bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
VP81 Health Technology Assessment And Rare Disease Decision Making: Focus On Orphan Drugs
Authors: Raycheva Ralitsa , Stefanov Rumen 
Published: January 2018

INTRODUCTION:Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is applied to determine the value of innovative technologies. It usually relies on robust assessment of the clinical cost-effectiveness of the technology, while clinical and economic evidence required for this purpose are often not available for orphan drugs (OD) (1,2). The objective of the study is to undertake a systematic comparison between HTA agencies worldwide in order to identify similarities and differences in the methods and processes in HTA of OD.METHODS:A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted between September 2013 and May 2015. The data were obtained from a semi-structured questionnaire. We received responces from 161 HTA organizations based in 39 countries.RESULTS:HTA of OD is performed by agencies in South America (38.5 percent), followed by agencies in Australia (37.5 percent) and Europe (36.1 percent). The agencies in high income countries produce more assessments of OD (36.8 percent), which in 31.2 percent they determine as innovative technologies compared with 11.8 percent of the units based in low income countries and active in OD assessment (11.1 percent). We prove association (p< .05) between (i) the type of HTA and income per capita; the level at which the organization operates; its main activity; and the level of recommendation dissemination; (ii) the main target group and consumers of the final HTA product; the stage of evolution of the technology, on which it is likely to be assessed; and approaches to identify innovative technologies. The most active in the preparation of HTA reports are biomedical companies or other organizations in the private sector (50.0 percent) and organizations in the pharmaceutical and/or medical industry (66.7 percent). HTA bodies that assess OD develop (36.0 percent) and distribute recommendations (35.9 percent) nationally; their main activity is to produce guidelines for good clinical practice (46.9 percent). Agencies that perform OD assessment are active in evaluation of innovative (37.2 percent) and emerging (35.9 percent) technologies, which are able to be identified by developing early warning systems (32.0 percent).CONCLUSIONS:Making coverage decisions based on HTA recommendations control the technologies introduction into the healthcare system, that is why it's very important that this tool is properly adjusted to the specific needs of OD assessment (3).
VP194 Health Technology Assessment Applied To Nurse Retention And Development: A Sickle Cell Example
Authors: Lavenberg Julia , Mitchell Matthew , Williams Kendal , Umscheid Craig 
Published: January 2018

INTRODUCTION:Health Technology Assessment (HTA) methods are usually applied to the evaluation of drugs, devices, and procedures. We have used HTA to promote evidence-based decision-making on topics relating to staffing and career development for healthcare professionals. Interventions to reduce the stress associated with caring for patients who need repeated hospitalization such as patients with sickle cell disease are thought to improve job satisfaction and nurse retention, but is there scientific evidence to support them?METHODS:We systematically searched Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane, and Joanna Briggs Institute databases for published studies evaluating interventions targeting healthcare personnel. Searches combined tems for sickle cell disease with terms for job stress, turnover, and other career-related outcomes. We evaluated the quality of individual studies using standardized checklists and constructed evidence tables.RESULTS:We found one randomized trial (RCT) of an education program for nurses and physicians, a pre-post analysis of a communication skills and cultural awareness program, and a case study of a nurse support group. The RCT found that an education program significantly improved participants attitude towards patients but did not measure any outcomes relating to caregiver stress or job satisfaction. The pre-post study found that a communication skills program significantly improved nurses confidence in their ability to communicate with patients. The case study reported that nurses found the support group useful and felt their attitudes were improved, but there was no control group to compare their responses to. The education program was graded as moderate-strength evidence and the other programs had low-strength evidence. There was no meta-analysis or other data synthesis of the results because of the differing interventions and outcome measures.CONCLUSIONS:There have been few quantitative scientific evaluations of the effectiveness of interventions to reduce the stress nurses feel when caring for sickle cell disease patient. The studies that have been published have favorable conclusions towards these interventions, but the strength of evidence is not high.
UV Radiation Associates With State Income Through Complex Cognitive Ability in the USA
Authors: León Federico R. , Burga-León Andrés 
Published: January 2018

