bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Scoring System for Patients Who Present with a Gastric Outlet Obstruction Caused by Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Sugiura Teiichi , Okamura Yukiyasu , Ito Takaaki , Yamamoto Yusuke , Ashida Ryo , Yoshida Yukio , Tanaka Masaki , Uesaka Katsuhiko 
Published: April 2017

AbstractBackgroundGastroenterostomy and stent placement are the most common palliative procedures for patients with a gastric outlet obstruction caused by advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Gastroenterostomy is regarded as the optimum treatment for patients in whom a longer survival is expected, while stent placement is preferred for patients whose survival is likely to be relatively short. However, prognosis of such patients has not been fully evaluated.MethodsThis study included patients undergoing gastroenterostomy or duodenal stent placement for gastric outlet obstruction caused by advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma between 2002 and 2015. Prognostic factors found to be significant based on a multivariate analysis were given a prognostic score according to their hazard ratios (HR). The overall survivals stratified according to the total prognostic score were compared.ResultsThe median survival time of all cohorts was 4.2 months. The multivariate analyses demonstrated a neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥ 4 (HR = 4.01, p < 0.001), presence of liver metastases (HR = 1.90, p = 0.002), and presence of cancer pain (HR = 2.08, p < 0.001) to be significant prognostic factors. Regarding the HR, NLR ≥ 4, liver metastases and cancer pain were subsequently scored as 2, 1, and 1, respectively. The median survival time was 9.4 months in patients with a score of 0 or 1 and 3.3 months in patients with a score of 2–4, respectively.ConclusionThe scoring system clearly demonstrates the patient survival. Patients with scores of 0 or 1 are favorable candidates for gastroenterostomy, while patients with scores of 2–4 are candidates for stent placement.
Development of a Streamlined Work Flow for Handling Patients’ Genetic Testing Insurance Authorizations
Authors: Uhlmann Wendy R. , Schwalm Katie , Raymond Victoria M. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractObtaining genetic testing insurance authorizations for patients is a complex, time‐involved process often requiring genetic counselor (GC) and physician involvement. In an effort to mitigate this complexity and meet the increasing number of genetic testing insurance authorization requests, GCs formed a novel partnership with an industrial engineer (IE) and a patient services associate (PSA) to develop a streamlined work flow. Eight genetics clinics and five specialty clinics at the University of Michigan were surveyed to obtain benchmarking data. Tasks needed for genetic testing insurance authorization were outlined and time‐saving work flow changes were introduced including 1) creation of an Excel password‐protected shared database between GCs and PSAs, used for initiating insurance authorization requests, tracking and follow‐up 2) instituting the PSAs sending GCs a pre‐clinic email noting each patients’ genetic testing insurance coverage 3) inclusion of test medical necessity documentation in the clinic visit summary note instead of writing a separate insurance letter and 4) PSAs development of a manual with insurance providers and genetic testing laboratories information. These work flow changes made it more efficient to request and track genetic testing insurance authorizations for patients, enhanced GCs and PSAs communication, and reduced tasks done by clinicians.
DNA barcoding of freshwater zooplankton in Lake Kasumigaura, Japan
Authors: Makino Wataru , Maruoka Natsumi , Nakagawa Megumi , Takamura Noriko 
Published: April 2017

AbstractAlthough DNA barcoding is a promising tool for the identification of organisms, it requires the development of a specific reference sequence library for sample application. In the present study we developed a Lake Kasumigaura, Japan, zooplankton DNA barcode library to increase the sensitivity of future zooplankton monitoring for detecting lake ecosystem condition changes. Specifically, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) haplotype, i.e., the primary DNA barcode, was examined for each zooplankton taxon. In crustaceans, 37 mtCOI haplotypes were obtained from 99 individuals, representing four and 15 morpho‐species of Copepoda and Cladocera, respectively. Comparing these sequences with those in GenBank shows that the lake harbors putative non‐indigenous species, such as Daphnia ambigua. In rotifers, 132 mtCOI haplotypes were obtained from 302 individuals, representing 11 genera and one unclassified taxon. The automatic barcode gap discovery (ABGD) algorithm separated these haplotypes into 43 species. Brachionus cf. calyciflorus was divided into five ABGD species, and different ABGD species tended to occur in different seasons. Seasonal ABGD‐species succession was also observed within Polyarthra spp. and Synchaeta spp. These seasonal successions were not detected by inspections of external morphology alone. Accepting up to 7% sequence divergence within the same species, mtCOI reference sequences were available in GenBank for three, 13, and 17 species in Copepoda, Cladocera, and Rotifera, respectively. The present results, therefore, reveal the serious shortage of mtCOI reference sequences for rotifers, and underscore the urgency of developing rotifer mtCOI barcode libraries on a global scale.
Le judiciaire, la détermination de la peine et la polycontexturalité de l’opinion publique
Authors: Dubé Richard , Garcia Margarida 
Published: April 2017

