bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary vascular involvement of IgG4-related disease
Authors: Zhou Yong , Shao Lingyan , Ruan Wenjing , Jin Joy , Xu Hangdi , Ying Kejing , Wu Xiaohong 
Published: February 2019

Abstract

Background:
Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a recently recognized, immune-mediated chronic fibrotic inflammation that can involve almost all organs, causing tumefaction and dysfunction. Its presence in pulmonary circulation is underestimated and has not yet been investigated.

Objectives:
We describe a representative IgG4-RD patient with pulmonary artery stenosis and pulmonary embolism, leading to reversible pulmonary hypertension. Literature review of IgG4-RD with pulmonary circulation involvement was conducted.

Data sources:
References for this review were identified through searches via PubMed, EBSCO, and Web of Science for published articles before November 2016.

Results:
There were 15 published cases of IgG4-RD with pulmonary vascular involvement, 3 with pulmonary arteritis, 2 with pulmonary artery aneurysm, 3 with pulmonary artery stenosis, 1 with obliterative phlebitis, and 1 with pulmonary embolism. Possible immunity and inflammation mechanisms were summarized.

Conclusions:
IgG4-RD with pulmonary vascular involvement is rare. Echocardiogram and contrast-enhanced chest CT are helpful to screen the disease. Clinical manifestations were found from asymptomatic to dyspnea or even syncope. And nearly all cases had more than 1 organ affected, with significantly increased serum IgG4 levels. PET/CT aided in identifying affected organs and determining candidate biopsy sites. More awareness is urged to evaluate the pulmonary vascular manifestations of this disease.
Efficacy of methotrexate, doxorubicin, and cisplatin for osteosarcoma
Authors: Tang Qing-xi , Wang Lu-Chuan , Wang Yu , Gao Hong-da , Hou Zhi-ling 
Published: February 2019

Abstract

Background:
This systematic review will address the efficacy and safety of methotrexate, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (MAP) for the treatment of patients with osteosarcoma.

Methods:
We will retrieve the studies from the following 9 electronic databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, MEDLINE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Information, and Wanfang Data. Two independent researchers will screen and select the relevant papers for eligibility after the search strategies have been conducted. All articles up to the present in any language, region will be considered in this study. A systematic review and data synthesis will be performed of randomized controlled trials of MAP for the treatment of patients with osteosarcoma. The primary outcome includes event-free survival. The secondary outcomes consist of overall survival, quality of life, and toxicity. In addition, 2 independent researchers will extract data, and will assess the quality of included studies by using Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results data will be pooled and meta-analysis will be conducted if >2 eligible studies will be included.

Results:
This systematic review will evaluate the efficacy and safety of MAP for the treatment of patients with osteosarcoma.

Conclusion:
The findings of this study will summarize the up-to-date evidence of MAP for osteosarcoma, and may provide the guidance for the clinical practice, as well as the health policy maker.

PROSPERO registration number:
PROSPERO CRD42018120004.
Prognostic value of serum albumin for patients with acute aortic dissection
Authors: Gao Yongli , Li Dongze , Cao Yu , Zhu Xingyu , Zeng Zhi , Tang Li 
Published: February 2019

Abstract
Serum albumin (SA) is associated with inflammation and thrombosis, which are involved in acute aortic dissection (AAD). Our aim was to investigate the effect of SA level on survival in patients with AAD.
We analyzed 777 patients with AAD. The patients were divided into hypoalbuminemia and non-hypoalbuminemia groups according to their AAD Stanford classification. Multivariable Cox regression was used to investigate the association between SA levels and in-hospital mortality in type A and B AAD.
A total of 103 (13.3%) patients died in-hospital. The in-hospital mortality in type A and B patients with hypoalbuminemia was higher compared to those without (type A: 34.2% vs 13.9%, P <.001; type B: 7.9% vs 1.6%, P = .001). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that survival was significantly lower in patients with hypoalbuminemia compared to those without, regardless of AAD type (type A: log-rank χ2 = 14.71; P <.001; Type B: log-rank χ2 = 10.42; P = .001). After adjusting for confounding factors, hypoalbuminemia was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with either type A (HR, 2.492; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.247–4.979; P = .010) or type B (HR, 8.729; 95% CI, 1.825–41.736; P = .007).
SA is independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality in both type A and B AAD.
Drain Management Following Distal Pancreatectomy
Authors: Seykora Thomas F. , Liu Jason B. , Maggino Laura , Pitt Henry A. , Vollmer Charles M. 
Published: February 2019

Objective:
To explore contemporary drain management practices and examine the impact of early removal following distal pancreatectomy (DP).

Background:
Despite accruing evidence supporting its benefit following pancreatoduodenectomy, early drain removal after DP has yet to be explored.

