bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Village Redevelopment and Desegregation as a Strategy for Metropolitan Development: Some Lessons from Guangzhou City
Authors: Wong Siu Wai , Tang Bo‐Sin , Liu Jinlong 
Published: August 2018

AbstractHow to integrate millions of migrant workers into local communities remains a core challenge in China's urban transformation. Recently some cities, driven by a national policy of integrated metropolitan development, have aggressively engaged in the redevelopment of urbanizing villages (chengzhongcun) to promote formalization and desegregation. This article adopts a historical micro‐perspective to examine the actual role of urbanizing villages in city making, through an in‐depth analysis of how migrants and villagers have struggled since the 1980s for symbiotic co‐existence during various stages of urbanization. It argues that state‐led village redevelopment has created more problems than it has solved. Redevelopment eliminates some of the spatial and institutional separations characterizing Chinese socialist villages by dismantling barriers hindering formalization and marketization of collective village land, but this produces new social inequalities and tensions as it uproots pre‐existing self‐governing communities to facilitate spontaneous grassroots rural‐to‐urban transition for villagers and migrants. To cope with these problems, intervention to resolve the emerging problems of Chinese cities must consider a fundamental policy shift, away from sole reliance on the means of formalization and integration, to greater emphasis on the benefits of informality and segregation.
Hospital–Skilled Nursing Facility Collaboration: A Mixed‐Methods Approach to Understanding the Effect of Linkage Strategies
Authors: Rahman Momotazur , Gadbois Emily A. , Tyler Denise A. , Mor Vincent 
Published: August 2018

ObjectiveTo characterize the nature and degree of hospitals’ efforts to collaborate with skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and associated patient outcomes.Data Sources/Study SettingQualitative data were collected through 138 interviews with staff in 16 hospitals and 25 SNFs in eight markets across the United States in 2015. Quantitative data include Medicare claims data for the 290,603 patients discharged from those 16 hospitals between 2008 and 2015.Study Design/Data CollectionSemi‐structured interviews with hospital and SNF staff were coded and used to classify hospitals’ collaboration efforts with SNFs into high versus low collaboration hospitals, and risk‐adjusted, claims‐based hospital readmission rates from SNF were compared.Principal FindingsHospital collaboration efforts were defined as establishing SNF partners, transition management initiatives, and hospital staff visits to SNFs. High collaboration hospitals were more likely to send patients to SNFs (as opposed to home, home with home health, or other PAC settings), sent a higher share of patients to high quality SNFs, and had fewer hospital readmissions from SNF sooner than did low collaboration hospitals.ConclusionsAlthough collaboration with SNF requires significant administrative and clinical time investment, it is associated with positive patient outcomes.
Amiodarone for sustained stable ventricular tachycardia in the prehospital setting
Authors: Foerster Christopher R , Andrew Emily , Smith Karen , Bernard Stephen 
Published: August 2018

AbstractObjectiveAmiodarone is commonly used in the treatment of stable ventricular tachycardia (VT), but its efficacy has not been empirically examined in the prehospital setting. The objective of this study was to examine the safety and efficacy of amiodarone administered by paramedics to patients with stable VT.MethodsPatient records from Victoria, Australia between 1 May 2007 and 30 June 2017 were examined retrospectively. Patients attended by Ambulance Victoria with stable sustained VT who were administered amiodarone by paramedics as the initial treatment were included. Data were used to determine the prevalence of treatment with amiodarone, the incidence of VT termination prior to transfer of care, and the incidence of progression to electrical cardioversion.ResultsSixty‐one patients were identified who met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 72 years (standard deviation = 14) with 77% (n = 47) being male. Of the patients treated with amiodarone, 52% (n = 32) reverted successfully during paramedic care while 48% (n = 29) did not. Two patients required cardioversion for haemodynamic instability after amiodarone administration. One patient experienced cardiac arrest after receiving amiodarone and was successfully resuscitated by paramedics.ConclusionsApproximately half of the patients treated with amiodarone reverted from VT while under paramedic care. Patient deterioration was rare, with cardiac arrest or requirement for cardioversion occurring very infrequently. Amiodarone was relatively safe and moderately effective for the treatment of sustained stable VT. However, given recent evidence of increased efficacy of procainamide for stable VT, further studies are required in the prehospital setting to compare these two drugs.
Effect of Gum Arabic, β‐Cyclodextrin, and Sodium Caseinate as Encapsulating Agent on the Oxidative Stability and Bioactive Compounds of Spray‐Dried Kenaf Seed Oil
Authors: Chew Sook Chin , Tan Chin Ping , Nyam Kar Lin 
Published: August 2018

