bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DNA·RNA triple helix formation can function as a
cis
-acting regulatory mechanism at the human
β-globin
locus
Authors: Zhou Zhuo , Giles Keith E. , Felsenfeld Gary
Published: March 2019

Significance

RNA containing only pyrimidines, transcribed from genomic DNA, can form DNA∙RNA triple helices with other sites in the genome. We characterize an intronic sequence in the human
β-globin
gene that forms a triplex with an upstream regulatory site in the
β-globin
locus, causing displacement of transcription factors and down regulation of expression of the genes in the locus. Consequently, overexpression of a full-length
β-globin
transcript containing the intron results in decreased expression of members of the
β-globin
gene cluster. This is a
cis
-regulatory feedback mechanism in which overexpression of the
β-globin
gene could result in signals to down-regulate that expression. Balance in the expression of the many genes associated with hemoglobin biosynthesis is essential for erythroid cell function.
Accuracy in telephone interpreting and on-site interpreting
Authors: Wang Jihong , Fang Jing
Published: March 2019

Although telephone interpreting is widely used in many countries, very little is known about the quality of
telephone interpreting performance in social service settings. This paper reports on the findings of an exploratory study
investigating the quality of a professional Mandarin/English interpreter’s consecutive interpreting performance in one on-site
interpreting task and two telephone interpreting tasks. All three tasks are simulations of authentic situations. This article has
two aims. The primary aim is to compare the accuracy of the interpreting performance in on-site and telephone interpreting by
using a meaning unit-based quality assessment framework. The secondary aim is to use a Conversation-Analysis-based
micro-analytical approach to explore the nature of accurate interpretations (e.g. strategic additions, strategic omissions) and
problematic interpretations (e.g. unjustifiable omissions, unjustifiable distortions), especially examining the motivations for
these interpretations, the extent to which they are indicative of interpreting difficulties, and their impact on the triadic
communication. A key finding is that the interpreter’s performance was highly accurate in all three interpreting tasks. The
micro-analytical approach has served to identify possible reasons for the interpreter’s accurate and inaccurate
interpretations.
Residual stress measurement of Al/steel dissimilar friction stir weld
Authors: Ogawa Daisuke , Kakiuchi Toshifumi , Hashiba Keigo , Uematsu Yoshihiko
Published: March 2019

The dissimilar welds between aluminium (Al) alloy, A6061-T6, and stainless steel, type 304, were fabricated by a friction stir welding (FSW) technique. The FSW tool was offset to Al side and the probe was inserted only into Al plate. The softening occurred in Al side due to the heat input during FSW, while the hardness increased by the post-ageing treatment. Tensile strength of dissimilar weld also increased about 8.5% by the post-ageing. The residual stresses were measured based on the cos α method. The residual stresses parallel to the weld line, σxr, were predominantly tensile, while those perpendicular to the weld line, σyr, were compressive. Post-ageing treatment had little effect on the residual stresses.
The Wave complex controls epidermal morphogenesis and proliferation by suppressing Wnt–Sox9 signaling
Authors: Cohen Jonathan , Raviv Shaul , Adir Orit , Padmanabhan Krishnanand , Soffer Arad , Luxenburg Chen
Published: March 2019

Development of the skin epidermis requires tight spatiotemporal control over the activity of several signaling pathways; however, the mechanisms that orchestrate these events remain poorly understood. Here, we identify a key role for the Wave complex proteins ABI1 and Wave2 in regulating signals that control epidermal shape and growth. In utero RNAi-mediated silencing of Abi1 or Wasf2 induced cellular hyperproliferation and defects in architecture of the interfollicular epidermis (IFE) and delayed hair follicle growth. Unexpectedly, SOX9, a hair follicle growth regulator, was aberrantly expressed throughout the IFE of the mutant embryos, and its forced overexpression mimicked the Wave complex loss-of-function phenotype. Moreover, Wnt signaling, which regulates SOX9+ cell specification, was up-regulated in Wave complex loss-of-function IFE. Importantly, we show that the Wave complex regulates filamentous actin content and that a decrease in actin levels is sufficient to elevate Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Our results identify a novel role for Wave complex– and actin-regulated signaling via Wnt and SOX9 in skin development.
EVIDENCE FOR LINKAGE BETWEEN HL-A HISTOCOMPATIBILITY GENES AND THOSE
INVOLVED IN THE SYNTHESIS OF THE SECOND COMPONENT OF COMPLEMENT
Authors: Fu S. M. , Kunkel H. G. , Brusman H. P. , Allen F. H. , Fotino M.
Published: March 2019

References 5 and 7 should be reversed.
Neutrophils from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seronegative donors induce HIV replication from HIV-infected patients' mononuclear cells and cell lines: an in vitro model of HIV transmission facilitated by Chlamydia trachomatis.
Authors: Ho J L , He S , Hu A , Geng J , Basile F G , Almeida M G , Saito A Y , Laurence J , Johnson W D
Published: March 2019

