bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How does performance-based financing affect the availability of essential medicines in Cameroon? A qualitative study
Authors: Sieleunou Isidore , Turcotte-Tremblay Anne-Marie , De Allegri Manuela , Taptué Fotso Jean-Claude , Azinyui Yumo Habakkuk , Magne Tamga Denise , Ridde Valéry 
Published: August 2019

AbstractPerformance-based financing (PBF) is being implemented across low- and middle-income countries to improve the availability and quality of health services, including medicines. Although a few studies have examined the effects of PBF on the availability of essential medicines (EMs) in low- and middle-income countries, there is limited knowledge of the mechanisms underlying these effects. Our research aimed to explore how PBF in Cameroon influenced the availability of EMs, and to understand the pathways leading to the experiential dimension related with the observed changes. The design was an exploratory qualitative study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, using semi-structured questionnaires. Key informants were selected using purposive sampling. The respondents (n = 55) included health services managers, healthcare providers, health authorities, regional drugs store managers and community members. All interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using qualitative data analysis software. Thematic analysis was performed. Our findings suggest that the PBF programme improved the perceived availability of EMs in three regions in Cameroon. The change in availability of EMs experienced by stakeholders resulted from several pathways, including the greater autonomy of facilities, the enforced regulation from the district medical team, the greater accountability of the pharmacy attendant and supply system liberalization. However, a sequence of challenges, including delays in PBF payments, limited autonomy, lack of leadership and contextual factors such as remoteness or difficulty in access, was perceived to hinder the capacity to yield optimal changes, resulting in heterogeneity in performance between health facilities. The participants raised concerns regarding the quality control of drugs, the inequalities between facilities and the fragmentation of the drug management system. The study highlights that some specific dimensions of PBF, such as pharmacy autonomy and the liberalization of drugs supply systems, need to be supported by equity interventions, reinforced regulation and measures to ensure the quality of drugs at all levels.
Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Outcomes in the Metropolitan Atlanta Area: New Insights and Approaches for Health Equity
Authors: Collin Lindsay J , Jiang Renjian , Ward Kevin C , Gogineni Keerthi , Subhedar Preeti D , Sherman Mark E , Gaudet Mia M , Breitkopf Carmen Radecki , D’Angelo Olivia , Gabram-Mendola Sheryl , Aneja Ritu , Gaglioti Anne H , McCullough Lauren E 
Published: August 2019

AbstractBackgroundRacial disparities in breast cancer (BC) outcomes persist where non-Hispanic black (NHB) women are more likely to die from BC than non-Hispanic white (NHW) women, and the extent of this disparity varies geographically. We evaluated tumor, treatment, and patient characteristics that contribute to racial differences in BC mortality in Atlanta, Georgia, where the disparity was previously characterized as especially large.MethodsWe identified 4943 NHW and 3580 NHB women in the Georgia Cancer Registry with stage I–IV BC diagnoses in Atlanta (2010–2014). We used Cox proportional hazard regression to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing NHB vs NHW BC mortality by tumor, treatment, and patient characteristics on the additive and multiplicative scales. We additionally estimated the mediating effects of these characteristics on the association between race and BC mortality.ResultsAt diagnosis, NHB women were younger—with higher stage, node-positive, and triple-negative tumors relative to NHW women. In age-adjusted models, NHB women with luminal A disease had a 2.43 times higher rate of BC mortality compared to their NHW counterparts (95% CI = 1.99 to 2.97). High socioeconomic status (SES) NHB women had more than twice the mortality rates than their white counterparts (HR = 2.67, 95% CI = 1.65 to 4.33). Racial disparities among women without insurance, in the lowest SES index, or diagnosed with triple-negative BC were less pronounced.ConclusionsIn Atlanta, the largest racial disparities are observed in luminal tumors and most pronounced among women of high SES. More research is needed to understand drivers of disparities within these treatable features.
Integrating the dynamics of yield traits in rice in response to environmental changes
Authors: Nutan Kamlesh Kant , Rathore Ray Singh , Tripathi Amit Kumar , Mishra Manjari , Pareek Ashwani , Singla-Pareek Sneh Lata 
Published: August 2019

AbstractReductions in crop yields as a consequence of global climate change threaten worldwide food security. It is therefore imperative to develop high-yielding crop plants that show sustainable production under stress conditions. In order to achieve this aim through breeding or genetic engineering, it is crucial to have a complete and comprehensive understanding of the molecular basis of plant architecture and the regulation of its sub-components that contribute to yield under stress. Rice is one of the most widely consumed crops and is adversely affected by abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. Using it as a model system, in this review we present a summary of our current knowledge of the physiological and molecular mechanisms that determine yield traits in rice under optimal growth conditions and under conditions of environmental stress. Based on physiological functioning, we also consider the best possible combination of genes that may improve grain yield under optimal as well as environmentally stressed conditions. The principles that we present here for rice will also be useful for similar studies in other grain crops.
AtNSE1 and AtNSE3 are required for embryo pattern formation and maintenance of cell viability during Arabidopsis embryogenesis
Authors: Li Gang , Zou Wenxuan , Jian Liufang , Qian Jie , Zhao Jie 
Published: August 2019

