bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Derived Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Transplantation Ineligible Patients with Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Lee Gyeong-Won , Park Sung Woo , Go Se-Il , Kim Hoon-Gu , Kim Min Kyoung , Min Chang-Ki , Kwak Jae-Yong , Bae Sang-Byung , Yoon Sung-Soo , Lee Je-Jung , Kim Ki Hwan , Nam Seung-Hyun , Mun Yeung-Chul , Kim Hyo Jung , Bae Sung Hwa , Shin Ho-Jin , Lee Jung-Hee , Park Joon Seong , Jeong Seong Hyun , Lee Mark Hong , Lee Ho Sup , Park Keon Woo , Lee Won-Sik , Lee Sang Min , Lee Jeong-Ok , Hyun Myung Soo , Jo Deog Yeon , Lim Sung-Nam , Lee Jae Hoon , Kim Hawk , Cho Do-Yeun , Do Young Rok , Kim Jeong-A , Park Seong Kyu , Kim Jin Seok , Kim Soo-Jeong , Yi Hyeon Gyu , Moon Joon Ho , Choi Chul Won , Kim Sung-Hyun , Kim Byung Soo , Park Moo-Rim , Shim Hyeok , Song Moo-Kon , Kim Youngdoe , Kim Kihyun 
Published: September 2018

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an independent prognostic marker in solid and hematological cancers. While the derived NLR (dNLR) was shown to be non-inferior to the NLR in large cohorts of patients with different cancer types, it has not been validated as a prognostic marker for multiple myeloma (MM) to date. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Between May 22, 2011 and May 29, 2014, 176 patients with MM from 38 centers who were ineligible for autologous stem cell transplantation were analyzed. The dNLR was calculated using complete blood count differential data. The optimal dNLR cut-off value according to receiver operating characteristic analysis of overall survival (OS) was 1.51. All patients were treated with melphalan and prednisone combined with bortezomib. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The complete response rate was lower in the high dNLR group compared to the low dNLR group (7 vs. 26.1%, respectively; <i>p</i> = 0.0148); the corresponding 2-year OS rates were 72.2 and 84.7%, respectively (<i>p</i> = 0.0354). A high dNLR was an independent poor prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio 2.217, 95% CI 1.015–4.842; <i>p</i> = 0.0458). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The dNLR is a readily available and cheaply obtained parameter in clinical studies, and shows considerable potential as a new prognostic marker for transplantation-ineligible patients with MM.
The Dynamics of Shelf Forcing in Greenlandic Fjords
Authors: Jackson Rebecca H. , Lentz Steven J. , Straneo Fiamma 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe fjords that connect Greenland’s glaciers to the ocean are gateways for importing heat to melt ice and for exporting meltwater into the ocean. The transport of heat and meltwater can be modulated by various drivers of fjord circulation, including freshwater, local winds, and shelf variability. Shelf-forced flows (also known as the intermediary circulation) are the dominant mode of variability in two major fjords of east Greenland, but we lack a dynamical understanding of the fjord’s response to shelf forcing. Building on observations from east Greenland, we use numerical simulations and analytical models to explore the dynamics of shelf-driven flows. For the parameter space of Greenlandic fjords, we find that the fjord’s response is primarily a function of three nondimensional parameters: the fjord width over the deformation radius (W/Rd), the forcing time scale over the fjord adjustment time scale, and the forcing amplitude (shelf pycnocline displacements) over the upper-layer thickness. The shelf-forced flows in both the numerical simulations and the observations can largely be explained by a simple analytical model for Kelvin waves propagating around the fjord. For fjords with W/Rd > 0.5 (most Greenlandic fjords), 3D dynamics are integral to understanding shelf forcing—the fjord dynamics cannot be approximated with 2D models that neglect cross-fjord structure. The volume flux exchanged between the fjord and shelf increases for narrow fjords and peaks around the resonant forcing frequency, dropping off significantly at higher- and lower-frequency forcing.
Parametric analysis of the wind-driven ventilation potential of buildings with rectangular layout
Authors: Ferrucci Margherita , Brocato Maurizio 
Published: September 2018

