bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do European Union countries adequately address the healthcare needs of adolescents in the area of sexual reproductive health and rights?
Authors: Michaud Pierre-André , Visser Annemieke , Vervoort Johanna , Kocken Paul , Reijneveld Sijmen , Blair Mitch , Alexander Denise , Rigby Michael , Weber Martin , Jansen Danielle
Published: July 2019

Background and objectives

Adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are of particular relevance given their potential short-term or long-term health consequences. This study evaluates recommendations and policies regarding access to care in this area in 31 European countries (European Union (EU) plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland).

Methods

As part of the EU funded Models of Child Health Appraised project, data were gathered using a 43-item questionnaire sent to experts responsible for collecting information in each country.

Results

Ten countries have not developed any formal policy or recommendation that guarantee the respect of confidentiality and the possibility of consulting a physician without parents knowing. Nearly half of the countries do not have centres specialised in adolescent healthcare, tackling comprehensive health issues or focusing specifically on SRH. Access to emergency contraception and information regarding pregnancy, including testing, is easy in most countries. However, oral contraception is delivered free of charge in only 10 countries. Twenty-three countries do not meet current standards in terms of providing policy-based pregnancy care, and only 13 have set up special programmes for pregnant adolescents. In only seven countries can adolescents definitely have their pregnancy terminated without their parents knowing (and in another seven countries in selected situations).

Conclusion

The provision and availability of adolescent-friendly SRHR care are far from optimal in around half of the surveyed countries. These results call for the review and implementation of policies, specialised healthcare centres and training initiatives for primary care providers.
Stingray envenomation in a returning traveller: a complicated disease course
Authors: Haigh Kathryn , Delbridge Philip , Meda Krishna , Chilamkurthi Rajasekhar
Published: July 2019

We report the case of a returning traveller, a woman in her early 20s, who presents with chronic inflammation and infection of her left foot following a stingray strike. Surgery was performed to remove foreign material a remarkable 9 months after the initial injury. The case highlights the importance of the initial assessment and early management of stingray attacks and illustrates the potential need for exploration and debridement of problematic stingray wounds.
Perplexing case of lung mass perfectly mimicking a malignancy
Authors: Alqurashi Eid Humaid , Sayeed Ahmed , Alsulami Hasheema Hasheem , Al-Qurashi Hadeel Mashhour
Published: July 2019

A 35-year-old man, a known asthmatic and with a history of smoking presented with a history of recurrent episodes of mild haemoptysis. On examination, there was decreased intensity of breath sounds on the right infraclavicular area. The chest X-ray and CT chest showed a mass in right upper lobe with nodules in the other lobe. The VAT showed large heavily vascularised mass with surface laden with multiple nodules. The wedge resection of the mass was taken and sent for histopathology examination. The biopsy result showed picture suggestive of connective tissue disease associated follicular bronchiolitis. The patient did not have any signs or symptoms of connective tissue disease. However he was positive for Rheumatoid factor, ANA, anti-RO, anti-CCP antibodies. He was started on steroids and azathioprine. After 6 months of treatment, the size of the mass and nodules reduced by 50% and ESR was reduced to 5 from 75.
Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in a patient with single ventricle and polysplenia syndrome
Authors: Sakaki Shinichiro , Hayashi Taiyu , Ono Hiroshi
Published: July 2019

A 5-month-old girl with single ventricle, interrupted inferior vena cava and polysplenia syndrome palliated with bilateral Blalock-Taussig shunts developed severe cyanosis despite apparently increased pulmonary blood flow. Angiography revealed diffuse pulmonary arteriolar capillary dilatation and early pulmonary venous filling, suggesting the presence of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. Abdominal angiography at 6 months demonstrated a large extrahepatic portosystemic shunt, which was percutaneously closed with a vascular plug. Kawashima operation was performed 2 weeks after portosystemic shunt closure. Although cyanosis improved temporarily, the patient suffered from deteriorating cyanosis at 9 months of age and underwent Fontan completion. Thereafter, her oxygen saturation gradually improved to 95% over the course of 3 weeks. Both the congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt and Kawashima operation contributed to the development of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations.
Effect of medical student debt on mental health, academic performance and specialty choice: a systematic review
Authors: Pisaniello Monique Simone , Asahina Adon Toru , Bacchi Stephen , Wagner Morganne , Perry Seth W , Wong Ma-Li , Licinio Julio
Published: July 2019

Objectives

With the high and rising total cost of medical school, medical student debt is an increasing concern for medical students and graduates, with significant potential to impact the well-being of physicians and their patients. We hypothesised that medical student debt levels would be negatively correlated with mental health and academic performance, and would influence career direction (ie, medical specialty choice).

Design

We performed a systematic literature review to identify articles that assessed associations between medical student mental health, academic performance, specialty choice and debt. The databases PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus and PsycINFO were searched on 12 April 2017, for combinations of the medical subject headingsMedical StudentandDebtas search terms. Updates were incorporated on 24 April 2019.