Infection with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) increases the risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) are recruited into the genital tract by STD pathogens, such as Chlamydia trachomatis. Semen of HIV-infected men contains HIV associated with mononuclear cells. This study investigated the interaction among PMNs from HIV-uninfected persons, C. trachomatis, and HIV-infected cells and examined the mechanisms for enhanced HIV replication. We demonstrated that PMNs from HIV-seronegative donors induced HIV replication in mononuclear cells from 17 HIV-infected patients in medium without exogenous IL-2. HIV in the cell-free supernatants from cocultures of PMNs and patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was replication competent, as indicated by their capacity to propagate HIV in a second round of culture using PBMCs from HIV-seronegative individuals and by the fact that proviral DNA was found in these cells. PMNs from HIV-seronegative donors increased HIV replication over 100-fold in chronically HIV-infected cell lines of the monocytic, T, and B cell lineages. Moreover, PMNs increased U1 cells' production of p24 antigen by as much as ninefold when compared with U1 cells cocultured with PBMCs. The addition of C. trachomatis to PMN and U1 coculture increased HIV replication by an additional ninefold at 24 h, whereas C. trachomatis alone had no effect on p24 antigen production by U1 cells. Thus, C. trachomatis serves not only to recruit PMNs, but also to interact with PMNs to increase HIV replication. HIV replication is triggered by contact of HIV-infected cells with PMNs, by the generation of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs), and by soluble factors such as TNF-alpha and IL-6. This is based on the findings that production of p24 antigen, IL-6, and TNF-alpha induced by PMNs is abrogated by disrupting or partitioning PMNs from HIV-infected cells; is inhibited by superoxide dismutase and catalase, enzymes that destroy ROIs; is enhanced by differentiated HL60 cells capable of producing ROIs; and is induced by PMNs tested negative for CMV. Furthermore, the production of ROIs is independent of HIV infection of mononuclear cells, since PMNs cocultured with HIV-uninfected parental monocytic and T cell lines generated ROIs. Therefore, the increased risk for acquiring HIV infection associated with chlamydia cervicitis may be related to the local recruitment of PMNs by C. trachomatis and the induction of infectious virus from mononuclear cells present in semen. These observations provide a rationale for strategies to reduce HIV transmission by control of STD.
Form-Finding with and without Cable Reinforced Thomsen Surface in Tensioned Fabric Structure
Authors: Yee HM , Abdul Hadi MN
Published: March 2019

Tensioned Fabric Structure (TFS) is structure that is composed of tensioned fabric as structural members. The form of Thomsen surface applied in TFS has been developed in this study because the form of Thomsen surface has not been studied by others researcher. The objective of this study is to determine initial equilibrium shape in Thomsen form and cable reinforced of Thomsen surface in TFS with variable u=v=0.8 using nonlinear analysis method. The surface of Thomsen surface, u=v=0.8 shows the least square error of total warp and fill stress deviation is less than 0.01. From the result, initial equilibrium shape in Thomsen form and cable reinforced of Thomsen surface, u=v=0.8 is corresponding to equal tension surface. In conclusion, Thomsen form and cable reinforced of Thomsen surface with variable u=v=0.8 will provide an alternative shape for designer to be considered for adopted in tensioned fabric structure.
Investigation of Isospin Conservation Effects on Pre-Equilibrium Nuclear Reactions for Some Nuclei
Authors: Shafik Shafik S. , Alattabi Hadi D. , Kadhim Masar A.
Published: March 2019

The pre-equilibrium emission spectra have been studied and calculated using the exciton model. The calculations took different reactions (nucleon – nucleon, nucleon – cluster, cluster – nucleon) at low and high incident energies to investigate and study the influence of adding the isospin conservation effects into the nuclear level density on the energy spectra. The isospin conservation effect added to the state density showed no significance variation for mixed and conserved isospin calculations for all reactions at different incident energies. The results were obtained by depending on the PRECO-2006 code of C. Kalbach.
Duality between the pseudoeffective and the movable cone on a projective manifold
Authors: Nyström David
Published: March 2019

We prove a conjecture of Boucksom-Demailly-Păun-Peternell, namely that on a projective manifold

X
X

the cone of pseudoeffective classes in

H

R

1
,
1

(
X
)

H^{1,1}_{\mathbb {R}}(X)

is dual to the cone of movable classes in

H

R

n
−
1
,
n
−
1

(
X
)

H^{n-1,n-1}_{\mathbb {R}}(X)

via the Poincaré pairing. This is done by establishing a conjectured transcendental Morse inequality for the volume of the difference of two nef classes on a projective manifold. As a corollary the movable cone is seen to be equal to the closure of the cone of balanced metrics. In an appendix by Boucksom it is shown that the Morse inequality also implies that the volume function is differentiable on the big cone, and one also gets a characterization of the prime divisors in the non-Kähler locus of a big class via intersection numbers.
phylostratr: a framework for phylostratigraphy
Authors: Arendsee Zebulun , Li Jing , Singh Urminder , Seetharam Arun , Dorman Karin , Wurtele Eve Syrkin
Published: March 2019

Motivation

The goal of phylostratigraphy is to infer the evolutionary origin of each gene in an organism. This is done by searching for homologs within increasingly broad clades. The deepest clade that contains a homolog of the protein(s) encoded by a gene is that gene’s phylostratum.

