bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Generalizations of Troisi’s inequality in weighted p-Sobolev spaces with singularities
Authors: Chen Hua , Luo Yong , Wang Jing 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
We extend classical Troisi’s inequality to the weighted p-Sobolev spaces on stretched cone, edge, and corner respectively. The results here can be used to investigate anisotropic elliptic equations involving cone degeneracy, edge degeneracy, and corner degeneracy, which will be studied in our forthcoming papers.
Emerging resistance of van genotype in enterococci: A potential menace for therapeutic failure
Authors: Ejaz Hasan 
Published: October 2019

Objectives: Emerging cases of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are detrimental for the patients. The current study aimed to ascertain the occurrence of VRE, their antibiogram and the van genotype responsible for vancomycin resistance.
Methods: A total number of 2,958 clinical specimens were processed at Microbiology Department of the Alrazi Health Care, Lahore during the one year (2016-2017) using microbiological culture media, biochemical and serology. Antibiogram of enterococcal strains was performed using disc diffusion and E-test. ATCC Enterococcus faecalis 29212 was used as a quality control strain. The detection of van genotypes was accomplished by multiplex PCR assay.
Results: Out of the 147 enterococci, 139 (94.6%) were E. faecalis, and 8 (5.4%) were E. faecium. Statistically significant associations of urine (p < 0.001), pus (p < 0.001) and wound swabs (p = 0.001) were observed with E. faecalis. A significant correlation of enterococcal infections (p = 0.05) was seen with female patients. Four (2.9%) strains of E. faecalis found to be VRE with vanB (75%) and vanA (25%) genotypes.
Conclusion: The emerging strains of VRE (vanB and vanA genotype) in the current study are a potential menace for therapeutic failure, which left the physicians with only linezolid as a therapeutic option.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.6.1145
How to cite this:Ejaz H. Emerging resistance of van genotype in enterococci: A potential menace for therapeutic failure. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(6):1659-1663. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.6.1145
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
The safety and efficacy of biologic agents in treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus: A network meta-analysis
Authors: Tao Meng-Jun , Cheng Ping , Jin Lai-Run , Zhou Jun , Shi Wei , Peng Hui , Xu Liang , Li Zhi , Yuan Hui 
Published: October 2019

Objective: Previous studies have shown that biologic agents out of the nine medicines might be beneficial for the treatment of SLE. The aim of this study was to evaluate the most effective medication of six biologic agents in treatment of SLE using network meta-analysis (NMA). The performance of these processes is ranked according to the results of this analysis.
Methods: Multiple databases including PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library was used to identify applicable articles and collect relevant data to analyzed by using STATA (13.0) software. The papers included in this study were divided into control group (placebo) and observation group (one of the six medicines).
Results: A total of 21 eligible RCTs of biologic agents were identified, a total of 995 papers were included, and the results showed that the belimumab had the highest probability of being the most clinically efficacious intervention, with a surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) curve of 75.0, was significantly superior (P < 0.05) to placebo alone. The blisibimod was the worst, with a SUCRA value of 29.4. The other biologic agents (atacicept, blisibimod, epratuzumab, rituximab, tabalumab) were insignificantly superior (P > 0.05) to placebo alone.
Conclusions: Belimumab had the highest probability of being the best treatment for SLE compared with the other biologic agents (atacicept, blisibimod, epratuzumab, rituximab, tabalumab). The other biologic agents indicated an insignificant difference in efficacy for the treatment of SLE compared with placebo.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.6.771
How to cite this:Tao MJ, Cheng P, Jin LR, Zhou J, Shi W, Peng H, et al. The safety and efficacy of biologic agents in treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus: A network meta-analysis. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(6):1680-1686. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.6.771
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Effect of altering the regime of oral rifampicin therapy in the treatment of persistent central serous chorioretinopathy
Authors: Loya Hina , Ghoghari Hunain , Rizvi Syed Fawad , Khan Abdullah 
Published: October 2019

