bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Reagan Presidency and US Foreign Relations
Authors: Miles Simon
Published: October 2018

Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy legacy remains hotly contested, and as new archival sources come to light, those debates are more likely to intensify than to recede into the background. In dealings with the Soviet Union, the Reagan administration set the superpowers on a course for the (largely) peaceful end of the Cold War. Reagan began his outreach to Soviet leaders almost immediately after taking office and enjoyed some success, even if the dominant theme of the period remains fears of Reagan as a “button-pusher” in the public’s perception. Mikhail Gorbachev’s election to the post of General Secretary proved the turning point. Reagan, now confident in US strength, and Gorbachev, keen to reduce the financial burden of the arms race, ushered in a new, cooperative phase of the Cold War. Elsewhere, in particular Latin America, the administration’s focus on fighting communism led it to support human rights–abusing regimes at the same time as it lambasted Moscow’s transgressions in that regard. But even so, over the course of the 1980s, the United States began pushing for democratization around the world, even where Reagan and his advisors had initially resisted it, fearing a communist takeover. In part, this was a result of public pressure, but the White House recognized and came to support the rising tide of democratization. When Reagan left office, a great many countries that had been authoritarian were no longer, often at least in part because of US policy. US–Soviet relations had improved to such an extent that Reagan’s successor, Vice President George H. W. Bush, worried that they had gone too far in working with Gorbachev and been hoodwinked.
Cangaço and Cangaceiros: Rural Banditry in the Brazilian Northeast
Authors: Pericás Luiz Bernardo
Published: October 2018

The cangaço was a social phenomenon related to rural banditry in the backlands of the Brazilian Northeast (an area referred to as the sertão). Beginning in the nineteenth century, the cangaço reached its peak with the actions of Virgulino Ferreira, popularly known as Lampião, the most important and emblematic leader of these outlaws, during the 1920s and 1930s. Its demise came with the start of the dictatorial Estado Novo regime in 1937. The cangaço received widespread coverage in the local press and was amply depicted in the visual arts, literature, and cinema, enduring as one of the most distinctive and controversial subjects in Brazilian cultural history.
Henrietta Yurchenco: Ethnomusicology Pioneer in Mexico and Guatemala
Authors: Bitrán Goren Yael
Published: October 2018

Henrietta Yurchenco, née Weiss, was a pioneer of ethnomusicology research. Her expeditions in various regions of Mexico and Guatemala between 1942 and 1946 allowed for the gathering of musical recordings from the Zoque, Tzotzil, Tzeltal, Chiapaneco, Tojolobal, Cora, Huichol, and Seri peoples of Mexico, and from the Quiché, Kekchí, Ixil, and Zutujil peoples of Guatemala. A portion of these expeditions were carried out thanks to an agreement signed between the Instituto Indigenista Interamericano (III; Inter-American Indigenist Institute) and the Mexican Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP; Public Education Ministry/Department) and the Library of Congress (LOC) in Washington. The recordings produced by these expeditions were made direct-to-disc and are preserved at the Fonoteca Nacional de México (Mexican National Music Library/Collection), where they have been completely digitalized. They were also recognized with the Memory of the World distinction by UNESCO in 2015. One-hundred thirty two (132) discs are preserved with hundreds of pieces from these cultures, of enormous value to Mexican cultural heritage. In her memoirs, published in two versions (Spanish and English), Yurchenco offers a fascinating account of her travels in Mexico and Guatemala. Additionally, she explores specific aspects of the aforementioned research in specialized journal articles and book chapters. Yurchenco was particularly interested in discovering traits from pre-Hispanic music. This goal drove her to explore remote regions of Mexico. Her work in its vast majority—both her writings and recordings on Latin America as well as on the rest of the world—still has yet to be studied.
Digital Resources: Chilean History
Authors: Barefoot Danielle B.
Published: October 2018

The 21st century brought with it a mass digitization of archival materials that rapidly changed preservation, research, and pedagogy practices. Chilean digital databases, archives, and humanities projects have grown steadily since the late 1990s. These resources developed with the central goals of democratizing access to sources and removing obstructive barriers including accessibility and physical distance. Remote access capabilities coupled with open access of collections encourages greater interaction with repositories including libraries, museums, and archives and materials such as historical documents, newspapers, paper ephemera, music and audio recordings, and photography.

While not exhaustive, these sites demonstrate the extensive range of digitized sources available that span from the pre-Columbian through modern periods. Researchers, teachers, and students seeking primary sources will find a multitude of themes including indigenous peoples, culture, science and technology, history, politics, environment, and human rights. Some sites, such as Memoria Chilena and the National Security Archive, feature a fully digitized collection with articles and downloadable PDF material. Others, such as Museo de la Memoria y Derechos Humanos, and the Biblioteca Nacional Digital, have non-digitized holdings that call for an in-person visit. Lastly, the Dirección de Bibliotecas Archivos y Museos and Biblioteca Digital del Patrimonio Iberoamericano serve as digital source aggregates that collect and allow users to search across affiliated sites. Aggregation is the newest step in the digital revolution. This newer process permits the archiving of entire archives, which will transform how scholars understand source collection, non-immersive “fieldwork,” and research methodologies.

