bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Increased Fibrinogen to Albumin Ratio in Ischemic Retinal Vein Occlusions
Authors: Guclu Hande , Ozal Sadık A. , Pelitli Gurlu Vuslat , Özgün Gülben Sayılan , Özgün Eray 
Published: March 2017

Purpose To demonstrate the relationship between ischemia and plasma fibrinogen and serum albumin levels in cases of retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Methods This study included 44 patients with central RVO (CRVO), 68 patients with branch RVO (BRVO), and 54 age- and sex-matched controls, for a total of 166 subjects. All of the subjects underwent full ophthalmologic examinations and complete physical examinations, including a detailed medical history and blood count, and biochemical parameters. Results The mean fibrinogen to albumin ratios were 92.5 ± 36.1 for the patients with CRVO, 84.5 ± 31.5 for the patients with BRVO, and 68.4 ± 12.2 for the control group. Overall, the patients with CRVO and patients with BRVO with ischemia had higher fibrinogen to albumin ratios and higher fibrinogen levels. Moreover, significant positive correlations were found between ischemia and the fibrinogen to albumin ratio (r = 0.732, p = 0.001) and the fibrinogen level (r = 0.669, p = 0.001). Conclusions The fibrinogen to albumin ratio is significantly associated with ischemic RVO. Instead of complicated and invasive methods, such as a retinal angiogram, the fibrinogen to albumin ratio could be a useful initial diagnostic test to predict ischemia in RVO.
The Effect of Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy in Patients with Heart Failure and Mixed Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Lim Hoong S. , Howell Neil , Ranasinghe Aaron 
Published: March 2017

Background Diastolic pressure gradient (DPG) of ≥7 mmHg has been proposed to distinguish mixed pulmonary hypertension from isolated post-capillary pulmonary hypertension in heart failure (HF). We evaluated the changes in pulmonary hemodynamics with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) in patients with DPG of ≥7 or <7 mmHg, and effects on peak oxygen uptake (VO2) in patients with advanced HF. Methods Pre- and post-LVAD implant pulmonary hemodynamics (including right atrial (RA) pressures, DPG, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), pulmonary capacitance (PCap) and cardiac output), echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise test were measured in 38 consecutive patients. Results Ten of 38 patients had baseline DPG ≥7 mmHg. There were no significant difference in baseline characteristics, peak VO2 and ventilation slope, but PVR were higher, and PCap lower in patients with DPG ≥7 mmHg. Pulmonary artery pressures improved in all patients, but PVR and DPG remained higher and PCap lower in patients with baseline DPG ≥7 mmHg after a median follow-up of 181 (IQR 153–193) days. Peak VO2 increased and ventilation slope reduced post-LVAD, and these improvements were comparable between groups. Only RA pressure reduction and exercise increase in heart rate were significant predictors of peak VO2 increase on multivariate analysis. Conclusions Baseline DPG of ≥7 mmHg compared to DPG <7 mmHg have persistently lower PCap and higher PVR post-LVAD, but the increase in peak VO2 was comparable despite these residual pulmonary vascular abnormalities. The improvement in peak VO2 was related to reduction in right atrial pressure and exercise increase in heart rate.
PET-CT Gamma Probe-Guided Lymph Node Biopsy: A New Diagnostic Surgical Approach
Authors: Piñero-Madrona Antonio , Monserrat-Coll Jorge Luis , Ruiz-Pardo José , Cabezas-Herrera Juan , Nicolás-Ruiz Francisco 
Published: March 2017

Purpose The higher sensitivity of new diagnostic tools makes it easier to detect relapse in asymptomatic stages when classic procedures of lymph node biopsies are difficult to perform. The aim of this article is to describe the combination of gamma probe and 18F-FDG positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) images in combination with sentinel lymph node biopsy technique for detection of nonpalpable lymph nodes. Methods After a dose of 18F-FDG was administered and PET-CT images that showed the location of suspected pathologic lymph nodes were obtained, transcutaneous localization of the lymph nodes with the highest captation of the tracer was done. The gamma probe was programmed to detect the radioactive signal from the F18, instead of the Tc99m that is usual in the sentinel node biopsy technique. Once the hottest point was detected, a short incision was made on this area, and suspicious nodes with the highest uptake registered by the gamma probe were localized and removed. After the surgical removal from the operating field, the surgical pieces stood positive to the gamma probe. Lymph node involvement, and subsequent relapse, was diagnosed before their clinical manifestation. Conclusions This methodology confirms new horizons for the surgical approach of lymph node biopsies in patients with previous tumors with 18F-FDG avidity and suspicion of relapse.
Remeex Device (External Mechanical Regulator) for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Critical Review of a Single-Operator, Long-Term Experience on Implants and Readjustments
Authors: Mantovani Franco 
Published: March 2017

