bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shifts in Selective Migration Policy Models
Authors: Koslowski Rey
Published: February 2018

Selective migration policies can be grouped into three ideal-typical models: the Canadian ‘human capital’ model based on state selection of permanent immigrants using a points system; the Australian ‘neo-corporatist’ model based on state selection using a points system with extensive business and labour participation; and the market-oriented, demand-driven model based primarily on employer selection of migrants, as practised by the US. This chapter compares the selective migration polices of the three countries in terms of policy outcomes measured by varying metrics, examines policy implementation that diverges from the models, and explores a trend in all three countries towards recruiting foreign students to become immigrants. It finds that Canadian and Australian practices are shifting towards the US demand-driven model as employers rather than government officials are selecting increasing percentages of permanent immigrants from pools of temporary foreign workers and foreign students already in Canada and Australia rather than from abroad.
High-Skilled Migration and the Attractiveness of Cities
Authors: Ewers Michael C. , Dicce Ryan
Published: February 2018

This chapter examines the relationship between highly skilled international migration and urban–regional development. We describe how this mobility–urbanization nexus is conditioned by the various scalar actors. The locational preference-seeking of high-skilled workers gives insight into the individual determinants of migration. Meanwhile, the hiring and recruitment practices of local and international firms further conditions these outcomes. As the ultimate regulator of economic activity and labour mobility, the state further alters the context in which firms and labour operate. Together, these three actors create multiscalar processes operating at local, national, and global levels to determine who goes where and why in the global economy.
My Connection with the Brahmo Samaj
Authors: Sahni Ruchi Ram
Published: February 2018

In this chapter Ruchi Ram Sahni describes the development of his attitude to religion, which culminated in a long association with the Brahmo Samaj. His initial exposure to religion was through his parents, particularly his father, who seemed equally devoted to idol worship as to the recital of Sikh scriptures which spoke against idolatry. Ruchi Ram’s stock of beliefs was equally ‘vague and indefinite’, with a pronounced leaning towards Sikhism. It was only in Lahore that he was exposed to the Brahmo Samaj through his schoolteacher Pandit Shiv Narain Agnihotri. Sahni recounts in great detail the lives of some of the initial founders of the Brahmo Samaj in Punjab, and also talks about the difficulties faced by those who acknowledged a religion of ‘the Brotherhood of Man’ rather than any specific creed, particularly those who broke from caste. He traces the rise and fall of his admiration for Agnihotri, and reports his own regret that his unorthodox ways prevented his mother from coming to live with him in the last years of her life.
My First Visit to Europe
Authors: Sahni Ruchi Ram
Published: February 2018

The chapter relates Ruchi Ram Sahni’s adventures in attempting to do research on radioactivity in Germany. Having learned German from a German padre in Lahore, Sahni departed to the small town of Karlsruhe in Germany to work under Dr Kasimir Fajans. He was unfortunate to arrive in Germany in 1914, just as war clouds were looming in Europe. Deciding not to remain in Germany, Sahni escaped to England via Holland just before the start of World War I, aided by two Indian friends in Heidelberg. He paints a vivid picture of the atmosphere in Germany as it prepared for war.
Jallianwala Bagh and Its Aftermath
Authors: Sahni Ruchi Ram
Published: February 2018

This chapter is an account of Ruchi Ram Sahni’s role behind the scenes in the Congress Enquiry Committee Report on the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919, and a first-person account of the breakdown in negotiations with the Government which culminated in the decision not to cooperate with the Government-appointed Hunter Enquiry Commission. The chapter provides a close-up portrait of the role played by Congress leaders such as Moti Lal Nehru, C.R. Das, Madan Mohan Malviya, and Mahatma Gandhi. It also provides a first-hand account of the start of the Khilafat Movement in the Punjab, with Sahni himself giving up his title at the urging of Shaukat Ali. The chapter concludes with some thoughts on the lead-up to the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1921.
How Do We Know that We’re Not Brains in Vats?
Authors: DeRose Keith
Published: February 2018

In this chapter the contextualist Moorean account of how we know by ordinary standards that we are not brains in vats (BIVs) utilized in Chapter 1 is developed and defended, and the picture of knowledge and justification that emerges is explained. The account (a) is based on a double-safety picture of knowledge; (b) has it that our knowledge that we’re not BIVs is in an important way a priori; and (c) is knowledge that is easily obtained, without any need for fancy philosophical arguments to the effect that we’re not BIVs; and the account is one that (d) utilizes a conservative approach to epistemic justification. Special attention is devoted to defending the claim that we have a priori knowledge of the deeply contingent fact that we’re not BIVs, and to distinguishing this a prioritist account of this knowledge from the kind of “dogmatist” account prominently championed by James Pryor.
Gender from Latin to Romance
Authors: Loporcaro Michele
Published: February 2018