Results

678 articles were identified, of which 52 met the inclusion criteria after being reviewed in full text. The majority of studies were conducted in the USA with some from Canada, New Zealand, Scotland and Australia. The most heavily researched aspect was the association between medical student debt and specialty choice, with the majority of studies finding that medical student debt was associated with pursuit of higher paying specialties. In addition, reported levels of financial stress were high among medical students, and correlated with debt. Finally, debt was also shown to be associated with poorer academic performance.

Conclusions

Medical student debt levels are negatively associated with mental well-being and academic outcomes, and high debt is likely to drive students towards choosing higher paying specialties. Additional prospective studies may be warranted, to better understand how educational debt loads are affecting the well-being, career preparation and career choices of physicians-in-training, which may in turn impact the quality of care provided to their current and future patients.
‘This is our liver patient…’: use of narratives during resident and nurse handoff conversations
Authors: Kannampallil Thomas , Jones Steve , Abraham Joanna
Published: July 2019

Objective

Handoffs are often framed as the co-construction of a shared understanding relying on narrative storytelling. We investigated how narratives are constructed and used during resident and nurse handoff conversations.

Method

We audio-recorded resident (n=149) and nurse (n=126) handoffs in an inpatient medicine unit. Qualitative analysis using grounded theory was conducted to identify and characterise the structure of resident and nursing handoff narratives.

Results

Handoff conversations among both residents and nurses used three types of narratives: narratives on creating clinical imagery, narratives on coordinating care continuity and narratives on integrating contextual aspects of care. Clinical imagery narratives were common during patient introductions: residents used a top-down approach relying on overarching patient clinical situations (eg, ‘a liver patient’), whereas nurses used a bottom-up approach using patient-specific identifying information. Narratives on the coordination of care continuity for residents focused on managing internal and external coordination activities, whereas nurse narratives focused on internal coordination, emphasising their role as an interface between patients and their physicians. Both resident and nurse narratives on the contextual aspects of care had considerable focus on highlighting ‘heads up’ anticipatory information and personal patient information; such information was often not present in patient charts, but was important for ensuring effective care management.

Discussion

The presence of narrative structures highlights the need for new perspectives for the design of handoff tools that allow for both informational and cognitive support and shared awareness among conversational partners during handoff conversations. We discuss the implications of the use of narratives for patient safety and describe specific design considerations for supporting narrative interactions during handoffs.
Association of trough vedolizumab levels with clinical, biological and endoscopic outcomes during maintenance therapy in inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Plevris Nikolas , Jenkinson Philip W , Chuah Cher S , Lyons Mathew , Merchant Lynne M , Pattenden Rebecca J , Arnott Ian D , Jones Gareth R , Lees Charlie W
Published: July 2019

Objective

To establish the relationship between trough vedolizumab levels and outcomes during maintenance therapy.

Design

Cross-sectional service evaluation was performed on patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) receiving maintenance vedolizumab therapy (minimum of 12 weeks following induction). Prior to infusion, data on clinical activity (Harvey-Bradshaw Index or partial Mayo score), trough C-reactive protein (CRP)/vedolizumab levels and faecal calprotectin were collected. Endoscopic data (±8 weeks from vedolizumab level testing) were obtained by review of medical records. Vedolizumab levels were processed using the Immundiagnostik monitor ELISA.

Setting

The Edinburgh IBD Unit, Western General Hospital (tertiary IBD referral centre).

Patients

Seventy-three patients (30 ulcerative colitis and 43 Crohn’s disease) were identified who fulfilled inclusion criteria and had vedolizumab levels matched with clinical activity scores, CRP and faecal calprotectin. Of these, 40 patients also had matched endoscopic data.

Main outcome measures

The association of trough vedolizumab levels with clinical remission (Harvey-Bradshaw Index <5 or partial Mayo <2), biologic remission (faecal calprotectin <250 µg/g+CRP <5 mg/L) and endoscopic remission (Mayo score 0/no inflammation and ulceration on colonoscopy).

Results

The median trough vedolizumab levels were similar between patients in and not in clinical remission (10.6 vs 9.9 µg/mL, p=0.54); biologic remission (10.6 vs 9.8 µg/mL, p=0.35) and endoscopic remission (8.1 vs 10.2 µg/mL, p=0.21). Quartile analysis revealed no significant increase in the proportion of patients in clinical remission, biologic remission or endoscopic remission with increasing trough vedolizumab levels (p<0.05).

Conclusions

In this cohort, trough vedolizumab levels were not associated with clinical, biological or endoscopic outcomes during maintenance therapy.
Expression pattern and prognostic significance of myosin light chain 9 (MYL9): a novel biomarker in glioblastoma
Authors: Kruthika Banavathy S , Sugur Harsha , Nandaki Kanuri , Arimappamagan Arivazhagan , Paturu Kondaiah , Santosh Vani
Published: July 2019

Aims

Tumour recurrence is inevitable in glioblastoma (GBM) and mostly noted in the peritumoural brain zone (PT). In our previous microarray-based study, we identified Myosin Light Chain 9 (MYL9) as a highly expressed gene in the PT of GBM. Therefore, we aimed to study the expression pattern and clinical significance of MYL9 in GBM.