Digital resources drastically improve the accessibility of sources concerning Chile. At the individual level, user skill may affect the browsing experience, especially when searching for sources. Many digital resources allow for truncated and Boolean logic queries. Users can customize their browsing experience by implementing these tools to expand or narrow the search. At the website level, these resources incorporate open access coupled with universal design practices to democratize the individual browsing experience. Open access allows users to access content free of charge. Universal design ensures access equity through coding and website design. However, in terms of accessibility, room for improvement exists. Users employing screen readers and captioning technologies will have vastly different experiences within each of these resources based on the device and software utilized. Organizations who have undertaken the digitization process must ensure they continue cultivating equitable digital spaces that all users may enjoy.
Huguenots in the Atlantic
Authors: Banks Bryan A.
Published: October 2018

Huguenots refer to the group of French Calvinists in France, those expelled from France into the wider European, Atlantic, and global diaspora, and those descendant from either of the first two groups. Driven by faith, religious factionalism, and dynastic rivalries, Huguenots enflamed the French Wars of Religion (1562–1598). Henri IV ended the war by extending a degree of toleration to the Huguenots in 1598 with the Edict of Toleration. Despite the king’s royal edict, the first wave of Huguenots (1530s–1660s) continued to leave France well into the 17th century. The second wave (1670s–1710s) occurred in the second half of the 17th century, when Louis XIV’s persecutory policies began to limit Huguenot communal activities, meeting spaces, available professions, and then with the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685), the ability to be Calvinist legally at all. Following 1685, those who remained in France entered into what is often called the Désert period, when French Calvinists continued to practice their faith in clandestine settings, away from the French dragonnades. Those who rode the two waves out of France, settled in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Great Britain, Ireland, and many of the German states. Some used other European states to ride successive waves of diaspora movement out further into Europe and the Atlantic World, relocating to North America, the Caribbean, Suriname, Brazil, South Africa, and then later on into the Indian and Pacific oceanic worlds. Huguenots took advantage of Atlantic spaces in order to prove their value to the French state, but when France no longer proved safe for Huguenots, the Atlantic offered them a refuge, wherein a complex diaspora community emerged in the early modern period.
Heavy-tailed prior distributions for sequence count data: removing the noise and preserving large differences
Authors: Zhu Anqi , Ibrahim Joseph G , Love Michael I
Published: October 2018

Motivation

In RNA-seq differential expression analysis, investigators aim to detect those genes with changes in expression level across conditions, despite technical and biological variability in the observations. A common task is to accurately estimate the effect size, often in terms of a logarithmic fold change (LFC).

Results

When the read counts are low or highly variable, the maximum likelihood estimates for the LFCs has high variance, leading to large estimates not representative of true differences, and poor ranking of genes by effect size. One approach is to introduce filtering thresholds and pseudocounts to exclude or moderate estimated LFCs. Filtering may result in a loss of genes from the analysis with true differences in expression, while pseudocounts provide a limited solution that must be adapted per dataset. Here, we propose the use of a heavy-tailed Cauchy prior distribution for effect sizes, which avoids the use of filter thresholds or pseudocounts. The proposed method, Approximate Posterior Estimation for generalized linear model, apeglm, has lower bias than previously proposed shrinkage estimators, while still reducing variance for those genes with little information for statistical inference.

Availability and implementation

The apeglm package is available as an R/Bioconductor package at https://bioconductor.org/packages/apeglm, and the methods can be called from within the DESeq2 software.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Clustermatch: discovering hidden relations in highly diverse kinds of qualitative and quantitative data without standardization
Authors: Pividori Milton , Cernadas Andres , de Haro Luis A , Carrari Fernando , Stegmayer Georgina , Milone Diego H
Published: October 2018

Motivation

Heterogeneous and voluminous data sources are common in modern datasets, particularly in systems biology studies. For instance, in multi-holistic approaches in the fruit biology field, data sources can include a mix of measurements such as morpho-agronomic traits, different kinds of molecules (nucleic acids and metabolites) and consumer preferences. These sources not only have different types of data (quantitative and qualitative), but also large amounts of variables with possibly non-linear relationships among them. An integrative analysis is usually hard to conduct, since it requires several manual standardization steps, with a direct and critical impact on the results obtained. These are important issues in clustering applications, which highlight the need of new methods for uncovering complex relationships in such diverse repositories.

Results

We designed a new method named Clustermatch to easily and efficiently perform data-mining tasks on large and highly heterogeneous datasets. Our approach can derive a similarity measure between any quantitative or qualitative variables by looking on how they influence on the clustering of the biological materials under study. Comparisons with other methods in both simulated and real datasets show that Clustermatch is better suited for finding meaningful relationships in complex datasets.

