bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Genetic Programming–Based Model for Colloid Retention in Fractures
Authors: Yosri Ahmed , Siam Ahmad , El‐Dakhakhni Wael , Dickson‐Anderson Sarah 
Published: January 2019

AbstractUnderstanding the behavior of colloids in groundwater is critical as some are pathogenic while others may facilitate or inhibit the transport of dissolved contaminants. Colloid behavior in saturated fractured aquifers is governed by the physical and chemical properties of the groundwater‐particle‐fracture system. The interaction between these properties is nonlinear, and there is a need for a mathematical model describing the relationship between them to advance the mechanistic understanding of colloid transport in fractures and facilitate modeling in fractured environments. This paper coupled genetic programming and linear regression within a multigene genetic programming framework to develop a robust mathematical model describing the relationship between colloid retention in fractures and the physical and chemical parameters that describe the system. The data employed for model development and validation were collected from a series of 75 laboratory‐scale colloid tracer experiments conducted under a range of conditions in three laboratory‐induced discrete dolomite fractures and their epoxy replicas. The model sufficiently reproduced the observed data with coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.92 and 0.80 for model development and validation, respectively. A cross‐validation demonstrated the model generality to 86% of the observed data. A variance‐based global sensitivity analysis confirmed that attachment is the primary retention mechanism in the systems employed in this work. The model developed in this study provides a tool describing colloid retention in factures, which furthers the understanding of groundwater‐particle‐fracture system conditions contributing to the retention of colloids and can aid in the design of groundwater remediation strategies and development of groundwater management plans.
Topical Ambroxol 20% for the Treatment of Classical Trigeminal Neuralgia – A New Option? Initial Clinical Case Observations
Authors: Kern Kai‐Uwe , Schwickert‐Nieswandt Myriam , Maihöfner Christian , Gaul Charly 
Published: January 2019

BackgroundTrigeminal neuralgia is difficult to treat and shows upregulation of sodium channels. The expectorant ambroxol acts as a strong local anesthetic, about 40 times stronger than lidocaine. It preferentially inhibits the channel subtype Nav1.8, expressed especially in nociceptive C‐fibers. It seemed reasonable to try ambroxol for the treatment with neuropathic facial pain unresponsive to other standard options.Material and MethodsMedical records of patients suffering from classical trigeminal neuralgia (n = 5) and successful pain reduction following topical ambroxol 20% cream in addition to standard treatment are reported.ResultsAll patients reported pain attacks with pain intensity between 4 and 10 NRS (numeric pain scale). In all cases they could be triggered, 3 patients reported additional spontaneous pain. Attacks were reduced in all 5 patients. Pain reduction achieved following ambroxol 20% cream was 2–8 points (NRS) earliest within 15–30 minutes and lasted for 4–6 hours mostly. This was reproducible in all cases; in one case pain was eliminated after 1 week. No patient reported side effects or skin changes; oral medication was reduced in 2 patients.ConclusionFor the first time, a clinically significant pain relief following topical ambroxol 20% cream in patients with trigeminal neuralgia is reported. In view of the positive side effect profile, topical ambroxol for patients with such a highly impaired quality of life should be investigated further as a matter of urgency.
Management earnings forecasts and bank loan contracting
Authors: Hsieh Tien‐Shih , Song Byron Y. , Wang Ray R. , Wang Xinlu 
Published: January 2019