AbstractKenaf seed oil is prone to undergo oxidation due to its high content of unsaturated fatty acids, thus microencapsulation stands as an alternative to protect kenaf seed oil from the adverse environment. This study primarily aimed to evaluate the oxidative stability of microencapsulated refined kenaf seed oil (MRKSO) by the use of gum arabic, β‐cyclodextrin, and sodium caseinate as the wall materials by spray drying. Bulk refined kenaf seed oil (BRKSO) and MRKSO were kept at 65 °C for 24 days to evaluate its oxidative stability, changes of tocopherol and tocotrienol contents, phytosterol content, and fatty acid profile. The results showed that the peroxide value, p‐Anisidine value, and total oxidation value of BRKSO were significantly higher than the MRKSO at day 24. The total tocopherol and tocotrienol contents were reduced 66.1% and 56.8% in BRKSO and MRKSO, respectively, upon the storage. There was a reduction of 71.7% and 23.5% of phytosterol content in BRKSO and MRKSO, respectively, upon the storage. The degradation rate of polyunsaturated fatty acids in BRKSO was higher than that of MRKSO. This study showed that the current microencapsulation technique is a feasible way to retard the oxidation of kenaf seed oil.Practical ApplicationThere is increasing research on the functional properties of crude kenaf seed oil, but the crude kenaf seed oil is not edible. This study offered in developing of microencapsulated refined kenaf seed oil by spray drying, which is suitable for food application. The microencapsulation of refined kenaf seed oil with healthier wall materials is beneficial in developing a diversity of functional food products and supplements.
Effect of pioglitazone on bone mineral density in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: A 36‐month clinical trial
Authors: Portillo‐Sanchez Paola , Bril Fernando , Lomonaco Romina , Barb Diana , Orsak Beverly , Bruder Jan Marie , Cusi Kenneth 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBackgroundThe effects of pioglitazone on bone metabolism are unclear. This study evaluated the long‐term effects of pioglitazone on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism in patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).MethodsNinety‐two patients with prediabetes or T2DM and biopsy‐proven NASH with BMD and baseline biochemical bone measurements were included. Patients (mean [±SEM] age 51 ± 1 years, 71% male, mean body mass index 34.5 ± 0.5 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to pioglitazone (45 mg/day) or placebo for 18 months, followed by an 18‐month open‐label pioglitazone treatment phase. Baseline, 18‐ and 36‐month evaluations included plasma vitamin D and bone turnover biomarker levels, and BMD measurements at the spine, femoral neck, total hip, and one‐third radius.ResultsAfter 18 months of pioglitazone treatment, there were no differences in BMD versus placebo at either the femoral neck (P =0.87), total hip (P =0.78), or one‐third radius (P =0.44); however, bone density decreased at the level of the spine with pioglitazone (−3.5%; P =0.002). During the extension phase (18–36 months), patients had no further decreases in BMD or plasma biomarkers of bone turnover during pioglitazone treatment. No patient experienced a low‐energy bone fracture.ConclusionsTreatment of patients with prediabetes or T2DM with pioglitazone for up to 3 years was associated with decreased BMD at the level of the lumbar spine. This reduction in BMD at the lumbar spine at 18 months versus placebo suggests an early deleterious effect of pioglitazone on bone metabolism.
The status of radiation oncology teaching in Australian and New Zealand medical schools
Authors: Nicholls Luke , Bravery Ben , Chelvarajah Revadhi , Shi Kate , Tieu Minh Thi , Turner Sandra , Windsor Apsara 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIntroductionRadiation therapy is a core component of curative and palliative cancer treatment; however, its indications and benefits remain poorly understood across the medical profession.MethodsAn electronic survey focussing on curriculum content, teaching and assessment in radiation oncology and plans for curriculum change was developed. The Faculty of Radiation Oncology, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiology (RANZCR) distributed the survey to all 24 Australian and New Zealand medical schools. The survey was conducted from November 2017 to January 2018 following ethics approval.ResultsSixteen of the 24 (67%) medical Faculties in Australia and New Zealand responded. Ninety‐four percent of Faculties had no formal radiation oncology curriculum. Most Faculties (87%) dedicated <15% of the total medical course to oncology, of which the majority (63%) dedicated <10% to radiation oncology. At least 50% of Faculties did not offer formal radiation oncology teaching to all students. When offered, students’ exposure to radiation oncology was often <5 days over the entire course (44%). The majority of medical schools (73%) are planning curriculum changes in the next 5 years; however, most have no intention of changing radiation oncology teaching.ConclusionRadiation oncology continues to be underrepresented in medical curricula throughout Australia and New Zealand with no plans for improvement by Faculties. This study supports the need for formal advocacy for improving radiation oncology education in medical schools and will form the basis of new national recommendations for radiation oncology curriculum development.
TGR5 activation induces cytoprotective changes in the heart and improves myocardial adaptability to physiologic, inotropic, and pressure‐induced stress in mice
Authors: Eblimit Zeena , Thevananther Sundararajah , Karpen Saul J. , Taegtmeyer Heinrich , Moore David D. , Adorini Luciano , Penny Daniel J. , Desai Moreshwar S. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIntroductionAdministration of cholic acid, or its synthetic derivative, 6‐alpha‐ethyl‐23(S)‐methylcholic acid (INT‐777), activates the membrane GPCR, TGR5, influences whole body metabolism, reduces atherosclerosis, and benefits the cardiovascular physiology in mice. Direct effects of TGR5 agonists, and the role for TGR5, on myocardial cell biology and stress response are unknown.MethodsMice were fed chow supplemented with 0.5% cholic acid (CA) or 0.025% INT‐777, a specific TGR5 agonist, or regular chow for 3 weeks. Anthropometric, biochemical, physiologic (electrocardiography and echocardiography), and molecular analysis was performed at baseline. CA and INT‐777 fed mice were challenged with acute exercise‐induced stress, acute catecholamine‐induced stress, and hemodynamic stress induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) for a period of 8 weeks. In separate experiments, mice born with constitutive deletion of TGR5 in cardiomyocytes (CM‐TGR5del) were exposed to exercise, inotropic, and TAC‐induced stress.ResultsAdministration of CA and INT‐777 supplemented diets upregulated TGR5 expression and activated Akt, PKA, and ERK1/2 in the heart. CA and INT‐777 fed mice showed improved exercise tolerance, improved sensitivity to catecholamine and attenuation in pathologic remodeling of the heart under hemodynamic stress. In contrast, CM‐TGR5del showed poor response to exercise and catecholamine challenge as well as higher mortality and signs of accelerated cardiomyopathy under hemodynamic stress.ConclusionsBile acids, specifically TGR5 agonists, induce cytoprotective changes in the heart and improve myocardial response to physiologic, inotropic, and hemodynamic stress in mice. TGR5 plays a critical role in myocardial adaptability, and TGR5 activation may represent a potentially attractive treatment option in heart failure.
Effect of evidence‐based cardiac drug therapy on mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome: Findings from the Gulf COAST registry
Authors: Al‐Zakwani Ibrahim , Zubaid Mohammad , Alsheikh‐Ali Alawi A. , Almahmeed Wael , Rashed Wafa 
Published: August 2018

