bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preoperative cystoscopy could determine the severity of placenta accreta spectrum disorders: An observational study
Authors: Al‐Khan Abdulla , Guirguis George , Zamudio Stacy , Alvarez Manuel , Martimucci Kristina , Luke Davlyn , Alvarez‐Perez Jesus 
Published: August 2018

AbstractAimIn the surgical treatment of placenta accreta spectrum disorders, cystoscopy for prophylactic stent placement is performed to protect the ureters from potential injury. Despite its frequent use, the use of cystoscopy in assessing the severity of these disorders has not been explored. Our objective was to find out if the abnormal findings documented during cystoscopy are associated with disease severity.MethodsIn this retrospective, observational cohort study (n = 56), the bladder wall was evaluated at the time of ureteral stent placement via cystoscopy in prenatally diagnosed placenta accreta spectrum cases. Three abnormal findings were commonly present in these cases: bulging of the posterior bladder wall, neovascularization and arterial pulsatility in the area of neovascularization. These findings were stratified according to severity in histologically confirmed specimens. Continuous variables were compared via two‐tailed t‐tests and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Categorical data were evaluated using logistic regression analysis.ResultsNeovascularization affected 84%, bulging 71% and pulsatility 54% of the cases. Bulging and neovascularization increased with disease severity. Pulsatility occurred exclusively in percretas. Bulging was associated with a 12‐fold (OR = 11.6, 95% CI 2.94–46.33, P = 0.0005) increased likelihood of percreta and neovascularization with a 17‐fold (OR = 17.06, 95% CI 2.98–97.79, P = 0.0014) increase. Neovascularization and/or the presence of bulging of the bladder have high positive predictive value for placenta increta and percreta (91.5% and 95.0%, respectively).Cystoscopy can be used to assess the severity of placenta accreta spectrum cases preoperatively, especially when placentation is over the previous uterine scar and is in proximity to the bladder wall.
Life Insurance and Life Settlements: The Case for Health‐Contingent Cash Surrender Values
Authors: Fang Hanming , Kung Edward 
Published: August 2018

AbstractWe investigate why life insurance policies in practice either do not have a cash surrender value (CSV), or have CSVs that are small and are not adjusted for health status. We show that including health‐contingent CSVs in a life insurance contract causes a dynamic commitment problem, which makes it more costly up front for policyholders to purchase long‐term contracts (because some poor risks who would otherwise have lapsed can and will now capture the CSV instead). To the extent that life insurance policyholders’ incomes tend to increase over the course of the policy, policyholders are not willing to accept higher ex ante premium costs in return for the extra liquidity provided by the CSV. Because health‐contingent CSVs act in a similar way to a life settlement market, we also study the life insurers’ equilibrium choice of CSVs in the presence of a life settlement market. We find that optimally chosen CSVs can partially mitigate the consumer welfare loss caused by the settlement market (as in Daily, Hendel, and Lizzeri, 2008), but only if the CSVs are allowed to be contingent on health status.
Population dynamics of an endemic cyprinid (Hypselobarbus kurali): Insights from an exploited reservoir fishery in the Western Ghats of India
Authors: Raghavan Rajeev , Ramprasanth M. R. , Ali Anvar , Dahanukar Neelesh 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe Western Ghats of India harbours an exceptional diversity of endemic freshwater fishes, which are threatened because of various anthropogenic stressors, including biological resource use. Lack of organized studies on the population dynamics and exploitation levels of endemic species, however, has hindered the development and implementation of systematic conservation action plans in this region. This is especially true for large cyprinid fishes threatened because of overharvest. This study examined length–weight relationships and length‐structured population dynamics of an endemic large cyprinid (Hypselobarbus kurali), based on data obtained from an artisanal gill‐net fishery in Malampuzha Reservoir. Length–weight analysis suggested the fish exhibited significantly lower exponents than expected under isometry, indicating the growth of H. kurali in the reservoir was negative allometric. The von Bertalanffy growth formula fitted to the length‐frequency data indicated H. kurali grew relatively slower than other large cyprinids in this region. Statistical analysis of recruitment revealed two peaks, implying the fish have two spawning bouts each year. Analysis of mortality and exploitation of the species revealed large‐sized individuals were targeted by the fishers, resulting in an exponential decline in the survivors in the virtual population analysis. Relative yield‐per‐recruit and relative biomass‐per‐recruit analysis indicated the current exploitation rate for the population was greater than the exploitation rate under which the stock would be reduced to half its unexploited biomass. Further, the current exploitation level was more than 60% of the expected maximum exploitation above which the population could collapse. The results of this study identify a serious need to develop and implement management plans to guide the future sustainability of the reservoir fishery of H. kurali.
Low breastfeeding continuation to 6 months for very preterm infants: A European multiregional cohort study
Authors: Bonnet Camille , Blondel Béatrice , Piedvache Aurélie , Wilson Emilija , Bonamy Anna‐Karin Edstedt , Gortner Ludwig , Rodrigues Carina , van Heijst Arno , Draper Elizabeth S. , Cuttini Marina , Zeitlin Jennifer ,   the EPICE Research Group
Published: August 2018

