bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Financial Flexibility and Investment: Evidence from REIT At‐the‐Market (ATM) Equity Offerings
Authors: Howton Shawn D. , Howton Shelly W. , Scheick Benjamin 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThis article examines changes in real estate investment around the establishment of at‐the‐market (ATM) equity programs by equity REITs. We document a significant increase in the rate of investment following an ATM program announcement and its subsequent use. However, we find that ATM access has a differential impact on the investment activity of REITs facing more significant financial constraints. We also provide further evidence that REITs with ATM programs generate positive long‐run returns in excess of that of similarly timed SEOs.
Aggressiveness in depression: a neglected symptom possibly associated with bipolarity and mixed features
Authors: Verdolini N. , Perugi G. , Samalin L. , Murru A. , Angst J. , Azorin J.‐M. , Bowden C. L. , Mosolov S. , Young A. H. , Barbuti M. , Guiso G. , Popovic D. , Vieta E. , Pacchiarotti I. ,   the BRIDGE‐II‐Mix Study Group
Published: July 2017

ObjectiveTo evaluate aggressiveness during a major depressive episode (MDE) and its relationship with bipolar disorder (BD) in a post hoc analysis of the BRIDGE‐II‐MIX study.MethodA total of 2811 individuals were enrolled in this multicenter cross‐sectional study. MDE patients with (MDE‐A, n = 399) and without aggressiveness (MDE‐N, n = 2412) were compared through chi‐square test or Student's t‐test. A stepwise backward logistic regression model was performed.ResultsMDE‐A group was more frequently associated with BD (P < 0.001), while aggressiveness was negatively correlated with unipolar depression (P < 0.001). At the logistic regression, aggressiveness was associated with the age at first depressive episode (P < 0.001); the severity of mania (P = 0.03); the diagnosis of BD (P = 0.001); comorbid borderline personality disorder (BPD) (P < 0.001) but not substance abuse (P = 0.63); no current psychiatric treatment (P < 0.001); psychotic symptoms (P = 0.007); the marked social/occupational impairment (P = 0.002). The variable most significantly associated with aggressiveness was the presence of DSM‐5 mixed features (P < 0.001, OR = 3.815). After the exclusion of BPD, the variable of lifetime suicide attempts became significant (P = 0.013, OR = 1.405).ConclusionAggressiveness seems to be significantly associated with bipolar spectrum disorders, independently from BPD and substance abuse. Aggressiveness should be considered as a diagnostic criterion for the mixed features specifier and a target of tailored treatment strategy.
A pilot randomized clinical trial testing integrated 12‐Step facilitation (iTSF) treatment for adolescent substance use disorder
Authors: Kelly John F. , Kaminer Yifrah , Kahler Christopher W. , Hoeppner Bettina , Yeterian Julie , Cristello Julie V. , Timko Christine 
Published: July 2017

