bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parents mention sons more often than daughters on social media
Authors: Sivak Elizaveta , Smirnov Ivan
Published: January 2019

Gender inequality starts early in life. Parents tend to prefer boys over girls, which is manifested in reproductive behavior, marital life, and parents’ pastimes and investments in their children. While social media and sharing information about children (so-called “sharenting”) have become an integral part of parenthood, whether and how gender preference shapes the online behavior of users are not well known. In this paper we use public posts made by 635,665 users from Saint Petersburg on a popular Russian social networking site, to investigate public mentions of daughters and sons on social media. We find that both men and women mention sons more often than daughters in their posts. We also find that posts featuring sons receive more “likes” on average. Our results indicate that girls are underrepresented in parents’ digital narratives about their children, in a country with an above-average ranking on gender parity. This gender imbalance may send a message that girls are less important than boys or that they deserve less attention, thus reinforcing gender inequality from an early age.
Revealing the atomic ordering of binary intermetallics using in situ heating techniques at multilength scales
Authors: Xiong Yin , Yang Yao , Joress Howie , Padgett Elliot , Gupta Unmukt , Yarlagadda Venkata , Agyeman-Budu David N. , Huang Xin , Moylan Thomas E. , Zeng Rui , Kongkanand Anusorn , Escobedo Fernando A. , Brock Joel D. , DiSalvo Francis J. , Muller David A. , Abruña Héctor D.
Published: January 2019

Significance

We present a comprehensive quantitative study of the dynamic order–disorder phase transition of Pt
3
Co nanoparticles, binary intermetallic oxygen-reduction reaction fuel cell electrocatalysts, during postsynthesis annealing. We employed in situ synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction (XRD) and in situ scanning transmission EM (STEM) to study the phase transition and morphological and structural changes during real-time annealing. In situ XRD revealed the impact of annealing/cooling conditions on the degree of ordering, particle size and lattice strain. In situ heating STEM enabled visualization of nanoparticle migration and growth. We find that a higher degree of ordering leads to more active and durable electrocatalysts. Our findings represent a groundbreaking advance in electrocatalyst development/design with a broad impact on energy materials, in general, and fuel cells, in particular.
The dynein adaptor Hook2 plays essential roles in mitotic progression and cytokinesis
Authors: Dwivedi Devashish , Kumari Amrita , Rathi Siddhi , Mylavarapu Sivaram V.S. , Sharma Mahak
Published: January 2019

Hook proteins are evolutionarily conserved dynein adaptors that promote assembly of highly processive dynein–dynactin motor complexes. Mammals express three Hook paralogs, namely Hook1, Hook2, and Hook3, that have distinct subcellular localizations and expectedly, distinct cellular functions. Here we demonstrate that Hook2 binds to and promotes dynein–dynactin assembly specifically during mitosis. During the late G2 phase, Hook2 mediates dynein–dynactin localization at the nuclear envelope (NE), which is required for centrosome anchoring to the NE. Independent of its binding to dynein, Hook2 regulates microtubule nucleation at the centrosome; accordingly, Hook2-depleted cells have reduced astral microtubules and spindle positioning defects. Besides the centrosome, Hook2 localizes to and recruits dynactin and dynein to the central spindle. Dynactin-dependent targeting of centralspindlin complex to the midzone is abrogated upon Hook2 depletion; accordingly, Hook2 depletion results in cytokinesis failure. We find that the zebrafish Hook2 homologue promotes dynein–dynactin association and was essential for zebrafish early development. Together, these results suggest that Hook2 mediates assembly of the dynein–dynactin complex and regulates mitotic progression and cytokinesis.
Distinct roles for dynein light intermediate chains in neurogenesis, migration, and terminal somal translocation
Authors: Gonçalves João Carlos , Dantas Tiago J. , Vallee Richard B.
Published: January 2019

Cytoplasmic dynein participates in multiple aspects of neocortical development. These include neural progenitor proliferation, morphogenesis, and neuronal migration. The cytoplasmic dynein light intermediate chains (LICs) 1 and 2 are cargo-binding subunits, though their relative roles are not well understood. Here, we used in utero electroporation of shRNAs or LIC functional domains to determine the relative contributions of the two LICs in the developing rat brain. We find that LIC1, through BicD2, is required for apical nuclear migration in neural progenitors. In newborn neurons, we observe specific roles for LIC1 in the multipolar to bipolar transition and glial-guided neuronal migration. In contrast, LIC2 contributes to a novel dynein role in the little-studied mode of migration, terminal somal translocation. Together, our results provide novel insight into the LICs’ unique functions during brain development and dynein regulation overall.
Immune regulation by glucocorticoids can be linked to cell type–dependent transcriptional responses
Authors: Franco Luis M. , Gadkari Manasi , Howe Katherine N. , Sun Jing , Kardava Lela , Kumar Parag , Kumari Sangeeta , Hu Zonghui , Fraser Iain D.C. , Moir Susan , Tsang John S. , Germain Ronald N.
Published: January 2019

