bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
E-Prescribing and Adverse Drug Events
Authors: Gabriel Meghan Hufstader , Powers Christopher , Encinosa William , Bynum Julie P.W. 
Published: January 2017

Background:
Although the adoption of e-prescriptions among physicians has increased substantially under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act and Meaningful Use programs, little is known of its impact on patient outcomes.

Objective:
To examine the impact of e-prescribing on emergency visits or hospitalizations for diabetes-related adverse drug events (ADEs) including hypoglycemia.

Design:
This is a prospective, observational cohort study with patient fixed effects.

Setting:
2011–2013 fee for service Medicare.

Patients:
In total, 3.1 million Medicare fee for service, Part D enrolled beneficiaries over age 66 with diabetes mellitus and at least 90 days of antidiabetic medications.

Measurements:
E-prescribing was measured as the percentage of all prescriptions a person received transmitted to the pharmacy electronically. The outcome measure was the occurrence of an emergency department (ED) visit or hospitalization for hypoglycemia or diabetes-related ADE.

Results:
Unadjusted results show that there were 21 ADEs per 1000 beneficiaries that had ≥75% of their medications e-prescribed. Beneficiaries with lower e-prescribing levels had significantly higher numbers of ADEs. We found a robust association between the greater use of electronic prescriptions in the outpatient setting and the lower risk of an inpatient or ED visit for an ADE event among Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes in our adjusted analysis. At the e-prescribing threshold of 75% and above, significant reductions in ADE risk can be seen.

Limitations:
As an observational study, the results show an association but do not prove causation.

Conclusions:
Use of e-prescribing is associated with lower risk of an ED visit or hospitalization for diabetes-related ADE.
Evaluating the Effects of Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations on Medicare Part D Drug Spending and Utilization
Authors: Zhang Yuting , Caines Kadin J. , Powers Christopher A. 
Published: January 2017

Background:
The improvement of medication use is a critical mechanism that accountable care organization (ACO) could use to save overall costs. Currently pharmaceutical spending is not part of the calculation for ACO-shared savings and risks. Thus, ACO providers may have strong incentives to prescribe more medications hoping to avoid expensive downstream medical costs.

Methods:
We designed a quasinatural experiment study to evaluate the effects of Pioneer ACOs on Medicare Part D spending and utilization. Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with Part D drug coverage who were aligned to a Pioneer ACO were compared with a random 5% sample of non-ACO beneficiaries. Outcomes included changes in Part D spending, number of prescription fills, percent of brand medications, and total Part A and B medical spending. We utilized a generalized linear model with a difference-in-differences approach to estimate 2011–2012 changes in these outcomes among beneficiaries aligned with Pioneer ACOs, adjusting for all beneficiary-level demographics, income and insurance status, clinical characteristics, and regional fixed effects.

Results:
Being in an ACO did not significantly affect Part D spending (−$23.52; P=0.19), total prescriptions filled (−0.12; P=0.27), and the percent of claims for brand-name drugs (0.06%; P=0.23). The ACO group was associated with savings in Parts A and B spending of $345 (P<0.0001) per person per year.

Conclusions:
We found that beneficiaries aligned to Pioneer ACOs were not associated with changes in pharmaceutical spending and use, but were associated with savings in Parts A and B spending in 2012.
Conservative surgery for laryngeal chondrosarcoma: a review of the most recently proposed approaches
Authors: Piazza Cesare , Paderno Alberto , Nicolai Piero 
Published: January 2017

Purpose of review
The aim of this study was to describe the most recent technical nuances for resection and reconstruction of Grade 1 and 2 laryngeal chondrosarcomas, with a special emphasis on those located at the level of the cricoid plate, which is the site of origin of the vast majority of these rare tumours.

Recent findings
Even though inherently based on retrospective small clinical series or anecdotal case reports, a number of studies have been recently published focusing on conservative transoral and open-neck surgical procedures aimed at an oncologically sound removal of the tumour together with organ and function preservation. The open-neck conservative approaches herein reported can be roughly distinguished in those achieving a primary airway reconstruction by a tracheo-hyoido-epiglottopexy or an end-to-end crico-tracheal, thyro-crico-tracheal or thyro-tracheal anastomosis, and those requiring a single or double-staged transposition of different microvascular flaps, with or without cartilaginous graft insertion, to reconstruct a subtotal/total cricoidectomy and obtain a rigid and stable subglottic airway.

