bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
INTRAVITREAL DEXAMETHASONE IMPLANTATION IN PATIENTS WITH DIFFERENT MORPHOLOGICAL DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA HAVING INSUFFICIENT RESPONSE TO RANIBIZUMAB
Authors: Kaldırım Havva , Yazgan Serpil , Atalay Kursat , Gurez Ceren , Savur Fatma 
Published: April 2017

Purpose:
To evaluate the effectiveness of a single intravitreal injection of dexamethasone implant in resistant diabetic macular edema that have different morphological types.

Methods:
In this retrospective study, 31 patients (35 eyes) with persistent diabetic macular edema, who underwent a single injection of dexamethasone implant, were evaluated. Diabetic macular edema was classified into three types: diffuse retinal thickening (n = 10), cystoid macular edema (n = 13), and serous retinal detachment (n = 12). Primary outcome measures were best corrected visual acuity, and central macular thickness.

Results:
The three subgroups were similar in terms of age and gender (P > 0.05). Total duration of diabetes was significantly less in the serous retinal detachment subgroup (P = 0.01). There were no differences in the best corrected visual acuity between the three subgroups until the sixth month. However, the best corrected visual acuity was significantly better in the diffuse retinal thickness subgroup at the sixth month (P = 0.008). Regarding the central macular thickness values, it was statistically better in serous retinal detachment than in diffuse retinal thickening and cystoid macular edema subgroups till the sixth month (P = 0.001). However, at the sixth month, there was not any statistical difference between subgroups regarding central macular thickness values. Antiglaucomatous agents were required in 4 (11.4%) patients throughout the study.

Conclusion:
Treatment algorithms should differ according to the morphology of diabetic macular edema; however, more data is needed to give specific recommendations.
Integrative single-cell analysis by transcriptional and epigenetic states in human adult brain
Authors: Lake Blue B. , Chen Song , Sos Brandon C. , Fan Jean , Yung Yun , Kaeser Gwendolyn E. , Duong Thu E. , Gao Derek , Chun Jerold , Kharchenko Peter , Zhang Kun 
Published: April 2017

AbstractDetailed characterization of the cell types comprising the highly complex human brain is essential to understanding its function. Such tasks require highly scalable experimental approaches to examine different aspects of the molecular state of individual cells, as well as the computational integration to produce unified cell state annotations. Here we report the development of two highly scalable methods (snDrop-Seq and scTHS-Seq), that we have used to acquire nuclear transcriptome and DNA accessibility maps for thousands of single cells from the human adult visual and frontal cortex. This has led to the best-resolved human neuronal subtypes to date, identification of a majority of the non-neuronal cell types, as well as the cell-type specific nuclear transcriptome and DNA accessibility maps. Integrative analysis allowed us to identify transcription factors and regulatory elements shaping the state of different brain cell types, and to map genetic risk factors of human brain common diseases to specific pathogenic cell types and subtypes.
Slingshot: Cell lineage and pseudotime inference for single-cell transcriptomics
Authors: Street Kelly , Risso Davide , Fletcher Russell B. , Das Diya , Ngai John , Yosef Nir , Purdom Elizabeth , Dudoit Sandrine 
Published: April 2017

AbstractSingle-cell transcriptomics allows researchers to investigate complex communities of heterogeneous cells. These methods can be applied to stem cells and their descendants in order to chart the progression from multipotent progenitors to fully differentiated cells. While a number of statistical and computational methods have been proposed for analyzing cell lineages, the problem of accurately characterizing multiple branching lineages remains difficult to solve. Here, we introduce a novel method, Slingshot, for inferring multiple developmental lineages from single-cell gene expression data. Slingshot is a uniquely robust and flexible tool for inferring developmental lineages and ordering cells to reflect continuous, branching processes.
BIM and project planning integration for on-site safety induction
Authors: Ganah Abdulkadir A. , John Godfaurd A. 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
The section of the research presented in this paper aims to review and explore health and safety (H&S) issues on construction sites. It has the sole intention of using better computer visualisation to meet the needs of site practitioners in understanding such H&S problems.

Design/methodology/approach
The methodology follows a traditional literature review approach to understand the development of building information modelling (BIM) technology up to its current status. A questionnaire survey was conducted to gather information on the embedding of H&S planning by site practitioners within the BIM environment.

Findings
BIM has the potential to be used in H&S planning procedures, particularly in those related to tasks on construction sites. A framework for an integrated visual tool is developed for better H&S practice on site. It may be used actively by all practitioners, starting with site induction and addresses, inter alia, personal hazard perception.

