bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unilateral Straight Hair—A Symptom of Acquired Horner's Syndrome in a Neonate
Authors: Ott Chantal , Bobylev Andrei , Holland-Cunz Stefan , Mayr Johannes
Published: April 2018

A multicystic tumor of the right neck was detected in a girl at 29 weeks of gestation by fetal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The baby was delivered by cesarean section at week 37 of gestation. The newborn adapted well, with minimal compromise of breathing and drinking. Postnatal ultrasound and MRI revealed a cervical lymphangioma measuring 60.5 × 60.6 × 41.2 mm. We performed subtotal resection of the tumor when the girl was 34 days. As a complication of surgical resection, the girl developed ipsilateral Horner's syndrome. In the postoperative period, her curled hair turned straight at the side of the head affected by Horner's syndrome. At the age of 2.5 years, ultrasonic imaging revealed the presence of three cysts measuring 3 mm in diameter each. Horner's syndrome had improved, and the texture of the girl's hair had become curly again on both sides.
Stillberatung für späte Frühgeborene
Authors: Köster Hella R.
Published: April 2018

Effektiv stillen Späte Frühgeborene adaptieren sich meistens recht gut nach der Geburt und haben überwiegend ein ausreichend hohes Geburtsgewicht, um auf
der regulären Wochenstation betreut werden zu können. Das täuscht allerdings darüber hinweg, dass sie noch eine nennenswerte organische und neurologische
Unreife aufweisen und über unzureichende Energiereserven verfügen. Eine Folge ist ineffektives Stillen mit dem Risiko für mehr oder weniger schwerwiegende
Komplikationen. Was ist bei der Stillberatung besonders zu beachten, um bei diesen Kindern effektives Stillen zu ermöglichen?
Demonstration of transmission high energy electron microscopy
Authors: Merrill F. E. , Goett J. , Gibbs J. W. , Imhoff S. D. , Mariam F. G. , Morris C. L. , Neukirch L. P. , Perry J. , Poulson D. , Simpson R. , Volegov P. L. , Walstrom P. L. , Wilde C. H. , Hast C. , Jobe K. , Smith T. , Wienands U. , Clarke A. J. , Tourret D.
Published: April 2018

High energy electrons have been used to investigate an extension of transmission electron microscopy. This technique, transmission high energy electron microscopy (THEEM), provides two additional capabilities to electron microscopy. First, high energy electrons are more penetrating than low energy electrons, and thus, they are able to image through thicker samples. Second, the accelerating mode of a radio-frequency linear accelerator provides fast exposures, down to 1 ps, which are ideal for flash radiography, making THEEM well suited to study the evolution of fast material processes under dynamic conditions. Initial investigations with static objects and during material processing have been performed to investigate the capabilities of this technique.
Effect of forming gas annealing on the degradation properties of Ge-based MOS stacks
Authors: Aguirre F. , Pazos S. , Palumbo F. R. M. , Fadida S. , Winter R. , Eizenberg M.
Published: April 2018

The influence of forming gas annealing on the degradation at a constant stress voltage of multi-layered germanium-based Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor capacitors (p-Ge/GeOx/Al2O3/High-K/Metal Gate) has been analyzed in terms of the C-V hysteresis and flat band voltage as a function of both negative and positive stress fields. Significant differences were found for the case of negative voltage stress between the annealed and non-annealed samples, independently of the stressing time. It was found that the hole trapping effect decreases in the case of the forming gas annealed samples, indicating strong passivation of defects with energies close to the valence band existing in the oxide-semiconductor interface during the forming gas annealing. Finally, a comparison between the degradation dynamics of Germanium and III-V (n-InGaAs) MOS stacks is presented to summarize the main challenges in the integration of reliable Ge–III-V hybrid devices.
Formation of free round jets with long laminar regions at large Reynolds numbers
Authors: Zayko Julia , Teplovodskii Sergey , Chicherina Anastasia , Vedeneev Vasily , Reshmin Alexander
Published: April 2018

The paper describes a new, simple method for the formation of free round jets with long laminar regions by a jet-forming device of ∼1.5 jet diameters in size. Submerged jets of 0.12 m diameter at Reynolds numbers of 2000–12 560 are experimentally studied. It is shown that for the optimal regime, the laminar region length reaches 5.5 diameters for Reynolds number ∼10 000 which is not achievable for other methods of laminar jet formation. To explain the existence of the optimal regime, a steady flow calculation in the forming unit and a stability analysis of outcoming jet velocity profiles are conducted. The shortening of the laminar regions, compared with the optimal regime, is explained by the higher incoming turbulence level for lower velocities and by the increase of perturbation growth rates for larger velocities. The initial laminar regions of free jets can be used for organising air curtains for the protection of objects in medicine and technologies by creating the air field with desired properties not mixed with ambient air. Free jets with long laminar regions can also be used for detailed studies of perturbation growth and transition to turbulence in round jets.
Transformation of hydrazinium azide to molecular N8 at 40 GPa
Authors: Duwal Sakun , Ryu Young-Jay , Kim Minseob , Yoo Choong-Shik , Bang Sora , Kim Kyungtae , Hur Nam Hwi
Published: April 2018