Abstract. Economic development and national intelligence decline with proximity to the equator. Absolute latitude associates with both, income and IQ, but the nature of their relationship is ambiguous. This study applied structural equation modeling using secondary data pertaining to the 48 contiguous states of the United States of America to test the hypothesis that UV (ultraviolet) radiation associates with income through complex cognitive ability vis-a-vis the hypothesis that UV radiation associates with complex cognitive ability through income. The resulting evidence was consistent with the ability → income pathway and unsupportive of the income → ability model. The findings uphold the cognitive capitalism perspective and may throw light on the evolvement of regional differences in the USA.
Evidence of local structural influence on the shape driven magnetic anisotropy in electronically excited Ni nanoparticles embedded in SiO2 matrix
Authors: Sarker Debalaya , Bhattacharya Saswata , Kumar H. , Srivastava Pankaj , Ghosh Santanu 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe reliance of modern electronic era on ultrafast data recording has made the search for novel tools to tune nano-scale magnetic-anisotropy (MA) never-ending. We demonstrate a strong correlation between the spin-spin interactions, local atomic structure and the MA of Ni nanoparticles (NPs) embedded inside SiO2 matrix under swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation. In contrast to traditional understandings, MA in Ni NPs along with their aspect ratio, first increases upto 5 × 1013 ions/cm2 SHI fluence (5e13) and gets reduced at highest fluence. Using angle dependent Extented-Xray-Absorption-Fine-Structure (EXAFS) and ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we show that the anisotropy induced in local atomic structure upon irradiation is dependent on atomic spin-spin interactions, which gets reduced at highest fluence. The chosen model cluster (Ni38) used in our MD simulations is duly validated by comparing the pair-correlation-function of the structure with the EXAFS-Fourier-Transform. The lattice temperatures for the films irradiated at different fluences, as calculated from thermal-spike-model, are used for the respective MD runs. We conclude that the enhanced disorder in both the local atomic environment and spin alignment destroys the MA at the highest fluence in SHI irradiated Ni NPs. The findings therefore provide rich conceptual insights for designing magnetic devices using SHI-induced phenomena.
Areca nut extracts mobilize calcium and release pro-inflammatory cytokines from various immune cells
Authors: Faouzi Malika , Neupane Ram P. , Yang Jian , Williams Philip , Penner Reinhold 
Published: January 2018

AbstractBetel nut consumption has significant implications for the public health globally, as the wide-spread habit of Areca chewing throughout Asia and the Pacific is associated with a high prevalence of oral carcinoma and other diseases. Despite a clear causal association of betel nut chewing and oral mucosal diseases, the biological mechanisms that link Areca nut-contained molecules, inflammation and cancer remain underexplored. In this study we show that the whole Areca nut extract (ANE) is capable of mobilizing Ca2+in various immune cell lines. Interestingly, none of the four major alkaloids or a range of other known constituents of Areca nut were able to induce such Ca2+signals, suggesting that the active components might represent novel or so far unappreciated chemical structures. The separation of ANE into aqueous and organic fractions has further revealed that the calcium-mobilizing molecules are exclusively present in the aqueous extract. In addition, we found that these calcium signals are associated with the activation of several immune cell lines as shown by the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased cell proliferation. These results indicate that calcium-mobilizing molecules present in the aqueous fraction of the Areca nut may critically contribute to the inflammatory disorders affecting betel nut chewers.
Endoscopic submucosal tunnel dissection using a novel bracing basket: An animal feasibility study
Authors: Min Min , Liu Yan , Chen Xin , Bi Yiliang , Shen Wei , Xu Yang 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a novel bracing basket for Endoscopic submucosal tunnel dissection (ESTD), which was developed for improved effectiveness and ease of use. This was a prospective randomized, comparative, experimental animal study carried out at a single center. The primary aim was to evaluate the efficacy of ESTD with a novel bracing basket, compared with conventional ESTD. The secondary aims were to assess the quality control of the procedures and adverse events. Twenty procedures (6 esophageal and 14 gastric) were performed in four pigs. All resections were completed as en bloc resections. The technical success rate was 100% for both techniques (bracing basket-assisted ESTD vs. conventional ESTD). The procedure times were similar, but the cutting speed was quicker with bracing basket-assisted ESTD in gastric (antrum:23.3 ± 2.2 mm2/min vs. 15.2 ± 3.2 mm2/min, body: 26.1 ± 1.3 mm2/min vs. 18.4 ± 2.0 mm2/min, p < 0.05). There was one bleeding in the bracing basket-assisted ESTD group and one perforation in the conventional ESTD group. Compared with conventional ESTD, the use of this basket has potential advantages. Comparison studies with larger gastric or colorectal lesions treated with conventional ESTD are needed.
A neutral ceramidase, NlnCDase, is involved in the stress responses of brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)
Authors: Shi Xiao-Xiao , Huang Yuan-Jie , Begum Mahfuj-Ara , Zhu Mu-Fei , Li Fei-Qiang , Zhang Min-Jing , Zhou Wen-Wu , Mao Cungui , Zhu Zeng-Rong 
Published: January 2018

