bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effect of high‐flow nasal oxygen on hospital length of stay in cardiac surgical patients at high risk for respiratory complications: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Zochios V. , Collier T. , Blaudszun G. , Butchart A. , Earwaker M. , Jones N. , Klein A. A. 
Published: July 2018

SummaryThere has been increased interest in the prophylactic and therapeutic use of high‐flow nasal oxygen in patients with, or at risk of, non‐hypercapnic respiratory failure. There are no randomised trials examining the efficacy of high‐flow nasal oxygen in high‐risk cardiac surgical patients. We sought to determine whether routine administration of high‐flow nasal oxygen, compared with standard oxygen therapy, leads to reduced hospital length of stay after cardiac surgery in patients with pre‐existing respiratory disease at high risk for postoperative pulmonary complications. Adult patients with pre‐existing respiratory disease undergoing elective cardiac surgery were randomly allocated to receive high‐flow nasal oxygen (n = 51) or standard oxygen therapy (n = 49). The primary outcome was hospital length of stay and all analyses were carried out on an intention‐to‐treat basis. Median (IQR [range]) hospital length of stay was 7 (6–9 [4–30]) days in the high‐flow nasal oxygen group and 9 (7–16 [4–120]) days in the standard oxygen group (p=0.012). Geometric mean hospital length of stay was 29% lower in the high‐flow nasal group (95%CI 11–44%, p = 0.004). High‐flow nasal oxygen was also associated with fewer intensive care unit re‐admissions (1/49 vs. 7/45; p = 0.026). When compared with standard care, prophylactic postoperative high‐flow nasal oxygen reduced hospital length of stay and intensive care unit re‐admission. This is the first randomised controlled trial examining the effect of prophylactic high‐flow nasal oxygen use on patient‐centred outcomes in cardiac surgical patients at high risk for postoperative respiratory complications.
Beyond medical expulsive therapy: evolution to supported stone passage for ureteric stones
Authors: Portis Andrew J. , Portis Jennifer L. , Borofsky Michael S. , Neises Suzanne M. 
Published: July 2018

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of removing tamsulosin from standardized ureteric stone clinical protocols on rate of stone surgery.Participants and MethodsWe conducted a single‐centre, comparison of all patients with unilateral, <1 cm ureteric stones presenting to a stone clinic after discharge from the emergency department during consecutive years. In the initial year, patients were initially offered medical expulsive therapy (MET) with tamsulosin. In the subsequent year, the protocol was modified to focus on symptom control without tamsulosin; this was termed ‘supported stone passage’ (SSP). The primary outcome was rate of stone surgery within 90 days of the initial clinic encounter.ResultsAmong 723 patients (360 MET, 363 SSP), the rate of attempted stone passage increased from 65% to 74%, between the initial and the subsequent year (P < 0.016). Tamsulosin prescription in patients to attempting stone passage decreased from 84% to 13% (P < 0.001). In patients attempting stone passage, the rate of stone surgery was 26% in the METand 19% in the SSP group (P = 0.066). The overall surgery rate decreased from 51% in the MET group to 40% in the SSP group (P = 0.003). Multivariable analysis, controlling for age, sex and stone burden, did not demonstrate a difference in either rate of attempting to pass stones or in rate of failure of passage according to care protocol. We were unable to demonstrate an independent effect of tamsulosin on failure of passage. Overall, surgical intervention was less likely in the SSP phase than in the MET phase, with an odds ratio of 0.64 (confidence interval) 0.44–0.91; P = 0.013).ConclusionsRemoving tamsulosin from clinical protocols did not impair stone passage in patients attempting to pass stones.
Testosterone undecanoate and testosterone enanthate injections are both effective and safe in transmen over 5 years of administration
Authors: Gava Giulia , Mancini Ilaria , Cerpolini Silvia , Baldassarre Maurizio , Seracchioli Renato , Meriggiola Maria C. 