Summary
No meaningful comparison in terms of oncologic and functional outcomes is still possible among the currently available conservative surgical strategies, due to the rarity of laryngeal chondrosarcomas and the heterogeneity of treatments proposed in the literature. However, a reasonable algorithm to approach this difficult clinical entity according to its site of origin and extent of cricoid circumference involved is herein presented.
A New Scoring System to Predict Recurrent Disease in Grade 1 and 2 Nonfunctional Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Genç Cansu G. , Jilesen Anneke P. , Partelli Stefano , Falconi Massimo , Muffatti Francesca , van Kemenade Folkert J. , van Eeden Susanne , Verheij Joanne , van Dieren Susan , van Eijck Casper H. J. , Nieveen van Dijkum Elisabeth J. M. 
Published: January 2017

Objective:
The aim of this study was to predict recurrence in patients with grade 1 or 2 nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF-pNET) after curative resection.

Background:
Surgical resection is the preferred treatment for NF-pNET; however, recurrence occurs frequently after curative surgery, worsening prognosis of patients.

Methods:
Retrospectively, patients with NF-pNET of 3 institutions were included. Patients with distant metastases, hereditary syndromes, or grade 3 tumors were excluded. Local or distant tumor recurrence was scored. Independent predictors for survival and recurrence were identified using Cox-regression analysis. The recurrence score was developed to predict recurrence within 5 years after curative resection of grade 1 to 2 NF-pNET.

Results:
With a median follow-up of 51 months, 211 patients with grade 1 to 2 NF-pNET were included. Thirty-five patients (17%) developed recurrence. The 5- and 10-year disease-specific/overall survival was 98%/91% and 84%/68%, respectively. Predictors for recurrence were tumor grade 2, lymph node metastasis, and perineural invasion. On the basis of these predictors, the recurrence score was made. Discrimination [c-statistic 0.81, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.75–0.87] and calibration (Hosmer Lemeshow Chi-square 11.25, P = 0.258) indicated that the ability of the recurrence score to identify patients at risk for recurrence is good.

Conclusions:
This new scoring system could predict recurrence after curative resection of grade 1 and 2 NF-pNET. With the use of the recurrence score, less extensive follow-up could be proposed for patients with low recurrence risk. For high-risk patients, clinical trials should be initiated to investigate whether adjuvant therapy might be beneficial. External validation is ongoing due to limited availability of adequate cohorts.
Thioflavin T as an amyloid dye: fibril quantification, optimal concentration and effect on aggregation
Authors: Xue Christine , Lin Tiffany Yuwen , Chang Dennis , Guo Zhefeng 
Published: January 2017

Formation of amyloid fibrils underlies a wide range of human disorders, including Alzheimer's and prion diseases. The amyloid fibrils can be readily detected thanks to thioflavin T (ThT), a small molecule that gives strong fluorescence upon binding to amyloids. Using the amyloid fibrils of Aβ40 and Aβ42 involved in Alzheimer's disease, and of yeast prion protein Ure2, here we study three aspects of ThT binding to amyloids: quantification of amyloid fibrils using ThT, the optimal ThT concentration for monitoring amyloid formation and the effect of ThT on aggregation kinetics. We show that ThT fluorescence correlates linearly with amyloid concentration over ThT concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 500 µM. At a given amyloid concentration, the plot of ThT fluorescence versus ThT concentration exhibits a bell-shaped curve. The maximal fluorescence signal depends mostly on the total ThT concentration, rather than amyloid to ThT ratio. For the three proteins investigated, the maximal fluorescence is observed at ThT concentrations of 20–50 µM. Aggregation kinetics experiments in the presence of different ThT concentrations show that ThT has little effect on aggregation at concentrations of 20 µM or lower. ThT at concentrations of 50 µM or more could affect the shape of the aggregation curves, but this effect is protein-dependent and not universal.
Noise Control In Gene Regulatory Networks With Negative Feedback
Authors: Hinczewski Michael , Thirumalai D. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractGenes and proteins regulate cellular functions through complex circuits of biochemical reactions. Fluctuations in the components of these regulatory networks result in noise that invariably corrupts the signal, possibly compromising function. Here, we create a practical formalism based on ideas introduced by Wiener and Kolmogorov (WK) for filtering noise in engineered communications systems to quantitatively assess the extent to which noise can be controlled in biological processes involving negative feedback. Application of the theory, which reproduces the previously proven scaling of the lower bound for noise suppression in terms of the number of signaling events, shows that a tetracycline repressor-based negative-regulatory gene circuit behaves as a WK filter. For the class of Hill-like nonlinear regulatory functions, this type of filter provides the optimal reduction in noise. Our theoretical approach can be readily combined with experimental measurements of response functions in a wide variety of genetic circuits, to elucidate the general principles by which biological networks minimize noise.
Gravitropic Movement in Wheat Coleoptile is Regulated by Ultradian Growth Oscillations
Authors: Bastien Renaud , Guayasamin Olivia , Douady Stéphane , Moulia Bruno 
Published: January 2017