AbstractCeramidases (CDases) are vital enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of sphingolipids, which are essential components of eukaryotic membranes. The function of these enzymes in insects, however, is poorly understood. We identified a neutral ceramidase (NlnCDase) from the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, one of the most destructive hemipteran pests of rice. The C12-ceramide was the most preferred substrate for the NlnCDase enzyme. The activity of the NlnCDase enzyme was highest in the neutral-pH range (pH 6.0). It was inhibited by EGTA, Cs+ and Fe2+, while stimulated by EDTA and Ca2+. Moreover, the NlnCDase has higher transcript level and activity in adults than in eggs and nymphs, and in the reproductive organs (ovaries and spermaries) than in other tissues (i.e. heads, thorax, legs, midguts), which suggested that the NlnCDase might be elevated to mediate developmental process. In addition, transcripts and activity of the NlnCDase were up-regulated under abiotic stresses including starvation, abnormal temperature, and insecticides, and biotic stress of resistant rice varieties. Knocking down NlnCDase by RNA interference increased female survival under starvation and temperature stresses, suggesting that NlnCDase might be involved in the stress response in N. lugens.
Dynamics of Tree Species Diversity in Unlogged and Selectively Logged Malaysian Forests
Authors: Shima Ken , Yamada Toshihiro , Okuda Toshinori , Fletcher Christine , Kassim Abdul Rahman 
Published: January 2018

AbstractSelective logging that is commonly conducted in tropical forests may change tree species diversity. In rarely disturbed tropical forests, locally rare species exhibit higher survival rates. If this non–random process occurs in a logged forest, the forest will rapidly recover its tree species diversity. Here we determined whether a forest in the Pasoh Forest Reserve, Malaysia, which was selectively logged 40 years ago, recovered its original species diversity (species richness and composition). To explore this, we compared the dynamics of secies diversity between unlogged forest plot (18.6 ha) and logged forest plot (5.4 ha). We found that 40 years are not sufficient to recover species diversity after logging. Unlike unlogged forests, tree deaths and recruitments did not contribute to increased diversity in the selectively logged forests. Our results predict that selectively logged forests require a longer time at least than our observing period (40 years) to regain their diversity.
Activation of Ca2+-sensing receptor as a protective pathway to reduce Cadmium-induced cytotoxicity in renal proximal tubular cells
Authors: Gu Jie , Dai Shuya , Liu Yanmin , Liu Haitao , Zhang Yao , Ji Xingqi , Yu Feng , Zhou Yang , Chen Liang , Tse William Ka Fai , Wong Chris Kong Chu , Chen Binghai , Shi Haifeng 
Published: January 2018