Results

We have created a general R-based framework, phylostratr, to estimate the phylostratum of every gene in a species. The program fully automates analysis: selecting species for balanced representation, retrieving sequences, building databases, inferring phylostrata and returning diagnostics. Key diagnostics include: detection of genes with inferred homologs in old clades, but not intermediate ones; proteome quality assessments; false-positive diagnostics, and checks for missing organellar genomes. phylostratr allows extensive customization and systematic comparisons of the influence of analysis parameters or genomes on phylostrata inference. A user may: modify the automatically generated clade tree or use their own tree; provide custom sequences in place of those automatically retrieved from UniProt; replace BLAST with an alternative algorithm; or tailor the method and sensitivity of the homology inference classifier. We show the utility of phylostratr through case studies in Arabidopsis thaliana and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Availability and implementation

Source code available at https://github.com/arendsee/phylostratr.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Classical scoring functions for docking are unable to exploit large volumes of structural and interaction data
Authors: Li Hongjian , Peng Jiangjun , Sidorov Pavel , Leung Yee , Leung Kwong-Sak , Wong Man-Hon , Lu Gang , Ballester Pedro J
Published: March 2019

Motivation

Studies have shown that the accuracy of random forest (RF)-based scoring functions (SFs), such as RF-Score-v3, increases with more training samples, whereas that of classical SFs, such as X-Score, does not. Nevertheless, the impact of the similarity between training and test samples on this matter has not been studied in a systematic manner. It is therefore unclear how these SFs would perform when only trained on protein-ligand complexes that are highly dissimilar or highly similar to the test set. It is also unclear whether SFs based on machine learning algorithms other than RF can also improve accuracy with increasing training set size and to what extent they learn from dissimilar or similar training complexes.

Results

We present a systematic study to investigate how the accuracy of classical and machine-learning SFs varies with protein-ligand complex similarities between training and test sets. We considered three types of similarity metrics, based on the comparison of either protein structures, protein sequences or ligand structures. Regardless of the similarity metric, we found that incorporating a larger proportion of similar complexes to the training set did not make classical SFs more accurate. In contrast, RF-Score-v3 was able to outperform X-Score even when trained on just 32% of the most dissimilar complexes, showing that its superior performance owes considerably to learning from dissimilar training complexes to those in the test set. In addition, we generated the first SF employing Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), XGB-Score, and observed that it also improves with training set size while outperforming the rest of SFs. Given the continuous growth of training datasets, the development of machine-learning SFs has become very appealing.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/HongjianLi/MLSF

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
GladiaTOX: GLobal Assessment of Dose-IndicAtor in TOXicology
Authors: Belcastro Vincenzo , Cano Stephane , Marescotti Diego , Acali Stefano , Poussin Carine , Gonzalez-Suarez Ignacio , Martin Florian , Bonjour Filipe , Ivanov Nikolai V , Peitsch Manuel C , Hoeng Julia
Published: March 2019

GladiaTOX R package is an open-source, flexible solution to high-content screening data processing and reporting in biomedical research. GladiaTOX takes advantage of the ‘tcpl’ core functionalities and provides a number of extensions: it provides a web-service solution to fetch raw data; it computes severity scores and exports ToxPi formatted files; furthermore it contains a suite of functionalities to generate PDF reports for quality control and data processing.

Availability and implementation

GladiaTOX R package (bioconductor). Also available via: git clone https://github.com/philipmorrisintl/GladiaTOX.git.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
onlineFDR: an R package to control the false discovery rate for growing data repositories
Authors: Robertson David S , Wildenhain Jan , Javanmard Adel , Karp Natasha A
Published: March 2019

In many areas of biological research, hypotheses are tested in a sequential manner, without having access to future P-values or even the number of hypotheses to be tested. A key setting where this online hypothesis testing occurs is in the context of publicly available data repositories, where the family of hypotheses to be tested is continually growing as new data is accumulated over time. Recently, Javanmard and Montanari proposed the first procedures that control the FDR for online hypothesis testing. We present an R package, onlineFDR, which implements these procedures and provides wrapper functions to apply them to a historic dataset or a growing data repository.

Availability and implementation

The R package is freely available through Bioconductor (http://www.bioconductor.org/packages/onlineFDR).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Emergency valve surgery improves clinical results in patients with infective endocarditis complicated with acute cerebral infarction: analysis using propensity score matching†
Authors: Samura Takaaki , Yoshioka Daisuke , Toda Koichi , Sakaniwa Ryoto , Yokoyama Junya , Suzuki Kota , Miyagawa Shigeru , Yoshikawa Yasushi , Hata Hiroki , Takano Hiroshi , Matsumiya Goro , Monta Osamu , Sakaguchi Taichi , Fukuda Hirotsugu ,   Oscar Study Group, Sawa Yoshiki
Published: March 2019

OBJECTIVES

To date, the optimal timing for patients with infective endocarditis (IE) with acute cerebral infarction (CI) to undergo valve surgery is unknown. Although some previous studies have reported that early valve surgery for IE patients within 1 or 2 weeks after CI could be performed safely, an initial strategy has not been identified because of the unmatched cohorts in previous studies. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and safety of early surgery within a few days after cerebral infarction by using propensity score matching.

METHODS

Between 2009 and 2017, 585 patients underwent valve surgery for patients with active IE at 14 institutions. Among these, 152 had preoperative acute CI. Early surgery was defined as surgery within 3 days after the diagnosis of CI. Of these 152 patients, 67 underwent early valve surgery (early group), whereas 85 underwent delayed valve surgery (delayed group). Of the patients, 45 in each group were analysed using propensity score matching. The primary outcome was in-hospital death after valve surgery, and secondary outcomes included neurological complications. We compared the clinical results of these matched patients.