Objective: To study the effect of reducing the duration of rifampicin therapy in the treatment of Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.
Methods: This is interventional study conducted in Layton Rahmatullah Benevolent Trust, Free Base Eye Hospital Korangi, Karachi from February 2017 - December 2018. This randomized controlled comparative study included two groups, Groups-A comprised of 48 eyes of 40 cases with Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy who were given reduced dose of oral rifampicin i.e. 600mg for one month, and Group-B consisted of 43 eyes of 40 controls with Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy who were given reduced dose of oral rifampicin i.e. 300mg once daily for three months as previously stated in literature. To access the effect of therapy in both the groups, pre-treatment visual acuity on the logMAR and Optical Coherent Tomography (OCT, Heidelberg spectralis) for CMT were performed and repeated on the 1st and 3rd month post-treatment. Patients were also followed for 6 months to access any recurrence.
Results: On comparing the two groups, Group-A had improvement in VA and CMT after one month therapy of Rifampicin, Pre-treatment mean VA in Group-A was 0.85 ± 0.19 as compared to the pre-treatment mean VA in Group-B i.e. 0.74+/- 0.208, while the pre-treatment mean CMT was 609.0 ± 178.29 µm in Group-A, and 600.0 +/- 155.09 µm in Group-B respectively. After 1 month of therapy, the visual status, and CMT in Group-A was 0.29+/- 0.21 and 311.6 +/- 89.9, while Group-B, VA was 0.598 +/- 0.23 (p value 0.001%) and CMT was 512.30 +/- 148.37 (p-value 0.001%). Rifampicin was continued in Group-B till three months, and patients were re-accessed but there was no difference in VA and CMT statically. During the 3rd and 6th months of follow up no relapses were reported.
Conclusion: This comparative study showed that the group receiving oral rifampicin 600mg for one month showed better outcome at one month and third month than the group receiving oral rifampicin at a dose of 300mg once daily for three months. This gives a better compliance and lower the risk of drug induced side effects.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.6.990
How to cite this:Loya H, Ghoghari H, Rizvi SF, Khan A. Effect of altering the regime of oral rifampicin therapy in the treatment of persistent central serous chorioretinopathy. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(6):1687-1690. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.6.990
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
The Economics of Line-Sitting
Authors: Cui Shiliang , Wang Zhongbin , Yang Luyi 
Published: October 2019

This paper studies an emerging business model of line-sitting in which customers seeking service can hire others (line-sitters) to wait in line on behalf of them. We develop a queueing-game-theoretic model that captures the interaction among customers, the line-sitting firm, and the service provider to examine the impact of line-sitting on the service provider’s revenue and customer welfare. We also contrast line-sitting with the well-known priority purchasing scheme, as both allow customers to pay extra to skip the wait. Our main results are as follows. First, we find that both accommodating line-sitting and selling priority can bring in extra revenue for the service provider, although by different means—selling priority increases revenue mainly by allowing the service provider to practice price discrimination that extracts more customer surplus, whereas line-sitting does so through demand expansion, attracting customers who would not otherwise join. Second, the priority purchasing scheme tends to make the customer population worse off, whereas line-sitting can be a win–win proposition for both the service provider and the customers. Nevertheless, having the additional option of hiring line-sitters does not always benefit customers as a whole because the demand expansion effect also induces negative congestion externalities. Finally, despite the fact that the service provider collects the priority payment as revenue but not the line-sitting payment, which accrues to the third-party line-sitting firm, we demonstrate that, somewhat surprisingly, accommodating line-sitting can raise more revenue for the service provider than directly selling priority. This paper was accepted by Charles Corbett, operations management.
Collateral, Ease of Repossession, and Leases: Evidence from Antirecharacterization Laws
Authors: Chu Yongqiang 
Published: October 2019