AbstractCadmium (Cd), as an extremely toxic metal could accumulate in kidney and induce renal injury. Previous studies have proved that Cd impact on renal cell proliferation, autophagy and apoptosis, but the detoxification drugs and the functional mechanism are still in study. In this study, we used mouse renal tubular epithelial cells (mRTECs) to clarify Cd-induced toxicity and signaling pathways. Moreover, we proposed to elucidate the prevent effect of activation of Ca2+ sensing receptor (CaSR) by Calcimimetic (R-467) on Cd-induced cytotoxicity and underlying mechanisms. Cd induced intracellular Ca2+ elevation through phospholipase C-inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate (PLC) followed stimulating p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) activation and suppressing extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, which leaded to increase apoptotic cell death and inhibit cell proliferation. Cd induced p38 activation also contribute to autophagic flux inhibition that aggravated Cd induced apoptosis. R-467 reinstated Cd-induced elevation of intracellular Ca2+ and apoptosis, and it also increased cell proliferation and restored autophagic flux by switching p38 to ERK pathway. The identification of the activation of CaSR-mediated protective pathway in renal cells sheds light on a possible cellular protective mechanism against Cd-induced kidney injury.
Low concentration trifluoperazine promotes proliferation and reduces calcium-dependent apoptosis in glioma cells
Authors: Wen Yulin , Zhang Yong , Li Jinbang , Luo Feng , Huang Zhongxi , Liu Kunping 
Published: January 2018

AbstractGlioma patients constitute the greatest percentage of depressed neoplasm patients. These patients often require antidepressant treatment, but the effect of antidepressant drugs on glioma cells requires further evaluation. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of trifluoperazine (TFP) on the proliferation and apoptosis of glioma cells. Transcriptomic and bioinformatics analysis results suggested that antidepressant drugs, especially TFP, may upregulate the drug-resistant ability of glioma cells. A low concentration of TFP upregulated the viability of glioma cells. Colony formation and EdU assays confirmed that TFP treatment accelerates glioma cell proliferation, but no significant difference was found in the cell cycle distribution of glioma cells after treatment with TFP or control. Flow cytometry and TUNEL staining results suggested that TFP treatment decreased apoptosis in glioma cells. In addition, TFP treatment downregulated the intracellular Ca2+ concentration of glioma cells. In vivo experimental results indicated that TFP treatment promoted proliferation and reduced apoptosis in xenograft tumours in nude mice. Taken together, our results suggest that a low concentration of TFP promotes proliferation and reduces apoptosis in glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo. The potential harmful effects of antidepressant drugs on gliomas require further evaluation before their use in glioma patients.
Phytase overexpression in Arabidopsis improves plant growth under osmotic stress and in combination with phosphate deficiency
Authors: Belgaroui Nibras , Lacombe Benoit , Rouached Hatem , Hanin Moez 
Published: January 2018

AbstractEngineering osmotolerant plants is a challenge for modern agriculture. An interaction between osmotic stress response and phosphate homeostasis has been reported in plants, but the identity of molecules involved in this interaction remains unknown. In this study we assessed the role of phytic acid (PA) in response to osmotic stress and/or phosphate deficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana. For this purpose, we used Arabidopsis lines (L7 and L9) expressing a bacterial beta-propeller phytase PHY-US417, and a mutant in inositol polyphosphate kinase 1 gene (ipk1-1), which were characterized by low PA content, 40% (L7 and L9) and 83% (ipk1-1) of the wild-type (WT) plants level. We show that the PHY-overexpressor lines have higher osmotolerance and lower sensitivity to abscisic acid than ipk1-1 and WT. Furthermore, PHY-overexpressors showed an increase by more than 50% in foliar ascorbic acid levels and antioxidant enzyme activities compared to ipk1-1 and WT plants. Finally, PHY-overexpressors are more tolerant to combined mannitol stresses and phosphate deficiency than WT plants. Overall, our results demonstrate that the modulation of PA improves plant growth under osmotic stress, likely via stimulation of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems, and that beside its regulatory role in phosphate homeostasis, PA may be also involved in fine tuning osmotic stress response in plants.
Procalcitonin Guiding Antimicrobial Therapy Duration in Febrile Cancer Patients with Documented Infection or Neutropenia
Authors: Haddad Hanine El , Chaftari Anne-Marie , Hachem Ray , Michael Majd , Jiang Ying , Yousif Ammar , Raad Sammy , Jordan Mary , Chaftari Patrick , Raad Issam 
Published: January 2018

