bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Soluble CD26 is inversely Associated with Disease Severity in Patients with Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia
Authors: Matsuno Osamu , Miyazaki Eishi , Nureki Shinichi , Ueno Takuya , Ando Masaru , Kumamoto Toshihide 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundsCD26, a multifunctional T cell surface glycoprotein, is a type II transmembrane protein containing only six amino acid residues in its cytoplasmic region. In addition to its membrane form, CD26 exists in plasma in a soluble form (sCD26), which is thought to be the extracellular domain of the molecule cleaved from the cell surface. Recent studies indicated CD26 have an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma, known as Th2 like disease. The function of CD26 in the esosinophlic lung disease is not well understood.MethodsSerum sCD26 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia, chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP), and sarcoidosis, and in healthy volunteers, to establish its value for discriminating between disease entities and as marker of disease activity.ResultsSoluble CD26 was significantly reduced in CEP and was related to disease severity. In particular, sCD26 was inversely correlated with arterial oxygen tension in CEP.ConclusionSerum levels of sCD26 might appear to be useful as a new marker of CEP disease activity.
Using fathers as a negative control exposure to test the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Hypothesis: A case study on maternal distress and offspring asthma using Swedish register data
Authors: Brew Bronwyn K. , Gong Tong , Williams Dylan M. , Larsson Henrik , Almqvist Catarina 
Published: November 2017

Background: Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Hypothesis (DOHaD) studies are often observational in nature and are therefore prone to biases from loss to follow-up and unmeasured confounding. Register-based studies can reduce these issues since they allow almost complete follow-up and provide information on fathers that can be used in a negative control analysis to assess the impact of unmeasured confounding. Aim: The aim of this study was to propose a causal model for testing DOHaD using paternal exposure as a negative control, and its application to maternal distress in pregnancy and offspring asthma. Methods: A causal diagram including shared and parent-specific measured and unmeasured confounders for maternal (fetal) and paternal exposures is proposed. The case study consisted of all children born in Sweden from July 2006 to December 2008 ( n=254,150). Information about childhood asthma, parental distress and covariates was obtained from the Swedish national health registers. Associations between maternal and paternal distress during pregnancy and offspring asthma at age five years were assessed separately and with mutual adjustment for the other parent’s distress measure, as well as for shared confounders. Results: Maternal distress during pregnancy was associated with offspring asthma risk; mutually adjusted odds ratio (OR) (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.23, 1.43). The mutually adjusted paternal distress−offspring asthma analysis (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.97, 1.13) indicated no evidence for unmeasured confounding shared by the mother and father. Conclusions: Using paternal exposure in a negative control model to test the robustness of fetal programming hypotheses can be a relatively simple extension of conventional observational studies but limitations need to be considered.
Estimating incidence and prevalence from population registers: example from myocardial infarction
Authors: Modig Karin , Berglund Anita , Talbäck Mats , Ljung Rickard , Ahlbom Anders 
Published: November 2017

Aim: To illustrate how the fundamental epidemiological measures, incidence rate and prevalence proportion, can be estimated based on Swedish population registers using acute myocardial infarction (MI) as an example, together with a discussion about the analytical decisions. Methods: All individuals in Sweden aged 60–89 (born 1904–1954) during the study period 1994–2014 were identified through the Total Population Register. Cases of MI were defined and identified from information on hospital admissions and causes of death. Incidence rates of all, first, and recurrent MI were calculated together with prevalence proportions. Results: The incidence rate of all, first, and recurrent MI declined over the study period. While the incidence rates of first MI are lower for women than men, the incidence rates of recurrent MI are considerably higher but similar for men and women. The prevalence calculated with duration of disease set at 28 days also declined. This was despite improved survival from MI and increased life expectancy over the same period meaning that the decline in incidence was large enough to compensate for increased survival. Conclusions: Calculating incidence and prevalence of diseases using population registers requires detailed and well-reasoned definitions. The definitions will affect both the study population and the number of disease events and it is essential that the cases and the study population are defined in a coherent way. Different measures of disease occurrence contribute with different aspects of the disease panorama and a joint interpretation contributes to a thorough understanding of the disease development in a population.
Nordic registry-based cohort studies: Possibilities and pitfalls when combining Nordic registry data
Authors: Maret-Ouda John , Tao Wenjing , Wahlin Karl , Lagergren Jesper 
Published: November 2017