AbstractBackground and AimsThe integration of 12‐Step philosophy and practices is common in adolescent substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs, particularly in North America. However, although numerous experimental studies have tested 12‐Step facilitation (TSF) treatments among adults, no studies have tested TSF‐specific treatments for adolescents. We tested the efficacy of a novel integrated TSF.DesignExplanatory, parallel‐group, randomized clinical trial comparing 10 sessions of either motivational enhancement therapy/cognitive–behavioral therapy (MET/CBT; n = 30) or a novel integrated TSF (iTSF; n = 29), with follow‐up assessments at 3, 6 and 9 months following treatment entry.SettingOut‐patient addiction clinic in the United States.ParticipantsAdolescents [n = 59; mean age = 16.8 (1.7) years; range = 14–21; 27% female; 78% white].Intervention and comparatorThe iTSF integrated 12‐Step with motivational and cognitive–behavioral strategies, and was compared with state‐of‐the‐art MET/CBT for SUD.MeasurementsPrimary outcome: percentage days abstinent (PDA); secondary outcomes: 12‐Step attendance, substance‐related consequences, longest period of abstinence, proportion abstinent/mostly abstinent, psychiatric symptoms.FindingsPrimary outcome: PDA was not significantly different across treatments [b = 0.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) = –0.08 to 0.24, P = 0.33; Bayes’ factor = 0.28). Secondary outcomes: during treatment, iTSF patients had substantially greater 12‐Step attendance, but this advantage declined thereafter (b = −0.87; 95% CI = –1.67 to 0.07, P = 0.03). iTSF did show a significant advantage at all follow‐up points for substance‐related consequences (b = −0.42; 95% CI = –0.80 to −0.04, P < 0.05; effect size range d = 0.26–0.71). Other secondary outcomes did not differ significantly between treatments, but effect sizes tended to favor iTSF. Throughout the entire sample, greater 12‐Step meeting attendance was associated significantly with longer abstinence during (r = 0.39, P = 0.008), and early following (r = 0.30, P = 0.049), treatment.ConclusionCompared with motivational enhancement therapy/cognitive–behavioral therapy (MET/CBT), in terms of abstinence, a novel integrated 12‐Step facilitation treatment for adolescent substance use disorder (iTSF) showed no greater benefits, but showed benefits in terms of 12‐Step attendance and consequences. Given widespread use of combinations of 12‐Step, MET and CBT in adolescent community out‐patient settings in North America, iTSF may provide an integrated evidence‐based option that is compatible with existing practices.
Cytogenetic tests for animal production: state of the art and perspectives
Authors: Udroiu I. , Sgura A. 
Published: July 2017

SummaryCytogenetic tests are effective tools for monitoring the health status of livestock and improving their genetic value. Cytogenetic screening allows for the detection of animals carrying chromosomal aberrations and to avoid using them as breeders. Progress in karyotype monitoring, with new molecular probes and automation, has greatly increased the productivity of this procedure. Several genotoxicity tests are available to detect the possible presence and effects of pollutants or drugs. Among these, the micronucleus test and the Comet assay are the most convenient in terms of costs and benefits. Finally, analysis of telomeres, the end of chromosomes and markers of genomic instability, may be developed into a new marker of stress and genetic value.
Calorie restriction reverses age‐related alteration of cavernous neurovascular structure in the rat
Authors: Limanjaya A. , Song K.‐M. , Choi M.‐J. , Ghatak K. , Minh N. N. , Kang D. H. , Ock J. , Yin G. N. , Chung H. Y. , Ryu J.‐K. , Suh J.‐K. 
Published: July 2017

SummaryCalorie restriction (CR) refers to a reduction of calorie intake without compromising essential nutrients to avoid malnutrition. CR has been established as a non‐genetic method of altering longevity and attenuating biological changes associated with aging. Aging is also an important risk factor for erectile dysfunction. The aim of this study was to examine whether CR diet can reverse the age‐related alterations of erectile tissue in the aged rat. Four groups of rats were used: young rats (7 months) + ad libitum, aged rats (22 months) + ad libitum, young rats + CR diet, and aged rats + CR diet. The ad libitum group had free access to both food and water, and CR groups were fed 60% of the food intake of their ad libitum littermates, starting from 6 weeks before sacrifice. The penis was harvested and stained with antibodies to von Willebrand factor, smooth muscle α‐actin, platelet‐derived growth factor receptor‐β, phospho‐eNOS, nNOS, and neurofilament. We also performed Masson trichrome staining and TUNEL assay. The blood samples were collected for the measurement of serum total testosterone level. The contents of endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, pericytes, and neuronal cells as well as serum testosterone levels were significantly lower in the penis of aged rats than in their young littermates. CR significantly restored cavernous endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, pericytes, and neuronal cell contents and decreased cavernous endothelial cell apoptosis and fibrosis in both young and aged rats. CR also increased serum testosterone level in aged rats, but not in young rats. CR successfully improved age‐related derangements in penile neurovascular structures and hormonal disturbance. Along with a variety of lifestyle modifications, our study gave us a scientific rationale for CR as a non‐pharmaceutical strategy to reprogram damaged erectile tissue toward neurovascular repair in aged men.
Carbon Dioxide Flush of an Integrated Minimized Perfusion Circuit Prior to Priming Prevents Spontaneous Air Release Into the Arterial Line During Clinical Use
Authors: Stehouwer Marco C. , de Vroege Roel , Hoohenkerk Gerard J. F. , Hofman Frederik N. , Kelder Johannes C , Buchner Bas , de Mol Bastian A. , Bruins Peter 
Published: July 2017