Availability and implementation

Files can be downloaded from https://sourceforge.net/projects/sourcesinc/files/clustermatch/ and https://bitbucket.org/sinc-lab/clustermatch/. In addition, a web-demo is available at http://sinc.unl.edu.ar/web-demo/clustermatch/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Prevalence and predictors of tobacco smoking among university students in Sylhet Division, Bangladesh
Authors: Hassan Muhammad Shaikh , Hossain Md Kamrul , Khan Hafiz T A
Published: October 2018

Background

Among university students, large numbers are involved with smoking and suffer from many chronic diseases. This study examined tobacco smoking prevalence and potential predictors among university students in Sylhet Division, Bangladesh.

Methods

A total of 416 students were selected for face-to-face interviews. Logistic regression analysis was used to fulfil the specific objectives of the study.

Results

It was discovered that the prevalence of smoking among university students in Sylhet Division was 37% and almost half of current male students were smokers. Mother’s occupation and peer smoking status were found to be significant factors. Although data were collected using multistage sampling, the stages (type of university, universities, departments and academic levels) were insignificant with smoking status. There is a 2.1 times greater likelihood of a student becoming a smoker if a close friend is a smoker. The adjusted living expenses (>$100) was a proactive factor, though individually it was a significant factor.

Conclusions

This study and previous studies found that smoking initiation among female students is negligible, so gender-specific health promotion and intervention is needed in Bangladesh. Tobacco control awareness programs and ‘No smoking’ signage should be displayed within university campuses and sanctioned by university authorities.
Digital, digitized, and numerical humanities
Authors: Roth Camille
Published: October 2018

The term ‘digital humanities’ may be understood in three different ways: as ‘digitized humanities’, by dealing essentially with the constitution, management, and processing of digitized archives; as ‘numerical humanities’, by putting the emphasis on mathematical abstraction and the development of numerical and formal models; and as ‘humanities of the digital’, by focusing on the study of computer-mediated interactions and online communities. Discussing their methods and actors, we show how these three potential acceptations cover markedly distinct epistemological endeavors and, eventually, non-overlapping scientific communities.
Representing stories as interdependent dynamics of character activities and plots: A two-mode network relational event model
Authors: Chao Dingding , Kanno Taro , Furuta Kazuo , Lin Chen
Published: October 2018

Recent advances in data science and machine learning have enhanced our ability to analyze and understand the structure of social interactions in fictional stories by using formal and quantitative approaches. However, an objective assessment of these aspects of fictional stories remains a relatively new and technically difficult field. In this brief report, we introduce our study in which we modeled story dynamics from a novel perspective. By implementing a relational event model based on a two-mode network framework in an analytical system for movie scripts, we examined the interdependence of character activities and their participation in a given plot on the basis of an analysis of more than 900 scripts from the Internet Movie Script Database.
SageBook: Toward a cross-generational social network for the Jewish sages’ prosopography
Authors: Zhitomirsky-Geffet Maayan , Prebor Gila
Published: October 2018

In this research we devised and implemented a semi-automatic approach for building a SageBook–a cross-generational social network of the Jewish sages from the Rabbinic literature. The proposed methodology is based on a shallow argumentation analysis leading to detection of lexical–syntactic patterns which represent different relationships between the sages in the text. The method was successfully applied and evaluated on the corpus of the Mishna, the first written work of the Rabbinic Literature which provides the foundation to the Jewish law development. The constructed prosopographical database and the network generated from its data enable a large-scale quantitative analysis of the sages and their related data, and therefore might contribute to the research of the Talmudic literature and evolution of the Jewish thought throughout the two last millennia.
Stress Exposure in Dopamine D4 Receptor Knockout Mice Induces Schizophrenia-Like Behaviors via Disruption of GABAergic Transmission
Authors: Tan Tao , Wang Wei , Williams Jamal , Ma Kaijie , Cao Qing , Yan Zhen
Published: October 2018

A combination of genetic and environmental risk factors has been considered as the pathogenic cause for mental disorders including schizophrenia. Here, we sought to find out whether the abnormality of the dopamine system, coupled with the exposure to modest stress, is sufficient to trigger the manifestation of schizophrenia-like behaviors. We found that exposing dopamine D4 receptor knockout (D4KO) mice with 1-week restraint stress (2 h/d) induced significant deficits in sensorimotor gating, cognitive processes, social engagement, as well as the elevated exploratory behaviors, which are reminiscent to schizophrenia phenotypes. Electrophysiological studies found that GABAergic transmission was significantly reduced in prefrontal cortical neurons from stressed D4KO mice. Additionally, administration of diazepam, a GABA enhancer, restored GABAergic synaptic responses and ameliorated some behavioral abnormalities in stressed D4KO mice. These results have revealed that the combination of 2 key genetic and environmental susceptibility factors, dopamine dysfunction and stress, is a crucial trigger for schizophrenia-like phenotypes, and GABA system in the prefrontal cortex is a downstream convergent target that mediates some behavioral outcomes.
Battlefield Cytoskeleton: Turning the Tide on Plant Immunity
Authors: Li Pai , Day Brad
Published: October 2018