A method to evaluate the wind-driven ventilation potential of buildings is proposed and some schematic examples are given. Two indicators of such potential are put forward: the first concerning the pressure difference between spots (openings) on the facades and the second concerning the ratio between this pressure difference and a simplified measure of the pressure loss by the internal air flow. These indicators allow one to compare shapes and orientations and can help finding the most appropriate ones during a preliminary stage of the design of a naturally ventilated building. To present the proposal, a two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics parametric model of a schematic building is set, the parameters of which are the aspect ratio of the building's rectangular plan and the wind relative direction. The computational fluid dynamics simulations are supported by literature benchmarks and by qualitative experiments in a wind tunnel. Using this model, the pressure field is computed for 66 cases and their ventilation potentials are evaluated; some graphic outputs are then proposed for a preliminary understanding of the pressure field and of the resulting indicators. The optimal morphology given by such analyses is finally compared to that of some naturally ventilated existing buildings, including Iranian badgir towers. Practical application: This paper provides graphs to predict a building's potential for natural ventilation thereby enabling a designer to determine the wind-driven ventilation in a building and evaluate the structure, optimise its orientation, its aspect ratio and opening positions. These can be used, for example, in the evaluation of naturally ventilated multi-storey rectangular plan buildings (that might employ hyper-ventilation or night cooling) or to evaluate possible passive ventilation strategies for existing buildings. With the support of these graphs, which can be used as computationally inexpensive and fast decision tools, it is possible to simulate configurations, considering the parameters that most influence natural ventilation.
Total Effects of Privatization: Evidence from Turkey
Authors: Cengiz Doruk 
Published: September 2018

I examine effects of the privatization process as a whole in Turkey. I show that the privatization process begins before the firm is sold to private agents. I find that privatization causes the firm-level workforce to decline by 65 percent, profit-margin to increase by 18 percent, and no substantial changes in real sales. Based on the evidence presented, I conclude that the direct outcome of privatization is an income transfer from wage earners to profit earners. JEL Classification: L33, H42
A Tale of Two Revolutions: Hungary’s 1956 and the Un-doing of 1989
Authors: Harms Victoria 
Published: September 2018

This article is part of the special section titled The Genealogies of Memory, guest edited by Ferenc Laczó and Joanna Wawrzyniak This article investigates the evolution of Hungary’s memory of 1956, from the counterrevolution to the dissident struggle for rehabilitation in the eighties, its relation to the change of regimes in 1989, and its subsequent appropriation for nationalist purposes in defiance of a European memory regime. Mnemonic warriors like Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and historian Mária Schmidt have championed 1956 as a struggle for freedom and independence and symbols of Hungarian martyrdom and bravery. Only recently a new-found Central European unity in adversity has been observed: the “counterrevolution” against the European Union. Perusing interviews, samizdat articles, public appeals and speeches, and other documentary evidence, including historical analyses, this article identifies mnemonic actors and strategies to assess the intricate relationship between 1956 and 1989. The analysis of museum exhibitions, statues, monuments, and national symbols helps reveal the varying significance ascribed to 1956 before and after 1989. The study relies on the conceptual groundwork of Michael Bernhard and Jan Kubik. It contributes to arguments put forth by historians James Mark, Anna Seleny, Nora Borodziej, and Árpád von Klimó.
1989 in European Vernacular Memory
Authors: Breuer Lars , Delius Anna 
Published: September 2018

This article is part of the special section titled The Genealogies of Memory, guest edited by Ferenc Laczó and Joanna Wawrzyniak In our contribution, we examine the vernacular memory of the end of Communism and the year 1989 in Europe. Analyzing sixteen focus groups conducted in Germany, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, we concentrate on the question whether the events related to 1989 might have the disposition to become a transnational European lieu de mémoire. We show that 1989 is not a salient historical event for British and Spanish participants, while Polish and German respondents do connect it with patterns of national identity building. Differences between vernacular and official memories could be revealed as respondents hardly mentioned the democratic achievements made in the course of the transitions. A transnational dimension was only found in Poland, where respondents articulate a feeling of neglect toward their own national history. The Solidarity movement is being interpreted as a motor of liberation and Europeanization of Poland and as a pioneer of democratization on a European scale. German respondents remain in their national frame, focusing on flashbulb memories of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the issue of social integration of East and West Germany after 1990, which they evaluate as imperfect. The strong national bias of Polish and German focus groups raises doubts as to whether 1989 can become a transnational basis for a shared European memory.
Differentiation of Sendai Virus-Reprogrammed iPSC into β Cells, Compared with Human Pancreatic Islets and Immortalized β Cell Line
Authors: Pellegrini Silvia , Manenti Fabio , Chimienti Raniero , Nano Rita , Ottoboni Linda , Ruffini Francesca , Martino Gianvito , Ravassard Philippe , Piemonti Lorenzo , Sordi Valeria 
Published: September 2018