Glucocorticoids remain the most widely used immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drugs, yet substantial gaps exist in our understanding of glucocorticoid-mediated immunoregulation. To address this, we generated a pathway-level map of the transcriptional effects of glucocorticoids on nine primary human cell types. This analysis revealed that the response to glucocorticoids is highly cell type dependent, in terms of the individual genes and pathways affected, as well as the magnitude and direction of transcriptional regulation. Based on these data and given their importance in autoimmunity, we conducted functional studies with B cells. We found that glucocorticoids impair upstream B cell receptor and Toll-like receptor 7 signaling, reduce transcriptional output from the three immunoglobulin loci, and promote significant up-regulation of the genes encoding the immunomodulatory cytokine IL-10 and the terminal-differentiation factor BLIMP-1. These findings provide new mechanistic understanding of glucocorticoid action and emphasize the multifactorial, cell-specific effects of these drugs, with potential implications for designing more selective immunoregulatory therapies.
Capture of an external anion beam into a linear Paul trap
Authors: Cerchiari G , Erlewein S , Yzombard P , Zimmermann M , Kellerbauer A
Published: January 2019

We describe a linear Paul trap and high-voltage platform specifically designed for the trapping of a large and pure sample of anions from an external keV-energy beam. Capture and confinement in a static configuration of DC potentials was found to occur by transfer of axial to radial ion momentum due to elastic and inelastic collisions. Stability diagrams both in transmission and capture mode were recorded. The trapping efficiency was observed to be very sensitive to the axial potentials relative to the beam energy. Several 104 oxygen anions were loaded from a 2 keV primary beam and confined for several 100 s. Identification of trapped O− ions and contaminants was achieved by selective laser photodetachment.
Current diffusion and efficiency droop in vertical light emitting diodes*
Authors: Wan R Q , Li T , Liu Z Q , Yi X Y , Wang J X , Li J H , Zhu W H , Li J M , Wang L C
Published: January 2019

Current diffusion is an old issue, nevertheless, the relationship between the current diffusion and the efficiency of light emitting diodes (LEDs) needs to be further quantitatively clarified. By incorporating current crowding effect (CCE) into the conventional ABC model, we have theoretically and directly correlated the current diffusion and the internal quantum efficiency (IQE), light extraction efficiency (LEE), and external quantum efficiency (EQE) droop of the lateral LEDs. However, questions still exist for the vertical LEDs (V-LEDs). Here firstly the current diffusion length L
s(I) and L
s(II) have been clarified. Based on this, the influence of CCE on the EQE, IQE, and LEE of V-LEDs were investigated. Specifically to our V-LEDs with moderate series resistivity, L
s(III) was developed by combining L
s(I) and L
s(II), and the CCE effect on the performance of V-LEDs was investigated. The wall-plug efficiency (WPE) of V-LEDs ware investigated finally. Our works provide a deep understanding of the current diffusion status and the correlated efficiency droop in V-LEDs, thus would benefit the V-LEDs' chip design and further efficiency improvement.
Regular extensions and algebraic relations between values of Mahler functions in positive characteristic
Authors: Fernandes Gwladys
Published: January 2019

Let

K

\mathbb {K}

be a function field of characteristic

p
>
0

p>0

. We have recently established the analogue of a theorem of Ku. Nishioka for linear Mahler systems defined over

K

(
z
)

\mathbb {K}(z)

. This paper is dedicated to proving the following refinement of this theorem. Let

f

1

(
z
)
,
…
,

f

n

(
z
)

f_{1}(z),\ldots , f_{n}(z)

be

d
d

-Mahler functions such that
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="ModifyingAbove double-struck upper K With bar left-parenthesis z right-parenthesis left-parenthesis f 1 left-parenthesis z right-parenthesis comma ellipsis comma f Subscript n Baseline left-parenthesis z right-parenthesis right-parenthesis">

K

¯

(
z
)

(

f

1

(
z
)
,
…
,

f

n

(
z
)
)

\overline {\mathbb {K}}(z)\left (f_{1}(z),\ldots , f_{n}(z)\right )

is a regular extension over

K

¯

(
z
)

\overline {\mathbb {K}}(z)

. Then, every homogeneous algebraic relation over

K

¯

\overline {\mathbb {K}}

between their values at a regular algebraic point arises as the specialization of a homogeneous algebraic relation over

K

¯

(
z
)

\overline {\mathbb {K}}(z)

between these functions themselves. If

K

\mathbb {K}

is replaced by a number field, this result is due to B. Adamczewski and C. Faverjon as a consequence of a theorem of P. Philippon. The main difference is that in characteristic zero, every

d
d

-Mahler extension is regular, whereas in characteristic

p
p

, non-regular

d
d

-Mahler extensions do exist. Furthermore, we prove that the regularity of the field extension
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="ModifyingAbove double-struck upper K With bar left-parenthesis z right-parenthesis left-parenthesis f 1 left-parenthesis z right-parenthesis comma ellipsis comma f Subscript n Baseline left-parenthesis z right-parenthesis right-parenthesis">

K

¯

(
z
)

(

f

1

(
z
)
,
…
,

f

n

(
z
)
)

\overline {\mathbb {K}}(z)\left (f_{1}(z),\ldots , f_{n}(z)\right )

is also necessary for our refinement to hold. Besides, we show that when

p
∤
d

p\nmid d

,

d
d

-Mahler extensions over

K

¯

(
z
)

