bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Spatial analysis of factors influencing choice of paediatric practice for mothers from low‐income and minority populations
Authors: Goff Sarah L , Garb Jane L , Guhn‐Knight Haley , Priya Aruna , Pekow Penelope S , Lindenauer Peter K 
Published: December 2018

AimPublicly reported quality data theoretically enable parents to choose higher‐performing paediatric practices. However, little is known about how parents decide where to seek paediatric care. We explored the relationship between geographic factors, care quality and choice of practice to see if the decision‐making process could be described in terms of a ‘gravity model’ of spatial data.MethodsIn the context of a randomised controlled trial, we used a geographic information system to calculate flow volume between practice locations and participants' homes, to locate subjects within a census tract, to determine distances between points and to perform exploratory mapping. Generalised linear modelling was then used to determine whether the data fit a gravity model, which is a spatial model that evaluates factors impacting travel from one set of locations to another.ResultsA total of 662 women and 52 paediatric practices were included in the analysis. Proximity of a practice to home was the most important factor in choosing a practice (Z = −15.01, P < 0.001). Practice size was important to a lesser extent, with larger practices more likely to be chosen (Z = 8.96, P < 0.001). A practice's performance on quality measures was associated with choice only for women who had received an intervention to increase use of quality data (Z = 2.51, P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe gravity model and the concept of flow can help explain the choice of paediatric practice in a predominantly low‐income, racially ethnic minority (non‐White) urban population. This has important ramifications for the potential impact of publicly reported quality data.
Morphogenetic theory and the constructivist institutionalist challenge
Authors: Newman Jack 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThis article engages with two meta‐theoretical approaches to social analysis, ‘morphogenetic theory’ and ‘constructivist institutionalism’, and specifically explores how the former fares under the critical scrutiny of the latter. The key proponent of constructivist institutionalism, Colin Hay, has offered two detailed critiques of morphogenesis that criticise its position on the foundational sociological issues of structure‐agency and material‐ideational. Although Hay's critiques are largely rejected in an overall defence of the morphogenetic approach, the process of engagement is seen to be particularly useful for morphogenetic theory because it allows a number of important clarifications to be made and it also opens up space for theoretical development. In the course of this debate, accessible introductions are given to both theories, and the similarities and differences between them are outlined, providing clarity to both. Therefore, although this article ultimately operates as a defence of morphogenetic theory, especially in the form proposed by Margaret Archer and Douglas Porpora, it finds a great deal of fruitful discussion in the constructivist institutionalist challenge.
How does “Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly” work? A Programme Impact Pathways Analysis
Authors: Buccini Gabriela , Harding Kassandra L. , Hromi‐Fiedler Amber , Pérez‐Escamilla Rafael 
Published: December 2018

AbstractBecoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) is an initiative designed to track country readiness and progress to effectively scale up breastfeeding programmes. BBF includes a policy toolbox that has three components: the BBF Index (BBFI), case studies, and a five‐meeting process. Mapping pathways of how BBF was implemented and utilized enables contextually grounded interpretation of its impact on breastfeeding outcomes. We conducted a programme impact pathways (PIP) analysis to identify pathways and critical quality control points (CCPs) by which BBF can enable changes in policy, legislation, and implementation of breastfeeding programmes. A BBF PIP diagram was developed, and CCPs were identified through a literature review and an iterative interviewing process with BBF investigators. The PIP was revised after feedback from BBF's Technical Advisory Group. BBF pretesting in Ghana and Mexico informed the formative evaluation of the PIP. PIP analysis identified relevant pathways between BBF activities and outcomes. Eight CCPs that could facilitate or attenuate BBF to fully impact the scaling up of the breastfeeding programmes were identified: (a) committee formed and trained; (b) committee understands BBF and BBFI; (c) committee's ability to acquire data; (d) BBFI scores; (e) criteria used for prioritizing recommendations; (f) dissemination of recommendations; (g) policymaker's reactions and media coverage; (h) committee's motivation and effective teamwork throughout BBF. Ghana and Mexico's pretesting of BBF confirmed the CCPs and provided valuable insights on potential mechanisms of BBF impacts at the country level. To further validate the PIP, a policy analysis framework is being tested in Ghana and Mexico.