Background: New sources of insulin-secreting cells are strongly in demand for treatment of diabetes. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have the potential to generate insulin-producing cells (iβ). However, the gene expression profile and secretory function of iβ still need to be validated in comparison with native β cells. Methods: Two clones of human iPSCs, reprogrammed from adult fibroblasts through integration-free Sendai virus, were differentiated into iβ and compared with donor pancreatic islets and EndoC-βH1, an immortalized human β cell line. Results: Both clones of iPSCs differentiated into insulin+ cells with high efficiency (up to 20%). iβ were negative for pluripotency markers (Oct4, Sox2, Ssea4) and positive for Pdx1, Nkx6.1, Chromogranin A, PC1/3, insulin, glucagon and somatostatin. iβ basally secreted C-peptide, glucagon and ghrelin and released insulin in response either to increasing concentration of glucose or a depolarizing stimulus. The comparison revealed that iβ are remarkably similar to donor derived islets in terms of gene and protein expression profile and similar level of heterogeneity. The ability of iβ to respond to glucose instead was more related to that of EndoC-βH1. Discussion: We demonstrated that insulin-producing cells generated from iPSCs recapitulate fundamental gene expression profiles and secretory function of native human β cells.
Effects of Listening to Live Singing in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Study
Authors: Burrai Francesco , Lupi Rossella , Luppi Marco , Micheluzzi Valentina , Donati Gabriele , Lamanna Gaetano , Raghavan Rajeev 
Published: September 2018

Background: Participation in music therapy is associated with improved psychological and physical indices among chronically ill patients. Listening to music during hemodialysis treatments positively affects patients’ hemodynamics, laboratory values, quality of life, and physical symptoms. The effect of live singing during hemodialysis treatments, however, has not previously been studied. Methods: A total of 24 participants with a diagnosis of end-stage kidney disease participated in the study. The vocalist was a musically trained dialysis nurse. Twelve of the patients listened to 15 min of live singing during 6 consecutive hemodialysis sessions, while the other 12 underwent standard hemodialysis. After a washout period of 2 days, the two groups were reversed. Results: Listening to live music was associated with improvements in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, better quality of sleep, fewer cramps, and reduced anxiety/depression, pain, and itching ( p < .05, all values). Conclusions: Listening to live music during hemodialysis is an effective and potentially low-cost therapy for the dialysis care team to employ during hemodialysis treatments.
The Transhistorical Tension between Bureaucratic Autonomy and Political Control
Authors: Andersen David , Møller Jørgen 
Published: September 2018

Political decision-makers operate under a constant tension between bureaucratic autonomy on one hand and political control on the other. Extant scholarship rarely analyzes this tension beyond the context of modern states. However, three recent books show that it has a transhistorical relevance. Francis Fukuyama’s two volumes on The Origins of Political Order and Political Order and Political Decay analyze the various ways the tension has been addressed in the period before and after the French Revolution. In Democracy’s Slaves, Paulin Ismard documents that the tension was relevant even in the context of the direct democracy of Athens in the Classical period. Taking these three books as the point of departure, we show how politicians have attempted to balance autonomy and control in patrimonial, meritocratic, politicized, and neo-patrimonial types of administration. Fukuyama F (2012) The Origins of Political Order, vol. 1. London: Profile Books. Fukuyama F (2014) Political Order and Political Decay, vol. 2. London: Profile Books. Ismard P (2017) Democracy’s Slaves: A Political History of Ancient Greece. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
First-generation versus second-generation long-acting injectable antipsychotic drugs and time to relapse
Authors: Stone James M. , Roux Simon , Taylor David , Morrison Paul D. 
Published: September 2018