AbstractEmbryogenesis is an essential process during seed development in higher plants. It has previously been shown that mutation of the Arabidopsis non-SMC element genes AtNSE1 or AtNSE3 leads to early embryo abortion, and their proteins can interact with each other directly. However, the crucial regions of these proteins in this interaction and how the proteins are cytologically involved in Arabidopsis embryo development are unknown. In this study, we found that the C-terminal including the Ring-like motif of AtNSE1 can interact with the N-terminal of AtNSE3, and only the Ring-like motif is essential for binding with three α motifs of AtNSE2 (homologous to AtMMS21). Using genetic assays and by analysing molecular markers of cell fate decisions (STM, WOX5, and WOX8) in mutant nse1 and nse3 embryos, we found that AtNSE1 and AtNSE3 work non-redundantly in early embryo development, and that differentiation of the apical meristem and the hypophysis fails in the mutants, which have disrupted auxin transportation and responses. However, the upper cells of the suspensor in the mutants seem to have proper embryo cell identity. Cytological examination showed that cell death occurred from the early embryo stage, and that vacuolar programmed cell death and necrosis in the nse1 and nse3 mutant embryos led to ovule abortion. Thus, AtNSE1 and AtNSE3 are essential for maintaining cell viability and growth during early embryogenesis. Our results improve our understanding of the functions of SMC5/6 complex in early embryogenesis in Arabidopsis.
How public opinion steers national immigration policies
Authors: Böhmelt Tobias 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Previous research suggests that client politics shape national migration laws in that they converge toward more liberal regulations. An examination of recently released cross-country data suggests, however, that there is little support for either convergence or generally more open policies. Trying to shed light on this empirical puzzle, I argue that democratic policymakers have incentives to listen to, and pursue policies that are favored by, the ‘unorganized’ electorate as well, since this maximizes their chances of staying in power. However, due to the influence of client interests that work against the public’s view on migration, a positive effect should only materialize under more salient circumstances, that is, when the inflow of foreign-born individuals is high. I analyze these expectations quantitatively using data that combine information on national migration policies with all European Social Survey rounds in 2002–2016. I find robust and significant support for public opinion influencing domestic immigration laws, but this effect only emerges with rather large migrant and refugee populations in the country.
Prevalence of neutral gas in centres of merging galaxies−II: nuclear H i and multiwavelength properties
Authors: Dutta R , Srianand R , Gupta N 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Using a sample of 38 radio-loud galaxy mergers at z ≤ 0.2, we confirm the high detection rate (∼84 per cent) of H i 21-cm absorption in mergers, which is significantly higher (∼4 times) than in non-mergers. The distributions of the H i column density [$N(\rm{H\,{\small I}}$)] and velocity shift of the absorption with respect to the systemic redshift of the galaxy hosting the radio source in mergers are significantly different from that in non-mergers. We investigate the connection of the nuclear H i gas with various multiwavelength properties of the mergers. While the inferred $N(\rm{H\,{\small I}}$) and gas kinematics do not show strong (i.e. ≥3σ level) correlation with galaxy properties, we find that the incidence and $N(\rm{H\,{\small I}}$) of absorption tend to be slightly higher at smaller projected separations between the galaxy pairs and among the lower stellar mass-radio galaxies. The incidence, $N(\rm{H\,{\small I}}$) and line width of H i absorption increase from the pre-merger to the post-merger stages. The 100 per cent detection rate in post-mergers indicates that the neutral gas in the circumnuclear regions survives the coalescence period and is not yet quenched by the nuclear radio activity.
Dark Energy Survey Year 1 results: validation of weak lensing cluster member contamination estimates from P(z) decomposition
Authors: Varga T N , DeRose J , Gruen D , McClintock T , Seitz S , Rozo E , Costanzi M , Hoyle B , MacCrann N , Plazas A A , Rykoff E S , Simet M , von der Linden A , Wechsler R H , Annis J , Avila S , Bertin E , Brooks D , Buckley-Geer E , Burke D L , Carnero Rosell A , Carrasco Kind M , Carretero J , Cunha C E , D’Andrea C B , da Costa L N , De Vicente J , Desai S , Diehl H T , Dietrich J P , Doel P , Evrard A E , Flaugher B , Fosalba P , Frieman J , García-Bellido J , Gaztanaga E , Gerdes D W , Gruendl R A , Gschwend J , Gutierrez G , Hartley W G , Hollowood D L , Honscheid K , James D J , Jeltema T , Kuehn K , Kuropatkin N , Lima M , Maia M A G , March M , Marshall J L , Melchior P , Menanteau F , Miller C J , Miquel R , Ogando R L C , Romer A K , Sanchez E , Scarpine V , Schubnell M , Serrano S , Sevilla-Noarbe I , Smith M , Sobreira F , Suchyta E , Swanson M E C , Tarle G , Thomas D , Tucker D L , Zhang Y ,   (DES Collaboration)
Published: August 2019

