bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Totally Endoscopic Cardiac Surgery for Atrial Septal Defect Repair on Beating Heart without Robotic Assistance in 25 Patients
Authors: Dang Quang-Huy , Le Ngoc-Thanh , Nguyen Cong-Huu , Tran Dac-Dai , Nguyen Do-Hung , Nguyen Trung-Hieu , Ngo Thi-Hai-Linh
Published: December 2017

Objective

The aim of the study was to investigate the effectivity and safety of totally endoscopic cardiac surgery without robotic assistance for atrial septal defect (ASD) closure on beating hearts.

Methods

Twenty-five patients (adults/children: 15/10) underwent ASD closure using nonrobotically assisted totally endoscopic approach on beating heart. Three 5-mm trocars and one 12-mm trocar were used only the superior vena cava is snared filling the pleural and pericardial cavities with CO2, and the heart was beating during the surgery. Twenty-three patients had isolated secundum ASD (2 of which had severe tricuspid regurgitation) and two patients had ASD combined with partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection. All ASDs were closed using artificial patch, continuous suture; tricuspid regurgitations were repaired and the anomalous pulmonary veins were drained to the left atrium.

Results

No postoperative complications or deaths occurred. Mean± SD operation time and mean cardiopulmonary bypass time were 267.2 ±44.6 and 156.1 ± 33.6 min, respectively. These patients were extubated within the first 5 hours, and the volume of blood drainage on the first day was less than 80 mL. Four days after surgery, patients did not need analgesics and were able to return to normal activities 1 week postoperatively.

Conclusions

Totally endoscopic operation for ASD closure on beating heart is safe, with short recovery period, and surgical scars are of high cosmetic value, especially in a woman and girl.
Robotic Mitral Valve Repair
Authors: Goodman Avi , Koprivanac Marijan , Kelava Marta , Mick Stephanie L. , Gillinov A. Marc , Rajeswaran Jeevanantham , Brzezinski Anna , Blackstone Eugene H. , Mihaljevic Tomislav
Published: December 2017

Objective

Adoption of robotic mitral valve surgery has been slow, likely in part because of its perceived technical complexity and a poorly understood learning curve. We sought to correlate changes in technical performance and outcome with surgeon experience in the “learning curve” part of our series.

Methods

From 2006 to 2011, two surgeons undertook robotically assisted mitral valve repair in 458 patients (intent-to-treat); 404 procedures were completed entirely robotically (as-treated). Learning curves were constructed by modeling surgical sequence number semiparametrically with flexible penalized spline smoothing best-fit curves.

Results

Operative efficiency, reflecting technical performance, improved for (1) operating room time for case 1 to cases 200 (early experience) and 400 (later experience), from 414 to 364 to 321 minutes (12% and 22% decrease, respectively), (2) cardiopulmonary bypass time, from 148 to 102 to 91 minutes (31% and 39% decrease), and (3) myocardial ischemic time, from 119 to 75 to 68 minutes (37% and 43% decrease). Composite postoperative complications, reflecting safety, decreased from 17% to 6% to 2% (63% and 85% decrease). Intensive care unit stay decreased from 32 to 28 to 24 hours (13% and 25% decrease). Postoperative stay fell from 5.2 to 4.5 to 3.8 days (13% and 27% decrease). There were no in-hospital deaths. Predischarge mitral regurgitation of less than 2+, reflecting effectiveness, was achieved in 395 (97.8%), without correlation to experience; return-to-work times did not change substantially with experience.

Conclusions

Technical efficiency of robotic mitral valve repair improves with experience and permits its safe and effective conduct.
Electrocardiogram in Lung Cancer Patients Envisage as Pseudo-Myocardial Infarction and Ischemic Heart Disease
Authors: Shukla Reema Shyamsunder , Aggarwal Yogender
Published: December 2017

Lung cancer subjects undergo fatigue because of chronic stress, which affects their autonomic nervous system activity. The appearance of pseudo-myocardial infarction and T-wave inversion with no clinical symptoms were also detected in lung cancer condition. The present work aims to identify any variation in electrocardiogram (ECG) of lung cancer subjects in comparison with that of healthy controls. The lead II ECG (band-pass filtered from 0.5 to 35 Hz and sampled at 200 Hz) was recorded for 5 minutes using MP45 (Biopac System Inc, Goleta, CA) from 110 consecutive lung cancer subjects and 30 healthy controls in supine position. Acknowledge 4.0 (Biopac System Inc) software was used to study the ECG parameters. ST-segment elevation of 0.2 and 1 mV and T-wave inversion was found in ECG of lung cancer subjects without any clinical history of cardiac disorder. Subjects 1 and 2 were observed with ST-segment elevation. Subject 3 exhibited biphasic T-waveform, and subjects 4 to 8 revealed T-wave inversion in ECG. The ECG of lung cancer subjects varies from healthy controls’ ECG. ST-segment elevation similar to myocardial infarction and T-wave inversion existed in a few subjects who had no cardiac anomaly. These unique changes in ECG suggested a high level of fatigue due to a higher amount of cholinergic and adrenergic neurotransmitters secreted, leading to increased sympathetic activity and decreased parasympathetic activity.
The Joint Commission Versus Joint Commission International
Authors: Wang Binseng , Tabshouri Bassam
Published: December 2017