Background: The development of long-acting injectable formulations (LAIs) of second-generation antipsychotic drugs (SGAs) has been suggested as having advantage over first-generation antipsychotic (FGA) LAIs. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that there was a longer time to relapse in patients with schizophrenia started on SGA LAI versus FGA LAI. Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who were started on an SGA LAI while on an inpatient ward were identified through searching of the anonymised historical medical records at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Patients starting FGA LAIs matched for diagnosis, age and date of hospital admission were identified. Time to readmission, discontinuation of LAI or death were identified. Kaplan–Meier plots were generated for each group, and the difference between groups analysed using log-rank methods. Results: There were 157 patients identified in each group. There was no difference in time to readmission, medication discontinuation or death in patients on SGA LAI versus FGA LAI. Conclusions: We found no evidence of advantage in terms of maintaining response in SGA LAI versus FGA LAI. Prescriber choice should be guided by other factors such as side-effect profile, patient acceptability and price.
Hematopoietic protease nexin-1 protects against lung injury by preventing thrombin signaling in mice
Authors: François Deborah , Arocas Véronique , Venisse Laurence , Aymonnier Karen , Idir Leila , Martos Raphael , Gazit Salome , Couty Ludovic , Jandrot-Perrus Martine , Camerer Eric , Boulaftali Yacine , Bouton Marie-Christine 
Published: September 2018

AbstractCoagulation and fibrinolytic system deregulation has been implicated in the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a devastating form of interstitial lung disease. We used intratracheal instillation of bleomycin to induce pulmonary fibrosis in mice and analyzed the role of serine protease inhibitor E2 (serpinE2)/protease nexin-1 (PN-1), a tissue serpin that exhibits anticoagulant and antifibrinolytic properties. PN-1 deficiency was associated, after bleomycin challenge, with a significant increase in mortality, as well as a marked increase in active thrombin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, an overexpression of extracellular matrix proteins, and an accumulation of inflammatory cells in the lungs. Bone marrow transplantation experiments showed that protective PN-1 was derived from hematopoietic cell compartment. A pharmacological strategy using the direct thrombin inhibitor argatroban reversed the deleterious effects of PN-1 deficiency. Concomitant deficiency of the thrombin receptor protease-activated receptor 4 (PAR4) abolished the deleterious effects of PN-1 deficiency in hematopoietic cells. These data demonstrate that prevention of thrombin signaling by PN-1 constitutes an important endogenous mechanism of protection against lung fibrosis and associated mortality. Our findings suggest that appropriate doses of thrombin inhibitors or PAR4 antagonists may provide benefit against progressive lung fibrosis with evidence of deregulated thrombin activity.
Development and validation of an endoscopic images‐based deep learning model for detection with nasopharyngeal malignancies
Authors: Li Chaofeng , Jing Bingzhong , Ke Liangru , Li Bin , Xia Weixiong , He Caisheng , Qian Chaonan , Zhao Chong , Mai Haiqiang , Chen Mingyuan , Cao Kajia , Mo Haoyuan , Guo Ling , Chen Qiuyan , Tang Linquan , Qiu Wenze , Yu Yahui , Liang Hu , Huang Xinjun , Liu Guoying , Li Wangzhong , Wang Lin , Sun Rui , Zou Xiong , Guo Shanshan , Huang Peiyu , Luo Donghua , Qiu Fang , Wu Yishan , Hua Yijun , Liu Kuiyuan , Lv Shuhui , Miao Jingjing , Xiang Yanqun , Sun Ying , Guo Xiang , Lv Xing 
Published: September 2018

