bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dexmedetomidine prescribing in Australian intensive care units: an observational study
Authors: O'Brien Daniel W. , Cotta Menino O. , Choo Lyn , Fowler Stephen , Downey Maria , Fisquet Stephanie , Tan Ivy , Roberts Jason A. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractDexmedetomidine is used in the intensive care unit (ICU) as a short‐term sedative. The data included in the manufacturer's product information is controversial, and there is little consensus to guide initial dosing and titration. This observational study surveyed the practice of dexmedetomidine use in Australian ICUs. An expression of interest (EOI) for a multisite observational study was sent to members of the ICU email group of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists Australia (SHPA). Participating members collected treatment‐related data for patients meeting inclusion criteria between January 2013 and July 2014. Six of 14 sites that responded positively to the EOI returned complete datasets, and 232 patients met the inclusion criteria. The main reported indications for dexmedetomidine use across the six sites were to manage agitation (33.2%), to aid extubation (32.8%) and to sedate (34.0%). The median duration of therapy was 42 h (range 1–672 h). Only nine patients (3.9%) received loading doses. The median maximum dose used for maintenance therapy in patients ranged from 1.2 to 4.0 microgram/kg per h. There was a significant disparity of practice across sites, as evidenced by differences in reported indication, off‐label use, rates of loading doses and doses used for maintenance therapy. Consensus prescribing guidelines are required to guide more consistent and evidence‐based prescribing of dexmedetomidine.
Seasonal flooding effects on deer in the Mississippi river batture
Authors: Jones Phillip D. , Strickland Bronson K. , Demarais Stephen , McKinley William T. , Ernst James R. , Klassen Jessica. A. 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACTEffective deer management requires managers to distinguish between the density‐dependent influence of harvest and local environmental factors. The Batture region of the Lower Mississippi River Valley comprises land adjacent to the river that is not protected by the levee system, and is therefore subject to seasonal flooding with potential to influence the morphology and demographics of white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Using harvest records of 42,954 females and 3,588 males from 61 Batture properties in Mississippi and Louisiana, we created linear regression models of deer body development and recruitment indices to compare the influence of seasonal flooding, harvest rate, growing season weather, and agronomic forage availability during 1988–2016. Overall, deer in the Batture appeared to be more influenced by extrinsic factors than by harvest. Seasonal flooding appeared in every model and generally had stronger effects than weather or harvest variables. Flooding from 1 to 2 years prior, regardless of season, was correlated with greater female body mass, lactation rates, and antler mass of trophy males, possibly reflecting silt deposition effects on soil fertility and promotion of new understory forages. Conversely, current‐year flooding effects were invariably negative, implying direct effects of displacement. Summer flooding was concentrated during late gestation and peak parturition periods, and exhibited the potential to reduce fall lactation rates by 18%. Harvest rates correlated negatively with female body mass and had no correlation with lactation or antler mass. We detected contrasting long‐term trends of decreasing body mass and increasing harvest rate that may reflect deteriorating habitat. Similar to flooding, increased temperatures and rainfall had negative effects for the current year, whereas increased temperatures had positive effects when occurring in the previous year. Surprisingly, annual variation in the amount of soybeans planted appeared in one model only, exhibiting a small positive effect on antler mass. We hypothesize that extensive planting of soybeans in levee‐protected lands just outside the Batture maintained substantial soybean availability despite variation in the amount planted. Given the dominating influence of flooding and weather on deer physical and reproductive parameters in the Batture, these extrinsic variables should be incorporated into the interpretation of harvest data. The common practice of curtailing harvest, particularly female harvest, following years with extensive flooding is likely counterproductive unless intensive flooding occurs during summer. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.
