bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Posaconazole oral dose and plasma levels in pediatric hematology‐oncology patients
Authors: Vicenzi Edoardo Bruno , Calore Elisabetta , Decembrino Nunzia , Berger Massimo , Perruccio Katia , Carraro Francesca , Rossin Sara , Putti Maria Caterina , Molinaro Mariadelfina , Tridello Gloria , Cesaro Simone 
Published: December 2017

AbstractBackgroundPosaconazole is a triazole with limited pharmacokinetic information in children. This study assessed the correlation between posaconazole oral solution daily dosage/kg/body weight and trough plasma level.MethodsA total of 97 hematology‐oncology pediatric patients with ≥1 posaconazole plasma concentration level (PPC) assessment in the first 6 weeks after the start of posaconazole treatment were included.ResultsPosaconazole was used as prophylaxis in 84 of 97 (87%) patients and as therapy in 13 of 97 (13%). The median daily dose/kg/bw ranged from 10 to 12 mg in the prophylaxis group and 12.5 to 16.5 mg in the therapy group. The median value of PPC for the prophylaxis group was 0.9 and 0.8 μg/mL at the first and second/third determinations, respectively. Posaconazole prophylaxis failed in 4 of 84 patients (5%). The median value of PPC for the therapy group was 1.5 and 1.4 μg/mL at the first/second and the third determination, respectively. Posaconazole‐related side effects were reported in 6 patients and all regressed with the suspension of the drug. In the prophylaxis group, the use of proton‐pump inhibitors was significantly associated with a lower PPC, P = 0.04.ConclusionsPosaconazole may be a valuable antifungal agent in children despite the incomplete knowledge of its pharmacokinetic characteristics.
A comparative study of the physico‐chemical properties affecting the organoleptic quality of fresh and thermally treated yellow tomato ecotype fruit
Authors: Raiola Assunta , Pizzolongo Fabiana , Manzo Nadia , Montefusco Immacolata , Spigno Patrizia , Romano Raffaele , Barone Amalia 
Published: December 2017

SummaryIn recent years, yellow commercial tomatoes have attracted great interest from consumers. The goal of this work was to characterise the parameters of three yellow genotypes that affect the fruit quality, in comparison with those of a red fruit genotype. Compared to the other genotypes, the GiaGiù ecotype was characterised as having the highest titratable acidity, organic acids content and pectin content before and after a thermal treatment simulating industrial pasteurisation. Most of the analysed parameters influence the taste and aroma of fresh fruit and processed products, particularly the high glutamic acid content measured in the GiaGiù ecotype. This genotype was also distinctive for its higher pectin content, which influences the texture. These features might allow the development of new food products that require a specific viscosity, such as sauces and ketchup. Interestingly, the beneficial properties of GiaGiù were preserved after thermal processing.
SERPINH1 overexpression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma: association with poor clinical outcome and its potential as a novel prognostic marker
Authors: Qi Yijun , Zhang Yue , Peng Zhiqiang , Wang Lei , Wang Kaizhen , Feng Duiping , He Junqi , Zheng Junfang 
Published: December 2017

AbstractPrecision therapy for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) requires molecular biomarkers ascertaining disease prognosis. In this study, we performed integrated proteomic and transcriptomic screening in all four tumour‐node‐metastasis stages of ccRCC and adjacent normal tissues (n = 18) to investigate differentially expressed genes. Most identified differentially expressed genes revealed a strong association with transforming growth factor‐β level and the epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition process. Of them, Serpin peptidase inhibitor clade H member 1 (SERPINH1) revealed the strongest association with poor prognosis and regulation on the expression levels of epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition markers. Subsequently, two independent sets (n = 532 and 105) verified the high level of SERPINH1 in ccRCC tissues and its association with reduced overall survival and disease‐free survival in all tumour‐node‐metastasis stages and patients with von Hippel–Lindau wild‐type (VHL‐WT). SERPINH1 was an independent predictor of poor overall survival (hazard ratio 0.696 for all patients) and disease‐free survival (hazard ratio 0.433 for all patients and 0.362 for patients with VHL‐WT) in ccRCC. We have thus shown for the first time that SERPINH1 is an independent precision predictor for unfavourable prognosis in ccRCC. This could assist in identifying patients who need early aggressive management and deepen our understanding of the pathogenesis of VHL‐WT ccRCC.
Comparison of robotic‐assisted versus laparoscopy for transperitoneal infrarenal para‐aortic lymphadenectomy in patients with endometrial cancer
Authors: Lee Hyun Jung , Lee Yoon Hee , Chong Gun Oh , Hong Dae Gy , Lee Yoon Soon 
Published: December 2017