Methods:
The American College of Surgeons’ National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) was queried for elective DPs from 2014 to 2017. When possible, data were linked to survey responses regarding drain management from hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgeons in the ACS-NSQIP HPB Collaborative conducted in 2017. The independent association between timing of drain removal and patients’ outcomes was investigated through multivariable analyses and propensity-score matching.

Results:
Of 5581 DPs identified, 4708 (84.4%) patients received intraoperative drains and early removal (≤ POD3) was performed in 716 (15.2%). Drain fluid amylase was recorded on POD1 for 1285 (27.3%) patients who received drains. The overall rates of death or serious morbidity (DSM) and clinically-relevant fistula (CR-POPF) were 19.5% and 17.0%. Early removal demonstrated significantly better outcomes when compared to late removal and no drain placement for: DSM, CR-POPF, delayed gastric emptying, percutaneous drainage, length of stay, and readmission. On multivariable analysis, early removal demonstrated reduced odds of developing DSM (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.26–0.65) and CR-POPF (OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.18–0.61) compared to no drain placement, while late removal displayed increased odds for CR-POPF (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.27–3.61) when compared to no drain placement. After propensity-score matching, early removal was associated with reduced odds for CR-POPF (OR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.17–0.73).

Conclusion:
Although not yet widely implemented, early drain removal after distal pancreatectomy is associated with better outcomes. This study demonstrates the potential benefits of early removal and provides a substrate to define best practices and improve the quality of care for DP.
Alzheimer’s Environmental and Genetic Risk Scores are Differentially Associated With General Cognitive Ability and Dementia Severity
Authors: Andrews Shea J. , McFall G. Peggy , Dixon Roger A. , Cherbuin Nicolas , Eramudugolla Ranmalee , Anstey Kaarin J. 
Published: February 2019

Purpose:We investigated the association of the Australian National University Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Index (ANU-ADRI) and an Alzheimer disease (AD) genetic risk score (GRS) with cognitive performance.Methods:The ANU-ADRI (composed of 12 risk factors for AD) and GRS (composed of 25 AD risk loci) were computed in 1061 community-dwelling older adults. Participants were assessed on 11 cognitive tests and activities of daily living. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the association of the ANU-ADRI and GRS with: (1) general cognitive ability (g), (2) dementia-related variance in cognitive performance (δ), and (3) verbal ability (VA), episodic memory (EM), executive function (EF), and processing speed (PS).Results:A worse ANU-ADRI score was associated with poorer performance in “g” [β (SE)=−0.40 (0.02),P<0.001], δ [−0.40 (0.04),P<0.001], and each cognitive domain [VA=−0.29 (0.04),P<0.001; EM=−0.34 (0.03),P<0.001; EF=−0.38 (0.03),P<0.001; and PS=−0.40 (0.03),P<0.001]. A worse GRS was associated with poorer performance in δ [−0.08 (0.03),P=0.041] and EM [−0.10 (0.03),P=0.035].Conclusions:The ANU-ADRI was broadly associated with worse cognitive performance, including general ability and dementia severity, validating its further use in early dementia risk assessment.
Prevalence of Mild Cognitive Impairment Among Older People in Kazakhstan and Potential Risk Factors
Authors: Tsoy Radmila T. , Turuspekova Saule T. , Klipitskaya Nina K. , Mereke Alibek , Cumming Robert G. 
Published: February 2019

Background:
There have been no epidemiological studies of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Central Asia.

Objective:
The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of, and risk factors for, MCI in an urban population in Kazakhstan.

Methods:
Adults aged 60 years and over were randomly selected from registers of 15 polyclinics in Almaty. Of 790 eligible people, 668 agreed to participate (response rate 85%). Subjects were screened using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Those who scored 26 or lower on the MoCA were assessed by a multidisciplinary team and a diagnosis of normal cognition, MCI or dementia was made.

Results:
The median MoCA score was 22 and the prevalence of MCI was 30%. MoCA scores were lower, and MCI prevalence was higher, among those with less education and those with older age. There was no difference in MoCA scores or MCI prevalence by sex or ethnic group (Kazakh or Russian). High blood pressure, older age, and lower education were associated with increased odds of MCI in crude analyses but only age and education remained statistically significant in an adjusted logistic regression model.