Hydrazinium azide (HA) has been investigated at high pressures to 68 GPa using confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy and synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction. The results show that HA undergoes structural phase transitions from solid HA-I to HA-II at 13 GPa, associated with the strengthening of hydrogen bonding, and then to N8 at 40 GPa. The transformation of HA to recently predicted N8 (N≡N+—N−—N=N—−N—+N≡N) is evident by the emergence of new peaks at 2384 cm−1, 1665 cm−1, and 1165 cm−1, arising from the terminal N≡N stretching, the central N=N stretching, and the N—N stretching, respectively. However, upon decompression, N8 decomposes to ε-N2 below 25 GPa, but the remnant can be seen as low as 3 GPa.
Bizarre behavior of heat capacity in crystals due to interplay between two types of anharmonicities
Authors: Yurchenko Stanislav O. , Komarov Kirill A. , Kryuchkov Nikita P. , Zaytsev Kirill I. , Brazhkin Vadim V.
Published: April 2018

The heat capacity of classical crystals is determined by the Dulong–Petit value CV ≃ D (where D is the spatial dimension) for softly interacting particles and has the gas-like value CV ≃ D/2 in the hard-sphere limit, while deviations are governed by the effects of anharmonicity. Soft- and hard-sphere interactions, which are associated with the enthalpy and entropy of crystals, are specifically anharmonic owing to violation of a linear relation between particle displacements and corresponding restoring forces. Here, we show that the interplay between these two types of anharmonicities unexpectedly induces two possible types of heat capacity anomalies. We studied thermodynamics, pair correlations, and collective excitations in 2D and 3D crystals of particles with a limited range of soft repulsions to prove the effect of interplay between the enthalpy and entropy types of anharmonicities. The observed anomalies are triggered by the density of the crystal, changing the interaction regime in the zero-temperature limit, and can provide about 10% excess of the heat capacity above the Dulong–Petit value. Our results facilitate understanding effects of complex anharmonicity in molecular and complex crystals and demonstrate the possibility of new effects due to the interplay between different types of anharmonicities.
Solitonic natural orbitals
Authors: Cioslowski Jerzy
Published: April 2018

The dependence of the natural amplitudes of the harmonium atom in its ground state on the confinement strength ω is thoroughly investigated. A combination of rigorous analysis and extensive, highly accurate numerical calculations reveals the presence of only one positive-valued natural amplitude (“the normal sign pattern”) for all ω≥12. More importantly, it is shown that unusual, weakly occupied natural orbitals (NOs) corresponding to additional positive-valued natural amplitudes emerge upon sufficient weakening of the confinement. These solitonic NOs, whose shapes remain almost invariant as their radial positions drift toward infinity upon the critical values of ω being approached from below, exhibit strong radial localization. Their asymptotic properties are extracted from the numerical data and their relevance to calculations on fully Coulombic systems is discussed.
Interaction of rippled shock wave with flat fast-slow interface
Authors: Zhai Zhigang , Liang Yu , Liu Lili , Ding Juchun , Luo Xisheng , Zou Liyong
Published: April 2018

The evolution of a flat air/sulfur-hexafluoride interface subjected to a rippled shock wave is investigated. Experimentally, the rippled shock wave is produced by diffracting a planar shock wave around solid cylinder(s), and the effects of the cylinder number and the spacing between cylinders on the interface evolution are considered. The flat interface is created by a soap film technique. The postshock flow and the evolution of the shocked interface are captured by a schlieren technique combined with a high-speed video camera. Numerical simulations are performed to provide more details of flows. The wave patterns of a planar shock wave diffracting around one cylinder or two cylinders are studied. The shock stability problem is analytically discussed, and the effects of the spacing between cylinders on shock stability are highlighted. The relationship between the amplitudes of the rippled shock wave and the shocked interface is determined in the single cylinder case. Subsequently, the interface morphologies and growth rates under different cases are obtained. The results show that the shock-shock interactions caused by multiple cylinders have significant influence on the interface evolution. Finally, a modified impulsive theory is proposed to predict the perturbation growth when multiple solid cylinders are present.
Understanding subterranean variability: the first genus of Bathynellidae (Bathynellacea, Crustacea) from Western Australia described through a morphological and multigene approach
Authors: Perina G. , Camacho A. I. , Huey J. , Horwitz P. , Koenders A.
Published: April 2018

