bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Presentation, Prognostic Factors, and Outcome in Neutropenic Enteropathy of Childhood Leukemia
Authors: User İdil Rana , Akbayram Sinan , Özokutan Bülent Hayri
Published: December 2017

Leukemia patients are at risk for neutropenic enteropathy (NEP) because of the effects of intensified chemotherapy. Medical records of 18 patients having 20 episodes of NEP were reviewed retrospectively. Primary diagnosis was acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 12 and myeloblastic leukemia in 6 cases. According to prognosis, 3 patients were in the standard-risk group, 6 in the moderate-risk group, and 9 in the high-risk group. Ultrasonography detected increased bowel wall thickness in 6 patients. Abdominal x-ray revealed air-fluid levels (n=8), pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumoperitoneum (n=1), and portal venous gas (n=1). All patients received medical treatment, and 1 with unrelieved hematochezia required resection of the cecum. Two cases with appendicitis and another 1 with pneumoperitoneum responded to antibiotics and recovered without surgery. The mortality rate was 30% and related to sepsis-induced complications. The presence of hypokalemia, hypoalbuminemia, metabolic acidosis, and admission to the intensive care unit were more common in patients with mortality (P=0.01). In conclusion, NEP should be kept in mind as a treatable but potentially lethal complication of childhood leukemia. Radiologic findings should be interpreted in conjunction with clinical picture. A conservative approach should be used in all cases but surgery can be considered in some situations.
Fever and Skin Involvement at Diagnosis Predicting the Intractable Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: 40 Case-Series in a Single Center
Authors: Kobayashi Tetsuko , Koga Yuhki , Ishimura Masataka , Nakashima Kentaro , Kato Wakako , Ono Hiroaki , Sonoda Motoshi , Eguchi Katsuhide , Fukano Reiji , Honjo Satoshi , Oda Yoshinao , Ohga Shouichi
Published: December 2017

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) occurs as a clonal disease with enigmatic immune responses. LCH patients occasionally present with fever, although the significance remains elusive. We investigated the predicting factors for developing intractable disease of refractory and/or reactivated LCH. In total, 40 pediatric LCH patients managed in Kyushu University from 1998 to 2014 were enrolled. The medical records were analyzed retrospectively. Sixteen patients suffered from multisystem (MS) LCH involving risk organs (ROs) (n=4) or not (n=12). In total, 24 patients had single-system LCH affecting bone (multi n=8, single n=13), skin (n=2), or lymph node lesions (n=1). Eight patients had the intractable disease of 7 MS or 1 multibone LCH. Two patients died from MS LCH with or without RO involvement. Ten patients showed persistent fever (>38°C) at onset. Intractable cases had fever, RO and skin involvement, leukocytosis, coagulopathy, microcytic anemia, higher levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor and C-reactive protein, more frequently at diagnosis. Multivariate analysis indicated that fever and skin lesions at diagnosis were independently associated with the intractability (odds ratio: fever, 35.5; 95% confidence interval, 3.0-1229.1; skin lesions, 24.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.9-868.7). Initial fever and skin involvement might predict the development of intractable and fatal-risk LCH even without the RO involvement.
Comparison of mobility and user satisfaction between a microprocessor knee and a standard prosthetic knee: a summary of seven single-subject trials
Authors: Howard Charla L. , Wallace Chris , Perry Bonnie , Stokic Dobrivoje S.
Published: December 2017

Insufficient evidence of the benefits provided by costlier microprocessor knees (MPKs) over nonmicroprocessor knees (NMPKs) often causes concern when considering MPK prescription. Thus, more studies are needed to demonstrate differences between MPKs and NMPKs and define sensitive outcomes to guide MPK prescription. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of switching from NMPK to MPK on measures of mobility and preference. Seven long-term NMPK users (all men, ages 50–84, 3–64 years postamputation) participated in this study, which use a single-subject design (ABA or BAB; A=NMPK, B=MPK). Mobility was assessed with the Amputee Mobility Predictor, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), L-Test, 6-Min Walk Test (6MWT) with Physiological Cost Index, and self-selected normal and very fast gait speeds. The preference between NMPK and MPK was evaluated by the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire (PEQ) and the visual analog scale. Mobility improved with the MPK in six of seven participants, which was most often captured with BBS (median: +6 points) and 6MWT (median: +63 m). These improvements typically exceeded minimal clinically important difference or minimal detectable change thresholds. Most participants scored the MPK higher on the PEQ (median: +20 points) and six of seven expressed a global preference toward MPK. In the BAB group, the Amputee Mobility Predictor and BBS correlated with perception of change on several PEQ domains (Ρ≥0.59). In conclusion, MPKs may provide better outcomes and user satisfaction, particularly in those with lower mobility function. BBS and 6MWT were found to be the most sensitive measures to capture changes in mobility while using MPK for several weeks.
Effects of rehabilitation aftercare on work participation in patients with musculoskeletal disorders: a propensity score-matched analysis
Authors: Fechtner Stephanie , Bethge Matthias
Published: December 2017