Research limitations/implications
This paper provides a foundation for developing a tool that helps construction personnel explore potential H&S risks on site before construction begins. By introducing a framework for integrating BIM and project planning, a prototype can be developed to demonstrate the application of the proposed framework.

Originality/value
The research presented in this paper introduces BIM usage during the construction stage as a tool that supports a H&S toolbox. The paper proposes the useful framework for better H&S practice on site that can be used actively by all practitioners. The intention is to find a way forward in addressing “real” H&S site issues that may not be easily understood by practitioners without the full aid of visualisation scenarios.
A prospective validation study of the START:AV
Authors: Sher Marilyn A. , Warner Lucy , McLean Anne , Rowe Katharyn , Gralton Ernest 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the validity and reliability of the Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability: Adolescent Version (START:AV) to determine if it has predictive accuracy in relation to physical aggression, severe verbal aggression, property damage and self-harm, in a medium secure setting. In addition, the authors hoped to provide some of the first descriptive data available for the START:AV among a UK adolescent population in a medium secure adolescent unit.

Design/methodology/approach
The sample consisted of 90 female and male adolescents, with and without developmental disabilities. It was important to explore the measure’s predictive accuracy across specific population groups, such as between males and females, as well as those with developmental disabilities, and those without.

Findings
Some significant relationships were found between the START:AV and adverse outcomes. For instance, total strength and vulnerability scores were predictive for verbal and physical aggression. Differences in predictive validity were evident when comparisons were made between males and females, with relationships being evident amongst the male population only. When splitting the male sample into developmental disability and non-developmental disability groups, significant relationships were found between strength and vulnerability scores and verbal and physical aggression.

Practical implications
A number of practical implications are considered, such as the START:AV is relevant for use with adolescents in hospital settings and the significant inverse relationship between strength scores and negative outcomes supports the importance of considering protective/strength factors when working with at risk youths.