Methods

Patient samples included three retrospective cohorts: 25 GBM cases with differential biopsies of tumour core and PT, 62 retrospective cases of newly diagnosed GBM with survival information and 20 paired samples (newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM). All tumour tissues, archived as formalin fixed paraffin embedded blocks were retrieved and immunohistochemistry for MYL9 and IDH1 R132H was performed. MYL9 expression was correlated with patient prognosis in our cohort and in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Rembrandt cohorts. It was further evaluated in the 20 paired samples of GBM.

Results

MYL9 showed a cytoplasmic membranous staining of tumour cells. The staining pattern was variable and patchy within tumours. Higher MYL9 expression was associated with poor overall and progression-free survival in our and in TCGA and Rembrandt cohorts. The expression of MYL9 was higher in IDH1 R132H immunonegative cases.

Conclusions

We show MYL9 as a novel biomarker, variably expressed in GBM. The association of high MYL9 expression with poor prognosis in newly diagnosed GBM patients and increased expression in recurrent GBM is indicative of its role in conferring tumour aggressiveness.
Smoke-free and tobacco-free colleges and universities in the United States
Authors: Blake Kelly D , Klein Amanda L , Walpert Laura , Casey Len , Hallett Cynthia , Douglas Clifford , Sinha Bidisha , Koh Howard K
Published: July 2019

Objective

To describe the number and proportion of accredited, degree-granting institutions with 100% smoke-free and 100% tobacco-free protections across the USA and by state.

Methods

Data on postsecondary education institutions from the US Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 2015, and smoke-free and tobacco-free campus protections from the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation’s Smokefree and Tobacco-Free Colleges and Universities List 2017, were integrated to calculate the number and proportion of: (1) smoke-free and tobacco-free accredited, degree-granting institutions and (2) students and staff protected by campus policies and state laws. Campus protections are given a 100% smoke-free designation if smoking is not allowed on campus anywhere, at any time; 100% tobacco-free designations extend smoke-free protections to include non-combustible products such as smokeless tobacco.

Results

823 accredited, degree-granting institutions (16.7%) representing 1816 individual campuses, sites and schools have either 100% smoke-free or 100% tobacco-free protections. An estimated 14.9 million college students (26.9%) and 8.9 million faculty and staff (25.4%) are protected by campus policies and state laws. Only three states and two territories have 100% smoke-free or 100% tobacco-free protections in over half of their institutions; four states and six territories have no known 100% smoke-free or 100% tobacco-free campus protections.

Conclusions

In 2017, just 16.7% of accredited, degree-granting institutions in the USA had 100% smoke-free or 100% tobacco-free protections. Despite progress, more efforts can ensure that students and staff benefit from comprehensive 100% smoke-free and 100% tobacco-free protections at US colleges and universities.
Impact of typhoon Matmo (2014) on the distribution of heavy metals in Quanzhou Bay
Authors: Lin Yunpeng , Li Yunhai , Zheng Binxin , Yin Xijie , Wang Liang , He Jia , Shu Fangfang
Published: July 2019

The typhoon process has a significant influence on the distribution of heavy metals in sediments. Based on the heavy metal (V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Mn) contents in surface sediments collected under normal conditions and post-typhoon Matmo in Quanzhou Bay in 2014, the distributions, sources, and impacts of typhoon processes on heavy metals and pollution conditions were studied and discussed. The results showed that the heavy metals can be divided into two categories: Class I metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, and Mn) were mainly distributed in the estuary and significantly increased after the typhoon and Class II metals (V, Cr, Co, and Ni) were distributed in the coastal intertidal zone and estuary and remained unchanged or decreased after the typhoon. The heavy metal assessment showed that heavy metal pollution in Quanzhou Bay was serious and tended to increase after the typhoon. The increased metal supply and enhanced riverine and tida hydrodynamics after the typhoon may be the main factors influencing the variations in heavy metal content and distribution. This study provided a basis for the accurate evaluation and scientific management of heavy metal pollution caused by typhoon processes in Quanzhou Bay.
The erosion—deposition process and associated control mechanisms of the Nanliu River subaqueous delta, Southern China coast
Authors: Lin Zhen-Kun , Wang Ai-Jun , Ye Xiang
Published: July 2019

Understanding the erosion–deposition process of sediments and the associated controlling mechanisms in subaqueous deltas is important for coastal environment protection. In this study, field observations and numerical simulations were performed for the Nanliu River subaqueous delta in Guangxi Province (Southern China) to investigate the sediment dynamic processes at the bottom boundary layer. The results show that the sediment resuspension mainly occurs during periods of spring tides and is mainly controlled by the wave action. When the seabed is free from erosion, suspended sediment settling caused by lateral transport is an important source of maintaining near bed suspended sediment concentration. It was also found that increasing the shear parameter could facilitate the formation of flocs, after which the small flocs tend to merge to large flocs. Finally, by performing a consistency analysis between the seabed erosion and deposition processes obtained from numerical simulation, and the changes of seabed level recorded by the equipment during the field observation, we determined that the local erosion coefficient was 5 × 10-5 kg/m2•s. The one-dimensional simulation is also capable of revealing the general trend at the seabed where it is first subjected to erosion and then deposition, as indicated during the field measurements.
Quantum theory of atoms in molecules in condensed charge density space
Authors: Wilson Timothy R. , Eberhart M.E.
Published: July 2019

