bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unveiling the monster heart: unbeamed properties of blazar 4C 71.07
Authors: Raiteri C M , Acosta Pulido J A , Villata M , Carnerero M I , Romano P , Vercellone S
Published: February 2020

4C 71.07 is a high-redshift blazar whose optical radiation is dominated by quasar-like nuclear emission. We here present the results of a spectroscopic monitoring of the source to study its unbeamed properties. We obtained 24 optical spectra at the Nordic Optical Telescope and William Herschel Telescope and 3 near-infrared spectra at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo. They show no evidence of narrow emission lines. The estimate of the systemic redshift from the Hβ and Hα broad emission lines leads to zsys = 2.2130 ± 0.0004. Notwithstanding the nearly face-on orientation of the accretion disc, the high-ionization emission lines present large broadening as well as noticeable blueshifts, which increase with the ionizing energy of the corresponding species. This is a clear indication of strong ionized outflows. Line broadening and blueshift appear correlated. We applied scaling relationships to estimate the mass of the supermassive black hole from the Balmer and C iv lines, taking into account the prescriptions to correct for outflow. They give $M_{\rm BH} \sim 2 \times 10^9 \, M_\odot$. We derived an Eddington luminosity $L_{\rm Edd} \sim 2.5 \times 10^{47} \rm \, erg \, s^{-1}$ ∼ Ldisc, and a broad-line region (BLR) luminosity of $L_{\rm BLR} \sim 1.5 \times 10^{46} \rm \, erg \, s^{-1}$. The line fluxes do not show significant variability in time. In particular, there is no line reaction to the jet flaring activity detected in 2015 October and November. This implies that the jet gives no contribution to the photoionization of the BLR in the considered period.
Internal motions in OB associations with Gaia DR2
Authors: Melnik A M , Dambis A K
Published: February 2020

We study the motions inside 28 OB associations with the use of Gaia DR2 proper motions. The average velocity dispersion calculated for 28 OB associations including more than 20 stars with Gaia DR2 proper motion is σv = 4.5 km s−1. The median virial and stellar masses of OB associations are Mvir = 8.9 × 105 and Mst = 8.1 × 103 M⊙, respectively. The median star-formation efficiency in parent giant molecular clouds appears to be ϵ = 1.2 per cent. Gaia DR2 proper motions confirm the expansion in the Per OB1, Car OB1, and Sgr OB1 associations found earlier with Gaia DR1 data. We also detect the expansion in Gem OB1, Ori OB1, and Sco OB1 associations, which became possible for the first time now when analysed with Gaia DR2 proper motions. The analysis of the distribution of OB stars in the Per OB1 association shows the presence of a shell-like structure with the radius of 40 pc. Probably, the expansion of the Per OB1 association started with the velocity greater than the present-day expansion velocity equal to 5.0 ± 1.7 km s−1.
Predicting the Landscape of Recombination Using Deep Learning
Authors: Adrion Jeffrey R , Galloway Jared G , Kern Andrew D
Published: February 2020

Accurately inferring the genome-wide landscape of recombination rates in natural populations is a central aim in genomics, as patterns of linkage influence everything from genetic mapping to understanding evolutionary history. Here, we describe recombination landscape estimation using recurrent neural networks (ReLERNN), a deep learning method for estimating a genome-wide recombination map that is accurate even with small numbers of pooled or individually sequenced genomes. Rather than use summaries of linkage disequilibrium as its input, ReLERNN takes columns from a genotype alignment, which are then modeled as a sequence across the genome using a recurrent neural network. We demonstrate that ReLERNN improves accuracy and reduces bias relative to existing methods and maintains high accuracy in the face of demographic model misspecification, missing genotype calls, and genome inaccessibility. We apply ReLERNN to natural populations of African Drosophila melanogaster and show that genome-wide recombination landscapes, although largely correlated among populations, exhibit important population-specific differences. Lastly, we connect the inferred patterns of recombination with the frequencies of major inversions segregating in natural Drosophila populations.
ALCAM contributes to brain metastasis formation in non-small-cell lung cancer through interaction with the vascular endothelium
Authors: Münsterberg Justine , Loreth Desirée , Brylka Laura , Werner Stefan , Karbanova Jana , Gandrass Monja , Schneegans Svenja , Besler Katharina , Hamester Fabienne , Robador José Ramon , Bauer Alexander Thomas , Schneider Stefan Werner , Wrage Michaela , Lamszus Katrin , Matschke Jakob , Vashist Yogesh , Uzunoglu Güntac , Steurer Stefan , Horst Andrea Kristina , Oliveira-Ferrer Leticia , Glatzel Markus , Schinke Thorsten , Corbeil Denis , Pantel Klaus , Maire Cecile , Wikman Harriet
Published: February 2020

Background

Brain metastasis (BM) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has a very poor prognosis. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of cell adhesion molecules in tumor metastasis. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) in BM formation in NSCLC.