Originality/value
There is currently limited validation data for the START:AV in the UK or elsewhere.
“On their own”: social isolation, loneliness and chronic musculoskeletal pain in older adults
Authors: Smith Toby 
Published: April 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the concepts of social isolation and loneliness in relation to people with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Through these concepts, biological, psychological and social factors will be examined to consider how we can identify people at risk of social isolation and loneliness who have chronic musculoskeletal pain and then how health professionals may intervene to reduce their effects.Design/methodology/approachConceptual paper.FindingsSocial isolation and loneliness are often evident in the situation of people with chronic musculoskeletal diseases. This may be bi-directional where pains may lead to social isolation and loneliness, but equally, social isolation and loneliness may exacerbate pain. Interventions to improve the symptoms of chronic musculoskeletal pain, and also approaches around social participation and engagement should be adopted in combination to ameliorate this potentially disabling scenario.Originality/valueThere remains limited evidence around the prevalence and management of social isolation and loneliness for people with chronic musculoskeletal pain. By raising awareness of social isolation and loneliness in this population, people with chronic musculoskeletal pain may be better supported to reduce the negative impact that social isolation and loneliness can have on their health and well-being.
Joint liability in a classic microfinance contract: review of theory and empirics
Authors: Rathore Bhawani Singh 
Published: April 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of joint liability in improving the repayment performance of a microfinance program.Design/methodology/approachThis is a systematic review of the theoretical and empirical literature.FindingsThe theoretical literature has shown, using models of peer selection, peer monitoring and peer pressure, that joint liability overcomes both the informational and enforcement failures present in credit markets for the poor. However, the empirical literature does not yield a clear answer on how much of the success of microfinance programs can be attributed to the effect of joint liability alone without considering the effect of other instruments used by microfinance programs. Further, it is seen that joint liability does not work in isolation, but its effect is dependent on social, cultural and economic environment.Research limitations/implicationsAn important future research agenda could be to study the roles of different overlapping mechanisms in group lending and to look at their interactions.Practical implicationsThe concept of joint liability works well both in the rural and urban areas, but different social, cultural and economic factors should be analyzed before initiating a microfinance program. In developed regions, focus should be on strengthening peer selection and peer monitoring, as information problems are prevalent. In underdeveloped regions, the major problem is of strategic default, so the focus should be on strengthening social sanctions.Social implicationsFindings can be used for optimal design of credit contracts for the poor.Originality/valueThe paper reviews the existing literature on – “whether and how” – joint liability lending works in inefficient credit markets and comes up with practical implications for the microfinance sector.
Fatigue behaviour of innovative multifunctional epoxy resins
Authors: Pantelakis Sp. G. , Polydoropoulou P. V. , Katsiropoulos Ch. V. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractMulti walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and glycidyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (GPOSS) are common additives to enhance electrical conductivity and flame resistance of polymer resins, respectively. Yet, these additions may appreciably influence the mechanical behaviour of the polymers. In this work, the synergistic effect of MWCNTs and GPOSS on the fatigue behaviour of the polymer RTM6‐2 was investigated. The results were discussed supported by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy analyses. By enhancing the polymer with MWCNTs, a slight decrease in the fatigue life is observed in the range of the low stress levels; however, it tends to coincide with the reference material at fatigue limit. The incorporation of the flame retardant GPOSS into the polymer enhanced with MWCNTs seems to have a significant deteriorating effect on the fatigue life. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy investigation revealed MWCNTs and GPOSS agglomerations; they seem to act as defects leading to a degradation of the fatigue resistance.
Incremental burden of cardiovascular comorbidity and psoriatic arthritis among adults with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis in five European countries
Authors: Augustin M. , Vietri J. , Tian H. , Gilloteau I. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractBackgroundModerate‐to‐severe psoriasis is associated with reduced health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). Individuals with psoriasis are at increased risk for other medical conditions, but little information quantifies the incremental burden of psoriasis‐associated comorbidity among European adults, and data have generally been limited to clinical samples.ObjectiveTo quantify the incremental burden of cardiovascular comorbidity and psoriatic arthritis among adults with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis in the general population of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom (EU5).MethodsAll measures were self‐reported and came from the 2010–2013 EU5 National Health and Wellness Surveys (NHWS). Moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis was identified by >10% body surface area affected by psoriasis and/or use of therapies for moderate–severe disease. Outcomes were SF‐12v2/SF‐36v2 mental and physical component summary scores (MCS and PCS, respectively), SF‐6D health utility, Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire and healthcare use in the past 6 months. Generalized linear models compared across cardiovascular comorbidity (CV) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) groups vs. non‐CV or non‐PsA groups with appropriate link functions to adjust for covariates.ResultsAmong moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis respondents (n = 957), 19.8% (n = 190) reported CV comorbidity and 12.3% (n = 118) reported PsA. After adjustment for covariates, CV comorbidity was associated with 3.0 points lower MCS, 3.4 points lower PCS and 0.05 points lower SF‐6D (all P < 0.01). Likewise, they had greater mean work impairment (48% vs. 33%), more activity impairment (48% vs. 37%), and more healthcare provider visits (8.8 vs. 6.9), emergency room visits (0.65 vs. 0.31) and hospitalizations (0.61 vs. 0.22) (all P < 0.05). Compared to non‐PsA respondents, PsA respondents also had worse mean MCS (2.6 points), PCS (6.3 points) and SF‐6D scores (0.07 points), and more work impairment (52% vs. 34%), activity impairment (54% vs. 38%) and healthcare provider visits (10.5 vs. 6.9) (all P < 0.05).ConclusionCV comorbidity and PsA were associated with significant incremental burden among EU5 adults with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis.
Fecal microbiota signatures of adult patients with different types of short bowel syndrome
Authors: Huang Yuhua , Guo Feilong , Li Yousheng , Wang Jian , Li Jieshou 
Published: April 2017

AbstractBackground and AimShort bowel syndrome (SBS) is a common cause of intestinal failure and can be divided into three types depending on intestinal anatomy. Gut dysbiosis has been observed in pediatric SBS patients and is associated with impaired outcome. Little is known about the changes in gut microbiota of adult SBS patients. Therefore, we aim to characterize the fecal microbiota of adult patients with different types of SBS.MethodsFifteen fecal samples from healthy controls and adult patients with type II or type III SBS were collected (five in each group). Fecal microbial compositions were determined by high‐throughput sequencing, and functional potential was predicted by Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States.ResultsBacterial α‐diversity significantly decreased in SBS patients and positively correlated to the remaining small bowel length. SBS II patients were enriched with Proteobacteria but deficient in Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Whereas Lactobacillus and Prevotella dominated the microbiomes of SBS III patients, commensal bacteria from Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Bacteroidaceae declined in SBS patients. The parenteral nutrition duration of SBS patients was positively related to the proportion of Enterobacteriaceae but negatively related to Lactobacillus. Functional pathways of citrate cycle and branched‐chain and aromatic amino acid biosynthesis were abundant in SBS II patients, while functional profiles of pyrimidine and purine metabolism were dominant in SBS III patients.ConclusionsShort bowel syndrome patients have a marked intestinal dysbiosis with type II SBS characterized by Proteobacteria and type III SBS featured by Lactobacillus, resulting in altered functional profiles of fecal microbiomes.
Causes of nephrotic syndrome and nephrotic‐range proteinuria are different in adult Chinese patients: A single centre study over 33 years
Authors: Ng Jack Kit‐Chung , Ma Terry King‐Wing , Lai Fernand Mac‐Moune , Chow Kai Ming , Kwan Bonnie Ching‐Ha , Leung Chi Bon , Li Philip Kam‐To , Szeto Cheuk Chun 
Published: April 2017