The number of subterranean taxa discovered in the north of Western Australia has substantially increased due to the requirements for environmental surveys related to mining development. Challenges in estimating subterranean biodiversity and distributions are related to lack of knowledge of taxa with convergent morphological characters in a largely unobservable ecosystem setting. An integrated approach is warranted to understand such complexity. Bathynellidae occur in most Australian aquifers, but only one species has been described so far, and the group lacks a reliable taxonomic framework. A new genus and one new species from the Pilbara region of Western Australia, Pilbaranella ethelensis, gen. et sp. nov., is described using both morphological and molecular data. Three additional species of Pilbaranella are defined through mitochondrial and nuclear genes, using Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery and Poisson Tree Processes species delimitation methods. A comparison of morphology and 18S rRNA sequences between Pilbaranella, gen. nov. and known lineages provides the evidentiary basis for the decision to establish a new genus. This study provides a morphological and molecular framework to work with Bathynellidae, especially in Australia where a highly diverse fauna remains still undescribed.
Integrative taxonomy unravels the species diversity of Parachristianella (Cestoda : Trypanorhyncha) from both sides of the Panamanian isthmus
Authors: Schaeffner Bjoern C. , Marques Fernando P. L.
Published: April 2018

The uplift of the Panamanian isthmus in the Pliocene caused the termination of gene flow among members of many ancestral populations of marine lineages leading the diversification of geminate species confined to opposite sides of Central America. This palaeogeographical event has been evoked to explain the diversification of few lineages of batoids with trans-isthmian distribution. As such, there is the expectation that this vicariance event also affected lineages of parasites associated with them. Our study suggests that this event can explain the diversification of Parachristianella Dollfus, 1946 (Trypanorhyncha:Eutetrarhynchidae) in the Caribbean Sea and tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. We provide molecular, morphological and biogeographical evidence to recognise five lineages within this genus inhabiting the coastal waters of Panama, including P. parva Campbell & Beveridge, 2007 and four new species: P. mendozai, sp. nov., P. kuchtai, sp. nov., P. campbelli, sp. nov. and P. soldanovae, sp. nov. These species can be diagnosed by unambiguous sets of molecular characters. The morphological cohesiveness of sister species, which most likely diverged from around 3million years ago through the uplift of the Panamanian isthmus, suggests that the traditional emphasis on the tentacular armature to circumscribe species within trypanorhynchs might underestimate the diversity of recently diverged lineages.
The Geopolitics of Mobility: Immigration Policy and American Global Power in the Long Twentieth Century
Authors: Kramer Paul A.
Published: April 2018

While the history of U.S. immigration policy has traditionally been directed “inward,” toward questions of American law, institutions, policy regimes, and modes of national belonging, an emerging historical scholarship is asking how U.S. immigration policy has been shaped by U.S. foreign relations. This essay draws together, builds on, and transforms this literature by foregrounding new questions of transnational, imperial, and global inequality in the making of U.S. immigration politics and policy, and by problematizing not only closures and exclusions, but selective openings in the U.S. immigration regime. Despite conventional claims that immigration is and has been a matter of “domestic” politics, in fact, U.S. immigration policy has long been self-consciously engaged with transnational realities. Indeed, as the essay argues, while serving as a way that Americans could define the nation against an “outside,” U.S. immigration policy has simultaneously been instrumentalized to project U.S. national-imperial power out into the world. This geopolitics of mobility has taken wide-ranging, overlapping, and often contradictory forms: the pursuit of labor power, the management of overseas colonies, the diffusion of U.S. goods, practices, and values, the building of legitimacy, the containment of enemies, and the rescue of friends. An imperial history of U.S. immigration control has the capacity both to frame new historical inquiries and to draw attention to the crucial ways that many migrants to the United States have already been enmeshed in U.S.-centered fields of power long before they approach the recognized boundaries of the U.S. state.
Management of left main disease: an update
Authors: Fajadet Jean , Capodanno Davide , Stone Gregg W
Published: April 2018

A severe narrowing of the left main coronary artery (LMCA), usually due to atherosclerosis, jeopardizes a large area of myocardium and increases the risk of major adverse cardiac events. Management strategies for LMCA disease include coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In general, PCI offers more rapid recovery and a lower early adverse event rate, whereas CABG offers a more durable procedure. The largest of six LMCA trials comparing PCI with CABG recently reported that in patients with site-reported low or intermediate anatomical complexity PCI was non-inferior to CABG with respect to the composite of death, stroke, or myocardial infarction at 3 years. This result was obtained on a background of contemporary PCI standards, including safer and more effective stents, intravascular imaging and physiology assessment. This review updates on the current management of LMCA disease, with an emphasis on clinical data and procedural knowledge supporting the use of PCI in a growing proportion of patients.
Grain Intake and Clinical Outcome in Stage III Colon Cancer: Results From CALGB 89803 (Alliance)
Authors: Brown Justin C , Zhang Sui , Niedzwiecki Donna , Saltz Leonard B , Mayer Robert J , Mowat Rex B , Whittom Renaud , Hantel Alexander , Benson Al , Atienza Daniel , Messino Michael , Kindler Hedy , Venook Alan , Ogino Shuji , Li Yanping , Zhang Xuehong , Ng Kimmie , Willett Walter C , Giovannucci Edward L , Fuchs Charles S , Meyerhardt Jeffrey A
Published: April 2018