Lower Critical Solution Temperature in Poly(N‐Isopropylacrylamide): Comparison of Detection Methods and Molar Mass Distribution Influence
Authors: García‐Peñas Alberto , Biswas Chandra Sekhar , Liang Weijun , Wang Yu , Stadler Florian J. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractPoly(N‐Isopropylacrylamide) has a broad potential range of biomedical applications owing to its lower critical solution temperature (LCST). This work tries to elucidate the real influence of several parameters on LCST by comparing homopolymers prepared by free radical polymerization and reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using conventional calorimetry, turbidimetry, and rheology as well as how three different methods can be used to detect the LCST. These methods are compared to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying processes and how they are related to molar mass and synthesis methods. The diverse interactions associated with the LCST transitions are more sensitive depending on the ratio defined between polymerization degrees and end‐group effects. Thus, the selection of a high sensitive method for LCST detection depends on the molecular features defined from the homopolymer. In addition, this work shows also the importance of the RAFT agent selected for the synthesis, which can modify substantially the LCST in comparison with other methods reported where the use of chemicals, complex processes, and costs considerably increase.
Optimization of b‐value schemes for estimation of the diffusion coefficient and the perfusion fraction with segmented intravoxel incoherent motion model fitting
Authors: Jalnefjord Oscar , Montelius Mikael , Starck Göran , Ljungberg Maria 
Published: May 2019

PurposeIntravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) modeling for estimation of the diffusion coefficient (D) and perfusion fraction (f) is increasingly popular, but no consensus on standard protocols exists. This study provides a framework for optimization of b‐value schemes for reduced estimation uncertainty of D and f from segmented model fitting.TheoryAnalytical expressions for uncertainties of D and f from segmented model fitting were derived as Cramer‐Rao lower bounds (CRLBs).MethodsOptimized b‐value schemes were obtained for 3 to 12 acquisitions and in the limit of infinitely many acquisitions through constrained minimization of the CRLBs, with b‐values constrained to be 0 or 200 to 800 s/mm2. The optimized b‐value scheme with eight acquisitions was compared with b‐values linearly distributed in the allowed range using simulations and in vivo liver data from seven healthy volunteers.ResultsAll optimized b‐value schemes contained exactly three unique b‐values regardless of the total number of acquisitions (0, 200, and 800 s/mm2) with repeated acquisitions distributed approximately as 1:2:2. Compared with linearly distributed b‐values, the variability of estimates of D and f was reduced by approximately 30% as seen both in simulations and in repeated in vivo measurements.ConclusionThe uncertainty of IVIM D and f estimates can be reduced by the use of optimized b‐value schemes.
Methods of identifying delirium: A research protocol
Authors: Mulkey Malissa A. , Hardin Sonya R. , Munro Cindy L. , Everhart D. Erik , Kim S. , Schoemann Alexander M. , Olson DaiWai M. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractDelirium is an acute disorder affecting up to 80% of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. It is associated with a 10‐fold increase in cognitive impairment, triples the rate of in‐hospital mortality, and costs $164 billion annually. Delirium acutely affects attention and global cognitive function with fluctuating symptoms caused by underlying organic etiologies. Early detection is crucial because the longer a patient experiences delirium the worse it becomes and the harder it is to treat. Currently, identification is through intermittent clinical assessment using standardized tools, like the Confusion Assessment Method for ICU. Such tools work well in clinical research but do not translate well into clinical practice because they are subjective, intermittent and have low sensitivity. As such, healthcare providers using these tools fail to recognize delirium symptoms as much as 80% of the time. Delirium‐related biochemical derangement leads to electrical changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns followed by behavioral signs and symptoms. However, continuous EEG monitoring is not feasible due to cost and need for skilled interpretation. Studies using limited‐lead EEG show large differences between patients with and without delirium while discriminating delirium from other causes. The Ceribell is a limited‐lead device that analyzes EEG. If it is capable of detecting delirium, it would provide an objective physiological monitor to identify delirium before symptom onset. This pilot study was designed to explore relationships between Ceribell and delirium status. Completion of this study will provide a foundation for further research regarding delirium status using the Ceribell data.