Phylogeography of a widespread lizard complex reflects patterns of both geographic and ecological isolation
Authors: Gray Levi N. , Barley Anthony J. , Poe Steven , Thomson Robert C. , Nieto‐Montes de Oca Adrián , Wang Ian J. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractA primary challenge for modern phylogeography is understanding how ecology and geography, both contemporary and historical, shape the spatial distribution and evolutionary histories of species. Phylogeographic patterns are the result of many factors, including geology, climate, habitat, colonization history and lineage‐specific constraints. Assessing the relative influences of these factors is difficult because few species, regions and environments are sampled in enough detail to compare competing hypotheses rigorously and because a particular phylogeographic pattern can potentially result from different evolutionary scenarios. The silky anoles (Anolis sericeus complex) of Central America and Mexico are abundant and found in all types of lowland terrestrial habitat, offering an excellent opportunity to test the relative influences of the factors affecting diversification. Here, we performed a range‐wide statistical phylogeographic analysis on restriction site‐associated DNA (RAD) markers from silky anoles and compared the phylogeographic patterns we recovered to historical and contemporary environmental and topographic data. We constructed niche models to compare niche overlap between sister lineages and conducted coalescent simulations to characterize how the major lineages of silky anoles have diverged. Our results revealed that the mode of divergence for major lineage diversification events was geographic isolation, resulting in ecological divergence between lineages, followed by secondary contact. Moreover, comparisons of parapatric sister lineages suggest that ecological niche divergence contributed to isolation by environment in this system, reflecting the natural history differences among populations in divergent environments.
OsTSD2‐mediated cell wall modification affects ion homeostasis and salt tolerance
Authors: Fang Chuanying , Li Kang , Wu Yangyang , Wang Dehong , Zhou Junjie , Liu Xiaoli , Li Yufei , Jin Cheng , Liu Xianqing , Mur Luis Alejandro José , Luo Jie 
Published: December 2018

AbstractSalt stress is a major environmental threat to meeting the food demands of an increasing global population. The identification and exploitation of salt adaption mechanisms in plants are therefore vital for crop breeding. We here define the rice mutant (sstm1) whose salt sensitivity was unambiguously assigned to a single T‐DNA insertion through segregational analysis following backcrossing to the wild type line. Insertion was within OsTSD2, which encoded a pectin methyltransferase. The sstm1 and allelic mutants, collectively known as tsd2, displayed higher content of Na+ and lower level of K+ in the shoot, which is likely to lead to reduced salt tolerance. Molecular analysis revealed reduced expression of the genes maintaining K+/Na+ homeostasis in tsd2, including OsHKT1;5, OsSOS1, and OsKAT1. Furthermore, OsTSD2 influenced ion distribution between the hull and the rice seed, which could improve food safety with heavy metal pollution. Amino acid levels tended to be increased in tsd2 mutants, implicating a role of pectin in the regulation of metabolism. Taken together, we have demonstrated an important facet of salt tolerance, which implicated OsTSD2‐mediated cell wall pectin modification as a key component that could be widely applied in crop science.
Near‐IR Photochemistry for Biology: Exploiting the Optical Window of Tissue
Authors: Alabugin Alexander 
Published: December 2018

AbstractPhotoactive molecules enable much of modern biology and biochemistry—a vast library of fluorescent chromophores is used to track and label cellular structures and macromolecules. However, photochemistry is better known to the synthetic or physical organic chemist as a “light switch” that turns on unusual excited‐state reactivity, isomerization, or dynamic adjustment of structure. This review details a rapidly growing approach to biophotochemistry that uses low‐energy near‐IR wavelengths not only for imaging, but also for close spatial control over chemical switching events in biosystems. Emphasis is placed on topics of biomedical interest: release of gaseous biological messengers, uncaging of drugs, nano‐therapeutics, and modification of biomaterials.
