bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Partisan dealignment and committee power in five Westminster parliaments
Authors: FLEMING THOMAS G. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractWhat explains the power of parliamentary committees? A large literature on the United States Congress sees strong legislative committees as a consequence of legislators’ incentives to cultivate a personal vote. These incentives are typically understood to be determined by formal electoral rules. How legislatures are elected thus shapes how they are organised. This article argues that explanations of legislative organisation should also consider a non‐institutional source of personal vote‐seeking incentives: voters’ partisanship. Where partisan dealignment is more extensive, legislators have stronger incentives to develop a personal vote. Where committee systems are more powerful, legislators have better opportunities to do so. Partisan dealignment should thus lead to stronger committee systems. This argument is supported by analysis of original data on the postwar evolution of committee systems in five ‘Westminster’ parliaments. Partisan dealignment is associated with larger committee systems, and with larger expansions of committee systems.
Impact of Medicare's Nonpayment Program on Venous Thromboembolism Following Hip and Knee Replacements
Authors: Thirukumaran Caroline P. , Glance Laurent G. , Rosenthal Meredith B. , Temkin‐Greener Helena , Balkissoon Rishi , Mesfin Addisu , Li Yue 
Published: July 2018

ObjectiveTo determine whether Medicare's Nonpayment Program was associated with decline in venous thromboembolism (VTE) following hip and knee replacements; and whether the decline was greater among hospitals at risk of larger financial losses from the Program.Data SourcesState Inpatient Database for New York (NY) from 2005 to 2013.Study DesignThe primary outcome was an occurrence of VTE. Medicare Utilization Ratio (MUR), which is the proportion of inpatient days in a hospital that is financed by Medicare, represented a hospital's financial sensitivity. We used hierarchical logistic regressions with difference‐in‐differences estimation to study the Program effects.Principal FindingsA total of 98,729 hip replacement and 111,361 knee replacement stays were identified. For hip replacement, the Program was associated with significant reduction (Range: 44% to 53%) in VTE incidence among hospitals in MUR quartiles 2 to 4. For knee replacement, the Program was associated with significant reduction (47%) in VTE incidence only among quartile 2 hospitals.ConclusionImplementation of the Program was associated with a reduction in VTE, especially for hip replacements, in higher MUR hospitals. Payment reforms such as Medicare's Nonpayment Program that withhold payments for complications are effective and should be continued.
Contribution to the Development of Guidelines in the Analysis of Biological Evidence in Sexual Assault Investigations
Authors: Ferreira‐Silva Benedita , Porto Maria João , Magalhães Teresa , Cainé Laura 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThis investigation intends to study materials and techniques used for biological evidence collection in sexual assault cases and is divided into two stages: in stage one, methods for biological evidence collection (the single swab (including three variants) and the “double swab technique”) were compared; in stage two, swabs’ component material was compared. The sampling was composed of 42 heterosexual couples who provided mock samples. The collection methods in which the whole swab is covered by evidence presented significantly better outcomes (p < 0.001), such as the “double swab technique.” Additionally, nylon swabs proved to present significantly better features regarding the capacity of sample elution, providing significantly higher amounts of DNA (p ≤ 0.034). This study provides guidelines for better collection of biological evidence regarding the collection method using a swab and the proper swab material to utilize.
Burden of Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients in Japan: A Literature Review
Authors: Akizawa Tadao , Okumura Hiroyuki , Alexandre Ana Filipa , Fukushima Ayako , Kiyabu Grace , Dorey Julie 
Published: July 2018