AbstractAimThe reported causes of nephrotic syndrome (NS) varies between different countries. Less is known about the causes of nephrotic‐range proteinuria (NPU). We aimed to evaluate the underlying causes of NS and NPU.MethodsThis was a single‐centre, retrospective study of adult patients who underwent renal biopsy between 1983 and 2015 in a tertiary referral hospital in Hong Kong. We determined the distribution of histopathological diagnoses with regard to the age subgroups and time periods.ResultsAmong 7456 patients who underwent renal biopsy, 982 and 838 patients had NS and NPU, respectively. The most common diagnosis in NS was minimal change disease (MCD) (33.3%), followed by membranous nephropathy (MN) (23.6%) and lupus nephritis (LN) (12.8%); whereas the most common diagnosis in NPU was LN (27.4%), followed by immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) (21.4%) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) (9.3%). In the NS group, MCD was the most common diagnosis in young adults while MN was the leading cause in the elderly. On the other hand, LN was the most common pathology in the NPU group until the age of 60. Over the past three decades, there was a trend of decrease in the proportion of IgAN in both NS and NPU group, while a combined pathology of hypertensive nephrosclerosis and diabetic nephropathy (HTNS and DN) increased significantly.ConclusionsThe causes of NS and NPU in Chinese adults were different and may represent two distinct pathological identities. The spectrum of renal histopathology among these two groups changed significantly over time.
Bacterial screening of platelet components by National Health Service Blood and Transplant, an effective risk reduction measure
Authors: McDonald Carl , Allen Jennifer , Brailsford Susan , Roy Anjana , Ball Joanne , Moule Richard , Vasconcelos Mariza , Morrison Rachael , Pitt Tyrone 
Published: April 2017

BACKGROUNDBacterial contamination of blood components remains a major cause of sepsis in transfusion medicine. Between 2006 and 2010 in the 5 years before the introduction of bacterial screening of platelet (PLT) components by National Health Service Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), seven cases of PLT component–associated transmission of bacterial infection were recorded for 10 patients, three of which were fatal.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSSampling of individual PLT components was undertaken at 36 to 48 hours after donation and tested in the BacT/ALERT system with 8 mL inoculated into each of aerobic and anaerobic culture bottles. Bottles were incubated until the end of the 7‐day shelf life and initial reactive bottles were examined for contamination. Bacterial screened time‐expired PLTs were tested as in the screen method.RESULTSFrom February 2011 to September 2015, a total of 1,239,029 PLT components were screened. Initial‐reactive, confirmed‐positive, and false‐positive rates were 0.37, 0.03, and 0.19%, respectively. False‐negative cultures, all with Staphylococcus aureus, occurred on four occasions; three were visually detected before transfusion and one confirmed transmission resulted in patient morbidity. The NHSBT screening protocol effectively reduced the number of clinically adverse transfusion transmissions by 90% in this reporting period, compared to a similar time period before implementation. Delayed testing of 4515 time‐expired PLT units after screening revealed no positives.CONCLUSIONThe implementation of bacterial screening of PLT components with the NHSBT BacT/ALERT protocol was an effective risk reduction measure and increased the safety of the blood supply.
Pneumococcal Capsular Polysaccharide Immunity in the Elderly
Authors: Adler Hugh , Ferreira Daniela M. , Gordon Stephen B. , Rylance Jamie 
Published: April 2017

ABSTRACTImmunity to pneumococcal infections is impaired in older people, and current vaccines are poorly protective against pneumococcal disease in this population. Naturally acquired immunity to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides develops during childhood and is robust in young adults but deteriorates with advanced age. In particular, antibody levels and function are reduced in older people. Pneumococcal vaccines are recommended for people >65 years old. However, the benefits of polysaccharide and protein-conjugated vaccines in this population are small, because of both serotype replacement and incomplete protection against vaccine serotype pneumococcal disease. In this review, we overview the immune mechanisms by which naturally acquired and vaccine-induced pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide immunity declines with age, including altered colonization dynamics, reduced opsonic activity of antibodies (particularly IgM), and impaired mucosal immunity.