RESULTS

Hospital mortality was lower in the early group (2% vs 16%, P = 0.058). The rate of postoperative intracranial haemorrhage in the early and delayed groups was 4% in both groups. The postoperative modified Rankin scale was not significantly different [early group: 0 (0–2); delayed group: 0 (0–2)]. Incidence of neurological deterioration did not differ significantly between the groups. The survival rates after the first discharge at 1, 3 and 5 years after valve operation were 100%, 97% and 97% in the early group and 91%, 83% and 80% in the delayed group, respectively (P = 0.029).

CONCLUSIONS

Early valve surgery for patients with IE within 3 days after a CI measuring <2 cm in size improved clinical results without increasing the incidence of postoperative neurological complications.
Parent and child perceptions of gambling promotions in Australian sport
Authors: David Jennifer L , Thomas Samantha L , Randle Melanie , Pitt Hannah , Daube Mike
Published: March 2019

Gambling is recognized as a significant public health problem. However, there is little research exploring community attitudes towards gambling and the development of advocacy initiatives. Engaging adults and young people in advocacy efforts is recognized as being beneficial to the successful implementation of harm prevention and reduction strategies. This study explored the attitudes of young people and their parents towards the alignment of gambling with sport, and the strategies they perceive could be used to prevent and reduce gambling related harm. Using a Constructivist Grounded Theory approach, 30 family groups from Melbourne, Australia participated in semi-structured interviews. Parents and young people were asked about gambling and its promotion, alignment with sporting codes, the potential impact on young people and strategies that may prevent or reduce gambling harm. Thematic analysis was undertaken to interpret the data. The sample comprised 29 parents, one grandparent and 48 young people. Themes emerging from the data related to the use of imagery and appeal strategies in advertisements, the normalization of betting in advertisements and the alignment of betting with sport. Parents and young people also identified a number of potential gambling harm prevention and reduction initiatives. Parents and young people were able to describe a range of strategies used by gambling companies to promote their products, understand the potential impact of these strategies, and recommend strategies to reduce harm. Given this level of understanding there is clearly an opportunity to engage young people and stakeholders in advocacy initiatives aimed at reducing and preventing gambling harm.
Unmasking herd protection by an oral cholera vaccine in a cluster-randomized trial
Authors: Ali Mohammad , Qadri Firdausi , Kim Deok Ryun , Islam Taufiqul , Im Justin , Ahmmed Faisal , Chon Yun , Islam Khan Ashraful , Zaman Khalequ , Marks Florian , Clemens John D
Published: March 2019

Background

Several studies have shown that inactivated, whole-cell oral cholera vaccines (OCVs) confer both direct protection on vaccinees and herd protection on populations. Because our earlier cluster-randomized effectiveness trial (CRT) in urban Bangladesh failed to detect OCV herd protection, we reanalysed the trial to assess whether herd effects were masked in our original analysis.

Methods

A total of 267 270 persons were randomized to 90 approximately equal-sized clusters. In 60 clusters persons aged 1 year and older were eligible to receive OCV and in 30 clusters persons received no intervention and served as controls. We analysed OCV protection against severely dehydrating cholera for the entire clusters, as in our original analysis, and for subclusters consisting of residents of innermost households. We hypothesized that if OCV herd protection was attenuated by cholera transmission into the clusters from the outside in this densely populated setting, herd protection would be most evident in the innermost households.

Results

During 2 years of follow-up of all residents of the clusters, total protection (protection of OCV recipients relative to control residents) was 58% [95% confidence interval (CI): 43%, 70%; P<0.0001], indirect protection (protection of non-OCV recipients in OCV clusters relative to control participants) was 16% (95% CI: –20%, 41%; P=0.35) and overall OCV protection (protection of all residents in the OCV clusters relative to control residents) was 46% (95% CI: 30%, 59%; P<0.0001). Analyses of the inner 75% and 50% households of the clusters showed similar findings. However, total protection was 75% (95% CI: 50%, 87%, P<0.0001), indirect protection 52% (95% CI: –9%, 79%; P=0.08) and overall protection 72% (95% CI: 49%, 84%; P<0.0001) for the innermost 25% households.

Conclusion

Consistent with past studies, substantial OCV herd protective effects were identified, but were unmasked only by analysing innermost households of the clusters. Caution is needed in defining clusters for analysis of vaccine herd effects in CRTs of vaccines.
Adaptive optimal transport
Authors: Essid Montacer , Laefer Debra F , Tabak Esteban G
Published: March 2019

An adaptive, adversarial methodology is developed for the optimal transport problem between two distributions $\mu $ and $\nu $, known only through a finite set of independent samples $(x_i)_{i=1..n}$ and $(y_j)_{j=1..m}$. The methodology automatically creates features that adapt to the data, thus avoiding reliance on a priori knowledge of the distributions underlying the data. Specifically, instead of a discrete point-by-point assignment, the new procedure seeks an optimal map $T(x)$ defined for all $x$, minimizing the Kullback–Leibler divergence between $(T(x_i))$ and the target $(y_j)$. The relative entropy is given a sample-based, variational characterization, thereby creating an adversarial setting: as one player seeks to push forward one distribution to the other, the second player develops features that focus on those areas where the two distributions fail to match. The procedure solves local problems that seek the optimal transfer between consecutive, intermediate distributions between $\mu $ and $\nu $. As a result, maps of arbitrary complexity can be built by composing the simple maps used for each local problem. Displaced interpolation is used to guarantee global from local optimality. The procedure is illustrated through synthetic examples in one and two dimensions.
Analysis of a fractal ultrasonic transducer with a range of piezoelectric length scales
Authors: Algehyne Ebrahem A , Mulholland Anthony J
Published: March 2019

