bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Visual acuity after cataract surgery in patients with optic neuropathies
Authors: Aggarwal Sahil , Knight Darren K. , Shumway Caleb L. , Wade Matthew , Crow Robert W. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractPurposeTo compare visual acuity outcomes of cataract surgery between patients with and without non‐glaucomatous optic neuropathies.MethodsRetrospective case‐control study of patients with and without optic neuropathies who underwent cataract surgery from 2010 to 2017. For all eyes, the last preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and first BCVA greater than 1 month postoperatively (to ensure sustained refractive stabilization) were recorded in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) units.ResultsThirty patients (42 eyes) with optic neuropathies and 30 control patients (42 eyes) underwent uncomplicated cataract surgery. The mean age at surgery was significantly younger in the optic neuropathy group (64 versus 71.2 years, p < 0.01). The mean improvement in visual acuity in the optic neuropathy group was 0.4 ± 0.6 logMAR units (roughly 4 Snellen lines) from 0.7 ± 0.8 units preoperatively to 0.3 ± 0.5 postoperatively. Between the cases and controls, there was no significant difference in preoperative BCVA (p = 0.48), postoperative BCVA (p = 0.42), or the mean improvement in BCVA (p = 0.82). When stratified by optic neuropathy subtype, patients with optic neuropathies secondary to multiple sclerosis (n = 12) or non‐arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy (n = 11) had significant improvement in BCVA postoperatively (p < 0.01 and p = 0.03, respectively).ConclusionContrary to what may be expected from such a severe ocular comorbidity, our data suggest that the mean BCVA improvement after cataract surgery in patients with non‐glaucomatous optic neuropathies was comparable to that of control patients. Cataract surgery may be performed in patients with both optic neuropathies and advanced cataracts with a reasonable preoperative expectation that visual acuity improvement can be significant.
Better visual outcome at 1 year with antivascular endothelial growth factor treatment according to treat‐and‐extend compared with pro re nata in eyes with neovascular age‐related macular degeneration
Authors: Aurell Sandra , Sjövall Kersti , Paul Anna , Morén Åsa , Granstam Elisabet 
Published: December 2018

AbstractPurposeTo evaluate treatment outcome at 12 months in eyes with neovascular age‐related macular degeneration (nAMD) treated with antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti‐VEGF) injections according to either pro re nata (PRN)‐ or treat‐and‐extend (TE)‐regimen in one clinical setting in Sweden.MethodsData were obtained retrospectively from the Swedish Macula Register, optical coherence tomography‐database and electronic patient charts. The study included 443 eyes; 223 PRN‐ and 220 TE‐treated eyes. Baseline (BL) characteristics and follow‐up data at 6 and 12 months were collected. Statistical regression analysis was performed to evaluate association between treatment strategy and visual outcome at 12 months.ResultsBaseline (BL) characteristics were well balanced between cohorts. Visual acuity at 12 months was higher in TE‐cohort 66.5 (13.1) compared to PRN‐cohort 60.1 (17.6) (p = 0.000). Visual improvement at 12 months was +5.2 (11.8) and +1.2 (12.7) letters Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) in TE‐ and PRN‐cohorts, respectively (p = 0.002). Number of administered injections at 12 months was 10.2 (2.1) and 6.3 (2.1) in the two cohorts (p = 0.000). Statistical analysis demonstrated a strong association between TE treatment strategy and improvement in visual acuity at 12 months.ConclusionEyes treated according to TE had better visual outcome at 12 months. The results indicate that treatment according to proactive TE‐regimen is superior to treatment according to PRN‐regimen in clinical routine care of nAMD.
Consuming milk cereal drinks at one year of age was associated with a twofold risk of being overweight at the age of five
Authors: Almquist‐Tangen Gerd , Bergman Stefan , Dahlgren Jovanna , Lindholm Annelie , Roswall Josefine , Alm Bernt 
Published: December 2018

AbstractAimWe previously reported that consuming milk cereal drinks at six months of age was associated with a high body mass index (BMI) at 12 and 18 months. This study examined the association between daily consumption at 12 months of age and BMI at the age of five.MethodsWe followed up 1870/2666 (70%) children recruited at birth in 2007–2008 for the Swedish longitudinal population‐based Halland Health and Growth Study a mean of 5.09 ± 0.28 years. Feeding practices were obtained from parental questionnaires, and anthropometric data were collected by child health nurses.ResultsAt five years, 11.6% were overweight and 2.3% were obese. Milk cereal drinks were consumed by about 85% and 10% at one and five years of age, respectively. Consumption at 12 months was associated with almost double the risk of being overweight at five years of age (adjusted odds ratio 1.94, 95% confidence interval 1.08–3.50). Other risk factors were a family history of obesity, low paternal educational level and paternal smoking.ConclusionConsuming milk cereal drinks daily at 12 months was associated with a twofold risk of being overweight at five years. These findings may affect the counselling guidelines used at child healthcare centres.