The plant immune system comprises a complex network of signaling processes, regulated not only by classically defined immune components (e.g., resistance genes) but also by a suite of developmental, environmental, abiotic, and biotic-associated factors. In total, it is the sum of these interactions—the connectivity to a seemingly endless array of environments—that ensures proper activation, and control, of a system that is responsible for cell surveillance and response to threats presented by invading pests and pathogens. Over the past decade, the field of plant pathology has witnessed the discovery of numerous points of convergence between immunity, growth, and development, as well as overlap with seemingly disparate processes such as those that underpin plant response to changes in the environment. Toward defining how immune signaling is regulated, recent studies have focused on dissecting the mechanisms that underpin receptor-ligand interactions, phospho-regulation of signaling cascades, and the modulation of host gene expression during infection. As one of the major regulators of these immune signaling cascades, the plant cytoskeleton is the stage from which immune-associated processes are mobilized and oriented and, in this role, it controls the movement of the organelles, proteins, and chemical signals that support plant defense signaling. In short, the cytoskeleton is the battlefield from which pathogens and plants volley virulence and resistance, transforming resistance to susceptibility. Herein, we discuss the role of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton as a platform for the function of the plant immune system.
What Is the True Catheterization Rate After Intravesical OnabotulinumtoxinA Injection?
Authors: Patel Devin N. , Jamnagerwalla Juzar , Houman Justin , Anger Jennifer T. , Eilber Karyn S.
Published: October 2018

(Abstracted from Int Urogynecol J 2018;29:1005–1009)

Intravesical onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) is widely used for the treatment of urinary urge incontinence and overactive bladder (OAB). One of the most common complications of intravesical onabotulinumtoxinA injection is incomplete bladder emptying requiring clean intermittent catheterization (CIC).
Cognitive Outcomes of Children Born Extremely or Very Preterm Since the 1990s and Associated Risk Factors: A Meta-analysis and Meta-regression
Authors: Twilhaar E. Sabrina , Wade Rebecca M. , de Kieviet Jorrit F. , van Goudoever Johannes B. , van Elburg Ruurd M. , Oosterlaan Jaap
Published: October 2018

(Abstracted from JAMA Pediatr 2018;172(4):361–367)

Despite apparent progress in perinatal care, children born extremely preterm or very preterm (EP/VP) remain at high risk of cognitive deficits, and long-term morbidity rates have not decreased. Extremely preterm or very preterm birth (<32 weeks of gestation) is associated with higher risks of motor, learning, and behavior problems and, particularly, cognitive impairment.
Metformin in Gestational Diabetes: The Offspring Follow-up (MiG TOFU): Body Composition and Metabolic Outcomes at 7–9 Years of Age
Authors: Rowan Janet A. , Rush Elaine C. , Plank Lindsay D. , Lu Jun , Obolonkin Victor , Coat Suzette , Hague William M.
Published: October 2018

(Abstracted from BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care 2018;6:e000456)

This study was a follow-up study to the prospective randomized controlled trial comparing metformin versus insulin. In particular, it compared the body composition and metabolic outcomes at 7 to 9 years of children born to women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) randomized to metformin (±insulin) or insulin treatment during pregnancy.
Geographic and Patient Characteristics Associated With Election of Prophylactic Mastectomy in Young Breast Cancer Patients With Early Disease
Authors: Franc Benjamin L. , Copeland Timothy P. , Thombley Robert , Park Miran , Marafino Ben , Dean Mitzi , Boscardin W. John , Rugo Hope S. , Dudley R. Adams
Published: October 2018

Objectives:

To examine the association between geography and utilization rates of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) relative to patient-level factors in patients with early stage breast cancer.

Materials and Methods:

Using the Truven Health MarketScan Commercial Database, a descriptive analysis of geographic variation in genetic testing and CPM rates of 38,108 women ages 18 to 64 years treated with surgery for invasive unilateral breast cancer between 2010 and 2012 was conducted. Multivariate hierarchical analysis was used to examine the relationship between CPM likelihood and patient characteristics, with metropolitan statistical area (MSA) serving as a random effect. Patient characteristics included age group, BRCA1/2 carrier status, family history of breast cancer, breast surgery type, radiation therapy, drug therapy, and payer type. All MSAs in the United States were included, with areas outside MSAs within a given state aggregated into a single area for analytical purposes.

Results:

Descriptive analysis demonstrated significant geographic variation in rates of CPM irrespective of risk inferred from primary malignancy treatment course (P<0.01 to <0.001). Odds of CPM were higher among BRCA1/2 carriers (odds ratio [OR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52-2.06), followed by MSA (median OR among all MSAs was 1.61; 95% CI, 1.51-1.73) and family history of breast cancer (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.28-1.53), respectively. Patients who were not tested for BRCA1/2 were less likely (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.61-0.71) to undergo CPM than patients with a negative BRCA test.

