bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Administrative Challenges in the Finnish Alcohol and Drug Treatment System
Authors: Kuussaari Kristiina , Partanen Airi 
Published: December 2017

This article examines the National Plan for Mental Health and Substance Use Work (the MIELI plan), published in Finland in 2009. We place the plan into a wider context of changes in Finnish social and health services and have also studied responses to the plan. The data is provided by national documents, complemented by an online enquiry and some journal articles as feedback material. The MIELI plan is implemented in conjunction with a municipal and service system reform in Finland. While the proposals of the plan clearly carry a potential for change in the treatment system, there are also great challenges. For instance, to what extent can this kind of plan influence reality? Can the proposals really change anything in the treatment system, or does the potential change emerge from elsewhere? Responses to the plan indicate that referral-free access to treatment, the principle of a single entry point and primary-level services in general were considered important proposals in the MIELI plan. At the other end of the scale, the implementation of the plan and its medical orientation were received less positively.
Targeting Androgen Receptor and DNA Repair in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: Results From NCI 9012
Authors: Hussain Maha , Daignault-Newton Stephanie , Twardowski Przemyslaw W. , Albany Costantine , Stein Mark N. , Kunju Lakshmi P. , Siddiqui Javed , Wu Yi-Mi , Robinson Dan , Lonigro Robert J. , Cao Xuhong , Tomlins Scott A. , Mehra Rohit , Cooney Kathleen A. , Montgomery Bruce , Antonarakis Emmanuel S. , Shevrin Daniel H. , Corn Paul G. , Whang Young E. , Smith David C. , Caram Megan V. , Knudsen Karen E. , Stadler Walter M. , Feng Felix Y. , Chinnaiyan Arul M. 
Published: December 2017

Purpose To determine whether cotargeting poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 plus androgen receptor is superior to androgen receptor inhibition in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and whether ETS fusions predict response. Patients and Methods Patients underwent metastatic site biopsy and were stratified by ETS status and randomly assigned to abiraterone plus prednisone without (arm A) or with veliparib (arm B). Primary objectives were: confirmed prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response rate (RR) and whether ETS fusions predicted response. Secondary objectives were: safety, measurable disease RR (mRR), progression-free survival (PFS), and molecular biomarker analysis. A total of 148 patients were randomly assigned to detect a 20% PSA RR improvement. Results A total of 148 patients with mCRPC were randomly assigned: arm A, n = 72; arm B, n = 76. There were no differences in PSA RR (63.9% v 72.4%; P = .27), mRR (45.0% v 52.2%; P = .51), or median PFS (10.1 v 11 months; P = .99). ETS fusions did not predict response. Exploratory analysis of tumor sequencing (80 patients) revealed: 41 patients (51%) were ETS positive, 20 (25%) had DNA-damage repair defect (DRD), 41 (51%) had AR amplification or copy gain, 34 (43%) had PTEN mutation, 33 (41%) had TP53 mutation, 39 (49%) had PIK3CA pathway activation, and 12 (15%) had WNT pathway alteration. Patients with DRD had significantly higher PSA RR (90% v 56.7%; P = .007) and mRR (87.5% v 38.6%; P = .001), PSA decline ≥ 90% (75% v 25%; P = .001), and longer median PFS (14.5 v 8.1 months; P = .025) versus those with wild-type tumors. Median PFS was longer in patients with normal PTEN (13.5 v 6.7 months; P = .02), TP53 (13.5 v 7.7 months; P = .01), and PIK3CA (13.8 v 8.3 months; P = .03) versus those with mutation or activation. In multivariable analysis adjusting for clinical covariates, DRD association with PFS remained significant. Conclusion Veliparib and ETS status did not affect response. Exploratory analysis identified a novel DRD association with mCRPC outcomes.
Prospective Observational Study of Intraoperative Anesthetic Events in District Hospitals in Namibia
Authors: Ottaway Andrew J. , Kabongo Leonard 
Published: December 2017

BACKGROUND:
Access to safe surgery and anesthesia care is grossly inadequate in low- and middle-income countries, with a shortage of anesthesia providers contributing to this crisis. In Namibia, medical officers typically receive no >3 months of informal training in anesthesia. This study sought to determine the prevalence, currently unknown, of intraoperative adverse anesthetic events in this setting. Further, we assessed surgical volume, complications, and mortality outcomes at the district hospital level.