RésuméCet article propose de re-conceptualiser la manière dont les sciences sociales et juridiques se sont traditionnellement représenté le rapport du système judiciaire à l’opinion publique. Nos développements s’appuient sur la théorie des systèmes de Niklas Luhmann de même que sur des exemples empiriques tirés de la jurisprudence et d’entretiens qualitatifs permettant de mettre en évidence le potentiel heuristique d’une polycontexturalisation de l’opinion publique. En sciences sociales et juridiques, si les recherches se sont surtout intéressées au point de vue de l’opinion publique sur la justice du judiciaire, la notion de polycontexturalité nous amène, quant à elle, à déplacer l’angle d’observation et à privilégier l’analyse des structures impliquées dans la sélection et la mise en forme judiciaire des opinions publiques privilégiées. L’objectif n’est alors plus celui de comprendre comment l’opinion publique pense le judiciaire, mais plutôt de comprendre à cet égard comment le judiciaire pense que l’opinion publique pense.
Impact of faecal DM excretion on faecal calcium losses in dogs eating complete moist and dry pet foods – food digestibility is a major determinant of calcium requirements
Authors: Kienzle Ellen , Brenten Thomas , Dobenecker Britta 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe recommendations for the Ca supply for maintenance of dogs have been reduced by about 75 % in the last decades. An important factor for Ca requirements is faecal Ca losses. In previous studies with experimental diets faecal Ca losses depended on Ca intake and on faecal DM excretion. A predictive equation for faecal Ca losses in mg/kg body weight (BW) developed in a fibre model is: faecal losses = −33·8 + (13·6 faecal DM excretion (g/kg BW)) + (0·78 Ca intake (mg/kg BW)). The present study aimed at testing this equation in pet food with material from trials carried out for other purposes. Digestion trials with twenty-five dry and fifteen moist foods (326 observations in total) were evaluated retrospectively. Faecal DM excretion and faecal Ca losses were significantly correlated (r2 0·86; P < 0·001). There was a highly significant correlation (r2 0·87; P < 0·001) between the experimentally determined faecal Ca excretion and the faecal Ca excretion predicted by the equation of Kienzle et al. The data from the previous fibre model study could be transferred to prepared moist and dry dog food. Faecal DM excretion has a considerable impact on faecal Ca losses in a practical feeding situation. In conclusion, Ca requirements for maintenance may vary with food DM intake and digestibility.
Middle Cambrian through lowermost Ordovician conodonts from Hunan, South China
Authors: Dong Xi-ping , Zhang Huaqiao 
Published: April 2017