Background

Energy balance–related risk factors for colon cancer recurrence and mortality—type II diabetes, hyperinsulinemia, inflammation, and visceral obesity—are positively correlated with consumption of refined grains and negatively correlated with consumption of whole grains. We examined the relationship between the consumption of refined and whole grains with cancer recurrence and mortality in a cohort of patients with colon cancer.

Methods

We conducted a prospective observational study of 1024 patients with stage III colon cancer who participated in a randomized trial of postoperative chemotherapy. Patients reported consumption of refined and whole grains using a food frequency questionnaire during and six months after chemotherapy. The primary outcome was disease-free survival (DFS). Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox regression models. All P values are two-sided.

Results

During a median follow-up of 7.3 years, 394 patients experienced a DFS event. The hazard ratio for DFS was 1.56 (95% CI = 1.09 to 2.24) for patients consuming three or more servings per day of refined grains compared with patients consuming less than one serving per day (Ptrend = .005). The hazard ratio for DFS was 0.89 (95% CI = 0.66 to 1.20) for patients consuming three or more servings per day of whole grains compared with patients consuming less than one serving per day (Ptrend = .54). The hazard ratio for DFS of substituting one serving per day of refined grain with one serving per day of whole grain was 0.87 (95% CI = 0.79 to 0.96, P = .007).

Conclusions

The choice of grain consumed may be associated with cancer recurrence and mortality. Future studies are necessary to confirm our findings and to inform the design of randomized trials.
‘And they shall Beat their Swords into…Scrapers’: Two Case Studies in the Vocabulary of Jewish Palestinian Aramaic
Authors: Mastey Emmanuel
Published: April 2018

The paper discusses two agricultural implements mentioned briefly in Talmud Yerushalmi (also known as ‘Palestinian Talmud’; edited c. 375 ce), in vernacular Jewish Palestinian Aramaic, namely (?bwyyn) and (mgzyyn). The former is a scraper used to clean dirt off the ploughshare. The latter is a pruning-hook. Both terms are analysed with regard to their lexical and morphological aspects. Special attention is paid to their Syriac cognates. Arabic vernaculars of the Levant are also examined in relation to these appliances, as they may contain remnants from Aramaic and Hebrew substrata. Although the linguistic level remains the main focus of the study, an attempt is made to identify both implements with actual tools known from archeological excavations, as well as from traditional farming methods still employed today; this is done in order to establish a firm link between the lexemes under discussion and material reality.
Contributions of Ankle, Knee, Hip, and Trunk Muscle Function to Gait Performance in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Authors: Mañago Mark M , Hebert Jeffrey R , Kittelson John , Schenkman Margaret
Published: April 2018

Background

The relative importance of lower extremity and trunk muscle function to gait in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is unknown.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the association of lower extremity and trunk muscle function with gait performance in people who have MS and mild-to-moderate disability.

Design

This was a cross-sectional, observational study.

Methods

Participants were people who had an Expanded Disability Status Scale score of ≤ 5.5. Eleven lower extremity and trunk muscles were assessed using handheld dynamometry or endurance tests. Gait performance was assessed with the Timed 25-Foot (7.62 m) Walk (T25FW) and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT). Regression analysis was used to quantify the association between gait outcomes and muscle variables.

Results

Seventy-two participants with MS and a mean Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 3.5 (SD = 1.14) were enrolled. Adjusted for age and sex, the multivariate model including hip abduction, ankle plantar flexion, trunk flexion, and knee flexion explained 57% of the adjusted variance in the T25FW; hip abduction, ankle plantar flexion, and trunk flexion explained 61% of the adjusted variance in the 6MWT. The strongest predictors were ankle plantar flexion endurance for the T25FW and hip abduction strength for the 6MWT: a 1-SD increase in ankle plantar flexion (15.2 heel-raise repetitions) was associated with a 0.33-second reduction in the T25WT (95% CI = − 0.71 to − 0.14 seconds); a 1-SD increase in normalized hip abduction strength (0.14 kg/body mass index) was associated with a 54.4-m increase in the 6MWT (28.99 to 79.81 m).

Limitations

Different measurement scales for independent variables were included because the muscle function assessment used either force or endurance.