The book addresses grammatical gender in Romance, and its development from Latin. It works with the toolbox of current linguistic typology, and asks the fundamental question of how the Latin grammatical gender system gradually changed into those of the Romance languages. To answer this question, the book capitalizes on the pervasive dialect variation of which the better-known standard Romance languages only represent a fragment. Indeed, inspection of dialect variation across time and space forces one to dismiss the handbook account proclaiming that the neuter gender, contrasting with masculine and feminine in Latin, was eradicated from spoken Latin by late Empire times. Both Late Latin evidence and data from several modern dialects show that this never happened, and that the vulgate account proceeds from unwarranted back-projection of the data from modern languages like French and Italian. Rather, the neuter underwent transformations which are the main culprit for the differences in the gender system observed today between, say, Romanian, Sursilvan, Neapolitan, and Asturian, to cite just a few types of system which turn out to differ significantly. A precondition for establishing the database for diachronic investigation is a detailed description of many such systems, which reveals data whose interest transcends the diachronic issue under consideration: the book thus addresses systems where ‘husbands’ are feminine and others where ‘wives’ are masculine; discusses dialects where nouns overtly mark gender, but only in certain syntactic contexts; and proposes an analysis according to which one Romance language (Asturian) has split inherited grammatical gender into two concurrent systems.
Effectiveness of Vaginal Breech Birth Training Strategies: An Integrative Review of the Literature
Authors: Walker S. , Breslin E. , Scamell M. , Parker P.
Published: February 2018

(Birth. 2017;44(2):101–109)

Although most breech-presenting infants are born by cesarean section, the latest Cochrane Review on term breech delivery emphasized the importance of skills to facilitate vaginal breech birth and highlighted those skills as a research priority. The present integrative review aimed to identify and assess the effectiveness of breech birth training strategies according to the 4 levels of Kirkpatrick’s levels of evaluation (reaction, learning, behavior, and results), and included both intended and unintended outcomes, as recommended by Yardley and Dornan. An additional objective of the present review was to gain insight into effective strategies of education about breech vaginal births.
Management of Pregnancies Complicated by Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: Could we do Better?
Authors: Helou A. , Walker S. , Stewart K. , George J.
Published: February 2018

(Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2017;57(3):253–259)

Hypertensive disorders are associated with fetal growth restriction and premature birth as well as increased rates of maternal mortality and morbidity. Active optimization of management is an important part of the antenatal care of pregnant women with hypertensive disorders. Compliance with clinical guidelines for the management of hypertension during pregnancy can positively affect maternal and perinatal outcomes.
Gestational Diabetes in the United States: Temporal Changes in Prevalence Rates Between 1979 and 2010
Authors: Lavery J.A. , Friedman A.M. , Keyes K.M. , Wright J.D. , Ananth C.V.
Published: February 2018

(BJOG. 2017;124:804–813)

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common conditions complicating pregnancy, affecting an estimated 8.3% of pregnancies worldwide and 3% to 4% of pregnancies in the United States. Not only are women with GDM more likely to develop type-II diabetes later in life, but they are also at increased risk for preeclampsia and gestational hypertension in subsequent pregnancies. As a result of women with pregnancies complicated by GDM being more likely to have large for gestational age (LGA) infants, they have an increased risk of being delivered via cesarean section and or suffering birth injury.
Complications of External Cephalic Version: A Retrospective Analysis of 1121 Patients at a Tertiary Hospital in Sydney
Authors: Rodgers R. , Beik N. , Nassar N. , Brito I. , de Vries B.
Published: February 2018

(BJOG. 2017;124(5):767–772)

There has been substantial debate regarding the most appropriate mode of delivery for a term breech baby. The Term Breech Trial (2000) found significantly lower perinatal and neonatal mortality as well as serious neonatal morbidity in the planned cesarean-section group compared with the planned vaginal-birth group. As a result of this study, in developed countries delivery of term breech infants is now mainly by elective cesarean section. From the maternal standpoint, however, cesarean section is associated with increased maternal morbidity and mortality and a longer maternal recovery time compared with vaginal birth.
Leading Causes of Preterm Delivery as Risk Factors for Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Very Preterm Infants: Results of the EPIPAGE 2 Cohort Study
Authors: Chevallier M. , Debillon T. , Pierrat V. , Delorme P. , Kayem G. , Durox M. , Goffinet F. , Marret S. , Ancel P.Y.
Published: February 2018

(Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2017;216(5):518.e1–518.e12)

Advances in care have resulted in large decreases in mortality and disability rates for preterm infants. While significant reductions in the rates of cerebral palsy have been seen, there has been no similar reduction in intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), which is aggravated by weaknesses in the germinal matrix, changes in cerebral blood flow, and coagulation problems. Although the association of postnatal factors with IVH have been studied, the fact that the condition occurs within a few days of delivery implies that perinatal causes may be more important. In particular, the effect of pregnancy complications has not been studied. This study compared the incidence of IVH with the primary causes of preterm delivery.
Cesarean Delivery in the Second Stage of Labor and the Risk of Subsequent Premature Birth
Authors: Wood S.L. , Tang S. , Crawford S.
Published: February 2018

(Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2017;217(1):63.e1–63.e10)

Cesarean delivery rates are on the rise in the United States, in part because of the increased use of cesarean delivery rather than forceps and vacuum deliveries for fetal distress and arrest disorders in the second stage of labor. However, cesarean delivery in the second stage of labor can be risky due to the difficulty of delivering a deeply impacted fetal head. Cohort studies have shown increased risk of extensions of the uterine incision, bladder injury, and postpartum hemorrhage in such deliveries. Surgical trauma to the cervix from other procedures has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of subsequent premature delivery. For these reasons, the authors hypothesized that second-stage cesarean deliveries may increase the rate of subsequent spontaneous preterm delivery.
Safety and Effectiveness of Alveolar Recruitment Maneuvers and Positive End-expiratory Pressure During General Anesthesia for Cesarean Section: A Prospective, Randomized Trial
Authors: Aretha D. , Fligou F. , Kiekkas P. , Messini C. , Panteli E. , Zintzaras E. , Karanikolas M.
Published: February 2018

(Int J Obstet Anesth. 2017;30:30–38)

General anesthesia (GA) is sometimes associated with impaired oxygenation. Changes in respiratory mechanics and lung function under anesthesia contribute to this, with atelectasis being one of the most common etiologies of decreased oxygenation during GA. The supine position required during cesarean delivery results in decreased functional residual capacity and impaired lung compliance, as does the gravid uterus. Therefore, this patient population may be more likely to develop clinically significant atelectasis during general anesthesia. Alveolar recruitment maneuvers (ARM) with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) along with low tidal volumes, considered a lung-protective ventilation strategy, can improve lung function and oxygenation and are frequently used for critically ill patients with respiratory distress syndrome. ARM with PEEP has also been shown to improve oxygenation and lung compliance in patients during general anesthesia. The current study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that ARM with PEEP and low tidal volume could improve intraoperative lung dynamic compliance during GA for cesarean delivery.
Pork Belly: A Simulation Training Model for Intramuscular Perforator Dissection
Authors: Pafitanis Georgios , Veljanoski Damjan , Ghanem Ali M. , Myers Simon
Published: February 2018

Background:

Free tissue transfer has evolved from muscle flaps to fasciocutaneous flaps. Dissection of the intramuscular course of feeding vessels is technically challenging. Simulation-based microsurgery skills acquisition is moving toward nonliving training models. Living porcine model or human cadavers are currently cost-ineffective methods for the early learning curve in teaching intramuscular dissection. The aim of this study was to validate an inexpensive ex vivo porcine model simulating harvest of the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEAP) flap, specifically including perforator intramuscular dissection.

Methods:

An initial needs analysis and anatomical dissections (characteristics of vascular anatomy) established the necessity and surgical design (step-by-step) of the ex vivo DIEAP flap harvesting model. A pilot study utilizing objective assessment methodology (time to complete flap raising and hand motion analysis) demonstrated the surgeons’ performance. A detailed feedback questionnaire was used to assess the participants’ perception of this model.

Results:

Fifty-seven participants completed the initial needs analysis. Fifteen pork bellies were dissected and the vascular anatomical characteristics of the inferior epigastric vessels are presented. Eight surgeons performed the step-by-step flap design demonstrating construct validity in flap raising and intramuscular dissection. All surgeons completed the ex vivo DIEAP harvesting and they recommend this model as the first step in training for intramuscular dissection.

Conclusions:

The pork belly simulation is a cheap, easy, ethically considerate, and high-fidelity simulation model for intramuscular dissection for the DIEAP free flap. This study guides future validation trials to explore if the absence of physiological blood flow affects skills acquisition in the intramuscular dissection learning curve. The pork belly could be the first step in perforators dissection before progressing to the in vivo porcine model.
Expression and Localization of Cathepsins B, D, and G in Dupuytren’s Disease
Authors: Tan Kirin , Brasch Helen D. , van Schaijik Bede , Armstrong James R. , Marsh Reginald W. , Davis Paul F. , Tan Swee T. , Itinteang Tinte
Published: February 2018

Background:

The pathogenesis of Dupuytren’s disease (DD) remains unclear. An embryonic stem cell (ESC)–like population in the endothelium of the microvessels around tissues that expresses components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been reported. This study investigated if this primitive population expresses cathepsins B, D, and G, that contribute to RAS bypass loops.

Methods:

3,3-Diaminobenzidine immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for cathepsins B, D, and G was performed on sections of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded DD cords (n = 10) and nodules (n = 10). Immunofluorescence IHC staining was utilized to demonstrate co-expression of these cathepsins with ESC markers. Protein and gene expression of these cathepsins was investigated in snap-frozen DD cords (n = 3) and nodules (n = 3) by Western blotting and NanoString analysis, respectively. Enzymatic activity of these cathepsins was investigated by enzymatic activity assays.