Aims: All five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) have nationwide registries with similar data structure and validity, as well as personal identity numbers enabling linkage between registries. These resources provide opportunities for medical research that is based on large registry-based cohort studies with long and complete follow-up. This review describes practical aspects, opportunities and challenges encountered when setting up all-Nordic registry-based cohort studies. Methods: Relevant articles describing registries often used for medical research in the Nordic countries were retrieved. Further, our experiences of conducting this type of study, including planning, acquiring permissions, data retrieval and data cleaning and handling, and the possibilities and challenges we have encountered are described. Results: Combining data from the Nordic countries makes it possible to create large and powerful cohorts. The main challenges include obtaining all permissions within each country, usually in the local language, and retrieving the data. These challenges emphasise the importance of having experienced collaborators within each country. Following the acquisition of data, data management requires the understanding of the differences between the variables to be used in the various countries. A concern is the long time required between initiation and completion. Conclusions: Nationwide Nordic registries can be combined into cohorts with high validity and statistical power, but the considerable expertise, workload and time required to complete such cohorts should not be underestimated.
Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava: Incidence and Management in Patients Undergoing Repair of Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection
Authors: Clarke Nicholas S. , Murthy Raghav A. , Guleserian Kristine J. 
Published: November 2017

Introduction: A association between partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) and systemic venous anomalies has been described in the literature, but the true incidence is yet to be elucidated. At our institution, we sought to find the incidence of a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) in patients undergoing an operation for PAPVC. Methods: A retrospective review of all pediatric and adult patients with PAPVC who underwent surgical repair from February 2006 to February 2016. All clinical, radiographic, and operative data were reviewed. Results: Eighty-five patients underwent surgical repair. A PLSVC was identified in 15 (17.6%) patients. Every PLSVC drained/connected to the coronary sinus. A bridging vein was present in only 26.7% (4 of 15). Intraoperative management of the PLSVC consisted of direct cannulation in nine (60%) patients, temporary occlusion in one (6.7%) patient, and ligation in one (6.7%) patient. In the 15 PLSVC patients, 6 (40%) had a secundum atrial septal defect (ASD), 2 (13.3%) had a patent foramen ovale (PFO), 10 (66.6%) had a sinus venosus type defect, and 3 (20%) had both an ASD and sinus venosus–type defect. Of the 15 patients with PAPVC and PLSVC, 14 (93%) had anomalous drainage of pulmonary vein(s) on the right side, whereas 1 (7%) had veins on both sides with anomalous drainage. Conclusion: Persistent left superior vena cava is present in 17.6% of patients undergoing an operation for PAPVC. Awareness of this association as well as the intraoperative management of PLSVC is advised for those that perform operations for PAPVC. As improper myocardial protection and cardiopulmonary bypass strategies in the presence of a PLSVC can result in deleterious outcomes.
Multicenter Quality Improvement Project to Prevent Sternal Wound Infections in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Patients
Authors: Woodward Cathy , Taylor Richard , Son Minnette , Taeed Roozbeh , Jacobs Marshall L. , Kane Lauren , Jacobs Jeffrey P. , Husain S. Adil 
Published: November 2017