In‐Depth Proteomics Analysis to Identify Biomarkers of Papillary Thyroid Cancer Patients Older Than 45 Years with Different Degrees of Lymph Node Metastases
Authors: Zhan Shaohua , Wang Tianxiao , Wang Meng , Li Jinming , Ge Wei 
Published: May 2019

PurposeInvestigations of the molecular mechanisms underlying the metastatic phenotype of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and identification of novel candidate biomarkers to better predict PTC metastasis are urgently required.Experimental DesignTandem mass tag‐based quantitative proteomics approach is used to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in PTC tumorous tissues with different degrees of lymph node metastases (LNMs). Furthermore, DEPs and their clinical significance are analyzed in another independent Cancer Genome Atlas dataset.ResultsThe protein profiles among tumorous tissues with different degrees of LNMs are clearly distinguished, while the protein profiles in normal tissues are remarkably similar. DEPs in tumorous tissues are mostly enriched in the categories associated with pathological hallmarks of cancer, including extracellular matrix, metabolism, and cell growth. The expression patterns of six DEPs (LAMC2, LAMB3, ATP5A1, MYO1G, S100A4, and FAS) are confirmed by the Cancer Genome Atlas dataset. Additionally, the elevated expression of LAMC2 and MYO1G mRNA levels in tumorous tissues show a positive relationship with unfavorable variables, including larger tumor size, LNMs, high AJCC staging, BRAFV600E mutation, and poor prognosis.Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceLAMC2 and MYO1G are identified as potential candidate biomarkers for the prediction of PTC metastasis and prognosis.
Long‐term cardiovascular effects of vandetanib and pazopanib in normotensive rats
Authors: Cooper Samantha L. , Carter Joanne J. , March Julie , Woolard Jeanette 
Published: May 2019

AbstractVandetanib and pazopanib are clinically available, multi‐targeted inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor tyrosine kinases. Short‐term VEGF receptor inhibition is associated with hypertension in 15%‐60% of patients, which may limit the use of these anticancer therapies over the longer term. To evaluate the longer‐term cardiovascular implications of treatment, we investigated the “on”‐treatment (21 days) and “off”‐treatment (10 days) effects following daily administration of vandetanib, pazopanib, or vehicle, in conscious rats. Cardiovascular variables were monitored in unrestrained Sprague‐Dawley rats instrumented with radiotelemetric devices. In Study 1, rats were randomly assigned to receive either daily intraperitoneal injections of vehicle (volume 0.5 mL; n = 5) or vandetanib 25 mg/kg/day (volume 0.5 mL; n = 6). In Study 2, rats received either vehicle (volume 0.5 mL; n = 4) or pazopanib 30 mg/kg/day (volume 0.5 mL; n = 7), dosed once every 24 hours for 21 days. All solutions were in 2% Tween, 5% propylene glycol in 0.9% saline solution. Vandetanib caused sustained increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) compared to baseline and vehicle. Vandetanib also significantly altered the circadian cycling of MAP, SBP, and DBP. Elevations in SBP were detectable 162 hours after the last dose of vandetanib. Pazopanib also caused increases in MAP, SBP, and DBP. However, compared to vandetanib, these increases were of slower onset and a smaller magnitude. These data suggest that the cardiovascular consequences of vandetanib and pazopanib treatment are sustained, even after prolonged cessation of drug treatment.