AbstractTo stand straight and upright along their growth, plants needs to regulate actively their posture. Gravitropic movement, which occurs when plants modify their growth and curvature to orient their aerial organ against the force of gravity, is a major feature of this postural control. A recent model has shown that graviception and proprioception are sufficient to account for the gravitropic movement and subsequent organ posture demonstrated by a range of species. However, some plants, including wheat coleoptiles, exhibit a stronger regulation of posture than predicted by the model. Here, we performed an extensive kinematics study on wheat coleoptiles during a gravitropic perturbation experiment in order to better understand this unexpectedly strong regulation. Close temporal observation of the data revealed that both perturbed and unperturbed coleoptiles showed oscillatory pulses of elongation and curvature variation that propagated from the apex to the base of their aerial organs. In perturbed (tilted) coleoptiles, we discovered a non-trivial coupling between the oscillatory dynamics of curvature and elongation. This relationship appears to be critical to the postural control of the organ, and indicates the presence of a mechanism that is capable of affecting the relationship between elongation rate, differential growth, and curvature.
Existence and construction of large stable food webs
Authors: Haerter Jan O. , Mitarai Namiko , Sneppen Kim 
Published: January 2017

AbstractEcological diversity is ubiquitous despite the restrictions imposed by competitive exclusion and apparent competition. To explain the observed richness of species in a given habitat, food web theory has explored nonlinear functional responses, self-interaction or spatial structure and dispersal — model ingredients that have proven to promote stability and diversity. We here instead return to classical Lotka-Volterra equations, where species-species interaction is characterized by a simple product and spatial restrictions are ignored. We quantify how this idealization imposes constraints on coexistence and diversity for many species. To this end, we introduce the concept offreeandcontrolledspecies and use this to demonstrate how stable food webs can be constructed by sequential addition of species. When we augment the resulting network by additional weak interactions we are able to show that it is possible to construct large food webs of arbitrary connectivity. Our model thus serves as a formal starting point for the study of sustainable interaction patterns between species.
Lateral geniculate neurons show robust ocular dominance plasticity
Authors: Jäpel Juliane , Hübener Mark , Bonhoeffer Tobias , Rose Tobias 
Published: January 2017

AbstractExperience-dependent plasticity in the mature visual system is considered exclusively cortical. Using chronic two-photon Ca2+imaging, we found evidence against this tenet: dLGN cells showed robust ocular dominance shifts after monocular deprivation. Most, but not all responses of dLGN cell boutons in binocular visual cortex were monocular during baseline. Following deprivation, however, deprived-eye dominated boutons became responsive to the non-deprived eye. Thus, plasticity of dLGN neurons contributes to cortical ocular dominance shifts.
Validated Bayesian differentiation of causative and passenger mutations
Authors: Cross Frederick R. , Breker Michal , Lieberman Kristi 
Published: January 2017

AbstractIn many contexts, the problem arises of determining which of many candidate mutations is the most likely to be causative for some phenotype. It is desirable to have a way to evaluate this probability that relies as little as possible on previous knowledge, to avoid bias against discovering new genes or functions. We are isolating mutants with blocked cell cycle progression inChlamydomonas, and determining mutant genome sequences. Due to the intensity of UV mutagenesis required for efficient mutant collection, the mutants contain multiple mutations altering coding sequence. To provide a quantitative estimate of probability that each individual mutation in a given mutant is the causative one, we develop a Bayesian approach. The approach employs four independent indicators: sequence conservation of the mutated coding sequence withArabidopsis; severity of the mutation relative toChlamydomonaswild type based on Blosum62 scores; meiotic mapping information for location of the causative mutation relative to known molecular markers; and, for a subset of mutants, transcriptional profile of the candidate wild type genes through the mitotic cell cycle.These indicators are statistically independent, and so can be combined quantitatively into a single probability calculation. We validate this calculation: recently isolated mutations that were not in the training set for developing the indicators, with high calculated probability of causality, are confirmed in every case by additional genetic data to indeed be causative. Analysis of best reciprocal blast relationships amongChlamydomonasand other eukaryotes indicate that the Ts-lethal mutants that our procedure recovers are highly enriched for fundamental cell-essential functions conserved broadly across plants and other eukaryotes, accounting for the high information content of sequence alignment toArabidopsis.
Establishment of an initial maintenance program for UAVs based on reliability principles
Authors: Gonçalves Paula , Sobral José , Ferreira Luis 
Published: January 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to illustrate how to develop a methodology to set up an initial maintenance program for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) following the well-known Steering Maintenance Group logic method (MSG-3) and taking into account safety concerns based on items probabilities of failure. That is why it is stated that maintenance program is based on reliability principles.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed methodology follows the MSG-3 framework applied to civil aircraft but where the determination of each probability of failure is achieved applying a morphological analysis. These probabilities are then affected by some factors to calculate the adjusted values to the specific conditions (design, operation and environment) under which the system is expected to operate.FindingsMain findings are related to the applicability of the morphological analysis on the developing of an initial maintenance program when there is a lack of data that disable the establishment of a coherent maintenance program.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations are related to the absence of a legislative framework consensual in Europe for certification of UAVs and the lack of data concerning UAVs failure modes, causes and their probability of failure.Practical implicationsThe developed work and the methodology proposed may be useful for UAVs maintenance program engineers and technicians when developing new systems.Originality/valueThe originality is based on the use of morphological analysis for UAVs to determine the items probabilities of failure when there is a no-data problem. Based on the referred analysis, it is possible to create an initial maintenance program for UAVs.
Training programs of transnational corporations as a foundation of formation of private educational resources
Authors: Tarakanov Vasily , Kalinina Alla , Kryukova Ekaterina 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze training programs for transnational corporations, educational services market, and society.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper consists of three components: determination of the role and meaning of training programs of transnational corporations in the system of formation of private educational resources, conduct of analysis of effectiveness of training programs of transnational corporations, and compilation of recommendations for increase of effectiveness of training programs of transnational corporations. The main method of the research is correlation analysis.