AbstractRecently, an oxygenator with an integrated centrifugal blood pump (IP) was designed to minimize priming volume and to reduce blood foreign surface contact even further. The use of this oxygenator with or without integrated arterial filter was compared with a conventional oxygenator and nonintegrated centrifugal pump. To compare the air removal characteristics 60 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were alternately assigned into one of three groups to be perfused with a minimized extracorporeal circuit either with the conventional oxygenator, the oxygenator with IP, or the oxygenator with IP plus integrated arterial filter (IAF). Air entering and leaving the three devices was measured accurately with a bubble counter during cardiopulmonary bypass. No significant differences between all groups were detected, considering air entering the devices. Our major finding was that in both integrated devices groups incidental spontaneous release of air into the arterial line in approximately 40% of the patients was observed. Here, detectable bolus air (>500 µm) was shown in the arterial line, whereas in the minimal extracorporeal circulation circuit (MECC) group this phenomenon was not present. We decided to conduct an amendment of the initial design with METC‐approval. Ten patients were assigned to be perfused with an oxygenator with IP and IAF. Importantly, the integrated perfusion systems used in these patients were flushed with carbon dioxide (CO2) prior to priming of the systems. In the group with CO2 flush no spontaneous air release was observed in all cases and this was significantly different from the initial study with the group with the integrated device and IAF. This suggests that air spilling may be caused by residual air in the integrated device. In conclusion, integration of a blood pump may cause spontaneous release of large air bubbles (>500 µm) into the arterial line, despite the presence of an integrated arterial filter. CO2 flushing of an integrated cardiopulmonary bypass system prior to priming may prevent spontaneous air release and is strongly recommended to secure patient safety.
Model-free Scoring System for Risk Prediction with Application to Hepatocellular Carcinoma Study
Authors: Shen Weining , Ning Jing , Yuan Ying , Lok Anna S. , Feng Ziding 
Published: July 2017

Summary
There is an increasing need to construct a risk-prediction scoring system for survival data and identify important risk factors (e.g., biomarkers) for patient screening and treatment recommendation. However, most existing methodologies either rely on strong model assumptions (e.g., proportional hazards) or only handle binary outcomes. In this article, we propose a flexible method that simultaneously selects important risk factors and identifies the optimal linear combination of risk factors by maximizing a pseudo-likelihood function based on the time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Our method is particularly useful for risk evaluation and recommendation of optimal subsequent treatments. We show that the proposed method has desirable theoretical properties, including asymptotic normality and the oracle property after variable selection. Numerical performance is evaluated on several simulation data sets and an application to hepatocellular carcinoma data.
Is Overimitation a Uniquely Human Phenomenon? Insights From Human Children as Compared to Bonobos
Authors: Clay Zanna , Tennie Claudio 
Published: July 2017