AbstractBreastfeeding confers multiple benefits for the health and development of very preterm infants, but there is scarce information on the duration of breastfeeding after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We used data from the Effective Perinatal Intensive Care in Europe population‐based cohort of births below 32 weeks of gestation in 11 European countries in 2011–2012 to investigate breastfeeding continuation until 6 months. Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics were collected from obstetric and neonatal medical records as well as parental questionnaires at 2 years of corrected age. Among 3,217 ever‐breastfed infants, 34% were breastfeeding at 6 months of age (range across countries from 25% to 56%); younger and less educated mothers were more likely to stop before 6 months (adjusted relative risk [aRR] <25 years: 0.68, 95% CI [0.53, 0.88], vs. 25–34 years; lower secondary: 0.58, 95% CI [0.45, 0.76] vs. postgraduate education). Multiple birth, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and several neonatal transfers reduced the probability of continuation but not low gestational age, fetal growth restriction, congenital anomalies, or severe neonatal morbidities. Among infants breastfeeding at discharge, mixed versus exclusive breast milk feeding at discharge was associated with stopping before 6 months: aRR = 0.60, 95% CI [0.48, 0.74]. Low breastfeeding continuation rates in this high‐risk population call for more support to breastfeeding mothers during and after the neonatal hospitalization, especially for families with low socio‐economic status, multiples, and infants with BPD. Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding in the NICU may constitute a lever for improving breastfeeding continuation after discharge.
From didactic to personalized health and nutrition counselling: A mixed‐methods review of the GALIDRAA approach in Nepal
Authors: Cunningham Kenda , Suresh Shalini , Kjeldsberg Cecilie , Sapkota Femila , Shakya Nabin , Manandhar Shraddha 
Published: August 2018

AbstractGALIDRAA (greet, ask, listen, identify, discuss, recommend, agree, and appoint), an interpersonal communication method, is used in health and nutrition behaviour change programmes to structure communication between front‐line workers (FLWs) and beneficiaries. However, programmatic experiential evidence and monitoring and evaluation of the method are scarce. Suaahara aims to address maternal and child undernutrition, in part by influencing household‐level behaviours. Suaahara trained both government and programme FLWs in GALIDRAA for use during counselling. This study investigates their adherence to the GALIDRAA method 2 years later, using quantitative and qualitative data from a 2014 process evaluation study. Descriptive and thematic analyses were conducted to assess adherence to GALIDRAA. We found variation in adherence to each of the eight GALIDRAA steps among both Suaahara field supervisors (FSs) and Nepal's female community health volunteers (FCHVs). The prevalence of FLWs identifying a beneficiary's problem, discussing, questioning, and probing for constraints with the beneficiary, and, only then, recommending a doable solution, that is, the process of personalized nutrition counselling, was substantially higher among Suaahara FSs than FCHVs. However, both FCHVs and FSs counselling skills, particularly regarding adherence to each step of the GALIDRAA approach, have room for improvement. This highlights the need for additional training and post‐training follow‐up including supportive supervision related to appropriate counselling methods such as GALIDRAA and may indicate that there are additional FLWs constraints, beyond knowledge, that programmes need to address.
Negative regulation of Candida glabrata Pdr1 by the deubiquitinase subunit Bre5 occurs in a ubiquitin independent manner
Authors: Paul Sanjoy , McDonald W. Hayes , Moye‐Rowley W. Scott 
Published: August 2018