AbstractAnemia is a common complication for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with cardiovascular comorbidities and reduced quality of life. The incidence of anemia increases as kidney function declines and affects approximately 32% of Japanese patients with stage 3–5 CKD. This review examined the current literature on anemia in CKD patients in Japan to provide an overview of the burden of anemia in CKD. Medline, Embase, and Igaku Chuo Zasshi databases were searched to identify relevant manuscripts and abstracts published from 2004 onward. The population included CKD patients with anemia, and the outcomes of interest were epidemiology, economic, humanistic, and treatment patterns. Observational studies, database analysis, and economic evaluation studies were included in the analysis. A total of 1151 references were identified, and 50 were eligible for final review. Economic burden was reported in most studies (n = 37) followed by treatment patterns (n = 26), and epidemiological (n = 25) and humanistic (n = 1) burdens. Prevalence of anemia varied largely (0–95%) based on the different definitions of anemia, and increased with CKD severity. Higher mortality was associated with erythropoiesis‐stimulating agent (ESA) resistance and lower hemoglobin levels among patients treated with ESA. Drug dosage was the most reported economic burden (n = 33), followed by medical, and non‐medical outcomes. Costs associated with anemia were considerable and depended on dialysis status and ESA treatment. Only one study reported data on quality of life, suggesting that further investigation on the humanistic burden of anemia in CKD is needed.
Synteny search identifies carnivore Y chromosome for evolution of male specific genes
Authors: FAN Huizhong , HU Yibo , SHAN Lei , YU Lijun , WANG Bing , LI Min , WU Qi , WEI Fuwen 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe explosive accumulation of mammalian genomes has provided a valuable resource to characterize the evolution of the Y chromosome. Unexpectedly, the Y‐chromosome sequence has been characterized in only a small handful of species, with the majority being model organisms. Thus, identification of Y‐linked scaffolds from unordered genome sequences is becoming more important. Here, we used a syntenic‐based approach to generate the scaffolds of the male‐specific region of the Y chromosome (MSY) from the genome sequence of 6 male carnivore species. Our results identified 14, 15, 9, 28, 14 and 11 Y‐linked scaffolds in polar bears, pacific walruses, red pandas, cheetahs, ferrets and tigers, covering 1.55 Mbp, 2.62 Mbp, 964 Kb, 1.75 Mb, 2.17 Mbp and 1.84 Mb MSY, respectively. All the candidate Y‐linked scaffolds in 3 selected species (red pandas, polar bears and tigers) were successfully verified using polymerase chain reaction. We re‐annotated 8 carnivore MSYs including these 6 Y‐linked scaffolds and domestic dog and cat MSY; a total of 11 orthologous genes conserved in at least 7 of the 8 carnivores were identified. These 11 Y‐linked genes have significantly higher evolutionary rates compared with their X‐linked counterparts, indicating less purifying selection for MSY genes. Taken together, our study shows that the approach of synteny search is a reliable and easily affordable strategy to identify Y‐linked scaffolds from unordered carnivore genomes and provides a preliminary evolutionary study for carnivore MSY genes.
Effects of reproductive experience on paternal behavior, levels of testosterone, prolactin in serum and dendritic spines in medial prefrontal cortex of mandarin voles
Authors: WANG Bo , LI Laifu , HE Zhixiong , WANG Limin , ZHANG Siyi , QIAO Hui , JIA Rui , TAI Fadao 
Published: July 2018

AbstractMaternal behaviors and brains change dramatically with pregnancy, parturition and other mothering experiences. However, whether paternal behavior, brain plasticity and levels of relevant hormones also change along with fathering experience and pups' age remains unclear. Using socially monogamous mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus), we found that experienced fathers exhibited more active paternal behaviors, such as licking, retrievals and nest building, but less paternal care, such as huddling, than new fathers. The high levels of licking and nest building appeared in the earlier days of their mate's lactation. Experienced fathers retrieved 9–13‐day‐old pups more frequently. However, these paternal behaviors did not show significant changes with age of pups in new fathers. In addition, experienced fathers had dramatically higher prolactin levels than new fathers but had similar concentrations of testosterone to new fathers. New fathers had lower levels of testosterone but higher levels of prolactin than new paired males. The fathers had higher prolactin levels in the earlier days of their mate's lactation. The new and experienced fathers had similar dendritic length and spine density on pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex but displayed higher levels than new paired males. Taken together, these results indicate that reduction of testosterone levels and increase of prolactin levels may be associated with initiation of paternal care. Fathering experience significantly affects levels of parental care and paternal behaviors toward different aged pups, and brain plasticity can also be enhanced by transition to fatherhood.
Interaction Between Phenolic Compounds and Lipase: The Influence of Solubility and Presence of Particles in the IC50 Value
Authors: Bustos Atma‐Sol , Håkansson Andreas , Linares‐Pastén Javier A. , Penarrieta Jose M. , Nilsson Lars 
Published: July 2018