Meta-analyses of rehabilitation studies in chronic back pain patients in Germany showed a lack of sustainability of rehabilitation programs. The German Pension Insurance therefore developed an intensified aftercare program to support rehabilitation outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare disability pension rates, income from regular employment, and duration of welfare benefits in patients with and without rehabilitation aftercare. We used administrative data on finished rehabilitation services. Patients were included if they were aged 18–60 years, had musculoskeletal disorders, and attended an outpatient or an inpatient rehabilitation program during the first term of 2007. Patients were excluded if they received an old-age pension, started a disability pension before January 2008, or died during the follow-up period. Patients with rehabilitation aftercare were matched by propensity scores with patients without rehabilitation aftercare. Estimation of the propensity score considered 20 potential confounders. There were no differences in the cumulative probability of receiving a disability pension. Moreover, patients with and without aftercare did not differ in their income from regular employment and the duration of different types of welfare benefits during the follow-up period. However, stratified analyses found a positive effect of an aftercare program on income in patients who attended a postacute rehabilitation program and patients who were at least 3 months absent because of sickness during the year preceding the initial rehabilitation program. Only patients with strong impairments benefit from attending an aftercare program. Allocation to aftercare programs and the focus on exercise only have to be reconsidered and revised.
USP <800> and Strategies to Promote Hazardous Drug Safety
Authors: Eisenberg Seth
Published: December 2017

The term hazardous drug (HD) includes medications that have any of the following properties: carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, reproductive toxicities, genotoxicities, toxicities at low doses, and a structure that mimics other drugs meeting the criteria. Numerous studies continue to demonstrate widespread environmental contamination and human uptake of these agents. Safe handling guidelines have existed for more than 30 years but have not been routinely implemented. USP General Chapter 800 (USP <800>) represents a new enforceable standard for HD safety. Nurses will need to understand the impact of USP <800>, which is expected to be enforced beginning December 1, 2019.
Catheter Occlusion in Home Infusion
Authors: Williams Ann
Published: December 2017

Thrombotic catheter occlusion is a common complication associated with central venous catheters (CVCs). A wide variety of needleless connectors that differ greatly in design and function are available for use with CVCs; however, there are a limited number of studies comparing the catheter occlusion rate associated with differently designed needleless connectors. This retrospective observational study compared occlusion rates associated with a split-septum neutral-displacement needleless connector versus those of a solid-surface neutral-reflux needleless connector in patients undergoing home infusion therapy. The neutral-reflux needleless connector was associated with a significant reduction in occlusion rate and thrombolytic use versus the neutral-displacement needleless connector.
Enteral Nutrients and Gastrointestinal Physiology
Authors: Barnes Jennifer L.
Published: December 2017

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a highly efficient organ system with specialized structures to facilitate digestion and absorption of nutrients to meet the body's needs. The presence of nutrients in the GI tract supports optimal structure and function, stimulates regulatory hormones, and supports the microbiota, the population of microorganisms residing in the GI tract. A lack of enteral nutrition (EN) results in impaired GI integrity and serious patient complications, making EN a priority. Normal GI physiology is reviewed, and the regulatory impact of luminal nutrients on GI function is discussed.
Is This a Blood Transfusion Reaction? Don't Hesitate; Check It Out
Authors: DeLisle Julie
Published: December 2017

Blood transfusions can be lifesaving. The majority are completed without incident. However, every transfusion recipient runs the risk of developing a transfusion reaction or adverse event. These reactions can be acute, occurring during or soon after transfusion, or delayed, occurring days to weeks later. Nurses need to be able to recognize and respond to these reactions appropriately.
Difficulties Related to Peripheral Intravenous Access in Children in an Emergency Room
Authors: de Freitas Floriano Claudia Maria , Machado Avelar Ariane Ferreira , Sorgini Peterlini Maria Angélica
Published: December 2017

This prospective study examined the characteristics of children admitted to a pediatric emergency department and the factors that influenced the successful establishment of peripheral intravenous (IV) access. Descriptive and correlational analysis was completed using a convenience sample of 89 patients. Peripheral IV access was successful in 95.7% of the children, and the first attempt at insertion was successful in 53% of the procedures. Factors influencing the success of peripheral IV access were the patient's gender, skin color, presence of difficult-to-see veins, small veins, presence of fever, and a lack of palpable veins.
Strategies to Reduce Patient Harm From Infusion-Associated Medication Errors
Authors: Wolf Zane Robinson
Published: December 2017

A scoping review of the literature examined strategies to prevent infusion-associated medication errors. Twenty articles were appraised and revealed studies using different research designs and types of literature reviews. Most were rated low quality. Observations in clinical agencies and laboratory settings were sites of some investigations. The work environment—including staffing, health care providers' education and supervision, standardizing equipment, protocols that supported medication decision-making and administration processes, medication lists, computerized devices, and cognitive aids—were addressed as strategies. The array of studies points to aspects of the complexity of the administration process for infusion-associated medications.
Resilience, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Posttraumatic Growth in Chinese Adolescents After a Tornado
Authors: Yuan Guangzhe , Xu Wei , Liu Zhen , An Yuanyuan
Published: December 2017