Farmer perception of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiderda J.E. Smith) and farm‐level management practices in Zambia
Authors: Kansiime Monica K , Mugambi Idah , Rwomushana Ivan , Nunda Winnie , Lamontagne‐Godwin Julien , Rware Harrison , Phiri Noah A , Chipabika Gilson , Ndlovu Mathias , Day Roger 
Published: May 2019

AbstractBACKGROUNDThis paper documents farmer perceptions and management practices for fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiderda J.E. Smith), providing a baseline for the development of sustainable pest management strategies.RESULTS91% of farmers correctly identified fall armyworm, and reported it as the most important maize pest during 2016/2017 cropping season, affecting nearly half of cultivated area. Estimated maize yield loss during the season, attributed to fall armyworm was 28%. A majority of farmers (60%) used pesticides for fall armyworm control, along with other cultural/physical practices – hand picking and crushing egg masses/caterpillars (36%), and application of ash/sand in the funnel (19%). Farmers used various pesticide active ingredients, and protective measures were inadequate; >50% of farmers did not use any protective measures while spraying. Significantly more male than female farmers used pesticides (P = 0.05), and the reverse was true for cultural practices. Significant maize yield differences (P = 0.001) were observed by gender, attributed to differences in utilization of production inputs/practices. At least 77% of farmers received and shared agricultural advice, which can be optimized to spread information on fall armyworm management options.CONCLUSIONIncreased use of pesticides to manage fall armyworm poses health and environmental risks, besides the high cost for farmers and governments. Research into cultural and indigenous practices used by farmers will offer opportunities for alternative and sustainable management practices. Research efforts should pay attention to gender differences in access to resources and inputs. Tackling fall armyworm at the farm level, and averting yield losses will require integrated messaging addressing other production risks. © 2019 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Assimilation of SMOS brightness temperatures in the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System
Authors: Muñoz‐Sabater J. , Lawrence H. , Albergel C. , Rosnay P. , Isaksen L. , Mecklenburg S. , Kerr Y. , Drusch M. 
Published: May 2019

The assimilation of Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) brightness temperature (TB) data in numerical weather prediction systems influences the state of the soil, which in turn affects the exchange of energy and water fluxes between the soil and the near‐surface atmosphere, with potential implications for the prediction of atmospheric variables. In this paper, the impact of assimilating SMOS TB alone or in combination with screen‐level observations and Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) soil moisture retrievals is assessed. Independent quality controlled insitu soil moisture observations belonging to several networks included in the International Soil Moisture Network, were used to validate the quality of both the new soil moisture analyses and the skill to predict soil moisture up to 5 days ahead. The impact on atmospheric variables is indirect and was evaluated through computation of the forecast skill at different lead times. The analysis period was selected to be around the boreal summer, a period of the year when evaporatranspiration fluxes are stronger, and when it is therefore expected that the assimilation of remote‐sensing data provides the largest impact on the state of the soil. The results show that the soil moisture state benefits from the direct assimilation of SMOS TB, especially in better representing the temporal variations of soil moisture. The skill of atmospheric variables is mainly driven by the screen‐level observations. Despite the clear benefits to the soil state, remote‐sensing data need to be used with screen‐level variables to add value to the state of the atmosphere, pointing to inconsistencies in the physical coupling between the land and near‐surface components of the ECMWF Earth system.
Mitigation of cold‐water thermal pollution downstream of a large dam with the use of a novel thermal curtain
Authors: Gray Rachel , Jones Hugh A. , Hitchcock James N. , Hardwick Lorraine , Pepper Darice , Lugg Allan , Seymour Justin R. , Mitrovic Simon M. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractHypolimnial releases from dams during periods of thermal stratification modify the downstream riverine thermal regime by decreasing water temperature and reducing natural diel thermal variability. This cold‐water thermal pollution in rivers can persist for hundreds of kilometres downstream of dams and impact important ecological processes such as fish spawning. To mitigate this problem, a first‐of‐its‐kind thermal curtain was fitted to the large bottom release Burrendong Dam on the Macquarie River, Australia. The thermal curtain acts by directing warmer, near‐surface epilimnial water to the low‐level hypolimnial offtake. This study aimed to test the efficacy of the thermal curtain by measuring temperatures before and after the curtains installation, quantifying the magnitude and extent of cold‐water thermal pollution along the Macquarie River downstream of Burrendong Dam. Epilimnial releases with use of the curtain increased diel temperature ranges and the mean monthly water temperature below the dam. Epilimnial releases with use of the curtain increased diel temperature ranges from 0.9°C to 2.5°C and reduced the difference between the mean monthly water temperature of an upstream control and a downstream site by up to 3.5°C. A comparison of the monthly temperature means along the river, indicated that thermal recovery, whereby temperatures returned to within the natural range of upstream temperatures occurred 45 km downstream of the dam during summer when the thermal curtain was deployed, compared with approximately 200 km prior to deployment of the curtain. Our study suggests that the use of thermal curtains can reduce cold‐water thermal pollution and improve ecological outcomes for river ecosystems downstream of dams.