SummaryThe primary route for development of azole resistance in the fungal pathogen Candida glabrata is acquisition of a point mutation in the PDR1 gene. This locus encodes a transcription factor that upon mutation drives high level expression of a range of genes including the ATP‐binding cassette transporter‐encoding gene CDR1. Pdr1 activity is also elevated in cells that lack the mitochondrial genome (ρ° cells), with associated high expression of CDR1 driving azole resistance. To gain insight into the mechanisms controlling activity of Pdr1, we expressed a tandem affinity purification (TAP)‐tagged form of Pdr1 in both wild‐type (ρ+) and ρ° cells. Purified proteins were analyzed by multidimensional protein identification technology mass spectrometry identifying a protein called Bre5 as a factor that co‐purified with TAP‐Pdr1. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bre5 is part of a deubiquitinase complex formed by association with the ubiquitin‐specific protease Ubp3. Genetic analyses in C. glabrata revealed that loss of BRE5, but not UBP3, led to an increase in expression of PDR1 and CDR1 at the transcriptional level. These studies support the view that Bre5 acts as a negative regulator of Pdr1 transcriptional activity and behaves as a C. glabrata‐specific modulator of azole resistance.
Changing resource landscapes and spillover of henipaviruses
Authors: Kessler Maureen K. , Becker Daniel J. , Peel Alison J. , Justice Nathan V. , Lunn Tamika , Crowley Daniel E. , Jones Devin N. , Eby Peggy , Sánchez Cecilia A. , Plowright Raina K. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractOld World fruit bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) provide critical pollination and seed dispersal services to forest ecosystems across Africa, Asia, and Australia. In each of these regions, pteropodids have been identified as natural reservoir hosts for henipaviruses. The genus Henipavirus includes Hendra virus and Nipah virus, which regularly spill over from bats to domestic animals and humans in Australia and Asia, and a suite of largely uncharacterized African henipaviruses. Rapid change in fruit bat habitat and associated shifts in their ecology and behavior are well documented, with evidence suggesting that altered diet, roosting habitat, and movement behaviors are increasing spillover risk of bat‐borne viruses. We review the ways that changing resource landscapes affect the processes that culminate in cross‐species transmission of henipaviruses, from reservoir host density and distribution to within‐host immunity and recipient host exposure. We evaluate existing evidence and highlight gaps in knowledge that are limiting our understanding of the ecological drivers of henipavirus spillover. When considering spillover in the context of land‐use change, we emphasize that it is especially important to disentangle the effects of habitat loss and resource provisioning on these processes, and to jointly consider changes in resource abundance, quality, and composition.
Influence of body composition and physical fitness on arterial stiffness after marathon running
Authors: Deiseroth Arne , Nussbaumer Monique , Drexel Verena , Hertel Gernot , Schmidt‐Trucksäss Arno , Vlachopoulos Charalambos , Halle Martin , Hanssen Henner 
Published: August 2018