\overline {\mathbb {K}}(z)

are always regular. Finally, we describe some consequences of our main result concerning the transcendence of values of

d
d

-Mahler functions at algebraic points.
Sensitivity and specificity of information criteria
Authors: Dziak John J , Coffman Donna L , Lanza Stephanie T , Li Runze , Jermiin Lars S
Published: January 2019

Information criteria (ICs) based on penalized likelihood, such as Akaike’s information criterion (AIC), the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) and sample-size-adjusted versions of them, are widely used for model selection in health and biological research. However, different criteria sometimes support different models, leading to discussions about which is the most trustworthy. Some researchers and fields of study habitually use one or the other, often without a clearly stated justification. They may not realize that the criteria may disagree. Others try to compare models using multiple criteria but encounter ambiguity when different criteria lead to substantively different answers, leading to questions about which criterion is best. In this paper we present an alternative perspective on these criteria that can help in interpreting their practical implications. Specifically, in some cases the comparison of two models using ICs can be viewed as equivalent to a likelihood ratio test, with the different criteria representing different alpha levels and BIC being a more conservative test than AIC. This perspective may lead to insights about how to interpret the ICs in more complex situations. For example, AIC or BIC could be preferable, depending on the relative importance one assigns to sensitivity versus specificity. Understanding the differences and similarities among the ICs can make it easier to compare their results and to use them to make informed decisions.
Network-based methods for predicting essential genes or proteins: a survey
Authors: Li Xingyi , Li Wenkai , Zeng Min , Zheng Ruiqing , Li Min
Published: January 2019

Genes that are thought to be critical for the survival of organisms or cells are called essential genes. The prediction of essential genes and their products (essential proteins) is of great value in exploring the mechanism of complex diseases, the study of the minimal required genome for living cells and the development of new drug targets. As laboratory methods are often complicated, costly and time-consuming, a great many of computational methods have been proposed to identify essential genes/proteins from the perspective of the network level with the in-depth understanding of network biology and the rapid development of biotechnologies. Through analyzing the topological characteristics of essential genes/proteins in protein–protein interaction networks (PINs), integrating biological information and considering the dynamic features of PINs, network-based methods have been proved to be effective in the identification of essential genes/proteins. In this paper, we survey the advanced methods for network-based prediction of essential genes/proteins and present the challenges and directions for future research.
Comparison of statistical algorithms for daily syndromic surveillance aberration detection
Authors: Noufaily Angela , Morbey Roger A , Colón-González Felipe J , Elliot Alex J , Smith Gillian E , Lake Iain R , McCarthy Noel
Published: January 2019

Motivation

Public health authorities can provide more effective and timely interventions to protect populations during health events if they have effective multi-purpose surveillance systems. These systems rely on aberration detection algorithms to identify potential threats within large datasets. Ensuring the algorithms are sensitive, specific and timely is crucial for protecting public health. Here, we evaluate the performance of three detection algorithms extensively used for syndromic surveillance: the ‘rising activity, multilevel mixed effects, indicator emphasis’ (RAMMIE) method and the improved quasi-Poisson regression-based method known as ‘Farrington Flexible’ both currently used at Public Health England, and the ‘Early Aberration Reporting System’ (EARS) method used at the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. We model the wide range of data structures encountered within the daily syndromic surveillance systems used by PHE. We undertake extensive simulations to identify which algorithms work best across different types of syndromes and different outbreak sizes. We evaluate RAMMIE for the first time since its introduction. Performance metrics were computed and compared in the presence of a range of simulated outbreak types that were added to baseline data.

Results

We conclude that amongst the algorithm variants that have a high specificity (i.e. >90%), Farrington Flexible has the highest sensitivity and specificity, whereas RAMMIE has the highest probability of outbreak detection and is the most timely, typically detecting outbreaks 2–3 days earlier.

Availability and implementation

R codes developed for this project are available through https://github.com/FelipeJColon/AlgorithmComparison

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
ensembldb: an R package to create and use Ensembl-based annotation resources
Authors: Rainer Johannes , Gatto Laurent , Weichenberger Christian X
Published: January 2019

Bioinformatics research frequently involves handling gene-centric data such as exons, transcripts, proteins and their positions relative to a reference coordinate system. The ensembldb Bioconductor package retrieves and stores Ensembl-based genetic annotations and positional information, and furthermore offers identifier conversion and coordinates mappings for gene-associated data. In support of reproducible research, data are tied to Ensembl releases and are kept separately from the software. Premade data packages are available for a variety of genomes and Ensembl releases. Three examples demonstrate typical use cases of this software.