This paper studies how the ease of repossessing collateral in bankruptcy affects corporate leasing policy. Using plausibly exogenous variation of the ability to repossess assets generated by state antirecharacterization laws, I find that the antirecharacterization laws, which make collateral repossession easier for secured lending, reduces corporate leasing. Consistent with the argument that only financially constrained firms value additional debt capacity because of the increased ability to repossess assets, I find that the effect concentrates in financially constrained firms. I also find that the effect is much stronger for firms with less specific assets. In addition, I find that the laws also affect leverage, cash holding, and corporate investment. This paper was accepted by Gustavo Manso, finance.
Vascular endothelial function is improved after active mattress use
Authors: Baker Gary , Bloxham Saul , Laden Joe , Gush Rodney 
Published: October 2019

Objective: Active mattresses are used to prevent, treat and relieve pressure ulcers (PU) by intermittent contact pressure/relief. However, no studies have directly assessed the vascular endothelial response to long-term active mattress use. This study investigated the hypothesis that eight weeks use of an active mattress would lead to improvements in vascular endothelial function in healthy participants. Methods: Physiological parameters of baseline skin temperature (BskT), resting blood flow (RBF) and endothelial function as measured using post-occlusive reactive hyperaemia (PORH), were assessed at baseline (week 0); following eight weeks of sleeping on an active mattress, and after an eight week washout period (at week 16). Results: We recruited 10 healthy participants (four male, age 52.7±8.5 years, six female age 51.8±17.5 years). Following active mattress use RBF, PORH and BskT at the hallux pulp increased by 336%, 197% and 3.5ºC, respectively. Mean values increased from 24.3±38.3 perfusion units to 106.0±100.3 perfusion units (p=0.021) and from 13,456±10,225 to 40,252±23,995 perfusion units x seconds (p=0.003) and from 22.9±2.5ºC to 26.4±1.9ºC (p<0.001), respectively. Conclusion: Active mattress use for eight weeks leads to significant improvements in RBF, PORH, and BskT. These results suggest that active mattress use can improve endothelial function. Future research is required to explore the potential of active mattress use in the treatment and management of diseases and conditions that would benefit from an improved endothelial function.
Clinical efficacy of biocellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose and normal saline dressing in epidermolysis bullosa
Authors: Dwiyana Reiva Farah , Yogya Yuri , Gondokaryono Srie Prihianti , Diana Inne Arline , Suwarsa Oki , Ramali Lies Marlysa , Sutedja Eva Krishna , Rahardja July Iriani , Gunawan Hendra 
Published: October 2019

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a biocellulose, a carboxymethyl cellulose and a normal saline wound dressing in the wound care management of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) skin wounds. Methods: This was a single-blind, randomised controlled trial involving wounds from patients with EB. Wounds were divided into three groups: group I with biocellulose wound dressing, group II with carboxymethyl cellulose wound dressing and group III with normal saline wound dressing as a control. All dressing changes and wound parameters were recorded. Observations were conducted every three days until complete wound closure or up to one month. Results: The outcomes of treatment of 36 wounds from four patients were evaluated in this study. Mean healing time in group I was seven days, eight days in group II and 14 days in group III. There were significant differences in healing times between group I and group III (p=0.0001) and between group II and III (p=0.001). The results showed a significant reduction in the percentage of wounds area on day three for each group: 51.7% in group I, 51.9% in group II, and 26% for group III. All wounds in groups I and II had healed at day 12 (100%) and at day 24 (100%) in group III. There were significant differences in the reduction of percentage wound area between group I and group III at day three (p=0.044) and day six (p=0.000), and between group II and III at day six (p=0.003). Conclusion: The study demonstrates that both the biocellulose and the carboxymethyl cellulose wound dressings significantly reduced percentage wound areas and complete healing times compared with the normal saline wound dressing in EB skin wounds, demonstrating they are both equally good for wound care management in EB patients.
Mock abstracts with mock findings: a device to catalyse production, interpretation and use of knowledge outputs in a university-policy-practice research partnership
Authors: Hawe Penelope , Conte Kathleen P. , Groen Sisse , Loblay Victoria , Green Amanda , Innes-Hughes Christine , Milat Andrew , Persson Lina , Mitchell Jo , Thackway Sarah , Williams Mandy 
Published: October 2019