Previous studies have shown that resilience is associated with lower severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and more posttraumatic growth (PTG) in people who have experienced traumatic events. The present study investigated the ways in which resilience is related to PTSD symptoms and to PTG in Chinese traumatized adolescents by considering the role of perceived social support. A total of 247 Chinese adolescents who had experienced a severe tornado 3 months before this study were recruited for this study. The results showed that our model fitted the data very well (χ
2 = 195.691; df = 96; χ
2/df = 2.038; root mean square error of approximation = 0.065; Tucker-Lewis index = 0.959; comparative fit index = 0.967) and reveal that perceived social support partially mediates the relationship between resilience, PTSD severity, and PTG. The clinical implications and limitations of our research and the recommendations for future research are discussed in this article.
Exploration of the Associations Between Responses to Affective States and Psychopathology in Two Samples of People Confronted With the Loss of a Loved One
Authors: Lenferink Lonneke I.M. , Wessel Ineke , Boelen Paul A.
Published: December 2017

Adaptive regulation of positive and negative affect after the loss of a loved one may foster recovery. In two studies, using similar methods but different samples, we explored the association between positive (i.e., dampening and enhancing) and negative (i.e., rumination) affect regulation strategies and symptoms levels of postloss psychopathology. Study 1 used data from 187 people confronted with the death of a loved one. In study 2, the sample consisted of 134 relatives of long-term missing persons. Participants completed self-reports tapping prolonged grief, depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and affect regulation strategies. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that both negative and positive affect regulation strategies explained significant amounts of variance symptom levels in both samples. In line with previous work, our results suggest that negative and positive affect regulation strategies relate to postloss psychopathology. Future research should explore how both affect regulation strategies may adequately be addressed in treatment.
Can We Predict and Prevent Subclinical Depression in Adolescents?
Authors: Miloseva Lence , Vukosavljevic-Gvozden Tatjana , Milosev Vladimir , Davis Thompson
Published: December 2017

The purposes of this article were to determine which risk factors are significant predictors of the occurrence of depression in adolescence and to discriminate among clinical, subclinical, and control groups. The sample consisted of 412 adolescents (61.7% female, 38.3% male) aged 13 to 17 years. Cognitive vulnerability factors for depression (i.e., dysfunctional attitudes, negative inferential style, ruminative response style) and psychosocial risk factors (i.e., negative life events, perceived social support) were measured. Subsequent discriminant function analysis indicated that it was possible to distinguish groups on the basis of the mentioned predictors, and it allocated two discriminant functions (significant at p < 0.001). Unexpectedly, ruminative response style was the most powerful discriminative predictor possessing a positive and adaptive part, and, at the same time, it maximally distinguished the subclinical group from the clinical and control groups.
Learning Sterile Procedures Through Transformative Reflection
Authors: Cernusca Dan , Thompson Shila , Riggins Janet
Published: December 2017

This project was implemented to determine if the combination of video recording and reflection could enhance student learning of specific nursing skills. Students’ answers to open-ended questions validated the importance of iPad videos for their skill improvement. The findings confirmed that iPad videos provided an effective tool for students to evaluate their performance and reflect on methods for improvement.
Cortical Expression of the Polysialylated Isoform of the Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule on Brain Tissue to Recognize Drug-Related Death
Authors: Cirielli Vito , Cima Luca , Chindemi Chiara , Danzi Olivia , Ghimenton Claudio , Eccher Albino , Mauriello Silvestro , Bortolotti Federica , De Leo Domenico , Brunelli Matteo , Tagliaro Franco
Published: December 2017

The polysialylated isoform of the neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) has been shown to be a key player in neuroplastic changes and is expressed in various disorders. We investigated the PSA-NCAM expression on brain cortical tissue in a cohort of drug-related deaths. Brains from 25 drug abusers and 10 control subjects were removed at autopsy, and 2 samples of the right parietal lobe of each case were obtained. The polysialylated isoform of NCAM was evaluated on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues. Eleven patients were polydrug abusers; 14 used a single substance. The mechanisms of death were acute respiratory failure (n = 19), cardiorespiratory failure (n = 4), acute heart failure (n = 1), and brain injury (n = 1). Toxicological analyses of blood were available for all cases, and urine and bile analyses for 19 of 25 cases. The polysialylated isoform of NCAM immunoexpression in the neuronal soma and dendritic spines was observed in 18 (72%) of 25 drug abusers and in 2 (20%) of 10 control subjects. Drug abusers were statistically more positive for PSA-NCAM than control subjects (P = 0.0082). The expression of PSA-NCAM in the parietal cortex could be an indicator of brain damage due to drug abuse, and its availability could allow the forensic pathologists to develop rapid and low-cost additional or alternative method to improve detection of drug-related deaths.
Analysis of MTR and MTRR Gene Polymorphisms in Chinese Patients With Ventricular Septal Defect
Authors: Su Jiang , Li Zhongzhi
Published: December 2017

Background:

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common birth defects and ventricular septal defects (VSDs) are one of the most common types of CHDs. Genes involved in homocysteine/folate metabolism may play important roles in CHDs. Methionine synthase and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) are key regulatory enzymes involved in the metabolic pathway of homocysteine.

