night driving performance
Authors: Black Alex A , Wood Joanne M , Colorado Luisa H , Collins Michael J 
Published: August 2019

AbstractPurposeTo investigate the effect of uncorrected astigmatism on night driving performance on a closed‐road circuit.MethodsParticipants included 10 drivers (mean age 24.4 ± 7.0 years), with low to moderate bilateral astigmatism (0.75–1.50 DC), who were regular contact lens (CL) wearers. Vision and night driving performance were assessed in a cross‐over design with a toric CL and a best‐sphere spherical CL. Binocular visual function measures included photopic and mesopic visual acuity (VA), contrast sensitivity (CS), mesopic motion sensitivity and glare tests (Mesotest® II and Halometer). Night‐time driving performance was assessed on a closed‐road circuit, which included measures of sign recognition, hazard detection and avoidance, pedestrian recognition distances, lane keeping, speed and overall driving score.ResultsCorrection of astigmatism with toric CL significantly improved mesopic VA, photopic and mesopic CS, mesopic motion sensitivity, and reduced glare (p < 0.05), compared to the spherical CL; there were no significant effects of visual correction type on photopic VA. Correction of astigmatism using toric CL resulted in significant improvements in night driving performance, compared to driving with spherical CL, particularly for sign recognition, avoidance of low contrast hazards, increased pedestrian recognition distances and overall driving score (p < 0.05).ConclusionsCorrection of low to moderate levels of astigmatism had significant positive effects on night‐time driving performance and related tests of visual performance. This has important implications for optical corrections to improve night road safety of drivers with astigmatism.