bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optogenetic activation of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area induces reanimation from general anesthesia
Authors: Taylor Norman E. , Van Dort Christa J. , Kenny Jonathan D. , Pei JunZhu , Guidera Jennifer A. , Vlasov Ksenia Y. , Lee Justin T. , Boyden Edward S. , Brown Emery N. , Solt Ken
Published: October 2016

Significance

Although dopamine is known to promote wakefulness, the specific dopamine circuits in the brain that regulate arousal are not clear. Here we report that selective optogenetic stimulation of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons in mice produces a powerful arousal response sufficient to restore conscious behaviors, including the righting reflex, during continuous, steady-state general anesthesia. Although previous studies found that VTA dopamine neurons do not appear to play a central role in regulating sleep–wake transitions, our findings demonstrate that selective stimulation of these neurons is sufficient to induce the transition from an unconscious, anesthetized state to an awake state. These results suggest that VTA DA neurons play a critical role in promoting wakefulness.
Acid activation mechanism of the influenza A M2 proton channel
Authors: Liang Ruibin , Swanson Jessica M. J. , Madsen Jesper J. , Hong Mei , DeGrado William F. , Voth Gregory A.
Published: October 2016

Significance

The influenza A M2 channel (AM2) transports protons into the influenza virus upon acid activation. It is an important pharmacological target as well as a prototypical case to study proton conduction through biological channels. The current work provides the most complete computational characterization to date of the physical basis for the acid activation mechanism of the AM2 proton channel. Our results show that lowering the pH value gradually opens the Trp41 gate and decreases the deprotonation barrier of the His37 tetrad, leading to channel activation. Our result also demonstrates that the C-terminal amphipathic helix does not significantly change the proton conduction mechanism in the AM2 transmembrane domain.
Serum stimulation of CCR7 chemotaxis due to coagulation factor XIIa-dependent production of high-molecular-weight kininogen domain 5
Authors: Ponda Manish P. , Breslow Jan L.
Published: October 2016

Significance

We describe a mechanism of regulating immune cell chemotaxis. We identified in serum a peptide derived from domain 5 of high-molecular-weight kininogen produced by coagulation factor XIIa cleavage that accelerates C-C chemokine receptor 7-mediated chemotaxis. Thus, we present a paradigm in which a humoral peptide functions as a chemotactic cofactor that links inflammation to immunity.
A [3Fe-4S] cluster is required for tRNA thiolation in archaea and eukaryotes
Authors: Liu Yuchen , Vinyard David J. , Reesbeck Megan E. , Suzuki Tateki , Manakongtreecheep Kasidet , Holland Patrick L. , Brudvig Gary W. , Söll Dieter
Published: October 2016

Significance

Posttranscriptional transfer RNA (tRNA) modifications with sulfur atoms have important roles in accurate and efficient translation and stress responses. Although the enzymes responsible for 2-thiouridine (s
2
U) and 4-thiouridine (s
4
U) modifications have been identified in archaea and eukaryotes, their catalytic mechanisms remain unclear because of the complexity of the sulfur transfer process. This study demonstrates that the sulfur insertion enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of s
2
U in archaea and eukaryotic cytosols, as well as s
4
U and Cys-tRNA in methanogenic archaea, all contain a [3Fe-4S] cluster. This finding provides important insights into sulfur transfer reaction mechanisms and establishes a direct link between the ancient Fe-S cluster to translation in archaea and eukaryotes.
Highly sensitive, direct and real-time detection of silver nanowires by using a quartz crystal microbalance
Authors: Jang Kuewhan , Park Chanho , You Juneseok , Choi Jaeyeong , Park Hyunjun , Park Jinsung , Lee Howon , Choi Chang-Hwan , Na Sungsoo
Published: October 2016

For several decades, silver nanomaterials (AgNMs) have been used in various research areas and commercial products. Among the many AgNMs, silver nanowires (AgNWs) are one of the mostly widely used nanomaterials due to their high electrical and thermal conductivity. However, recent studies have investigated the toxicity of AgNWs. For this reason, it is necessary to develop a successful detection method of AgNWs for protecting human health. In this study, label-free, highly sensitive, direct, and real-time detection of AgNWs is performed for the first time. The detection mechanism is based on the resonance frequency shift upon the mass change from the hybridization between the probe DNA on the electrode and the linker DNA attached on AgNWs. The frequency shift is measured by using a quartz crystal microbalance. We are able to detect 1 ng ml−1 of AgNWs in deionized water in real-time. Moreover, our detection method can selectively detect AgNWs among other types of one-dimensional nanomaterials and can also be applied to detection in drinking water.
The Political Economy of Fertilizer Subsidy Programs in Africa: Evidence from Zambia
Authors: Mason Nicole M. , Jayne Thomas S. , van de Walle Nicolas
Published: October 2016