Conclusions

For the major muscles in the lower extremity and trunk, hip abduction, ankle plantar flexion, trunk flexion, and knee flexion were the strongest predictors of gait performance.
Discriminant Ability, Concurrent Validity, and Responsiveness of PROMIS Health Domains Among Patients With Lumbar Degenerative Disease Undergoing Decompression With or Without Arthrodesis
Authors: Purvis Taylor E. , Neuman Brian J. , Riley Lee H. , Skolasky Richard L.
Published: April 2018

Study Design.

A prospective cohort study.

Objective.

The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) health domains to discriminate between levels of disease severity and to determine the concurrent validity and responsiveness of PROMIS relative to “legacy” measures.

Summary of Background Data.

PROMIS may measure recovery after lumbar spine surgery. Concurrent validity and responsiveness have not been compared with legacy measures in this population.

Methods.

We included 231 adults undergoing surgery for lumbar degenerative disease. Discriminant ability of PROMIS was estimated for adjacent categories of disease severity using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Concurrent validity was determined through correlation between preoperative legacy measures and PROMIS. Responsiveness was estimated using distribution-based and anchor-based criteria (change from preoperatively to within 3 months postoperatively) anchored to treatment expectations (North American Spine Society Patient Satisfaction Index) to determine minimal important differences (MIDs). Significance was accepted at P < 0.05.

Results.

PROMIS discriminated between disease severity levels, with mean differences between adjacent categories of 3 to 8 points. There were strong to very strong correlations between Patient Health Questionnaire-8, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and PROMIS anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbance; between ODI and PROMIS fatigue, pain, and physical function; between the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey physical component and PROMIS pain and physical function; and between the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) pain interference and PROMIS depression and pain. BPI back pain and leg pain intensity showed weak or no correlation with PROMIS. Distribution-based MIDs ranged from 3.0 to 3.5 points. After incorporating longitudinal anchor-based estimates, final PROMIS MID estimates were anxiety, −4.4; depression, −6.0; fatigue, −5.3; pain, −5.4; physical function, 5.2; satisfaction with participation in social roles, 6.0; and sleep disturbance, −6.5.

Conclusion.

PROMIS discriminated between disease severity levels, demonstrated good concurrent validity, and was responsive to changes after lumbar spine surgery.

Level of Evidence: 2
Impact of Concomitant Urologic Intervention on Clinical Outcomes After Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy
Authors: Saxena Akshat , Liauw Winston , Virk Sohaib A. , Morris David L.
Published: April 2018

Introduction:

The impact of concomitant urologic procedures (UPs) on perioperative and long-term outcomes after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) is uncertain.

Methods:

In total, 935 consecutive CRS/HIPEC procedures were performed between 1996 and 2016 in Sydney, Australia. Among these, 73 (7.8%) involved concomitant UP. The association of concomitant UP with 21 perioperative outcomes and overall survival was assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results:

In-hospital mortality was 1.8%. Patients requiring UP were more likely to require transfusion of ≥5 units of red blood cells (P=0.031) and have a complete cytoreduction (79% vs. 60%, P<0.001). On multivariate analysis, UP was not associated with in-hospital mortality (2.7% vs. 1.7%, P=0.407) or grade III/IV morbidity (52% vs. 41%, P=0.376). The incidence of ureteric fistula (4% vs. 1%, P=0.004), return to theater (26% vs. 14%, P=0.005) and digestive fistula (22% vs. 11%, P=0.005) was higher in the UP group. The addition of a UP did not significantly impact overall survival for appendiceal cancer (P=0.162), colorectal cancer (P=0.315), or pseudomyxoma peritonei (P=0.120).

Conclusions:

Addition of a UP was not associated with an increased risk of grade III/IV morbidity or poorer long-term survival after CRS/HIPEC.
ImPACT Normative Data of Ethnically Diverse Adolescent Athletes
Authors: Tsushima William T. , Tsushima Vincent G. , Murata Nathan M.
Published: April 2018

Objective:

The aim of this research was to develop preliminary norms for the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) administered to a large sample of adolescent athletes from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Design:

A retrospective records review.

Setting:

Middle and high school athletic departments.

Participants:

A total of 5741 male and female adolescent athletes in Hawaii, aged 13 to 18 years, in grades 9 to 12 were included in the study.

Independent Variables:

Age, sex, ethnicity, and sport.

Main Outcome Measures:

ImPACT Composite scores (Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Visual Motor Speed, Reaction Time, and Impulse Control) and Total Symptom score from baseline testing.

Results:

The results indicated statistically significant differences between age and sex groups, as well as between ethnic and sport groups.