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT – THE EMERGENT PPP EQUITY MARKET
Authors: WHITFIELD Dexter , SMYTH Stewart 
Published: December 2018

ABSTRACTIncreasingly governments are looking to private sector actors to invest in infrastructure projects. An emergent mechanism for such investment is the market in PPP equity. This is an aspect of PPPs that has to date had little empirical attention. This paper reports on the size and scope of the market in PPP equity sales within the UK. In the process, the nature of PPP projects and the existing rationales for the policy are critiqued. The paper concludes by laying out a number of potential research agendas focused on PPP equity sales including a call for reassessing theoretical perspectives.
Drug‐induced linear immunoglobulin A bullous dermatosis: A French retrospective pharmacovigilance study of 69 cases
Authors: Garel Bethsabée , Ingen‐Housz‐Oro Saskia , Afriat Daniele , Prost‐Squarcioni Catherine , Tétart Florence , Bensaid Benoit , Bara Passot Corina , Beylot‐Barry Marie , Descamps Vincent , Duvert‐Lehembre Sophie , Grootenboer‐Mignot Sabine , Jeudy Géraldine , Soria Angèle , Valnet‐Rabier Marie Blanche , Barbaud Annick , Caux Frédéric , Lebrun‐Vignes Bénédicte 
Published: December 2018

AimsLinear immunoglobin A (IgA) bullous dermatosis is a rare autoimmune dermatosis considered spontaneous or drug‐induced (DILAD). We assessed all DILAD cases, determined the imputability score of drugs and highlighted suspected drugs.MethodsData for patients with DILAD were collected retrospectively from the French Pharmacovigilance network (from 1985 to 2017) and from physicians involved in the Bullous Diseases French Study Group and the French Investigators for Skin Adverse Reactions to Drugs. Drug causality was systematically determined by the French imputability method.ResultsOf the 69 patients, 42% had mucous membrane involvement, 20% lesions mimicking toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), 21% eosinophil infiltrates and 10% keratinocytes necrosis. Direct immunofluorescence, in 80%, showed isolated linear IgA deposits. Vancomycin (VCM) was suspected in 39 cases (57%), 11 had TEN‐like lesions, as compared with three without VCM suspected. Among the 33 patients with a single suspected drug, 85% had an intrinsic imputability score of I4. Among them, enoxaparin, minocycline and vibramycin were previously unpublished. For all patients, the suspect drug was withdrawn; 15 did not receive any treatment. First‐line therapy for 31 patients was topical steroids. Among the 60 patients with available follow‐up, 52 achieved remission, 10 without treatment. Four patients experienced relapse, four died and five had positive accidental rechallenges.ConclusionsThere is no major clinical difference between DILAD and idiopathic linear IgA bullous dermatosis, but the former features a higher prevalence of patients mimicking TEN. VCM, suspected in more than half of the cases, might be responsible for more severe clinical presentations. We report three new putative drugs.
Effect of glutathione S‐transferase genetic polymorphisms on busulfan pharmacokinetics and veno‐occlusive disease in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Kim Myeong Gyu , Kwak Arim , Choi Boyoon , Ji Eunhee , Oh Jung Mi , Kim Kyungim 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThis meta‐analysis was conducted to derive an integrated conclusion about the influence of glutathione S‐transferase (GST) genetic polymorphisms on busulfan pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters and veno‐occlusive disease (VOD). Studies which analysed the effect of GST genetic polymorphisms on area under the curve (AUC), clearance (CL) or VOD were searched for and selected. A pooled analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis programme. Nineteen studies were included in this meta‐analysis. GSTA1*B and GSTM1 null genotypes significantly decreased CLIV of busulfan (standardized difference in means (SDM) = −1.103; P = 0.019 and SDM = −0.418; P = 0.002, respectively). GSTA1*B significantly increased AUCIV of busulfan (SDM = 0.832; P = 0.046), whereas GSTM1 did not (SDM = 0.155; P = 0.478). The PK parameters of oral busulfan did not differ according to GST genotype. GSTA1, GSTM1 and GSTP1 were not significantly associated with VOD occurrence. GSTA1 and GSTM1 genotypes affected CLIV of busulfan, but only GSTA1 affected AUCIV. There was no significant difference in the PK parameters of oral busulfan (CLPO and AUCPO) and VOD when only GST genotypes were considered.