Fertilizer subsidy programs have re‐emerged as popular policy tools in sub‐Saharan Africa. Despite a burgeoning body of literature on program impacts, the political economy of the programs remains poorly understood. In particular, there is a dearth of empirical evidence to support or refute the conventional wisdoms that governments systematically target subsidized inputs to certain areas based on past voting patterns and that fertilizer subsidies win votes. This article discusses the theoretical links between government targeting of subsidized fertilizer and voter behavior, then uses panel data from Zambia to empirically test these conventional wisdoms. Results suggest that Zambia's Movement for Multi‐Party Democracy governments targeted more subsidized fertilizer to households in areas where it had strong support in the previous presidential election. However, contrary to conventional wisdom, marginal changes in the scale or coverage of the fertilizer subsidy program had no statistically significant effect on the share or number of votes won by incumbent presidents.
JADOPPT: java based AutoDock preparing and processing tool
Authors: García-Pérez Carlos , Peláez Rafael , Therón Roberto , Luis López-Pérez José
Published: October 2016

Motivation

AutoDock is a very popular software package for docking and virtual screening. However, currently it is hard work to visualize more than one result from the virtual screening at a time. To overcome this limitation we have designed JADOPPT, a tool for automatically preparing and processing multiple ligand-protein docked poses obtained from AutoDock. It allows the simultaneous visual assessment and comparison of multiple poses through clustering methods. Moreover, it permits the representation of reference ligands with known binding modes, binding site residues, highly scoring regions for the ligand, and the calculated binding energy of the best ranked results.

Availability and Implementation

JADOPPT, supplementary material (Case Studies 1 and 2) and video tutorials are available at http://visualanalytics.land/cgarcia/JADOPPT.html

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Big Data Smart Socket (BDSS): a system that abstracts data transfer habits from end users
Authors: Watts Nicholas A , Feltus Frank A
Published: October 2016

Motivation

The ability to centralize and store data for long periods on an end user’s computational resources is increasingly difficult for many scientific disciplines. For example, genomics data is increasingly large and distributed, and the data needs to be moved into workflow execution sites ranging from lab workstations to the cloud. However, the typical user is not always informed on emerging network technology or the most efficient methods to move and share data. Thus, the user defaults to using inefficient methods for transfer across the commercial internet.

Results

To accelerate large data transfer, we created a tool called the Big Data Smart Socket (BDSS) that abstracts data transfer methodology from the user. The user provides BDSS with a manifest of datasets stored in a remote storage repository. BDSS then queries a metadata repository for curated data transfer mechanisms and optimal path to move each of the files in the manifest to the site of workflow execution. BDSS functions as a standalone tool or can be directly integrated into a computational workflow such as provided by the Galaxy Project. To demonstrate applicability, we use BDSS within a biological context, although it is applicable to any scientific domain.

Availability and Implementation

BDSS is available under version 2 of the GNU General Public License at https://github.com/feltus/BDSS.
Prevalence and Transmission of Beta and Gamma Human Papillomavirus in Heterosexual Couples
Authors: Moscicki Anna-Barbara , Ma Yifei , Gheit Tarik , McKay-Chopin Sandrine , Farhat Sepideh , Widdice Lea E. , Tommasino Massimo
Published: October 2016

Background

Beta (β) and gamma (γ) human papillomavirus (HPV) are commonly found on the skin. Few of the β types are associated with nonmelanoma skin cancer. Little is known about transmission patterns of these HPV, specifically in the anogenital (AG) areas. The primary objective of this study was to examine the AG concordance and transmission of β and γHPV types between heterosexual couples.

Methods

Archival samples from a previously published study examining concordance of alpha HPV types between couples were tested for β and γHPV. Hand, mouth, and genital samples were obtained 5 times over a 6-week period.

Results

Of the 21 couples examined, β and γHPV were detected in AG sites in 67% and 30% of men, respectively, and 41% and 25% of women. Positive concordance for β and γHPV was 27% and 20%, respectively, which was greater than the observed concordance between noncouples (10% for βHPV and 4% for γHPV). Transmission rate of βHPV between AG areas was 15.9 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3–46.5) per 100 person months for men-to-women at risk and for γHPV was 6.6 (95% CI, .2–36.7). Risks for women-to-men were similar.

Conclusions

Beta and γHPV are common in the AG area, and data suggest that they can be sexually transmitted.
Autochthonous Transmission of Trypanosoma Cruzi in Southern California
Authors: Hernandez Salvador , Flores Carmen A. , Viana Gracia M. , Sanchez Daniel R. , Traina Mahmoud I. , Meymandi Sheba K.
Published: October 2016

Trypanosoma cruzi usually infects humans via triatomine insects in Latin America. Vector-borne transmission in the United States is exceedingly rare. We describe (1) the first case of probable autochthonous transmission reported in California in more than 30 years and (2) the first ever reported case in the greater Los Angeles area.
Infants With Technology Dependence
Authors: Bowles Jennifer D. , Jnah Amy J. , Newberry Desi M. , Hubbard Carol A. , Roberston Tracey
Published: October 2016

Background:

The incidence of premature infants with complex medical needs, dependent upon medical technology at discharge, is on the rise in the United States.