Results:

3,3-Diaminobenzidine IHC staining demonstrated expression of cathepsins B, D, and G in DD cords and nodules. Gene expression of cathepsins B, D, and G was confirmed by NanoString analysis. Western blotting confirmed expression of cathepsins B and D, but not cathepsin G. Immunofluorescent IHC staining demonstrated high abundance of cathepsins B and D on the OCT4+/angiotensin converting enzyme+ endothelium and the smooth muscle layer of the microvessels. Cathepsin G was localized to trypase+ cells within the stroma in DD cords and nodules with limited expression on the microvessels. Enzyme activity assays demonstrated functional activity of cathepsins B and D.

Conclusions:

Cathepsins B, D, and G were expressed in the DD tissues, with cathepsins B and D localized to the primitive population in the endothelium of the microvessels, whereas cathepsin G was localized to phenotypic mast cells, suggesting the presence of bypass loops for the RAS.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in Hodgkin Lymphoma
Authors: Moy Ryan H. , Younes Anas
Published: February 2018

Intricate systems of checkpoints such as the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) axis regulate adaptive immune responses to protect against tissue damage. However, diverse cancers can exploit these pathways to evade or suppress antitumor immunity, leading to tumor progression. Correspondingly, immune checkpoint inhibitors that block PD‐1/PD‐L1 signaling have shown marked therapeutic efficacy in certain cancers, such as Hodgkin lymphoma. Reed‐Sternberg cells, the hallmark cells of Hodgkin lymphoma, commonly overexpress PD‐1 ligands, and recent clinical trials have demonstrated impressive response rates with the PD‐1 inhibitors nivolumab and pembrolizumab in relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma, leading to their FDA approval in this setting. Current efforts are underway to improve clinical responses by incorporating PD‐1 inhibitors into earlier treatment regimens and identifying therapeutic agents that synergize with PD‐1 inhibitors. This review summarizes our understanding of the PD‐1/PD‐L1 axis in Hodgkin lymphoma, recent clinical studies of anti‐PD‐1 monotherapy and promising combination immunotherapy in the pipeline.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement as a Bridge to Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation
Authors: Elmously Adham , Worku Berhane , Horn Evelyn M. , Wong Shing-Chiu , Salemi Arash
Published: February 2018

We describe a case of the pre-emptive use of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in a patient with end-stage ischemic cardiomyopathy and native aortic stenosis/aortic insufficiency as a bridge to left ventricular assist device implantation. The use of this strategy can not only medically optimize patients before left ventricular assist device implantation but also provide a minimally invasive bridge to left ventricular assist device support, avoiding concomitant surgical aortic valve replacement or closure.
A Program's Analysis of Communication Methods With Clinical Preceptors
Authors: Hudak Nicholas M. , Stouder April , Everett Christine M.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Preceptors value communication with physician assistant (PA) educational programs. This study describes preceptors' perspectives about one PA program's established and new communication strategies to promote preceptor development and retention.

Methods

An electronic survey of preceptors was conducted in December 2014. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results

Eighty-eight of 209 preceptors completed the survey (42% response rate). Preceptors reported satisfaction with communication frequency and quality. The most preferred topics were preceptor benefits, teaching strategies, feedback about students' performance, and program policy updates. Many preceptors reported not receiving communications sent by mail. A majority of preceptors preferred site visits at least once per year and in person.

Conclusions

Understanding preceptors' preferred topics helped the study program increase its emphasis on those topics. Knowledge that many preceptors do not receive mailed communications has prompted the program to use electronic communication for all communication types. The results reinforced the program's approach to site visits.
Noncognitive Attributes in Physician Assistant Education
Authors: Brenneman Anthony E. , Goldgar Constance , Hills Karen J. , Snyder Jennifer H. , VanderMeulen Stephane P. , Lane Steven
Published: February 2018

Physician assistant (PA) admissions processes have typically given more weight to cognitive attributes than to noncognitive ones, both because a high level of cognitive ability is needed for a career in medicine and because cognitive factors are easier to measure. However, there is a growing consensus across the health professions that noncognitive attributes such as emotional intelligence, empathy, and professionalism are important for success in clinical practice and optimal care of patients. There is also some evidence that a move toward more holistic admissions practices, including evaluation of noncognitive attributes, can have a positive effect on diversity. The need for these noncognitive attributes in clinicians is being reinforced by changes in the US health care system, including shifting patient demographics and a growing emphasis on team-based care and patient satisfaction, and the need for clinicians to help patients interpret complex medical information. The 2016 Physician Assistant Education Association Stakeholder Summit revealed certain behavioral and affective qualities that employers of PAs value and sometimes find lacking in new graduates. Although there are still gaps in the evidence base, some tools and technologies currently exist to more accurately measure noncognitive variables. We propose some possible strategies and tools that PA programs can use to formalize the way they select for noncognitive attributes. Since PA programs have, on average, only 27 months to educate students, programs may need to focus more resources on selecting for these attributes than teaching them.
Continuing Dermatology Education for Rural Physician Assistants in Ghana: An Assessment of Needs and Effectiveness
Authors: Truong Amanda , Cobb Nadia M. , Hawkes Jason E. , Adjase Emmanuel T. , Goldgar David E. , Powell Douglas L. , Lewis Bethany K. H.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

To assess the effectiveness of lectures for continuing medical education (CME) in dermatology in a global health setting and to determine provider and patient demographics of physician assistants (PAs) practicing in rural Ghana.