AbstractObesity is one of the principal human health problems and one of the main treatments against it is the inhibition of pancreatic lipase, the main responsible enzyme of lipid digestion. For that purpose, previous studies have tested several phenolic compounds against lipase, without considering their aggregation behavior in aqueous solutions. Because of this, the present study focuses on understanding how the solubility and the presence of particles affect the IC50 value of the interaction between lipase and phenolic compounds present in beverages like fruit juices and teas. Therefore, the inhibitory capacity against pancreatic lipase and the aggregate formation of 9 phenolic compounds (quercetin, rutin, myricetin, catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, cyanidin, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and vanillic acid) were analyzed. The results obtained together with the solubility data from literature were treated by principal component analysis and indicate that the IC50 value does not correlate with the solubility or aggregate formation of the phenolic compounds. However, the IC50 values of phenolic compounds which aggregate during the assay conditions have low reproducibility. This study shows that the aggregate formation of phenolic compounds plays an important role during in vitro assays for pancreatic lipase inhibition and should be considered in future experiments as it can lead to false positive results. In terms of particle formation, the flavonoids investigated in this study are more prone to aggregation compared to the phenolic acids.
Oral Administration of Probiotic Lactobacillus Casei Shirota Decreases Pneumonia and Increases Pulmonary Functions after Single Rib Fracture: A Randomized Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Guo Chunhua , Lei Min , Wang Yong , Hua Limei , Xue Sujuan , Yu Dan , Zhang Chunhua , Wang Dawei 
Published: July 2018

AbstractConsiderate proportion of elderly patients with a rib fracture is susceptible to pulmonary complications, especially pneumonia. We aimed to assess the effect of oral administration of the probiotic Lactobacillus casei Shirota (LcS) on pneumonia and pulmonary functions among elderly patients with single rib fracture. The current study including 204 eligible elderly patients with a single rib fracture was conducted. Patients were randomly assigned to receive oral administration of skimmed milk containing either a commercial probiotic LcS or placebo daily for 1 mo after the fracture, followed by pneumonia assessments, pulmonary function testing including forced expiratory volume (FEV), negative inspiratory pressure (NIP), and forced vital capacity (FVC), as well as evaluation of potential adverse effects including myocardial infarction, acute kidney injury, nonunion of fractured bone, or stroke. After 1 mo consumption, patients in the LcS group exhibited decreased pneumonia and increased recovery of pulmonary functions, in terms of FEV, FVC, and NIP, compared to the placebo group. No difference was observed in incidence of adverse events between the 2 groups. In patients with a single rib fracture, oral administration of the probiotic LcS was associated with a lower incidence of pneumonia and increased pulmonary functions without causing severe adverse effects.Practical ApplicationTo conclude, after 1‐mo LcS consumption, in patients with a single rib fracture, oral administration of the probiotic LcS was associated with a lower incidence of pneumonia and increased pulmonary functions without causing severe adverse effects.
A novel microbial technique for producing high‐quality sophorolipids from horse oil suitable for cosmetic applications
Authors: Maeng Yoojae , Kim Kyoung Tae , Zhou Xuan , Jin Litai , Kim Ki Soo , Kim Young Heui , Lee Suyeon , Park Ji Ho , Chen Xiuyu , Kong Mingxia , Cai Lu , Li Xiaokun 
Published: July 2018