Purpose:

Preparing the family for the hospital-to-home transition can be challenging due to the complex medical and emotional needs of the vulnerable infant and the volume of subspecialty services and equipment required.

Methods/Search Strategy:

Relevant articles from PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL

Findings/Results:

There is an increasing incidence of technology dependent infants discharged from neonatal intensive care units in the United States. Transition from hospital to home requires lengthy preparation, multidisciplinary-open communication, and family centered care.

Implications for Practice:

Early assimilation of the parents into the ongoing care of their infant, the provision of comprehendible parental education by neonatal nurses and other members of the healthcare team, the provision of adequate rooming-in experiences prior to discharge, and the collaborative coordination of outpatient community services are crucial elements of the discharge process. Neonatal nurses possess population-specific education, training, commitment, and expertise that make them the ideal experts to implement and evaluate a discharge planning framework, in collaboration with the medical team and the family.

Implications for Research:

Methods to prevent readmission and ensure successful discharge from hospital to home is indicated. Standardization of a discharge process of infants of technology dependence combining medical team, family, outpatient coordinators, and primary care providers.
Anticoagulant therapy for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in orthopaedic surgery in Japan: The evolving role of NOACs
Authors: Fuji Takeshi
Published: October 2016

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious complication of major orthopaedic surgery of the lower limbs. Prophylaxis therapy for VTE is important for patients who undergo orthopaedic surgery; pharmacological prophylaxis is one of the more effective therapies. In addition to the traditional anticoagulants, such as warfarin and heparin, non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) with VTE prophylaxis properties have recently been developed and provide a convenient option for thromboprophylaxis. Edoxaban, a direct factor Xa inhibitor, is the only NOAC approved in Japan for prophylaxis of VTE in patients undergoing lower limb orthopaedic surgery. The efficacy and safety of edoxaban for primary VTE prevention after lower limb orthopaedic surgery has been demonstrated in several phase 3 clinical studies, along with Japanese postmarketing surveillance. This article reviews Japanese studies in the area of VTE prophylaxis after orthopaedic surgery and provides an up-to-date status of the treatment including NOACs in orthopaedic surgery.
Minimally invasive techniques for pain palliation in extraspinal bone metastases: a review of cementoplasty and radiofrequency ablation
Authors: Mesko Nathan W. , Lawrenz Joshua M. , Lietman Steven A. , Joyce Michael J. , Winalski Carl S. , Ilaslan Hakan
Published: October 2016

Minimally invasive techniques are an effective primary or alternative modality for pain palliation in extraspinal bone metastases, particularly when conventional therapies such as localized radiation therapy leave a subset of patients with refractory pain. Cementoplasty is hypothesized to work through the stabilization of microfractures and has been most commonly performed in osteolytic lesions of the femur and acetabulum. Specific indications and contraindications are highlighted for both locations. Radiofrequency ablation is hypothesized to reduce pain through tumor reduction and periosteal nerve destruction and has been studied most extensively in the pelvis and chest wall. Radiofrequency ablation combined with localized radiation therapy has shown promising improvement in pain relief compared to radiation therapy alone, and combination cementoplasty and radiofrequency ablation may have specific benefit in the acetabulum. Both cementoplasty and radiofrequency ablation have been shown to work as soon as within 24 hours and for as long as 6 months. Future prospective, randomized trials are needed to compare the efficacy of these treatments.
Participation of hippocampal nitric oxide synthase and soluble guanylate cyclase in the modulation of behavioral responses elicited by the rat forced swimming test
Authors: Sales Amanda J. , Hiroaki-Sato Vinícius A. , Joca Sâmia R.L.
Published: October 2016

Systemic or hippocampal administration of nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitors induces antidepressant-like effects in animals, implicating increased hippocampal levels of NO in the neurobiology of depression. However, the role played by different NO synthase in this process has not been clearly defined. As stress is able to induce neuroinflammatory mechanisms and trigger the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the brain, as well as upregulate neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activity, the aim of the present study was to investigate the possible differential contribution of hippocampal iNOS and nNOS in the modulation of the consequences of stress elicited by the forced swimming test. Male Wistar rats received intrahippocampal injections, immediately after the pretest or 1 h before the forced swimming test, of selective inhibitors of nNOS (Nω-propyl-l-arginine), iNOS (1400W), or sGC (ODQ), the main pharmacological target for NO. Stress exposure increased nNOS and phospho-nNOS levels at all time points, whereas iNOS expression was increased only 24 h after the pretest. All drugs induced an antidepressant-like effect. However, whereas the nNOS inhibitor was equally effective when injected at different times, the iNOS inhibitor was more effective 24 h after the pretest. These results suggest that hippocampal nNOS and iNOS contribute to increase in NO levels in response to stress, although with a differential time course after stress exposure.
Moderate-vigorous recreational physical activity and breast cancer risk, stratified by menopause status: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Neilson Heather K. , Farris Megan S. , Stone Chelsea R. , Vaska Marcus M. , Brenner Darren R. , Friedenreich Christine M.
Published: October 2016

Objective:

Physical inactivity increases postmenopausal and possibly premenopausal breast cancer risk, although different biologic mechanisms are proposed. Our primary objective was to estimate breast cancer risk associated with high versus low levels of moderate-vigorous recreational activity, separately for premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Methods:

We conducted a systematic review of literature published to July 2015. Included reports were cohort or case-control studies relating moderate-vigorous recreational physical activity (metabolic equivalent ≥3.0) to breast cancer incidence, exclusively (≥90%) in premenopausal or postmenopausal women. We appraised study quality and performed meta-analyses using random effects modeling. Subgroup meta-analyses were based on tumor subtype, race, body mass index, parity, hormone therapy use, family history of cancer, and statistical adjustment for body fatness. Dose-response relations were examined.