Methods:

We investigated whether a polymorphism (A2756G) of the methionine synthase and 2 polymorphisms (A66G and C524T) of the MTRR gene are associated with VSDs. A total of 183 children with VSDs and 201 healthy children were studied.

Results:

The polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of the amplified product. Significant differences in the distributions of the A66G and C524T alleles were observed between VSD cases and controls, and a slightly increased risk of VSDs was associated with either of the 66AG, 524CT, and 524TT genotypes [odds ratios (OR)=1.796, 1.909, and 2.088, respectively]. The genotype frequency of 66AG in VSDs patients was significantly different from those of controls (ORs=3.147). In addition, the combined 66AG/524CT and 66GG/524TT in VSDs had ORs 2.937 and 5.344, respectively.

Conclusions:

MTRR A66G and C524T polymorphisms are associated with increased risk of VSDs.
Septic Arthritis, Osteomyelitis, and Pyomyositis in a Previously Healthy Infant
Authors: Bline Katherine , Denny Sarah A.
Published: December 2017

Septic arthritis of the shoulder is rare in the pediatric population. In younger children and infants, it can be very difficult to diagnose. Septic arthritis of the shoulder is more commonly associated with concurrent osteomyelitis when compared to septic arthritis of the lower extremity. We describe a case of a 9-month-old patient with septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and pyomyositis of the shoulder, and a discussion of diagnosis and management of pediatric bone and joint infection in the emergency department setting.
Dexamethasone Compared to Prednisone for the Treatment of Children With Acute Asthma Exacerbations
Authors: Abaya Ruth , Jones Laura , Zorc Joseph J.
Published: December 2017

Systemic corticosteroids are recommended in clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of acute asthma exacerbation based on evidence demonstrating reduced hospitalizations and improved outcomes after administration in the emergency department. Although prednisone and related oral preparations have been recommended previously, researchers have assessed dexamethasone as an alternative based on its longer biologic half-life and improved palatability. Systematic reviews of multiple small trials and 2 larger trials have found no difference in revisits to the emergency department compared to prednisone for dexamethasone given either as an intramuscular injection or orally. Studies of oral administration have found reduced emesis for dexamethasone compared to prednisone both in the emergency department and for a second oral dose, typically given 24 to 48 hours later. Studies assessing a single dose of dexamethasone have found equivalent improvement at follow-up but with some evidence of increased symptoms and increased need for additional corticosteroids compared to multiple doses of prednisone. Future research could further assess dexamethasone dose, formulation, and frequency and measure other related adverse effects such as behavior change. Consideration of baseline differences within the heterogeneous population of children requiring acute care for asthma may also guide the design of an optimal dexamethasone regimen.
Emergency Point-of-Care Ultrasound Identification of Pediatric Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Malfunctions
Authors: Shellshear Deborah , Snelling Peter James , O’Brien Adam , Barrett Michael Joseph
Published: December 2017

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunctions should be accurately and efficiently diagnosed. In this case series, we describe the use of point-of-care ultrasound to rapidly identify pediatric ventriculoperitoneal shunt tubing fracture, obstruction, and infection.
18F-FDG PET/CT in Primary Hepatic Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Ma Guangyu , Li Jie , Xu Baixuan , Fu Liping
Published: December 2017

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors are extremely rare and difficult to distinguish from other liver tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. We present a case of primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor in which 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging played an important role in the diagnosis.
Metastatic Solitary Fibrous Tumor With Doege-Potter Syndrome
Authors: Bailly Clement , Bichali Alroumani Myriam , Douane Frederic , Ansquer Catherine , Drui Delphine
Published: December 2017

Solitary fibrous tumor is a rare type of mesenchymal neoplasm that can be associated to a paraneoplastic severe hypoglycemia due to the overproduction of insulinlike growth factor type 2: Doege-Potter syndrome. When surgical resection is impossible or unsuccessful, alternative therapies were described with heterogeneous efficiency. We report the use of radioembolization with 90Y-labeled glass microspheres in this application. Regarding the excellent results obtained and the potential interest of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy suggested by overexpression of somatostatin receptors in our patient, the place of targeted radionuclide therapies deserves to be explored in this group of tumors.
Incidental Detection of Metastatic Malignant Melanoma on 68Ga–Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen PET/CT Imaging
Authors: Anconina Reut , Hod Nir , Levin Daniel , Ezroh Kazap Dina , Lantsberg Sophie
Published: December 2017