Methods

Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on 143 NSCLC primary tumors and BM. A correlation between clinicopathological parameters and survival was developed. Biological properties of ALCAM were assessed in vitro by gene ablation using CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the NCI-H460 NSCLC cell line and in vivo by intracranial and intracardial cell injection of NCI-H460 cells in NMRI-Foxn1nu/nu mice.

Results

ALCAM expression was significantly upregulated in NSCLC brain metastasis (P = 0.023) with a de novo expression of ALCAM in 31.2% of BM. Moderate/strong ALCAM expression in both primary NSCLC and brain metastasis was associated with shortened survival. Functional analysis of an ALCAM knock-out (KO) cell line showed a significantly decreased cell adhesion capacity to human brain endothelial cells by 38% (P = 0.045). In vivo studies showed significantly lower tumor cell dissemination in mice injected with ALCAM-KO cells in both mouse models, and both the number and size of BM were significantly diminished in ALCAM depleted tumors.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that elevated levels of ALCAM expression promote BM formation in NSCLC through increased tumor cell dissemination and interaction with the brain endothelial cells. Therefore, ALCAM could be targeted to reduce the occurrence of BM.

Key Points

1. ALCAM expression associates with poor prognosis and brain metastasis in NSCLC.

2. ALCAM mediates interaction of NSCLC tumor cells with brain vascular endothelium.

3. ALCAM might represent a novel preventive target to reduce the occurrence of BM in NSCLC.
The Animal Body As Medium: Taxidermy And European Expansion, 1775–1865
Authors: Ross Alan S
Published: February 2020

This article examines how the preserved animal body, with its roots in anatomy and the eighteenth-century culture of curiosity, came to evolve into a medium of European expansion by the mid-nineteenth century. It does so by concentrating on surviving specimens of preserved primates stemming from eighteenth and nineteenth-century collections which also produced documentation concerning the practices of their exhibition. Most historians now agree that the permeation of European society by the ideology of imperialism was crucial in ensuring the long-term success of expansion overseas at a time when questions of suffrage and representation were becoming increasingly volatile. Exhibitions and museums were of special importance in promoting the imperial agenda because of their appeal to broad sections of the illiterate and semi-literate public. Yet historians of empire have not dwelt on the fact that taxidermy objects were, in fact, European-made craft objects and as such reveal more about the time and place they were made in than about the animal’s country of origin. Taxidermy, unlike other media, not only told a certain narrative about other global regions, their wildlife and peoples. It also appeared to prove this narrative through the presence of the real animal body. As a result, the new medium was pivotal in reinforcing concepts of European superiority in the years between the establishment of the Raj in India and the Scramble for Africa in the 1880s.
The Logic of Conditional Belief
Authors: Eva Benjamin
Published: February 2020

The logic of indicative conditionals remains the topic of deep and intractable philosophical disagreement. I show that two influential epistemic norms—the Lockean theory of belief and the Ramsey test for conditional belief—are jointly sufficient to ground a powerful new argument for a particular conception of the logic of indicative conditionals. Specifically, the argument demonstrates, contrary to the received historical narrative, that there is a real sense in which Stalnaker’s semantics for the indicative did succeed in capturing the logic of the Ramseyan indicative conditional.
EVALUATION OF THE RADIATION DOSE TO THE HANDS OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS DURING FLUOROSCOPY USING STORED IMAGES
Authors: Giordano Carlo , Monica Ivo , Quattrini Fabrizio , Villaggi Elena , Gobbi Rossana , Barbattini Lorenzo
Published: February 2020

Data were collected from 642 orthopaedic interventions during which the images produced by X-rays were recorded. By examining these images, it is possible to determine the time that the orthopaedic surgeons’ hands were exposed to the direct radiation beam. The procedures with greater exposure to the direct beam were those involving the hand (median 15 s) and the wrist (median 13 s). Two surgeons wore a ring to measure the absorbed dose at the fingers: one on the dominant hand and the other on the non-dominant hand. The two surgeons performed 34 and 48 operations, respectively, in 14 months. The total doses measured with the rings were 2.30 and 1.04 mSv, respectively. The images of the interventions were examined, determining how much each individual hand was exposed. The interventional reference point (IRPeff (left or right)) was calculated by comparing the doses at the IRP with the exposure times of the right or the left hand. Summing the IRPeff of the two surgeons in 14 months, it is obtained the maximum values of 2.87 mGy for the left hand of one and 6.74 mGy for the right hand of the other, which are of the order of 1/100 of the annual dose limit for the extremities.
Basal Cell Carcinomas in Trauma-Related Scar Tissue: A Rare Case Series
Authors: Ünverdi Ömer Faruk , Yücel Sercan
Published: February 2020

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer type in humans. Various factors play a role in BCC occurrence, but sunlight exposure is the most common etiologic factor. This case series presents three patients who had scarring after severe traumas (a deep abrasion, burn, and puncture injury); a long time after the respective traumatic events, a BCC occurred in the scar tissue. The lesions were excised, and BCCs were diagnosed based on histopathology. Although several etiologic factors may play a role in trauma-related BCC, the main mechanism remains unclear. A correct diagnosis with biopsy and an assessment of the lymphatic system are crucial to prevent aggressive procedures, and BCC should be kept in mind when lesions are found in scar tissue.
Multi-level En Bloc Resection as a Preferred Salvage Therapy for Recurrent Thoracolumbar Chondrosarcoma
Authors: Wang Tao , Jia Qi , Fan Renjie , Qian Ming , Yang Cheng , Wei Haifeng , Liu Tielong , Yang Xinghai , Wu Zhipeng , Zhao Jian , Xiao Jianru
Published: February 2020

Study Design.