SummaryHorse oil contains linoleic, palmitoleic and unsaturated fatty acids that are similar to those in human skin, and may therefore be an ideal substance from which to isolate biosurfactants for cosmetic products to improve human skin quality. Herein, an innovative approach was developed to synthesise sophorolipids from horse oil by hydrolysis, followed by fermentation using the yeast Candida bombicola. The yield of sophorolipids from direct fermentation of horse oil and hydrolysed horse oil was 40.6 ± 1.3 g l−1 and 58.4 ± 1.8 g l−1 respectively. To further increase the yield, 30–40 g l−1 glucose was added in a fed‐batch fermentation process to maintain the pH between 4.0 and 4.5, resulting in a conversion yield of 71.7 ± 0.8 g l−1. The purity and structure of the synthesised sophorolipids were analysed by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. An in vitro human dermal fibroblast model was used as a surrogate for human skin to measure elastase inhibition activity. Antiwrinkle properties of isolated sophorolipids were better than those of horse oil or hydrolysed horse oil in several in vitro assays. Furthermore, no cytotoxicity was observed at a concentration of 50 μg ml−1, and wound‐healing capacity was evident in a cell culture model. Additionally, the synthesised sophorolipids attenuated lipopolysaccharide‐induced expression of inflammatory cytokines in macrophages, and efficiently inhibited several strains of bacteria and yeast. In conclusion, fed‐batch fermentation of hydrolysed horse oil is a novel and efficient approach for producing high‐quality and high‐yield sophorolipids that exhibit great potential as cosmetic ingredients.
A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis of Ketamine as an Alternative to Opioids for Acute Pain in the Emergency Department
Authors: Karlow Nicholas , Schlaepfer Charles H. , Stoll Carolyn R. T. , Doering Michelle , Carpenter Christopher R. , Colditz Graham A. , Motov Sergey , Miller Joshua , Schwarz Evan S. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBackgroundOpioids are commonly prescribed in the emergency department (ED) for the treatment of acute pain. Analgesic alternatives are being explored in response to an epidemic of opioid misuse. Low‐dose ketamine (LDK) is one opioid alternative for the treatment of acute pain in the ED.ObjectivesThis systematic review and meta‐analysis sought to quantify whether LDK is an effective and safe opioid alternative for acute pain reduction in adults in the ED setting. (PROSPERO Registration Number CRD42017065303).MethodsThis was a systematic review of randomized controlled trials comparing intravenous opioids to LDK for relief of acute pain in the ED. Studies where the control group initially received opioids prior to ketamine were excluded. A research librarian designed the electronic search strategy. Changes in visual analog scale or numeric rating scale pain scales were analyzed to determine the relative effects of LDK and opioids in the treatment of acute pain.ResultsThree studies met the criteria for inclusion in this meta‐analysis. Compared to pain scale reduction with morphine, ketamine was not inferior (relative reduction = 0.42, 95% confidence interval = –0.70 to 1.54). No severe adverse events were reported in any study, but higher rates of nonsevere adverse events were observed with ketamine.ConclusionsKetamine is noninferior to morphine for the control of acute pain, indicating that ketamine can be considered as an alternative to opioids for ED short‐term pain control.
Efficacy and safety of sodium oxybate in alcohol‐dependent patients with a very high drinking risk level
Authors: van den Brink Wim , Addolorato Giovanni , Aubin Henri‐Jean , Benyamina Amine , Caputo Fabio , Dematteis Maurice , Gual Antoni , Lesch Otto‐Michael , Mann Karl , Maremmani Icro , Nutt David , Paille François , Perney Pascal , Rehm Jürgen , Reynaud Michel , Simon Nicolas , Söderpalm Bo , Sommer Wolfgang H. , Walter Henriette , Spanagel Rainer 
Published: July 2018