Objective A single-operator, long-term (15 years) experience on a sling technique that allows a postoperative adjustment of its tension is presented to retrospectively report the objective and subjective outcomes in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The readjustment option prevents the need of a reoperation in case of relapse with great compliance of the patients. Materials and Methods Indications for surgical tratment of SUI by ReMeEx included patients affected with not only true intrinsic sphyncteric deficency (ISD) and fixed urethra but also mild urethral hypermobility, previous incontinence surgery and relapsing conditions such as diabetes and obesity. Fifty-five female patients with severe SUI underwent ReMeEx system positioning between 1998 and 2013. Before surgery, patients were evaluated by physical examination, translabial ultrasonography, urodynamics, pad-test and compilation of a specific incontinence quality of life questionnaire. Results Out of 55 patients treated, 50 were cured with readjustment in 10; in one case, the device was removed for infection. Complications as one transitory retention, two de novo urgency and one sovrapubic varitensor seroma were easily treated. Discussion In our experience, the ReMeEx system produced remerkable long-term results that showed the effective role of this device in obtaining an adequate sling tension, also confirmed in a worse prognosis patient group, as reported in the present study. The limitation of this study, based on a retrospective and not comparative analysis, suggests the need for randomized prospective studies comparing the ReMeEx procedure with other similar anti-incontinence techniques. Conclusions ReMeEx system offers the possibility to modify the sling support whenever needed during patients’ life. By this device, we can improve the outcomes of these patients leaving them completely dry without reoperations. The system produced remarkable 15 years results with a low complication rate. These outcomes have also been confirmed in a worse prognosis patient group as reported in the present study.
Evaluation of the Decision-Making Process in the Conservative Approach to Small Testicular Masses
Authors: Benelli Andrea , Varca Virginia , Derchi Lorenzo , Gregori Andrea , Carmignani Giorgio , Simonato Alchiede 
Published: March 2017

Introduction We evaluate the clinical outcome of patients treated with conservative approach for small testicular masses (STMs). We analyzed the steps who brought to the selection of the therapeutic approach: starting from clinical presentation, through imaging and lab studies. Methods We considered 18 patients who underwent an organ-sparing approach for STMs from 2005 until 2014. The selection criteria were dimension of the mass and absence of clinical, laboratory and/or radiological malignancy suspicion. Preoperative scrotal ultrasound (US) was carried out in all the patients by the same radiologist. The postoperative fertility profile was evaluated in patients younger than 40 years. Results We performed 13 enucleations, one partial orchiectomy (PO) and four active surveillances. During surgery, a frozen section examination (FSE) was always requested and no discrepancies were noted between its results and the definitive histology. Only one seminomatous tumor was identified, while the remaining masses were four necrosis, four epidermoid cysts, three Leydig tumors, one Sertoli tumor and one chronic orchitis. After a mean follow-up of 41.6 ± 24.7 months, all the patients resulted free of disease and hypogonadism and five of them reached the fatherhood after surgery. Conclusions The clinical and instrumental evaluation consented an accurate selection of patients eligible for the organ-preserving approach. We believe that testis-sparing surgery leads good functional and aesthetic results in patients with benign lesions; it is a safe option for STMs with a reliable pathologist performing FSE and is an important goal in young patients with fatherhood desire.
Nietzsche's Naturalism and Nineteenth-Century Biology
Authors: Leiter Brian 
Published: March 2017