An 80-year-old man with suspected recurrent prostate carcinoma underwent 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT, which showed enlarged axillary lymph nodes with intensely increased 68Ga-PSMA uptake, an atypical site for prostate cancer metastasis. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy revealed metastatic malignant melanoma. FDG PET/CT revealed congruent intense FDG uptake. Therefore, malignant melanoma should be included in the list of malignancies that can be seen positive on 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT. In unclear 68Ga-PSMA PET–positive lesions, further clarification with other imaging techniques or biopsy is mandatory to avoid scan misinterpretation. Review of the literature revealed other non–prostate cancer causes of elevated PSMA uptake classified into neoplastic and nonneoplastic conditions.
High 18F-FDG Avidity of Low-Grade Esthesioneuroblastoma
Authors: Jannin Arnaud , Turpin Anthony , Baillet Clio , Aubert Sébastien , Do Cao Christine
Published: December 2017

Esthesioneuroblastoma is a rare neuroectodermic tumor of the olfactory tract. An 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed in a 75-year-old woman with cervical lymphadenopathy. It demonstrated focal intense uptake (SUVmax, 72 g/mL) in an occult sphenoclival tumor. Anatomopathological examination of the lymphadenopathy and the primary tumor biopsy revealed well-differentiated esthesioneuroblastoma. Explaining the paradox between tumor differentiation and PET findings, immunohistochemistry showed low Ki-67 but overexpression of GLUT-1 suggesting an activation of hypoxia pathways. Unlike many solid tumors, FDG avidity is not correlated with histological grade in esthesioneuroblastoma. The tumor biology may clarify the discrepancy between metabolic activity and cellular mitotic processes.
Stress Lymphoscintigraphy for Early Detection and Management of Secondary Limb Lymphedema
Authors: Tartaglione Girolamo , Visconti Giuseppe , Bartoletti Roberto , Gentileschi Stefano , Salgarello Marzia , Rubello Domenico , Colletti Patrick M.
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Cancer treatments with axillary or pelvic lymph nodes dissection and radiation place patients at lifelong risk for the development of secondary lymphedema. Our aim was to evaluate the role of stress lymphoscintigraphy for early detection and management of secondary lymphedema.

Methods

Stress lymphoscintigraphy was performed within 1 year after surgery and the completion of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. All patients were classified by the International Society of Lymphology clinical stages from 0 to 3. A dose of 50 MBq of 99mTc-HSA-nanocolloidal in 0.4mL was injected intradermally at the first and fourth intermetacarpal spaces on the hand, for the upper limb with edema, or at the first intermetatarsal space and at the lateral malleolus for lower extremities. Two planar static scans at rest were acquired immediately after tracer injection. Stress scans were acquired after weight lifting for upper extremity or stepping for 2 minutes for lower-extremity edema. After that, the patients underwent prolonged muscular exercise limited by symptoms, and later scans were acquired at 60 minutes to visualize regional lymph nodes and the effects of sustained muscular exercise. Transport Index was evaluated.

Results

Five patterns of lymphoscintigraphy were observed. In our experience, patients with types I to III pattern benefit from an exercise program as a first-line treatment. Patterns IVand V seem to be predictive of lymphedema.

Conclusions

The abnormal patterns found may provide the basis for earlier complex physical therapy or microsurgical treatment of lymphatic disorders in patients resulting in improved outcomes.
Extramedullary Infiltration of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Multiple Organs on FDG PET/CT
Authors: Zhang Shuxin , Wang Wei , Kan Ying , Liu Jie , Yang Jigang
Published: December 2017

Concurrent extramedullary infiltration in multiple organs is uncommon in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A 21-year-old woman who presented fatigue had a new diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia underwent FDG PET/CT. The images demonstrated extramedullary infiltration in multiple organs, including the liver, pancreas, kidney and the bone. However, no clinical signs or laboratory tests were suggestive of the involvement of these organs. After four cycles of chemotherapy, the patient’s symptoms were relieved and all previously visualized abnormal activity disappeared on the follow-up FDG PET/CT.
Relationship Between the Elevated Muscle FDG Uptake in the Distal Upper Extremities on PET/CT Scan and Prescan Utilization of Mobile Devices in Young Patients
Authors: Bai Xia , Wang Xuemei , Zhuang Hongming
Published: December 2017

Purpose

It is common to notice increased FDG activity in the muscles of the forearms or hands on PET/CT images. The purpose of this study was to determine relationship between the prevalence of increased FDG activity in the forearms or hands and using mobile devices prior to the FDG PET/CT study.

Methods

A total of 443 young patients with ages between 5 and 19 years who underwent FDG PET/CT scan were included in this retrospective analysis. All patients had FDG PET/CT with their arms within the field of views. The images were reviewed for elevated activity in the muscles of the distal upper extremities (DUEs), which include forearms and hands. The preimaging questionnaire/interview records regarding using mobile devices prior to FDG PET/CT were also reviewed and compared with the imaging findings.

Results

Most patients (72.0% [319/443]) used mobile devices more than 60 minutes in the period of 24 hours prior to the FDG PET/CT study. Elevated uptake in the muscles in the DUEs was observed in 38.6% (123/319) of these patients. In contrast, among 124 patients who did not use the mobile devices or used the mobile device minimally prior to the study, only 6.5% (8/124) of them had elevated FDG activity in the DUEs. The difference persisted following stratification analysis for sex, age, and serum glucose level in our patient population.