Availability and implementation

ensembldb is part of Bioconductor (https://bioconductor.org/packages/ensembldb).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Haplotype assembly of autotetraploid potato using integer linear programing
Authors: Siragusa Enrico , Haiminen Niina , Finkers Richard , Visser Richard , Parida Laxmi
Published: January 2019

Haplotype assembly of polyploids is an open issue in plant genomics. Recent experimental studies on highly heterozygous autotetraploid potato have shown that available methods do not deliver satisfying results in practice. We propose an optimal method to assemble haplotypes of highly heterozygous polyploids from Illumina short-sequencing reads. Our method is based on a generalization of the existing minimum fragment removal model to the polyploid case and on new integer linear programs to reconstruct optimal haplotypes. We validate our methods experimentally by means of a combined evaluation on simulated and experimental data based on 83 previously sequenced autotetraploid potato cultivars. Results on simulated data show that our methods produce highly accurate haplotype assemblies, while results on experimental data confirm a sensible improvement over the state of the art.

Availability and implementation

Executables for Linux at http://github.com/Computational Genomics/HaplotypeAssembler.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Withaferin A inhibits lysosomal activity to block autophagic flux and induces apoptosis via energetic impairment in breast cancer cells
Authors: Muniraj Nethaji , Siddharth Sumit , Nagalingam Arumugam , Walker Alyssa , Woo Juhyung , Győrffy Balázs , Gabrielson Ed , Saxena Neeraj K , Sharma Dipali
Published: January 2019

Withaferin A (WFA), a steroidal lactone, negatively regulates breast cancer growth however, its mechanisms of action remain largely elusive. We found that WFA blocks autophagy flux and lysosomal proteolytic activity in breast cancer cells. WFA increases accumulation of autophagosomes, LC3B-II conversion, expression of autophagy-related proteins and autophagosome/lysosome fusion. Autolysosomes display the characteristics of acidic compartments in WFA-treated cells; however, the protein degradation activity of lysosomes is inhibited. Blockade of autophagic flux reduces the recycling of cellular fuels leading to insufficient substrates for tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and impaired oxidative phosphorylation. WFA decreases expression and phosphorylation of lactate dehydrogenase, the key enzyme that catalyzes pyruvate-to-lactate conversion, reduces adenosine triphosphate levels and increases AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. AMPK inhibition abrogates while AMPK activation potentiates WFA’s effect. WFA and 2-deoxy-d-glucose combination elicits synergistic inhibition of breast cancer cells. Genetic knockout of BECN1 and ATG7 fails to rescue cells from WFA treatment; in contrast, addition of methyl pyruvate to supplement TCA cycle protects WFA-treated cells. Together, these results implicate that WFA is a potent lysosomal inhibitor; energetic impairment is required for WFA-induced apoptosis and growth inhibition and combining WFA and 2-DG is a promising therapeutic strategy for breast cancer.
Transfinite fractal dimension of trees and hierarchical scale-free graphs
Authors: Komjáthy Júlia , Molontay Roland , Simon Károly
Published: January 2019

In this article, we introduce a new concept: the transfinite fractal dimension of graph sequences motivated by the notion of fractality of complex networks proposed by Song et al. We show that the definition of fractality cannot be applied to networks with ‘tree-like’ structure and exponential growth rate of neighbourhoods. However, we show that the definition of fractal dimension could be modified in a way that takes into account the exponential growth, and with the modified definition, the fractal dimension becomes a proper parameter of graph sequences. We find that this parameter is related to the growth rate of trees. We also generalize the concept of box dimension further and introduce the transfinite Cesaro fractal dimension. Using rigorous proofs, we determine the optimal box-covering and transfinite fractal dimension of various models: the hierarchical graph sequence model introduced by Komjáthy and Simon, Song–Havlin–Makse model, spherically symmetric trees and supercritical Galton–Watson trees.
Tallage-at-Will in Later Medieval England
Authors: Bailey Mark
Published: January 2019

Tallage-at-will was a seigniorial tax on unfree tenants and hereditary serfs in medieval England, and one of the two main tests of villeinage under the common law. Contemporary lawyers argued that it was compulsory and uncertain, which has led many historians to portray it as a variable, exorbitant and arbitrary component of villein rent, but this article offers the first comprehensive survey of its form, operation and significance. It reveals that by c.1300 the frequency and level of tallage had become codified and largely fixed, it existed in various forms, it was not found on many manors, and methods of determining individual contributions varied. Thus the example of tallage-at-will serves to reinforce the heterogeneity of villeinage in England and, by extension, the unevenness of its experience on the ground. The absence of tallage-at-will from a sizeable minority of manors c.1300, and its rapid decline and disappearance after 1348–9 from many more, raises questions about its significance as one of the two key tests of villeinage in the common law. Finally, the differences between villein tallage and free aid are explored, and found to be less clear-cut than medieval lawyers would have us believe.
Can complex mitral valve repair be performed with robotics? An institution’s experience utilizing a dedicated team approach in 500 patients†
Authors: Loulmet Didier F , Ranganath Neel K , Neuburger Peter J , Nampiaparampil Robert G , Galloway Aubrey C , Grossi Eugene A
Published: January 2019

OBJECTIVES

The full potential of robotics has not been achieved in terms of addressing the most challenging mitral valve (MV) cases. We outline our technique and report our early results with totally endoscopic robotic MV repair in a wide range of pathologies.

METHODS

From May 2011 to August 2017, a dedicated team attempted totally endoscopic robotic MV repair in 500 MV regurgitation patients. Repair complexity was scored in 3 categories. We analysed our sequential case experience by quartiles.