Meeting a nice asylum seeker: Intergroup contact changes stereotype content perceptions and associated emotional prejudices, and encourages solidarity‐based collective action intentions
Authors: Kotzur Patrick F. , Schäfer Sarina J. , Wagner Ulrich 
Published: December 2018

Intergroup contact can improve majority members’ perception of minorities. Integrating the intergroup contact hypothesis with the stereotype content model and BIAS‐Map, we hypothesized that positive intergroup contact improves German majority members’ evaluations of asylum seekers on the warmth and competence dimensions. Using cross‐sectional survey data and structural equation modelling, we found support for this hypothesis (Study 1a, N = 182). Warmth and competence perceptions, in turn, predicted specific intergroup emotions (Study 1b, N = 255). A causal effect of intergroup contact on changes in stereotype content, emotions, and solidarity‐based collective action intentions as an important facilitative behavioural intention debated in the intergroup contact literature is established with experimental data (Study 2, N = 74). Participants interacting with an asylum seeker rated asylum seekers higher on warmth and specific intergroup emotions and were more supportive of solidarity‐based collective actions in favour of asylum seekers. Our study demonstrates that contact has differential effects on cognitive, affective, and behavioural components of prejudice towards asylum seekers that are systematically linked.
Early growth response‐1 regulates acetylcholinesterase and its relation with the course of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Hu Yu‐Ting , Chen Xin‐Lu , Huang Shu‐Han , Zhu Qiong‐Bin , Yu Si‐Yang , Shen Yi , Sluiter Arja , Verhaagen Joost , Zhao Juan , Swaab Dick , Bao Ai‐Min 
Published: December 2018

AbstractOur previous studies showed that the transcription factor early growth response‐1 (EGR1) may play a role in keeping the brain cholinergic function intact in the preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In order to elucidate the mechanisms involved, we first performed data mining on our previous microarray study on postmortem human prefrontal cortex (PFC) for the changes in the expression of EGR1 and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and the relationship between them during the course of AD. The study contained 49 patients, ranging from non‐demented controls (Braak stage 0) to late AD patients (Braak stage VI). We found EGR1‐mRNA was high in early AD and decreased in late AD stages, while AChE‐mRNA was stable in preclinical AD and slightly decreased in late AD stages. A significant positive correlation was found between the mRNA levels of these two molecules. In addition, we studied the relationship between EGR1 and AChE mRNA levels in the frontal cortex of 3–12‐months old triple‐transgenic AD (3xTg‐AD) mice. EGR1‐ and AChE‐mRNA were lower in 3xTg‐AD mice compared with wild‐type (WT) mice. A significant positive correlation between these two molecules was present in the entire group and in each age group of either WT or 3xTg‐AD mice. Subsequently, AChE expression was determined following up‐ or down‐regulating EGR1 in cell lines and the EGR1 levels were found to regulate AChE at both the mRNA and protein levels. Dual‐luciferase assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay in the EGR1‐overexpressing cells were performed to determine the functionally effective binding sites of the EGR1 on the AChE gene promoter. We conclude that the EGR1 can upregulate AChE expression by a direct effect on its gene promoter, which may contribute significantly to the changes in cholinergic function in the course of AD. The 3xTg‐AD mouse model only reflects later stage AD.