Healthcare organizations around the world seek accreditation as a means to prove that their services meet established standards of practice and quality. In some countries, accreditation is a prerequisite for participation in public or private health insurance programs, whereas in others it helps to earn higher reimbursement rates. Among the healthcare accreditation organizations, The Joint Commission and Joint Commission International are known for their longevity, wide scope, and prestige, with the former being the dominant player in the United States, whereas the latter being highly recognized elsewhere. Although both have a common origin, their standards have evolved separately. This article compares The Joint Commission and Joint Commission International standards and specific requirements for medical equipment management and maintenance. While most of the standards are similar, some clear differences exist. Some of these differences are traceable to national laws, regulations, and standards, whereas others are caused by lessons learned by prior surveys in respective geographies or simply tradition. In-depth discussion of these differences helps clinical engineering professionals understand the rationale—or the lack of—behind those requirements, thereby allowing them to better prepare themselves for future surveys.
Complex Decision-Making in Heart Failure
Authors: Hamel Aimee V. , Gaugler Joseph E. , Porta Carolyn M. , Hadidi Niloufar Niakosari
Published: December 2017

Background:

Heart failure follows a highly variable and difficult course. Patients face complex decisions, including treatment with implantable cardiac defibrillators, mechanical circulatory support, and heart transplantation. The course of decision-making across multiple treatments is unclear yet integral to providing informed and shared decision-making. Recognizing commonalities across treatment decisions could help nurses and physicians to identify opportunities to introduce discussions and support shared decision-making.

Objective:

The specific aims of this review are to examine complex treatment decision-making, specifically implantable cardiac defibrillators, ventricular assist device, and cardiac transplantation, and to recognize commonalities and key points in the decisional process.

Methods:

MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched for English-language studies that included qualitative findings reflecting the complexity of heart failure decision-making. Using a 3-step process, findings were synthesized into themes and subthemes.

Results:

Twelve articles met criteria for inclusion. Participants included patients, caregivers, and clinicians and included decisions to undergo and decline treatment. Emergent themes were “processing the decision,” “timing and prognostication,” and “considering the future.” Subthemes described how participants received and understood information about the therapy, making and changing a treatment decision, timing their decision and gauging health status outcomes in the context of their decision, the influence of a life or death decision, and the future as a factor in their decisional process.

Conclusions:

Commonalities were present across therapies, which involved the timing of discussions, the delivery of information, and considerations of the future. Exploring this further could help support patient-centered care and optimize shared decision-making interventions.
An Online Intervention to Enhance Nurse Practitioners’ Skin Cancer Knowledge, Attitudes, and Counseling Behaviors
Authors: Goodman Hope Ann , Pacheco Christy L. , Loescher Lois J.
Published: December 2017

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether a brief educational video administered online improved nurse practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding skin cancer and skin cancer prevention counseling. Participants completed an online test assessing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, before and after viewing an online video. Thirty Arizona nurse practitioners completed the pilot study. There were statistically significant increases from the pretest to the posttest for all main variables. This pilot study found that the online intervention was highly effective for improving nurse practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding skin cancer and skin cancer prevention counseling.
Selected Food/Herb–Drug Interactions: Mechanisms and Clinical Relevance
Authors: Amadi Cecilia N. , Mgbahurike Amaka A.
Published: December 2017

Background:

Food/Herb–drug interactions have become a major problem in health care. These interactions can lead to loss of therapeutic efficacy or toxic effects of drugs.

Areas of Uncertainty:

To probe the clinical relevance of such interactions, the impact of food/herb intake on the clinical effects of drug administration has to be evaluated. Failure to identify and efficiently manage food–drug interactions can lead to serious consequences. A comprehensive knowledge of the mechanisms that underpin variability in disposition will help optimize therapy.

Data Sources:

Electronic search of literatures from relevant databases were conducted. A total of 58 original scientific reports/review articles were obtained with the search strategy; of which 25 were found eligible to be included in the present review. Required data were extracted from these studies, and their methodologies were assessed.

Results and Conclusions:

This review updates our knowledge on clinical food–drug interactions with emphasis on mechanism and clinical implications. Results obtained from literature search identified interactions with selected foods/herbs generated from in vivo and in vitro studies. For example, interaction studies in humans revealed a reduction in the bioavailability of mercaptopurine when taken concurrently with substances containing xanthine oxidase (eg, cow milk); a reduction in the bioavailability of quinine with Garcinia kola; increased bioavailability/toxicity of felodipine, nifedipine, saquinavir, sildenafil with grape juice; increased bioavailability of felodipine, cisapride with red wine and diminished bioavailability of fexofenadine with apple. Pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic mechanisms are implicated in many of these interactions. By evaluating the dietary patterns of patients and use of prescribed medications, health professionals will be well informed of potential interactions and associated adverse effects.
Complete Versus Staged Repair for Neonates With Tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Savla Jill J. , Fisher Brian T. , Faerber Jennifer A. , Huang Yuan-Shung V. , Mercer-Rosa Laura
Published: December 2017

Background:

The surgical strategy for neonates with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) consists of complete or staged repair. Assessing the comparative effectiveness of these approaches is facilitated by a large multicenter cohort. We propose a novel process for cohort assembly using the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS), an administrative database that contains clinical and billing data for inpatient and emergency department stays from tertiary children’s hospitals.