RESULTS

Patient mean age was 60.8 years (range 18–88). Aetiologies included: degenerative 382 (76.4%), functional 37 (7.4%), inflammatory 22 (4.4%) and others 59 (11.8%). Mitral annular calcification was present in 64 (12.8%) cases. Simple MV repair (annuloplasty alone or with 1 leaflet segment repair) was performed in 240 (48%) patients, complex (repair involving more than 1 segment on the same leaflet) in 140 (28%) patients and most complex (bileaflet repair or mitral annular calcification excision with atrioventricular groove repair) in 120 (24%) patients. Concomitant procedures included: left appendage closure (94.8%), patent foramen ovale/atrial septal defect (PFO/ASD) closure (19.6%), cryoablation (19.4%), tricuspid repair (6.2%) or hybrid percutaneous coronary revascularization (7.8%). The overall repair rate was 99.4%, with 0.6% early mortality and 1.2% stroke rate (0.2% permanent neurological deficit). Case complexity increased with our experience. Despite an increase in aortic occlusion and perfusion times (median 86.5 and 125 min) and a slight decrease in operating room extubation rate (overall 64%), length of hospital stay (median 4 days) and 30-day readmission rate (overall 3.6%) were not affected by the progressive inclusion of more complex cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Totally endoscopic robotic MV repair performed by a dedicated team allows one to address the entire spectrum of pathological complexity and provides consistent results.
Mechanical haemolytic anaemia assessed with four-dimensional flow cardiac magnetic resonance
Authors: Uchida Wataru , Tokuda Yoshiyuki , Takehara Yasuo , Usui Akihiko
Published: January 2019

A 66-year-old woman developed marked haemolytic anaemia 2 years after total aortic arch replacement using a branched Dacron graft. Echocardiography confirmed bicuspid aortic valve stenosis. A four-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging revealed a jet flow arising from the aortic valve along with the vortex and turbulent flow inside the kinked prosthetic graft at the ascending aorta. She underwent a reoperation to replace the aortic valve and correct the kinking. The estimated energy loss after intervention was relieved to 2.9 mJ/cardiac cycle from 4.3 mJ/cardiac cycle before intervention. The patient’s anaemia resolved immediately after the reoperation.
Variability of repairable bicuspid aortic valve phenotypes: towards an anatomical and repair-oriented classification†
Authors: de Kerchove Laurent , Mastrobuoni Stefano , Froede Lennart , Tamer Saadallah , Boodhwani Munir , van Dyck Michel , el Khoury Gebrine , Schäfers Hans-Joachim
Published: January 2019

OBJECTIVES

The bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) exists in a wide variety of valve phenotypes. The aim of this study was to assess the anatomical characteristics of the different phenotypes and develop a classification system to aid surgical repair.

METHODS

In 178 consecutive patients operated on for aortic insufficiency or aortic dilatation in 2 centres, 11 anatomical parameters of BAV were measured by echocardiography and intraoperatively. All BAV judged potentially repairable were included in the study.

RESULTS

Commissural orientation correlated positively with fusion length (R2 = 0.6, P < 0.001) and negatively with non-functional commissure height (R2 = 0.45, P < 0.001). The cohort was divided into 3 groups according to their commissural orientation (type A: symmetrical, 160–180°, n = 73; type B: asymmetrical, 140–159°, n = 74; and type C: very asymmetrical, 120–139°, n = 31). The patterns of cusp fusion, annulus and aortic size were similar among the groups. Fusion length and the geometric height of the cusps decreased from type A to C; non-functional commissure height increased from type A to C (P < 0.05). Patient age increased from type A to type C. Isolated aortic dilatation was more frequent in type A, and severe aortic insufficiency was more frequent in types B and C (P < 0.05). Valve repair techniques and management of commissural orientation varied among the 3 groups (P < 0.05). Aortic valve replacement and residual aortic insufficiency after repair were more frequent in type C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The BAV phenotypes follow a continuous spectrum that extends from symmetrical to very asymmetrical BAV. We describe the main anatomical parameters (including commissure orientation, length of fusion and non-functional commissure height) and their variation across this spectrum. We propose a new repair-oriented classification system based on those parameters that can be used to predict valve repair techniques. This classification needs further validation with regards to surgical techniques and long-term outcomes.
Deep learning for cardiovascular medicine: a practical primer
Authors: Krittanawong Chayakrit , Johnson Kipp W , Rosenson Robert S , Wang Zhen , Aydar Mehmet , Baber Usman , Min James K , Tang W H Wilson , Halperin Jonathan L , Narayan Sanjiv M
Published: January 2019