AbstractAimThis study was conducted to evaluate the clinical feasibility of robotic‐assisted transperitoneal infrarenal para‐aortic lymphadenectomy (TIPAL) in patients with endometrial cancer.MethodsFrom June 2006 to October 2016, we retrospectively analyzed 42 patients who underwent laparoscopic (n = 16) or robotic‐assisted (n = 26) staging operations, including TIPAL for endometrial cancer. Perioperative data including age; body mass index; operation duration; the number of lymph nodes retrieved and the ratio of time to lymph node retrieval during pelvic, infrarenal para‐aortic and total lymphadenectomy; estimated blood loss and postoperative complications were compared.ResultsThe operative duration of pelvic (21.7 ± 5.31 vs 30.7 ± 10.8 min; P = 0.002), and total (62.6 ± 14.0 vs 87.0 ± 30.4 min; P = 0.010) lymphadenectomy was significantly shorter in the robotic‐assisted than the laparoscopic group, whereas there was no statistical difference in the duration of infrarenal para‐aortic lymphadenectomy. By contrast, the number of infrarenal para‐aortic lymph nodes retreived was significantly higher (29.4 ± 10.7 vs 23.3 ± 9.16; P = 0.016) in the robotic‐assisted group. Consequently, the ratio of time to number of lymph nodes retrieved during infrarenal (1.51 ± 0.49 vs 2.62 ± 1.34; P = 0.002) and total (1.43 ± 0.48 vs 2.15 ± 0.93; P = 0.014) lymphadenectomy was lower in the robotic‐assisted compared to the laparoscopic group.ConclusionsThe robotic‐assisted approach took less time per infrarenal para‐aortic and total lymph nodes retrieved compared to the conventional laparoscopic approach. Robotic‐assisted TIPAL could be feasible and effective for the staging and treatment of patients with endometrial cancer.
Functional limitation of the masticatory system in patients with bulbar involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Riera‐Punet N. , Martinez‐Gomis J. , Willaert E. , Povedano M. , Peraire M. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with bulbar dysfunction affects the motor neurons responsible for controlling the muscles in the jaw, face, soft palate, pharynx, larynx and tongue. This cross‐sectional study aimed to determine the functional limitation of the jaw in patients with ALS and bulbar dysfunction who had upper motor neuron (UMN), lower motor neuron (LMN) or balanced involvement. One hundred and fifty‐three patients with ALS and 23 controls were included. All participants answered using the 8‐item Jaw Functional Limitation Scale (JFLS‐8). Patients with ALS were grouped by neurologic examination as follows: non‐bulbar ALS, bulbar UMN‐predominant ALS; bulbar LMN‐predominant ALS; and bulbar balanced (UMN + LMN) ALS. Jaw limitation between the different groups was compared using the Kruskal‐Wallis test. Patients with non‐bulbar ALS had similar mandibular limitations to healthy participants. Only patients with balanced UMN and LMN bulbar manifestations reported greater difficulties in chewing soft food or in jaw mobility compared to the non‐bulbar ALS group. Patients with bulbar involvement also had greater difficulties in chewing tough food or chicken and in swallowing and talking compared to the non‐bulbar group, regardless of whether UMN or LMN predominant. No significant differences were found between the groups in smiling and yawning difficulties. Bulbar involvement in patients with ALS is associated with functional limitation of the masticatory system. However, balanced bulbar UMN and LMN involvement is associated with the worst impairments in chewing soft food and in opening the jaw widely.
Chromatin‐level regulation of the fragmented dothistromin gene cluster in the forest pathogen Dothistroma septosporum
Authors: Chettri Pranav , Dupont Pierre‐Yves , Bradshaw Rosie E. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryGenes required for fungal secondary metabolite production are usually clustered, co‐regulated and expressed in stationary growth phase. Chromatin modification has an important role in co‐regulation of secondary metabolite genes. The virulence factor dothistromin, a relative of aflatoxin, provided a unique opportunity to study chromatin level regulation in a highly fragmented gene cluster that is switched on during early exponential growth phase. We analysed three histone modification marks by ChIP‐qPCR and gene deletion in the pine pathogen Dothistroma septosporum to determine their effects on dothistromin gene expression across a time course and at different loci of the dispersed gene cluster. Changes in gene expression and dothistromin production were associated with changes in histone marks, with higher acetylation (H3K9ac) and lower methylation (H3K9me3, H3K27me3) during early exponential phase at the onset of dothistromin production. But while H3K27me3 directly influenced dothistromin genes dispersed across chromosome 12, effects of H3K9 acetylation and methylation were orchestrated mainly through a centrally located pathway regulator gene DsAflR. These results revealed that secondary metabolite production can be controlled at the chromatin‐level despite the genes being dispersed. They also suggest that patterns of chromatin modification are important in adaptation of a virulence factor for a specific role in planta.
Does the mosquito Culex pipiens represent a potential vector of hepatitis C virus?
Authors: EL‐KHOLY S. E. , EL‐HUSSEINY I. M. , MESHRIF W. S. , EL‐AZM A. ABOU , SALEM M. L. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractInfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a public health burden in several countries. Although transmission through blood is the most likely potential route of HCV infection, other sources warrant exploration. This study was designed to examine the possibility that the mosquito Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) might serve as a vector of HCV. A series of laboratory experiments were conducted in female Cx. pipiens that were fed on blood taken from HCV patients and tested for the presence of HCV RNAs using a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction technique. In addition, the ability of the female mosquito to transmit HCV to human blood through membrane feeding or to its offspring (larvae) was tested. Although positive strand RNA was detected on days 1,7 and 14, negative strand HCV RNA was detected in mosquito body homogenate on days 7 and 14. Positive strands were also detected in the head, alimentary canal and salivary glands of mosquito adults at 1 week post‐feeding, as well as in their offspring (larvae). An ex vivo assay demonstrated that HCV‐infected mosquitoes were able to transmit the virus RNA into naive human blood samples via a membrane feeder. The present data indicate that the mosquito Cx. pipiens may be a potential vector of HCV.
Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and its association with offspring renal function at 30 years: Observation from a birth cohort study
Authors: Das Sumon K , McIntyre Harold D , Alati Rosa , Al Mamun Abdullah 
Published: December 2017