Published: July 2018

SummaryObjectiveTo retrospectively evaluate and compare safety and efficacy of short and long‐acting testosterone (T) parenteral formulations over 5 years in transmen.Design and methodsFifty transmen between 21 and 42 years of age were enrolled. Twenty‐five received T undecanoate 1000 mg IM (weeks 0 and 6 then every 12‐16 weeks), and 25 received T enanthate 250 mg IM (every 3‐4 weeks). Hormonal and biochemical parameters, anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure were assessed at baseline and then every 12 months. Body composition was evaluated at baseline and then after 1, 3 and 5 years of T treatment. Global satisfaction was assessed at baseline and after 1 and 5 years.ResultsBoth T formulations led to amenorrhoea in all subjects within 1 year of T administration. Both T treatments led to a similar increase in haemoglobin and haematocrit which always remained within the physiological range. T administration was associated with an increase in total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides and a slight reduction in high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. Coagulative and glucidic profiles and blood pressure did not change significantly in either group. Body weight and BMI showed a slight but not significant increase in both groups, while lean mass rose significantly in both groups. Global satisfaction was increased at years 1 and 5 in both groups.ConclusionsPreliminary results from this pilot study suggest that administration of either TU or TE for 5 years in young transmen is both effective and safe. Our study presents the longest follow‐up published so far reporting no adverse events and these data are consistent with previous reports with a shorter follow‐up.
Correcting common misconceptions to inspire conservation action in urban environments
Authors: Soanes Kylie , Sievers Michael , Chee Yung En , Williams Nicholas S. G. , Bhardwaj Manisha , Marshall Adrian J. , Parris Kirsten M. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractDespite repeated calls to action, proposals for urban conservation are often met with surprise or scepticism. There remains a pervasive narrative in policy, practice, and the public psyche that urban environments, although useful for engaging people with nature or providing ecosystem services, are of little conservation value. We argue that the tendency to overlook the conservation value of urban environments stems from misconceptions about the ability of native species to persist within cities and towns and that this, in turn, hinders effective conservation action. However, recent scientific evidence shows that these assumptions do not always hold. Although it is generally true that increasing the size, quality, and connectivity of habitat patches will improve the probability that a species can persist, the inverse is not that small, degraded, or fragmented habitats found in urban environments are worthless. In light of these findings we propose updated messages that guide and inspire researchers, practitioners, and decision makers to undertake conservation action in urban environments: consider small spaces, recognize unconventional habitats, test creative solutions, and use science to minimize the impacts of future urban development.
Unexplained fever after pancreas transplantation
Authors: Klasek Robin , Kuten Samantha A. , Patel Samir J. , Graviss Edward A. , Nguyen Duc T. , Hobeika Mark J. , Gaber Osama A. , Podder Hemangshu , Knight Richard J. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBackgroundFever occurs frequently early after pancreas transplant, however, the exact cause is often undetermined. Limited data are available on pancreas recipients experiencing unexplained, noninfectious fever. This study aims to characterize unexplained fever (UF) in pancreas recipients and its effect on patient and graft outcomes.MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study of UF among consecutive pancreas or simultaneous pancreas‐kidney transplant recipients from 1 January 2011 to 31 August 2015. Classification of UF was based on the absence of positive cultures, radiologic findings, and other diagnostic features of infection or rejection.ResultsTwenty‐three of 92 (25%) patients experienced UF. The UF episode first occurred at a mean of 31 ± 17 days post‐transplant and accounted for 34 admissions with an average length of stay of 5.1 ± 3.4 days. Intravenous corticosteroid was administered following confirmation of negative diagnostic tests in 77% of patients, with fever resolution occurring in all. No differences were seen in rates of biopsy‐proven rejection, graft loss, death, or documented infections compared to UF‐free patients during the first‐year post‐transplant.ConclusionUF is a common cause for readmission following pancreas transplantation. While the etiology of UF remains difficult to identify, UF occurrence was not associated with adverse outcomes during the first‐year post‐transplant.