AbstractSince 1986, samples with a total mass of more than 14,000 kg, mainly from three key sections in western Hunan, South China, have been processed for conodonts. Previous work mainly focused on biostratigraphy, but the taxonomy has been performed only on the faunas of the middle Cambrian. Described herein are conodonts of the upper Cambrian (Furongian Series) through lowermost Ordovician from Hunan, South China. Conodonts of the middle Cambrian are redescribed, based on material that has been recovered for more than three decades. The fauna consists of 82 species belonging to 36 genera. Newly established genera areLugnathusn. gen.,Miaognathusn. gen.,Millerodontusn. gen.,Tujiagnathusn. gen.,Wangcunellan. gen. andWangcunognathusn. gen. New species areCoelocerodontus hunanensisn. sp.,Furnishina wangcunensisn. sp.,Laiwugnathus hunanensisn. sp.,Laiwugnathus transitansn. sp.,Lugnathus hunanensisn. gen. n. sp.,Miaognathus multicostatusn. gen. n. sp.,Millerodontus intermediusn. gen. n. sp.,Prosagittodontus compressusn. sp.,Tujiagnathus gracilisn. gen. n. sp.,Wangcunella conicusn. gen. n. sp.,Wangcunognathus elegansn. gen. n. sp.,Westergaardodina dimorphan. sp.,Westergaardodina gigantean. sp., andWestergaardodina solan. sp. The taxonomy of some conodont genera is revised. In the light of histological investigation, genera are assigned to euconodonts, paraconodonts, or protoconodonts. The 13 conodont zones previously proposed in the middle Cambrian through lowermost Ordovician remain the same, but taxa within these conodont zones are documented more clearly because of the revised taxonomy proposed herein.
Epidemic potential by sexual activity distributions
Authors: MOODY JAMES , ADAMS JIMI , MORRIS MARTINA 
Published: April 2017

AbstractFor sexually transmitted infections like HIV to propagate through a population, there must be a path linking susceptible cases to currently infectious cases. The existence of such paths depends in part on the degree distribution. Here, we use simulation methods to examine how two features of the degree distribution affect network connectivity: Mean degree captures a volume dimension, while the skewness of the upper tail captures a shape dimension. We find a clear interaction between shape and volume: When mean degree is low, connectivity is greater for long-tailed distributions, but at higher mean degree, connectivity is greater in short-tailed distributions. The phase transition to a giant component and giant bicomponent emerges as a positive function of volume, but it rises more sharply and ultimately reaches more people in short-tail distributions than in long-tail distributions. These findings suggest that any interventions should be attuned to how practices affect both the volume and shape of the degree distribution, noting potential unanticipated effects. For example, policies that primarily affect high-volume nodes may not be effective if they simply redistribute volume among lower degree actors, which appears to exacerbate underlying network connectivity.
Early Ordovician (Tremadocian and Floian) graptolites from the Than Sa Formation, northeast Vietnam
Authors: RUSHTON ADRIAN , WILLIAMS MARK , PHONG NGUYEN DUC , KOMATSU TOSHIFUMI , SIVETER DAVID , ZALASIEWICZ JAN , TIEN DINH CONG , HIEN NGUYEN VIET , MANH NGUYEN HUU , TANAKA GENGO 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe lower Palaeozoic marine succession of NE Vietnam accumulated on the South China plate. Despite historical works dating to French colonial times, the stratigraphy and palaeontology of the succession is poorly constrained. Chief amongst the lower Palaeozoic lithostratigraphical divisions is the Than Sa Formation, a c. 1200 m thick succession of clastic rocks of Cambrian and early Ordovician age. Newly collected graptolites (including Rhabdinopora? sp. and Tetragraptus approximatus) from the upper part of the formation identify strata assignable to the Tremadocian and Floian stages of the Lower Ordovician. The same succession also probably records the Cambrian–Ordovician boundary. Our analysis identifies one or more intervals of graptolite-bearing laminated mudstones in the upper part of the Than Sa Formation that may be widespread in NE Vietnam during the early Tremadocian.
Insular pathology in young people with high-functioning autism and first-episode psychosis
Authors: Parellada M. , Pina-Camacho L. , Moreno C. , Aleman Y. , Krebs M.-O. , Desco M. , Merchán-Naranjo J. , Del Rey-Mejías A. , Boada L. , Llorente C. , Moreno D. , Arango C. , Janssen J. 
Published: April 2017