By leveraging the fundamental doctrine of the quantum theory of atoms in molecules — the partitioning of the electron charge density (ρ) into regions bounded by surfaces of zero flux — we map the gradient field of ρ onto a two-dimensional space called the gradient bundle condensed charge density ([Formula: see text]). The topology of [Formula: see text] appears to correlate with regions of chemical significance in ρ. The bond wedge is defined as the image in ρ of the basin of attraction in [Formula: see text], analogous to the Bader atom, which is the basin of attraction in ρ. A bond bundle is defined as the union of bond wedges that share interatomic surfaces. We show that maxima in [Formula: see text] typically map to bond paths in ρ, though this is not necessarily always true. This observation addresses many of the concerns regarding the chemical significance of bond critical points and bond paths in the quantum theory of atoms in molecules.
An invader in salmonid rearing habitat: current and future distributions of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the Columbia River Basin
Authors: Rubenson Erika S. , Olden Julian D.
Published: July 2019

Invasive species and climate change are leading threats to freshwater ecosystems. In the Columbia River Basin (CRB), nonnative fishes are a critical consideration in salmon recovery, yet managers lament a lack of distribution information. Combining a species distribution model (SDM) with environmental DNA (eDNA), we locate range boundary regions of nonnative smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and evaluate its overlap with native salmonids. A combination of thermal, hydrological, and geomorphic variables predict that smallmouth bass is distributed across ∼18 000 river kilometres and overlaps with 3%–62% of rearing habitat of salmonids (species-dependent) in the CRB. Under a moderate climate change scenario, smallmouth bass is predicted to expand its range by two-thirds (totaling ∼30 000 river kilometres) by 2080. Basin-wide models were sufficiently accurate to identify upstream invasion extents to within 15 km of the eDNA-based boundary, and including eDNA data improved model performance at critical range boundary regions without sacrificing broadscale model performance. Our study highlights how eDNA approaches can supplement large geospatial data sets to result in more accurate SDM predictions, guiding nonnative species management.
A Secure and Efficient Code-Based Signature Scheme
Authors: Liu Xiangxin , Yang Xiaoyuan , Han Yiliang , Wang Xu An
Published: July 2019

The McEliece public key cryptosystem and the Niederreiter public key cryptosystem are the two major branches of the code-based public key cryptosystem. It has been found that the difficult problems relied by these two systems are different from the syndrome decoding problem stated by Berlekamp et al. The Hamming weight of the error vector is fixed and known to the attackers in these two systems, which leading to the disclosure of information, and through which the attacker can implement an effective attack. In this paper, an improved vision of the McEliece public key cryptosystem was given, and a new code-based signature scheme is designed based on the new cryptosystem. As a result, we achieve a more secure variant of McEliece public key cryptosystem and a more secure code-based signature scheme with high security and fast signing speed.
Relationship between bowl-shaped clastic injectites and parent sand depletion: implications for their scale-invariant morphology and composition
Authors: Cobain S. L. , Hodgson D. M. , Peakall J. , Silcock S. Y.
Published: July 2019

Three-dimensional seismic reflection data provide a means to assess the impact of injection on parent sands, and to quantify the character of the resulting injectite networks. The morphology of a series of large injectite structures hosted in the Paleocene Lower Lista Formation were mapped using broadband 3D seismic data from the North Sea to investigate their relationship with parent sands. Fourteen bowl-shaped structures were identified within the Lista Formation in the study area (60–85 m in height, and 200–900 m in width). Sand is absent (below resolution) below these large-scale bowls, suggesting that the parent sand is the underlying Maureen Formation and that sand ‘welds’ formed, rather than sand-prone channelized deposits within the Lista Formation.

Identification of injectite networks can be ambiguous, which impacts geological model development. Observations from exhumed systems and core offer high-resolution insights into the complexity of injectite networks. To advance our understanding of this scale gap, we argue for injectites being scale invariant in their shape and grain size. This permits the application of outcrop-scale knowledge to seismic-scale interpretation. The demonstrable depletion of parent sands, and their scale invariance, can be applied to basin-fills worldwide to reduce uncertainties of the impact of sand injectites on hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Comparison of Software Design Models
Authors: Gonçales Lucian José , Farias Kleinner , Oliveira Toacy Cavalcante De , Scholl Murilo
Published: July 2019