Methods

Physician assistants from Ghana who attended dermatology lectures at the International Seminar for Physician Assistants in 2011 or 2014 were included in this study. Surveys were administered to participants to determine dermatology resource availability, commonly encountered skin diseases, and management practices. Quizzes were administered before and after CME dermatology lectures to assess short-term retention of lecture material.

Results

In all, 353 PAs participated in this study. Physician assistants reported seeing an average of 55 patients per day. The most commonly seen skin diseases were infections, with antifungals and antibiotics being the most commonly prescribed medications. Dermatology-related complaints represented 9.5% of total clinic visits. Among practicing PAs, 23.2% reported having internet access. A total of 332 PAs completed the quizzes, and a statistically significant increase in test scores was noted in postlecture quizzes.

Conclusions

This study reinforces the importance of dermatology education for PAs practicing in rural areas of Ghana and lends insight to critical topics for dermatology curriculum development. In addition, the increase in test scores after CME sessions suggests that lectures are an effective tool for short-term retention of dermatology-related topics. Our study indicates that as the need for health workers increases globally and a paradigm shift away from the traditional physician model of care occurs, dermatology training of PAs is not only important but also achievable.
The Impact of Education About Cervical Cancer and Human Papillomavirus on Women's Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors and Beliefs
Authors: Koç Zeliha , Kurtoğlu Özdeş Emel , Topatan Serap , Çinarli Tuğba , Şener Asuman , Danaci Esra , Palazoğlu Cansu Atmaca
Published: February 2018

Background

Early detection of cervical cancer improves the chances of successful treatment.

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of education about cervical cancer and human papillomavirus on the healthy lifestyle, behavior, and beliefs of Turkish women who were without cancer, using the PRECEDE education model.

Methods

This qualitative and quantitative study was conducted as a prospective, randomized, 2-group (intervention and control) trial at a community training center in north Turkey. A total of 156 Turkish women who were without cancer participated in this study. The semistructured interview form, the SF-36 Health Status Questionnaire, the Health Belief Model Scale for Cervical Cancer and Pap Smear Test, and the Healthy Lifestyle Behavior Scale II were used.

Results

The subdimension scores of the Health Belief Model Scale for Cervical Cancer and Pap Smear Test were found to be higher among women in the study group (cervical cancer seriousness, P = .001; health motivation, P = .001) as compared with the control group after the education program. The SF-36 Health Status Questionnaire domain scores for physical role limitations, mental role limitations, and general health perceptions increased in the study group after the intervention.

Conclusion

The posteducation health motivation of women in the study group was improved, the women's perceptions of obstacles to Papanicolaou testing decreased, and through increased knowledge and awareness, the rate of Papanicolaou testing increased.

Implications for Practice

Educational programs aimed at motivating women to increase their awareness of cervical cancer, preventing cervical cancer, and having Papanicolaou testing are necessary and beneficial in this sample.
Reevaluation of Mandibular Morphometry According to Age, Gender, and Side
Authors: Direk Filiz , Uysal Ismihan Ilknur , Kivrak Ali Sami , Unver Dogan Nadire , Fazliogullari Zeliha , Karabulut Ahmet Kagan
Published: February 2018

Aim:

This study aims to reevaluation the linear and angular measurements of mandibles with multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) that is a new method and used frequently in recent years.

Materials and Methods:

The archived MDCT images of 100 adult patients (age range, 15–74 years) without mandibular operation and trauma history were evaluated retrospectively. Mandibular ramus heights, maximal mandibular length, mandibular symphysis height, mandibular angles, and mandibular foramen distance measurements were performed on MDCT images. All measurement parameters were analyzed by gender, age groups, and sides.

Results:

Mandibular linear length measurements were higher in males than in females (P < 0.05). Only mandibular symphysis height was statistically significantly different in age groups (P < 0.05). The Angle 1 (gonial angle) was found to be significantly higher in females (P < 0.05). The Angle 3 (right condyle–gnathion–left condyle angle) was observed to be significantly higher in the 60+ age group (P < 0.05). The 3 of the mandibular foramen measurements (distance from the front edge, distance to gonion, and height of lingula) were found to be higher in males than in females (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences according to age groups in these measurements. The lengths of the mandibular canals were higher in males (44.72 mm) than in females (41.68 mm). There was no statistically significant difference was found between gender, age groups, and sides of mandibular canal length.