Peripheral lymphocytes analyses in children with chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Nafady Asmaa , Nafady‐Hego Hanaa , Abdelwahab Nadia M. , Eltellawy Radwa H. N. , Abu Faddan Nagla H. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBackgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV)‐specific immune response is believed to play a crucial role in viral clearance. There is, nevertheless, no reliable parameter to monitor this immune response or predict chronic HCV infection development.MethodAn observational case‐control study was performed to identify such parameters, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 57 children with chronic HCV were systemically phenotyped, and the serum level of Interferon gamma and interleukin (IL) ‐17 was measured. The data were compared with 37 age‐matched healthy volunteers (controls).ResultsChildren with chronic HCV infection had a lower frequency of natural killer cells (NK) cells, CD56Dim NK cells and expansion of CD56Bright NK cells compared with controls (P = 0.001, P < 0.0001 and P < 0.0001 respectively). Increased CD56Dim NK cells were negatively correlated with the higher viral load, R2 = 0.29, P = 0.05, while, increased NK T cells were positively correlated with high viral load, R2 = 0.17, P = 0.011. T helper cells, naive T cells, CD127 negative T cells, and HLA‐DR‐positive T cells significantly increased in patients than in controls. The frequency of CD4+CD25high+ T regulatory (Treg) cells increased in HCV‐infected patients, compared with those in control, and FOXP3 was upregulated within them. Treg cells’ increase was positively correlated with high viral load, R2 = 0.45, P = 0.004. The level of IL‐17 was higher in HCV patients than that in control, P < 0.0001.ConclusionAlthough the contribution of those markers to the chronic HCV establishment in children remains elusive, the results may provide important clues for reliable indicators of HCV infection.
On the Determinants of Slum Formation
Authors: Cavalcanti Tiago , Da Mata Daniel , Santos Marcelo 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
We construct a simple model of a city with heterogeneous agents and housing choice to explain the determinants of slums, home to about one-third of the urban population in developing countries. The model supports the main empirical evidence regarding slum formation and is able quantitatively to assess the role of each determinant of slum growth. We show that urban poverty, inequality and rural–urban migration explain much of the variation in slum growth in Brazil from 1980 to 2000. Ex ante evaluation of the impacts of policy interventions shows that removing barriers to formalisation has a strong impact on slum reduction.
DREEM‐ing of dentistry: Students’ perception of the academic learning environment in Australia
Authors: Stormon Nicole , Ford Pauline J. , Eley Diann S. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractIntroductionContinuous evaluation and improvement of the learning environment are required to respond to the changing nature of dental practice and dental education. This study aimed to describe a cohort of undergraduate dentistry students’ perceptions of their learning environment.MethodsStudents enrolled in years 1‐4 of the Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours) programme at The University of Queensland were invited to complete an online survey which included demographics and the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). This scale measures students’ perception of the educational environment overall, and for five domains: Learning, Teaching, Academic self‐perception, Atmosphere and Social self‐perception. Data analysis was mostly descriptive, t tests and univariate statistics compared groups.ResultsParticipants (N = 192; females = 57%) were generally positive about their learning environment, with a total DREEM score of 127 of 200. Overall, Academic and Social self‐perception domain scores were ranked lower than others. Students in preclinical years of study and/or had dentistry as a first career preference were more positive across all domains, except Social self‐perception.ConclusionsDifferences between the preclinical and clinical phases of the curriculum point to the structure of teaching and learning in health professional degrees. Further research should investigate how each environmental domain more specifically correlates with other aspects of the curriculum and student progression, including well‐being. This could include logistical factors such as timetabling and its effect on physical well‐being, to less tangible factors that may impact on mental well‐being.
FENS‐Kavli winter symposium: Review and perspectives on neurological diseases
Authors: Andreae Laura C. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe FENS‐Kavli winter symposium was held in December, 2017 at the Institute of Science and Technology, Austria. This short report reviews the session on neurological disorders, which included presentations on recent research into chronic pain, demyelinating disease, Alzheimer’s disease and autism spectrum disorder. Key advances, emerging themes and major challenges remaining in the field are discussed.