Model comparison has been widely used to support many tasks in model-driven software development. For this reason, many techniques of comparing them have been proposed in the last few decades. However, academia and industry have overlooked a classification of currently available approaches to the comparison of design models. Hence, a thorough understanding of state-of-the-art techniques remains limited and inconclusive. This article, therefore, focuses on providing a classification and a thematic analysis of studies on the comparison of software design models. We carried out a systematic mapping study following well-established guidelines to answer nine research questions. In total, 56 primary studies (out of 4,132) were selected from 10 widely recognized electronic databases after a careful filtering process. The main results are that a majority of the primary studies (1) provide coarse-grained techniques of the comparison of general-purpose diagrams, (2) adopt graphs as principal data structure and compare software design models considering structural properties only, (3) pinpoint commonalities and differences between software design models rather than assess their similarity, and (4) propose new techniques while neglecting the production of empirical knowledge from experimental studies. Finally, this article highlights some challenges and directions that can be explored in upcoming studies.
Survey and Taxonomy of Volunteer Computing
Authors: Mengistu Tessema M. , Che Dunren
Published: July 2019

Volunteer Computing is a kind of distributed computing that harnesses the aggregated spare computing resources of volunteer devices. It provides a cheaper and greener alternative computing infrastructure that can complement the dedicated, centralized, and expensive data centres. The aggregated idle computing resources of devices ranging from desktop computers to routers and smart TVs are being utilized to provide the much needed computing infrastructure for compute intensive tasks such as scientific simulations and big data analysis. However, the use of Volunteer Computing is still dominated by scientific applications and only a very small fraction of the potential volunteer nodes are participating. This article provides a comprehensive survey of Volunteer Computing, covering key technical and operational issues such as security, task distribution, resource management, and incentive models. The article also presents a taxonomy of Volunteer Computing systems, together with discussions of the characteristics of specific systems in each category. To harness the full potentials of Volunteer Computing and make it a reliable alternative computing infrastructure for general applications, we need to improve the existing techniques and device new mechanisms. Thus, this article also sheds light on important issues regarding the future research and development of Volunteer Computing systems with the aim of making them a viable alternative computing infrastructure.
Load-bearing function of the colorectal submucosa and its relevance to visceral nociception elicited by mechanical stretch
Authors: Siri Saeed , Maier Franz , Santos Stephany , Pierce David M. , Feng Bin
Published: July 2019

Mechanical distension beyond a particular threshold evokes visceral pain from distal colon and rectum (colorectum), and thus biomechanics plays a central role in visceral nociception. In this study we focused on the layered structure of the colorectum through the wall thickness and determined the biomechanical properties of layer-separated colorectal tissue. We harvested the distal 30 mm of mouse colorectum and dissected this tissue into inner and outer composite layers. The inner composite consists of the mucosa and submucosa, whereas the outer composite includes the muscular layers and serosa. We divided each composite axially into three 10-mm-long segments and conducted biaxial mechanical extension tests and opening-angle measurements for each tissue segment. In addition, we quantified the thickness of the rich collagen network in the submucosa by nonlinear imaging via second-harmonic generation (SHG). Our results reveal that the inner composite is slightly stiffer in the axial direction, whereas the outer composite is stiffer circumferentially. The stiffness of the inner composite in the axial direction is about twice that in the circumferential direction, consistent with the orientations of collagen fibers in the submucosa approximately ±30° to the axial direction. Submucosal thickness measured by SHG showed no difference from proximal to distal colorectum under the load-free condition, which likely contributes to the comparable tension stiffness of the inner composite along the colorectum. This, in turn, strongly indicates the submucosa as the load-bearing structure of the colorectum. This further implies nociceptive roles for the colorectal afferent endings in the submucosa, which likely encode tissue-injurious mechanical distension.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Visceral pain from distal colon and rectum (colorectum) is usually elicited from mechanical distension/stretch, rather than from heating, cutting, or pinching, which usually evoke pain from the skin. We conducted layer-separated biomechanical tests on mouse colorectum and identified an unexpected role of submucosa as the load-bearing structure of the colorectum. Outcomes of this study will focus attention on sensory nerve endings in the submucosa that likely encode tissue-injurious distension/stretch to cause visceral pain.
Integration of transcriptomic and proteomic data identifies biological functions in cell populations from human infant lung
Authors: Du Yina , Clair Geremy C. , Al Alam Denise , Danopoulos Soula , Schnell Daniel , Kitzmiller Joseph A. , Misra Ravi S. , Bhattacharya Soumyaroop , Warburton David , Mariani Thomas J. , Pryhuber Gloria S. , Whitsett Jeffrey A. , Ansong Charles , Xu Yan
Published: July 2019