Abstract
Christian Emden's recent book sheds fascinating light on Nietzsche's readings in the nineteenth-century life sciences and his relationship to Darwinism, though it is less successful in showing how particular readings influenced Nietzsche's claims. Emden largely follows my distinction between substantive and methodological naturalism in Nietzsche, but argues—unpersuasively, I argue—that the latter must collapse into the former, and that the latter requires “uniform” scientific methods, though I explicitly deny that and no plausible form of naturalism requires it. I also discuss Emden's treatment of the Kant-Nietzsche relationship, and raise doubts about whether what Emden sometimes calls “the problem of normativity” is really a Nietzschean problem.
Screening Natural Content of Water-Soluble B Vitamins in Fish: Enzymatic Extraction, HILIC Separation, and Tandem Mass Spectrometric Determination
Authors: Chatterjee Niladri Sekhar , Kumar K Ashok , Ajeeshkumar K K , Kumari K R Remya , Vishnu K V , Anandan Rangasamy , Mathew Suseela , Ravishankar C N 
Published: March 2017

Abstract
Despite the potential of LC with tandem MS (MS/MS) in improving sensitivity and selectivity, analytical methods are scarce for the determination of protein-bound and phosphorylated forms of B vitamins in food. This prompted us to develop a method for LC-MS/MS determination of naturally occurring nicotinamide, nicotinic acid, thiamine, pyridoxine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, and cyanocobalamin in fish. Baseline separation of the vitamins was achieved in a hydrophilic interaction LC condition. An ultrasonication-assisted enzymatic extraction protocol for sample preparation was optimized and validated. The time required for extraction was significantly reduced (to 4 h), while maintaining good extraction efficiency. Acetonitrile content (80%, v/v) in the prepared sample was found to be optimum for excellent peak shape and sensitivity. The dynamic linear range of the vitamins ranged from 2.5 to 500 ng/g, and the regression coefficient values were greater than 0.99. LOQ values ranged from 0.4 to 50 ng/g for the different vitamins. The spike recovery values at 50 and 100 ng/g ranged from 87.5 to 97.5%. The intra- and interday precision values were satisfactory. Accuracy of the developed method was determined by analysis of a Certified Reference Material. The method could also be used for unambiguous determination of the natural content of the target vitamins in fish.
Awareness and perceived fairness of option B+ in Malawi: a population‐level perspective
Authors: Yeatman Sara , Trinitapoli Jenny 
Published: March 2017

AbstractIntroduction: Policies for rationing antiretroviral therapy (ART) have been subject to on‐going ethical debates. Introduced in Malawi in 2011, Option B+ prioritized HIV‐positive pregnant women for lifelong ART regardless of the underlying state of their immune system, shifting the logic of allocation away from medical eligibility. Despite the rapid expansion of this policy, we know little about how it has been understood and interpreted by the people it affects.Methods: We assessed awareness and perceived fairness of the prioritization system for ART among a population‐based sample of young women (n = 1440) and their partners (n = 574) in southern Malawi. We use a card‐sort technique to elicit understandings of who gets ART under Option B+ and who should be prioritized, and we compare perceptions to actual ART policy using sequence analysis and optimal matching. We then use ordered logistic regression to identify the factors associated with policy awareness.Results: In 2015, only 30.7% of women and 21.1% of male partners understood how ART was being distributed. There was widespread confusion around whether otherwise healthy HIV‐positive pregnant women could access ART under Option B + . Nonetheless, more young adults thought that the fairest policy should prioritize such women than believed the actual policy did. Women who were older, more educated or had recently engaged with the health system through antenatal care or ART had more accurate understandings of Option B + . Among men, policy awareness was lower, and was patterned only by education.Conclusions: Although most respondents were unaware that Option B+ afforded ART access to healthy‐pregnant women, Malawians support the prioritization of pregnant women. Countries adopting Option B+ or other new ART policies such as universal test‐and‐treat should communicate the policies and their rationales to the public – such transparency would be more consistent with a fair and ethical process and could additionally serve to clarify confusion and enhance retention.​​
Diphtheria toxin‐based anti‐human CD19 immunotoxin for targeting human CD19+ tumors
Authors: Zheng Qian , Wang Zhaohui , Zhang Huiping , Huang Qi , Madsen Joren C. , Sachs David H. , Huang Christene A. , Wang Zhirui 
Published: March 2017