Impact of tillage and crop establishment methods on crop yields, profitability and soil physical properties in rice–wheat system of Indo‐Gangetic Plains of India
Authors: Kumar Vivak , Gathala Mahesh Kumar , Saharawat Yashpal S. , Parihar Chiter M. , Kumar Rajeev , Kumar Robin , Jat Mangi Lal , Jat Arjun S. , Mahala Deep M. , Kumar Lalit , Nayak Hari S. , Parihar Muli D. , Rai Vikas , Jewlia Hemraj , Kuri Bhola R. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractConservation agriculture (CA) based onbest‐betcrop management practices may increase crop and water productivity, as well as conserve and sustain soil health and natural resources. In a 2‐year study, we assessed the effects of tillage and crop establishment (TCE) methods on productivity, profitability and soil physical properties in a rice–wheat (RW) system. The sixTCEtreatments were used to study the impact, which are puddled transplanted rice followed by conventionally tilled wheat (CTPR–CTW), direct‐seeded rice on the flat followed by zero‐till wheat (CTDSR–ZTW), zero‐till direct‐seeded rice with residue followed by zero‐till wheat with residue (ZTDSR+R–ZTW+R), transplanted rice after rotavator puddling followed by zero‐till wheat (RTTPR–ZTW), transplanted rice after rotavator puddling followed by rotary till wheat (RTTPR–RTW) and farmer practice rice–wheat (FP–RW). Result of the study revealed that mean rice yield was not significantly affected by differentTCEmethods. Wheat planted withZTDSR+R–ZTW+R gave 30% larger grain yield thanFP‐RW. Overall, among all theTCEtreatments, theRWsystem yields and net returns were maximum underZTDSR+R–ZTW+R. The fastest mean infiltration rate (0.10 cm hr–1) was registered inZTDSR+R–ZTW+R plots, whereas the slowest was inFP‐RWplots (0.05 cm hr–1). Bulk density at 15–20 cm soil depth was least inZTDSR+R–ZTW+R (1.70 Mg m–3) and greatest inFP‐RW(1.73 Mg m–3). Results from this study revealed that conventionally tilled (CT) and transplanting of rice could be successfully replaced by adoption of the profitable doubleZT–RWsystem.
Measuring quantity and function of pneumococcal antibodies in immunoglobulin products
Authors: LaFon David C. , Nahm Moon H. 
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUNDImmunoglobulin replacement therapy is a cornerstone of the treatment of primary immunodeficiencies. Preparations used for replacement therapy are processed by purifying immunoglobulins from large pools of plasma, which were obtained from healthy donors. The constituent antibodies in these products depend on the immune history of the donor pool as well as manufacturing processes that differ among manufacturers. For these reasons various methods have been proposed to examine the levels and function of antibodies to organisms such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, which frequently causes infections in patients with immunodeficiencies. Pneumococcal antibody levels or antibody function can be measured with enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or multiplexed opsonophagocytosis assay (MOPA). Although these assays were developed initially to assess the immunogenicity of pneumococcal vaccines, the techniques have been adapted to evaluate immunoglobulin products as well.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSThis article provides a concise review of the analytic techniques for measuring pneumococcal antibodies and prior studies of immunoglobulin products utilizing these methods.RESULTSStudies utilizing these assays have demonstrated that antibody levels of immunoglobulin products can vary with time, location, and manufacturer.CONCLUSIONSWe highlight current issues and future considerations concerning measurement of pneumococcal antibodies in immunoglobulin products, and the assays used for this purpose.
Overview of antibody‐mediated immunity to S. pneumoniae: pneumococcal infections, pneumococcal immunity assessment, and recommendations for IG product evaluation
Authors: Sorensen Ricardo U. , Edgar J. David M. 