Deep learning (DL) is a branch of machine learning (ML) showing increasing promise in medicine, to assist in data classification, novel disease phenotyping and complex decision making. Deep learning is a form of ML typically implemented via multi-layered neural networks. Deep learning has accelerated by recent advances in computer hardware and algorithms and is increasingly applied in e-commerce, finance, and voice and image recognition to learn and classify complex datasets. The current medical literature shows both strengths and limitations of DL. Strengths of DL include its ability to automate medical image interpretation, enhance clinical decision-making, identify novel phenotypes, and select better treatment pathways in complex diseases. Deep learning may be well-suited to cardiovascular medicine in which haemodynamic and electrophysiological indices are increasingly captured on a continuous basis by wearable devices as well as image segmentation in cardiac imaging. However, DL also has significant weaknesses including difficulties in interpreting its models (the ‘black-box’ criticism), its need for extensive adjudicated (‘labelled’) data in training, lack of standardization in design, lack of data-efficiency in training, limited applicability to clinical trials, and other factors. Thus, the optimal clinical application of DL requires careful formulation of solvable problems, selection of most appropriate DL algorithms and data, and balanced interpretation of results. This review synthesizes the current state of DL for cardiovascular clinicians and investigators, and provides technical context to appreciate the promise, pitfalls, near-term challenges, and opportunities for this exciting new area.
Assessment of developmental risk information on medicines for inclusion on the WHO’s Essential Medicines List
Authors: Polifka Janine E , J. Boroje Isabella , Ferdosi Hamid , Lamm Steven H
Published: January 2019

Background

The WHO develops biannually an Essential Medicines List (EML) of medications proposed for national formularies to be safe, effective and cost-effective. This satisfies the priority healthcare needs of most adult populations, but it does not consider the unique toxicological risks that occur from exposures during pregnancy.

Methods

Developmental toxicity risk information for the 451 specific agents on the 2017 EML were identified from four well-recognized compendia of teratological assessments. On this basis, each agent was classified as having known, suggested, or little to no developmental risk, or as having insufficient information.

Results

Thirteen (3%) EML agents posed known developmental risks, and 115 (25%) had evidence suggesting risk. For 170 (38%) agents, there was little or no evidence of such risk. Thus, risk classification could be determined for 66% of the agents. For an additional 153 (34%) agents, the information was insufficient for classification.

Conclusion

It is feasible to expand the classification of most of the EML agents to include the risks from exposure during pregnancy.
Taking the Pulse of Environmental and Fisheries Law: The Common Fisheries Policy, the Habitats Directive, and Brexit
Authors: Appleby Thomas , Harrison James
Published: January 2019

There has long been a tension between environmental regulation and the European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which has been addressed over time through progressive reform of the CFP. It is now recognised that Member States may comply with their obligations under EU nature conservation law by taking unilateral non-discriminatory measures within their territorial seas to protect the marine environment from threats posed by fishing. Nevertheless, fundamental uncertainties remain when it comes to the application of these obligations to offshore waters. This article explores the options available to coastal states in this context and the weaknesses of the procedures introduced to the reformed CFP in 2013. It is argued that compliance with nature conservation law in the context of fisheries is not discretionary and that in the absence of measures agreed at the EU level, Member States must comply with their obligations under the Habitats Directive in their capacity as a flag state. Finally, the article addresses the implications of Brexit for the protection of European Marine Sites in UK waters, suggesting that Brexit offers opportunities to strengthen the protection of marine ecosystems by making future access arrangements for foreign fishing vessels conditional upon compliance with nature conservation laws.
Dynamics of mobility-stasis in refugee journeys: Case of resettlement from Turkey to Canada
Authors: Yıldız Uğur , Sert Deniz Ş
Published: January 2019

The refugee Odyssey is often not a linear, straightforward movement from point A to point B, from sending country to receiving one. Rather, it involves multiple paths, gateways, entry and exit points, and territories en route to the country of resettlement. Crucially, the journey involves not only mobility but also immobility and/or periods of stasis—breaks that are, in many cases, a natural part of the journey. Alongside this diversity of paths and movements, the refugee experience—understood in terms of the practices and acts of refugees en route—is also far from homogeneous. Each journey may well have an episodic character, where the course, direction, and periods of waiting for one asylum traveller can differ significantly from those of previous and/or future travellers—even if the departure point and destination are the same. Within this context, this article examines the breaks or periods of stasis that punctuate the refugee Odyssey, which we call mobistasis. We base our empirical findings on research conducted with people en route to resettlement in Canada via Turkey where they initially seek asylum and await resettlement. Drawing on fieldwork in Turkey and Canada between April 2014 and October 2016 and semi-structured interviews conducted with asylum travellers from non-European countries, the article illustrates how Turkey as the country of asylum is more than a space of mere ‘transit’. It rather constitutes a space of mobistasis—stasis within movement—in the asylum voyage towards countries of resettlement.
Perilesional Resection of Glioblastoma Is Independently Associated With Improved Outcomes
Authors: Al-Holou Wajd N , Hodges Tiffany R , Everson Richard G , Freeman Jacob , Zhou Shouhao , Suki Dima , Rao Ganesh , Ferguson Sherise D , Heimberger Amy B , McCutcheon Ian E , Prabhu Sujit S , Lang Frederick F , Weinberg Jeffrey S , Wildrick David M , Sawaya Raymond
Published: January 2019

BACKGROUND

Resection is a critical component in the initial treatment of glioblastoma (GBM). Often GBMs are resected using an intralesional method. Circumferential perilesional resection of GBMs has been described, but with limited data.

OBJECTIVE

To conduct an observational retrospective analysis to test whether perilesional resection produced a greater extent of resection.