AbstractMedication development for alcohol relapse prevention or reduction of consumption is highly challenging due to methodological issues of pharmacotherapy trials. Existing approved medications are only modestly effective with many patients failing to benefit from these therapies. Therefore, there is a pressing need for other effective treatments with a different mechanism of action, especially for patients with very high (VH) drinking risk levels (DRL) because this is the most severely affected population of alcohol use disorder patients. Life expectancy of alcohol‐dependent patients with a VH DRL is reduced by 22 years compared with the general population and approximately 90 000 alcohol‐dependent subjects with a VH DRL die prematurely each year in the EU (Rehm et al. ). A promising new medication for this population is sodium oxybate, a compound that acts on GABAB receptors and extrasynaptic GABAA receptors resulting in alcohol‐mimetic effects. In this article, a European expert group of alcohol researchers and clinicians summarizes data (a) from published trials, (b) from two new—as yet unpublished—large clinical trials (GATE 2 (n = 314) and SMO032 (n = 496), (c) from post hoc subgroup analyses of patients with different WHO‐defined DRLs and (d) from multiple meta‐analyses. These data provide convergent evidence that sodium oxybate is effective especially in a subgroup of alcohol‐dependent patients with VH DRLs. Depending on the study, abstinence rates are increased up to 34 percent compared with placebo with risk ratios up to 6.8 in favor of sodium oxybate treatment. These convergent data are supported by the clinical use of sodium oxybate in Austria and Italy for more than 25 years. Sodium oxybate is the sodium salt of γ‐hydroxybutyric acid that is also used as a recreational (street) drug suggestive of abuse potential. However, a pharmacovigilance database of more than 260 000 alcohol‐dependent patients treated with sodium oxybate reported very few adverse side effects and only few cases of abuse. We therefore conclude that sodium oxybate is an effective, well‐tolerated and safe treatment for withdrawal and relapse prevention treatment, especially in alcohol‐dependent patients with VH DRL.
Combatting social isolation and increasing social participation of older adults through the use of technology: A systematic review of existing evidence
Authors: Baker Steven , Warburton Jeni , Waycott Jenny , Batchelor Frances , Hoang Thuong , Dow Briony , Ozanne Elizabeth , Vetere Frank 
Published: July 2018

ObjectivesThere are growing concerns that social isolation presents risks to older people's health and well‐being. Thus, the objective of the review was to explore how technology is currently being utilised to combat social isolation and increase social participation, hence improving social outcomes for older people.MethodsA systematic review of the literature was conducted across the social science and human‐computer interaction databases.ResultsA total of 36 papers met the inclusion criteria and were analysed using a four‐step process. Findings were threefold, suggesting that: (i) technologies principally utilised social network services and touch‐screen technologies; (ii) social outcomes are often ill‐defined or not defined at all; and (iii) methodologies used to evaluate interventions were often limited and small‐scale.ConclusionResults suggest a need for studies that examine new and innovative forms of technology, evaluated with rigorous methodologies, and drawing on clear definitions about how these technologies address social isolation/participation.
Ultrasound is better tolerated than vaginal examination in and before labour
Authors: Usman Sana , Barton Helen , Wilhelm‐Benartzi Charlotte , Lees Christoph C. 
Published: July 2018

BackgroundIntrapartum ultrasound has been proposed as a method of assessing labour progress but its acceptability has not been comprehensively assessed.AimsWe evaluated the acceptability of intrapartum ultrasound in women having vaginal examination (VE) and ultrasound (US) assessment (transabdominal (TA) and transperineal (TP)) prior to delivery, with and without regional analgesia (RA).Materials and MethodsWomen at 24–42 weeks gestation were included in a prospective observational cohort study. The acceptability of digital VE and TP US were assessed pre‐ and post‐examination using the modified validated Wijma Delivery Experience Questionnaire. Acceptability scores ranged 6–36 (6 being most and 36 being least positive) in six domains: positive‐trust and relax, negative‐harmful to baby, worrying, painful, intrusive.ResultsOf 119 women recruited, 104 completed both pre‐ and post‐assessment questionnaires. Eighty‐nine per cent of women were nulliparous with median gestation 40 + 2 weeks (25–42+1). Thirty‐two per cent had RA before assessment, 91% in total. The combined acceptability scores of both negative and positive experiences (6 = most acceptable, 36 = least acceptable) for VE and US pre‐assessment were 15 and 7 respectively (P < 0.0001: Mann‐Whitney U‐test). VE was associated with less positive / more negative domain scoring post‐assessment 12 and 6, respectively (P < 0.0001). Although RA made no difference to the perceived experience pre‐VE (P = 0.9), post‐VE, women with RAs considered VEs more acceptable than those without RA (P = 0.0022).Conclusion(s)This is the first study to comprehensively assess the acceptability of VE and intrapartum US. US assessment prior to delivery is more acceptable than VE. RA ameliorated the negative experience of the VE post‐assessment.