AbstractWe find that firms tend to issue management earnings forecasts and convey good news before bank loan initiation. Issuing firms enjoy more favorable contracting terms and attract more lenders. Management forecasts issuance within a nine‐month period prior to the loan activating quarter can lower the subsequent loan spread by 14.06 basis points. Moreover, firms with larger management forecast errors are charged harsher contracting terms and attract fewer lenders. Our study suggests that firms strategically issue management earnings forecasts before entering into debt contracts and lenders incorporate the information contained in management earnings forecasts into bank loan contracting.
Contrasting genetic structure of sympatric congeneric gastropods: Do differences in habitat preference, abundance and distribution matter?
Authors: Wort Edward J. G. , Chapman Mark A. , Hawkins Stephen J. , Henshall Lucy , Pita Alfonso , Rius Marc , Williams Suzanne T. , Fenberg Phillip B. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractAimThe relationship of population genetics with the ecology and biogeography of species may be explored by comparing phenotypically similar but ecologically different congeners with overlapping ranges. We compared genetic differentiation between two congeneric rocky intertidal gastropods across a major portion of their sympatric range. We hypothesized that the habitat generalist with high abundance and continuous distribution would exhibit comparatively less genetic differentiation than the habitat specialist with low abundance and a fragmented distribution.LocationNorth‐east Atlantic from the north‐west Iberian Peninsula to southern British coastline.TaxonGastropoda, Trochidae, Steromphala (formerly Gibbula).MethodsField surveys were conducted to assess the presence/absence and the abundance of Steromphala umbilicalis (generalist) and S. pennanti (specialist) at 23 localities along ~1,800 km coastline. We isolated polymorphic microsatellite markers for both species (seven loci for S. umbilicalis and eight for S. pennanti) and used these to genotype 187 S. umbilicalis and 157 S. pennanti individuals. We used standard population genetic analyses to compare patterns of genetic differentiation between species in relation to the field surveys.ResultsSteromphala pennanti showed a more fragmented distribution, significantly lower abundance, and greater genetic differentiation than S. umbilicalis. One S. umbilicalis population towards the north of the range (southern Britain) was genetically distinct from all other sampled populations. Steromphala pennanti showed greater genetic differentiation between three southern localities, which may be attributable to its fragmented distribution and lower abundance because of limited availability of its preferred fucoid habitat in this region. We also suggest that oceanographic currents could be associated with regional genetic structure.Main conclusionsThe habitat generalist showed high‐local abundances, continuous distribution and low regional genetic differentiation. We found the opposite pattern for the habitat specialist. Our study highlights the importance of considering ecological (e.g. abundance, habitat preferences) and abiotic variables (e.g. ocean currents and temperature) for understanding differences in genetic structure of sympatrically distributed congeners.
The practice of glycaemic control in intensive care units: A multicentre survey of nursing and medical professionals
Authors: Fernández‐Méndez Rocío , Harvey Daniel John Roberton , Windle Richard , Adams Gary George 
Published: January 2019

AbstractAims and objectivesTo determine the views of nurses and physicians working in intensive care units (ICU) about the aims of glycaemic control and use of their protocols.BackgroundEvidence about the optimal aims and methods for glycaemic control in ICU is controversial, and current local protocols guiding practice differ between ICUs, both nationally and internationally. The views of professionals on glycaemic control can influence their practice.DesignCross‐sectional, multicentre, survey‐based study.MethodsAn online short survey was sent to all physicians and nurses of seven ICUs, including questions on effective glycaemic control, treatment of hypoglycaemia and deviations from protocols’ instructions. STROBE reporting guidelines were followed.ResultsOver half of the 40 respondents opined that a patient spending <75% admission time within the target glycaemic levels constituted poor glycaemic control. Professionals with more than 5 years of experience were more likely to rate a patient spending 50%–74% admission time within target glycaemic levels as poor than less experienced colleagues. Physicians were more likely to rate a patient spending <50% admission time within target as poor than nurses. There was general agreement on how professionals would rate most deviations from their protocols. Nurses were more likely to rate insulin infusions restarted late and incorrect dosage of rescue glucose as major deviations than physicians. Most professionals agreed on when they would treat hypoglycaemia.ConclusionsWhen surveyed on various aspects of glycaemic control, ICU nurses and physicians often agreed, although there were certain areas of disagreement, in which their profession and level of experience seemed to play a role.Relevance to clinical practiceDiffering views on glycaemic control amongst professionals may affect their practice and, thus, could lead to health inequalities. Clinical leads and the multidisciplinary ICU team should assess and, if necessary, address these differing opinions.
The Life Course Health Development Model: A theoretical research framework for paediatric delirium
Authors: Kalvas Laura Beth 
Published: January 2019