Results:

Pooled relative risks (RRs, 95% CI) for women with higher versus lower levels of moderate-vigorous recreational activity were RR = 0.80 (0.74-0.87) and RR = 0.79 (0.74-0.84) for premenopausal (43 studies) and postmenopausal (58 studies) breast cancer, respectively, with high heterogeneity. Inverse associations were weaker among postmenopausal cohort studies (RR = 0.90 [0.85-0.95]) and studies that statistically adjusted for nonrecreational (eg, occupational, household) activity (RR = 0.91 [0.77-1.06] premenopausal, RR = 0.96 [0.86-1.08] postmenopausal). Risk estimates with versus without body fatness adjustment did not vary by menopause status, although other subgroup effects were menopause-dependent. Among studies of overweight/obese women, there was an inverse association with postmenopausal but not premenopausal breast cancer (RR = 0.88 [0.82-0.95] and RR = 0.99 [0.98-1.00], respectively). Dose-response curves were generally nonlinear.

Conclusions:

Although risk estimates may be similar for premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer, subgroup effects may be menopause-dependent.
In-hospital complications of bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at benign hysterectomy: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Lai Jerry Cheng-Yen , Chen Hung-Hui , Chu Kuei-Hui , Wang Kung-Liahng , Huang Nicole , Hu Hsiao-Yun , Chou Yiing-Jenq
Published: October 2016

Objective:

The study compared the in-hospital complications and related outcomes between women who underwent bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at hysterectomy for benign diseases and those who had hysterectomy only.

Methods:

We conducted a population-based, retrospective cohort study using data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance program. Women who underwent concurrent bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at hysterectomy for benign indications (n = 34,509) were compared with those who had hysterectomy only (n = 176,305). Separate models were estimated to account for the effect of baseline comorbid condition, age, and hysterectomy approach on the relationship between bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and study outcomes. A secondary analysis was also performed to evaluate the association of inpatient readmission within 30 days and complications among women who underwent bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.

Results:

The addition of a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy to hysterectomy was associated with a lower risk of surgical complications, a longer length of hospital stay, and an increased risk of inpatient readmission within 30 days. Among women who underwent bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, women with complications were also more likely to require inpatient readmission within 30 days than those without complications. Our data also suggested that bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was not associated with an overall risk of medical complications, with the exception of urethral obstruction. The relationships remained even after adjustments by age, surgical indications, hysterectomy approach, and health-related risk factors, such as baseline comorbid condition and status of any prior catastrophic illness.

Conclusions:

Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at hysterectomy for benign conditions is not associated with an increased risk of in-hospital complications.
Evaluation of Migraine Surgery Outcomes through Social Media
Authors: Egan Katie G. , Israel Jacqueline S. , Ghasemzadeh Rezvaneh , Afifi Ahmed M.
Published: October 2016

Background:

Social media have been used to study many aspects of health and human behavior. Although social media present a unique opportunity to obtain unsolicited patient-reported outcomes, its use has been limited in plastic and reconstructive surgical procedures, including migraine nerve surgery. The goal of this study was to utilize the most popular social media site, Facebook, to evaluate patients’ experience with migraine surgery.

Methods:

Six months of data regarding nerve surgery, nerve stimulators, and radiofrequency nerve ablation were collected from posts and comments written by members of 2 Facebook groups. Outcomes were classified by degree of resolution of symptoms.

Results:

A total of 639 posts related to migraine surgery. Of 304 posts commenting on postoperative success of nerve surgery, 16% reported elimination of headaches and 65% significant improvement (81% with complete or significant improvement), 5% partial improvement, 11% no change, and 3% worsening symptoms. Nerve surgery had a higher success rate than nerve stimulators and radiofrequency ablation. Nerve surgery was recommended by 90% of users.