A retrospective analysis was performed.

Objective.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of multilevel en bloc resection versus piecemeal resection for recurrent thoracolumbar chondrosarcoma (CHS).

Summary of Background Data.

Multilevel en bloc resection for recurrent thoracolumbar CHS is rarely performed.

Methods.

Included in this retrospective study were 27 patients with recurrent thoracolumbar CHS who received either multilevel en bloc resection or piecemeal resection as a salvage revision procedure in our center between 2010 and 2018. Relevant data between the two methods were compared. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed by log-rank analysis.

Results.

Our series comprised 16 males and 11 females with a mean age of 40.7 years. Multilevel en bloc resection was performed in 17 patients, and piecemeal resection in 10 patients. Of the 17 patients receiving multilevel en bloc resection, five patients experienced recurrence, of whom three died, whereas in the 10 patients receiving piecemeal resection, seven experienced recurrence and all of them died, showing a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.04 for recurrence, P = 0.007 for death). Complications occurred more frequently in the patients receiving multilevel en bloc resection (P = 0.04), but RFS and OS were prolonged significantly in this group of patients as compared with piecemeal resection group (56.8 ± 9.7 vs. 17.2 ± 4.2, P = 0.016; 67.3 ± 8.4 vs. 21.4 ± 3.5, P = 0.002).

Conclusion.

Multilevel en bloc resection as a salvage therapy for recurrent thoracolumbar CHS is technically challenging with high risk of complications, but it can significantly prolong RFS and OS of such patients as compared with piecemeal resection.

Level of Evidence: 4
MicroRNA-216b regulates cell proliferation, invasion and cycle progression via interaction with cyclin T2 in gastric cancer
Authors: Chen Xi , Zhang Lei , Song Qingjie , Chen Zhong
Published: February 2020

Gastric cancer has become the second most common malignant tumor in the world, revealing the molecular mechanism of gastric cancer development is essential for the treatment of gastric cancer and improvement of prognosis. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs may play a carcinogenic or tumor-suppressive role in many types of cancer. It has been detected that miR-216b is down-regulated in many cancer types, indicating that miR-216b can be used as a prognostic marker for these particular types of cancer. However, the effect of miR-216b on gastric cancer remains unclear. In the present study, miR-216 was observed to be significantly down-regulated in cancer tissues compared to normal tissues, and the level of miR-216b in various gastric cancer cell lines was decreased. In addition, miR-216b overexpression inhibits proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. We further verified that the inhibitory effect of miR-216b on proliferation and invasion of gastric cancer cells is mediated by cyclin T2. Overexpression of cyclin T2 can reverse the anti-cancer effect of miR-216b mimics. The results further enriched the mechanism of miR-216b in the development and progression of gastric cancer.
Beyond Band-Aids for Bullet Holes: Firearm Violence As a Public Health Priority
Authors: Kaufman Elinore J. , Richmond Therese S.
Published: February 2020

Objectives:

To review the public health approach to preventing and treating firearm violence.

Data Sources:

Peer-reviewed, published scholarship and federal data systems.

Study Selection:

English-language, indexed research articles on the epidemiology, risk, prevention, and consequences of firearm violence.

Data Extraction:

This narrative review includes findings related to the epidemiology and impact of firearm violence, focusing on short- and long-term outcomes. Evidence supporting interventions at the individual, agent, and environmental level to reduce firearm-related harm was examined.

Data Synthesis:

Firearm violence is a major public health challenge in the Unites States. The consequences of firearm violence reach beyond the nearly 40,000 firearm-related deaths and 90,000 firearm-related injuries each year. Firearm violence, including self-harm, assault, and unintentional injury, affects the health of individuals, families, communities, and health systems. Data sources remain inadequate, however, to fully capture these impacts. Treating firearm violence as a disease and taking a public health approach to prevention and treatment is key to reducing the harms of firearm violence. Using a public health framework not only recognizes the physical and mental consequences of firearm violence but also focuses our attention on underlying causes and on innovative, multi-level interventions to reduce the harms of firearm violence.