The transmission and reception sensitivities of most piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers are enhanced by their geometrical structures. This structure is normally a regular, periodic one with one principal length scale, which, due to the resonant nature of the devices, determines the central operating frequency. There is engineering interest in building wide-bandwidth devices, and so it follows that, in their design, resonators that have a range of length scales should be used. This paper describes a mathematical model of a fractal ultrasound transducer whose piezoelectric components span a range of length scales. There have been many previous studies of wave propagation in the Sierpinski gasket but this paper is the first to study its complement. This is a critically important mathematical development as the complement is formed from a broad distribution of triangle sizes, whereas the Sierpinski gasket is formed from triangles of equal size. Within this structure, the electrical and mechanical fields fluctuate in tune with the time-dependent displacement of these substructures. A new set of basis functions is developed that allow us to express this displacement as part of a finite element methodology. A renormalization approach is then used to develop a recursion scheme that analytically describes the key components from the discrete matrices that arise. Expressions for the transducer’s operational characteristics are then derived and analysed as a function of the driving frequency. It transpires that the fractal device has a significantly higher reception sensitivity (18 dB) and a significantly wider bandwidth (3 MHz) than an equivalent Euclidean (standard) device.
Rapid Disappearance of Poliovirus Type 2 (PV2) Immunity in Young Children Following Withdrawal of Oral PV2-Containing Vaccine in Vietnam
Authors: Huyen Dang Thi Thanh , Mach Ondrej , Thanh Trung Nguyen , Thai Pham Quang , Thang Ho Vinh , Weldon William C , Oberste M Steven , Jeyaseelan Visalakshi , Sutter Roland W , Anh Dang Duc
Published: March 2019

Background

Due to global shortage of inactivated poliovirus vaccine and withdrawal of oral vaccine containing poliovirus type 2 (PV2), a PV2-containing vaccine was not used in Vietnam May 2016 to October 2018. We assessed the population immunity gap to PV2.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey in children aged 1–18 months was carried out in January 2018. One blood sample per child was analyzed for presence of poliovirus neutralizing antibodies. In children with detectable anti-PV2 antibodies, a second sample was analyzed 4 months later to distinguish between passive (maternally derived) and active (induced by secondary transmission or vaccination) immunity.

Results

Sera were obtained from 1106/1110 children. Seroprevalence of PV2 antibodies was 87/368 (23.6%) at age 1–7 months, 27/471 (5.7%) at 8–15 months, and 19/267 (7.1%) at 16–18 months. Seroprevalence declined with age in the 1–7 months group; in the 8–18 months group there was no significant change with age. Four months later, 11/87 (14%), 9/27 (32%), and 12/19 (37%) remained seropositive in 1–7, 8–15, and 16–18 months age groups, respectively.

Conclusions

We found declining immunity to PV2, suggesting Vietnam is at risk for an outbreak of type 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus following virus importation or new emergence.
Supplemental Screening for Women with Dense Breasts: What Do Practicing Radiologists Recommend?
Authors: Singer Tisha , Lourenco Ana P , Baird Grayson L , Mainiero Martha B
Published: March 2019

Objective

To evaluate radiologists’ supplemental screening recommendations for women with dense breasts, at average, intermediate, or high risk of breast cancer, and to determine if there are differences between their recommendations for their patients, their friends and family, and themselves.

Methods

This is an anonymous survey of Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) members. Demographics, knowledge of breast density as a risk factor, and recommendations for screening with digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), ultrasound (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in women with dense breasts, at average, intermediate, or high- risk of breast cancer were assessed. The likelihood of their recommending the screening test for their patients, their family and friends, and themselves was assessed on a Likert scale from 0 to 4 (0 = “not at all likely” to 4 = “extremely likely”).

Results

There were 295 responses: 67% were women, and breast imaging comprised 95% of their practice. Among participants, 53% correctly answered the question on relative risk of breast cancer when comparing extremely dense versus fatty breasts, and 57% when comparing heterogeneously dense versus scattered breasts. US is recommended at a relatively low rate (1.0–1.4 on the 0–4 scale), regardless of risk. DBT is recommended at a relatively high rate (2.5–3.0 on the 0–4 scale), regardless of risk status. MR is recommended mainly for those at high risk (3.6 on the 0–4 scale). Radiologists were more likely to recommend additional imaging for themselves than for their patients and their family and friends.