Background and aimsParticipation in exhaustive endurance sports competitions continues to be popular. Questions about the cardiovascular side effects of prolonged excessive exercise persist. Our study aimed to elucidate the acute effects of marathon running on arterial stiffness (AST) and to detect the role of body composition, fitness status, and inflammation.MethodsBody composition was investigated in lean and obese recreational runners taking part in a marathon race. Fitness levels were determined in advance by a symptom‐limited treadmill test to obtain the individual anaerobic threshold. Carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (BP), and inflammatory markers (TNF‐ɑ, IL‐6, hsCRP) were measured before 2 hours and 24 hours after a marathon race.ResultsA total of 47 male runners with a wide range of body mass index (BMI) and fitness levels took part in the study. Baseline PWV was independent of body composition. Marathon running induced an acute PWV drop from 8.5 m/s to 7.9 m/s within the first two hours after the race (P < 0.05). Body composition and not physical fitness predicted the PWV differences postmarathon (P > 0.05). Changes in BP, heart rate, or inflammatory markers were not associated with PWV postmarathon.ConclusionsThough not evident at baseline, marathon running was associated with a reduced attenuation of central arterial stiffness in overweight and obese runners. The reduced responsiveness and attenuation of PWV with higher BMI, independent of hemodynamic changes and systemic inflammation, may represent masked vascular dysfunction in overweight and obese runners.
HiSpatialCluster: A novel high‐performance software tool for clustering massive spatial points
Authors: Chen Yiran , Huang Zhou , Pei Tao , Liu Yu 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIn the era of big data, spatial clustering is a very important means for geo‐data analysis. When clustering big geo‐data such as social media check‐in data, geotagged photos, and taxi trajectory points, traditional spatial clustering algorithms are facing more challenges. On the one hand, existing spatial clustering tools cannot support the clustering of massive point sets; on the other hand, there is no perfect solution for self‐adaptive spatial clustering. In order to achieve clustering of millions or even billions of points adaptively, a new spatial clustering tool—HiSpatialCluster—was proposed, in which the CFSFDP (clustering by fast search and finding density peaks) idea to find cluster centers and the DBSCAN (density‐based spatial clustering of applications with noise) idea of density‐connect filtering for classification are introduced. The tool’s source codes and other resources have been released on Github, and experimental evaluation was performed through clustering massive taxi trajectory points and Flickr geotagged photos in Beijing, China. The spatial clustering results were compared with those through K‐means and DBSCAN as well. As a spatial clustering tool, HiSpatialCluster is expected to play a fundamental role in big geo‐data research. First, this tool enables clustering adaptively on massive point datasets with uneven spatial density distribution. Second, the density‐connect filter method is applied to generate homogeneous analysis units from geotagged data. Third, the tool is accelerated by both parallel CPU and GPU computing so that millions or even billions of points can be clustered efficiently.
Effects of the selective chymase inhibitor TEI‐F00806 on the intrarenal renin–angiotensin system in salt‐treated angiotensin I‐infused hypertensive mice
Authors: Ansary Tuba M. , Urushihara Maki , Fujisawa Yoshihide , Nagata Sayaka , Urata Hidenori , Nakano Daisuke , Hirofumi Hitomi , Kitamura Kazuo , Kagami Shoji , Nishiyama Akira 
Published: August 2018

New Findings
What is the central question of this study?Can chymase inhibition prevent angiotensin I‐induced hypertension through inhibiting the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II in the kidney?
What is the main finding and its importance?Treatment with TEI‐F00806 decreased angiotensin II content of the kidney, renal cortical angiotensinogen protein levels and chymase mRNA expression, and attenuated the development of hypertension.
AbstractThe effects of the selective chymase inhibitor TEI‐F00806 were examined on angiotensin I (Ang I)‐induced hypertension and intrarenal angiotensin II (Ang II) production in salt‐treated mice. Twelve‐week‐old C57BL male mice were given a high‐salt diet (4% NaCl + saline (0.9% NaCl)), and divided into three groups: (1) sham + vehicle (5% acetic acid in saline), (2) Ang I (1 μg kg−1 min−1, s.c.) + vehicle, and (3) Ang I + TEI‐F00806 (100 mg kg−1 day−1, p.o.) (n = 8–10 per group). Systolic blood pressure was measured weekly using a tail‐cuff method. Kidney Ang II content was measured by radioimmunoassay. Chronic infusion of Ang I resulted in the development of hypertension (P < 0.001), and augmented intrarenal chymase gene expression (P < 0.05), angiotensinogen protein level (P < 0.001) and Ang II content (P < 0.01) in salt‐treated mice. Treatment with TEI‐F00806 attenuated the development of hypertension (P < 0.001) and decreased Ang II content of the kidney (P < 0.05), which was associated with reductions in renal cortical angiotensinogen protein levels (P < 0.001) and chymase mRNA expression (P < 0.05). These data suggest that a chymase inhibitor decreases intrarenal renin–angiotensin activity, thereby reducing salt‐dependent hypertension.
Diagnostic accuracy of point shear wave elastography and transient elastography for staging hepatic fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a meta-analysis
Authors: Jiang Weixi , Huang Sirun , Teng Hua , Wang Peipei , Wu Meng , Zhou Xia , Ran Haitao 
Published: August 2018