METHODS

We identified all patients with newly diagnosed GBM who underwent resection at our institution from June 1, 1993 to December 31, 2015. Demographics, presenting symptoms, intraoperative data, method of resection (perilesional or intralesional), volumetric imaging data, and postoperative outcomes were obtained. Complete resection (CR) was defined as 100% resection of all contrast-enhancing disease. Univariate analyses employed analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher's exact test. Multivariate analyses used propensity score-weighted multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Newly diagnosed GBMs were resected in 1204 patients, 436 tumors (36%) perilesionally and 766 (64%) intralesionally. Radiographic CR was achieved in 69% of cases. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that perilesional tumor resection was associated with a significantly higher rate of CR than intralesional resection (81% vs 62%, multivariate odds ratio = 2.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.8-3.4, P < .001). Among tumors in eloquent cortex, multivariate analysis showed that patients who underwent perilesional resection had a higher rate of CR (79% vs 58%, respectively, P < .001) and a lower rate of neurological complications (11% vs 20%, respectively, P = .018) than those who underwent intralesional resection.

CONCLUSION

Circumferential perilesional resection of GBM is associated with significantly higher rates of CR and lower rates of neurological complications than intralesional resection, even for tumors arising in eloquent locations. Perilesional resection, when feasible, should be considered as a preferred option.
Inequality: traditional drivers and the role of union power
Authors: Jaumotte Florence , Osorio Buitron Carolina
Published: January 2019

We examine the factors explaining the increase in gross and net income inequality in advanced economies since the 1980s. Our results support the view that globalization, technological progress, financial deregulation and lower top marginal tax rates are associated with higher inequality, and we find that the relation between the decline in union density and the rise in top decile income shares—a phenomenon which labour economists have long been discussing—is widespread across advanced economies. The influence of union density on top income shares appears to be causal, as evidenced by our instrumental variable estimates and the inclusion of potentially omitted variables.
Taking Responsibility for Responsibility
Authors: Levy Neil
Published: January 2019

Governments, physicians, media and academics have all called for individuals to bear responsibility for their own health. In this article, I argue that requiring those with adverse health outcomes to bear responsibility for these outcomes is a bad basis for policy. The available evidence strongly suggests that the capacities for responsible choice, and the circumstances in which these capacities are exercised, are distributed alongside the kinds of goods we usually talk about in discussing distributive justice, and this distribution significantly explains why people make bad health choices. These facts suggest that we cannot justifiably hold them responsible for these choices. We do better to hold responsible those who determine the ways in which capacities and circumstances are distributed: they are indirectly responsible for these adverse health outcomes and possess the capacities and resources to take responsibility for these facts.
Central sensitization predicts greater fatigue independently of musculoskeletal pain
Authors: Druce Katie L , McBeth John
Published: January 2019

Objectives

To test whether central sensitization was associated with greater fatigue, independently of musculoskeletal pain.

Methods

2477 prospective cohort study participants completed a baseline questionnaire comprising the Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFQ), pain, demographics, physical activity, anxiety, depression and medication use. In a clinical assessment of 290 (11.7%) participants, central sensitization was measured by the wind-up ratio test at the hand (WUR-H) and foot (WUR-F). Bioelectric impedance determined proportion body fat. All participants were followed up 12 months later, at which time they completed the CFQ. Linear regression, with inverse probability sampling weights, tested the relationship between WUR at baseline and CFQ at 12 months, adjusted for baseline CFQ, demographics, lifestyle factors, mental health and baseline pain.

Results

At baseline, the median interquartile range WUR-H and WUR-F were similar (2.3 (1.5, 4.0) and 2.4 (1.6, 3.9) respectively) and did not differ by sex (difference WUR-H: −0.29, 95% confidence interval −1.28–0.71; WUR-F: −0.57 (−1.50–0.36) or age(WUR-H: −0.53, −1.49–0.43; WUR-F:−0.08, −0.98–0.82). WUR-H scores (β = 0.11, 95% confidence interval: 0.07–0.16) and WUR-F scores (0.13, 0.08–0.17) were positively associated with CFQ scores at follow-up, independently of baseline CFQ and other covariates. These associations were not explained by baseline pain.

Conclusion

Fatigue was predicted by central sensitization, independently of the presence of pain. For those seeking to treat fatigue, the benefit of interventions that reduce central sensitization should be investigated.
Can the structure of inequality explain fiscal redistribution? Revisiting the social affinity hypothesis
Authors: Luebker Malte
Published: January 2019

Lupu and Pontusson (2011) argue that the structure of income inequality, rather than its level, can explain differences in fiscal redistribution across modern welfare states. Contrary to the assertion that there is robust evidence in support of this proposition, the present article challenges the argument that the distributional allegiances between social groups are a function of relative income distances. It makes three central claims: (a) skew in the earnings distribution, the key explanatory variable in the empirical tests of the original paper, can best be understood as an outcome of public policy and labor market institutions, and hence as endogenous to the welfare state; (b) relative earnings differentials are not a valid proxy measure for the structure of income inequality, the concept of theoretical interest; and (c) there is no indication that skew in the distribution of incomes (rather than earnings) is positively associated with fiscal redistribution. In sum, revisiting an influential contribution to the literature offers no support for the proposition that the structure of inequality has consequences for fiscal redistribution.
Sibling Similarities and the Importance of Parental Socioeconomic Position in Electoral Participation
Authors: Lahtinen Hannu , Erola Jani , Wass Hanna
Published: January 2019