METHODS:
This was a prospective observational study over 7 months involving 4 district hospitals from geographically separate and diverse areas of Namibia. A standardized protocol was used to record adverse anesthetic events during surgery, surgical volume, and complications including mortality.

RESULTS:
A total of 737 surgical procedures were performed during the study period. There was a 10% prevalence of adverse anesthetic events intraoperatively. Of these, 70% were related to hypotension and 17% due to hypoxia and/or difficult/failed intubation. Ninety-eight percent of patients were classed as low risk (American Society of Anesthesiologists I or II). Seventy-two percent of the surgical workload was in obstetrics and gynecology, with over half being for urgent obstetrics. Perioperative mortality rate was 1.4/1000, with an overall surgical complication rate of 1.6% and a surgical infection rate of 0.8%.

CONCLUSIONS:
We found a 10% prevalence of adverse anesthetic events intraoperatively when anesthesia was administered by medical officers with no >3 months of informal training in this low-resource environment. The patients were considered low risk by the medical officers responsible for the anesthesia, yet these events had the potential to lead to patient harm.
Mu-Opioid Receptors in Ganglia, But Not in Muscle, Mediate Peripheral Analgesia in Rat Muscle Pain
Authors: Bagues Ana , Martín María Isabel , Higuera-Matas Alejandro , Esteban-Hernández Jesús , Ambrosio Emilio , Sánchez-Robles Eva María 
Published: December 2017

BACKGROUND:
Previous studies have demonstrated the participation of peripheral μ-opioid receptors (MOR) in the antinociceptive effect of systemically administered morphine and loperamide in an orofacial muscle pain model, induced by hypertonic saline, but not in a spinally innervated one, in rats. In this study, we determine whether this peripheral antinociceptive effect is due to the activation of MOR localized in the muscle, ganglia, or both.

METHODS:
To determine the local antinociceptive effect of morphine and loperamide, 2 models of acute muscle pain (trigeminal and spinal) were used. Also, to study the MOR expression, protein quantification was performed in the trigeminal and spinal ganglia, and in the muscles.

RESULTS:
The behavioral results show that the intramuscular injection of morphine and loperamide did not exert an antinociceptive effect in either muscle (morphine: P = .63, loperamide: P = .9). On the other hand, MOR expression was found in the ganglia but not in the muscles. This expression was on average 44% higher (95% confidence interval, 33.3–53.9) in the trigeminal ganglia than in the spinal one.

CONCLUSIONS:
The peripheral antinociceptive effect of systemically administered opioids may be due to the activation of MOR in ganglia. The greater expression of MOR in trigeminal ganglia could explain the higher antinociceptive effect of opioids in orofacial muscle pain than in spinal muscle pain. Therefore, peripheral opioids could represent a promising approach for the treatment of orofacial pain.
Effect of age-dependent bone electron density on the calculated dose distribution from kilovoltage and megavoltage photon and electron radiotherapy in paediatric MRI-only treatment planning
Authors: Zeinali-Rafsanjani B , Faghihi R , Mosleh-Shirazi MA , Saeedi-Moghadam M , Jalli R , Sina S 
Published: December 2017

Objective:
MRI-only treatment planning (TP) can be advantageous in paediatric radiotherapy. However, electron density extraction is necessary for dose calculation. Normally, after bone segmentation, a bulk density is assigned. However, the variation of bone bulk density in patients makes the creation of pseudo CTs challenging. This study aims to assess the effects of bone density variations in children on radiation attenuation and dose calculation for MRI-only TP.

Methods:
Bone contents of &lt;15-year-old children were calculated, and substituted in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory paediatric phantoms. The percentage depth dose and beam profile of 150 kVp and 6 MV photon and 6 MeV electron beams were then calculated using Xcom, MCNPX (Monte Carlo N-particle version X) and ORLN phantoms.

Results:
Using 150 kVp X-rays, the difference in attenuation coefficient was almost 5% between an 11-year-old child and a newborn, and ~8% between an adult and a newborn. With megavoltage radiation, the differences were smaller but still important. For an 18 MV photon beam, the difference of radiation attenuation between an 11-year-old child and a newborn was 4% and ~7.4% between an adult and a newborn. For 6 MeV electrons, dose differences were observed up to the 2 cm depth. The percentage depth dose difference between 1 and 10-year-olds was 18.5%, and between 10 and 15-year-olds was 24%.