Temporal information in tones, broadband noise, and natural vocalizations is conveyed by differential spiking responses in the superior paraolivary nucleus
Authors: Gómez‐Álvarez Marcelo , Gourévitch Boris , Felix Richard A. , Nyberg Tobias , Hernández‐Montiel Hebert L. , Magnusson Anna K. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractCommunication sounds across all mammals consist of multiple frequencies repeated in sequence. The onset and offset of vocalizations are potentially important cues for recognizing distinct units, such as phonemes and syllables, which are needed to perceive meaningful communication. The superior paraolivary nucleus (SPON) in the auditory brainstem has been implicated in the processing of rhythmic sounds. Here, we compared how best frequency tones (BFTs), broadband noise (BBN), and natural mouse calls elicit onset and offset spiking in the mouse SPON. The results demonstrate that onset spiking typically occurs in response to BBN, but not BFT stimulation, while spiking at the sound offset occurs for both stimulus types. This effect of stimulus bandwidth on spiking is consistent with two of the established inputs to the SPON from the octopus cells (onset spiking) and medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (offset spiking). Natural mouse calls elicit two main spiking peaks. The first spiking peak, which is weak or absent with BFT stimulation, occurs most consistently during the call envelope, while the second spiking peak occurs at the call offset. This suggests that the combined spiking activity in the SPON elicited by vocalizations reflects the entire envelope, that is, the coarse amplitude waveform. Since the output from the SPON is purely inhibitory, it is speculated that, at the level of the inferior colliculus, the broadly tuned first peak may improve the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the subsequent, more call frequency‐specific peak. Thus, the SPON may provide a dual inhibition mechanism for tracking phonetic boundaries in social‐vocal communication.
Sexual identity and sexual attractiveness of a gynandromorph of the lawn ground cricket, Polionemobius mikado (Orthoptera: Trigonidiidae)
Authors: Taniyama Katsuya , Onodera Kaori , Tanaka Kazuhiro 
Published: July 2018

AbstractA gynandromorph adult of the lawn ground cricket Polionemobius mikado (Shiraki, 1913) (Orthoptera: Trigonidiidae) was collected from a natural population. It had complete male forewings and a female ovipositor at the end of abdomen. A normal male that encountered the gynandromorph performed a courtship song and tried to transmit a spermatophore, whereas a normal female was indifferent to the gynandromorph. The gynandromorph showed aggressive behavior toward the normal male but not against the normal female. The gynandromorph raised its forewings immediately after the antenna touched the body of the normal male and female, but no sound was produced. Overall, the gynandromorph behaved as a male, but was courted by conspecific males. Thus, the sexual identity of the gynandromorph was masculine, but sexual attractiveness was feminine.
Provisioning control during maternal care by the earwigAnisolabis maritima(Dermaptera: Anisolabididae): Do mothers adjust provisioning according to offspring need?
Authors: Suzuki Seizi 
Published: July 2018

AbstractProvisioning offspring is an important form of parental care for the improvement of offspring survival and growth. Because provisioning can be costly for parents, parents may change their investment levels in response to offspring need and begging signals.Anisolabis maritimais a cosmopolitan species of earwig that shows subsocial behavior. Females progressively provision their young in soil burrows. The present study investigated whetherA. maritimamothers carry food to the nest for their offspring (nymphs) and whether the mothers adjust the amount of food carried to the burrow according to the degree of the nymphs’ hunger. Through laboratory experiments, I found that mothers carried food to sites where more nymphs were present, and more food to broods of more hungry nymphs. These results have revealed that mothers recognize the presence of offspring and the degree of their hunger. This study, therefore, indicates the presence of offspring begging signals inA. maritima.
Female clustering in cockroach aggregations—A case of social niche construction?
Authors: Stanley Christina R. , Liddiard Williams Huw , Preziosi Richard F. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractIndividuals in groups can suffer costs through interactions with adversarial or unknown conspecifics. Social niche construction allows individuals to buffer such potential costs by only engaging in preferred associations. This may be particularly beneficial in insect aggregations, which are often large and highly fluid. However, little is known regarding the structuring of such aggregations. Here we use social network analyses to test for fine‐scale social structure in resting aggregations of the sub‐social cockroach Diploptera punctata and to explore the social pressures that contribute towards such structure. We showed that females were significantly more gregarious than males and formed the core of the proximity network, thus demonstrating a higher level of social integration. This fine‐scale structure is likely to result from females displacing males; females initiated most displacements whilst males received the majority. We explain this behaviour in terms of social niche construction by showing that females received significantly fewer approaches and investigations at more female‐biased local sex ratios. We therefore suggest that female social clustering occurs in this, and presumably other, species to reduce potential costs associated with male harassment. This demonstrates how social niche construction can lead to higher level social structure; we suggest this approach could be used across a range of species in order to improve our understanding of the evolution of sociality.