We studied the impact of an individual’s family and community background on their voting propensity in the 2015 Finnish parliamentary elections by employing a sibling design on an individual-level register-based dataset. The results showed that a quarter of the total variance in voter turnout was shared between siblings. Considering the dichotomous nature of the turnout variable, this implies that background has a strong effect which is almost comparable to sibling similarity in education. Parental socioeconomic position and voting, in turn, are equally important factors by explaining one-third of this shared part of the likelihood of voting. Mothers and fathers make roughly equal contributions. The results suggest that future studies of inter-generational effects in political participation, whenever possible, should use information from both maternal and paternal characteristics and multiple indicators of parental socioeconomic position simultaneously. We conclude by underlining that as people cannot choose their background, voting propensity is strongly influenced by factors beyond an individual’s own control, which is problematic for the functioning of inclusive democracy and equality of opportunity.
The Wife as Family Physician: Making and Moving a Modern Health Epistemology for Women
Authors: Treitel Corinna
Published: January 2019

This article investigates the early history of the best-selling German health manual The Wife as Family Physician, written by Dr Anna Fischer-Dückelmann in 1901. The manual built on an older tradition of medical enlightenment, yet broke with its conventions by discussing sexuality openly, emphasising self-help, and mixing the professional knowledge of physicians with the practical knowledge of irregular healers. The result was an ‘embodied health epistemology’ for women and proved so successful that it went through six major German editions by century’s end and appeared almost immediately in translation in 13 other languages. After tracing the manual’s roots in hygienic discourse, the article explores Fischer-Dückelmann’s distinctive approach to bodily knowledge and then discusses the underlying forces that turned it so quickly into a mass-market success, both at home and abroad. The Wife as Family Physician is a case study in making and moving modern health epistemologies.
Identification, Characterization, Pathogenicity, and Distribution of Verticillium alfalfae in Alfalfa Plants in China
Authors: Xu Shan , Christensen Michael J. , Creamer Rebecca , Li Yan Zhong
Published: January 2019

Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium alfalfae results in severe production losses in alfalfa crops and is a Class A quarantined disease in China. During 2015 to 2017, 365 alfalfa fields from 21 locations in six provinces were surveyed, and 45 fields from three closely located sites in Gansu, China were found to have alfalfa plants with symptoms typical of Verticillium wilt, with disease incidence of 12.6 to 53.6%. Isolates were identified to species using morphological characteristics and a maximum likelihood phylogeny of the concatenated partial sequences of actin, elongation factor, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and tryptophan synthase gene regions of Verticillium isolates. Isolation incidence was 93.9% from roots, 71.7% from stems, 66.1% from petioles, and 32.2% from leaves of field-infected plants, indicative of systemic disease and sporadic distribution of this pathogen. In greenhouse tests, the pathogen infected seedlings and colonized vascular tissues when inoculated on seeds, on root tips, in soil, or in injured, but not uninjured, aerial tissues, causing systemic symptoms like those in the field and significant losses. Pathogenicity testing also revealed that five locally grown perennial legumes (stylo, milkvetch, sainfoin, white clover, and red clover) could host V. alfalfae, with a high virulence to milkvetch, sainfoin, and stylo. This study confirmed that V. alfalfae has become established in some regions of Gansu, China and that is a risk to the alfalfa industry in China.
“Sink or Swim”: An Ethnographic Study of Nurse Educators in Academic Culture
Authors: Cotter Karen D. , Clukey Lory
Published: January 2019

AIM

The aim of this study was to describe the cultural context of academic nurse educators through the use of ethnography.

BACKGROUND

This cultural context has seldom been explored from the perspective of nursing faculty.

METHOD

Twelve interviews, followed by ethnographic data analysis, identified domains with related components describing this culture.

RESULTS

Participants cited metaphors of water (e.g., sink or swim, keeping head above water) in describing the culture. Challenges included demanding workloads, challenging interchanges, negotiating a complex bureaucracy, and finding trusted individuals willing to provide a network of support. Faculty reported interactions to be guarded, uncivil, and conflict avoidant within a bureaucracy of slow pace of work, resistance to change, heavy workloads, and requirements for scholarship that are not clear or consistently enforced.

CONCLUSION

Clinical nurses who enter the academic culture must learn patterned ways of thinking and earn credibility. A key to adaptation is finding colleagues who will provide a support network.
Student Profile Characteristics as Predictors of Success: Nontraditional and English as an Additional Language Students in a Prelicensure BSN Program
Authors: Petges Nancy
Published: January 2019

This study examined the extent to which selected student profile characteristics predict success for a sample of prelicensure BSN students at a Midwestern university. The results indicated that both nontraditional students and students with English as an additional language are less likely to experience early program success and on-time completion while nontraditional students were more likely to experience National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN®) success. Results from the study were used to develop interventions specifically designed to promote success in diverse student populations at the research site.