AbstractAims and objectivesTo create a framework for future research through application and critique of the Life Course Health Development Model to the phenomenon of paediatric delirium.BackgroundDelirium in the paediatric intensive care unit is associated with increased duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay and mortality. Nurses are uniquely positioned at the bedside to identify, prevent and treat delirium. An understanding of the potential long‐term consequences of paediatric delirium is necessary to provide impetus for nursing research and practice change. The Life Course Health Development Model is a valuable tool when considering the multiple mechanisms and processes through which the experience of delirium could affect a child's life trajectory.DesignCritical review of the literature through application and critique of the Life Course Health Development Model in the context of paediatric delirium. Gaps in the current understanding of paediatric delirium, as well as future directions for research and practice, are discussed.MethodsThe seven core principles of the model are considered in the context of paediatric delirium. Each of the principles has the potential to further understanding of paediatric delirium and identify areas for future inquiry. This discussion leads to a critique of the ability of the model to lead future research and practice change.ConclusionsThe Life Course Health Development Model depicts a process in which the acute and severe stress of critical illness leads to maladaptive neurologic changes that contribute to the development of delirium and impair a child's life trajectory.Relevance to clinical practiceBy emphasising the potential lifelong consequences for critically ill children who experience delirium, this application of the Life Course Health Development Model will stimulate discussion, research and practice change among paediatric clinicians and researchers.
Use of rare‐earth elements in the phyllosphere colonizer Methylobacterium extorquens PA1
Authors: Ochsner Andrea M. , Hemmerle Lucas , Vonderach Thomas , Nüssli Ralph , Bortfeld‐Miller Miriam , Hattendorf Bodo , Vorholt Julia A. 
Published: January 2019

SummaryUntil recently, rare‐earth elements (REEs) had been thought to be biologically inactive. This view changed with the discovery of the methanol dehydrogenase XoxF that strictly relies on REEs for its activity. Some methylotrophs only contain xoxF, while others, including the model phyllosphere colonizer Methylobacterium extorquens PA1, harbor this gene in addition to mxaFI encoding a Ca2+‐dependent enzyme. Here we found that REEs induce the expression of xoxF in M. extorquens PA1, while repressing mxaFI, suggesting that XoxF is the preferred methanol dehydrogenase in the presence of sufficient amounts of REE. Using reporter assays and a suppressor screen, we found that lanthanum (La3+) is sensed both in a XoxF‐dependent and independent manner. Furthermore, we investigated the role of REEs during Arabidopsis thaliana colonization. Element analysis of the phyllosphere revealed the presence of several REEs at concentrations up to 10 μg per g dry weight. Complementary proteome analyses of M. extorquens PA1 identified XoxF as a top induced protein in planta and a core set of La3+‐regulated proteins under defined artificial media conditions. Among these was a REE‐binding protein that is encoded next to a gene for a TonB‐dependent transporter. The latter was essential for REE‐dependent growth on methanol indicating chelator‐assisted uptake of REEs.
The BiZiFED project: Biofortified zinc flour to eliminate deficiency in Pakistan
Authors: Ohly H. , Broadley M. R. , Joy E. J. M. , Khan M. J. , McArdle H. , Zaman M. , Zia M. , Lowe N. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractZinc deficiency is a global public health problem, affecting ~17% of the world's population, with the greatest burden in low‐ and middle‐income countries. An increasing body of evidence suggests that biofortification may be a cost‐effective and sustainable approach to reducing zinc and other micronutrient deficiencies. Biofortification enhances the nutritional quality of food crops through conventional plant breeding techniques and agronomic practices. This paper presents ongoing research on biofortification in Pakistan, where over 40% of women are zinc deficient. The Biofortified Zinc Flour to Eliminate Deficiency (BiZiFED) project aims to investigate the impact of biofortification as a strategy to alleviate zinc deficiency in Pakistan. The project is supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Global Challenges Research Fund from May 2017 to April 2019. This paper outlines the four objectives and work packages within the BiZiFED project: (1) a double‐blind, randomised controlled trial to examine the effect of consuming flour made from a high zinc variety of biofortified wheat (Zincol‐2016/NR‐421) on dietary zinc intake and status; (2) a cost‐effectiveness study to assess the health and economic impact of agronomic biofortification of wheat; (3) a mixed methods study to explore the cultural acceptability and sustainability of biofortification in Pakistan; (4) capacity building and development of long‐term research partnerships in Pakistan. The findings will contribute to the evidence base for the potential impact of biofortification to alleviate zinc deficiency among the poorest communities.
A qualitative study about the experiences of ethnic minority pregnant women with gestational diabetes
Authors: Dayyani Ida , Terkildsen Maindal Helle , Rowlands Gillian , Lou Stina 
Published: January 2019