Conclusions:
The prevalence of MCI in Kazakhstan is high. Higher levels of education may lead to lower prevalence of MCI in the future.
Progranulin deficiency leads to reduced glucocerebrosidase activity
Authors: Zhou Xiaolai , Paushter Daniel H. , Pagan Mitchell D. , Kim Dongsung , Lieberman Raquel L. , Overkleeft Herman S. , Sun Ying , Smolka Marcus B. , Hu Fenghua 
Published: February 2019

AbstractMutation in theGRNgene, encoding the progranulin (PGRN) protein, shows a dose-dependent disease correlation, wherein haploinsufficiency results in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and complete loss results in neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL). Although the exact function of PGRN is unknown, it has been increasingly implicated in lysosomal physiology. Here we report that PGRN interacts with the lysosomal enzyme, glucocerebrosidase (GBA), and is essential for proper GBA activity. GBA activity is significantly reduced in tissue lysates from PGRN-deficient mice. This is further evidence that reduced lysosomal hydrolase activity may be a pathological mechanism in cases of GRN-related FTLD and NCL.
Intrinsic temporal tuning of neurons in the optic tectum is shaped by multisensory experience
Authors: Busch Silas E. , Khakhalin Arseny S. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractHomeostatic intrinsic plasticity is often described as an adjustment of neuronal excitability to maintain stable spiking output. Here we report that intrinsic plasticity in the tectum of Xenopus tadpoles also supports temporal tuning, wherein neurons independently adjust spiking responses to fast and slow patterns of synaptic activation. Using the dynamic clamp technique, and five different types of visual, acoustic, and multisensory conditioning, we show that in tadpoles exposed to light flashes, tectal neurons became selective for fast synaptic inputs, while neurons exposed to looming and multisensory stimuli remained responsive to longer inputs. We also report a homeostatic co-tuning between synaptic and intrinsic temporal properties in tectal cells, as neurons that naturally received fast synaptic inputs tended to be most responsive to long-lasting synaptic conductances, and the other way around. These results expand our understanding of plasticity in the brain, and inform future work on the mechanisms of sensorimotor transformation.Significance statementWith the recent explosion of work in neural connectivity reconstruction and biologically inspired deep learning, most researchers concentrate on the topology of connections between neurons, rather than on differences in neuronal tuning. Here we show that in a sensory network in Xenopus tadpoles, different neurons are tuned, and respond stronger, to either short or long synaptic inputs. This tuning tended to be opposite to the actual dynamics of synaptic inputs each cell received, such that neurons that normally receive shorter inputs generated stronger spiking in response to longer testing currents, and the other way around. This observation shows that even in networks that don’t generate oscillations, neurons reshape their temporal selectivity, to optimize their impact on distributed calculations.
Firing rate distributions in spiking networks with heterogeneous connectivity
Authors: Vegué Marina , Roxin Alex 
Published: February 2019

AbstractMeanfield theory for networks of spiking neurons based on the so-called diffusion approximation has been used to calculate certain measures of neuronal activity which can be compared with experimental data. This includes the distribution of firing rates across the network. However, the theory in its current form applies only to networks in which there is relatively little heterogeneity in the number of incoming and outgoing connections per neuron. Here we extend this theory to include networks with arbitrary degree distributions. Furthermore, the theory takes into account correlations in the in-degree and out-degree of neurons, which would arise e.g. in the case of networks with hub-like neurons. Finally, we show that networks with broad and postively correlated degrees can generate a large-amplitude sustained response to transient stimuli which does not occur in more homogeneous networks.
The isotopic N turnover rate as a proxy to evaluate in the long-term the protein turnover in growing ruminants
Authors: Cantalapiedra-Hijar Gonzalo , Fouillet Hélène , Chantelauze Céline , Khodorova Nadezda , Bahloul Lahlou , Ortigues-Marty Isabelle 
Published: February 2019

ABSTRACTProtein turnover is an energy-consuming process essential for ensuring the maintenance of living organisms. Gold standard methods for protein turnover measurement are based on intravenous infusions of stable isotopes. Although accurate they have inherent drawbacks precluding their generalization for large farm animals and during long time periods. We proposed here a non-invasive proxy of the whole-body fractional protein degradation (WBFPDR; protein turnover for a growing animal) in the long term and in a large number of beef cattle. The proxy is based on the rate at which urine-N and plasma proteins are progressively depleted in 15N after a slight decrease in the isotopic N composition of diet (i.e. diet-switch). We aimed to test the ability of this proxy to adequately discriminate the WBFPDR of 36 growing-fattening young bulls assigned to different dietary treatments known to impact the protein turnover rate: the protein content and amino acid profile. To achieve this objective, the experimental diets were enriched with 15N labeled-urea during 35 days while the animals were adapted to diets. After stopping the 15N labeled-urea administration the animals were thereafter sampled for spot urines (n = 13) and blood (n = 10) over 5 months and analyzed for their 15N enrichments in total N and plasma proteins, respectively. Adequately fitting the 15N kinetics in plasma proteins and urines required mono- and bi-exponential models, respectively, and the model parameters were compared across dietary conditions using a non-linear mixed effect model. The single 15N depletion rate found in plasma proteins represented their fractional synthesis rate, whereas the slowest depletion rate found in urines was interpreted as a proxy of the WBFPDR. The proxy here tested in urines suggested different WBFPDR values between Normal vs High protein diets but not between balanced vs unbalanced methionine diets. In contrast, the proxy tested in plasma indicated that both dietary conditions affected the fractional synthesis rate of plasma proteins. We consider that the rate at which urines are progressively 15N-depleted following an isotopic diet-switch could be proposed as a non-invasive proxy of the long-term whole-body fractional protein degradation rate for large farm animals.
Identification of key genes and pathways associated with Crohn’s disease by bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Wang Zheng , Zhu Jie , Ma Lixian 
Published: February 2019

AbstractCrohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease posing a significant threat to human health all over the world. Genome-wide gene expression profiles of mucosal colonic biopsies have provided some insight into the molecular mechanisms of Crohn’s disease. However, the exact pathogenesis is unclear. This study aimed to identify key genes and significant signaling pathways associated with Crohn’s disease by bioinformatics analysis. To identify key genes, an integrated analysis of gene expression signature was conducted using a robust rank aggregation approach. A total of 179 Crohn’s disease patients and 94 healthy controls from nine public microarray datasets were included. MMP1 and CLDN8 were two key genes screened from the differentially expressed genes. Connectivity Map predicted several small molecules as possible adjuvant drugs to treat CD. Besides, we used weighted gene co-expression network analysis to explore the co-expression modules associated with Crohn’s disease pathogenesis. Seven main functional modules were identified, of which black module showed the highest correlation with Crohn’s disease. The genes in black module mainly enriched in Interferon Signaling and defense response to virus. Blue module was another important module and enriched in several signaling pathways, including extracellular matrix organization, inflammatory response and blood vessel development. There were also several other meaningful functional modules which enriched in many biological processes. The present study identified a number of key genes and pathways correlated with Crohn’s disease and potential drugs to combat it, which might offer insights into Crohn’s disease pathogenesis and provide a clue to potential treatments.
M-banking barriers in Pakistan: a customer perspective of adoption and continuity intention
Authors: Siyal Abdul Waheed , Ding Donghong , Siyal Saeed 
Published: February 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine barriers jeopardizing the adoption and usage intention of mobile banking (M-banking) in Pakistan and provide deeper insights to fix such deteriorating factors.Design/methodology/approachData was collected in countrywide regional headquarters to mark the utmost generalizability of the results, which included seven largest cities of Pakistan. SEM path analysis was used to analyze data collected from Pakistan’s top 5 bank customers incorporating both users and non-users.FindingsResults revealed that lack of awareness, initial trust and compatibility and perceived risk were the core barriers that stood out as obstacles to the adoption and usage of M-banking in Pakistan. It was also approved that having fixed these core barriers would outcome in existing users’ continuity intent besides raising new users’ inclination toward M-banking.Originality/valueThe study has unveiled the core barriers that have so far impeded the adoption and usage of M-banking. There is not a unified position concerning adoption and usage blockades. Factors differ with contexts, markets, time and kinds of innovations. However, this study is unlike past studies that merely studied students within a specified institute in a restricted jurisdiction. This is the first study to have nationally explored adoption and usage issues; thus, it is anticipated to potentially contribute to the prevailing literature especially in Pakistani context where a few studies prevail, addressing M-banking adoption and usage barriers.
Understanding the UK’s productivity problems
Authors: Lewis Paul , Bell Kate 
Published: February 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature, causes and consequences of the UK’s productivity problems and whether these may be addressed through the new technologies of artificial intelligence (AI).

Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews the literature on productivity to explain how it relates to earnings within different theoretical frameworks, advocating a “power over rents” framework as most realistic. It explains the UK’s twin productivity problems and reviews their potential causes, critically assessing the capacity for new technologies of AI to address them. It highlights the enduring importance of distribution and the design of work to improving the UK’s productivity.

Findings
The authors find that the UK’s productivity problems will not be solved by AI technologies due to technical and socio-technical challenges which will require the significant re-design of work. The authors highlight the importance of aggregate demand, which has been inhibited by the shifting distribution of income towards capital and rising inequality of earnings. These issues suggest an important role for trade unions and a renewal of the institutions of employment regulation and collective bargaining. While reversing recent trends raises considerable challenges, the authors observe renewed interest in trade unions from previously hostile thinktanks and international institutions including the IMF and OECD.

Originality/value
This paper advocates adopting a “power over rents” theoretical framework to understanding productivity and the distribution of gains. This provides a clear rationale for the role of trade unions, employment regulation and collective bargaining in improving distributional outcomes, raising firm-level productivity and achieving real productivity growth at an aggregate level.