Methods:

A 4-step process was used to identify neonates with TOF: (1) screen neonates in PHIS with International Classification of Diseases-9 (ICD-9) diagnosis or procedure codes for TOF; (2) include patients with TOF procedures before 30 days of age; (3) exclude patients with missing 2-year follow-up data; (4) analyze patients’ 2-year surgery sequence patterns, exclude patients inconsistent with a treatment strategy for TOF, and designate patients as complete or staged repair. Manual chart review at 1 PHIS center was performed to validate this process.

Results:

Between January 2004 and March 2015, 5862 patients were identified in step 1. Step 2 of cohort assembly excluded 3425 patients (58%); step 3 excluded 148 patients (3%); and step 4 excluded 54 patients (1%). The final cohort consisted of 2235 neonates with TOF from 45 hospitals. Manual chart review of 336 patients showed a positive predictive value for accurate PHIS identification of 44% after step 1 and 97% after step 4.

Conclusions:

This systematic cohort identification algorithm resulted in a high positive predictive value to appropriately categorize patients. This carefully assembled cohort offers a unique opportunity for future studies in neonatal TOF outcomes.
Ablative Therapies for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Shah Rupen , Ostapoff Katherine T. , Kuvshinoff Boris , Hochwald Steven N.
Published: December 2017

The vast majority of patients who present with pancreatic adenocarcinoma have locally advanced or metastatic disease at the time of presentation without possibility of cure. Although in recent years there have been some new promising chemotherapy regimens that improve overall survival by a few months, the prognosis remains dismal. There is, however, a subset of patients who experience durable stable disease or partial responses after initial courses of chemotherapy with locally advanced disease. In these select patients, there remains interest in local ablative therapy with or without resection as a means for local control, palliation of symptoms, and possible improved survival. This review describes the techniques, complications, and expected benefits of several ablative techniques as a treatment modality for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
Thoracic Actinomycosis With Infiltration of the Spine: An Oncological Pitfall
Authors: Ronceray Leila , Friesenbichler Waltraud , Hutter Caroline , Lakatos Karoly , Krizmanich Wolfgang , Amann Gabriele , Boztug Kaan , Kager Leo , Mann Georg , Attarbaschi Andishe
Published: December 2017

Thoracic actinomycosis with involvement of the vertebral column and chest wall is rare in children and may resemble malignant tumors. A 12-year-old girl was admitted to our clinic having B-symptoms, cachexia, and painful scoliosis (Karnofsky index 20%). Imaging showed a large thoracic left-sided paravertebral tumor with infiltration of the vertebrae, destruction of the chest wall and multiple intrapulmonary nodules. Initially, Ewing sarcoma was suspected and chemotherapy started without previous biopsies. Definite diagnosis of actinomycosis was established later upon histopathologic examination and successfully treated by β-lactam antibiotics. Collectively, this case illustrates that actinomycosis can be an oncological pitfall and possible differential diagnosis.
Congenital Hemophilia A Presenting With Hashimoto’s Encephalopathy and Myocarditis: The First Reported Case
Authors: Ergul Ayse B. , Altuner Torun Yasemin , Altug Umut , Mutlu Fatma T. , Celik Serkan F. , Guven Ahmet S.
Published: December 2017

Here, we report a case of hemophilia A with myocarditis, encephalopathy, and spontaneous intramedullary hemorrhage. A 14-month-old male infant presented with loss of consciousness, generalized tonic-clonic convulsions, and cardiac failure. The neurological examination was normal. Myocarditis was diagnosed. After administration of fresh frozen plasma, the aPTT did not return to normal. The factor VIII (FVIII) level was 10.2% the normal level, and the patient was diagnosed with hemophilia A. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) evaluation was unremarkable, with the exception of elevated CSF protein levels. An electroencephalogram revealed diffuse slowing of background activity. The spinal MRI revealed chronic bleeding in areas of the medulla spinalis. Tests for the antibodies associated with autoimmune encephalitis were negative. Anti-thyroglobulin (THG) (11.8 U/mL [normal, 0 to 4 U/mL]) and anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) (53.9 U/mL [normal, 0 to 9 U/mL]) antibodies were present in the serum. The patient received 1 g/kg intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) for 2 days based on a diagnosis of myocarditis and Hashimoto’s encephalopathy. After the first month of treatment his clinical findings were negative. He developed an inhibitor to FVIII 1 month after initiation of FVIII replacement therapy. Hemophilia A has various clinical presentations. Autoimmunity may lead to early inhibitor development in patients with hemophilia.
Management of Refractory Pediatric Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma With Sirolimus and Aspirin
Authors: MacFarland Suzanne P. , Sullivan Lisa M. , States Lisa J. , Bailey L. Charles , Balamuth Naomi J. , Womer Richard B. , Olson Timothy S.
Published: December 2017

Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is a rare vascular tumor characterized by aggressive local invasion and a syndrome of platelet trapping known as Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon that, through deposition of platelet derived growth factors, may perpetuate the growth of the tumor. Although many cases of KHE are successfully treated with local control or low-intensity chemotherapy, some cases are often refractory even to aggressive treatment. Herein, we describe a patient with a refractory, recurrent KHE despite multiple attempts at local control and intensive chemotherapy, that ultimately was successfully treated with rationally designed and low-intensity combination therapy of sirolimus and aspirin.
A Case of Familial Mediterranean Fever Having Intermittent Leukopenia
Authors: Beyitler Ilke , Kavukcu Salih
Published: December 2017

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a genetically inherited autoinflammatory disorder characterized by inflammatory attacks and may result in amyloidosis as a severe complication. Elevation of acute phase reactants, including leukocytosis, is seen during attack periods. Here we describe a 13-year-old female patient with a very rare clinical presentation of FMF, who would experience FMF attacks when she did not regularly take her colchicine. During these attacks she had leukopenia and neutropenia instead of leukocytosis. The leukocyte count returned to normal when she continued the medication and avoided attacks. Ethnicity and clinical signs are important in leukopenic patientsand should be investigated for FMF to avoid unnecessary procedures and complications.
Cortisol and Subjective Stress Responses to Acute Psychosocial Stress in Fibromyalgia Patients and Control Participants
Authors: Coppens Eline , Kempke Stefan , Van Wambeke Peter , Claes Stephan , Morlion Bart , Luyten Patrick , Van Oudenhove Lukas
Published: December 2017

Objective

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction may play a role in fibromyalgia (FM) pathogenesis but it remains understudied in this disorder. Furthermore, early childhood adversities (ECA) are common in FM, but whether they moderate stress reactivity is unknown. Hence, we investigated cortisol and subjective responses to acute psychosocial stress in FM and controls, while adjusting for ECA.

Methods

Twenty-seven female FM patients and 24 age-matched female controls were recruited in a tertiary care center and through advertisements, respectively. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire was used to measure ECA history. Salivary cortisol levels and subjective stress ratings were measured at multiple time points before and after the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was administered.

Results

Significant main effects of group [F(1,43) = 7.04, p = .011, lower in FM] and ECA [F(1,43) = 5.18, p = .028, higher in participants with ECA] were found for cortisol responses. When excluding controls with ECA (n = 5), a significant group-by-time interaction was found [F(6,39) = 2.60, p = .032], driven by a blunted response to the stressor in FM compared with controls (p = .037). For subjective stress responses, a significant main effect of group [F(1,45) = 10.69, p = .002, higher in FM] and a trend toward a group-by-time interaction effect [F(6,45) = 2.05, p = .078, higher in FM 30 minutes before and 30 and 75 minutes after the TSST, and impaired recovery (difference immediately after – 30 minutes after the TSST) in FM] were found.

Conclusions

Blunted cortisol responsivity to the TSST was observed in FM patients compared with controls without ECA. FM patients had higher subjective stress levels compared with controls, particularly at baseline and during recovery from the TSST. In FM patients, ECA history was not associated with cortisol or subjective stress levels or with responsivity to the TSST. Future research should investigate the mechanisms underlying hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation in FM.
High-Alert Medication Stratification Tool-Revised: An Exploratory Study of an Objective, Standardized Medication Safety Tool
Authors: Washburn Natalie C. , Dossett Heather A. , Fritschle Andrew C. , Degenkolb Kerri E. , Macik Monica R. , Walroth Todd A.
Published: December 2017

Objective

To develop an objective tool designed to standardize the identification of high-alert medications (HAMs) according to patient safety risk.

Methods

Medications were evaluated using the High-Alert Medication Stratification Tool (HAMST). Tool revision occurred through assessing medications on an organization-approved HAM list and comparing scores with control medications not included on the list. Because of variations in HAMST interpretation by end users in interdisciplinary committees, a revision of the scoring tool was completed to create the High-Alert Medication Stratification Tool–Revised (HAMST-R), and the assessment was repeated. Both tools range from 0 to 10, with 10 describing agents with highest risk.

Results

The median (interquartile range [IQR]) initial HAM (n = 44) score using HAMST was 6 (5–7). The median (IQR) control (n = 45) score was 1 (0-2). Using the modified tool, HAMST-R, the median (IQR) HAM score was 4 (4–6) versus 1 (0–1) for controls. Scores for HAMs were significantly higher than controls using both tools (P < 0.001). A HAMST-R score of 4 or higher defines medications as high alert, as this score includes 75% of HAMs and no controls.