Conclusions:

The public health approach positions clinicians to change the conversation from political diatribe of pro-gun and anti-gun to systematically reducing injury and death. To achieve comparable success, we must design, test, and implement effective interventions at the environmental, policy, technological, and individual levels to prevent firearm violence. We must collect robust data on firearm violence and its consequences. And we must reckon with the conditions of inequality and disadvantage that feed violence through all means.
Guidelines for the Management of Adult Acute and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in the ICU: Cardiovascular, Endocrine, Hematologic, Pulmonary, and Renal Considerations
Authors: Nanchal Rahul , Subramanian Ram , Karvellas Constantine J. , Hollenberg Steven M. , Peppard William J. , Singbartl Kai , Truwit Jonathon , Al-Khafaji Ali H. , Killian Alley J. , Alquraini Mustafa , Alshammari Khalil , Alshamsi Fayez , Belley-Cote Emilie , Cartin-Ceba Rodrigo , Dionne Joanna C. , Galusca Dragos M. , Huang David T. , Hyzy Robert C. , Junek Mats , Kandiah Prem , Kumar Gagan , Morgan Rebecca L. , Morris Peter E. , Olson Jody C. , Sieracki Rita , Steadman Randolph , Taylor Beth , Alhazzani Waleed
Published: February 2020

Objectives:

To develop evidence-based recommendations for clinicians caring for adults with acute or acute on chronic liver failure in the ICU.

Design:

The guideline panel comprised 29 members with expertise in aspects of care of the critically ill patient with liver failure and/or methodology. The Society of Critical Care Medicine standard operating procedures manual and conflict-of-interest policy were followed throughout. Teleconferences and electronic-based discussion among the panel, as well as within subgroups, served as an integral part of the guideline development.

Setting:

The panel was divided into nine subgroups: cardiovascular, hematology, pulmonary, renal, endocrine and nutrition, gastrointestinal, infection, perioperative, and neurology.

Interventions:

We developed and selected population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes questions according to importance to patients and practicing clinicians. For each population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes question, we conducted a systematic review aiming to identify the best available evidence, statistically summarized the evidence whenever applicable, and assessed the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. We used the evidence to decision framework to facilitate recommendations formulation as strong or conditional. We followed strict criteria to formulate best practice statements.

Measurements and Main Results:

In this article, we report 29 recommendations (from 30 population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes questions) on the management acute or acute on chronic liver failure in the ICU, related to five groups (cardiovascular, hematology, pulmonary, renal, and endocrine). Overall, six were strong recommendations, 19 were conditional recommendations, four were best-practice statements, and in two instances, the panel did not issue a recommendation due to insufficient evidence.

Conclusions:

Multidisciplinary international experts were able to formulate evidence-based recommendations for the management acute or acute on chronic liver failure in the ICU, acknowledging that most recommendations were based on low-quality indirect evidence.
Vasodilator Therapy and Mortality in Nonocclusive Mesenteric Ischemia: A Nationwide Observational Study
Authors: Takiguchi Toru , Nakajima Mikio , Ohbe Hiroyuki , Sasabuchi Yusuke , Matsui Hiroki , Fushimi Kiyohide , Kim Shiei , Yokota Hiroyuki , Yasunaga Hideo
Published: February 2020

Objectives:

Previous studies have suggested that vasodilator therapy may be beneficial for patients with nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia. However, robust evidence supporting this contention is lacking. We examined the hypothesis that vasodilator therapy may be effective in patients diagnosed with nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

The Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database.

Patients:

A total of 1,837 patients with nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia from July 2010 to March 2018.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

We compared patients who received vasodilator therapy (vasodilator group; n = 161) and those who did not (control group; n = 1,676) using one-to-four propensity score matching. Vasodilator therapy was defined as papaverine and/or prostaglandin E1 administered via venous and/or arterial routes within 2 days of admission. Only patients who did not receive abdominal surgery within 2 days of admission were analyzed. The main outcomes were in-hospital mortality and abdominal surgery performed greater than or equal to 3 days after admission. After propensity score matching, in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in the vasodilator group (risk difference, –11.6%; p = 0.005). The proportion of patients who received abdominal surgery at greater than or equal to 3 days after admission was also significantly lower in the vasodilator group (risk difference, –10.2%; p = 0.002).

Conclusions:

Vasodilator therapy with papaverine and/or prostaglandin E1 is associated with lower in-hospital mortality and prevalence of abdominal surgery in patients with nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia.
Increased cancer risk in male hunters compared to the general male population in Northern Sweden after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident?
Authors: Tondel Martin , Nordquist Tobias , Isaksson Mats , Rääf Christopher , Wålinder Robert
Published: February 2020

Background:

Male hunters in Swedish counties with high fallout of 137Cs after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident have higher radiation exposure due to higher consumption of game compared with the general population.

Methods:

Cancer incidence in Sweden was studied in 9 counties with different 137Cs fallout after the Chernobyl NPP accident in 1986. In total, 9,267 cancer cases occurred in hunters and 138,909 cancer cases in non-hunters to 31 December 2015. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using unexposed hunters, or non-hunters, as reference to study internal radiation exposure or hunter life style, respectively.

Results:

Directly age standardized total cancer incidence showed an increasing trend in non-hunters. For hunters, the total cancer incidence was significantly lower up to 2001 when the total cancer incidence crossed over the weaker non-hunter trend and remained higher for the following 15 years. IRRs for total cancer in hunters versus non-hunters for each county did not show any clear exposure response pattern. IRRs for hunters versus non-hunters were higher regardless of rural/non-rural status with slightly higher risk estimates for the rural settings. The IRR for hunters was 1.06 (95% CI 1.04–1.08) 1986–2015, representing an excess of 531 cancer cases in hunters.