Conclusion:
The results suggest that for MRI-only TP of photon- or electron-beam radiotherapy, the bone densities of each age group should be defined separately for accurate dose calculation.

Advances in knowledge:
This study highlights the need for more age-specific determination of bone electron density for accurate dose calculations in paediatric MRI-only radiotherapy TP.
Better understanding of childhood asthma, towards primary prevention – are we there yet? Consideration of pertinent literature
Authors: Gur Michal , Hakim Fahed , Bentur Lea 
Published: December 2017

Asthma is a chronic disease, characterized by reversible airway obstruction, airway inflammation and hyper-reactivity. The prevalence of asthma has risen dramatically over the past decade, affecting around 300,000,000 people. The etiology is multifactorial, with genetic, epigenetic, developmental and environmental factors playing a role. A complex interaction between the intrauterine environment, the developing immune system, the infant's microbiome and infectious organisms may lead to the development of allergic sensitization and asthma. Thus, a large number of studies have investigated the risk factors for childhood asthma, with a meticulous search of modifiable factors that could aid in primary prevention.We present a current literature review from 2014-2017, as well as older classic publications, on the pathogenesis and the potential modifiable factors for primary prevention of asthma. No ideal preventive measure has yet been found. Rather, creating favorable prenatal and postnatal environments, minimal exposure to hostile environmental factors, prevention of infections in early life, allergic desensitization and nutritional modifications could possibly reduce asthma inception. In the era of personalized medicine, identifying individual risk factors and tailoring specific preventive measures is warranted.
Pathophysiology and treatment of patients with beta-thalassemia – an update
Authors: Fibach Eitan , Rachmilewitz Eliezer A. 
Published: December 2017

Thalassemia (thal) is an autosomal recessive, hereditary, chronic hemolytic anemia due to a partial or complete deficiency in the synthesis of α-globin chains (α-thal) or β-globin chains (β-thal) that compose the major adult hemoglobin (α2β2).It is caused by one or more mutations in the corresponding genes. The unpaired globin chains are unstable; they precipitate intracellularly, resulting in hemolysis, premature destruction of red blood cell [RBC] precursors in the bone marrow, and a short life-span of mature RBCs in the circulation. The state of anemia is treated by frequent RBC transfusions. This therapy results in the accumulation of iron (iron overload), a condition that is exacerbated by the breakdown products of hemoglobin (heme and iron) and the increased iron uptake for the chronic accelerated, but ineffective, RBC production. Iron catalyzes the generation of reactive oxygen species, which in excess are toxic, causing damage to vital organs such as the heart and liver and the endocrine system.Herein, we review recent findings regarding the pathophysiology underlying the major symptoms of β-thal and potential therapeutic modalities for the amelioration of its complications, as well as new modalities that may provide a cure for the disease.
Use of a Canopy Opener in Fungicide Applications to Improve Asian Soybean Rust Control
Authors: Moura Bianca , Cardoso Deuner Carolina , Visintin Gustavo Luiz , Boller Walter 
Published: December 2017

Abstract. In soybeans, the leaves of the upper canopy often act as a shield against fungicide penetration, preventing pesticide deposition on target. Fungicide applications to control Asian soybean rust (ASR) are especially difficult because the infection usually starts on the lower canopy. In this study, soybean plants of an early indeterminate cultivar and a determinate cultivar were sprayed with the fungicide azoxystrobin + benzovindiflupyr at six different times of the day with or without the addition of a curtain of chains on the spray boom, which acted as a canopy opener. The number of uredia of cm-2 and grain yield were measured to evaluate application efficacy. We found that the use of the curtain of chains reduced ASR control on the upper canopy for the indeterminate cultivar; however, less of a negative effect was observed for the determinate cultivar. The curtain of chains improved ASR control on the lower and middle canopies at more hours of the day for the determinate cultivar. For both cultivars, the curtain of chains increased ASR control at 6:00, 9:00, and 18:00 h on the lower canopy. Grain yield was also higher with the curtain of chains at 6:00 and 9:00 h for the determinate cultivar. Our results showed that using the curtain of chains could improve fungicide droplet deposition on the lower canopy, leading to greater ASR control and possibly increasing yield. However, it is important to consider the plant architecture and hour of application to maximize the benefit of the curtain of chains. Keywords: Canopy opener, Fungicide penetration, Phakopsora pachyrhizi, Plant architecture, Spray deposition.
Optimizing Et-Based Irrigation Scheduling for Wheat and Maize with Water Constraints
Authors: Ma Liwang , Qi Zhiming , Shen Yanjun , He Liang , Xu Shouhua , Kisekka Isaya , Sima Matthew , Malone Robert W. , Yu Qiang , Fang Quanxiao 
Published: December 2017