ABSTRACT
Weak lensing source galaxy catalogues used in estimating the masses of galaxy clusters can be heavily contaminated by cluster members, prohibiting accurate mass calibration. In this study, we test the performance of an estimator for the extent of cluster member contamination based on decomposing the photometric redshift P(z) of source galaxies into contaminating and background components. We perform a full scale mock analysis on a simulated sky survey approximately mirroring the observational properties of the Dark Energy Survey Year One observations (DES Y1), and find excellent agreement between the true number profile of contaminating cluster member galaxies in the simulation and the estimated one. We further apply the method to estimate the cluster member contamination for the DES Y1 redMaPPer cluster mass calibration analysis, and compare the results to an alternative approach based on the angular correlation of weak lensing source galaxies. We find indications that the correlation based estimates are biased by the selection of the weak lensing sources in the cluster vicinity, which does not strongly impact the P(z) decomposition method. Collectively, these benchmarks demonstrate the strength of the P(z) decomposition method in alleviating membership contamination and enabling highly accurate cluster weak lensing studies without broad exclusion of source galaxies, thereby improving the total constraining power of cluster mass calibration via weak lensing.
Adenovirus major core protein condenses DNA in clusters and bundles, modulating genome release and capsid internal pressure
Authors: Martín-González Natalia , Hernando-Pérez Mercedes , Condezo Gabriela N , Pérez-Illana Marta , Šiber Antonio , Reguera David , Ostapchuk Philomena , Hearing Patrick , San Martín Carmen , de Pablo Pedro J 
Published: August 2019

AbstractSome viruses package dsDNA together with large amounts of positively charged proteins, thought to help condense the genome inside the capsid with no evidence. Further, this role is not clear because these viruses have typically lower packing fractions than viruses encapsidating naked dsDNA. In addition, it has recently been shown that the major adenovirus condensing protein (polypeptide VII) is dispensable for genome encapsidation. Here, we study the morphology and mechanics of adenovirus particles with (Ad5-wt) and without (Ad5-VII-) protein VII. Ad5-VII- particles are stiffer than Ad5-wt, but DNA-counterions revert this difference, indicating that VII screens repulsive DNA-DNA interactions. Consequently, its absence results in increased internal pressure. The core is slightly more ordered in the absence of VII and diffuses faster out of Ad5-VII– than Ad5-wt fractured particles. In Ad5-wt unpacked cores, dsDNA associates in bundles interspersed with VII-DNA clusters. These results indicate that protein VII condenses the adenovirus genome by combining direct clustering and promotion of bridging by other core proteins. This condensation modulates the virion internal pressure and DNA release from disrupted particles, which could be crucial to keep the genome protected inside the semi-disrupted capsid while traveling to the nuclear pore.
Structural and functional insight into the Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein PrpR reveals a novel type of transcription factor
Authors: Tang Su , Hicks Nathan D , Cheng Yu-Shan , Silva Andres , Fortune Sarah M , Sacchettini James C 
Published: August 2019

AbstractThe pathogenicity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis depends upon its ability to catabolize host cholesterol. Upregulation of the methylcitrate cycle (MCC) is required to assimilate and detoxify propionyl-CoA, a cholesterol degradation product. The transcription of key genes prpC and prpD in MCC is activated by MtPrpR, a member of a family of prokaryotic transcription factors whose structures and modes of action have not been clearly defined. We show that MtPrpR has a novel overall structure and directly binds to CoA or short-chain acyl-CoA derivatives to form a homotetramer that covers the binding cavity and locks CoA tightly inside the protein. The regulation of this process involves a [4Fe4S] cluster located close to the CoA-binding cavity on a neighboring chain. Mutations in the [4Fe4S] cluster binding residues rendered MtPrpR incapable of regulating MCC gene transcription. The structure of MtPrpR without the [4Fe4S] cluster-binding region shows a conformational change that prohibits CoA binding. The stability of this cluster means it is unlikely a redox sensor but may function by sensing ambient iron levels. These results provide mechanistic insights into this family of critical transcription factors who share similar structures and regulate gene transcription using a combination of acyl-CoAs and [4Fe4S] cluster.
Impact of interventions to reduce overnutrition on healthcare costs related to obesity and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review
Authors: Olm Michaela , Stark Renée G , Beck Nathanael , Röger Christina , Leidl Reiner 
Published: August 2019

Abstract

Context
In recent decades, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have both become global epidemics associated with substantial healthcare needs and costs.