Conclusions:

The findings support the continued use of stratified norms for age and sex for ethnically diverse adolescent athletes. Comparisons of ethnic and sport groups deserve further investigation. When baseline scores are not available for postconcussion comparison, present observations tentatively support the cautious use of standard ImPACT norms with ethnically diverse athletes.
Impact of Oxygen on Pancreatic Islet Survival
Authors: Komatsu Hirotake , Kandeel Fouad , Mullen Yoko
Published: April 2018

Pancreatic islet transplantation is a promising treatment option for individuals with type 1 diabetes; however, maintaining islet function after transplantation remains a large challenge. Multiple factors, including hypoxia associated events, trigger pretransplant and posttransplant loss of islet function. In fact, islets are easily damaged in hypoxic conditions before transplantation including the preparation steps of pancreas procurement, islet isolation, and culture. Furthermore, after transplantation, islets are also exposed to the hypoxic environment of the transplant site until they are vascularized and engrafted. Because islets are exposed to such drastic environmental changes, protective measures are important to maintain islet viability and function. Many studies have demonstrated that the prevention of hypoxia contributes to maintaining islet quality. In this review, we summarize the latest oxygen-related islet physiology, including computational simulation. Furthermore, we review recent advances in oxygen-associated treatment options used as part of the transplant process, including up-to-date oxygen generating biomaterials as well as a classical oxygen inhalation therapy.
Poorly Differentiated Clusters Predict Colon Cancer Recurrence
Authors: Konishi Tsuyoshi , Shimada Yoshifumi , Lee Lik Hang , Cavalcanti Marcela S. , Hsu Meier , Smith Jesse Joshua , Nash Garrett M. , Temple Larissa K. , Guillem José G. , Paty Philip B. , Garcia-Aguilar Julio , Vakiani Efsevia , Gonen Mithat , Shia Jinru , Weiser Martin R.
Published: April 2018

This study aimed to compare common histologic markers at the invasive front of colon adenocarcinoma in terms of prognostic accuracy and interobserver agreement. Consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for stages I to III colon adenocarcinoma at a single institution in 2007 to 2014 were identified. Poorly differentiated clusters (PDCs), tumor budding, perineural invasion, desmoplastic reaction, and Crohn-like lymphoid reaction at the invasive front, as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) grade of the entire tumor, were analyzed. Prognostic accuracies for recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared, and interobserver agreement among 3 pathologists was assessed. The study cohort consisted of 851 patients. Although all the histologic markers except WHO grade were significantly associated with RFS (PDCs, tumor budding, perineural invasion, and desmoplastic reaction: P<0.001; Crohn-like lymphoid reaction: P=0.021), PDCs (grade 1 [G1]: n=581; G2: n=145; G3: n=125) showed the largest separation of 3-year RFS in the full cohort (G1: 94.1%; G3: 63.7%; hazard ratio [HR], 6.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.11-9.95; P<0.001), stage II patients (G1: 94.0%; G3: 67.3%; HR, 4.15; 95% CI, 1.96-8.82; P<0.001), and stage III patients (G1: 89.0%; G3: 59.4%; HR, 4.50; 95% CI, 2.41-8.41; P<0.001). PDCs had the highest prognostic accuracy for RFS with the concordance probability estimate of 0.642, whereas WHO grade had the lowest. Interobserver agreement was the highest for PDCs, with a weighted kappa of 0.824. The risk of recurrence over time peaked earlier for worse PDCs grade. Our findings indicate that PDCs are the best invasive-front histologic marker in terms of prognostic accuracy and interobserver agreement. PDCs may replace WHO grade as a prognostic indicator.
In-Home Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Urban Children With Asthma: Contrasting Households With and Without Residential Smokers
Authors: Wu Tianshi David , Eakin Michelle N. , Rand Cynthia S. , Brigham Emily P. , Diette Gregory B. , Hansel Nadia N. , McCormack Meredith C.
Published: April 2018

Context:

Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) affects up to half of all children in the United States. Many studies have identified factors associated with in-home SHSe, but few have contrasted these factors between households with and without residential smokers. In the latter case, exposure occurs from only external sources that enter the home, such as visitors or environmental incursion.

Objective:

Among children with SHSe at home, to examine demographic and psychosocial differences between households with and without residential smokers.

Design:

Baseline analysis of an observational cohort.

Setting:

Baltimore City, Maryland.

Participants:

A total of 157 children with asthma, aged 5 to 12 years.

Measures:

At-home airborne nicotine, caregiver-reported depression, asthma-related quality of life, functional social support, and demographics. Univariable comparisons were performed between SHS-exposed households with and without residential smokers. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to examine associations between measured factors and absence of residential smokers.

Results:

Children (78.3%) had at-home SHSe. Of these, 40.7% lived in households without residential smokers. Compared with households with residential smokers, these caregivers endorsed stronger beliefs in SHS harms and also worse functional social support and asthma-related stress, despite no differences in asthma morbidity. In adjusted models, SHS-exposed children with caregivers in the lowest tertile of functional social support (adjusted odds ratio, 3.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-10.99), asthma-related quality of life (2.90; 1.06-7.95), and those living alone (5.28; 1.26-22.15) had at least twice higher odds of having exclusively external SHSe than the highest tertile (P trends < .05).