Abstract. Deficit irrigation has been shown to increase crop water use efficiency (WUE) under certain conditions, even though the yield is slightly reduced. In this study, the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) was first calibrated with measured data from a large weighing lysimeter from 1998 to 2003 at the Yucheng Experimental Station in the North China Plain for daily evapotranspiration (ET), soil water storage (0-120 cm), leaf area index (LAI), aboveground biomass, and grain yield. The calibrated model was then used to explore crop responses to ET-based irrigation management using weather data from 1958 to 2015 and identify the most suitable ET-based irrigation schedules for the area. Irrigation amount was determined by constraining irrigation to a percentage of potential crop ET (40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% ETc) at the various growth stages of wheat [planting to before winter dormancy (P-D), green up to booting (G-B), booting to flowering (B-F), and flowering to maturity (F-M)] and of maize [planting to silking (P-S) and silking to maturity (S-M)], subject to seasonal water availability limits of 100/50, 200/100, 300/150, and 400/200 mm and no water limit for wheat/maize seasons, respectively. In general, wheat was more responsive to irrigation than maize, while greater influence of weather variation was simulated on maize than on wheat. For wheat with seasonal water limits, the highest average WUE was simulated with the highest targeted ETc levels at both the G-B and B-F stages and lower targeted ETc levels at the P-D and F-M stages. However, the highest average grain yield was simulated with the highest targeted ETc levels at all four growth stages for no water limit and the 400 mm water limit, or at both the G-B and B-F stages for the 300 and 200 mm water limits. For maize, lower targeted ETc levels after silking did not significantly affect maize production due to the high season rainfall, but irrigation of 60% ETc before silking was recommended. These results could be used as guidelines for precision irrigation along with real-time weather information. Keywords: Deficit irrigation, Evapotranspiration, Growth stage, RZWQM, Water use efficiency, Wheat and maize.
An Innovative Fog Catcher System Applied in the Andean Communities of Ecuador
Authors: Carrera-Villacrés David V. , Robalino Iveth Carolina , Rodríguez Fabian F. , Sandoval Washington R. , Hidalgo Deysi L. , Toulkeridis Theofilos 
Published: December 2017

Abstract. Fog catchers have been successfully applied in several countries around the world. In Ecuador, the Galte communities in the Andean region suffer from water deficits because they are located at an altitude higher than 3500 m above sea level. Rainfall in the area is relatively low, about 600 mm per year, with high evapotranspiration of approximately 615.74 mm per year. This study aimed to install fog catchers in Galte in 2014 and 2015 to help meet the communities’ water needs. The fog catcher system was designed to satisfy the irrigation water demand for local agricultural production, mainly maize, based on estimates using the Blaney-Criddle method. Every day throughout the year, each fog catcher collected 5 to 20 L of water per m2 of catcher area. The results indicate that the fog catcher system can meet about 5% of the local water demand for agricultural production. Keywords: Ecuador, Evaporation, Evapotranspiration, Precipitation, Water deficit.
Production of Glucose Sweetener by Simple Single- Step Hydrolysis of Native Cassava Root Starch
Authors: Aso Sammy N. , Pullammanappallil Pratap C. , Teixeira Arthur A. , Welt Bruce A. 
Published: December 2017