Published: December 2018

Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) strains colonize the nasopharynx and can cause mucosal infections in the upper airway and middle ear, pneumonias, and invasive infections like bacteremia, sepsis, and meningitis. Over 90 serotypes, defined by the structure of their capsular polysaccharides, are known. Twenty‐three of these serotypes cause most infections and several of these serotypes can develop antibiotic resistance.Susceptibility factors that increase the susceptibility to S. pneumoniae mucosal and invasive infections include all forms of primary and secondary antibody deficiencies. Many patients affected by one of these deficiencies benefit from the regular administration of human gamma globulin (IgG) preparations.Donors of plasma units used to prepare human IgG have varying concentrations of IgG antibodies against relevant S. pneumoniae serotypes. These antibodies are developed in response to colonization and common subclinical infections and by routine vaccination with S. pneumoniae polysaccharide vaccines. The presence of an adequate concentration of these protective antibodies against all prevalent serotypes needs to be determined to assure the effectiveness of human IgG.All presently available methods to assess IgG antibodies against S. pneumoniae capsular polysaccharides have advantages and pitfalls that are analyzed in this review.
In vitro testing does not provide a complete or necessarily accurate measurement of the effectiveness of antibodies in vivo. For regulatory purposes, caution needs to be used in the interpretation of currently available assays that measure pneumococcal antibody levels. Monitoring S. pneumoniae infections in patients treated with IgG and tracing information about IgG lots used to treat these patients should be encouraged.
Capability and need: A framework for understanding why states create sovereign wealth funds
Authors: Eldredge Cody D. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractOver the past half‐century, roughly one‐quarter of states in the international system have created sovereign wealth funds (SWFs). As a case of sovereign states investing public wealth mostly in private markets across borders, it is not altogether clear why SWFs have proliferated to this extent. What explains their spread in recent decades? In this paper, I build on a multidisciplinary literature that conceives of SWFs as a type of insurance against external risk and argue that middle economic powers that are highly exposed in global trade and capital markets are the states most likely to establish these institutions. Such states possess both the capability to create an SWF of a size sufficient to insure against risk and the need for the insurance function of a SWF by virtue of their relatively vulnerable position in the global economy. To evaluate my argument, I rely on a data set consisting of all states in the international system from 1950 to 2012 including the 48 SWFs created during that period. I find that middle economic powers with high degrees of trade and capital openness are the states most likely to create SWFs.
International survey on the impact of parasitic infections: frequency of transmission and current mitigation strategies
Authors: Leiby David A. , O'Brien Sheila F. , Wendel Silvano , Nguyen Megan L. , Delage Gilles , Devare Sushil G. , Hardiman Anthony , Nakhasi Hira L. , Sauleda Silvia , Bloch Evan M. ,   for the WPTTID Subgroup on Parasites
Published: December 2018

Background and ObjectivesGlobally, blood safety interventions have been successful in mitigating risk of the major transfusion‐transmitted (TT) viruses. However, strategies that address risk from parasites are comparatively limited. TT parasites are often regional in nature, posing unique challenges; we sought to understand their impact on blood safety.Materials and MethodsAn electronic questionnaire was distributed to transfusion medicine leaders in 100 countries. The survey focused on specific questions pertaining to four parasitic diseases: babesiosis, Chagas, leishmaniasis and malaria. Respondents provided data on historical TT cases, local epidemiology, policies to mitigate risk and an assessment of public health perceptions for each aetiologic agent.ResultsTwenty‐eight (28%) surveys were returned from countries in Europe (n = 13), the Americas (n = 6), Africa (n = 4), Asia (n = 3) and Oceana (n = 2). Historically, no cases of TT leishmaniasis were reported, TT babesiosis was exclusive to Canada and the USA, TT Chagas was limited to the Americas and Spain, while TT malaria was cosmopolitan. Mitigation efforts varied widely; malaria was the most frequently tested parasitic disease. The public's perception of risk for parasitic agents was low, while that of health authorities in endemic countries was higher.ConclusionThe global impact of parasitic infections on blood safety and related mitigation efforts varied widely by parasite epidemiology, test availability, public health priorities and socioeconomic constraints. While parasites continue to pose a risk to blood safety, the successful mitigation of viral risk has elevated the prominence of TT parasites in many locations, thereby requiring consideration of mitigation efforts.