Background: Children undergoing cardiac surgery are at risk for sternal wound infections (SWIs) leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Single-center quality improvement (QI) initiatives have demonstrated decreased infection rates utilizing a bundled approach. This multicenter project was designed to assess the efficacy of a protocolized approach to decrease SWI. Methods: Pediatric cardiac programs joined a collaborative effort to prevent SWI. Programs implemented the protocol, collected compliance data, and provided data points from local clinical registries using Society of Thoracic Surgery Congenital Heart Surgery Database harvest-compliant software or from other registries. Results: Nine programs prospectively collected compliance data on 4,198 children. Days between infections were extended from 68.2 days (range: 25-82) to 130 days (range: 43-412). Protocol compliance increased from 76.7% (first quarter) to 91.3% (final quarter). Ninety (1.9%) children developed an SWI preprotocol and 64 (1.5%) postprotocol, P = .18. The 657 (15%) delayed sternal closure patients had a 5% infection rate with 18 (5.7%) in year 1 and 14 (4.3%) in year 2 P = .43. Delayed sternal closure patients demonstrated a trend toward increased risk for SWI of 1.046 for each day the sternum remained open, P = .067. Children who received appropriately timed preop antibiotics developed less infections than those who did not, 1.9% versus 4.1%, P = .007. Conclusion: A multicenter QI project to reduce pediatric SWIs demonstrated an extension of days between infections and a decrease in SWIs. Patients who received preop antibiotics on time had lower SWI rates than those who did not.
A survey of current practices in the diagnosis of and interventions for inhalational injuries in Canadian burn centres
Authors: Yeung Justin K , Fung Leung Leslie Tze , Papp Anthony 
Published: November 2017

Objective To summarize current Canadian practice patterns in the diagnosis of and interventions for inhalation injuries (INHI). Methods A 10-question survey regarding the diagnosis of and interventions for INHI was sent to the medical directors of all 16 burn centres across Canada. Results The response rate to the survey was 50%. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy is required for the diagnosis of INHI in only four centres (50%). The departments of intensive care, plastic surgery, otolaryngology and respirology are involved in performing fibreoptic bronchoscopy in 87.5%, 37.5%, 12.5% and 12.5% of Canadian burn centres, respectively. Intubation for INHI is most often based on physical examination results (87.5%) and clinical history (75%). The most common physical features believed to be most consistent with INHI are dyspnea (87.5%) and hoarseness (87.5%). Common treatments include intubation (87.5%), routine ventilatory support (87.5%) and chest physiotherapy (75%). None of the centres used nebulized heparin. A total of five centres (62.5%) routinely changed the fluid resuscitation protocol when INHI was diagnosed. Only two centres (25%) routinely used prophylactic antibiotics for INHI. Conclusion Prospective, multicentre trials are needed to generate evidence-based consensus in the areas of diagnosis, grading and treatment for INHI in Canada.
The effect of buffering on pain and duration of local anesthetic in the face: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial
Authors: Afolabi Oluwatola , Murphy Amanda , Chung Bryan , Lalonde Donald H 
Published: November 2017

Background The acidity of lidocaine preparations is believed to contribute to the pain of local anesthetic injection. Objective To investigate the effect of buffering lidocaine on the pain of injection and duration of anesthetic effect. Methods A double-blind, randomized trial involving 44 healthy volunteers was conducted. The upper lip was injected with a solution of: lidocaine 1% (Xylocaine, AstraZeneca, Canada, Inc) with epinephrine; and lidocaine 1% with epinephrine and 8.4% sodium bicarbonate. Volunteers reported pain of injection and duration of anesthetic effect. Results Twenty-six participants found the unbuffered solution to be more painful. Fifteen participants found the buffered solution to be more painful; the difference was not statistically significant. Twenty-one volunteers reported duration of anesthetic effect. The buffered solution provided longer anesthetic effect than the unbuffered solution (P=0.004). Conclusion Although buffering increased the duration of lidocaine's anesthetic effect in this particular model, a decrease in the pain of the injection was not demonstrated, likely due to limitations of the study.
Gain of function of ASXL1 truncating protein in the pathogenesis of myeloid malignancies
Authors: Yang Hui , Kurtenbach Stefan , Guo Ying , Lohse Ines , Durante Michael A. , Li Jianping , Li Zhaomin , Al-Ali Hassan , Li Lingxiao , Chen Zizhen , Field Matthew G. , Zhang Peng , Chen Shi , Yamamoto Shohei , Li Zhuo , Zhou Yuan , Nimer Stephen D. , Harbour J. William , Wahlestedt Claes , Xu Mingjiang , Yang Feng-Chun 
Published: November 2017

Key PointsTransgenic expression of ASXL1aa1-587 truncating protein in the hematopoietic system leads to diverse myeloid malignancies in mice. ASXL1aa1-587 gains an interaction with BRD4 and Asxl1Y588XTg hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells are hypersensitive to BET bromodomain inhibitors.
N2O strongly prevents adhesion formation and postoperative pain in open surgery through a drug-like effect
Authors: Corona Roberta , Binda Maria Mercedes , Adamyan Leila , Gomel Victor , Koninckx Philippe R. 
Published: November 2017

Abstract
Background
Microsurgical tenets and peritoneal conditioning during laparoscopic surgery (LS) decrease postoperative adhesions and pain. For a trial in human, the strong beneficial effects of N2O needed to be confirmed in open surgery (OS).