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the accuracy of staging liver fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) usingpoint shear wave elastography (pSWE) and transient elastography (TE).SettingRelevant records on NAFLD were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases up to 20 December 2017. A bivariate mixed-effects model was conducted to combine sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) between pSWE and TE. A sensitivity analysis was implemented to explore the source of heterogeneity.ParticipantsPatients with NAFLD who had a liver stiffness measurement using pSWE and TE before liver biopsy were enrolled according to the following criteria: 2×2 contingency tables can be calculated via the reported number of cases; sensitivity and specificity were excluded according to the following criteria: history of other hepatic damage, such as chronic hepatitis C, concurrent active hepatitis B infection, autoimmune hepatitis, suspicious drug usage and alcohol abuse.ResultsNine pSWE studies comprising a total of 982 patients and 11 TE studies comprising a total of 1753 patients were included. For detection of significant fibrosis, advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis, the summary AUC was 0.86 (95% CI 0.83 to 0.89), 0.94 (95% CI 0.91 to 0.95) and 0.95 (95% CI 0.93 to 0.97) for pSWE, and the summary AUC was 0.85 (95% CI 0.82 to 0.88), 0.92 (95% CI 0.89 to 0.94) and 0.94 (95% CI 0.93 to 0.97) for TE, respectively. The proportion of failure measurement was over tenfold as common with TE using an M probe compared with pSWE.ConclusionpSWE and TE, providing precise non-invasive staging of liver fibrosis in NAFLD, are promising techniques, particularly for advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis.
Effects of menaquinone-7 supplementation in patients with aortic valve calcification: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Lindholt Jes Sanddal , Frandsen Niels Erik , Fredgart Maise Høigaard , Øvrehus Kristian A , Dahl Jordi Sanchez , Møller Jacob Eifer , Folkestad Lars , Urbonaviciene Grazina , Becker Søren Warberg , Lambrechtsen Jess , Auscher Søren , Hosbond Susanne , Alan Dilek Hunerel , Rasmussen Lars Melholt , Gerke Oke , Mickley Hans , Diederichsen Axel 
Published: August 2018

IntroductionAortic stenosis is a common heart valve disease, and due to the growing elderly population, the prevalence is increasing. The disease is progressive with increasing calcification of the valve cusps. A few attempts with medical preventive treatment have failed; thus, presently, the only effective treatment of aortic stenosis is surgery. This study will examine the effect of menaquinone-7 (MK-7) supplementation on progression of aortic valve calcification (AVC). We hypothesise that MK-7 supplementation will slow down the calcification process.Methods and analysisIn this multicenter and double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, 400 men aged 65–74 years with substantial AVC are randomised (1:1) to treatment with MK-7 (720 µg/day) supplemented by the recommended daily dose of vitamin D (25 µg/day) or placebo treatment (no active treatment) for 2 years. Exclusion criteria are treatment with vitamin K antagonist or coagulation disorders. To evaluate AVC score, a non-contrast CT scan is performed at baseline and repeated after 12 and 24 months of follow-up. Primary outcome is difference in AVC score from baseline to follow-up at 2 years. Intention-to-treat principle is used for all analyses.Ethics and disseminationThere are no reported adverse effects associated with the use of MK-7. The protocol is approved by the Regional Scientific Ethical Committee for Southern Denmark (S-20170059) and the Data Protection Agency (17/19010). It is conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Positive as well as negative findings will be reported.Trial registration numberNCT03243890.