BackgroundAutism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and psychosis share deficits in social cognition. The insular region has been associated with awareness of self and reality, which may be basic for proper social interactions.MethodsTotal and regional insular volume and thickness measurements were obtained from a sample of 30 children and adolescents with ASD, 29 with early onset first-episode psychosis (FEP), and 26 healthy controls (HC). Total, regional, and voxel-level volume and thickness measurements were compared between groups (with correction for multiple comparisons), and the relationship between these measurements and symptom severity was explored.ResultsCompared with HC, a shared volume deficit was observed for the right (but not the left) anterior insula (ASD: p = 0.007, FEP: p = 0.032), and for the bilateral posterior insula: (left, ASD: p = 0.011, FEP: p = 0.033; right, ASD: p = 0.004, FEP: p = 0.028). A voxel-based morphometry (VBM) conjunction analysis showed that ASD and FEP patients shared a gray matter volume and thickness deficit in the left posterior insula. Within patients, right anterior (r = −0.28, p = 0.041) and left posterior (r = −0.29, p = 0.030) insular volumes negatively correlated with the severity of insight deficits, and left posterior insular volume negatively correlated with the severity of ‘autistic-like’ symptoms (r = −0.30, p = 0.028).ConclusionsThe shared reduced volume and thickness in the anterior and posterior regions of the insula in ASD and FEP provides the first tentative evidence that these conditions share structural pathology that may be linked to shared symptomatology.
HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT IN CENTRAL-EASTERN AND SOUTH EUROPE COUNTRIES: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Authors: Guzvic Vladimir , Catic Tarik , Kostic Marina 
Published: April 2017

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the healthcare system and health financing in Bosnia and Herzegovina and recent trends in health technology assessment (HTA) placement in the system.Methods: A short review of PubMed published literature has been conducted using key words related to reimbursement, HTA, and health policy. We also revised legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina published in Official Gazettes related to healthcare financing and organization.Results: A deecentralized system in Bosnia and Herzegovina led to high differences in health policy. HTA has been recognized in legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but it still has not been introduced in practice in full capacity. A small number of publications are found in PubMed treating these issues, but generally the problem of introduction of HTA in Bosnia and Herzegovina is lack of experts, as well as the political environment and education in this field.Conclusions: HTA in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska has a short history because of a huge political impact in the decision-making process, decentralized system, and multiple decision makers in these regions. Challenges remain in assessments, in development of more transparent approaches in different areas of the health system in these regions, and in consistent application of appropriate standards especially in education of professionals who will provide establishment of HTA in the health system of The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska.
DRUG EVALUATION AND DECISION MAKING IN CATALONIA: DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK BASED ON MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS (MCDA) FOR ORPHAN DRUGS
Authors: Gilabert-Perramon Antoni , Torrent-Farnell Josep , Catalan Arancha , Prat Alba , Fontanet Manel , Puig-Peiró Ruth , Merino-Montero Sandra , Khoury Hanane , Goetghebeur Mireille M. , Badia Xavier 
Published: April 2017

Objectives:The aim of this study was to adapt and assess the value of a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework (EVIDEM) for the evaluation of Orphan drugs in Catalonia (Catalan Health Service).Methods:The standard evaluation and decision-making procedures of CatSalut were compared with the EVIDEM methodology and contents. The EVIDEM framework was adapted to the Catalan context, focusing on the evaluation of Orphan drugs (PASFTAC program), during a Workshop with sixteen PASFTAC members. The criteria weighting was done using two different techniques (nonhierarchical and hierarchical). Reliability was assessed by re-test.Results:The EVIDEM framework and methodology was found useful and feasible for Orphan drugs evaluation and decision making in Catalonia. All the criteria considered for the development of the CatSalut Technical Reports and decision making were considered in the framework. Nevertheless, the framework could improve the reporting of some of these criteria (i.e., “unmet needs” or “nonmedical costs”). Some Contextual criteria were removed (i.e., “Mandate and scope of healthcare system”, “Environmental impact”) or adapted (“population priorities and access”) for CatSalut purposes. Independently of the weighting technique considered, the most important evaluation criteria identified for orphan drugs were: “disease severity”, “unmet needs” and “comparative effectiveness”, while the “size of the population” had the lowest relevance for decision making. Test–retest analysis showed weight consistency among techniques, supporting reliability overtime.Conclusions:MCDA (EVIDEM framework) could be a useful tool to complement the current evaluation methods of CatSalut, contributing to standardization and pragmatism, providing a method to tackle ethical dilemmas and facilitating discussions related to decision making.
Racial inequality in the annual risk of Tuberculosis infection in the United States, 1910–1933
Authors: ZELNER J. L. , MULLER C. , FEIGENBAUM J. J. 
Published: April 2017