Background: A number of ways to conduct research are designed to maximise the likelihood that evidence from research is quickly transferred into practice. This includes action research and partnership research between researchers and policy makers. Such approaches focus research effort on questions of highest relevance to practice and policy so as to create ownership of the results. However, such approaches on their own do not necessarily visualise or illuminate possible pathways of action or create a sense of personal connection to these possible actions.
Aims and objectives: Our intent is to foster high-level engagement with possible project findings by policymakers and researchers involved in partnership research. We describe a simple, creative, innovative device: production of co-authored mock (i.e., fake) in-house abstracts of peer reviewed papers as an aid in this process This occurs in advance of knowing real results of the study. The fake abstracts process described here occurs within a research-policy maker-practitioner partnership studying the scaling-up of childhood statewide obesity prevention programs and the electronic monitoring system being used to track progress.
Key conclusions: The fake abstracts are a tool for identifying priority interests among a large data set. They act as a trigger to uncovering different interpretations of findings among the team. They foster discussion and mental rehearsal of actions based on different scenarios. And they help the team coordinate participation in the analysis and writing-up of the real findings. They also represent a hypothetical variety of research endpoints which also assist with maintaining project momentum during long phases of analysis.
Tumor-Associated Release of Prostatic Cells into the Blood after Transrectal Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy in Patients with Histologically Confirmed Prostate Cancer
Authors: Joosse Simon A , Beyer Burkhard , Gasch Christin , Nastały Paulina , Kuske Andra , Isbarn Hendrik , Horst Ludwig J , Hille Claudia , Gorges Tobias M , Cayrefourcq Laure , Alix-Panabières Catherine , Tennstedt Pierre , Riethdorf Sabine , Schlomm Thorsten , Pantel Klaus 
Published: October 2019

AbstractBACKGROUNDTransrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS) is a standard procedure for prostate cancer diagnosis. Because prostate cancer is a multifocal disease in many patients, multiple sampling (n ≥ 10) is required, which may bear the risk of systemic spread of cancer cells.DESIGNUsing the standardized CellSearch® system that allows for the detection of single epithelial cell adhesion molecule-positive circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood, we investigated whether prostate biopsy is associated with release of prostatic tumor cells into the circulation. Peripheral blood was obtained before and within 30 min after performing prostate biopsy from 115 men with increased serum prostate-specific antigen.RESULTSThe number of CTCs significantly increased after biopsy in men with histologically confirmed prostate cancer (odds ratio, 7.8; 95% CI, 4.8–12.8), whereas no biopsy-related changes could be detected in men without confirmed prostate cancer. Multivariable analysis showed that biopsy-related increase of CTCs was significantly correlated with a worse progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 12.4; 95% CI, 3.2–48.6) within the median follow-up of 41 months.CONCLUSIONSProstate biopsies may lead to a tumor-associated release of CTCs into the blood circulation. Larger confirmatory trials with longer follow-up periods are required before any change in clinical practice can be recommended.
Dinamika Proses Sedimentasi di Perairan Muara Sungai Riko, Teluk Balikpapan
Authors: Soeyanto Endro , Arifiyana Arifiyana 
Published: October 2019

<strong>Dynamics of Sedimentation Process at Riko River Estuary, Balikpapan Bay.</strong> Development of the marine facilities (i.e. port, workshops, laboratories, etc) for Indonesian Research Vessels and National Center for Marine Research in the proposed National Science Technopark (NSTP) Maritime Region at District of Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan Province, needs to understanding the dynamic of waters physical environment. Due to the NSTP-Maritime region located at Riko River as part of Balikpapan Bay waters, it needs an ocean interaction study between open sea (Balikpapan Bay) and Riko River waters. This study used a 2D-Hydrodynamic Model for Riko River and Balikpapan Bay waters and adjacent sea. The model simulated the hydrodynamic conditions on the waters and furthermore predicted the mud transport in September - November 2016 using the river flow and total suspended sediment data collected in November 2016. The model results showed that the average of sediment load movement due to the dynamic of waters at the estuary is ± 4,25 x10-3 kg per second or ± 367,7 kg per day. This preliminary study hopefully can explain the shallowing processes in mouth of Riko River.
Interaction of antibodies from the sera of autoimmune patients
thyroidopathies with isolated diffuse cells toxic euthyroid nodular goiter.
Authors: Krainova S. I. , Kandror V. I. 
Published: October 2019