AbstractIn this analysis, we identified febrile cancer patients with documented infections or neutropenia, whose procalcitonin levels are low at baseline or decrease on antibiotics. These patients had similar outcomes in terms of mortality and relapse of infection regardless of the duration of antimicrobial therapy (less or more than 7 days).
In vitro RNA-seq-based toxicogenomics assessment shows reduced biological effect of tobacco heating products when compared to cigarette smoke
Authors: Haswell Linsey E. , Corke Sarah , Verrastro Ivan , Baxter Andrew , Banerjee Anisha , Adamson Jason , Jaunky Tomasz , Proctor Christopher , Gaça Marianna , Minet Emmanuel 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe battery of regulatory tests used to evaluate the risk of novel tobacco products such as heated tobacco products (THPs) presents some limitations including a bias towards the apical endpoint tested, and limited information on the mode of action. This is driving a paradigm shift to more holistic systems biology approaches. In this study, we used RNA-sequencing to compare the transcriptomic perturbations following acute exposure of a 3D airway tissue to the aerosols from two commercial THPs and a reference 3R4F cigarette. 2809 RNAs were differentially expressed for the 3R4F treatment and 115 and 2 RNAs for the two THPs (pFDR < 0.05, FC > 1.5), respectively. The relationship between the identified RNA features and gene ontologies were mapped showing a strong association with stress response, xenobiotics metabolism, and COPD-related terms for 3R4F. In contrast, fewer ontologies were found enriched for the THPs aerosols. “Response to wounding” was a common COPD-related term over-represented for the two THPs but at a reduced significance. Quantification of a cytokine panel post-exposure confirmed a pro-inflammatory effect of cigarette smoke but not for THPs. In conclusion, THPs have a reduced impact on gene expression compared to 3R4F.
Replacing dark energy by silent virialisation
Authors: Roukema Boudewijn F. 
Published: January 2018

Context.Standard cosmologicalN-body simulations have background scale factor evolution that is decoupled from non-linear structure formation. Prior to gravitational collapse, kinematical backreaction (QD) justifies this approach in a Newtonian context.Aims.However, the final stages of a gravitational collapse event are sudden; a globally imposed smooth expansion rate forces at least one expanding region to suddenly and instantaneously decelerate in compensation for the virialisation event. This is relativistically unrealistic. A more conservative hypothesis is to allow non-collapsed domains to continue their volume evolution according to theQDZel’dovich approximation (QZA). We aim to study the inferred average expansion under this “silent” virialisation hypothesis.Methods.We set standard (MPGRAFIC) EdS 3-torus (T3) cosmologicalN-body initial conditions. UsingRAMSES, we partitioned the volume into domains and called theDTFElibrary to estimate the per-domain initial values of the three invariants of the extrinsic curvature tensor that determine the QZA. We integrated the Raychaudhuri equation in each domain using theINHOMOGlibrary, and adopted the stable clustering hypothesis to represent virialisation (VQZA). We spatially averaged to obtain the effective global scale factor. We adopted an early-epoch–normalised EdS reference-model Hubble constantH1EDS= 37.7km s-1∕Mpc and an effective Hubble constantHeff,0= 67.7km s-1∕Mpc.Results.From 2000 simulations at resolution 2563, we find that reaching a unity effective scale factor at 13.8 Gyr (16% above EdS), occurs for an averaging scale ofL13.8= 2.5−0.4+0.1Mpc∕heff. Relativistically interpreted, this corresponds to strong average negative curvature evolution, with the mean (median) curvature functionalΩRDgrowing from zero to about 1.5–2 by the present. Over 100 realisations, the virialisation fraction and super-EdS expansion correlate strongly at fixed cosmological time.Conclusions.Thus, starting from EdS initial conditions and averaging on a typical non-linear structure formation scale, the VQZA dark-energy–free average expansion matchesΛCDM expansion to first order. The software packages used here are free-licensed.