SUMMARYTuberculosis (TB) mortality rates in the USA fell rapidly from 1910 to 1933. However, during this period, racial disparities in TB mortality in the nation's expanding cities grew. Because of long delays between infection and disease, TB mortality is a poor indicator of short-term changes in transmission. We estimated the annual risk of TB infection (ARTI) in 11 large US cities to understand whether rising inequality in mortality reflected rising inequality in ARTI using city-level TB mortality data compiled by the US Department of Commerce from 1910 to 1933. We estimated ARTI for African-Americans and whites using pediatric extrapulmonary TB mortality data for African-Americans and whites in our panel of cities. We also estimated age-adjusted pulmonary TB mortality rates for these cities. We find that the ratio of ARTI for African-Americans vs. whites increased from 2·1 (95% CI = 1·7, 2·4) in 1910 to 4·2 (95% CI = 3·4, 5·2) in 1933. This change mirrored the increasing inequality in age-adjusted pulmonary TB mortality during this period. These findings may reflect the combined effects of migration, inequality in access to care, increasing population density, and racial residential segregation in northern cities during this period.
Temperature but not moisture response of germination shows phylogenetic constraints while both interact with seed mass and lifespan
Authors: Arène Fabien , Affre Laurence , Doxa Aggeliki , Saatkamp Arne 
Published: April 2017

AbstractUnderstanding how plant traits interact with climate to determine plant niches is decisive for predicting climate change impacts. While lifespan and seed size modify the importance of germination timing, germination traits such as base temperature and base water potential directly translate climatic conditions into germination timing, impacting performance in later life stages. Yet we do not know how base temperature, base water potential, seed mass, lifespan and climate are related. We tested the relationships between base temperature and base water potential for germination, seed size and lifespan while controlling for bioclimatic regions. We also quantified the phylogenetic signal in germination traits and seed size using Pagel's λ. We used a worldwide data set of germination responses to temperature and moisture, seed size and lifespan of 240 seed plants from 49 families. Both germination temperature and moisture are negatively related to seed size. Annual plants show a negative relation between seed size and base water potential, whereas perennials display a negative relation between base temperature and seed mass. Pagel's λ highlighted the slow evolution of base temperature for germination, comparable to seed mass while base water potential was revealed to be labile. In the future, base water potential and seed mass can be used when moisture niches of plants are to be predicted. Lifespan, seed size and base temperature should be taken into account when analysing thermal limits of species distributions.
Reciprocal effect of parental lines on the physiological potential and seed composition of corn hybrid seeds
Authors: Santos Juliana F. , Dirk Lynnette M.A. , Downie A. Bruce , Sanches Mauricio F.G. , Vieira Roberval D. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractObtaining corn hybrid seeds (Zea maysL.) with high vigour depends on the parental lines and the direction of the cross, and this relates to seed desiccation tolerance and composition. This research studied reciprocal crosses between pairs of proprietary, elite parent lines (L1 and L5; L2 and L4) producing hybrid seeds with different qualities attempting to correlate vigour with seed composition, focusing on storage proteins, starch and soluble sugar amounts. Four corn hybrid seed lots produced from reciprocal crosses were compared (HS 15 with HS 51, and HS 24 with HS 42) by assessing germination, vigour, and seedling emergence in the field. Seed composition was assessed in mature, dehydrated seeds. Proteins were extracted, quantified, and analysed by electrophoresis and densitometry. Starch amounts were assessed using a kit and soluble sugars were determined using high performance liquid chromatography with pulsed electrochemical detection. The L1 and L2 lineages, used as female parents, provided seeds with lower vigour; however, the quantification of major protein bands, and sucrose, raffinose and stachyose were similar between seed lot pairs. While both total seed protein and starch varied between reciprocal hybrids for one of the two sets of crosses, the amounts of neither correlated with seed vigour. Interestingly, hybrids with low seed vigour (HS 15, HS 24) accumulated greater amounts of fructose relative to their reciprocal; correlation analysis confirmed these results. We demonstrate different effects on seed vigour dependent on the maternal parent in reciprocal crosses producing hybrid corn seeds. We also show that vigour is negatively correlated with seed reducing sugar contents.