Conclusions:

The large geographic variation we observed in CPM indicate a need to understand and optimize clinical decision-making.
Measurement of Radioactivity in the Granites of Pakistan: A Review
Authors: Younis Hannan , Qureshi Aziz Ahmed , Manzoor Shahid , Anees Muhammad
Published: October 2018

All human beings are exposed to primordial radiation. The main source of primordial radiation has been naturally radioactive building materials. In Pakistan, among building materials, granites are most commonly used. This paper reviews the previous studies conducted for the estimation of natural radioactivity of granites from Rustam-Koga, Shewa-Shahbazgarhi, Bunair, Mansehra, and Nagarparkar. The techniques used for these studies include gamma spectrometry and field surveys. To assess the radiation hazards associated with granites of Pakistan, primordial radionuclides and corresponding radiation hazards have been estimated. Most of these granites are found to be safe except Rustam-Koga granite, which presents high excess lifetime cancer risk.
Outcomes of Frontalis Sling Versus Levator Resection in Patients With Monocular Elevation Deficiency Associated Ptosis
Authors: Dave Tarjani Vivek , Sharma Pranjali , Nayak Arpita , Moharana Ruby , Naik Milind N.
Published: October 2018

Purpose:

To compare outcomes of frontalis sling (FS) silicone and levator resection (LR) in ptosis associated with monocular elevation deficiency.

Methods:

Retrospective interventional comparative case series of FS and LR in monocular elevation deficiency associated ptosis. Favorable outcome was defined as difference in margin reflex distance 1 of ≤1 mm between the 2 eyes in unilateral cases and margin reflex distance 1 of 4 mm in bilateral cases at last follow-up visit.

Results:

One hundred four eyes of 95 patients were included. Median age at surgery was 14 years, and the mean follow-up period was 19.75 ± 34.55 months. Ptosis was severe in 91 (87.5%) patients. Associated Marcus Gunn jaw-winking (MGJW) phenomenon was seen in 43 (42%) patients. Frontalis sling was performed in 76 (73%) and LR in 28 (27%). Mean pre- and postoperative margin reflex distance 1 were −1.27 ± 2.17 mm and 2.18 ± 1.49 mm (p < 0.0001). The mean improvement in margin reflex distance 1 was significantly more with FS (4.46 ± 2.19) compared with LR (1.85 + 2.5) (p < 0.0001). There were no cases of exposure keratopathy requiring reversal of surgery in either group. The number of resurgeries required was 42 (55%) in the FS group and 10 (36%) (p = 0.08) in the LR group. Favorable outcome was seen in 54 (71%) in FS group and 16 (57%) (p = 0.17) in LR group.

Conclusions:

When compared with levator resection, frontalis suspension with silicone gives a better eyelid elevation but has greater regression requiring more resurgeries. In spite of a poor Bells phenomenon, exposure keratopathy is not a concern.
Dual enkephalinase inhibitor PL265: a novel topical treatment to alleviate corneal pain and inflammation
Authors: Reaux-Le Goazigo Annabelle , Poras Hervé , Ben-Dhaou Cyrine , Ouimet Tanja , Baudouin Christophe , Wurm Michel , Melik Parsadaniantz Stéphane
Published: October 2018

Ocular pain is a core symptom of inflammatory or traumatic disorders affecting the anterior segment. To date, the management of chronic ocular pain remains a therapeutic challenge in ophthalmology. The main endogenous opioids (enkephalins) play a key role in pain control but exhibit only transient analgesic effects due to their rapid degradation. The aim of this study was to explore the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of topical administration of PL265 (a dual enkephalinase inhibitor) on murine models of corneal pain. On healthy corneas, chronic PL265 topical administration did not alter corneal integrity nor modify corneal mechanical and chemical sensitivity. Then, on murine models of corneal pain, we showed that repeated instillations of PL265 (10 mM) significantly reduced corneal mechanical and chemical hypersensitivity. PL265-induced corneal analgesia was completely antagonized by naloxone methiodide, demonstrating that PL265 antinociceptive effects were mediated by peripheral corneal opioid receptors. Moreover, flow cytometry (quantification of CD11b+ cells) and in vivo confocal microscopy analysis revealed that instillations of PL265 significantly decreased corneal inflammation in a corneal inflammatory pain model. Chronic PL265 topical administration also decreased Iba1 and neuronal injury marker (ATF3) staining in the nucleus of primary sensory neurons of ipsilateral trigeminal ganglion. These results open a new avenue for ocular pain treatment based on the enhancement of endogenous opioid peptides' analgesic effects in tissues of the anterior segment of the eye. Dual enkephalinase inhibitor PL265 seems to be a promising topical treatment for safe and effective alleviation of ocular pain and inflammation.
Comparing Before- and After-School Neurocognitive Performance in High School Athletes: Implications for Concussion Management
Authors: Anderson Morgan , Elbin R. J. , Schatz Philip , Henry Luke , Covassin Tracey
Published: October 2018

Objective:

To compare before- and after-school neurocognitive performance and total symptoms in a sample of nonconcussed high school athletes.

Design:

Repeated-measures, counterbalanced design.

Setting:

Midwest high schools.

Participants:

Thirty-nine nonconcussed high school athletes.

Interventions:

The Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing battery was administered before and after school in a counterbalanced testing order.

Main Outcome Measures:

Neurocognitive and total symptom scores.

Results:

Paired-sample t tests revealed no significant differences in verbal memory (P = 0.43), visual memory (P = 0.44), processing speed (P = 0.94), reaction time (P = 0.16), or total symptoms (P = 0.52) between before- and after-school testing sessions.