Conclusion:

An increased total incidence of cancer was identified for male hunters compared with male non-hunters. No obvious association between cancer and 137Cs from the Chernobyl NPP accident could be identified, although the exposure classification was too crude to exclude such an association.
Regenerative Effects and Development Patterns of Solid Neural Tissue Grafts Located in Gelatin Hydrogel Conduit for Treatment of Peripheral Nerve Injury
Authors: Sukhinich Kirill K. , Dashinimaev Erdem B. , Vorotelyak Ekaterina A. , Aleksandrova Maria A.
Published: February 2020

Background:

The regeneration of the peripheral nerves after injuries is still a challenging fundamental and clinical problem. The cell therapy and nerve guide conduit construction are promising modern approaches. Nowadays, different sources of cells for transplantation are available. But it is little known about the interaction between fetal central nervous system cells and peripheral nerve tissue. In this study, we analyzed the development of the fetal neocortex and spinal cord solid grafts injected into the gelatin hydrogel conduits and their effects on sciatic nerve regeneration after cut injury.

Methods:

Frontal neocortex tissue was obtained from E19.5 and spinal cord tissue was obtained from E14.5 fetuses harvested from transgenic EGFP mice. The grafts were injected into the hydrogel conduits which were connected to the nerve stumps after cut injury. The recovery of motor function was estimated with walking track analysis at 2, 5, and 8 weeks after surgery. Then immunohistochemical study was performed.

Results:

The histological examination showed that only fetal neocortex solid graft cells had survived after implantation. Immunostaining revealed that some of the transplanted cells expressed neural markers such as neurofilament protein and NeuN. But the cells mostly differentiated in glial lineage, which was confirmed with immunostaining for GFAP and S100β. The walking-track analysis has shown that 8 weeks after surgery bioengineered conduit differed significantly from the control.

Conclusions:

We revealed that the hydrogel conduit is suitable for nerve re-growth and that the fetal neocortex grafted cells can survive and differentiate. Bioengineered conduit can stimulate functional recovery after the nerve injury.
PATIENT WITH UNILATERAL CHOROIDAL AND SEROUS RETINAL DETACHMENT WITH A HISTORY OF TREATED PROSTATE CANCER AND UNTREATED SARCOIDOSIS
Authors: Schönbach Etienne M. , Brodowska Katarzyna , Randhawa Jasmeen , Trichonas Georgios
Published: February 2020

Background/Purpose:

To report a case of unilateral choroidal detachment and serous retinal detachment in a patient with a history of untreated sarcoidosis.

Methods:

Case report. The patient is a 67-year-old African American man with a history of nontreated sarcoidosis and prostate cancer. His prostate cancer was treated several years earlier with external beam radiation therapy. The patient presented with blurred visual acuity of 20/30 and floaters in the right eye. He was discovered to have several hypopigmented choroidal lesions, 360-degree choroidal detachment, and shallow serous retinal detachment in the right eye.

Results:

The patient was treated with subtenons kenalog and oral prednisone with subsequent improvement of vision and resolution of choroidal and retinal detachment.

Conclusion:

Ocular sarcoidosis can involve any part of the eye and its adnexal tissues and may cause uveitis, episcleritis, scleritis, eyelid abnormalities, conjunctival granuloma, optic neuropathy, lacrimal gland enlargement, and orbital inflammation. Most patients with ophthalmic sarcoidosis have evidence of systemic involvement at the time of the initial examination and have bilateral ocular presentation. We present here the unique case of a 67-year-old man with unilateral 360-degree choroidal detachment and serous retinal detachment as an ocular presentation of sarcoidosis.
Photorefractive intrastromal crosslinking for correction of hyperopia: 12-month results
Authors: Stodulka Pavel , Halasova Zuzana , Slovak Martin , Sramka Martin , Liska Karel , Polisensky Jaroslav
Published: February 2020

Purpose:

To evaluate the efficacy of epithelium-on photorefractive intrastromal crosslinking (PiXL), a noninvasive procedure to reduce refractive error in patients with low hyperopia.

Setting:

Gemini Eye Clinic, Zlin, Czech Republic.

Design:

Prospective single-center study.

Methods:

Twenty-two low hyperopic eyes were enrolled and underwent PiXL treatment according to a standardized treatment protocol. Visual acuity, subjective distance refraction, keratometry, topography, pachymetry, subjective discomfort, and endothelial cell density (ECD) were recorded during 12-month follow-up.

Results:

In 22 eyes, the median manifest refraction decreased significantly (P < .0001) from +0.75 diopters (D) (interquartile range [IQR], +0.63 to +1.06 D), median and IQR) diopters (D) preoperatively to +0.25 D (IQR, 0.0 to +0.50 D) at 12-month follow-up and remained stable. Seventy-seven percent of eyes achieved refraction within ± 0.50 D of emmetropia by 1 month postoperatively and was stable through 12-month follow-up. ECD was stable and did not show significant changes. There was low incidence of postoperative pain and dry eye.