Imitation is a key mechanism of human culture and underlies many of the intricacies of human social life, including rituals and social norms. Compared to other animals, humans appear to be special in their readiness to copy novel actions as well as those that are visibly causally irrelevant. This study directly compared the imitative behavior of human children to that of bonobos, our understudied great ape relatives. During an action‐copying task involving visibly causally irrelevant actions, only 3‐ to 5‐year‐old children (N = 77) readily copied, whereas no bonobo from a large sample did (N = 46). These results highlight the distinctive nature of the human cultural capacity and contribute important insights into the development and evolution of human cultural behaviors.
Rwanda and the Difficult Business of Capitalist Development
Authors: Harrison Graham 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACTThis article argues that current schisms in the research on post‐genocide Rwanda are not sui generis but symptomatic of a broader set of separations within our understanding of development. Both the research on Rwanda and the most prominent intellectual responses to the rise of neoliberalism in development research have generated separations between a concern with rights and individual agency and structural transformation. The article sets out a way to reconcile key aspects of this separation and offers three empirical themes that provide original insights into Rwanda's apparent determination and partial success in pushing ahead with a bold strategy of capitalist transformation.
Pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability of the novel dual glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide/glucagon‐like peptide‐1 agonist RG7697 after single subcutaneous administration in healthy subjects
Authors: Portron Agnès , Jadidi Shirin , Sarkar Neena , DiMarchi Richard , Schmitt Christophe 
Published: July 2017

AimsTo evaluate the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and safety of single subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of ascending doses of RG7697, a dual glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide/glucagon‐like peptide‐1 agonist, in healthy subjects.MethodsA total of 51 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study investigating RG7697 doses ranging from 0.03 to 5 mg. Adverse events (AEs) were monitored and drug concentrations, fasting glycaemic variables, vital signs, ECG, antibody formation and routine laboratory variables were assessed. A meal tolerance test (MTT) was performed at the same time on day −1 (baseline) and day 1.ResultsRG7697 was generally well tolerated in healthy participants after s.c. injections up to 3.6 mg. Tolerability was limited by gastrointestinal AEs (nausea and vomiting) at the highest dose. There was a small dose‐dependent increase in heart rate. No episodes of hypoglycaemia occurred. RG7697 concentrations peaked at 2 to 4 hours post‐dose with a half‐life of 19 to 25 hours. During MTT, RG7697 at doses ≥1.8 mg, reduced glucose maximum plasma concentration (Cmax; −46%) without affecting overall glucose area under the curve (AUC). Its effect on insulin was more pronounced, with reductions in both Cmax (−64%) and AUC (−51%). Pharmacodynamic variables were well correlated to RG7697 average plasma concentration during MTT, with IC50 (average concentration required for 50% reduction) values of 49 and 24.5 ng/mL for glucose and insulin, respectively.ConclusionSingle s.c. injections of RG7697 up to 3.6 mg were generally well tolerated. Evidence of glycaemic effect and pharmacokinetic profiles consistent with once‐daily dosing render this drug candidate suitable to be further tested in multiple‐dose clinical trials in patients with type 2 diabetes.
American elm cultivars: Variation in compartmentalization of infection by Ophiostoma novo‐ulmi and its effects on hydraulic conductivity
Authors: Beier G. L. , Held B. W. , Giblin C. P. , Cavender‐Bares J. , Blanchette R. A. 
Published: July 2017