Conclusions:

The results of this study expand on best practice guidelines for baseline and postinjury concussion computerized neurocognitive testing and symptom report administration. This study suggests that sports medicine professionals can administer computerized neurocognitive testing before or after school without concern of confounding factors affecting performance or total symptoms.
Overlooked muscle cramps in patients with chronic liver disease: in relation to the prevalence of muscle cramps
Authors: Murata Ai , Hyogo Hideyuki , Nonaka Michihiro , Sumioka Akihiko , Suehiro Yosuke , Furudoi Akira , Fujimoto Yoshifumi , Aisaka Yasuyuki , Komatsu Hironao , Tokumo Hironori
Published: October 2018

Introduction

Muscle cramps are common comorbidities in chronic liver disease (CLD). Although the prevalence of these has been reported in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), that of CLD is unknown. In this study, we aimed to clarify the prevalence and characteristics of muscle cramps in individual CLD.

Patients and methods

A total of 432 patients with CLD who visited our hospital were enrolled. The existence of muscle cramps, frequency, time zone, duration, and the degree of pain were investigated using a medical interview questionnaire.

Results

The median age of the patients was 65 years and 48.6% of the patients were women. The prevalence of muscle cramps was 25.9%. Age, female sex, lower BMI, existence of comorbid diseases, and liver fibrosis were associated significantly with muscle cramps. In LC, muscle cramps were significantly frequent, and the severity and duration of these were significantly stronger and longer compared with chronic hepatitis. Female sex [odds ratio (OR): 2.26; P=0.014], diabetes (OR: 29.4; P<0.001), chronic kidney disease (OR: 8.33; P=0.004), and lower BMI (OR: 0.853; P<0.001) were independent factors associated with muscle cramps in CLD. Muscle mass indices were significantly lower among nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients with muscle cramps, female patients, elderly patients, and patients with advanced fibrosis.

Conclusion

The prevalence of muscle cramps was relatively high in CLD. Female sex, comorbid diabetes, and chronic kidney disease are associated with muscle cramps in CLD. Furthermore, reduced muscle mass is related to muscle cramps in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Clinical Factors Affecting Bevacizumab Efficacy With and Without Conventional Chemotherapy in Metastatic Colon Cancer
Authors: Islam Rezwan , Khan Rafiullah , Ali Asad , Kollu Vidya , Phan TramAnh , Chyou Po-Huang , Burmester James K. , Kibriya Muhammad G.
Published: October 2018

Purpose:

Bevacizumab (BZ) combined with first line chemotherapy (CC) has shown good clinical outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Overall survival (OS) and/or progression free survival in mCRC patients receiving BZ with or without 5FU-based CC is thought to be affected by clinical and morphological factor(s).

Patients and Methods:

We reviewed retrospective medical records of all consecutive mCRC patients treated with BZ with or without CC at tertiary care center between 2003 and 2009 out of which149 patients (m = 77, f = 72) were eligible.

Results:

Our study population had a mean age at diagnosis of 63.5 years (SD = 11) with median follow-up period of 19.4 months. On initial radiological evaluation following BZ therapy, 56 patients (m = 31, f = 25) had complete or partial response categorized as “early responders.” Remaining patients (m = 46, f = 47) who were either stable or showed progressive disease were categorized as “non-responders.” Fifty percent among early responders and 60% among non-responders [relative risk (RR) 0.67 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.43–1.06)] demonstrated disease progression on follow up. There was a slightly better OS among early responders compared to non-responders (median 21.5 months days versus 16.8 months, P = 0.07). Cox regression analysis suggested male sex (RR 0.65, 95% CI, 0.43–0.98), hematochezia (RR 0.63, 95% CI, 0.4–0.98), resectable primary tumor (RR 0.42, 95% CI, 0.24–0.72) and resectable metastatic mass (RR 0.32, 95% CI, 0.14–0.74) were found to be associated with longer OS. Abdominal pain (RR 1.76, 95% CI, 1.1–2.8), accompanying diabetes (RR 1.76, 95% CI, 1.09–2.85), and unexplained weight loss (RR 2.73, 95% CI, 1.73–4.29) were associated with poor OS.

Conclusions:

Better OS among mCRC patients with resectable primary and metastatic tumors was seen. This is the first study to demonstrate slightly better outcome in males and negative influence of diabetes on outcome in mCRC treated with BZ.
Parent Psychological and Physical Health Outcomes in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Ward Jessica , Fogg Louis , Rodgers Cheryl , Breitenstein Susie , Kapoor Neena , Swanson Barbara A.
Published: October 2018

Background

Parents of children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are at risk of adverse health outcomes due to their intense caregiver demands.

Objective

The aim of this study was to describe adverse health outcomes in parents of children who survived an allogeneic HSCT done within the past 1 to 10 years.

Methods

This cross-sectional study, conducted at a children's hospital in the western United States, enrolled English- and Spanish-speaking parents of children who survived allogeneic HSCT between 2005 and 2015. Outcome measures included Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories, Perceived Stress and Parent Stress Scales, Physical Symptom Inventory, and Short-Form 36 version 2. Parent scores were compared with normative means. Subsequently, the parent sample was stratified by the amount of time since their child's HSCT for comparison between groups.