ABSTRACTAimPrenatal exposure to alcohol has adverse ramifications on foetal development resulting in developmental abnormalities and major congenital anomalies. Experimental studies have documented effects on kidney structure and function among offspring exposed to alcohol during foetal life; however, human evidence is scarce. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the development of CKD among a cohort of 30‐year‐old Australian offspring whose mothers reported consumption of alcohol during pregnancy.MethodsThe study sample comprised 1626 offspring of the Australia cohort study (MUSP) whose serum creatinine was assessed at 30 years of age and CKD was categorized from stage 1 to stage 5 based on their level of eGFR following the CKD‐EPI definition.ResultsSeven percent (n = 111) of offspring had mild (stage 2) CKD at 30 years. The overall adjusted odds of CKD were 2.10 (95% CI 1.02 to 4.33) for offspring of moderate to heavy drinking mothers in late pregnancy, 1.59 (0.69 to 3.66) for early pregnancy and 1.23 (0.75 to 2.04) for pre‐pregnancy. The association was higher for female offspring—2.84 (1.07 to 7.54) for late pregnancy and 2.94 (1.10 to 7.88) for early pregnancy. Higher but insignificant odds were found for male offspring at late pregnancy 1.51 (0.49 to 4.73) only.ConclusionMaternal alcohol exposure during early and late pregnancy is associated with development of mild CKD in their offspring at 30 years. This association is stronger for female than male offspring.
Proximal tubular epithelial cells preferentially endocytose covalently‐modified albumin compared to native albumin
Authors: Ly Nguyen DK , Tesch Greg H , Nikolic‐Paterson David J , Poronnik Philip 
Published: December 2017