Conclusions:

The 81% rate of complete or significant improvement of symptoms in this study is close to the 79% to 84% shown in current literature. Similar to the findings of a recent systematic review, surgery is more efficacious compared with nerve stimulators and ablation. This study adds to evidence favoring migraine surgery by removing evaluator bias and demonstrates that surgical outcomes and satisfaction data may be obtained from social media.
Does Exercise Ventilatory Inefficiency Predict Poor Outcome in Heart Failure Patients With COPD?
Authors: Alencar Maria Clara , Arbex Flavio F. , Souza Aline , Mazzuco Adriana , Sperandio Priscila A. , Rocha Alcides , Hirai Daniel M. , Mancuso Frederico , Berton Danilo C. , Borghi-Silva Audrey , Almeida Dirceu , O'Donnel Denis E. , Neder J. Alberto
Published: October 2016

PURPOSE:

To investigate whether the opposite effects of heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on exercise ventilatory inefficiency (minute ventilation [

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E]-carbon dioxide output [

JOURNAL/jcprh/04.03/01273116-201611000-00008/8FSM1/v/2023-09-11T074110Z/r/image-gif

co
2] relationship) would negatively impact its prognostic relevance.

METHODS:

After treatment optimization and an incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test, 30 male patients with HF-COPD (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] = 57% ± 17% predicted, ejection fraction = 35% ± 6%) were prospectively followed up during 412 ± 261 days for major cardiac events.

RESULTS:

Fourteen patients (46%) had a negative outcome. Patients who had an event had lower echocardiographically determined right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC), greater ventilatory inefficiency (higher

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E/

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co
2 nadir), and lower end-tidal CO2 (PETCO2) (all P < .05). Multivariate Cox models revealed that

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E/

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co
2 nadir >36, ΔPETCO2(PEAK-REST)≥2 mm Hg, and PETCO2PEAK≤33 mm Hg added prognostic value to RVFAC≤45%. Kaplan-Meyer analyses showed that although 18% of patients with RVFAC>45% had a major cardiac event after 1 year, no patient with RVFAC>45% and

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E/

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co
2 nadir ≤36 (or PETCO2PEAK>33 mm Hg) had a negative event. Conversely, although 69% of patients with RVFAC≤45% had a major cardiac event after 1 year, all patients with RVFAC≤45% and ΔPETCO2(PEAK-REST)≥2 mm Hg had a negative event.

CONCLUSION:

Ventilatory inefficiency remains a powerful prognostic marker in HF despite the presence of mechanical ventilatory constraints induced by COPD. If these preliminary findings are confirmed in larger studies, optimal thresholds for outcome prediction are likely greater than those traditionally recommended for HF patients without COPD.
MICROBIOLOGIC SPECTRUM AND VISUAL OUTCOMES OF ACUTE-ONSET ENDOPHTHALMITIS UNDERGOING THERAPEUTIC PARS PLANA VITRECTOMY
Authors: Sridhar Jayanth , Yonekawa Yoshihiro , Kuriyan Ajay E. , Joseph Anthony , Thomas Benjamin J. , Liang Michelle C. , Rayess Nadim , Relhan Nidhi , Wolfe Jeremy D. , Shah Chirag P. , Witkin Andre J. , Flynn Harry W. , Garg Sunir J.
Published: October 2016

Purpose:

To report the clinical presentation, microbiologic spectrum, and visual outcomes associated with acute-onset infectious endophthalmitis undergoing therapeutic pars plana vitrectomy.

Methods:

Multicenter interventional retrospective noncomparative consecutive case series. Billing records were reviewed to identify all charts for patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy within 14 days of diagnosis of acute-onset infectious endophthalmitis over a 4-year period at 5 large tertiary referral retina practices. Statistical analysis was performed to assess for factors associated with visual outcomes.

Results:

Seventy patients were identified. The most common clinical setting was postcataract surgery (n = 20). Only 3 patients (4.3%) presented with 20/400 or better visual acuity (VA). Although most of the patients initially underwent vitreous tap and intravitreal antibiotic injection (n = 47, 67.1%), all patients eventually underwent pars plana vitrectomy within 14 days of presentation with 68.5% (48/70) of patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy within 48 hours of presentation. Positive intraocular cultures were obtained in 56 patients (80%). The most common identified organism was Streptococcus sp (n = 19). Visual acuity at last follow-up was 20/400 or better in 19 patients (27.1%). Three patients underwent evisceration or enucleation (4.3%). Last recorded postoperative VA (mean LogMAR 1.99 ± 0.94, Snellen VA equivalent finger count) improved from presenting VA (mean LogMAR 2.37 ± 0.38, Snellen VA hand motions) (P ≤ 0.001). There was no statistically significant correlation between the underlying etiology or the timing of surgery with this VA outcome.

Conclusion:

Although less than one-third of patients achieved 20/400 or better VA, this VA often improved significantly from presenting VA.
Intravenous Acetaminophen for Renal Colic in the Emergency Department: Where Do We Stand?
Authors: Sin Billy , Koop Kimberly , Liu Michelle , Yeh Jun-Yen , Thandi Pardeep
Published: October 2016

Background:

The efficacy, safety, opioid-sparing effects, and cost–benefit analyses of intravenous (IV) acetaminophen (APAP) in treating renal colic remain controversial.

Study Question:

To evaluate the safety, efficacy, opioid-sparing effects, and cost–benefits of IV APAP in patients who present with renal colic in the emergency department (ED).

Data Sources:

We systematically searched PubMed (January 1970 to April 2016).