Conclusions:

PiXL is a promising alternative to conventional laser refractive surgeries for low hyperopia. Further studies are warranted to optimize treatment parameters for a wider range of refractive errors and to evaluate the potential to improve precision.
Trauma-Informed Practices to Address Intersections Between HIV and Intimate Partner Violence Among Women: Perspective of Community Service Providers
Authors: Désilets Laura , Fernet Mylène , Otis Joanne , Cousineau Marie-Marthe , Massie Lyne , De Pokomandy Alexandra , Nengeh Mensah Maria
Published: February 2020

The current study aimed to document intervention practices, challenges, and training needs concerning the intersections between HIV and intimate partner violence (IPV) among community service providers (n = 12). A direct content analysis using the Trauma-Informed Approach was performed. Results revealed that community service providers need to create a safe, trusting, and mutually collaborative environment in which the intersections between HIV and IPV trauma are recognized, screened, and discussed with women. These results also highlight the need to consolidate partnerships between HIV and IPV organizations to provide relevant services that consider traumatic experiences. Overall, these findings support the urgent need to develop, implement, and evaluate targeted community interventions that jointly address HIV and IPV.
Computed tomography–based skeletal segmentation for quantitative PET metrics of bone involvement in multiple myeloma
Authors: Takahashi Maria E.S. , Mosci Camila , Souza Edna M. , Brunetto Sérgio Q. , de Souza Cármino , Pericole Fernando V. , Lorand-Metze Irene , Ramos Celso D.
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Quantifications in nuclear medicine are occasionally limited by the lack of standardization for defining volumes of interest (VOIs) on functional images. In the present article, we propose the use of computed tomography (CT)–based skeletal segmentation to determine anatomically the VOI in order to calculate quantitative parameters of fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET/CT images from patients with multiple myeloma.

Methods

We evaluated 101 whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CTs of 58 patients with multiple myeloma. An initial subjective visual analysis of the PET images was used to classify the bone involvement as negative/mild, moderate, or marked. Then, a fully automated CT–based segmentation of the skeleton was performed on PET images. The maximum, mean, and SD of the standardized uptake values (SUVmax, SUVmean, and SDSUV) were calculated for bone tissue and compared with the visual analysis.

Results

Forty-five (44.5%), 32 (31.7%), and 24 (23.8%) PET images were, respectively, classified as negative/mild, moderate, or marked bone involvement. All quantitative parameters were significantly related to the visual assessment of bone involvement. This association was stronger for the SUVmean [odds ratio (OR): 10.52 (95% confidence interval (CI), 5.68–19.48); P < 0.0001] and for the SDSUV [OR: 5.58 (95% CI, 3.31–9.42); P < 0.001) than for the SUVmax [OR: 1.01 (95% CI, 1.003–1.022); P = 0.003].

Conclusion

CT–based skeletal segmentation allows for automated and therefore reproducible calculation of PET quantitative parameters of bone involvement in patients with multiple myeloma. Using this method, the SUVmean and its respective SD correlated better with the visual analysis of 18F-FDG PET images than SUVmax. Its value in staging and evaluating therapy response needs to be evaluated.
Trends in Depressive Symptoms and Suicidality
Authors: Pontes Nancy M. H. , Ayres Cynthia G. , Pontes Manuel C. F.
Published: February 2020

Background

Death by suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents globally. Healthy People 2020 set a goal to reduce by 10% the rate of suicide attempts that required treatment and designated the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to measure this objective.

Objectives

This study used cross-sectional YRBS data (2009–2017) to (a) investigate whether gender moderates the linear time trend for the rate of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among high school students within the United States; (b) estimate these same measures stratified by gender; and (c) investigate whether the Healthy People 2020 goal for reduction in suicide attempts was met in 2017 for males and females.

Methods

Secondary analysis of nationally representative high school students using YRBS data 2009–2017 were analyzed using R and the R survey package. Based on Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines (STROBE), additive interactions using rate difference were compared to multiplicative interactions using odds ratios.

Results

Additive interactions were identified between female gender and linear trends for depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts requiring treatment. Females, but not males, had positive linear trends for depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts requiring treatment. Suicide attempts requiring treatment among females was 36% higher in 2017 than in 2009 but decreased 13% in males during the same period.

Discussion

The Healthy People 2020 goal to reduce suicide attempts requiring treatment by 10% has not been met among females. The divergent trends by gender highlight the importance of surveillance measures by gender. Future research is needed to identify better suicide prevention strategies that address underlying factors and are gender specific.
Adherence to Life-Style Recommendations and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Population-Based Study of Children Aged 10 to 11 Years
Authors: Loewen Olivia K. , Maximova Katerina , Ekwaru John P. , Asbridge Mark , Ohinmaa Arto , Veugelers Paul J.
Published: February 2020

Objective

The incidence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children and youth is high, and temporal increases have been paralleled by deteriorating life-styles. Poor diet quality, physical inactivity, poor sleep habits, and sedentary behaviors have all been associated with ADHD. However, no earlier prospective study has examined the independent and combined importance of meeting established life-style recommendations in childhood for ADHD in adolescence. We examined the associations of adherence to life-style recommendations with the incidence of ADHD and the utilization of health services associated with ADHD.