Systems biology uses computational approaches to integrate diverse data types to understand cell and organ behavior. Data derived from complementary technologies, for example transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, are providing new insights into development and disease. We compared mRNA and protein profiles from purified endothelial, epithelial, immune, and mesenchymal cells from normal human infant lung tissue. Signatures for each cell type were identified and compared at both mRNA and protein levels. Cell-specific biological processes and pathways were predicted by analysis of concordant and discordant RNA-protein pairs. Cell clustering and gene set enrichment comparisons identified shared versus unique processes associated with transcriptomic and/or proteomic data. Clear cell-cell correlations between mRNA and protein data were obtained from each cell type. Approximately 40% of RNA-protein pairs were coherently expressed. While the correlation between RNA and their protein products was relatively low (Spearman rank coefficient rs ~0.4), cell-specific signature genes involved in functional processes characteristic of each cell type were more highly correlated with their protein products. Consistency of cell-specific RNA-protein signatures indicated an essential framework for the function of each cell type. Visualization and reutilization of the protein and RNA profiles are supported by a new web application, “LungProteomics,” which is freely accessible to the public.
Myofibrillar protein synthesis and muscle hypertrophy individualized responses to systematically changing resistance training variables in trained young men
Authors: Damas Felipe , Angleri Vitor , Phillips Stuart M. , Witard Oliver C. , Ugrinowitsch Carlos , Santanielo Natalia , Soligon Samuel D. , Costa Luiz A. R. , Lixandrão Manoel E. , Conceição Miguel S. , Libardi Cleiton A.
Published: July 2019

The manipulation of resistance training (RT) variables is used among athletes, recreational exercisers, and compromised populations (e.g., elderly) attempting to potentiate muscle hypertrophy. However, it is unknown whether an individual’s inherent predisposition dictates the RT-induced muscle hypertrophic response. Resistance-trained young [26 (3) y] men ( n = 20) performed 8 wk unilateral RT (2 times/wk), with 1 leg randomly assigned to a standard progressive RT [control (CON)] and the contralateral leg to a variable RT (VAR; modulating exercise load, volume, contraction type, and interset rest interval). The VAR leg completed all 4 RT variations every 2 wk. Bilateral vastus lateralis cross-sectional area (CSA) was measured, pre- and post-RT and acute integrated myofibrillar protein synthesis (MyoPS) rates were assessed at rest and over 48 h following the final RT session. Muscle CSA increase was similar between CON and VAR ( P > 0.05), despite higher total training volume (TTV) in VAR ( P < 0.05). The 0–48-h integrated MyoPS increase postexercise was slightly greater for VAR than CON ( P < 0.05). All participants were considered “responders” to RT, although none benefited to a greater extent from a specific protocol. Between-subjects variability (MyoPS, 3.30%; CSA, 37.8%) was 40-fold greater than the intrasubject (between legs) variability (MyoPS, 0.08%; CSA, 0.9%). The higher TTV and greater MyoPS response in VAR did not translate to a greater muscle hypertrophic response. Manipulating common RT variables elicited similar muscle hypertrophy than a standard progressive RT program in trained young men. Intrinsic individual factors are key determinants of the MyoPS and change in muscle CSA compared with extrinsic manipulation of common RT variables.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Systematically manipulating resistance training (RT) variables during RT augments the stimulation of myofibrillar protein synthesis (MyoPS) and training volume but fails to potentiate muscle hypertrophy compared with a standard progressive RT. Any modest further MyoPS increase and higher training volumes do not reflect in a greater hypertrophic response. Between-subject variability was 40-fold greater than the variability promoted by extrinsic manipulation of RT variables, indicating that individual intrinsic factors are stronger determinants of the hypertrophic response.
Superficial femoral artery blood flow with intermittent pneumatic compression of the lower leg applied during walking exercise and recovery
Authors: Zuj Kathryn A. , Prince Chekema N. , Hughson Richard L. , Peterson Sean D.
Published: July 2019

The purpose of this study was to determine if muscle blood flow during walking exercise and postexercise recovery can be augmented through the application of intermittent compression of the lower legs applied during the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle. Results from four conditions were assessed: no compression (NoComp), compression during walking (ExComp), compression during postexercise recovery (RecComp), and compression applied throughout (AllComp). Superficial femoral artery (SFA) blood flow was measured (Doppler ultrasound) during rest and postexercise recovery. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP, finger photoplethysmography) was used to calculate vascular conductance as VC = SFA flow/MAP. Near infrared spectroscopy measured changes in oxygenated (O2Hb) and deoxygenated hemoglobin concentration throughout the test. Compression during exercise increased SFA blood flow measured over the first 15 s of postexercise recovery (AllComp: 532.2 ± 123.1 mL/min; ExComp: 529.8 ± 99.2 mL/min) compared with NoComp (462.3 ± 87.3 mL/min P < 0.05) and corresponded to increased VC (NoComp: 4.7 ± 0.9 mL·min−1·mmHg−1 versus ExComp: 5.5 ± 1.0 mL·min−1·mmHg−1, P < 0.05). Similarly, compression throughout postexercise recovery also resulted in increased SFA flow (AllComp: 190.5 ± 57.1 mL/min; RecComp: 158.7 ± 49.1 mL/min versus NoComp: 108.8 ± 28.5 mL/min, P < 0.05) and vascular conductance. Muscle contractions during exercise reduced total hemoglobin with O2Hb comprising ~57% of the observed reduction. Compression during exercise augmented this reduction ( P < 0.05) with O2HB again comprising ~55% of the reduction. Total hemoglobin was reduced with compression during postexercise recovery ( P < 0.05) with O2Hb accounting for ~40% of this reduction. Results from this study indicate that intermittent compression applied during walking and during postexercise recovery enhanced vascular conductance during exercise and elevated postexercise SFA blood flow and tissue oxygenation during recovery.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Intermittent compression mimics the mechanical actions of voluntary muscle contraction on venous volume. This study demonstrates that compression applied during the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle while walking accentuates the actions of the muscle pump resulting in increased immediate postexercise muscle blood flow and vascular conductance. Similarly, compression applied during the recovery period independently increased arterial flow and tissue oxygenation, potentially providing conditions conducive to faster recovery.
Electrical impedance tomography identifies a distinct change in regional phase angle delay pattern in ventilation filling immediately prior to a spontaneous pneumothorax
Authors: Miedema Martijn , Adler Andy , McCall Karen E. , Perkins Elizabeth J. , van Kaam Anton H. , Tingay David G.
Published: July 2019