The KV7 channel activator retigabine suppresses mouse urinary bladder afferent nerve activity without affecting detrusor smooth muscle K+ channel currents
Authors: Tykocki Nathan R. , Heppner Thomas J. , Dalsgaard Thomas , Bonev Adrian D. , Nelson Mark T. 
Published: December 2018

Key points
KV7 channels are a family of voltage‐dependent K+ channels expressed in many cell types, which open in response to membrane depolarization to regulate cell excitability.
Drugs that target KV7 channels are used clinically to treat epilepsy. Interestingly, these drugs also cause urinary retention, but it was unclear how.
In this study, we focused on two possible mechanisms by which retigabine could cause urinary retention: by decreasing smooth muscle excitability, or by decreasing sensory nerve outflow.
Urinary bladder smooth muscle had no measurable KV7 channel currents. However, the KV7 channel agonist retigabine nearly abolished sensory nerve outflow from the urinary bladder during bladder filling.
We conclude that KV7 channel activation likely affects urinary bladder function by blocking afferent nerve outflow to the brain, which is key to sensing bladder fullness.
AbstractKV7 channels are voltage‐dependent K+ channels that open in response to membrane depolarization to regulate cell excitability. KV7 activators, such as retigabine, were used to treat epilepsy but caused urinary retention. Using electrophysiological recordings from freshly isolated mouse urinary bladder smooth muscle (UBSM) cells, isometric contractility of bladder strips, and ex vivo measurements of bladder afferent activity, we explored the role of KV7 channels as regulators of murine urinary bladder function. The KV7 activator retigabine (10 μM) had no effect on voltage‐dependent K+ currents or resting membrane potential of UBSM cells, suggesting that these cells lacked retigabine‐sensitive KV7 channels. The KV7 inhibitor XE‐991 (10 μM) inhibited UBSM K+ currents; the properties of these currents, however, were typical of KV2 channels and not KV7 channels. Retigabine inhibited voltage‐dependent Ca2+ channel (VDCC) currents and reduced steady‐state contractions to 60 mM KCl in bladder strips, suggesting that reduction in VDCC current was sufficient to directly affect UBSM function. To determine if retigabine altered ex vivo bladder sensory outflow, we measured afferent activity during simulated transient contractions (TCs) of the bladder wall. Simulated TCs caused bursts of afferent activity that were nearly abolished by retigabine. The effects of retigabine were blocked by co‐incubation with XE‐991, suggesting specific activation of KV7 channels on afferent nerves. These results indicate that retigabine primarily affects urinary bladder function by inhibiting TC generation and afferent nerve activity, which are key to sensing bladder fullness. Any direct inhibition of UBSM contractility is likely to be from non‐specific effects on VDCCs and KV2 channels.
Quantum-inspired minimum distance classification in a biomedical context
Authors: Sergioli Giuseppe , Russo Giorgio , Santucci Enrica , Stefano Alessandro , Torrisi Sebastiano Emanuele , Palmucci Stefano , Vancheri Carlo , Giuntini Roberto 
Published: December 2018

We propose an application of a quantum-inspired version of the Nearest Mean Classifier (NMC) (G. Sergioli, E. Santucci, L. Didaci, J. A. Miszczak and R. Giuntini, A quantum inspired version of the NMC classifier, Soft Comput. 22(3) (2018) 691. G. Sergioli, G. M. Bosyk, E. Santucci and R. Giuntini, A quantum-inspired version of the classification problem, Int. J. Theo. Phys. 56(12) (2017) 3880. E. Santucci and G. Sergioli, Classification problem in a quantum framework, in quantum foundations, probability and information, Proc. Quantum and Beyond Conf., 13–16 June 2016, Vaxjo, Sweden, A. Khrennikov and T. Bourama, Springer-Berlin, Germany, 2018 (in press, 2018). E. Santucci, Quantum minimum distance classifier, Entropy 19(12) (2017) 659.) to a biomedical context. In particular, we benchmark the performances of such a quantum-variant of NMC against NMC and other (nonlinear) classifiers with respect to the problem of classifying the probability of survival for patients affected by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).