Conclusion:

The MDCT was found to be a reliable method for the detection of mandibular morphometry when compared with the results of other radiographic images studies.
The Natural History of Cranial Morphology in Sagittal Craniosynostosis
Authors: Al-Shaqsi Sultan , Zellner Elizabeth , Ching Jessica , Forrest Chirstopher , Phillips John
Published: February 2018

Background:

Children with craniosynostosis have abnormal head shapes. Parents frequently ask whether the abnormal head shape will get worse with time. However, there is no information in the literature to indicate whether the deformity gets worse.

Objective:

To assess the progression of cranial morphology in children with unoperated craniosynostosis.

Methods:

A retrospective review of all children with unoperated sagittal craniosynostosis who were referred to the Craniofacial Clinic at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) was conducted. Serial 3D photographs of patients with sagittal craniosynostosis who have not undergone surgical correction were included in the study. There were 14 cases included, with 9 males and 5 females. Ages at time of scans ranged from 3 months to 5 years of age (mean = 28.3 months, SD = 28.2 months). Nine patients had the first scan at age of <12 months. Multiple scans for each patient were sized for volume over time and compared with a normative skull database.

Results:

The results of measuring skull volume changes over time revealed no significant difference from infants without craniosynostosis. Furthermore, there cranial index was stable over time in patients with craniosynostosis.

Conclusion:

The severity of craniosynostosis does not worsen or improve with time. Parents having difficulty in deciding to proceed with surgical correction of craniosynostosis can be reassured that the skull deformity will remain stable with the growth of their child if they decide not to proceed with surgical correction.
Single Session Facial Lipostructure by Using Autologous Fat Mixed With Platelet-Rich Fibrin Injected by Using Facial Autologous Muscular Injection Technique
Authors: Al-Chalabi Najwa Jamil Abdulrazzak , Al-Quisi Ahmed Fadhil , Abdul Lateef Thair
Published: February 2018

Aim:

This study was designed to evaluate the role of single session autologous facial fat grafting in correcting facial asymmetries after mixing it with platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and injecting them into rich vascular facial muscular plane.

Materials and Methods:

Fifteen patients (12 females and 3 males) with age ranging from 18 years to 40 years were included in this study and followed up during 6 months, all the patients were treated in the Al-Shaheed Ghazi Al-Hariri for specialized surgeries hospital (Medical City, Baghdad, Iraq).

Autologous fat with PRF injected in facial muscular plane was the standardized method in the treatment of acquired and congenital facial defects.

Results were evaluated by 2 plastic surgeons using visual analogue scale.

Interexaminer and intraexaminer calibration of the visual analogue scale were carried out by using paired t test.

Results:

This prospective study showed that the majority of patients (73.3%) needed only a single session for creating a noticeable improvement in facial volumes and contours.

Conclusions:

Mixing fat with PRF and injecting them by using facial autologous muscular injection technique offers better graft survival by utilizing the growth factors and cytokines in PRF clot together with rich vascular plexus in the muscular layer consequently.
Protective Effects of the Complement Inhibitor Compstatin CP40 in Hemorrhagic Shock
Authors: van Griensven Martijn , Ricklin Daniel , Denk Stephanie , Halbgebauer Rebecca , Braun Christian K. , Schultze Anke , Hönes Felix , Koutsogiannaki Sofia , Primikyri Alexandra , Reis Edimara , Messerer David , Hafner Sebastian , Radermacher Peter , Biglarnia Ali-Reza , Resuello Ranillo R.G. , Tuplano Joel V. , Mayer Benjamin , Nilsson Kristina , Nilsson Bo , Lambris John D. , Huber-Lang Markus
Published: February 2018

Trauma-induced hemorrhagic shock (HS) plays a decisive role in the development of immune, coagulation, and organ dysfunction often resulting in a poor clinical outcome. Imbalanced complement activation is intricately associated with the molecular danger response and organ damage after HS. Thus, inhibition of the central complement component C3 as turnstile of both inflammation and coagulation is hypothesized as a rational strategy to improve the clinical course after HS.

Applying intensive care conditions, anaesthetized, monitored, and protectively ventilated nonhuman primates (NHP; cynomolgus monkeys) received a pressure-controlled severe HS (60 min at mean arterial pressure 30 mmHg) with subsequent volume resuscitation. Thirty minutes after HS, animals were randomly treated with either an analog of the C3 inhibitor compstatin (i.e., Cp40) in saline (n = 4) or with saline alone (n = 4). The observation period lasted 300 min after induction of HS.

We observed improved kidney function in compstatin Cp40-treated animals after HS as determined by improved urine output, reduced damage markers and a tendency of less histopathological signs of acute kidney injury. Sham-treated animals revealed classical signs of mucosal edema, especially in the ileum and colon reflected by worsened microscopic intestinal injury scores. In contrast, Cp40-treated HS animals exhibited only minor signs of organ edema and significantly less intestinal damage. Furthermore, early systemic inflammation and coagulation dysfunction were both ameliorated by Cp40.