Methods

Life-style survey among 10- and 11-year-old students (N = 3436) was linked to administrative health data. Associations between adherence to nine established life-style recommendations with ADHD diagnosis and number of physician visits for ADHD until age 14 years were examined using Cox proportional hazard and negative binomial regression.

Results

Before age 14 years, 10.8% of students received an ADHD diagnosis. Meeting recommendations for vegetables and fruit, meat and alternatives, saturated fat, added sugar, and physical activity was associated with fewer ADHD diagnoses. Compared with children who met one to three recommendations, meeting seven to nine recommendations was associated with substantially lower incidence of ADHD and fewer physician visits related to ADHD (hazard ratio = 0.42 [95% confidence interval = 0.28–0.61]; rate ratio = 0.38 [95% confidence interval = 0.22–0.65]).

Conclusions

Life-style recommendations exist to benefit development and physical health. Their promotion comes at no harm and may have benefits for ADHD. Experimental evidence is needed to clarify the potential bidirectional relationship between ADHD and adverse health behaviors.
Anxiety and Depression Symptom Comorbidity and the Risk of Heart Disease: A Prospective Community-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Deschênes Sonya S. , Burns Rachel J. , Schmitz Norbert
Published: February 2020

Objective

The goal of this study was to examine the independent and joint associations between anxiety and depression symptoms with the risk of heart disease.

Methods

A total of 30,635 participants from the CARTaGENE community cohort study in Quebec who did not have heart diseases at baseline were included in the study. Baseline anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed using validated questionnaires. Survey data were linked with diagnostic codes from a public insurance database to examine incident heart disease during a 7-year follow-up period. Cox regression analyses were conducted comparing groups with high anxiety only, high depression only, comorbid anxiety and depression, and no/low symptoms of both on the risk of heart disease. Additional analyses examined anxiety and depression using continuous questionnaire symptom scores, data-driven comorbidity groups, and diagnostic codes. Covariates included sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, diabetes, and hypertension.

Results

In the main analyses, we found that, although depression without anxiety symptoms was associated with an increased risk of heart disease (hazard ratio = 1.35, 95% confidence interval = 1.04–1.74), there was no significant association for anxiety without depression symptoms (hazard ratio = 1.00, 95% confidence interval = 0.71–1.41). High anxiety assessed with diagnostic codes or by examining latent classes was, however, associated with a higher risk of heart disease.

Conclusions

The association between anxiety and incident heart disease may be accounted for by comorbid depression, particularly when anxiety and depression symptoms are assessed using self-report questionnaires. Differing methods of assessment and analysis, and adjustment for comorbid depression may explain differences in findings across different studies on anxiety and the risk of heart disease.
Effect of Different Types of Messages on Readiness to Indicate Willingness to Register for Organ Donation During Driver’s License Renewal in Japan
Authors: Hirai Kei , Ohtake Fumio , Kudo Tadashi , Ito Takashi , Sasaki Shusaku , Yamazaki Goro , Eguchi Yuichiro
Published: February 2020

Background.

In Japan, a recent opinion poll in 2017 showed that 41.9% of the respondents wished to donate their organs, but only 12.7% declared their intention to donate or not do so. Therefore, it is important to explore measures to prompt more individuals to register their intention about organ donation.

Methods.

A field experimental questionnaire survey was conducted to confirm the effect of a prompt message for registering intentions for organ donation, which was communicated at a driver’s license center. The study employed a prospective randomized control design. Seven thousand six hundred fifteen individuals visited the Tokyo Fuchu License Examination Center to update their driver’s license and received leaflets including a message prompting organ donation registration and the questionnaire. Of the participants who received leaflets, 3224 respondents provided complete responses to the questionnaire (valid response rate: 42.3%). Subsequently, a questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the participants’ willingness to register for organ donation. A control condition and the following types of messages were used: peer-framed, gain-framed, loss-framed, reciprocity-framed, and peer + reciprocity-framed.

Results.

The reciprocity message emerged as a significant predictor of increase in immediate decision response. The loss-framed message was a significant predictor of decrease in no intention to register.

Conclusions.