Conclusions

Increased FDG uptake in the muscles of the DUEs in young patients is commonly seen in those who used mobile devices prior to PET/CT study. Recommendation should be considered to reduce using mobile devices prior to FDG PET/CT study in young patient population.
The numerical abilities of anurans and their neural correlates: insights from neuroethological studies of acoustic communication
Authors: Rose Gary J.
Published: January 2018

Acoustic communication is important in the reproductive behaviour of anurans. The acoustic repertoire of most species consists of several call types, but some anurans gradually increase the complexity of their calls during aggressive interactions between males and when approached by females. In these interactions, males may closely match the number of calls or notes in a sequence that a neighbour produces, thereby revealing their numerical abilities. Anurans are also able to discern the number of sequential properly timed pulses (notes). The temporal intervals between successive pulses provide information about species identity and call type. A neural correlate of this numerical ability is evident in the responses of ‘interval-counting’ neurons, which show ‘tuning’ for intermediate to fast pulse rates and respond only after at least a threshold number of pulses have occurred with the correct timing. A single interpulse interval that is two to three times the optimal value can reset this interval-counting process. Whole-cell recordings from midbrain neurons,
in vivo
, have revealed that complex interplay between activity-dependent excitation and inhibition contributes to this counting process. Single pulses primarily elicit inhibition. As additional pulses are presented with optimal intervals, cells become progressively depolarized and spike after a threshold number of intervals have occurred.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘The origins of numerical abilities’.
From number sense to number symbols. An archaeological perspective
Authors: d'Errico Francesco , Doyon Luc , Colagé Ivan , Queffelec Alain , Le Vraux Emma , Giacobini Giacomo , Vandermeersch Bernard , Maureille Bruno
Published: January 2018

How and when did hominins move from the numerical cognition that we share with the rest of the animal world to number symbols? Objects with sequential markings have been used to store and retrieve numerical information since the beginning of the European Upper Palaeolithic (42 ka). An increase in the number of markings and complexity of coding is observed towards the end of this period. The application of new analytical techniques to a 44–42 ka old notched baboon fibula from Border Cave, South Africa, shows that notches were added to this bone at different times, suggesting that devices to store numerical information were in use before the Upper Palaeolithic. Analysis of a set of incisions on a 72–60 ka old hyena femur from the Les Pradelles Mousterian site, France, indicates, by comparison with markings produced by modern subjects under similar constraints, that the incisions on the Les Pradelles bone may have been produced to record, in a single session, homologous units of numerical information. This finding supports the view that numerical notations were in use among archaic hominins. Based on these findings, a testable five-stage scenario is proposed to establish how prehistoric cultures have moved from number sense to the use of number symbols.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘The origins of numerical abilities’.
High- to low-level decoding does not generally improve perceptual performance
Authors: Luu Long , Qiu Cheng , Stocker Alan A.
Published: December 2017

Ding et al. (1) recently proposed that the brain automatically encodes high-level, relative stimulus information (i.e. the ordinal relation between two lines), which it then uses to constrain the decoding of low-level, absolute stimulus features (i.e. when recalling the actual lines orientation). This is an interesting idea that is in line with the self-consistent Bayesian observer model (2, 3) and may have important implications for understanding how the brain processes sensory information. However, the notion suggested in Ding et al. (1) that the brain uses this decoding strategy because it improves perceptual performance is misleading. Here we clarify the decoding model and compare its perceptual performance under various noise and signal conditions.
Circuit and cellular mechanisms facilitate the transformation from dense to sparse coding in the insect olfactory system
Authors: Betkiewicz Rinaldo , Lindner Benjamin , Nawrot Martin P.
Published: December 2017

Transformations between sensory representations are shaped by neural mechanisms at the cellular and the circuit level. In the insect olfactory system encoding of odor information undergoes a transition from a dense spatio-temporal population code in the antennal lobe to a sparse code in the mushroom body. However, the exact mechanisms shaping odor representations and their role in sensory processing are incompletely identified. Here, we investigate the transformation from dense to sparse odor representations in a spiking model of the insect olfactory system, focusing on two ubiquitous neural mechanisms: spike-frequency adaptation at the cellular level and lateral inhibition at the circuit level. We find that cellular adaptation is essential for sparse representations in time (temporal sparseness), while lateral inhibition regulates sparseness in the neuronal space (population sparseness). The interplay of both mechanisms shapes dynamical odor representations, which are optimized for discrimination of odors during stimulus onset and offset. In addition, we find that odor identity is stored on a prolonged time scale in the adaptation levels but not in the spiking activity of the principal cells of the mushroom body, providing a testable hypothesis for the location of the so-called odor trace.
Satiation State-dependent Dopaminergic Control of Food Seeking in Drosophila
Authors: Landayan Dan , Feldman David S. , Wolf Fred W.
Published: December 2017