AbstractBackgroundDue to the occult anatomic location of the nasopharynx and frequent presence of adenoid hyperplasia, the positive rate for malignancy identification during biopsy is low, thus leading to delayed or missed diagnosis for nasopharyngeal malignancies upon initial attempt. Here, we aimed to develop an artificial intelligence tool to detect nasopharyngeal malignancies under endoscopic examination based on deep learning.MethodsAn endoscopic images‐based nasopharyngeal malignancy detection model (eNPM‐DM) consisting of a fully convolutional network based on the inception architecture was developed and fine‐tuned using separate training and validation sets for both classification and segmentation. Briefly, a total of 28,966 qualified images were collected. Among these images, 27,536 biopsy‐proven images from 7951 individuals obtained from January 1st, 2008, to December 31st, 2016, were split into the training, validation and test sets at a ratio of 7:1:2 using simple randomization. Additionally, 1430 images obtained from January 1st, 2017, to March 31st, 2017, were used as a prospective test set to compare the performance of the established model against oncologist evaluation. The dice similarity coefficient (DSC) was used to evaluate the efficiency of eNPM‐DM in automatic segmentation of malignant area from the background of nasopharyngeal endoscopic images, by comparing automatic segmentation with manual segmentation performed by the experts.ResultsAll images were histopathologically confirmed, and included 5713 (19.7%) normal control, 19,107 (66.0%) nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), 335 (1.2%) NPC and 3811 (13.2%) benign diseases. The eNPM‐DM attained an overall accuracy of 88.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 87.8%–89.5%) in detecting malignancies in the test set. In the prospective comparison phase, eNPM‐DM outperformed the experts: the overall accuracy was 88.0% (95% CI 86.1%–89.6%) vs. 80.5% (95% CI 77.0%–84.0%). The eNPM‐DM required less time (40 s vs. 110.0 ± 5.8 min) and exhibited encouraging performance in automatic segmentation of nasopharyngeal malignant area from the background, with an average DSC of 0.78 ± 0.24 and 0.75 ± 0.26 in the test and prospective test sets, respectively.ConclusionsThe eNPM‐DM outperformed oncologist evaluation in diagnostic classification of nasopharyngeal mass into benign versus malignant, and realized automatic segmentation of malignant area from the background of nasopharyngeal endoscopic images.
‘Prescribing’ psychotropic medication to our rivers and estuaries
Authors: Ford Alex T. , Herrera Helena 
Published: September 2018

SummaryThe influence of pharmaceuticals on the environment is an increasing concern among environmental toxicologists. It is known that their growing use is leading to detectable levels in wastewater, conceivably causing harm to aquatic ecosystems. Psychotropic medication is one such group of substances, particularly affecting high-income countries. While these drugs have a clear place in therapy, there is debate around the risk/benefit ratio in patients with mild mental health problems. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the wider implications as risks could extend beyond the individual to non-target organisms, particularly those in rivers and estuaries.Declaration of interestNone.
Active identification of patients appropriate for palliative care: Impact on use of palliative care and home care resources.
Authors: Mittmann Nicole , Liu Ning , MacKinnon Marnie , Seung Soo Jin , Look Hong Nicole , Earle Craig , Gradin Sharon , Sati Saurabh , Buchman Sandy , Wright Frances Catriona 
Published: September 2018

101 Background: This research evaluates whether active identification of patients who may benefit from a palliative approach to care changes the use of palliative care and home care services. Methods: Between 2014 and 2017, Cancer Care Ontario implemented the INTEGRATE project at 4 cancer centres and 4 primary care teams. Physicians in participating sites were encouraged to systematically identify patients who were likely to die within 1 year and would benefit from a palliative approach to care. Patients in the INTEGRATE intervention group were 1:1 matched to non-intervention controls selected from provincial healthcare administrative data based on a publicly funded health system using the propensity score-matching. Palliative care and home care services utilization was evaluated within 1 year after the date of identification (index date), censoring on death, or March 31, 2017, the study end date. Cumulative incidence function was used to estimate the probability of having used care services, with death as a competing event. Rate of service use per 360 patient-days was calculated. Analyses were done separately for palliative care and home care. Results: Of the 1,187 patients in the INTEGRATE project, 1,185 were matched to a control. The intervention and the control groups were well-balanced on demographics, diagnosis, comorbidities, and death status. The probability of using palliative services in the intervention group was 80.3%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (62.4%) with more palliative care visits in the intervention group [29.7 (95%CI: 29.4 to 30.1] per 360 patient-days) than in the control group [19.6 (95%CI: 19.3 to 19.9) per 360 patient-days]. The intervention group had a greater probability of receiving home care (81.4%) than the control group (55.2%) with more homecare visits per 360 patient-days [64.7 (95%CI: 64.2 to 65.3) vs. 35.3 (95%CI: 34.9 to 35.7)] The intervention group also had higher physician home visits as compared to the control group (36.5% vs. 23.7%). Conclusions: Physicians actively identifying patients that would benefit from palliative care resulted in increased use of palliative care and home care services.