SummaryAimTo evaluate the prevalence and impact of the prescribing of an evidence‐based cardiac medication (EBM) combination on 1‐month, 6‐months, and 12‐months all‐cause mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).MethodsData were analyzed from 3681 consecutive patients diagnosed with ACS admitted to 29 hospitals in 4 Middle Eastern countries from January 2012 to January 2013. The EBM combination consisted of concurrent prescribing of an antiplatelet therapy, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), β‐blocker, and a statin, at hospital discharge. Analyses were performed using univariate and multivariate statistical techniques.ResultsThe overall mean age of the cohort was 60 ± 13 years, 66% (n = 2436) were males. In all, 69% (n = 2542) of the patients received the quadruple EBM combination at discharge. Two‐way interactions between EBM and age (P = 0.824), EBM and GRACE risk score (P = 0.873) and between EBM and discharge diagnosis (P = 0.836) were all not statistically significant. Adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics, the prescribing of EBM combination was associated with significantly lower cumulative all‐cause mortality at 1‐month (adjusted OR (aOR), 0.43; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.24‐0.79; P = 0.007), which persisted at 6‐months (aOR, 0.52; 95% CI: 0.38‐0.72; P < 0.001) and at 12‐months of follow‐up (aOR, 0.58; 95% CI: 0.44‐0.75; P < 0.001) posthospital discharge.ConclusionsAmong patients discharged after an ACS event, concurrent EBM prescribing was associated with lower all‐cause mortality that persists for up to 12‐months posthospital discharge. The relative benefits of EBMs were also consistent across age, GRACE risk score, and discharge diagnosis.
Home Capital Group—The High Cost of Dishonesty
Authors: Brown Kareen , Veenstra Kevin 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThis instructional case presents the problems that began in the summer of 2015 when Home Capital Group (HCG) announced it had cut ties with 45 mortgage brokers for falsifying figures on mortgage applications regarding the earnings of prospective home purchasers in Canada. The case details the subsequent investigation by the Ontario Securities Commission in 2017 that resulted in a run on the bank and consequent efforts by HCG to stay afloat. While emphasizing the importance of strong corporate governance and corporate social responsibility initiatives, this case also stresses the influence of various stakeholders including short‐sellers, regulators, shareholders, management, depositors, and customers in the evolution of subsequent events. As a whole, this case provides an interesting context for the discussion of stock market efficiency.
Satellite remote sensing to monitor mangrove forest resilience and resistance to sea level rise
Authors: Duncan Clare , Owen Harry J. F. , Thompson Julian R. , Koldewey Heather J. , Primavera Jurgenne H. , Pettorelli Nathalie 
Published: August 2018