Objective
The aim of this review was to critically assess nutritional interventions for their impact on healthcare costs to community-dwelling individuals regarding T2DM or obesity or both, specifically using CHEERS (Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards) criteria to assess the economic components of the evidence.

Data Sources
Searches were executed in Embase, EconLit, AgEcon, PubMed, and Web of Science databases.

Study Selection
Studies were included if they had a nutritional perspective, reported an economic evaluation that included healthcare costs, and focused on obesity or T2DM or both. Studies were excluded if they examined clinical nutritional preparations, dietary supplements, industrially modified dietary components, micronutrient deficiencies, or undernutrition; if they did not report the isolated impact of nutrition in complex or lifestyle interventions; or if they were conducted in animals or attempted to transfer findings from animals to humans.

Data Extraction
A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Using predefined search terms, 21 studies evaluating food habit interventions or taxation of unhealthy foods and beverages were extracted and evaluated using CHEERS criteria.

Results
Overall, these studies showed that nutrition interventions and taxation approaches could lead to cost savings and improved health outcomes when compared with current practice. All of the included studies used external sources and economic modeling or risk estimations with population-attributable risks to calculate economic outcomes.

Conclusions
Most evidence supported taxation approaches. The effect of nutritional interventions has not been adequately assessed. Controlled studies to directly measure economic impacts are warranted.
The mass–richness relation of optically selected clusters from weak gravitational lensing and abundance with Subaru HSC first-year data
Authors: Murata Ryoma , Oguri Masamune , Nishimichi Takahiro , Takada Masahiro , Mandelbaum Rachel , More Surhud , Shirasaki Masato , Nishizawa Atsushi J , Osato Ken 
Published: August 2019

AbstractConstraining the relation between the richness N and the halo mass M over a wide redshift range for optically selected clusters is a key ingredient for cluster-related science in optical surveys, including the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) survey. We measure stacked weak-lensing profiles around 1747 HSC CAMIRA clusters over a redshift range of 0.1 ≤ zcl ≤ 1.0 with N ≥ 15 using the HSC first-year shear catalog covering ∼140 deg2. The exquisite depth and image quality of the HSC survey allow us to measure lensing signals around high-redshift clusters at 0.7 ≤ zcl ≤ 1.0 with a signal-to-noise ratio of 19 within the comoving radius range $0.5\lesssim R\lesssim 15\, h^{-1}\:{\rm Mpc}$. We constrain the richness–mass relations P(ln N ∣ M, z) of HSC CAMIRA clusters assuming a log-normal distribution without informative priors on model parameters, by jointly fitting to the lensing profiles and abundance measurements under both Planck and WMAP cosmological models. We show that our model gives acceptable p-values when we add redshift-dependent terms proportional to ln (1 + z) and [ln (1 + z)]2 in the mean and scatter relations of P(ln N ∣ M, z). Such terms presumably originate from the variation of photometric redshift errors as a function of redshift. We show that constraints on the mean relation 〈M ∣ N〉 are consistent between the Planck and WMAP models, whereas the scatter values σln M ∣ N for the Planck model are systematically larger than those for the WMAP model. We also show that the scatter values for the Planck model increase toward lower richness values, whereas those for the WMAP model are consistent with constant values as a function of richness. This result highlights the importance of the scatter in the mass–richness relation for cluster cosmology.
An Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetase, OKI1, Is Required for Proper Shoot Meristem Size in Arabidopsis
Authors: Kitagawa Munenori , Balkunde Rachappa , Bui Huyen , Jackson David 
Published: August 2019

AbstractIn plants, the stem cells that form the shoot system reside within the shoot apical meristem (SAM), which is regulated by feedback signaling between the WUSCHEL (WUS) homeobox protein and CLAVATA (CLV) peptides and receptors. WUS–CLV feedback signaling can be modulated by various endogenous or exogenous factors, such as chromatin state, hormone signaling, reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling and nutrition, leading to a dynamic control of SAM size corresponding to meristem activity. Despite these insights, however, the knowledge of genes that control SAM size is still limited, and in particular, the regulation by ROS signaling is only beginning to be comprehended. In this study, we report a new function in maintenance of SAM size, encoded by the OKINA KUKI1 (OKI1) gene. OKI1 is expressed in the SAM and encodes a mitochondrial aspartyl tRNA synthetase (AspRS). oki1 mutants display enlarged SAMs with abnormal expression of WUS and CLV3 and overaccumulation of ROS in the meristem. Our findings support the importance of normal AspRS function in the maintenance of the WUS–CLV3 feedback loop and SAM size.