The data suggest that therapeutic inhibition of C3 is capable to significantly improve immune, coagulation, and organ function and to preserve organ-barrier integrity early after traumatic HS. C3-targeted complement inhibition may therefore reflect a promising therapeutic strategy in fighting fatal consequences of HS.
The Role of Personality in a Regular Cognitive Monitoring Program
Authors: Sadeq Nasreen A. , Valdes Elise G. , Harrison Bush Aryn L. , Andel Ross
Published: February 2018

Objectives:

This study examines the role of personality in cognitive performance, adherence, and satisfaction with regular cognitive self-monitoring.

Materials and Methods:

One hundred fifty-seven cognitively healthy older adults, age 55+, completed the 44-item Big-Five Inventory and were subsequently engaged in online monthly cognitive monitoring using the Cogstate Brief Battery for up to 35 months (M=14 mo, SD=7 mo). The test measures speed and accuracy in reaction time, visual learning, and working memory tasks.

Results:

Neuroticism, although not related to cognitive performance overall (P>0.05), was related to a greater increase in accuracy (estimate=0.07, P=0.04) and speed (estimate=−0.09, P=0.03) on One Card Learning. Greater conscientiousness was related to faster overall speed on Detection (estimate=−1.62, P=0.02) and a significant rate of improvement in speed on One Card Learning (estimate=−0.10, P<0.03). No differences in satisfaction or adherence to monthly monitoring as a function of neuroticism or conscientiousness were observed.

Conclusions:

Participants volunteering for regular cognitive monitoring may be quite uniform in terms of personality traits, with personality traits playing a relatively minor role in adherence and satisfaction. The more neurotic may exhibit better accuracy and improve in speed with time, whereas the more conscientious may perform faster overall and improve in speed on some tasks, but the effects appear small.
Persistent Chikungunya Virus Replication in Human Cells is Associated with Presence of Stable Cytoplasmic Granules Containing Non-structural Protein 3
Authors: Remenyi Roland , Gao Yanni , Hughes Ruth E , Curd Alistair , Zothner Carsten , Peckham Michelle , Merits Andres , Harris Mark
Published: February 2018

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a mosquito-borne human pathogen, causes a disabling disease characterized by severe joint pain that can persist for weeks, months or even years in patients. The non-structural protein 3 (nsP3) plays essential roles during acute infection, but little is known about the function of nsP3 during chronic disease. Here, we used sub-diffraction multi-color microscopy for a spatial and temporal analysis of CHIKV nsP3 within human cells that persistently replicate viral RNA. Round cytoplasmic granules of various sizes (i) contained nsP3 and G3BP Stress Granule Assembly factor; (ii) were next to double-stranded RNA foci, and nsP1-positive structures; and (iii) made contact with markers of the cytoskeleton and cellular structures, such as early endosomes and nucleopores. Analysis of protein turnover and mobility by live-cell microscopy revealed that granules could persist for hours to days, can accumulate newly synthesized protein, and move at differently through the cytoplasm. Granules also had a static internal architecture and were stable in cell lysates. Whereas cells with active replication and stable nsP3-granules did not respond to oxidative stress, refractory cells that had cleared the non-cytotoxic replicon could. In summary, nsP3 can form uniquely stable granular structures that persist long-term within the host cell. This continued presence of viral and cellular protein-complexes has implications for the study of the pathogenic consequences of lingering CHIKV infection and the development of strategies to mitigate the burden of chronic musculoskeletal disease brought about by a medically important arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus).

Importance

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging alphavirus transmitted by mosquitos and causes widespread transient sickness but also chronic disease affecting muscles and joints. Although no approved vaccines or antivirals are available, a better understanding of the viral life cycle and the role of individual viral proteins can aid in identifying new therapeutic targets. Advances in microscopy and persistent CHIKV model systems now allow researchers to study viral proteins within controlled laboratory environments. Here we established human cells that stably replicate viral RNA and express a tagged version of non-structural protein 3. The ability to track this viral protein within the host cell and during persistent replication can benefit fundamental research efforts to better understand long-term consequences of the persistence of viral protein complexes and thereby provide the foundation for new therapeutic targets to control CHIKV infection and treat chronic disease symptoms.
PAGE4 and Conformational Switching: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Implications for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Lin Xingcheng , Roy Susmita , Jolly Mohit Kumar , Bocci Federico , Schafer Nicholas , Tsai Min-Yeh , Chen Yihong , He Yanan , Grishaev Alexander , Weninger Keith , Orban John , Kulkarni Prakash , Rangarajan Govindan , Levine Herbert , Onuchic José N.
Published: February 2018