Conclusions:

In-home SHS exposure remains alarmingly high in urban environments. However, a substantial proportion of this exposure appears to be occurring only from external sources that enter the home. Caregivers in these homes had higher desire but lower agency to avoid SHSe, driven by lack of functional support and physical isolation. Public policies targeting these factors may help remediate exposure in this especially vulnerable population.
Enhancing Access to Quality Online Training to Strengthen Public Health Preparedness and Response
Authors: Wood Suzanne J. , Rogers Megan H. , Frost Madeline C. , Revere Debra , Rose Barbara A. , D'Ambrosio Luann
Published: April 2018

Objectives:

To improve access to quality online training materials developed from 2010 to 2015 by 14 Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers (PERLCs) by creating quality standards and enhancing searchability through a new Web-based public health training catalog.

Methods:

The PERLC-developed training materials (n = 530) were evaluated for their capability to support development of preparedness competencies as established by 2 evidence-based competency frameworks. Inclusion/exclusion criteria and evaluation guidelines regarding training quality (design, technology, and instructional components) were systematically applied to PERLC products to create a training catalog. Twenty emergency preparedness professionals pilot tested content and provided feedback to improve catalog design and function.

Results:

Seventy-eight percent of PERLC resources (n = 413) met our quality standards for inclusion in the catalog's searchable database: 358 self-paced courses, 55 informational briefs, and other materials. Twenty-one training bundles were curated.

Discussion:

We established quality guidelines, identified strengths and weaknesses in PERLC resources, and improved accessibility to trainings. Guidelines established by this work can be generalized to trainings outside the preparedness domain. Enhancing access to quality training resources can serve as a valuable tool for increasing emergency preparedness competence.
Leveraging Phylogenetics to Understand HIV Transmission and Partner Notification Networks
Authors: Pasquale Dana K. , Doherty Irene A. , Sampson Lynne A. , Hué Stephane , Leone Peter A. , Sebastian Joseph , Ledford Sue L. , Eron Joseph J. , Miller William C. , Dennis Ann M.
Published: April 2018

Background:

Partner notification is an important component of public health test and treat interventions. To enhance this essential function, we assessed the potential for molecular methods to supplement routine partner notification and corroborate HIV networks.

Methods:

All persons diagnosed with HIV infection in Wake County, NC, during 2012–2013 and their disclosed sexual partners were included in a sexual network. A data set containing HIV-1 pol sequences collected in NC during 1997–2014 from 15,246 persons was matched to HIV-positive persons in the network and used to identify putative transmission clusters. Both networks were compared.

Results:

The partner notification network comprised 280 index cases and 383 sexual partners and high-risk social contacts (n = 131 HIV-positive). Of the 411 HIV-positive persons in the partner notification network, 181 (44%) did not match to a HIV sequence, 61 (15%) had sequences but were not identified in a transmission cluster, and 169 (41%) were identified in a transmission cluster. More than half (59%) of transmission clusters bridged sexual network partnerships that were not recognized in the partner notification; most of these clusters were dominated by men who have sex with men.

Conclusions:

Partner notification and HIV sequence analysis provide complementary representations of the existent partnerships underlying the HIV transmission network. The partner notification network components were bridged by transmission clusters, particularly among components dominated by men who have sex with men. Supplementing the partner notification network with phylogenetic data highlighted avenues for intervention.
Outcomes, Satisfaction, and Costs of a Rheumatology Telemedicine Program
Authors: Wood Patrick R. , Caplan Liron
Published: April 2018

Objectives

Rural veterans with inflammatory arthritis (IA) lack medical access because of geographic barriers. Telemedicine (TM) holds great promise in relieving these disparities. We have prospectively measured patient-centered data surrounding a TM care program at a federal health system and compared these with usual care (UC).

Methods

Veterans with previously established IA were enrolled in TM follow-up. Data collected longitudinally before and after entering the program included Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID-3), out-of-pocket visit costs and distances traveled, and patient satisfaction instruments. Demographics were recorded. Similar data were collected on a convenience sample of concurrent IA patients receiving UC.

Results

Eighty-five patients were observed, including 25 receiving TM care and 60 receiving UC. No differences in demographics, satisfaction scores, or RAPID-3 were noted at baseline between groups. Univariate linear regression of cross-sectional baseline data suggests satisfaction instrument scores were predicted by RAPID-3 (β = −0.64/10 points, p = 0.01), as well as distance (β = −0.19/100 miles, p = 0.02) and cost (β = −0.37/$100, p = 0.05). A multivariate model indicates both distance (β = −0.17/100 miles, p = 0.02) and RAPID-3 (β = −0.47/10 points, p < 0.03) were predictors for visit satisfaction. In longitudinal follow-up via TM, satisfaction (Δ = 0.03, p = 0.94) and RAPID-3 (Δ = 0.27, p = 0.89) remained similar to baseline among TM patients, whereas distance traveled (Δ = −384.8 miles/visit, p < 0.01) and visit costs (Δ = −$113.8/visit, p < 0.01) were reduced.