Managing uncertainty in movement knowledge for environmental decisions
Authors: Smith Annabel L. , Kujala Heini , Lahoz‐Monfort José J. , Guja Lydia K. , Burns Emma L. , Nathan Ran , Alacs Erika , Barton Philip S. , Bau Sana , Driscoll Don A. , Lentini Pia E. , Mortelliti Alessio , Rowe Ross , Buckley Yvonne M. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractSpecies’ movements affect their response to environmental change but movement knowledge is often highly uncertain. We now have well‐established methods to integrate movement knowledge into conservation practice but still lack a framework to deal with uncertainty in movement knowledge for environmental decisions. We provide a framework that distinguishes two dimensions of species’ movement that are heavily influenced by uncertainty: knowledge about movement and relevance of movement to environmental decisions. Management decisions can be informed by their position in this knowledge‐relevance space. We then outline a framework to support decisions around (1) increasing understanding of the relevance of movement knowledge, (2) increasing robustness of decisions to uncertainties and (3) improving knowledge on species’ movement. Our decision‐support framework provides guidance for managing movement‐related uncertainty in systematic conservation planning, agri‐environment schemes, habitat restoration and international biodiversity policy. It caters to different resource levels (time and funding) so that species’ movement knowledge can be more effectively integrated into environmental decisions.
Prospective memory slips are associated with forgetting to take glucose‐lowering therapies among adults with diabetes: results from the second Diabetes MILES – Australia (MILES‐2) survey
Authors: Trawley S. , Baptista S. , Pouwer F. , Speight J. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractAimsProspective memory has been long considered a fundamental cognitive ability for optimal medication taking, but the role of prospective memory errors (termed ‘slips’) in diabetes self‐care is unclear. Our aim was to examine associations between prospective memory and medication taking in adults with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus.MethodsSome 901 adults with Type 1 diabetes and 927 with Type 2 diabetes completed a cross‐sectional survey focused on the psychological and behavioural aspects of living with diabetes. Respondents reported whether they had forgotten to take their diabetes medication over the previous 14 days.ResultsTwenty‐four per cent (n = 220) of adults with Type 1 diabetes and 23% (n = 211) with Type 2 diabetes reported that they had forgotten their medication at least once over the previous 14 days. This was associated with more prospective memory slips in adults with Type 1 diabetes [odds ratio (OR) 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05 to 1.13; P < 0.001] and Type 2 diabetes (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.15; P < 0.001); and with younger age (both groups), insulin pump use (Type 1 diabetes), insulin treatment (Type 2 diabetes), less frequent blood glucose checks (Type 1 diabetes) and higher HbA1c (Type 1 diabetes).ConclusionsThese findings suggest that forgetting medication is relatively common among adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, and provide preliminary evidence for its relationship with self‐reported prospective memory slips.
Père David’s deer gut microbiome changes across captive and translocated populations: Implications for conservation
Authors: Wang Lei , Ding Jingjing , Yang Zhisong , Chen Hua , Yao Ran , Dai Qiang , Ding Yuhua , Zhu Lifeng 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe gut microbial composition and function are shaped by different factors (e.g., host diet and phylogeny). Gut microbes play an important role in host nutrition and development. The gut microbiome may be used to evaluate the host potential environmental adaptation. In this study, we focused on the coevolution of the gut microbiome of captive and translocated Père David's deer populations (Elaphurus davidianus; Chinese: Père David's deer). To address this, we used several different macro‐ and micro‐ecological approaches (landscape ecology, nutritional methods, microscopy, isotopic analysis, and metagenomics). In this long‐term study (2011–2014), we observed some dissimilarities in gut microbiome community and function between the captive and wild/translocated Dafeng Père David's deer populations. These differences might link microbiome composition with deer diet within a given season. The proportion of genes coding for putative enzymes (endoglucanase, beta‐glucosidase, and cellulose 1,4‐beta‐cellobiosidase) involved in cellulose digestion in the gut microbiome of the captive populations was higher than that of the translocated population, possibly because of the high proportion of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in the plants most consumed by the captive populations. However, the two enzymes (natA and natB) involved in sodium transport system were enriched in the gut microbiome in translocated population, possibly because of their high salt diet (e.g., Spartina alterniflora). Thus, our results suggested that Père David's deer gut microorganisms potentially coevolved with host diet, and reflected the local adaptation of translocated population in the new environment (e.g., new dietary plants: Spartina alterniflora). A current problem for Père David's deer conservation is the saturation of captive populations. Given that the putative evolutionary adaptation of Père David's deer gut microbiome and its possible applications in conservation, the large area of wetlands along the Yellow Sea dominated by S. alterniflora might be the major translocation region in the future.