Abstract

Coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, provide key ecosystem services for climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, combined anthropogenic activities and climatic change‐driven sea level rise (SLR) pose a severe threat to their global persistence, and to the continued delivery of these services. Mangrove vulnerability to SLR depends upon capacity for both resilience (landward migration) and resistance (maintained functioning with the existing distribution), which are in turn hindered by extractive activities and coastal infrastructure development. Limited landscape‐scale data availability means existing SLR vulnerability assessment frameworks lack rigorous quantification of these discrete processes.

Here we develop and implement a novel multi‐product (multispectral, microwave, derived‐product) open‐access satellite remote sensing approach to assess both coastal ecosystem SLR resilience and resistance capacity in multiple mangrove sites across the world, and landscape‐level and anthropogenic factors driving these capacities. Our approach allows comparative ranking of resilience and resistance capacities across sites, based on relative observed ecosystem change (biomass, distribution) and in constraints to these two components of SLR vulnerability.

We observe mostly low SLR resilience and resistance across our case study sites. Furthermore, we find that site‐specific resilience and resistance capacities and constraints can be highly incongruent, highlighting the importance of comprehensive SLR vulnerability monitoring for effective management. High within‐site variation was also detected in resilience and resistance capacities and their constraints. This underlines the importance of spatially explicit monitoring at extensive spatial scales to inform decision making.

The methodology developed and repeat‐pass imagery employed adds to the remote monitoring and assessment toolkit for adaptive coastal ecosystem management under SLR, providing a new approach to inform conservation and management priority assessments in data‐deficient regions.
Strategies for managing pain during endodontic treatment
Authors: Abbott Paul V. , Parirokh Masoud 
Published: August 2018

AbstractMany patients associate root canal treatment with pain. Unfortunately, local anaesthetic techniques such as infiltrations and inferior alveolar nerve blocks are not very effective as single injections for acute irreversible pulpitis. This review discusses strategies for more effective pain management for such situations. Pain control before, during and after treatment is essential for effective patient management. Adequate pain control during treatment also reduces post‐operative pain. Effective pain management begins with a thorough understanding of the conditions being treated and an accurate diagnosis. In some cases, premedication with non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs can help reduce intra‐operative pain. Pain management during treatment involves standard local anaesthetic solutions and injection techniques plus increased volumes and supplementary injections. Once anaesthesia is achieved, treatment can be commenced and the root canal system can be medicated to relieve pain. These should be followed by flexible post‐operative pain management strategies for the individual patient and specific condition.
PRLH and SOD1 gene variations associated with heat tolerance in Chinese cattle
Authors: Zeng L. , Chen N. , Ning Q. , Yao Y. , Chen H. , Dang R. , Zhang H. , Lei C. 
Published: August 2018