Results

Fifty-four mothers and 7 fathers (n = 61) were enrolled. Global mental health scores were lower for parents in the sample compared with norms (P = .003). Parents in the sample reported moderate anxiety and depression (20% and 23%, respectively), yet reported less parenting stress and superior health outcomes compared with norms (P < .001). Social functioning and general health scores were lower for parents whose children survived an allogeneic HSCT done within the past 1 to 4.99 years (P = .012).

Conclusion

Parents of survivors of allogeneic HSCT may concurrently experience posttraumatic growth and stress following their child's HSCT.

Implications for Practice

Health screening and psychological support for parents of children post-HSCT may help to identify parents at risk of adverse outcomes and allow for early, targeted interventions.
Meta-analysis on the Effect of Aspirin Use for Prevention of Preeclampsia on Placental Abruption and Antepartum Hemorrhage
Authors: Roberge Stephanie , Bujold Emmanuel , Nicolaides Kypros H.
Published: October 2018

(Abstracted from Am J Obstet Gynecol 2018;218:483–489)

Impaired placentation in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy is associated with increased risk of subsequent development of preeclampsia, birth of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonates, and placental abruption. Previous studies reported that prophylactic use of aspirin reduces the risk of preeclampsia and SGA neonates with no significant effect on placental abruption.
Antimicrobial Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Proceedings of the STAR Sexually Transmitted Infection—Clinical Trial Group Programmatic Meeting
Authors: Cristillo Anthony D. , Bristow Claire C. , Torrone Elizabeth , Dillon Jo-Anne , Kirkcaldy Robert D. , Dong Huan , Grad Yonatan H. , Nicholas Robert A. , Rice Peter A. , Lawrence Kenneth , Oldach David , Shafer William Maurice , Zhou Pei , Wi Teodora E. , Morris Sheldon R. , Klausner Jeffrey D.
Published: October 2018

The goal of the Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinical Trial Group's Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) meeting was to assemble experts from academia, government, nonprofit and industry to discuss the current state of research, gaps and challenges in research and technology and priorities and new directions to address the continued emergence of multidrug-resistant NG infections. Topics discussed at the meeting, which will be the focus of this article, include AMR NG global surveillance initiatives, the use of whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics to understand mutations associated with AMR, mechanisms of AMR, and novel antibiotics, vaccines and other methods to treat AMR NG. Key points highlighted during the meeting include: (i) US and International surveillance programs to understand AMR in NG; (ii) the US National Strategy for combating antimicrobial-resistant bacteria; (iii) surveillance needs, challenges, and novel technologies; (iv) plasmid-mediated and chromosomally mediated mechanisms of AMR in NG; (v) novel therapeutic (eg, sialic acid analogs, factor H [FH]/Fc fusion molecule, monoclonal antibodies, topoisomerase inhibitors, fluoroketolides, LpxC inhibitors) and preventative (eg, peptide mimic) strategies to combat infection. The way forward will require renewed political will, new funding initiatives, and collaborations across academic and commercial research and public health programs.
Impact of controllability on pain and suffering
Authors: Löffler Martin , Kamping Sandra , Brunner Michael , Bustan Smadar , Kleinböhl Dieter , Anton Fernand , Flor Herta
Published: October 2018

Introduction:

Chronic pain and pain-related suffering are major health problems. The lack of controllability of experienced pain seems to greatly contribute to the extent of suffering. This study examined how controllability affects the perception of pain and pain-related suffering, and the modulation of this effect by beliefs and emotions such as locus of control of reinforcement, pain catastrophizing, and fear of pain.

Methods:

Twenty-six healthy subjects received painful electric stimulation in both controllable and uncontrollable conditions. Visual analogue scales and the “Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure” were used to assess pain intensity, unpleasantness, pain-related suffering, and the level of perceived control. We also investigated nonverbal indicators of pain and suffering such as heart rate, skin conductance, and corrugator electromyogram.

Results:

Controllability selectively reduced the experience of pain-related suffering, but did not affect pain intensity or pain unpleasantness. This effect was modulated by chance locus of control but was unrelated to fear of pain or catastrophizing. Physiological responses were not affected by controllability. In a second sample of 25 participants, we varied the instruction. The effect of controllability on pain-related suffering was only present when instructions focused on the person being able to stop the pain.

Discussion:

Our data suggest that the additional measure of pain-related suffering may be important in the assessment of pain and may be more susceptible to the effects of perceived control than pain intensity and unpleasantness. We also show that this effect depends on personal involvement.
Impact of Treatment With Chelating Agents Depends on the Stability of Administered GBCAs
Authors: Boyken Janina , Frenzel Thomas , Lohrke Jessica , Jost Gregor , Schütz Gunnar , Pietsch Hubertus
Published: October 2018

Objective

This study investigated the potential effect of the chelating agent calcium trisodium pentetate (Ca-DTPA) on the urinary excretion of gadolinium and the subsequent elimination of gadolinium (Gd) in the brain after a single intravenous administration of either a linear (gadodiamide) or a macrocyclic (gadobutrol) Gd-based contrast agent in rats.