Conservative Politicians and Voting on Same-sex Marriage
Authors: Kauder Björn , Potrafke Niklas 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWe examine whether conservative politicians are less likely to support same-sex marriage when they run for office in safe rather than in contested districts using new data based on a roll-call vote in the national German parliament. The results show that the margin of the majority for the incumbent in the previous election was a strong predictor for supporting same-sex marriage. When the majority increased by a 1 percentage point, the likelihood of voting in favour of same-sex marriage decreased by around 1.3 percentage points. We conjecture that politicians are election-motivated - even when submitting roll-call votes on a matter of conscience.
Dry‐sliding wear behavior of 3Y‐TZP/Al2O3‐NbC nanocomposites produced by conventional sintering and spark plasma sintering
Authors: Salem Raphael E. P. , Guitérrez‐González Carlos F. , Borrell Amparo , Salvador Maria Dolores , Chinelatto Adilson L. , Chinelatto Adriana S. A. , Pallone Eliria M. J. A. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThis work presents the initial results of the dry‐sliding wear behavior of 3 mol% yttria‐stabilized zirconia reinforced with 5 vol% alumina‐niobium carbide (3Y‐TZP/5 vol% Al2O3‐NbC) nanocomposites sintered by conventional sintering and spark plasma sintering methods in the temperature range of 1350‐1450°C. The reinforcement of 3Y‐TZP matrix with hard nanoparticles aimed to improve wear strength of the composites. Wear tests were performed by the ball‐on‐disc method using alumina (Al2O3) and tungsten carbide with 6 wt% cobalt cermet (WC‐6%Co) balls as counter‐materials, a load of 15 N, a sliding distance of 2000 m, and a sliding speed of 0.1 m/s. Wear behavior was evaluated in terms of wear rate and FE‐SEM micrograph analysis of the wear tracks. The nanocomposite sintered at 1450°C by conventional sintering exhibited the least wear when tested with the WC‐6%Co ball. Generally, the wear mechanism showed evidence of severe wear regime with both counter‐materials.
Sintering behavior of bimodal iron nanopowder agglomerates
Authors: Song Jun‐ll , Lee Geon‐Yong , Hong Eui‐Jin , Lee Carolline S. , Lee Jai‐Sung 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe most important issue in the processing of nanoscale metal powders is whether the metal nanopowder can be fully consolidated into ultra‐fine‐ or nano‐grained powder metallurgy parts by pressureless sintering. This paper focuses on the sintering behavior of bimodal iron (Fe) nanopowder agglomerates by considering their microstructure and densification kinetics. During the sintering, bimodal Fe nanopowder compacts underwent discontinuous shrinkage behavior until they neared full density. Three contributions to the sintering mechanisms, asymmetric sintering, densification enhancement, and grain growth inhibition, are presented in relation to the effect of bimodal nanopowder structure. Smaller nanoparticles in the bimodal nanopowders, which are predominantly present at the boundaries and interstitial spaces of larger nanoparticles, are responsible for the three mechanisms stated above. This result is strongly supported by the apparent activation energy values ranging from 48.2 to 90.6 kJ/mol, which correspond to the energy for grain‐boundary diffusion in Fe. The experimental results of this study show that bimodal nanopowder agglomerates can be used to produce full density nano‐grained powder metallurgical parts by pressureless sintering.
Hardness of polycrystalline SiO2 coesite
Authors: Kulik Eleonora , Nishiyama Norimasa , Higo Yuji , Gaida Nico A. , Katsura Tomoo 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWe measured elastic moduli and hardness of polycrystalline SiO2 coesite. Translucent polycrystalline bulk coesite with a grain size of about 10 micrometers was fabricated at 8 GPa and 1600°C using a Kawai‐type multianvil apparatus. The obtained bulk and shear moduli are 94(1) and 60.2(3) GPa, respectively. The resulting Vickers and Knoop hardness values are 10.9(7) and 9.6(4) GPa, respectively, at an indentation load of 4.9 N. Coesite is as hard as other fourfold coordinated silica materials such as quartz and densified silica glasses. The hardness values of coesite and the fourfold coordinated silica materials are about one‐third of those of sixfold coordinated silica materials, stishovite, and seifertite, which are the hardest known oxides.