Conclusions

Through this exploratory study, clarification of the tool was required to increase its concurrent validity, interrater reliability, and implementation among other health systems. The revised tool, HAMST-R, is a newly developed, objective tool for standardized identification of HAMs. The tool may also be used for prospective identification of medications as high risk to patient safety during formulary review.
“Occipital Tunnel” Sign on FDG PET for Differentiating Dementias
Authors: Sawyer David M. , Kuo Phillip H.
Published: December 2017

PET using FDG is a critical tool for evaluation of dementias, with characteristic patterns of hypometabolism suggesting specific diagnoses. Hypometabolism in the occipital region is recognized as an important finding associated with dementia with Lewy bodies and posterior cortical atrophy. We describe here the novel “occipital tunnel” sign, which results from relative sparing of FDG uptake in the medial occipital (primary visual) cortex compared with more severe loss in the surrounding lateral occipital (visual association) cortex. This sign is useful for recognizing the occipital findings of dementia with Lewy bodies and posterior cortical atrophy, especially when viewing sagittal projections.
Salivary Gland Activity Obscures Mandibular Metastasis of Prostate Carcinoma on 68Ga–Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen PET
Authors: Lengana Thabo , Lawal Ismaheel , Boshomane Tebatso , Ololade Kehinde , Reyneke Florette , Kaoma Chimbabantiu , Mokgoro Neo , Vorster Mariza , Sathekge Mike
Published: December 2017

We report a case of a 65-year-old man with prostate cancer; his treatment history included radical prostatectomy followed by radiation therapy and subsequent androgen deprivation therapy for more than 5 years. He currently presented with a history of rising prostate-specific antigen and complained of jaw aches. 68Ga–prostate-specific membrane antigen PET/CT study performed for suspected biochemical recurrence demonstrated vertebral lesions and lesion in his jaw. Subsequent biopsy of jaw lesion demonstrated prostate cancer metastases.
The Role of FDG PET in Diabetic Myonecrosis
Authors: Chaussé Guillaume , Abikhzer Gad
Published: December 2017

A 66-year-old man with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes was admitted for acute bilateral calf pain in the context of coronary artery disease, chronic renal failure, and peripheral neuropathy. Lower-extremity Doppler ultrasound excluded deep vein thrombosis. FDG-PET was performed to exclude a suspected infection because of elevated white blood cells and inflammatory markers but normal creatinine kinase levels. PET scan demonstrated intense bilateral calf muscle and left thigh muscle uptake, which in combination with the patient's history was consistent with diabetic myonecrosis, a rare end-stage complication of diabetes. The patient was managed conservatively, and pain resolved following a typical self-limited course.
Recent advances on the global regularity for irrotational water waves
Authors: Ionescu A. D. , Pusateri F.
Published: December 2017

We review recent progress on the long-time regularity of solutions of the Cauchy problem for the water waves equations, in two and three dimensions. We begin by introducing the free boundary Euler equations and discussing the local existence of solutions using the paradifferential approach. We then describe in a unified framework, using the Eulerian formulation, global existence results for three- and two-dimensional gravity waves, and our joint result (with Deng and Pausader) on global regularity for the gravity–capillary model in three dimensions. We conclude this review with a short discussion about the formation of singularities and give a few additional references to other interesting topics in the theory.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear water waves’.
On the short-wavelength stabilities of some geophysical flows
Authors: Ionescu-Kruse Delia
Published: December 2017

This paper is a survey of the short-wavelength stability method for rotating flows. Additional complications such as stratification in the flow or the presence of non-conservative body forces are considered too. This method is applied to the specific study of some exact geophysical flows. For Gerstner-like geophysical flows one can identify perturbations in certain directions as a source of instabilities with an exponentially growing amplitude, the growth rate of the instabilities depending on the steepness of the travelling wave profile. On the other hand, for certain physically realistic velocity profiles, steady flows moving only in the azimuthal direction, with no variation in this direction, are locally stable to the short-wavelength perturbations.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear water waves’.
Existence and amplitude bounds for irrotational water waves in finite depth
Authors: Kogelbauer Florian
Published: December 2017

We prove the existence of solutions to the irrotational water-wave problem in finite depth and derive an explicit upper bound on the amplitude of the nonlinear solutions in terms of the wavenumber, the total hydraulic head, the wave speed and the relative mass flux. Our approach relies upon a reformulation of the water-wave problem as a one-dimensional pseudo-differential equation and the Newton–Kantorovich iteration for Banach spaces.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear water waves’.
Cerebral White Matter Sex Dimorphism in Alcoholism: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
Authors: Sawyer Kayle S. , Maleki Nasim , Papadimitriou George , Makris Nikos , Oscar-Berman Marlene , Harris Gordon J.
Published: December 2017

Background

Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with widespread brain damage, including abnormalities in frontal and limbic brain regions. In a prior study of neuronal circuitry connecting the frontal lobes and limbic system structures in abstinent alcoholic men, we demonstrated decreases in white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) on diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI). In the present study, we examined sex differences in alcoholism-related abnormalities of white matter connectivity.

Methods

dMRI scans were acquired from 49 abstinent alcoholic individuals (26 women) and 41 nonalcoholic controls (22 women). Tract-based spatial statistical tools were used to estimate regional FA of white matter tracts and to determine sex differences and their relation to measures of alcoholism history.

Results

Sex-related differences in white matter connectivity were observed in association with alcoholism: Compared to nonalcoholic men, alcoholic men had diminished FA in portions of the corpus callosum, the superior longitudinal fasciculi II and III, and the arcuate fasciculus and extreme capsule. In contrast, alcoholic women had higher FA in these regions. Sex differences also were observed for correlations between corpus callosum FA and length of sobriety.