Materials and Methods

Rats received either a single injection of gadodiamide or gadobutrol (1.8 mmol/kg, each) or saline (n = 18 per group). Seven weeks after the injection, 6 animals of each group were killed before the treatment period. From the remaining 12 animals, 6 received either 3 intravenous injections of Ca-DTPA (180 μmol/kg) or saline. Urine was collected daily for 3 days after each infusion. Gadolinium measurements by ICP-MS were performed in urine and tissue samples.

Results

In animals that initially received the linear gadodiamide, Ca-DTPA infusion increased the urinary excretion of Gd by a factor of 10 (cumulative amount of 114 ± 21 nmol Gd vs 10 ± 4 nmol Gd after saline infusion, P ≤ 0.0001). In contrast, animals that received the macrocyclic gadobutrol exhibited a higher spontaneous urinary excretion of Gd (33 ± 12 nmol after saline infusion) and Ca-DTPA had no impact (30 ± 11 nmol Gd, P = 0.68).

The urinary excretion of Gd was associated with Gd brain content. Seven weeks after the initial Gd-based contrast agent administration, a total amount of 0.74 ± 0.053 nmol Gd was quantified in the brain after administration of gadodiamide. The Gd brain burden was partially reduced at the end of the treatment period in the animals that were repeatedly infused with Ca-DTPA (0.56 ± 0.13 nmol Gd, P = 0.009) but not with saline (0.66 ± 0.081 nmol, P = 0.32). In contrast, the total amount of macrocyclic gadobutrol measured in the brain was lower (0.11 ± 0.029 nmol Gd) and still spontaneously cleared during the 3-week saline infusion period (0.057 ± 0.019 nmol Gd (P = 0.003). Gadolinium quantified in the brain after infusions with Ca-DTPA did not differ from saline-infused animals (0.049 ± 0.014 nmol Gd).

Conclusions

Administration of the chelating agent Ca-DTPA 7 weeks after injection of linear gadodiamide induced relevant urinary Gd excretion. In parallel, the Gd amount in the brain tissue decreased. This indicates a dechelated pool among the chemical Gd forms present in the rat brain after linear gadodiamide administration that can be mobilized by chelation with Ca-DTPA. In contrast, Ca-DTPA did not mobilize Gd in animals that received macrocyclic gadobutrol, indicating that the Gd measured is intact gadobutrol.
68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT in Thyroid Metastases of Lung Carcinoid
Authors: Leccisotti Lucia , Lorusso Margherita , Giannetta Elisa , Isidori Andrea M. , Rufini Vittoria
Published: October 2018

We report the case of a 43-year-old man with a history of lung carcinoid and a recent detection of thyroid nodules by ultrasound. The cytological analysis raised the suspicion of medullary thyroid carcinoma; however, calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen levels were in reference range. Considering the previous diagnosis of lung carcinoid, the patient underwent whole-body 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT. The images showed focal radiopharmaceutical uptake in both thyroid lobes. After thyroidectomy, the histology and immunohistochemistry (negative for calcitonin and positive for chromogranin A) confirmed the neuroendocrine origin of the thyroid nodules, possibly referable to previous lung carcinoid.
Gastric GIST Incidentally Detected on 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT
Authors: Vaz Sofia , Oliveira Carla , Castanheira Joana C. , Silva Ângelo F. , Costa Durval C.
Published: October 2018

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is specific for prostate cancer cells; nevertheless when finding uptake in abnormal locations for prostate cancer metastases, it is important to consider other hypothesis, including second cancers. There are several papers about PSMA expression in many different types of cancer, but few reported expression in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). In this case, we documented the GIST lesion not only by PET/CT but also by gastroscopy and histology. Additionally, PSMA immunochemistry was performed, showing PSMA expression in tumoral GIST cells (not in endothelial cells), evidencing a good correlation between PET/CT image and histology.
End-to-Side Nerve Repair
Authors: Konofaos Petros , Bassilios Habre Samer , Wallace Robert D.
Published: October 2018

Peripheral nerves injuries are extremely debilitating and have been a perennial challenge to the reconstructive surgeon. End-to-side (ETS) neurorrhaphy is a potential strategy for treating nerve lesions without usable proximal nerve stump. A number of interesting clinical and experimental studies have been carried out on ETS nerve repair during the first years of the 20th century. End-to-side nerve repair was then almost abandoned for more than 50 years. The rediscovery of ETS nerve repair was attributed to the experimental work of Viterbo.

Two mechanisms have been suggested for axonal regeneration: terminal and collateral sprouting. While in collateral sprouting axonal outgrowth occurs along the length of the uninjured axons, in terminal sprouting, axonal regeneration takes place at the distal most aspect of either injured or uninjured axons. Clinical experience with ETS nerve repair includes management of upper extremity nerve injury, facial reanimation, reconstruction after tumor ablation, and the prevention of neuroma formation.

The aim of this review article was 2-fold: (1) overviewing the most interesting experimental investigations and clinical studies published so far; (2) calling for more basic research on ETS nerve repair indicating the several unanswered questions that this concept asks to the microsurgical community.