This study found that reciprocity and loss-framed messages promoted the readiness to register for organ donation among individuals from a Japanese urban area. Mandatory distribution of prompt messages at every driver’s license centers in Japan would be recommended.
Gamma frequency band shift of contralateral corticomuscular synchronous oscillations with force strength for hand movement tasks
Authors: Li Sujiao , Fan Mengxue , Yu Honggliu , Gao Lin
Published: February 2020

Bilateral voluntary contractions involve functional changes in both primary motor cortices. However how the unilateral voluntary contraction of hand muscles influences the contralateral corticomuscular synchronous oscillations mechanisms remains unclear. In the bimanual tasks, nine healthy subjects were instructed to generate force by abducting their left-hand index finger against a force sensor and simultaneously the right-hand precise pinch task with visual feedback. They were divided into four conditions according to the two contraction force levels of the left-hand muscles 5% and 50% maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MVC) and with/without visual feedback for the right hand. Corticomuscular synchronization of the right hand in the beta band was revealed when the subjects performed the bimanual exercise with 5% MVC of left-hand muscles, which is consistent with previous studies. As the contraction strength of the left-hand muscle increased to 50% MVC, the corticomuscular coherence (CMC) frequency of the right hand shifted to gamma band, and the CMC in beta band decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in the electroencephalography→electromyography direction. This phenomenon suggests that the corticomuscular synchronous oscillation will shift from beta band to higher frequencies (principally gamma) as the contraction force of the contralateral hand increases, which may be due to the changes in the subject’s attention and more frequent synchronization of neuromuscular motor neurons oscillations. These findings will be helpful to explore the hand motion control and feedback mechanisms, and further provide a basis for the application of neuromuscular coupling in clinical rehabilitation evaluation.

Video abstract: http://links.lww.com/WNR/A571
TiFoSi: an Efficient Tool for Mechanobiology Simulations of Epithelia
Authors: Canela-Xandri Oriol , Anbari Samira , Buceta Javier
Published: February 2020

About

This document is an extended version of the main text where some details and results are fleshed out. Further details can be also found in the manual of the code and atTiFoSi’s website:http://tifosi.thesimbiosys.com.

Motivation

Emerging phenomena in developmental biology and tissue engineering are the result of feedbacks between gene expression and cell biomechanics. In that context,in silicoexperiments are a powerful tool to understand fundamental mechanisms and to formulate and test hypotheses.

Results

Here we presentTiFoSi, a computational tool to simulate the cellular dynamics of planar epithelia.TiFoSiallows to model feedbacks between cellular mechanics and gene expression (either in a deterministic or a stochastic way), the interaction between different cell populations, the custom design of the cell cycle and cleavage properties, the protein number partitioning upon cell division, and the modeling of cell communication (juxtacrine and paracrine signalling).TiFoSifills a niche in the field of software solutions to simulate the mechanobiology of epithelia because of its functionalities, computational efficiency, and its user-friendly approach to designin silicoexperiments using XML configuration files.

Availability

http://tifosi.thesimbiosys.com

Contact

jbuceta@lehigh.edu
Loop extrusion as a mechanism for DNA Double-Strand Breaks repair foci formation
Authors: Arnould Coline , Rocher Vincent , Clouaire Thomas , Caron Pierre , Mangeot Philippe. E. , Ricci Emiliano. P. , Mourad Raphael , Noordermeer Daan , Legube Gaëlle
Published: February 2020

DNA Double-Strand Breaks (DSBs) repair is essential to safeguard genome integrity. Upon DSBs, the ATM PI3K kinase rapidly triggers the establishment of megabase-sized, γH2AX-decorated chromatin domains which further act as seeds for the formation of DNA Damage Response (DDR) foci1. How these foci are rapidly assembled in order to establish a “repair-prone” environment within the nucleus is yet unclear. Topologically Associating Domains (TADs) are a key feature of 3D genome organization that regulate transcription and replication, but little is known about their contribution to DNA repair processes2,3. Here we found that TADs are functional units of the DDR, instrumental for the correct establishment of γH2AX/53BP1 chromatin domains in a manner that involves one-sided cohesin-mediated loop extrusion on both sides of the DSB. We propose a model whereby H2AX-containing nucleosomes are rapidly phosphorylated as they actively pass by DSB-anchored cohesin. Our work highlights the critical impact of chromosome conformation in the maintenance of genome integrity and provides the first example of a chromatin modification established by loop extrusion.
Biomarker signatures of quality for nasal chondrocyte-derived engineered cartilage
Authors: Asnaghi M. Adelaide , Power Laura , Barbero Andrea , Haug Martin , Köppl Ruth , Wendt David , Martin Ivan
Published: February 2020

The definition of quality controls for cell therapy and engineered product manufacturing processes is critical for safe, effective, and standardized clinical implementation. Using the example context of cartilage grafts engineered from autologous nasal chondrocytes, currently used for articular cartilage repair in a phase II clinical trial, we outlined how gene expression patterns and generalized linear models can be introduced to define molecular signatures of identity, purity, and potency. We first verified that cells from the biopsied nasal cartilage can be contaminated by cells from a neighboring tissue, namely perichondrial cells, and discovered that they cannot deposit cartilaginous matrix. Differential analysis of gene expression enabled the definition of identity markers for the two cell populations, which were predictive of purity in mixed cultures. Specific patterns of expression of the same genes were significantly correlated with cell potency, defined as the capacity to generate tissues with histological and biochemical features of hyaline cartilage. The outlined approach can now be considered for implementation in a Good Manufacturing Practice setting, and offers a paradigm for other regenerative cellular therapies.