Conclusions

Sexual dimorphism in white matter microstructure in abstinent alcoholics may implicate underlying differences in the neurobehavioral liabilities for developing alcohol abuse disorders, or for sequelae following abuse.
Leveraging heterogeneity for neural computation with fading memory in layer 2/3 cortical microcircuits
Authors: Duarte Renato , Morrison Abigail
Published: December 2017

Complexity and heterogeneity are intrinsic to neurobiological systems, manifest in every process, at every scale, and are inextricably linked to the systems’ emergent collective behaviours and function. However, the majority of studies addressing the dynamics and computational properties of biologically inspired cortical microcircuits tend to assume (often for the sake of analytical tractability) a great degree of homogeneity in both neuronal and synaptic/connectivity parameters. While simplification and reductionism are necessary to understand the brain’s functional principles, disregarding the existence of the multiple heterogeneities in the cortical composition, which may be at the core of its computational proficiency, will inevitably fail to account for important phenomena and limit the scope and generalizability of cortical models. We address these issues by studying the individual and composite functional roles of heterogeneities in neuronal, synaptic and structural properties in a biophysically plausible layer 2/3 microcircuit model, built and constrained by multiple sources of empirical data. This approach was made possible by the emergence of large-scale, well curated databases, as well as the substantial improvements in experimental methodologies achieved over the last few years. Our results show that variability in single neuron parameters is the dominant source of functional specialization, leading to highly proficient microcircuits with much higher computational power than their homogeneous counterparts. We further show that fully heterogeneous circuits, which are closest to the biophysical reality, owe their response properties to the differential contribution of different sources of heterogeneity.
Global optimization approach for circular and chloroplast genome assembly
Authors: François Sebastien , Andonov Rumen , Lavenier Dominique , Djidjev Hristo
Published: December 2017

We describe a global optimization approach for genome assembly where the steps of scaffolding, gap-filling, and scaffold extension are simultaneously solved in the framework of a common objective function. The approach is based on integer programming model for solving genome scaffolding as a problem of finding a long simple path in a specific graph that satisfies additional constraints encoding the insert-size information. The optimal solution of this problem allows one to obtain new kind of contigs that we call distance-based contig. We test the algorithm on a benchmark of chloroplasts and compare the quality of the results with recent scaffolders.
Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s disease changes perception in the Rubber Hand Illusion
Authors: Ding Catherine , Palmer Colin J , Hohwy Jakob , Youssef George J , Paton Bryan , Tsuchiya Naotsugu , Stout Julie C , Thyagarajan Dominic
Published: December 2017

Parkinson’s disease (PD) alters cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic circuitry and susceptibility to an illusion of bodily awareness, the Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI). Bodily awareness is thought to result from multisensory integration in a predominantly cortical network; the role of subcortical connections is unknown. We studied the effect of modulating cortico-subcortical circuitry on multisensory integration for bodily awareness in PD patients treated with subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) using the RHI experiment. Typically, synchronous visuo-tactile cues induce a false perception of touch on the rubber hand as if it were the subject’s hand, whereas asynchronous visuo-tactile cues do not. However, we found that in the asynchronous condition, patients in the off-stimulation state did not reject the RHI as strongly as healthy controls; switching on STN-DBS partially ‘normalised’ their responses. Patients in the off-stimulation state also misjudged the position of their hand, indicating it to be closer to the rubber hand than controls. However, STN-DBS did not affect proprioceptive judgements or subsequent arm movements altered by the perceptual effects of the illusion. Our findings support the idea that the STN and subcortical connections have a key role in multisensory integration for bodily awareness. Decisionmaking in multisensory bodily illusions is discussed.
Tools for engineering coordinated system behaviour in synthetic microbial consortia
Authors: Kylilis Nicolas , Stan Guy-Bart , Polizzi Karen M
Published: December 2017

Advancing synthetic biology to the multicellular level requires the development of multiple orthogonal cell-to-cell communication channels to propagate information with minimal signal interference. The development of quorum sensing devices, the cornerstone technology for building microbial communities with coordinated system behaviour, has largely focused on reducing signal leakage between systems of cognate AHL/transcription factor pairs. However, the use of non-cognate signals as a design feature has received limited attention so far. Here, we demonstrate the largest library of AHL-receiver devices constructed to date with all cognate and non-cognate chemical signal interactions quantified and we develop a software tool that allows automated selection of orthogonal chemical channels. We use this approach to identify up to four orthogonal channels in silico and experimentally demonstrate the simultaneous use of three channels in co-culture. The development of multiple non-interfering cell-to-cell communication channels will facilitate the design of synthetic microbial consortia for novel applications including distributed bio-computation, increased bioprocess efficiency, cell specialisation, and spatial organisation.
Systemic Inflammation Mediates the Relationship between Obesity and Health Related Quality of Life
Authors: Wilkins Jeffrey , Ghosh Palash , Vivar Juan , Chakraborty Bibhas , Ghosh Sujoy
Published: December 2017

Background

At the population level, obesity has been reported to be positively associated with low-level chronic inflammation, and negatively associated with several indices of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). It is however not clear if obesity-associated inflammation is partly responsible for the observed negative associations between obesity and HRQOL. The present study investigates this question by testing the hypothesis that systemic inflammation is a mediator of the observed association between obesity and a specific HRQOL index called “healthy days”, as measured via a subset of the CDC HRQOL-4 questionnaire.