In silico and in vitro immunogenicity assessment of B‐domain‐modified recombinant factor VIII molecules
Authors: Bartholdy C. , Reedtz‐Runge S. L. , Wang J. , Hjerrild Zeuthen L. , Gruhler A. , Gudme C. N. , Lamberth K. 
Published: July 2018

IntroductionB‐domain modification can improve production of recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) proteins. However, the engineered junction results in non‐native peptide sequences with the potential to elicit immune responses via major histocompatibility complex class‐II (MHC‐II)‐binding and CD4+ T cell activation.AimAssess the immunogenic potential of B‐domain junction peptides of turoctocog alfa and other B‐domain‐modified rFVIII proteins using in silico and in vitro immunogenicity assessment techniques.MethodsPeptides with amino acid sequences identical to the B‐domain junction of turoctocog alfa, simoctocog alfa and moroctocog alfa were evaluated by in silico peptide‐MHC‐II binding prediction, in vitro peptide‐MHC‐II‐binding measurement and in vitro T cell‐activation assays. Moreover, turoctocog alfa was assessed for peptide presentation on dendritic cells (DCs) using MHC‐associated peptide proteomics.ResultsIn silico analysis predicted virtually no neo‐epitopes in the B‐domain junction for turoctocog alfa, whereas some were predicted for simoctocog alfa and moroctocog alfa. Turoctocog alfa and moroctocog alfa peptides showed minimal capacity to bind high‐frequency MHC‐II molecules in vitro, whereas simoctocog alfa peptide demonstrated some degree of binding to approximately half of the MHC‐II molecules tested. In line with this, no B‐domain peptides from turoctocog alfa were found to be presented on MHC‐II complexes on DCs. B‐domain junction peptides from all 3 compounds induced T cell responses in only a few percentages of donors.ConclusionAll 3 junction peptides were found to have a low immunogenicity potential, suggesting that modification of the B‐domain does not constitute an increased immunogenicity risk for any of the products examined.
Influence of dentine debris and organic tissue on the properties of sodium hypochlorite solutions
Authors: Tejada S. , Baca P. , Ferrer‐Luque C. M. , Ruiz‐Linares M. , Valderrama M. J. , Arias‐Moliz M. T. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractAimTo determine the free available chlorine of 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) alone and combined with 9% etidronic acid (HEDP) in the presence of inhibitors, organic tissue and organic tissue plus dentine debris; to evaluate the influence of dentine debris on the tissue‐dissolving capacity of both NaOCl solutions; and to determine the antimicrobial action of these solutions when in contact with organic tissue and organic tissue plus dentine debris.MethodologyThe available chlorine of the solutions over time in the absence and presence of the inhibitors was measured using a titration method. The organic tissue dissolution by the solutions alone and in the presence of dentine powder was evaluated by weighing bovine tissue specimens before and after exposure to the solutions for 3 and 10 min. For the antimicrobial activity, biofilms of Enterococcus faecalis were exposed to the solutions for 3 min in the absence and presence of organic tissue and organic tissue + dentine debris. The biovolume and percentage of damaged membrane cells of the biofilm were measured by means of confocal microscopy and the live/dead technique. Nonparametric tests were used to determine statistical differences (P < 0.05).ResultsBoth inhibitors consumed the free available chlorine of the solutions over time. The presence of dentine debris significantly reduced the tissue dissolution capacity of the NaOCl solutions (P < 0.05). The percentages of biovolume reduction were not affected by the presence of the inhibitors in the two NaOCl solutions, whereas the percentage of damaged membrane cells was significantly reduced (P < 0.001). Overall, a similar behaviour was observed in the NaOCl and NaOCl/HEDP groups.ConclusionsThe presence of organic tissue and organic tissue + dentine debris favoured rapid consumption of the free chlorine of NaOCl and NaOCl/HEDP. This resulted in a decreased ability to dissolve organic tissue without affecting the short‐term antimicrobial activity.