ABSTRACTAimAlbumin can be covalently modified at surface lysine residues and thus the circulation contains a mixture of native albumin (i.e. not modified) and albumin with varying degrees of modification. Uptake and lysosomal degradation of glomerular filtered albumin by proximal tubular cells via the megalin scavenger receptor is considered an important mechanism to limit albumin loss in the urine. However, whether this is a general mechanism of tubular uptake of albumin or if this is restricted to modified albumin is unknown. To address this question, we investigated the uptake of modified versus native albumin by proximal tubular cells.MethodsA well‐characterized proximal tubular cell model of albumin uptake was used to compare the uptake of modified albumin (covalent labelling of lysine residues with fluorescent probes) to that of native recombinant human albumin (rHA) labelled with 14C during protein synthesis (14C‐rHA).ResultsOpossum kidney (OK) cells showed significant uptake of fluorescence‐labelled albumin via an endocytosis mechanism. This uptake was inhibited by an equimolar ratio of different types of covalently modified albumin; however, purified bovine serum albumin and rHA failed to compete with the uptake of fluorescence‐labelled albumin. In contrast, OK cells failed to endocytose native 14C‐rHA despite efficiently endocytosing covalently modified rHA.ConclusionOur studies show that OK cells preferentially endocytose covalently‐modified albumin compared to native albumin. This apparent selectivity of the megalin scavenger receptor complex suggests a specific role for this pathway in the removal of modified albumin from the circulation.
Application of photogrammetry for mapping of solution collapse breccia pipes on the Colorado Plateau, USA
Authors: Klawitter Matthias , Pistellato Davide , Webster Anthony , Esterle Joan 
Published: December 2017

AbstractSolution collapse breccia pipes (SCBPs), that form under the influence of gravity, and sinkholes were studied on the Colorado Plateau in Arizona, USA to identify preserved evidence of their formation mechanisms. Close range photogrammetry was employed for data acquisition and reconstruction of the three‐dimensional (3D) scene of the outcrops. Key geological features were accurately mapped within their true 3D space using photogrammetry. Interpretations of the results suggest that the mechanisms controlling the collapse, and its debris distribution within the pipe, are influenced by in situ discontinuities in the host rocks at every scale from the regional context to the size and shape of the collapsed blocks.
PAR's (and ASPA's) Contribution to Public Administration Internationally
Authors: Podger Andrew 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe study and practice of public administration vary in each and every country, yet there are many lessons to be learned internationally. Public Administration Review (PAR) and the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) have contributed substantially to these lessons over the last 80 years, including for public administration in Australia. That contribution has been particularly in organizational theory and behavioral influence, policy studies, and teaching and research. Australia has tended to emphasize institutions and descriptions of practice. These differences help explain the more limited involvement of practitioners in ASPA and the Institute of Public Administration Australia's too little involvement of scholars. ASPA and PAR have played a leading role in recent years in expanding opportunities for international learning. Such learning requires an appreciation of differences in contexts, including of America's own unique context. Better understanding of Australia's context might lead to a more positive appreciation in the United States of Australia's reform experience. The balancing of scholarly and practitioner perspectives is also required.
Insurer Growth Strategies
Authors: Fier Stephen G. , Liebenberg Andre P. , Liebenberg Ivonne A. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractWe study corporate growth strategy within the U.S. property–casualty insurance industry—where firms are required to report uniquely detailed operating information. We present and test two hypotheses related to the manner in which firms choose to grow: the pecking order hypothesis and the managerial discretion hypothesis. Our results imply that insurers follow a general pecking order of growth strategies, where they tend to grow first by entering new states, then by adding new lines of business, and finally through acquisitions. This order is consistent with firms initially choosing to grow in the least costly and complex manner and subsequently choosing more costly and complex methods. We also find evidence in support of the managerial discretion hypothesis as mutual insurers are less likely to choose to grow and, when they do, they tend to select less complex growth methods.
The Journal of Risk and Insurance: Authors of Influence
Authors: Pottier Steven W. , Xu Jianren , Frederick Joshua D. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe purpose of our study is to identify the most influential authors who published in the Journal of Risk and Insurance (JRI) between 1989 and 2010 using citations as our primary indicator of author influence. Extant citation studies concerning the JRI are at the journal level rather than the author level or they examine citations appearing in JRI articles rather than citations to JRI articles. Our study examines articles published in the JRI from 1989 to 2010 and the citations to these articles from 1989 to 2014 reported in Thomson Reuters Web of Science (WOS). This approach is consistent with the method used by WOS to calculate journal impact factors. Our study presents a variety of author productivity measures based on JRI publication activity and citations to JRI articles. The top 50 authors are ranked and identified for each metric.
A multi‐criteria decision‐making approach for geometric matching of areal objects
Authors: Kim Jiyoung , Yu Kiyun , Bang Yoonsik 
Published: December 2017