Methods

Demographic, body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP), inflammatory disease status, medication use, smoking, and HRQOL data were obtained from NHANES (2005-2008) and analyzed using sampling-weighted generalized linear models. Both main effects and interaction effects were analyzed to evaluate possible mediator-outcome confounding. Model robustness was tested via sensitivity analysis. Prior to model development, data was subjected to multiple imputation in order to mitigate information loss from survey non-response. Averaged results from the imputed datasets were reported in the form of odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI).

Results

Obesity (BMI >30kg/m2) was positively associated with poor physical healthy days (OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.15-2.21) in unadjusted models. ‘Elevated’ and ‘clinically raised’ levels of the inflammation marker CRP were also positively associated with poor physical healthy days (OR= 1.61, 95% CI: 1.23-2.12, and OR= 2.45, 95% CI: 1.84-3.26, respectively); additionally ‘clinically raised’ CRP was positively associated with mental unhealthy days (OR= 1.66, 95% CI: 1.26-2.19). The association between obesity and physical HRQOL was rendered non-significant in models including CRP. Association between ‘elevated’ and ‘clinically raised’ CRP and physical unhealthy days remained significant even after adjustment for obesity or inflammation-modulating covariates (OR= 1.36, 95% CI :1.02-1.82, and OR= 1.75, 95% CI: 1.21-2.54, respectively).

Conclusions

Systemic inflammation is a significant mediator of the association between obesity and physical unhealthy days. and is also an independent determinant of physical and mental unhealthy days. Importantly, elevated inflammation below the clinical threshold is also negatively associated with physical healthy days and may warrant more attention from a population health perspective than currently appreciated.
Funmap2: an R package for QTL mapping using longitudinal phenotypes
Authors: Wang Nating , Chu Tinyi , Luo Jiangtao , Wu Rongling , Wang Zhong
Published: December 2017

QTL mapping is a powerful tool to infer the complexity of the genetic architecture underlying phenotypic traits, and has been extended to include longitudinal traits measured at multiple temporal/spatial points. Here, we introduce the R packageFunmap2based on the functional mapping framework, which integrates biological prior knowledge into the statistical model. Specifically, the functional mapping framework is engineered to include longitudinal curves that describes the genetic effects, and the covariance matrix of the trait of interest.Funmap2may automatically choose the type of longitudinal curve and covariance matrix by information criterion.Funmap2is available for download athttps://github.com/wzhy2000/Funmap2.
Comparative analysis of kidney organoid and adult human kidney single cell and single nucleus transcriptomes
Authors: Wu Haojia , Uchimura Kohei , Donnelly Erinn , Kirita Yuhei , Morris Samantha A. , Humphreys Benjamin D.
Published: December 2017

Kidney organoids differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells hold great promise for understanding organogenesis, modeling disease and ultimately as a source of replacement tissue. Realizing the full potential of this technology will require better differentiation strategies based upon knowledge of the cellular diversity and differentiation state of all cells within these organoids. Here we analyze single cell gene expression in 45,227 cells isolated from 23 organoids differentiated using two different protocols. Both generate kidney organoids that contain a diverse range of kidney cells at differing ratios as well as non-renal cell types. We quantified the differentiation state of major organoid kidney cell types by comparing them against a 4,259 single nucleus RNA-seq dataset generated from adult human kidney, revealing immaturity of all kidney organoid cell types. We reconstructed lineage relationships during organoid differentiation through pseudotemporal ordering, and identified transcription factor networks associated with fate decisions. These results define impressive kidney organoid cell diversity, identify incomplete differentiation as a major roadblock for current directed differentiation protocols and provide a human adult kidney snRNA-seq dataset against which to benchmark future progress.
Three classes of response elements for human PRC2 and MLL1/2-trithorax complexes
Authors: Du Junqing , Kirk Brian , Zeng Jia , Ma Jianpeng , Wang Qinghua
Published: December 2017

Polycomb group (PcG) and trithorax group (TrxG) proteins are essential for maintaining epigenetic memory in both embryonic stem cells and differentiated cells. To date, how they are localized to hundreds of specific target genes within a vertebrate genome had remained elusive. Here, by focusing on shortcis-acting DNA elements of single functions, we discovered, for the first time, to our knowledge, three classes of response elements in human genome: PcG response elements (PREs), MLL1/2-TrxG response elements (TREs) and PcG/TrxG response elements (P/TREs). We further demonstrated that, in contrast to their proposed roles in recruiting PcG proteins to PREs, YY1 and CpG islands are specifically enriched in TREs and P/TREs, but not in PREs. The three classes of response elements as unraveled in this study open new doors for a deeper understanding of PcG and TrxG mechanisms in vertebrates.
THz pulse doubler at FLASH: double pulses for pump–probe experiments at X-ray FELs
Authors: Zapolnova Ekaterina , Golz Torsten , Pan Rui , Klose Karsten , Schreiber Siegfried , Stojanovic Nikola
Published: December 2017