Results
In a mouse model for OS, the effect of the gas environment upon adhesions was evaluated. Experiment I evaluated desiccation and the duration of exposure to CO2, N2O or CO2 + 4%O2. Experiment II evaluated the dose-response curve of adding N2O to CO2. Experiment III compared humidified CO2 + 10% N2O during LS and OS.
In OS, 30- and 60-min exposure to non-humidified CO2 caused mortality of 33 and 100%, respectively. Mortality was prevented by humidification, by dry N2O or dry CO2 + 4%O2. Adhesions increased with the duration of exposure to CO2 (p < 0.0001) and decreased slightly by humidification or by the addition of 4% O2. N2O strongly decreased adhesions at concentrations of 5% or greater. With humidified CO2 + 10% N2O, adhesion formation was similar in OS and LS.

Conclusions
The drug-like and strong beneficial effect of low concentrations of N2O is confirmed in OS.
Letter to the editor - round table unites to
tackle culture change in an effort to improve animal research reporting
Authors: Osborne Nicola J. , Ritskes-Hoitinga Merel , Ahluwahlia Amrita , Alam Sabina , Brown Matthew , Henderson Hayley , de Leeuw Wim , Marsh Joan , Moher David , van Oort Erica , Rawle Frances , Riederer Beat M. , Sanchez-Morgado Jose , Sena Emily S. , Struthers Caroline , Westmore Matthew , Avey Marc T. , Kalman Rony , O’Connor Annette , Sargeant Jan , Petrie Anja , Smith Adrian 
Published: November 2017

Abstract
A round table discussion was held during the LAVA-ESLAV-ECLAM conference
on Reproducibility of Animal Studies on the 25th of September 2017 in Edinburgh. The
aim of the round table was to discuss how to enhance the rate at which the quality
of reporting animal research can be improved. This signed statement acknowledges the
efforts that participant organizations have made towards improving the reporting of
animal studies and confirms an ongoing commitment to drive further improvements,
calling upon both academics and laboratory animal veterinarians to help make this
cultural change.
Relationship between the Conductivities of CeO2-ZrO2-MOx (M = Bi, Ca, Sn, Ni, Fe) Solid Solutions and Catalytic Activities during Methane Oxidation
Authors: Jeong Minchan , Nunotani Naoyoshi , Imanaka Nobuhito 
Published: November 2017

Abstract
We investigated the relationship between the conductivities of CeO2-ZrO2-MOx (M = Bi, Ca, Sn, Ni, Fe) solid solutions and the catalytic abilities of catalysts composed of PdO on CeO2-ZrO2-MOx/γ-Al2O3 supports. The oxide-ionic conductivities of the CeO2-ZrO2-MOx promoters increased with increasing oxygen vacancy concentrations and the electronic conductivities of these promoters were significantly enhanced by doping with Sn4+/2+, Ni3+/2+ and Fe3+/2+, all of which readily undergo valency changes. Studies of the oxygen release characteristics of CeO2-ZrO2-MOx/γ-Al2O3 samples found that the reduction temperatures obtained from hydrogen temperature programmed reduction data were primarily determined by the electronic conductivity of the promoter rather than by the oxide-ionic conductivity. However, the oxygen storage capacity of each CeO2-ZrO2-MOx/γ-Al2O3 sample was related to both the oxide-ionic and electronic conductivities. The catalytic methane oxidation activities of these materials were evidently affected by both the reduction temperature and the oxygen storage capacity. As a result, the activities of the PdO/CeO2-ZrO2-MOx/γ-Al2O3 catalysts were clearly dependent on the oxide-ionic and electronic conductivities of the CeO2-ZrO2-MOx promoters.
Solid-State Fluorescence Behavior Induced by Photochemical Ring-Opening Reaction of 1,2-Bis(3-methyl-5-phenyl-2-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene
Authors: Nakahama Tatsumoto , Kitagawa Daichi , Sotome Hikaru , Ito Syoji , Miyasaka Hiroshi , Kobatake Seiya 
Published: November 2017