Investigating the turbulent flow characteristics in an open channel with staggered vegetation patches
Authors: Ghani Usman , Anjum Naveed , Pasha Ghufran Ahmed , Ahmad Muhammad 
Published: May 2019

AbstractIn the present study, flow around circular and staggered vegetation patches was investigated numerically. For turbulence modelling, the Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes technique and Reynolds stress model were adopted. The numerical model was validated with the experimental data using varying vegetation density and flow velocities. The simulated results of mean stream‐wise velocities were in close agreement with the experimental results. The results show that the mean stream‐wise velocity in the downstream regions of vegetation patches were reduced, whereas the velocity in the free stream regions were increased. The influence of neighbouring and staggered vegetation patches on the flow was observed. The vegetation patches with larger nondimensional flow blockage (aD = 2.3, where a is the frontal area per volume of patches, and D is the diameter of vegetation patches) offered more turbulence when compared to the patches with a smaller flow blockage (aD = 1.2). Larger turbulence in the form of kinetic energy and turbulent intensity was recorded within the vegetation as well as the regions directly behind the patches. Negative Reynolds stresses were observed at the top of submerged vegetation. The turbulence characteristics peaked at the top of vegetation, that is, z/h = 1.0 (where z is the flow depth, and h is the vegetation height), which may be migrated vertically as the frontal area of the vegetation patch is increased. This high frontal area also increased stream‐wise velocity above the vegetation, leading to an increased variation in turbulence around the vegetation canopy.
Nanoscopic Stoichiometry and Single‐Molecule Counting
Authors: Nino Daniel , Djayakarsana Daniel , Milstein Joshua N. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractSingle‐molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) has the potential to revolutionize proteomic and genomic analyses by providing information on the number and stoichiometry of proteins or nucleic acids aggregating at spatial scales below the diffraction limit of light. Here, a method for molecular counting is presented with SMLM built upon the exponentially distributed blinking statistics of photoswitchable fluorophores, with a focus on organic dyes. A guide to performing this newly developed technique is provided, highlighting many of the challenges and pitfalls, by benchmarking the method on fluorescently labeled, surface mounted DNA origami grids. The accuracy of the results illustrates SMLM's utility for optical “‐omics” analysis.
A method for designing minimum‐cost multisource multisink network layouts
Authors: Heijnen Petra W. , Chappin Emile J.L. , Herder Paulien M. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractSystems engineers are equipped to design complex networked systems such as infrastructures. A key goal is cost minimization over a vast solution space. However, finding a minimum‐cost system while comprehensively satisfying different stakeholders is challenging and lacks proper methodological support. Stakeholders often employ their own expert estimations for lack of suitable decision‐support methods. In these settings, systems engineers typically require mid‐fidelity, easy‐to‐use methods. We present a rigorous method that quickly finds minimum‐cost solutions for networks with multiple sources and sinks, focusing on pipeline topology, length, and capacity. It can serve as a discussion tool in multiactor design processes, to demarcate the design space, indicate sources of uncertainty, and provoke further analyses, different designs, or contractual negotiations. It is applicable to a wide variety of cases, including many prominent infrastructures needed to mitigate CO₂. We prove that the optimal layout is a minimum‐cost Gilbert tree, and develop a heuristic based on the Gilbert‐Melzak method. We demonstrate the method's efficacy for a case set regarding solution quality, computational time, and scalability. We also show its efficiency and usefulness for systems engineers in real‐world settings. Systems engineers can use the generated cost‐optimal system designs to benchmark any design changes in real‐world negotiation processes.