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trials which evaluated IV APAP for renal colic in the ED were eligible. The clinical outcomes measured were change in pain scores from baseline, incidence of adverse events, use of rescue analgesia, and cost–benefits. Forest plots were constructed using the Mantel–Haenszel method in a random effect model to changes in pain scores from the baseline to designated intervals.

Results:

The analysis suggested a difference in pain reduction favoring IV APAP over morphine. IV APAP had a significant effect in pain reduction than IV morphine (difference in mean pain score reduction = 7.5 in a 100-point visual analog scale (VAS); 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.99–13.00; P = 0.008). There was mild-to-moderate study heterogeneity (I2 = 42%). No difference was observed when IV APAP was compared with intramuscular piroxicam for pain reduction (difference in mean pain score reduction = 0.17 in a VAS reduction ≥50% VAS; 95% CI, −0.22 to 0.57) and to intramuscular diclofenac (difference in mean pain score reduction = 0.00 in a numeric rating scale reduction ≥50%; 95% CI, −0.12 to 0.12). The analysis for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs versus IV APAP revealed no difference (difference in mean pain score reduction = 0.01 in a 100-point VAS; 95% CI, −0.10 to 0.13; P = 0.80).

Conclusions:

In this meta-analysis, we found that data on the efficacy, safety, opioid-sparing effects, and cost–benefit analyses of IV APAP for renal colic were weak. Based on the available data, IV APAP should not be considered as an alternative to opioids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the primary management of renal colic in the ED.
Correlation of Transient Elastography With Severity of Cystic Fibrosis–related Liver Disease
Authors: Aqul Amal , Jonas Maureen M. , Harney Sarah , Raza Roshan , Sawicki Gregory S. , Mitchell Paul D. , Fawaz Rima
Published: October 2016

Objectives:

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether liver stiffness measurement (LSM), determined by transient elastography, correlates with presence and severity of liver disease in children and young adults with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Methods:

Subjects underwent LSM at routine CF visits. Presence and severity of cystic fibrosis liver disease (CFLD) was determined by clinical parameters. Subjects were classified as no CFLD, CFLD without portal hypertension (PHTN), and CFLD with PHTN. LSM was compared with aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index (APRI) as a correlate to severity of CFLD.

Results:

A total of 249 subjects (53% boys; mean age 14 ± 7 years; 7 [3%] <2 years and 74 [30%] 18–25 years) underwent LSM. Subjects were classified as 158 (64%) with no CFLD, 73 (29%) CFLD without PHTN, and 18 (7%) CFLD with PHTN. The median (interquartile range) LSM was different among the 3 groups: 4.4 (3.8–5.4), 5.1 (4.4–6.3), and 14.1 (8.8–24.8) kPa, respectively, with all pairwise comparisons different from one another (P < 0.0001). Similarly, median (interquartile range) APRI was different in groups 1 and 2 compared with CFLD with PHTN: 0.22 (0.17–0.27), 0.24 (0.17–0.33), and 0.53 (0.24–0.84), respectively (P < 0.01). Analysis of receiver operating characteristics for discriminating CFLD with PHTN from the other groups resulted in cut‐points at 6.2 kPa (LSM) and 0.35 (APRI). LSM was superior to APRI in discriminating CFLD with PHTN from other groups, with areas under the curve 0.91 (LSM) versus 0.78 (APRI) (P = 0.05).

Conclusions:

Liver stiffness, as determined by transient elastography, correlates with the presence and severity of CFLD. Although APRI provided some information regarding severity of liver disease, LSM performed better than APRI in this population.
Overground gait training using a motorized assistive device in patients with severe disabilities after stroke
Authors: Bizovičar Nataša , Matjačić Zlatko , Stanonik Irena , Goljar Nika
Published: October 2016

Regaining of the patient’s ability to walk after stroke is an important goal of rehabilitation programmes. The ultimate goal of gait rehabilitation is to empower patients for overground walking. We have previously developed a prototype of a therapist-controlled mobile platform with compliant pelvis support mechanism that enables balance training during overground walking (device E-go). The aim of this pilot randomized controlled study was to explore the usefulness of the E-go in reducing the number of therapists needed during walking training, and to explore the effectiveness of the E-go on walking abilities in severely affected stroke patients. The study included 19 subacute poststroke patients divided into two groups. The experimental group (nine patients) trained to walk with the E-go and the control group trained within conventional physiotherapy programs for 3 weeks. Outcome measures were walking distance and speed, Fugl–Meyer Assessment, Berg Balance Scale, Functional Ambulation Category and the number of therapists needed during training. At the end of the training both groups significantly improved in walking speed, walking distance, Berg Balance Scale and Fugl–Meyer Assessment (P≤0.001), but there were no between-group differences. The experimental group on average needed a lower number of therapists (P=0.040). These findings highlight the potential of the E-go for overground walking training in severely disabled subacute stroke patients.
Identifying Diffuse Axonal Injury by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight
Authors: Ren Guanheng , Zou Donghua , Huang Ping , Li Zhengdong , Shao Yu , Deng Kaifei , Chen Yijiu , Liu Ningguo
Published: October 2016

Purpose

The aim of this study was to identify the diffuse axonal injury (DAI) of rat through screening out differentially expressed proteins which may represent potential biomarkers by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), which could make a contribution for the research of forensic pathology.