AbstractWe propose a method for geometric areal object matching based on multi‐criteria decision making. To enable this method, we focused on determining the matched areal object pairs that have all relations, one‐to‐one relationships to many‐to‐many relationships, in different spatial data sets by fusing geometric criteria without user invention. First, we identified candidate corresponding areal object pairs with a graph‐based approach in training data. Second, three matching criteria (areal hausdorff distance, intersection ratio, and turning function distance) were calculated in candidate corresponding pairs and these criteria were normalized. Third, the shape similarity was calculated by weighted linear combination using the normalized matching criteria (similarities) with the criteria importance through intercriteria correlation method. Fourth, a threshold (0.738) of the shape similarity estimated in the plot of precision versus recall versus all possible thresholds of training data was applied, and the matched pairs were determined and identified. Finally, we visually validated the detection of similar areal feature pairs and conducted statistical evaluation using precision, recall, and F‐measure values from a confusion matrix. Their values were 0.905, 0.848, and 0.876, respectively. These results validate that the proposed classifier, which detects 87.6% of matched areal pairs, is highly accurate.
Incidence, risk factors, and outcome of transfusion‐associated circulatory overload in a mixed intensive care unit population: a nested case‐control study
Authors: Bosboom Joachim J. , Klanderman Robert B. , Zijp Maarten , Hollmann Markus W. , Veelo Denise P. , Binnekade Jan M. , Geerts Bart F. , Vlaar Alexander P.J. 
Published: December 2017

BACKGROUNDThe objective of this study was to determine the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of transfusion‐associated circulatory overload (TACO) in a cohort of mixed intensive care unit patients and to compare risk factors with those for cardiac overload in the absence of transfusion.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSIn a retrospective cohort study, patients who developed TACO were compared using multivariate analysis of two control groups: patients without pulmonary deterioration who received transfusion and patients who developed circulatory overload in the absence of transfusion.RESULTSTACO was diagnosed in 66 of 1140 patients who received transfusions (5.8%). A total of 585 control transfusion recipients and 76 control patients who developed circulatory overload also were identified. Risk factors were the referring specialties cardiology (odds ratio [OR], 13.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.1‐35.7; p ≤ 0.001) and cardiothoracic surgery (OR, 8.8; 95% CI, 3.7‐20.7; p ≤ 0.001), history of cardiac failure (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.2‐4.6; p = 0.01), continuous veno‐venous hemofiltration (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2‐8.9; p = 0.03), and degree of positive fluid balance (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.07‐1.24; p ≤ 0.001), which was associated less with the onset of TACO compared with circulatory overload (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.82‐0.97; p = 0.005). Patients in the TACO group had a longer length of stay in the intensive care unit compared with the transfusion and circulatory overload controls groups (median, 7.2 vs. 4.3 vs. 4.4 days; p = 0.001 vs. p = 0.008).CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of TACO is high in a mixed intensive care unit population. The risk factors identified for TACO are cardiac failure, renal failure, and degree of positive fluid balance. A positive fluid balance may be less essential in the onset of TACO than in the onset of circulatory overload in the absence of transfusion.