Pneumothoraxes are common in preterm infants and are a major cause of morbidity. Early detection and treatment of pneumothoraxes are vital to minimize further respiratory compromise. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has been suggested as a method of rapidly detecting pneumothoraxes at the bedside. Our objective was to define the EIT-derived regional phase angle differences in filling characteristics before and during spontaneous pneumothoraxes in preterm lambs. Preterm lambs (124–127-day gestation) were ventilated with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation for 120 min. EIT data and cardiorespiratory parameters were monitored continuously and recorded for 3 min every 15 min. Six animals spontaneously developed a pneumothorax within a gravity-nondependent quadrant of the lung and were included for this analysis. Changes in end-expiratory lung impedance (EELI), ventilation, and phase angle delay were calculated in the four lung quadrants at the onset of the pneumothorax and 15 and 30 min prior. At the onset of the pneumothorax, all animals showed a clear increase in EELI in the affected lung quadrant. Fifteen and thirty minutes before the pneumothorax there was a significant phase angle delay between the nondependent and dependent lung. At 1 min before pneumothorax this phase angle delay was isolated just to the affected quadrant (nondependent). These findings are the first description of the events within the lung at initiation of a pneumothorax, demonstrating distinct predictive changes in air-filling characteristics before the occurrence of pneumothorax. This suggests that EIT may be able to accurately identify the onset of a pneumothorax.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this article we describe for the first time predictive changes in electrical impedance tomography-based regional filling characteristics of the lung before the onset of a one-sided pneumothorax in six preterm lambs ventilated with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation. This can give clinicians bedside information to change treatment of preterm infants and prevent pneumothorax as life-threatening event from happening.
Time course of the subjective visual vertical during sustained optokinetic and galvanic vestibular stimulation
Authors: Niehof Nynke , Perdreau Florian , Koppen Mathieu , Medendorp W. Pieter
Published: July 2019

The brain is thought to use rotation cues from both the vestibular and optokinetic system to disambiguate the gravito-inertial force, as measured by the otoliths, into components of linear acceleration and gravity direction relative to the head. Hence, when the head is stationary and upright, an erroneous percept of tilt arises during optokinetic roll stimulation (OKS) or when an artificial canal-like signal is delivered by means of galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS). It is still unknown how this percept is affected by the combined presence of both cues or how it develops over time. Here, we measured the time course of the subjective visual vertical (SVV), as a proxy of perceived head tilt, in human participants ( n = 16) exposed to constant-current GVS (1 and 2 mA, cathodal and anodal) and constant-velocity OKS (30°/s clockwise and counterclockwise) or their combination. In each trial, participants continuously adjusted the orientation of a visual line, which drifted randomly, to Earth vertical. We found that both GVS and OKS evoke an exponential time course of the SVV. These time courses have different amplitudes and different time constants, 4 and 7 s respectively, and combine linearly when the two stimulations are presented together. We discuss these results in the framework of observer theory and Bayesian state estimation.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY While it is known that both roll optokinetic stimuli and galvanic vestibular stimulation affect the percept of vertical, how their effects combine and develop over time is still unclear. Here we show that both effects combined linearly but are characterized by different time constants, which we discuss from a probabilistic perspective.
Sensory and decisional components of endogenous attention are dissociable
Authors: Banerjee Sanjna , Grover Shrey , Ganesh Suhas , Sridharan Devarajan
Published: July 2019