BackgroundGestational diabetes mellitus demands rapid health behaviour changes for the pregnant woman to obtain stable blood glucose levels. In Denmark, the general incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus is about 3%, but more than 4.5% among non‐Western immigrants and descendants. Women belonging to ethnic minorities may be particularly challenged by health behaviour changes due to educational, language and cultural barriers.AimTo explore how non‐Western ethnic minority pregnant women in Denmark experience the hospital‐based information about gestational diabetes mellitus and how they integrate this information into their everyday life. A secondary aim was to investigate how health literacy and distributed health literacy affect this process.MethodsSemistructured, qualitative interviews with 11 women. Thematic analysis was conducted with a special focus on health literacy as analytical approach.ResultsThree themes were identified: Reaction to the diagnosis, Everyday life and Information needs. All women felt sad and worried by the diagnosis. Some struggled to implement the recommended behaviour changes, and many lacked supports from their spouse. The hospital‐based information was positively evaluated, but in some cases, the information was misunderstood. Social networks, language skills, and the ability to seek and assess information were important factors influencing the degree to which the women experienced gestational diabetes mellitus to be a challenge.ConclusionWomen were generally satisfied with the hospital‐based information. Women with low health literacy/poor Danish language skills seem to be most challenged by the diagnosis. Future research should examine ways to organise patient‐centred health care while simultaneously supporting women's opportunity to increase health literacy through, for example social network and the Internet.
High-flow nasal cannula therapy for children with bronchiolitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lin Jilei , Zhang Yin , Xiong Limei , Liu Sha , Gong Caihui , Dai Jihong 
Published: January 2019

ObjectivesTo review the effects and safety of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) for bronchiolitis.MethodsSix electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, CQ VIP Database and Wanfang Data were searched from their inception to 1 June 2018. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) which investigated the effects of HFNC versus other forms of oxygen therapies for bronchiolitis were included.ResultsNine RCTs with 2121 children met the eligibility criteria. There was no significant difference in length of stay in hospital (LOS), length of oxygen supplementation (LOO), transfer to intensive care unit, incidence of intubation, respiratory rate, SpO2 and adverse events in HFNC group compared with standard oxygen therapy (SOT) and nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) groups. A significant reduction of the incidence of treatment failure (risk ratio (RR) 0.50, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.62, p<0.01) was observed in HFNC group compared with SOT group, but there was a significant increase of the incidence of treatment failure (RR 1.61, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.42, p0.02) in HFNC group compared with nCPAP group. In subgroup analysis, LOS was significantly decreased in HFNC group compared with SOT group in low-income and middle-income countries.ConclusionThe systematic review suggests HFNC is safe as an initial respiratory management, but the evidence is still lacking to show benefits for children with bronchiolitis compared with SOT or nCPAP.
ECI-Cache
Authors: Ahmadian Saba , Mutlu Onur , Asadi Hossein 
Published: January 2019