Hunger evokes stereotypic behaviors that favor the discovery of nutrients. The neural pathways that coordinate internal and external cues to motivate food seeking behaviors are only partly known. Drosophila that are food deprived increase locomotor activity, are more efficient in locating a discrete source of nutrition, and are willing to overcome adversity to obtain food. Here we developed a semi-naturalistic assay and show that two distinct dopaminergic neural circuits regulate food-seeking behaviors. One group, the PAM neurons, functions in food deprived flies while the other functions in well fed flies, and both promote food seeking. These satiation state-dependent circuits converge on dopamine D1 receptor-expressing Kenyon cells of the mushroom body, where neural activity promotes food seeking behavior independent of satiation state. These findings provide evidence for active food seeking in well-fed flies that is separable from hunger-driven seeking.
Deep learning reveals many more inter-protein residue-residue contacts than direct coupling analysis
Authors: Zhou Tian-ming , Wang Sheng , Xu Jinbo
Published: December 2017

Intra-protein residue-level contact prediction has drawn a lot of attentions in recent years and made very good progress, but much fewer methods are dedicated to inter-protein contact prediction, which are important for understanding how proteins interact at structure and residue level. Direct coupling analysis (DCA) is popular for intra-protein contact prediction, but extending it to inter-protein contact prediction is challenging since it requires too many interlogs (i.e., interacting homologs) to be effective, which cannot be easily fulfilled especially for a putative interacting protein pair in eukaryotes. We show that deep learning, even trained by only intra-protein contact maps, works much better than DCA for inter-protein contact prediction. We also show that a phylogeny-based method can generate a better multiple sequence alignment for eukaryotes than existing genome-based methods and thus, lead to better inter-protein contact prediction. Our method shall be useful for protein docking, protein interaction prediction and protein interaction network construction.
Localized Recombination Drives Diversification of Killing Spectra for Phage Derived Syringacins
Authors: Baltrus David A. , Clark Meara , Smith Caitlin , Hockett Kevin L.
Published: December 2017

To better understand the potential for detrimental interactions between strains of the same bacterial species, we have surveyed bacteriocin killing activity across a diverse suite of strains of the phytopathogenPseudomonas syringae.Our data demonstrate that killing activity from phage derived bacteriocins ofP. syringae(R-type syringacins) is widespread. Despite a high overall diversity of bacteriocin activity, strains can broadly be classified into five main killing types and two main sensitivity types. Furthermore, we show that killing activity switches frequently between strains, and that switches correlate with localized recombination of two genes that together encode the proteins that specify bacteriocin targeting. Lastly, we demonstrate that phage derived bacteriocin killing activity can be swapped between strains simply through expression of these two genesin trans.Overall, our study characterizes extensive diversity of killing activity for phage derived bacteriocins ofP. syringaeacross strains and highlights the power of localized recombination to alter phenotypes that mediate strain interactions during evolution of natural populations and communities.
Scalable volumetric imaging for ultrahigh-speed brain mapping at synaptic resolution
Authors: Wang Hao , Zhu Qingyuan , Ding Lufeng , Shen Yan , Yang Chao-Yu , Xu Fang , Shu Chang , Guo Yujie , Xiong Zhiwei , Shan Qinghong , Jia Fan , Su Peng , Yang Qian-Ru , Li Bing , He Xiaobin , Chen Xi , Wu Feng , Zhou Jiang-Ning , Xu Fuqiang , Han Hua , Lau Pak-Ming , Bi Guo-Qiang
Published: December 2017

We describe a new light-sheet microscopy method for fast, large-scale volumetric imaging. Combining synchronized scanning illumination and oblique imaging over cleared, thick tissue sections in smooth motion, our approach achieves high-speed 3D image acquisition of an entire mouse brain within 2 hours, at a resolution capable of resolving synaptic spines. It is compatible with immunofluorescence labeling, enabling flexible cell-type specific brain mapping, and is readily scalable for large biological samples such as primate brain.
The Transcriptional Program of Regeneration in the Giant Single Cell,Stentor coeruleus
Authors: Sood Pranidhi , McGillivary Rebecca , Marshall Wallace F.
Published: December 2017

The giant ciliateStentor coeruleusis a classical model system for studying regeneration and morphogenesis at the level of a single cell.Stentorare polarized cells with a complex subcellular architecture. The anterior of the cell is marked by an array of cilia, known as the oral apparatus. This feeding organelle can be induced to shed and regenerate in a series of reproducible morphological steps, previously shown to require transcription. We used RNAseq to assay the dynamic changes inStento’s transcriptome during regeneration with high temporal resolution, allowing us to identify five distinct waves of gene expression. We show that the oral apparatus is a model for organelle regeneration, as well as for centriole assembly and ciliogenesis as many conserved genes involved in those processes are induced. Additionally, we find genes involved in signaling, cell cycle regulation, transcription, and RNA binding to be expressed at distinct stages of organelle regeneration, suggesting that the morphological steps of regeneration are driven by a complex regulatory system.
The network structure of cancer ecosystems
Authors: Castillo Simón P. , Rebolledo Rolando , Arim Matias , Hochberg Michael E. , Marquet Pablo A.
Published: December 2017