CD19 is expressed on normal and neoplastic B cells and is a promising target for immunotherapy. However, there is still an unmet need to further develop novel therapeutic drugs for the treatment of the refractory/relapsing human CD19+ tumors. We have developed a diphtheria toxin‐based anti‐human CD19 immunotoxin for targeting human CD19+ tumors. We have constructed three isoforms of the CD19 immunotoxin: monovalent, bivalent, and foldback diabody. In vitro binding affinity and efficacy analysis demonstrated that the bivalent isoform had the highest binding affinity and in vitro efficacy. The in vivo efficacy of the CD19 immunotoxins was assessed using human CD19+ JeKo‐1 tumor‐bearing NOD/SCID IL‐2 receptor γ−/− (NSG) mouse model. In these animals, CD19 immunotoxins significantly prolonged the median survival from 31 days in controls to 34, 36, and 40 days in animals receiving the monovalent isoform, foldback diabody isoform, and bivalent isoform, respectively. The bivalent CD19 immunotoxin is a promising therapeutic drug candidate for targeting relapsing/refractory human CD19+ tumors.
Mantle heterogeneity in the source region of mid‐ocean ridge basalts along the northern Central Indian Ridge (8°S–17°S)
Authors: Kim Jonguk , Pak Sang‐Joon , Moon Jai‐Woon , Lee Sang‐Mook , Oh Jihye , Stuart Finlay M. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe northern Central Indian Ridge (CIR) between 8°S and 17°S is composed of seven segments whose spreading rates increase southward from ∼35 to ∼40 mm/yr. During expeditions of R/V Onnuri to study hydrothermal activity on the northern CIR in 2009–2011, high‐resolution multibeam mapping was conducted and ridge axis basalts were dredged. The major and trace element and Sr‐Nd‐Pb‐He isotopic compositions of basaltic glasses dredged from the spreading axis require three mantle sources: depleted mantle and two distinct enriched mantle sources. The southern segments have Sr, Nd, and Pb that are a mix of depleted mantle and an enriched component as recorded in southern CIR MORB. This enrichment is indistinguishable from Rèunion plume mantle, except for He isotopes. This suggests that the southern segments have incorporated a contribution of the fossil Rèunion plume mantle, as the CIR migrated over hot‐spot‐modified mantle. The low 3He/4He (7.5–9.2 RA) of this enriched component may result from radiogenic 4He ingrowth in the fossil Rèunion mantle component. Basalts from the northern segments have high 206Pb/204Pb (18.53–19.15) and low 87Sr/86Sr (0.70286–0.70296) that are distinct from the Rèunion plume but consistent with derivation from mantle with FOZO signature, albeit with 3He/4He (9.2–11.8 RA) that are higher than typical. The FOZO‐like enriched mantle cannot be attributed to the track of a nearby mantle plume. Instead, this enrichment may have resulted from recycling oceanic crust, possibly accompanied by small plume activity.
Rate‐and‐state friction properties of the Longitudinal Valley Fault from kinematic and dynamic modeling of seismic and aseismic slip
Authors: Thomas Marion Y. , Avouac Jean‐Philippe , Lapusta Nadia 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe Longitudinal Valley Fault (LVF, Taiwan) is a fast‐slipping fault (∼5 cm/yr), which exhibits both seismic and aseismic slip. Geodetic and seismological observations (1992–2010) were used to infer the temporal evolution of fault slip. This kinematic model is used here to estimate spatial variations of steady state velocity dependence of fault friction and to develop a simplified fully dynamic rate‐and‐state model of the LVF. Based on the postseismic slip, we estimate that the rate‐and‐state parameter
decreases from ∼1.2 MPa near the surface to near velocity neutral at 19 km depth. The inferred (a − b) values are consistent with the laboratory measurements on clay‐rich fault gouges comparable to the Lichi Mélange, which borders the LVF. The dynamic model that incorporates the obtained
estimates as well as a velocity‐weakening patch with tuned rate‐and‐state properties produces a sequence of earthquakes with some realistic diversity and a spatiotemporal pattern of seismic and aseismic slip similar to that inferred from the kinematic modeling. The larger events have moment magnitude (Mw ∼6.7) similar to the 2003 Chenkung earthquake, with a range of smaller events. The model parameterization allows reproducing partial overlap of seismic and aseismic slip before the earthquake but cannot reproduce the significant postseismic slip observed in the previously locked patch. We discuss factors that can improve the dynamic model in that regard, including the possibility of temporal variations in (a − b) due to shear heating. Such calibrated dynamic models can be used to reconcile field observations, kinematic analysis, and laboratory experiments and assess fault behavior.
The role of monsoon‐like zonally asymmetric heating in interhemispheric transport
Authors: Chen Gang , Orbe Clara , Waugh Darryn 
Published: March 2017