Endogenous cueing of attention enhances sensory processing of the attended stimulus (perceptual sensitivity) and prioritizes information from the attended location for guiding behavioral decisions (spatial choice bias). Here, we test whether sensitivity and bias effects of endogenous spatial attention are under the control of common or distinct mechanisms. Human observers performed a multialternative visuospatial attention task with probabilistic spatial cues. Observers’ behavioral choices were analyzed with a recently developed multidimensional signal detection model (the m-ADC model). The model effectively decoupled the effects of spatial cueing on sensitivity from those on spatial bias and revealed striking dissociations between them. Sensitivity was highest at the cued location and not significantly different among uncued locations, suggesting a spotlight-like allocation of sensory resources at the cued location. On the other hand, bias varied systematically with cue validity, suggesting a graded allocation of decisional priority across locations. Cueing-induced modulations of sensitivity and bias were uncorrelated within and across subjects. Bias, but not sensitivity, correlated with key metrics of prioritized decision-making, including reaction times and decision optimality indices. In addition, we developed a novel metric, differential risk curvature, for distinguishing bias effects of attention from those of signal expectation. Differential risk curvature correlated selectively with m-ADC model estimates of bias but not with estimates of sensitivity. Our results reveal dissociable effects of endogenous attention on perceptual sensitivity and choice bias in a multialternative choice task and motivate the search for the distinct neural correlates of each.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Attention is often studied as a unitary phenomenon. Yet, attention can both enhance the perception of important stimuli (sensitivity) and prioritize such stimuli for decision-making (bias). Employing a multialternative spatial attention task with probabilistic cueing, we show that attention affects sensitivity and bias through dissociable mechanisms. Specifically, the effects on sensitivity alone match the notion of an attentional “spotlight.” Our behavioral model enables quantifying component processes of attention, and identifying their respective neural correlates.
Cycle-by-cycle analysis of neural oscillations
Authors: Cole Scott , Voytek Bradley
Published: July 2019

Neural oscillations are widely studied using methods based on the Fourier transform, which models data as sums of sinusoids. This has successfully uncovered numerous links between oscillations and cognition or disease. However, neural data are nonsinusoidal, and these nonsinusoidal features are increasingly linked to a variety of behavioral and cognitive states, pathophysiology, and underlying neuronal circuit properties. We present a new analysis framework, one that is complementary to existing Fourier and Hilbert transform-based approaches, that quantifies oscillatory features in the time domain on a cycle-by-cycle basis. We have released this cycle-by-cycle analysis suite as “bycycle,” a fully documented, open-source Python package with detailed tutorials and troubleshooting cases. This approach performs tests to assess whether an oscillation is present at any given moment and, if so, quantifies each oscillatory cycle by its amplitude, period, and waveform symmetry, the latter of which is missed with the use of conventional approaches. In a series of simulated event-related studies, we show how conventional Fourier and Hilbert transform approaches can conflate event-related changes in oscillation burst duration as increased oscillatory amplitude and as a change in the oscillation frequency, even though those features were unchanged in simulation. Our approach avoids these errors. Furthermore, we validate this approach in simulation and against experimental recordings of patients with Parkinson’s disease, who are known to have nonsinusoidal beta (12–30 Hz) oscillations.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We introduce a fully documented, open-source Python package, bycycle, for analyzing neural oscillations on a cycle-by-cycle basis. This approach is complementary to traditional Fourier and Hilbert transform-based approaches but avoids specific pitfalls. First, bycycle confirms an oscillation is present, to avoid analyzing aperiodic, nonoscillatory data as oscillations. Next, it quantifies nonsinusoidal aspects of oscillations, increasingly linked to neural circuit physiology, behavioral states, and diseases. This approach is tested against simulated and real data.
A novel EEG paradigm to simultaneously and rapidly assess the functioning of auditory and visual pathways
Authors: Backer Kristina C. , Kessler Andrew S. , Lawyer Laurel A. , Corina David P. , Miller Lee M.
Published: July 2019

Objective assessment of the sensory pathways is crucial for understanding their development across the life span and how they may be affected by neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism spectrum) and neurological pathologies (e.g., stroke, multiple sclerosis, etc.). Quick and passive measurements, for example, using electroencephalography (EEG), are especially important when working with infants and young children and with patient populations having communication deficits (e.g., aphasia). However, many EEG paradigms are limited to measuring activity from one sensory domain at a time, may be time consuming, and target only a subset of possible responses from that particular sensory domain (e.g., only auditory brainstem responses or only auditory P1-N1-P2 evoked potentials). Thus we developed a new multisensory paradigm that enables simultaneous, robust, and rapid (6–12 min) measurements of both auditory and visual EEG activity, including auditory brainstem responses, auditory and visual evoked potentials, as well as auditory and visual steady-state responses. This novel method allows us to examine neural activity at various stations along the auditory and visual hierarchies with an ecologically valid continuous speech stimulus, while an unrelated video is playing. Both the speech stimulus and the video can be customized for any population of interest. Furthermore, by using two simultaneous visual steady-state stimulation rates, we demonstrate the ability of this paradigm to track both parafoveal and peripheral visual processing concurrently. We report results from 25 healthy young adults, which validate this new paradigm.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY A novel electroencephalography paradigm enables the rapid, reliable, and noninvasive assessment of neural activity along both auditory and visual pathways concurrently. The paradigm uses an ecologically valid continuous speech stimulus for auditory evaluation and can simultaneously track visual activity to both parafoveal and peripheral visual space. This new methodology may be particularly appealing to researchers and clinicians working with infants and young children and with patient populations with limited communication abilities.