In recent years, high interest in using Virtual Machines (VMs) in data centers and cloud computing has significantly increased the demand for high-performance data storage systems. A straightforward approach to providing a high-performance storage system is using Solid-State Drives (SSDs). Inclusion of SSDs in storage systems, however, imposes significantly higher cost compared to Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). Recent studies suggest using SSDs as a caching layer for HDD-based storage subsystems in virtualized platforms. Such studies neglect to address the endurance and cost of SSDs, which can significantly affect the efficiency of I/O caching. Moreover, previous studies only configure the cache size to provide the required performance level for each VM, while neglecting other important parameters such as cache write policy and request type, which can adversely affect both performance-per-cost and endurance.
In this paper, we propose a new high-Endurance and Cost-efficient I/O caching (ECI-Cache) scheme for virtualized platforms in large-scale data centers, which improves both performance-per-cost and endurance of the SSD cache. ECI-Cache dynamically assigns 1) an efficient cache size for each VM, to maximize the overall performance of the running VMs and 2) an effective write policy for each VM, to enhance the endurance and performance-per-cost of the storage subsystem.
Degree of Queue Imbalance
Authors: Zhou Xingyu , Wu Fei , Tan Jian , Srinivasan Kannan , Shroff Ness 
Published: January 2019

In this paper, we argue that heavy-traffic delay optimality is a coarse metric that does not necessarily imply good delay performance. Specifically, we show that any load balancing scheme is heavy-traffic delay optimal as long as it satisfies a fairly weak condition. This condition only requires that in the long-term the dispatcher favors, even slightly, shorter queues over longer queues. Hence, the empirical delay performance of heavy-traffic delay optimal schemes can range from very good (that of join-shortest-queue) to very bad (arbitrarily close to the performance of random routing).
To overcome this limitation, we introduce a new metric called degree of queue imbalance, which measures the queue length difference between all the servers in steady-state. Given a heavy-traffic delay optimal load balancing scheme, we can characterize the resultant degree of queue imbalance. This, in turn, allows us to explicitly differentiate between good and poor load balancing schemes. Thus, this paper implies that good load balancing should not only be designed to be heavy-traffic delay optimal, but also have a low degree of queue imbalance.
Effect of helium preconditioning on neurological decompression sickness in rats
Authors: Zhang Rongjia , Yu Yongchao , Manaenko Anatol , Bi Hongda , Zhang Ning , Zhang Ling , Zhang Ting , Ye Zhouheng , Sun Xuejun 
Published: January 2019

Decompression sickness (DCS) occurs because of an excessively rapid and extensive reduction of the ambient pressure. Bubble-induced spinal cord ischemia is generally considered as a part of neurological DCS pathogenesis. Because helium preconditioning (HPC) recently demonstrated beneficial properties against ischemic damage, we hypothesized that HPC may decrease the neurological deficits of DCS in rats. Seventy-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a non-HPC group ( n = 25) and a HPC group ( n = 25) and 25 naive animals that were euthanized for histological examination ( n = 5) or anesthetized for baseline somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) recordings ( n = 20). To induce DCS, rats were compressed with air to a pressure of 709 kPa for 60 min and decompressed at a rate of 203 kPa/min. HPC was administered as three episodes of 79% helium-21% oxygen mixture inhalation for 5 min interspersed with 5 min of air breathing. We found that HPC resulted in significantly decreased DCS incidence and delay of DCS onset. HPC also improved animal performance on the grip test after decompression and significantly ameliorated decompression-induced decrease of platelet number. Furthermore, the incidence of abnormal SSEP waves and histological spinal lesions was significantly reduced by HPC. We conclude that HPC can decrease the occurrence of DCS and ameliorate decompression-induced neurological deficits. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Helium preconditioning ameliorates decompression-induced neurological deficits in rats. Helium breathing before air dives may prevent neurological deficit and attenuate symptoms after decompression.