Ever since Paget’s seed-and-soil and Ewing’s connectivity hypotheses to explain tumor metastasis (1,2), it has become clear that cancer progression can be envisaged as an ecological phenomenon. This connection has flourished during the past two decades (3–7), giving rise to important insights into the ecology and evolution of cancer progression, with therapeutic implications(8–10). Here, we take a metapopulation view of metastasis (i.e. the migration to and colonization of, habitat patches) and represent it as a bipartite network, distinguishing source patches, or organs that host a primary tumor, and acceptor patches, or organs colonized ultimately from the source through metastasis. Using 20,326, biomedical records obtained from literature, we show that: (i) the network structure of cancer ecosystems is non-random, exhibiting a nested subset pattern as has been found both in the distribution of species across islands and island-like habitats(11–13), and in the distribution of among species interactions across different ecological networks(14–16);(ii) similar to ecological networks, there is a heterogeneous distribution of degree (i.e., number of connections associated with a source or acceptor organ); (iii) there is a significant correlation between metastatic incidence (or the frequency with which tumor cells from a source organ colonize an acceptor one) and arterial blood supply, suggesting that more irrigated organs have a higher probability of developing metastasis or being invaded; (iv) there is a positive correlation between metastatic incidence and acceptor organ degree (or number of different tumor-bearing source organs that generate metastasis in a given acceptor organ), and a negative one between acceptor organ degree and number of stem cell divisions, implying that there are preferred sink organs for metastasis and that this could be related to average acceptor organ cell longevity; (v) there is a negative association between organ cell turnover and source organ degree, implying that organs with rapid cell turnovers tend to generate more metastasis, a process akin to the phenomenon of propagule pressure in ecology(17); and (vi) the cancer ecosystem network exhibits a modular structure in both source and acceptor patches, suggesting that some of them share more connections among themselves than with the rest of the network. We show that both niche-related processes occurring at the organ level as well as spatial connectivity and propagule pressure contribute to metastaticspread and result in a non-random cancer network, which exhibits a truncated power law degree distribution, clustering and a nested subset structure. The similarity between the cancer network and ecological networks highlights the importance of ecological approaches in increasing our understanding of patterns in cancer incidence and dynamics, which may lead to new strategies to control tumor spread within the human ecosystem.
A Simulation Analysis and Screening of Deleterious Non-Synonymous Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in Human CDKN1A Gene
Authors: Prince G. M. Shazzad Hossain , Dhar Trayee
Published: December 2017

CDKN1A also known as p21CIP1 /p21WAF1, a cyclin dependent kinase 1, interacts with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) resulting in cell cycle inhibition in human. Non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs), which reside in the coding region of a gene, might distort the normal function of the corresponding protein. In silico analysis in this study followed many different algorithms. Following the final screening of 118 nsSNPs from dbSNP (NCBI), 12 missense SNPs (R19C (C→T), G23D (A→G), V25G (G→T), V25L (C→G), Q29P (A→C→G), F51L (C→T), E56K (A→G), T57I (C→T), G61R (C→G), G61D (A→G), Y151C (A→G) and R156W (C→G→T) were predicted to have deleterious effect by all the algorithms. Of them, R19C, G23D, F51L, Y151C and R156W occurred at the highly conserved site. G23D, F51L variants also occurred at the CDI domain. Homology structures of the protein predicted decrease of energy in mutant models. GV-GD scores predicted only two variants as neutral (V25L, F51L).
Cell cycle repression and DNA repair defects follow constricted migration
Authors: Pfeifer Charlotte R. , Xia Yuntao , Zhu Kuangzheng , Liu Dazhen , Irianto Jerome , Harding Shane , Greenberg Roger A. , Discher Dennis E.
Published: December 2017

Cancer cell invasion into tissue or narrow capillaries often elongates the nucleus and sometimes damages it, but cell cycle effects are unknown and highly relevant to tumorigenesis. Here, nuclear rupture and DNA breaks caused by constricted migration are quantified in different phases of cell cycle - which is effectively repressed. Cancer lines with varying levels of contact inhibition and lamina proteins exhibit diverse frequencies of nuclear lamina rupture after migration, with prerupture dilation of gene-edited RFP-Lamin-B1 preceding DNA repair factor leakage in pressure-controlled distension. Post-migration rupture indeed associates with mis-localized DNA repair factors and increased DNA breaks as quantified by pan-nucleoplasmic foci of γH2AX, with foci counts always suppressed in late cell cycle. When contact-inhibited cells migrate through large pores into sparse microenvironments, cells re-enter cell cycle consistent with release from contact inhibition. In contrast, constricting pores effectively delay re-entry, but the excess DNA damage nonetheless exceeds any cell cycle dependence. Partial depletion of topoisomerase does not strongly affect cell cycle or the excess DNA damage, consistent with weak dependencies on replication stress. Constricted migration thus impacts cell cycle as well as DNA damage.