Conclusion

For women with dense breasts, radiologists are “somewhat likely” to recommend US and “likely” to “very likely” to recommend DBT regardless of risk group. They are “very likely” to recommend MRI for high-risk groups.
Distribution of a New Invasive Species, Sipha maydis (Heteroptera: Aphididae), on Cereals and Wild Grasses in the Southern Plains and Rocky Mountain States
Authors: Puterka Gary J , Hammon Robert W , Franklin Melissa , Mornhinweg Dolores W , Springer Tim , Armstrong Scott , Brown Mike J
Published: March 2019

Sipha maydis Passerini (Heteroptera: Aphididae) is a cereal pest with an extensive geographical range that includes countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Reports of S. maydis in the United States have been infrequent since it was first detected in California, 2007. Two studies, focused (NW CO) and multistate (OK, TX, NM, CO, UT, WY), were conducted to determine the distribution and host range of S. maydis in the Rocky Mountain and Southern Plains states over a 3-yr period, 2015–2017. In 2015, focused sampling in NW Colorado found S. maydis at 59% of the 37 sites, primarily on wheat. Sipha maydis did not survive extreme winter temperatures from late December 2015 to early January 2016 that ranged from −9.0 to −20.9°C over a 9-d period, which resulted in no aphids detected in 2016. In the multistate study, S. maydis occurred in 14.6% of 96 sites sampled in 2015, 8% of 123 sites in 2016, and 9% of 85 sites in 2017 at wide range of altitudes from 1,359 to 2,645 m. Sipha maydis occurred mainly in NW and SW Colorado and NE New Mexico along with a few sites in NE Colorado, SE Utah, and SE Wyoming. This aphid mainly infested wheat followed by a variety of eight wild grass species. No parasites, predators, sexual morphs, or significant plant damage occurred at the sites. Sipha maydis utilized 14 hosts in the United States including 8 new host records, which expands its host range to 52 plant species worldwide. Sipha maydis may be of concern to wheat, barley, and sorghum production in the United States if its populations continue to increase.
Azole resistance among clinical isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus in Lima-Peru
Authors: Bustamante Beatriz , Illescas Luis Ricardo , Posadas Andrés , Campos Pablo E
Published: March 2019

Azole resistance among Aspergillus fumigatus isolates, which is mainly related to mutations in the cyp51A gene, is a concern because it is rising, worldwide disseminated, and associated with treatment failure and death. Data on azole resistance of aspergillus from Latin American countries is very scarce and do not exist for Peru. Two hundred and seven Aspergillus clinical isolates collected prospectively underwent mycology and molecular testing for specie identification, and 143 isolates were confirmed as A. fumigatus sensu stricto (AFSS). All AFSS were tested for in vitro azole susceptibility, and resistant isolates underwent PCR amplification and sequencing of the whole cyp51A gene and its promoter. The in vitro susceptibility showed a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) range, MIC50 and MIC90 of 0.125 to >16, 0.25, and 0.5 μg/ml for itraconazole; 0.25 to 2, 0.5, and 0.5 μg/ml for voriconazole; and 0.003 to 1, 0.06, and 0.125 μg/ml for posaconazole. Three isolates (2%) showed resistance to itraconazole and exhibited different mutations of the cyp51A gene. One isolate harbored the mutation M220K, while a second one exhibited the G54 mutation plus a modification in the cyp51A gene promoter. The third isolate, from an azole naive patient, presented an integration of a 34-bp tandem repeat (TR34) in the promoter region of the gene and a substitution of leucine 98 by histidine (L98H). The three source patients had a diagnosis or suspicion of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis.
The host galaxy of GRB 980425/SN1998bw: a collisional ring galaxy
Authors: Arabsalmani M , Roychowdhury S , Starkenburg T K , Christensen L , Le Floc’h E , Kanekar N , Bournaud F , Zwaan M A , Fynbo J P U , Møller P , Pian E
Published: March 2019

We report Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT), Very Large Telescope (VLT), and Spitzer Space Telescope observations of ESO 184−G82, the host galaxy of GRB 980425/SN 1998bw, that yield evidence of a companion dwarf galaxy at a projected distance of 13 kpc. The companion, hereafter GALJ193510-524947, is a gas-rich, star-forming galaxy with a star formation rate of $\rm 0.004\, M_{\odot }\, yr^{-1}$, a gas mass of $10^{7.1\pm 0.1} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$, and a stellar mass of $10^{7.0\pm 0.3} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$. The interaction between ESO 184−G82 and GALJ193510-524947 is evident from the extended gaseous structure between the two galaxies in the GMRT H i 21 cm map. We find a ring of high column density H i gas, passing through the actively star-forming regions of ESO 184−G82 and the GRB location. This ring lends support to the picture in which ESO 184−G82 is interacting with GALJ193510-524947. The massive stars in GALJ193510-524947 have similar ages to those in star-forming regions in ESO 184−G82, also suggesting that the interaction may have triggered star formation in both galaxies. The gas and star formation properties of ESO 184−G82 favour a head-on collision with GALJ193510-524947 rather than a classical tidal interaction. We perform state-of-the-art simulations of dwarf–dwarf mergers and confirm that the observed properties of ESO 184−G82 can be reproduced by collision with a small companion galaxy. This is a very clear case of interaction in a gamma-ray burst host galaxy and of interaction-driven star formation giving rise to a gamma-ray burst in a dense environment.
A distance of 13 Mpc resolves the claimed anomalies of the galaxy lacking dark matter
Authors: Trujillo Ignacio , Beasley Michael A , Borlaff Alejandro , Carrasco Eleazar R , Di Cintio Arianna , Filho Mercedes , Monelli Matteo , Montes Mireia , Román Javier , Ruiz-Lara Tomás , Sánchez Almeida Jorge , Valls-Gabaud David , Vazdekis Alexandre
Published: March 2019