Methods

A total of 15 brainstem sections of rats (10 with and 5 without DAI) were conducted by MALDI-TOF IMS. Specific protein expression patterns were obtained for normal and DAI regions within the tissue sections. “Supervised Neural Network” algorithm was used to classify the DAI group from the normal group.

Results

Applying a “Supervised Neural Network” algorithm, we were able to distinguish between normal and DAI regions with an overall cross-validation, a sensitivity and specificity of 95.67%, 99.34%, and 92.01%, respectively. Additionally, 4 distinctively overexpressed peaks were identified: 7059 and 1518 Da for DAI sections, and 5077 and 4327 Da for normal sections.

Conclusions

This study reveals the value of MALDI-TOF IMS to classify between normal and injured tissues and identify candidates for DAI biomarkers which will provide data to eventually understand the pathological mechanisms relevant to DAI, which is a great help in forensic pathology.
Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Track Goal Progress Toward the Adoption of a Low Glycemic Index Diet Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Miller Carla K. , Weinhold Kellie R. , Mitchell Diane C.
Published: October 2016

Goal setting is an integral component of nutritional counseling. Lower glycemic index (GI) diets can improve outcomes among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Intraindividual variability in intake occurs during goal pursuit and could be captured through mobile ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to develop algorithms for personalized medical nutrition therapy. EMA assessed goal progress toward a lower GI diet among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus using an n-of-1 design. Mean (standard deviation) intake of low GI foods increased by 1.2 (0.1) servings for all participants combined. Three participants met or exceeded their GI goal repeatedly based on EMA reports. Mobile technology through EMA holds promise for the field of personalized medical nutrition therapy.
Effect of Oral Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation Prior to Resistance Exercise on Metabolic Hormones, Plasma Amino Acids, and Serum Indices of Muscle Damage in the Recovery Period
Authors: Sheikholeslami-Vatani Dariush , Ahmadi Slahadin
Published: October 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of oral branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation before resistance exercise on plasma levels of amino acids, cortisol, insulin, and serum creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase. Ten active female students in a double-blind crossover design randomly were assigned to a BCAA supplement or a placebo group. Both groups performed 5 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions at 50% of the 1-repetition maximum. Plasma leucine and isoleucine levels were increased whereas glutamine and phenylalanine were decreased at the end of exercise in the S group. BCAA supplementation did not affect plasma insulin, cortisol, serum creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase levels. These results suggest that in resistance exercise, BCAAs may support an insulin-independent anabolic state, but it cannot prevent muscle damage.
Willingness to Be a Brain Donor
Authors: Boise Linda , Hinton Ladson , Rosen Howard J. , Ruhl Mary C. , Dodge Hiroko , Mattek Nora , Albert Marilyn , Denny Andrea , Grill Joshua D. , Hughes Travonia , Lingler Jennifer H. , Morhardt Darby , Parfitt Francine , Peterson-Hazan Susan , Pop Viorela , Rose Tara , Shah Raj C.
Published: October 2016

Introduction:

Racial and ethnic groups are under-represented among research subjects who assent to brain donation in Alzheimer disease research studies. There has been little research on this important topic. Although there are some studies that have investigated the barriers to brain donation among African American study volunteers, there is no known research on the factors that influence whether or not Asians or Latinos are willing to donate their brains for research.

Methods:

African American, Caucasian, Asian, and Latino research volunteers were surveyed at 15 Alzheimer Disease Centers to identify predictors of willingness to assent to brain donation.

Results:

Positive predictors included older age, Latino ethnicity, understanding of how the brain is used by researchers, and understanding of what participants need to do to ensure that their brain will be donated. Negative predictors included African/African American race, belief that the body should remain whole at burial, and concern that researchers might not be respectful of the body during autopsy.

Discussion:

The predictive factors identified in this study may be useful for researchers seeking to increase participation of diverse ethnic groups in brain donation.
Genome-scale rates of evolutionary change in bacteria
Authors: Duchêne Sebastian , Holt Kathryn E. , Weill François-Xavier , Le Hello Simon , Hawkey Jane , Edwards David J. , Fourment Mathieu , Holmes Edward C.
Published: October 2016