SummaryWith the proposed global climate change, heat tolerance is becoming increasingly important to the sustainability of livestock production systems. Results from previous studies showed that variants in the prolactin releasing hormone (PRLH) (AC_000160.1:g.11764610G>A) and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) (AC_000158.1:g.3116044T>A) genes play an important role in heat tolerance in African indicine cattle. However, it is unknown whether or not the mutations are associated with heat tolerance in Chinese cattle. In this study, PCR and DNA sequencing were used to genotype two missense mutations in 725 individuals of 30 cattle breeds. Analysis results demonstrated that two classes of base substitution were detected at two loci: AC_000160.1:g.11764610G>A and AC_000158.1:g.3116044T>A or T>C respectively, with amino acid substitutions arginine to histidine and phenylalanine to isoleucine or leucine. The frequencies of the G and T alleles of the two loci gradually diminished from northern groups to southern groups of native Chinese cattle, whereas the frequencies of A and A or C alleles showed a contrary pattern, displaying a significant geographical difference across native Chinese cattle breeds. Additionally, analysis of these two loci in Chinese indigenous cattle revealed that two SNPs were significantly associated with mean annual temperature (T), relative humidity (RH) and temperature humidity index (THI) (P < 0.01), suggesting that cattle with A or C alleles were distributed in regions with higher T, RH and THI. Our results suggest that the two mutations of PRLH and SOD1 genes in Chinese cattle were associated with the heat tolerance.
Joint Skeleton Estimation of Multiple Directed Acyclic Graphs for Heterogeneous Population
Authors: Liu Jianyu , Sun Wei , Liu Yufeng 
Published: August 2018

Summary
The directed acyclic graph (DAG) is a powerful tool to model the interactions of high-dimensional variables. While estimating edge directions in a DAG often requires interventional data, one can estimate the skeleton of a DAG (i.e., an undirected graph formed by removing the direction of each edge in a DAG) using observational data. In real data analyses, the samples of the high-dimensional variables may be collected from a mixture of multiple populations. Each population has its own DAG while the DAGs across populations may have significant overlap. In this article, we propose a two-step approach to jointly estimate the DAG skeletons of multiple populations while the population origin of each sample may or may not be labeled. In particular, our method allows a probabilistic soft label for each sample, which can be easily computed and often leads to more accurate skeleton estimation than hard labels. Compared with separate estimation of skeletons for each population, our method is more accurate and robust to labeling errors. We study the estimation consistency for our method, and demonstrate its performance using simulation studies in different settings. Finally, we apply our method to analyze gene expression data from breast cancer patients of multiple cancer subtypes.
Laminins and their receptors in the CNS
Authors: Nirwane Abhijit , Yao Yao 
Published: August 2018

ABSTRACTLaminin, an extracellular matrix protein, is widely expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). By interacting with integrin and non‐integrin receptors, laminin exerts a large variety of important functions in the CNS in both physiological and pathological conditions. Due to the existence of many laminin isoforms and their differential expression in various cell types in the CNS, the exact functions of each individual laminin molecule in CNS development and homeostasis remain largely unclear. In this review, we first briefly introduce the structure and biochemistry of laminins and their receptors. Next, the dynamic expression of laminins and their receptors in the CNS during both development and in adulthood is summarized in a cell‐type‐specific manner, which allows appreciation of their functional redundancy/compensation. Furthermore, we discuss the biological functions of laminins and their receptors in CNS development, blood–brain barrier (BBB) maintenance, neurodegeneration, stroke, and neuroinflammation. Last, key challenges and potential future research directions are summarized and discussed. Our goals are to provide a synthetic review to stimulate future studies and promote the formation of new ideas/hypotheses and new lines of research in this field.