AbstractWhile the importance of the seasonal migration of the zonally averaged Hadley circulation on interhemispheric transport of trace gases has been recognized, few studies have examined the role of the zonally asymmetric monsoonal circulation. This study investigates the role of monsoon‐like zonally asymmetric heating on interhemispheric transport using a dry atmospheric model that is forced by idealized Newtonian relaxation to a prescribed radiative equilibrium temperature. When only the seasonal cycle of zonally symmetric heating is considered, the mean age of air in the Southern Hemisphere since last contact with the Northern Hemisphere midlatitude boundary layer is much larger than the observations. The introduction of monsoon‐like zonally asymmetric heating not only reduces the mean age of tropospheric air to more realistic values but also produces an upper tropospheric cross‐equatorial transport pathway in boreal summer that resembles the transport pathway simulated in the NASA Global Modeling Initiative Chemistry Transport Model driven with Modern‐Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications meteorological fields. These results highlight that the monsoon‐induced eddy circulation plays an important role in the interhemispheric transport of long‐lived chemical constituents.
Effect of environmental conditions on the relationship between solar‐induced fluorescence and gross primary productivity at an OzFlux grassland site
Authors: Verma Manish , Schimel David , Evans Bradley , Frankenberg Christian , Beringer Jason , Drewry Darren T. , Magney Troy , Marang Ian , Hutley Lindsay , Moore Caitlin , Eldering Annmarie 
Published: March 2017

AbstractRecent studies have utilized coarse spatial and temporal resolution remotely sensed solar‐induced fluorescence (SIF) for modeling terrestrial gross primary productivity (GPP) at regional scales. Although these studies have demonstrated the potential of SIF, there have been concerns about the ecophysiological basis of the relationship between SIF and GPP in different environmental conditions. Launched in 2014, the Orbiting Carbon Observatory‐2 (OCO‐2) has enabled fine‐scale (1.3 by 2.5 km) retrievals of SIF that are comparable with measurements recorded at eddy covariance towers. In this study, we examine the effect of environmental conditions on the relationship of OCO‐2 SIF with tower GPP over the course of a growing season at a well‐characterized natural grassland site. Combining OCO‐2 SIF and eddy covariance tower data with a canopy radiative transfer and an ecosystem model, we also assess the potential of OCO‐2 SIF to constrain the estimates of Vcmax, one of the most important parameters in ecosystem models. Based on the results, we suggest that although environmental conditions play a role in determining the nature of relationship between SIF and GPP, overall, the linear relationship is more robust at ecosystem scale than the theory based on leaf‐level processes might suggest. Our study also shows that the ability of SIF to constrain Vcmax is weak at the selected site.
Detection of vertical motion during a slow‐slip event off the Boso Peninsula, Japan, by ocean bottom pressure gauges
Authors: Sato Toshinori , Hasegawa Seiya , Kono Akihiro , Shiobara Hajime , Yagi Takeo , Yamada Tomoaki , Shinohara Masanao , Usui Norihisa 
Published: March 2017

AbstractWe determined the slip distribution of a slow‐slip event (SSE) off the Boso Peninsula, Japan, from ocean bottom pressure gauge (OBP) observations. Most large SSEs occur under the ocean, and continuous OBP measurements have been used previously for their detection. These measurements require removing oceanic changes by subtracting averaged data of multiple stations from each OBP data set, a method that requires multiple stations. We developed a new method for extracting transient deformation due to a targeted event from data of a single OBP station. We fit a model that takes account of linear trends, seasonal variations, and other effects to the OBP data to detect transient deformation during the 2014 Boso SSE. We determined the OBP observation accuracy to be ±10 mm and detected 20 mm of uplift which was objectively confirmed by using Akaike's information criterion. Our method improves the potential for measuring slip distributions of SSEs under the ocean.
Quantifying Federal Regulatory Burdens in the Beer Value Chain
Authors: Malone Trey , Chambers Dustin 
Published: March 2017

AbstractWhile the literature has discussed the impacts of specific regulations in the broader marketplace, nothing has been published that identifies the total number of federal regulatory restrictions imposed upon an entire agribusiness value chain. This letter uses a dataset generated via machine learning methods to count the total number of federal regulations imposed on the beer value chain. We show that 94,212 federal regulatory constraints influenced the beer value chained in 2012, with the majority of constraints being imposed at the brewery level. [EconLit citations: D04, I18, O12]