Blood sera of 46 patients with diffuse toxic goiter (DTG) and of 48 ones with Hashimotos thyroiditis (HT) were tested for antibodiescomplement-mediated cytotoxicity carriers (ACMMC). ACMCC targets were isolated DTG cells and cells of euthyroid nodular goiter (ENG) perinodular tissue. Antimicrosomal antibodies were assayed in the sera by indirect immunofluorescence and antibodies to all thyrocyte surface antigens isolated from both tissue samples were determined by solid-phase enzyme immunoassay. When DTG cells were targets, DTG patients' sera detected ACMCC in 36 % of cases and HT patients sera in 73% of cases (p0.001).
In ENG cells the sera of patients of both groups detected ACMCC equally frequently (in more than 70% of cases). Of the 27 DTG patients sera tested with both tissues app. roximately a half detected ACMCC in only ENG tissue. There was no difference in HT patients sera effects on ACMCC detection in both tissue samples. This has brought the authors to a conclusion about DTG cells deficiency for ACMCC mediating antigens. Moreover, DTG cells bound much less antibodies from sera of patients with autoimmune thyropathies, than ENG cells (p0.001), this confirming a deficiency of surface antigen on DTG cells. No correlation between the presence in the sera of antimicrosomal cells and of ACMCC was detected. A conclusion has been made about heterogeneity of antimicrosomal antibody population and about the presence of ACMCC in blood sera of patients with autoimmune thyropathies, these antibodies not belonging to antimicrosomal ones. ACMCC also may be heterogenous and differ in DTG and HT patients.
Социальное обслуживание пожилых: реализация Федерального закона № 442 и дальнейшие перспективы
Authors: Григорьева Ирина Андреевна , Сизова Ирина Леонидовна , Москвина Анастасия Юрьевна 
Published: October 2019

В статье обсуждаются современное состояние и перспективы развития социального обслуживания пожилых в России после вступления в действие в 2015 г. Федерального закона № 442 от 22 декабря 2013 г. Основное внимание уделено противоречивому характеру реформирования и его последствиям. Децентрализация управления и передача полномочий по реализации ФЗ-442 в регионы связаны с разным пониманием задач, поставленных государством перед стейкхолдерами. В результате реформирования меняется логика социального обслуживания населения: клиенты становятся потребителями и покупателями, государственные социальные службы теряют монополию и вынужденно взаимодействуют с остальными поставщиками социальных услуг в конкурентной рыночной среде. Из-за высокой степени самостоятельности регионов в толковании положений федерального закона оценить степень изменений и улучшение качества социального обслуживания трудно. Авторы анализируют итоги эмпирического качественного исследования процесса реформирования социального обслуживания в одном из центральных регионов России (Нижнем Новгороде). На основе анализа транскриптов полустандартизированных интервью с участниками реализации ФЗ-442 выделены и обсуждены наиболее значимые темы, демонстрирующие специфику и особенности происходящих изменений, показывающие ближайшие перспективы в его развитии.
Результаты исследования показывают ограничение как свободы выбора клиентов, так и формирования из них активных потребителей социальных услуг, погоню за массовостью услуг и количеством потребителей, повышение нормативов обслуживания, сопротивление необходимости конкуренции и желание сохранить сложившееся положение вещей. Авторы заключают, что адресность помощи и взаимность как важнейшие современные принципы социальной работы в России не реализуются. Необходимо активизировать ресурсы клиентов, сформировать систему взаимодействия государства, коммерческого и общественного секторов для обновления социального обслуживания пожилых.
Благодарность. Статья подготовлена в рамках проекта РНФ 19-18-00246 «Вызовы трансформации социального государства в России: институциональные изменения, социальное инвестирование, цифровизация социальных услуг».