Abstract. In conventional practice, starch is extracted and purified from a native source prior to glucose production using two steps: liquefaction and saccharification. Sequential protocols, liquefaction, and starch extraction and purification necessitate high-energy process conditions, material handling equipment, and other substantial cost inputs. In this work, native starch in ground fresh cassava root pulp and cassava flour was subjected to low-energy, simple single-step enzymatic hydrolysis at 37°C and 60°C for glucose production. Commercial purified cassava starch was similarly treated for comparison. Cassava root pulp reached a maximum of 30% starch conversion to glucose within 4 h of hydrolysis at 60°C and a maximum of 55% conversion within 96 h at 37°C. Cassava flour yielded mixed results, with slightly less conversion than root pulp at 60°C, reaching only 27%, but outperformed root pulp at 37°C, reaching 72% conversion. Purified cassava starch yielded 96% and 100% conversions at 60°C and 37°C, respectively. At 37°C, the reaction rate constants were 0.023 h-1, 0.021 h-1, and 0.025 h-1, respectively, for cassava root pulp, flour, and purified cassava starch, while at 60°C, the reaction rate constants were 0.816 h-1, 1.230 h-1, and 1.102 h-1, respectively. Activation energy for the substrates was similar at 134.6 kJ mol-1 for root pulp, 157.4 kJ mol-1 for flour, and 143.1 kJ mol-1 for purified starch. Keywords: Cassava root, Cassava starch, Enzymes, Glucose, Reaction kinetics, Synergistic enzymatic hydrolysis.
Modeling N Concentration and Uptake for Maize Hybrids under Growth Stage-Based Deficit Irrigations
Authors: Fang Quanxiao , Ma Liwang , Trout Thomas J. , Comas Louise H. , DeJonge Kendall C. , Ahuja Lajpat R. , Sherrod Lucretia A. , Malone Robert W. 
Published: December 2017

Abstract. Current maize hybrids have lower critical aboveground biomass nitrogen (N) concentration (TCNP) and grain N concentration (GNC) compared to older hybrids, but few crop models have incorporated this trend. The objective of this study was to evaluate alternative algorithms for calculating TCNP (biomass-based method) and GNC (grain N demand based on N dilution curve) for predicting crop N concentration and N uptake for a current maize hybrid in the CERES-Maize model as implemented in the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM). Experimental data were obtained from a field study on maize irrigated to meet various percentages (40% to 100%) of evapotranspiration demand at both vegetative and reproductive stages in 2012 and 2013 in Greeley, Colorado. The original RZWQM showed little response of aboveground N concentration (AGBNC) to the irrigation treatments and overpredicted GNC in both years. As a result, crop N uptake was generally overpredicted, with root mean square error (RMSE) values of 28 to 60 kg N ha-1 for the two years. Adjusted coefficients in the original TCNP and GNC algorithms (RZWQM_ADJ) effectively reduced the overpredicted GNC but with less improvement in response to the irrigation treatments in 2013 compared with the original RZWQM simulations. The RZWQM with modified TCNP and GNC algorithms simulated lower GNC and AGBNC than the original version, significantly improved the responses to the irrigation treatments, and captured the variations in measured GNC among seasons. The corresponding crop N uptake simulations improved more in 2012 than in 2013, with lower RMSE values of 16 to 32 kg N ha-1 than the original and RZWQM_ADJ versions. The better-predicted grain N uptake by the alternative algorithms could be helpful to making better crop N management decisions under different deficit irrigation conditions. Keywords: CERES-Maize, Crop N concentration, Crop N demand, Crop N uptake, Deficit irrigation, Maize hybrid, RZWQM.
Competing Visions for a Modern Emirate: The Government Centre of the State of Qatar
Authors: Himes Adam 
Published: December 2017

Abstract
The influx of petroleum revenue brought on by the 1973–74 oil embargo led to a dramatic widening of the scope of modernization efforts in the newly independent emirate of Qatar to include the first physical manifestations of a modern national identity in its capital, Doha. Chief among these efforts was the creation of a ‘New Doha’, the development of which included a design competition for a government centre complex that solicited entries from the offices of Kenzo Tange, James Stirling, The Architects Collaborative, and Günter Behnisch. An analysis of the brief, the government actors involved in the selection of a winner, and the entries themselves reveals conflicting visions of the architectural materialization of the new state. These conflicts encompass not only aesthetics, but also ideas concerning political structure, the relationship between the government and its people, and the audience to whom the architectural project was to be addressed. The choice of winner makes clear the national identity that the Emir aspired to at the time, while its failure to be built highlights the obstacles that remained to be overcome.