Findings
As a result of the research, the authors have come to the conclusion that training programs of transnational corporations are the foundation for the formation of private educational resources and provide significant advantages for transnational corporations, educational services market, and society on the whole.

Practical implications
The practical value of the work consists in the development of practical recommendations for increase of effectiveness of training programs of transnational corporations which could be used by them in practical activities.

Originality/value
The performed research contributes to the development of the concept of human resources, the concept of post-industrial economy, and the concept of transnational business, which causes its high theoretical significance.
Challenges and opportunities of digital information at the intersection of Big Data Analytics and supply chain management
Authors: Kache Florian , Seuring Stefan 
Published: January 2017

PurposeDespite the variety of supply chain management (SCM) research, little attention has been given to the use of Big Data Analytics for increased information exploitation in a supply chain. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to theory development in SCM by investigating the potential impacts of Big Data Analytics on information usage in a corporate and supply chain context. As it is imperative for companies in the supply chain to have access to up-to-date, accurate, and meaningful information, the exploratory research will provide insights into the opportunities and challenges emerging from the adoption of Big Data Analytics in SCM.Design/methodology/approachAlthough Big Data Analytics is gaining increasing attention in management, empirical research on the topic is still scarce. Due to the limited availability of comparable material at the intersection of Big Data Analytics and SCM, the authors apply the Delphi research technique.FindingsPortraying the emerging transition trend from a digital business environment, the presented Delphi study findings contribute to extant knowledge by identifying 43 opportunities and challenges linked to the emergence of Big Data Analytics from a corporate and supply chain perspective.Research limitations/implicationsThese constructs equip the research community with a first collection of aspects, which could provide the basis to tailor further research at the nexus of Big Data Analytics and SCM.Originality/valueThe research adds to the existing knowledge base as no empirical research has been presented so far specifically assessing opportunities and challenges on corporate and supply chain level with a special focus on the implications imposed through Big Data Analytics.
Private labels importance across different store loyalty stages: a multilevel approach
Authors: Coelho do Vale Rita , Verga Matos Pedro 
Published: January 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the importance of private labels (PLs) offered by each retailer on store loyalty, combining different loyalty-driven factors and assessing the importance of PLs on different loyalty stages – attitudinal and behavioural store loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through a questionnaire (online survey) run in Portugal (n=469). Multi-level regressions were run to estimate the different loyalty models (base and full models) on each loyalty stage.

Findings
Results stress the positive contribution of PLs on consumers’ loyalty across different loyalty stages. However, findings suggest that this relationship may not be as strong as suggested in earlier studies. Findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between attitudinal and behavioural loyalty, emphasizing the complexity of the consumer loyalty construct and that multiple store-related factors can positively contribute to it.

Research limitations/implications
Data were collected in one single country. It would be interesting to collect similar data in other countries in order to assess the extent to which results prevail across different competitive and cultural contexts.

Practical implications
Findings indicate that the loyalty factors that contribute to store loyalty are not homogeneous across the different loyalty stages, strengthening the idea that retailers should adopt different loyalty strategies depending on the loyalty stage its target customers are in.

Originality/value
This study is the first of its kind combining in a single framework the loyalty towards the retailers’ brand, store-related variables (in-store and economic factors), and specific consumer and retailer characteristics across different loyalty stages.