Estimating the rates at which bacterial genomes evolve is critical to understanding major evolutionary and ecological processes such as disease emergence, long-term host–pathogen associations and short-term transmission patterns. The surge in bacterial genomic data sets provides a new opportunity to estimate these rates and reveal the factors that shape bacterial evolutionary dynamics. For many organisms estimates of evolutionary rate display an inverse association with the time-scale over which the data are sampled. However, this relationship remains unexplored in bacteria due to the difficulty in estimating genome-wide evolutionary rates, which are impacted by the extent of temporal structure in the data and the prevalence of recombination. We collected 36 whole genome sequence data sets from 16 species of bacterial pathogens to systematically estimate and compare their evolutionary rates and assess the extent of temporal structure in the absence of recombination. The majority (28/36) of data sets possessed sufficient clock-like structure to robustly estimate evolutionary rates. However, in some species reliable estimates were not possible even with ‘ancient DNA’ data sampled over many centuries, suggesting that they evolve very slowly or that they display extensive rate variation among lineages. The robustly estimated evolutionary rates spanned several orders of magnitude, from approximately 10−5 to 10−8 nucleotide substitutions per site year−1. This variation was negatively associated with sampling time, with this relationship best described by an exponential decay curve. To avoid potential estimation biases, such time-dependency should be considered when inferring evolutionary time-scales in bacteria.
QuickStitch for seamless stitching of confocal mosaics through high-pass filtering and recursive normalization
Authors: Brodskiy Pavel A. , Eberts Paulina M. , Narciso Cody , Kursawe Jochen , Fletcher Alexander , Zartman Jeremiah J.
Published: October 2016

Fluorescence micrographs naturally exhibit darkening around their edges (vignetting), which makes seamless stitching challenging. If vignetting is not corrected for, a stitched image will have visible seams where the individual images (tiles) overlap, introducing a systematic error into any quantitative analysis of the image. Although multiple vignetting correction methods exist, there remains no open-source tool that robustly handles large 2D immunofluorescence-based mosaic images. Here, we develop and validate QuickStitch, a tool that applies a recursive normalization algorithm to stitch large-scale immunofluorescence-based mosaics without incurring vignetting seams. We demonstrate how the tool works successfully for tissues of differing size, morphology, and fluorescence intensity. QuickStitch requires no specific information about the imaging system. It is provided as an open-source tool that is both user friendly and extensible, allowing straightforward incorporation into existing image processing pipelines. This enables studies that require accurate segmentation and analysis of high-resolution datasets when parameters of interest include both cellular-level phenomena and larger tissue-level regions of interest.
Multivariate EEG analyses support high-resolution tracking of feature-based attentional selection
Authors: Fahrenfort Johannes Jacobus , Grubert Anna , Olivers Christian N. L. , Eimer Martin
Published: October 2016

The primary electrophysiological marker of feature-based selection is the N2pc, a lateralized posterior negativity emerging around 180-200 ms. As it relies on hemispheric differences, its ability to discriminate the locus of focal attention is severely limited. Here we demonstrate that multivariate analyses of raw EEG data provide a much more fine-grained spatial profile of feature-based target selection. When training a pattern classifier to determine target position from EEG, we were able to decode target positions on the vertical midline, which cannot be achieved using standard N2pc methodology. Next, we used a forward encoding model to construct a channel tuning function that describes the continuous relationship between target position and multivariate EEG in an eight-position display. This model can spatially discriminate individual target positions in these displays and is fully invertible, enabling us to construct hypothetical topographic activation maps for target positions that were never used. When tested against the real pattern of neural activity obtained from a different group of subjects, the constructed maps from the forward model turned out statistically indistinguishable, thus providing independent validation of our model. Our findings demonstrate the power of multivariate EEG analysis to track feature-based target selection with high spatial and temporal precision.

Significance Statement

Feature-based attentional selection enables observers to find objects in their visual field. The spatiotemporal profile of this process is difficult to assess with standard electrophysiological methods, which rely on activity differences between cerebral hemispheres. We demonstrate that multivariate analyses of EEG data can track target selection across the visual field with high temporal and spatial resolution. Using a forward model, we were able to capture the continuous relationship between target position and EEG measurements, allowing us to reconstruct the distribution of cortical activity for target locations that were never shown during the experiment. Our findings demonstrate the existence of a temporally and spatially precise EEG signal that can be used to study the neural basis of feature-based attentional selection.
Optimal structure of heterogeneous stem cell niche: The importance of cell migration in delaying tumorigenesis
Authors: Shahriyari Leili , Mahdipour–Shirayeh Ali
Published: October 2016

Studying the stem cell niche architecture is a crucial step for investigating the process of oncogenesis and obtaining an effective stem cell therapy for various cancers. Recently, it has been observed that there are two groups of stem cells in the stem cell niche collaborating with each other to maintain tissue homeostasis. One group comprises the border stem cells, which is responsible to control the number of non-stem cells as well as stem cells. The other group, central stem cells, regulates the stem cell niche. In the present study, we develop a bi-compartmental stochastic model for the stem cell niche to study the spread of mutants within the niche. The analytic calculations and numeric simulations, which are in perfect agreement, reveal that in order to delay the spread of mutants in the stem cell niche, a small but non-zero number of stem cell proliferations must occur in the central stem cell compartment. Moreover, the migration of border stem cells to the central stem cell compartment delays the spread of mutants. Furthermore, the fixation probability of mutants in the stem cell niche is independent of types of stem cell division as long as all stem cells do not divide fully asymmetrically. Additionally, the progeny of central stem cells have a much higher chance than the progeny of border stem cells to take over the entire niche.