The claimed detection of a diffuse galaxy lacking dark matter represents a possible challenge to our understanding of the properties of these galaxies and galaxy formation in general. The galaxy, already identified in photographic plates taken in the summer of 1976 at the UK 48-in Schmidt telescope, presents normal distance-independent properties (e.g. colour, velocity dispersion of its globular clusters). However, distance-dependent quantities are at odds with those of other similar galaxies, namely the luminosity function and sizes of its globular clusters, mass-to-light ratio, and dark matter content. Here we carry out a careful analysis of all extant data and show that they consistently indicate a much shorter distance (13 Mpc) than previously indicated (20 Mpc). With this revised distance, the galaxy appears to be a rather ordinary low surface brightness galaxy (Re = 1.4 ± 0.1 kpc; M⋆ = 6.0 ± 3.6 × 107 M⊙) with plenty of room for dark matter (the fraction of dark matter inside the half-mass radius is >75 per cent and Mhalo/M⋆>20) corresponding to a minimum halo mass >109 M⊙. At 13 Mpc, the luminosity and structural properties of the globular clusters around the object are the same as those found in other galaxies.
Overcoming Daunting Challenges of Clipping of Paraclinoid Carotid-Ophthalmic and Superior Hypophyseal Artery Aneurysms: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Nagm Alhusain , Horiuchi Tetsuyoshi , Hongo Kazuhiro
Published: March 2019

This surgical video emphasizes the nuances that needed to overcome daunting challenges of clipping of paraclinoid carotidophthalmic and superior hypophyseal artery (SHA) aneurysms. To avoid hazardous manipulations, scarifying the ipsilateral SHA under visual evoked potential (VEP) guidance can be done without risk of postoperative visual decline. This technique is associated with better visual outcome.
1
A 66-yr-old woman presented with gradually enlarging right paraclinoid carotidophthalmic and SHA aneurysms. The relationship between those aneurysms and the critical neurovascular structures made us facing a daunting challenge to preserve the visual function. To preserve the patency of the ophthalmic artery (oph.A), endovascular intervention was abandoned and a direct clipping surgery was selected.

Following VEP settings, exposure of the cervical internal carotid artery for proximal control and right frontotemporal craniotomy, a subfrontal approach was used. To get adequate accessibility and safe maneuverability, the anterior clinoidectomy and unroofing of the optic canal were completed, then, the falciform ligament and the distal dural ring were carefully opened. Under VEP guidance, the oph.A and SHAs were temporarily occluded. VEP had been stable under repeated occlusions. The carotidophthalmic aneurysm was clipped with preservation of the oph.A. Besides, 1 ipsilateral SHA was sacrificed to achieve complete clipping of the SHA aneurysm. Final indocyanine green videoangiography confirmed obliteration of the paraclinoid aneurysms and patency of the oph.A, the other SHA and the tiny arterioles around the optic nerve. The postoperative course was uneventful. There was no evidence of postoperative visual disturbances.

The patient has consented to the submission of the case report to the journal.
Predictors of Clinical Reasoning Using the Reasoning 4 Change Instrument With Physical Therapist Students
Authors: Elvén Maria , Hochwälder Jacek , Dean Elizabeth , Söderlund Anne
Published: March 2019

Background

Although physical therapist students must be well prepared to integrate biopsychosocial and behavioral perspectives into their clinical reasoning, there is a lack of knowledge regarding factors that influence such competence.

Objective

This study explored the associations among the independent variables—knowledge, cognition, metacognition, psychological factors, contextual factors, and curriculum orientation vis-à-vis behavioral medicine competencies—and the dependent variables—outcomes of input from client (IC), functional behavioral analysis (FBA), and strategies for behavior change (SBC) as levels in physical therapist students’ clinical reasoning processes.

Design

This study used an exploratory cross-sectional design.

Methods

The Reasoning 4 Change instrument was completed by 151 final-semester physical therapist students. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses for IC, FBA, and SBC were conducted. In the first step, curriculum orientation was inserted into the model; in the second step, self-rated knowledge, cognition, and metacognition; and in the third step, psychological factors.

Results

All independent variables except contextual factors explained 37% of the variance in the outcome of IC. Curriculum orientation explained 3%, cognitive and metacognitive factors an additional 22%, and attitudes another 15%. Variance in the outcomes of FBA and SBC were explained by curriculum orientation only (FBA change in R2 = 0.04; SBC change in R2 = 0.05). Higher scores of the dependent variables were associated with a curriculum having behavioral medicine competencies.

Limitations

The limitations of this study are that it was cross-sectional.

Conclusions

Cognitive and metacognitive capabilities and skills and positive attitudes are important predictors of physical therapist students’ clinical reasoning focused on behavior change at the IC level. Curricula with behavioral medicine competencies are associated with positive outcomes at all clinical reasoning levels.
Cancellable Insider Trading Plans: An Analysis of SEC Rule 10b5-1*
Authors: Lenkey Stephen L
Published: March 2019

Rule 10b5-1 enables insiders to preplan future trades before becoming informed. Within a strategic rational expectations equilibrium framework, I characterize an insider’s unique optimal trading plan, which balances portfolio diversification against exploitation of the rule’s selective termination option. Because the rule reduces adverse selection and provides insurance against bad outcomes, the rule generally improves welfare for both the insider, who later becomes informed, and uninformed outsiders, provided there exists a sufficient degree of information asymmetry. Eliminating the rule’s selective termination option results in an even greater welfare improvement under a large subset of parametric conditions.