Prostate-Associated Gene 4 (PAGE4) is a disordered protein implicated in the progression of prostate cancer. PAGE4 can be phosphorylated at two residue sites by Homeodomain-Interacting Protein Kinase 1 (HIPK1) to facilitate its binding to the Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor. In contrast, a further hyperphosphorylation of PAGE4 by CDC-Like Kinase 2 (CLK2) reduces its binding affinity to AP-1, thus affecting the androgen receptor (AR) activity. Both SAXS and smFRET experiments have shown a structural expansion of PAGE4 upon hyperphosphorylation and a significant increase in size at its N-terminal half than that at its C-terminus. To understand the molecular mechanism underlying this structural transition, we performed a series of constant temperature molecular dynamics simulations using Atomistic AWSEM — a multi-scale molecular model combining detailed atomistic and coarse-grained simulation approaches. Our simulations show that electrostatic interaction drives a transient formation of an N-terminal loop, which causes the change in size for different phosphorylated forms of PAGE4. Phosphorylation also changes the preference of secondary structure formation of PAGE4, which signifies a transition between states that display different degree of disorder. Finally, we construct a mechanism-based mathematical model that allows us to capture the interactions of different forms of PAGE4 with AP-1 and AR, a key therapeutic target in prostate cancer. Our model predicts intracellular oscillatory dynamics of HIPK1-PAGE4, CLK2-PAGE4 and AR activity, indicating phenotypic heterogeneity in an isogenic cell population. Thus, conformational switching among different forms of PAGE4 may potentially affect the efficiency of therapeutic targeting of AR.
Size-dependent movement explains why bigger is better in fragmented landscapes
Authors: Hillaert Jasmijn , Hovestadt Thomas , Vandegehuchte Martijn L. , Bonte Dries
Published: February 2018

Body size is a fundamental trait known to allometrically scale with metabolic rate, and therefore a key determinant of individual development, life history and consequently fitness. In spatially structured environments, movement is an equally important driver of fitness. Because movement is tightly coupled with body size, we expect habitat fragmentation to induce a strong selection pressure on size variation across and within species. Changes in body size distributions are then, in turn, expected to alter food web dynamics. However, no consensus has been reached on how spatial isolation and resource growth affect body size distributions.

Our aim was to investigate how these two factors shape the body size distribution of consumers under scenarios of size-dependent and -independent consumer movement by applying a mechanistic, individual-based resource-consumer model. The outcome was then linked to important ecosystem traits such as resource abundance and stability. Finally, we determined those factors that explain most variation in size distributions.

We demonstrate that decreasing connectivity and resource growth select for communities (or populations) consisting of larger species (or individuals) due to strong selection for the ability to move over longer distances. When including size-dependent movement, moderate levels of connectivity result in increases in local size diversity. Due to this elevated functional diversity, resource uptake is optimized at the metapopulation or metacommunity level. At these intermediate levels of connectivity, size-dependent movement explains most of the observed variation in size distributions. Interestingly, local and spatial stability of consumer biomass are lowest when isolation and resource productivity are high. Finally, we highlight that size-dependent movement is of vital importance for the survival of populations within highly fragmented landscapes. Our results demonstrate that considering size-dependent movement and resource growth is essential to understand patterns of size distributions at the population or community level and the resulting metapopulation or metacommunity dynamics.
Edge fires drive the shape and stability of tropical forests
Authors: Hébert-Dufresne Laurent , Pellegrini Adam F. A. , Bhat Uttam , Redner Sidney , Pacala Stephen W. , Berdahl Andrew M.
Published: February 2018

In tropical regions, fires propagate readily in grasslands but typically consume only edges of forest patches. Thus forest patches grow due to tree propagation and shrink by fires in surrounding grasslands. The interplay between these competing edge effects is unknown, but critical in determining the shape and stability of individual forest patches, as well the landscape-level spatial distribution and stability of forests. We analyze high-resolution remote-sensing data from protected areas of the Brazilian Cerrado and find that forest shapes obey a robust perimeter-area scaling relation across climatic zones. We explain this scaling by introducing a heterogeneous fire propagation model for tropical forest-grassland ecotones. Deviations from this perimeter-area relation determine the stability of individual forest patches. At a larger scale, our model predicts that the relative rates of tree growth due to propagative expansion and long-distance seed dispersal determine whether collapse of regional-scale tree cover is continuous or discontinuous as fire frequency changes.
Modelling cell-cell interactions from spatial molecular data with spatial variance component analysis
Authors: Arnol Damien , Schapiro Denis , Bodenmiller Bernd , Saez-Rodriguez Julio , Stegle Oliver
Published: February 2018

Technological advances allow for assaying multiplexed spatially resolved RNA and protein expression profiling of individual cells, thereby capturing physiological tissue contexts of single cell variation. While methods for the high-throughput generation of spatial expression profiles are increasingly accessible, computational methods for studying the relevance of the spatial organization of tissues on cell-cell heterogeneity are only beginning to emerge. Here, we presentspatial variance component analysis (SVCA),a computational framework for the analysis of spatial molecular data. SVCA enables quantifying the effect of cell-cell interactions, as well as environmental and intrinsic cell features on the expression levels of individual genes or proteins. In application to a breast cancer Imaging Mass Cytometry dataset, our model allows for robustly estimating spatial variance signatures, identifying cell-cell interactions as a major driver of expression heterogeneity. Finally, we apply SVCA to high-dimensional imaging-derived RNA data, where we identify molecular pathways that are linked to cell-cell interactions.