FLASH, the X-ray free-electron laser in Hamburg, Germany, employs a narrowband high-field accelerator THz source for unique THz pump X-ray probe experiments. However, the large difference in optical paths of the THz and X-ray beamlines prevents utilization of the machine's full potential (e.g. extreme pulse energies in the soft X-ray range). To solve this issue, lasing of double electron bunches, separated by 28 periods of the driving radiofrequency (at 1.3 GHz), timed for the temporal overlap of THz and X-ray pulses at the experimental station has been employed. In order to optimize conditions for a typical THz pump X-ray probe experiment, X-ray lasing of the first bunch to one-sixth of that of the second has been suppressed. Finally, synchronization of THz radiation pulses was measured to be ∼20 fs (r.m.s.), and a solution for monitoring the arrival time for achieving higher temporal resolution is presented.
2-{(E)-[(3-Chloro-4-methylphenyl)imino]methyl}-4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenol
Authors: Atalay Şehriman , Gerçeker Semra , Meral Seher , Bülbül Hakan
Published: December 2017

In the title compound, C15H11ClF3NO2, the dihedral angle between the planes of the benzene rings is 8.3 (2)° and an intramolecular O—H...N hydrogen bond closes anS(6) ring. In the crystal, weak C—H...O links connect the molecules into [-110] chains. The F atoms of the CF3group are disordered over two sets of sites with refined occupancies of 0.626 (11):0.374 (11).
Fully protonated B-type hexamolybdoplatinate [H6PtMo6O24]2−and its adduct formation with [Pt(OH)6]2−
Authors: Ozeki Tomoji , Yagasaki Atsushi
Published: December 2017

The crystral structure of tris(tetra-n-butylammonium) hydrogen hexahydroxidoplatinate(IV) [hexahydrogen α-hexamolybdoplatinate(IV)] pentadecahydrate, (C16H36N)3H[Pt(OH)6][H6PtMo6O24]·15H2O, was determined. The structural analysis revealed that all six triply-bridging O atoms of the hexamolybdoplatinate(IV) anion are protonated, making it formally the B-type Anderson anion [H6PtMo6O24]2−. The [H6PtMo6O24]2−anions connect with the [Pt(OH)6]2−anions through strong hydrogen bonds (O...O = 2.45–2.62 Å) to form a linear polymer in the crystal.
Ethyl 2-[(3-methylquinoxalin-2-yl)sulfanyl]acetate
Authors: Missioui Mohcine , Mague Joel T , El Fal Mohammed , Taoufik Jamal , Essassi El Mokhtar , Ramli Youssef
Published: December 2017

In the title molecule, C13H14N2O2S, the dihedral angle between the pyrazine and benzene ring planes is 2.21 (5)°. The mean plane of the quinoxaline ring system is inclined to the sufanylacetate substituent by 81.74 (2)°. In the crystal, inversion-related C—H...N hydrogen bonds form dimers, which are linked into oblique stacks along thea-axis direction by C—H...O hydrogen bonds and π–π-stacking interactions.
Can prospect theory explain the disposition effect? An analysis based on value function
Authors: Liu Xiaotian , Zhang Huayue , Zhao Shengmin
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The prospect theory is potentially an essential ingredient in modeling the disposition effect. However, many scholars have tried to explain the disposition effect with the help of prospect theory and they came to opposite conclusions. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of value function of the prospect theory on predicting the disposition effect.

Design/methodology/approach

Lagrange multiplier optimization and dynamic programming method are used to solve the representative investor’s optimal portfolio choice problem. Furthermore, numerical simulation is used to compare the prediction ability of different types of value function.

Findings

The authors support that the value function has a crucial role in predicting the disposition effect with prospect theory, i.e. the curvature and boundedness of the value function may influence the performance of applying the prospect theory in the disposition effect. They conclude that a piecewise negative exponential value function can predict the disposition effect, while others like the piecewise power value function may not.

Originality/value

Extant literature about modeling the disposition effect with the prospect theory mostly focus on the time when gain-loss utility occurs or the selection of reference point. This paper based on the value function properties provides a new perspective in analyzing the crucial role that value function has in predicting financial market anomalies.
Investor recognition and stock returns: evidence from China
Authors: Zhu Hongquan , Jiang Lingling
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Merton’s model of capital market equilibrium under incomplete information predicts that contemporaneous stock returns are positively related to investor recognition and that future stock returns are negatively related to investor recognition. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate whether Merton’s theory holds true for the Chinese stock market.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes the degree of shareholder base growth (SBG) as a proxy for investor recognition and examines the relationship between investor recognition and stock returns through a univariate analysis and Fama-Macbeth cross-sectional regressions based on A-Share listed firms.

Findings

The results show that investor recognition is nonlinearly and positively related to contemporaneous stock returns and is negatively related to future stock returns in contrast to the conclusions of Merton’s theory. A long-short trading strategy that involves buying stocks with the lowest SBG rate and that sells stocks with the highest SBG rate will earn an average monthly return of 3.615 percent.

Research limitations/implications

Though Merton’s theory is not fully reflected in the Chinese stock market, investor recognition is considered an important risk factor in the Chinese stock market.

Originality/value

No works have yet investigated the validity of Merton’s “investor cognition hypothesis” in relation to the Chinese stock market. This paper strives to fill this gap.