Abstract
Crystals consisting of the closed-ring form of 1,2-bis(3-methyl-5-phenyl-2-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene underwent a photochemical ring-opening reaction accompanying crystal fragmentation upon irradiation with visible light. The open-ring form crystal produced by the ring-opening reaction exhibited green fluorescence, whereas open-ring form crystals produced by recrystallization exhibit orange or yellow fluorescence depending on the polymorphic forms. The fluorescence quantum yield of the photogenerated open-ring form crystal was larger than that in n-hexane. The open-ring form exhibits different fluorescence colors depending on the intermolecular interaction in different states.
Mobile Money in Tanzania
Authors: Economides Nicholas , Jeziorski Przemyslaw 
Published: November 2017

In developing countries, mobile telecom networks have emerged as major providers of financial services, bypassing the sparse retail networks of traditional banks. We analyze a large individual-level data set of mobile money transactions in Tanzania to provide evidence of the impact of mobile money on alleviating financial exclusion in developing countries. We identify three types of transactions: (i) money transfers to others, (ii) short-distance money self-transportation, and (iii) money storage for short to medium periods of time. We utilize a natural experiment of an unanticipated increase in transaction fees to identify the demand for these transactions. Using the demand estimates, we find that the willingness to pay to avoid walking with cash an extra kilometer (short-distance self-transportation) and to avoid storing money at home (money storage) for an extra day are 1.25% and 0.8% of an average transaction, respectively, which demonstrates that mobile money ameliorates significant amounts of crime-related risk. We explore the implications of these estimates for pricing and demonstrate the profitability of incentive-compatible price discrimination based on type of service, consumer location, and distance between transaction origin and destination. We show that differential pricing based on the features of a transaction delivers a Pareto improvement. Data and the online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2017.1027 .
New outcome measures in perioperative care
Authors: Salih Tom , Lau Hoon Ying , Moonesinghe S Ramani 
Published: November 2017

Improvements in outcome measurement are needed to produce quality improvement in perioperative care. However, problems with the collection and use of outcome data persist in research and clinical practice. This is being addressed by several national programmes and initiatives to standardize and integrate outcome measurement. The use of different outcome measures is changing and there has been a transition towards patient-focused measures. Traditional measures of quality in perioperative care include mortality, morbidity and resource utilization measures. Patient-focused measures include patient-reported outcome measures and measures of patient experience. Each of these has advantages and disadvantages in different situations. The routine collection, analysis and dissemination of data relating to perioperative outcome is beneficial to patients, clinicians, hospitals, commissioners, regulators and researchers.
Hosting the lament(s) of Others? Tensions and antinomies in Dries Verhoeven’s No Man’s Land
Authors: Chatziprokopiou Marios 
Published: November 2017

Abstract

No Man’s Land was a peripatetic performance produced in Athens by the Onassis Cultural Center (2014) and previously presented in several European cities. According to its director Dries Verhoeven, the piece sought to explore ‘what is a multicultural environment today’ by staging one-to-one encounters, where (ostensibly local) spectators were guided by performers (migrants, refugees or asylum seekers) through the city while listening to a story of forced displacement and exile. Drawing on a corpus of semi-structured interviews with the Athens-based performers, this article examines the performers’ own conceptions and experiences of this institutional attempt to ‘host’ the laments of Others, as ‘both a performance and a political act’ (Anon. 2014b). Participants’ narratives are studied in connection to the representational strategies of the performance, in an attempt to unpack interrelations between these theatrical walks and everyday experiences of discrimination in the Athenian urban fabric. In doing so, the article reveals a larger field of tensions and antinomies between representations and presences, vocalizations and silences, languages of the Other and mother tongues, art and ‘life’.