Received March 9, 2018; editorial decision January 11, 2019 by Editor Wei Jiang.
Total joint arthroplasty in immunocompromised patients: a matched pair analysis for comorbidities
Authors: Meftah Morteza , Plassche Grace , Silverman Ariel , White Peter B. , Kirschenbaum Ira H.
Published: March 2019

Background:

The prevalence and demand for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C (HCV) have steadily increased. However, the relationship between these immunocompromising viruses and perioperative complications such as postoperative infection has yet to be fully established.

Methods:

TJA was performed in 109 immunocompromised (IC) patients (50 THAs and 59 TKAs) between 2008 and 2014. Patients were matched based on sex, age, body mass index, and operation (TKA vs. THA) to patients who were nonimmunocompromised (N-IC). A cohort of 66 IC patients were also matched with 66 N-IC based on medical comorbidities to assess for medical comorbidities that may increase the risk of infection.

Results:

The overall complication rate in the IC group and N-IC groups was 20% (22 patients) and 14.6% (16 patients), respectively, which was not statistically significant (P=0.34). There were no differences between the two groups in the incidence of deep (n=6; 5.5% vs. n=3; 2.7%; P=0.36) or superficial infections (n=4; 2.1% vs. n=1; 0.9%; P=0.50), or re-admissions (n=12; 11% vs. 14; 12.8%; P=0.80). However, there was a significant difference for reoperation (16 vs. 6, P=0.04). When data were adjusted for confounding factors for complications, matched for comorbidities, the rate of infection and reoperation were 7.5% and 4.5% in IC and 9% and 6% in N-IC groups, respectively, which were not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

IC patients were not at a significant increased risk for perioperative complications, postoperative infections, or readmissions, but they were at higher risk of reoperation.
Use of technetium bone scans to help predict whether patellar resurfacing will be successful in treating pain after primary total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Fine Stephen , Watson Anna
Published: March 2019

Background:

Patellar resurfacing does not always alleviate anterior knee pain after total knee arthroplasty. This study sought to determine if technetium 99 bone scan after primary total knee arthroplasty helps predict if subsequent patellar resurfacing surgery will be successful.

Methods:

A retrospective review of patients who had isolated patellar resurfacing (or patellar resurfacing and tibial insert exchange) after primary total knee arthroplasty was performed via a telephone interview. Patients had technetium 99 bone scans in their workup, and the scans were considered positive if uptake in the patella was greater than elsewhere in the knee. Three outcome measures were used: level of patient satisfaction, amount of pain relief, and whether the patient would choose to have the surgery again. Correlations were sought between the results of the bone scans and patient outcome measures.

Results:

Twenty-two of 35 patients were interviewed. There were 15 (68%) positive bone scans, and of these 14 (93%) had good outcomes and one (7%) had a poor outcome. There were seven (32%) negative bone scans, and of these two (29%) had good outcomes and five (71%) had poor outcomes.

Conclusions:

In patients who develop pain after primary total knee arthroplasty, a technetium bone scan may help to predict which patients will benefit from a subsequent patellar resurfacing procedure
Nonoperative Geriatric Hip Fracture Treatment Is Associated With Increased Mortality: A Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Chlebeck Jesse D. , Birch Christopher E. , Blankstein Michael , Kristiansen Thomas , Bartlett Craig S. , Schottel Patrick C.
Published: March 2019

Objective:

To report the mortality data and life expectancy of geriatric hip fracture patients who underwent nonoperative management and compare that with a matched operative cohort.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Level 1 trauma center.

Patients:

Geriatric (65 years of age and older) femoral neck or intertrochanteric fracture (OTA/AO 31A and 31B) patients.

Intervention:

Operative treatment with either arthroplasty, cannulated screws, sliding hip screw device, or cephalomedullary nail compared with nonoperative cohort.

Main Outcome Measurements:

In-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year mortality.

Results:

Two hundred thirty-one patients, comprising 154 operative and 77 nonoperative patients, were compared. There were no significant differences among age, sex, fracture location, Charlson Comorbidity Index, preinjury living location, dementia, and history of cardiac arrhythmia between the 2 cohorts. Nonoperatively managed patients were found to have a significantly higher percent in-hospital (28.6 vs. 3.9; P < 0.0001), 30-day (63.6 vs. 11.0; <0.0001), and 1-year (84.4 vs. 36.4; P < 0.0001) mortality. The mean life expectancy after a hip fracture for the nonoperative cohort was significantly shorter than the operative group (221 vs. 1024 days; P < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

Nonoperatively treated hip fracture patients had an 84.4% 1-year mortality that was significantly higher than a matched operative cohort. Our results demonstrate the bleak overall prognosis for nonoperatively treated geriatric hip fractures as well as the associated reduction in mortality with surgical treatment. Our findings offer helpful information by providing updated mortality data when discussing nonoperative hip fracture management with patients and their family.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.