SummaryFive cultivars and two populations of wild‐type seedlings of American elm (Ulmus americana), 3 and 4 years old, were examined for differences in their abilities to compartmentalize and resist infection by artificially inoculating with Ophiostoma novo‐ulmi. Morphological characteristics of tree defence, often referred to as the compartmentalization of decay in trees model, were used as a conceptual framework, with particular emphasis on the limiting of tangential spread of infection within the xylem and barriers that limit spread outwards to cells formed after infection. To investigate the change in functional xylem over time, 3‐year‐old trees were assessed at multiple time points following inoculation for hydraulic conductivity. Three and four‐year‐old cut trees were placed in 0.1% w/v safranin O for 18 to 24 hr to indicate functional xylem. Transverse sections of the stained stems were used to calculate per cent of sap‐conducting xylem area and the per cent of circumference conducting of first formed cells and later formed cells. At each collection time, trees were assessed for disease severity on a 1–12 scale, based on the percentage of permanent wilt in the crown. There was considerable variation between cultivars in disease severity and their capacity to localize and resist infection. “Prairie Expedition,” which had the lowest disease severity rating in 2015 and the second lowest in 2016, consistently limited the spread of infection into newly formed xylem and had functional xylem around the entire circumference of the stem at 90 days post‐inoculation. “Valley Forge” in 2016 had the lowest overall disease severity rating and was the only cultivar to consistently limit the tangential spread of infection within extant xylem. This research identifies key characteristics that some cultivars have to resist and limit infection and provides new information that can be used in disease screening programmes to evaluate other cultivars and older plant material.
Modelling nutritional mutualisms: challenges and opportunities for data integration
Authors: Clark Teresa J. , Friel Colleen A. , Grman Emily , Shachar‐Hill Yair , Friesen Maren L. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractNutritional mutualisms are ancient, widespread, and profoundly influential in biological communities and ecosystems. Although much is known about these interactions, comprehensive answers to fundamental questions, such as how resource availability and structured interactions influence mutualism persistence, are still lacking. Mathematical modelling of nutritional mutualisms has great potential to facilitate the search for comprehensive answers to these and other fundamental questions by connecting the physiological and genomic underpinnings of mutualisms with ecological and evolutionary processes. In particular, when integrated with empirical data, models enable understanding of underlying mechanisms and generalisation of principles beyond the particulars of a given system. Here, we demonstrate how mathematical models can be integrated with data to address questions of mutualism persistence at four biological scales: cell, individual, population, and community. We highlight select studies where data has been or could be integrated with models to either inform model structure or test model predictions. We also point out opportunities to increase model rigour through tighter integration with data, and describe areas in which data is urgently needed. We focus on plant‐microbe systems, for which a wealth of empirical data is available, but the principles and approaches can be generally applied to any nutritional mutualism.
Health care resource utilization before and after perampanel initiation among patients with epilepsy in the United States
Authors: Faught Edward , Laliberté François , Wang Zhixiao , Barghout Victoria , Haider Batool , Lejeune Dominique , Germain Guillaume , Choi Jiyoon , Wagh Aneesha , Duh Mei Sheng 
Published: July 2017

SummaryObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in health care resource utilization following the initiation of perampanel for the treatment of epilepsy in the United States.MethodsHealth care claims from Symphony Health's Integrated Dataverse database between December 2012 and November 2015 were analyzed. Patients newly initiated on perampanel, having ≥1 epilepsy (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD‐9‐CM] code 345.xx, ICD‐10‐CM code G40.xxx) or nonfebrile convulsion (ICD‐9‐CM code 780.39, ICD‐10‐CM code R56.9) diagnosis, and having ≥6 months of baseline and observation periods were included. Patients <12 years old at perampanel initiation were excluded.ResultsOf the 2,508 perampanel patients included in the study, the mean [median] (±standard deviation [SD]) age was 35.8 [34] (±16.0) years and 56.2% were female. The mean [median] (±SD) observation duration was 459.8 [462] (±146.3) days in the postperampanel period. The postperampanel period was associated with significantly lower rates of all health care resource utilization outcomes than the pre‐period. For the post‐ versus pre‐period, perampanel users had 42.3 versus 53.8 overall hospitalizations per 100 person‐years (rate ratio [RR] = 0.80, p < 0.001) and 1,240.2 versus 1,343.8 outpatient visits per 100 person‐years (RR = 0.91, p < 0.001). Epilepsy‐related hospitalizations and outpatient visits were 25.2 versus 33.6 per 100 person‐years (RR = 0.76, p < 0.001) and 327.0 versus 389.0 per 100 person‐years (RR = 0.84, p < 0.001), respectively. Additionally, a significantly lower rate of status epilepticus in the post‐period (1.8 events per 100 person‐years) was observed compared to the pre‐period (4.4 events per 100 person‐years; RR = 0.43, p < 0.001). The monthly time trend of hospitalizations showed an increasing trend leading up to the initiation of perampanel, after which the hospitalizations decreased steadily.SignificanceUse of perampanel for the treatment of epilepsy was associated with significant reduction in all‐cause and epilepsy‐related health care resource utilization, including hospitalizations, especially for status epilepticus, and outpatient visits.