Conclusions

Patient-reported outcomes for care delivered via TM were similar to UC, with significant cost and distance savings. Patient-centered factors such as distance to care should be considered in design care delivery models, as they appear to drive patient satisfaction in conjunction with disease control.
Presence of Hepatitis B Surface Antibody in Addition to Hepatitis B Core Antibody Confers Protection Against Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Hepatitis B Surface Antigen–negative Patients Undergoing Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Jeon Jae Wan , Kim So Mi , Cho Hyungjin , Baek Chung Hee , Kim Hyosang , Shin Sung , Kim Young Hoon , Han Duck Jong , Kim Soon Bae
Published: April 2018

Background

The American Gastroenterological Association and European Association for the Study of the Liver recommend that hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)–negative and hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc)–positive patients who receive immunosuppression should be monitored for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection regardless of hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) status. However, anti-HBs may provide protection against infection. To investigate whether the presence of anti-HBs in addition to anti-HBc confers protection, we classified HBsAg(−) kidney transplantation (KT) patients into 4 groups according to anti-HBc and anti-HBs status, and compared the HBV infection rate between the anti-HBc(+)anti-HBs(+) group and the other 3 groups.

Methods

In this single-center retrospective study, we classified 1959 patients into 4 groups: anti-HBc(−)anti-HBs(−) (n = 356), anti-HBc(−)anti-HBs(+) (n = 652), anti-HBc(+)anti-HBs(−) (n = 142), and anti-HBc(+)anti-HBs(+) (n = 809).

Results

Hepatitis B virus infection was noted in 31 (1.6%) patients after KT. There was a significant difference in HBV infection rate between anti-HBc(+)anti-HBs(+) (1.2%) and anti-HBc(+)anti-HBs(−) (5.6%) (P < 0.001), but not between anti-HBc(+)anti-HBs(+) and anti-HBc(−)anti-HBs(−) (1.1%) or anti-HBc(−)anti-HBs(+) (1.4%). There was a significant difference in HBV infection rate according to anti-HBs titer, but no difference according to the donor viral profile. Hepatic failure occurred in 1 anti-HBc(+)anti-HBs(−) patient and 1 anti-HBc(+)anti-HBs(+) patient, both of whom died. Hepatocellular carcinoma was noted in 4 anti-HBc(−) patients, but not in anti-HBc(+) patients.

Conclusions

The presence of anti-HBs confers protection against HBV infection. We recommend monitoring for HBV infection after KT in HBsAg(−) anti-HBc(+) anti-HBs(−) patients, but not in HBsAg(−) anti-HBc(+) anti-HBs(+) patients.
eOceans dive-logs for science and conservation: a case study of sharks in Thailand
Authors: Ward-Paige C. A. , Westell A. , Sing B.
Published: April 2018

Many marine animals around the world are threatened by a variety of anthropogenic activities, yet there is often a paucity of data to monitor patterns in abundance and distribution or to evaluate human interventions. The new citizen science program eOceans helps to fill this gap by gathering observations of various marine animals from worldwide ocean explorers. In 2012, a dedicated Thailand-wide census of sharks, and other animals, began as collaboration between eOceans scientists and the dive tourism industry. Using the observations from 9,524 dives (9,357 hours underwater) logged by >169 divers on 153 sites, we describe the spatial and temporal patterns of sharks in coastal Thailand. A total of 12 shark species were encountered, most commonly (67%) as individuals, and were observed on 11% of all dives, on 59% of sites, in all months and years. The two most frequently encountered species were blacktip reef (Carcharhinus melanopterus) and leopard sharks (Stegostoma fasciatum). Many species had peak encounter rates in summer, but aggregated in various seasons in different years. Mating events and nursery sites were observed rarely, and only for blacktip reef and whitetip reef (Triaenodon obesus) sharks. These results could be of value to species-or region-specific biologists, ecologists and fisheries scientists, as well as to managers and policy makers that could use the findings to monitor future trends and prioritize conservation strategies. Moreover, this study highlights the value that collaborative eOceans citizen science projects could have in support of marine science, management and conservation efforts worldwide.
Accurate differential analysis of transcription factor activity from gene expression
Authors: Amin Viren , Cobanoglu Murat Can
Published: April 2018

We present EPEE (Effector and Perturbation Estimation Engine), a method for differential analysis of transcription factor (TF) activity from gene expression data. EPEE addresses two principal challenges in the field, namely incorporating context-specific TF-gene regulatory networks, and accounting for the fact that TF activity inference is intrinsically coupled for all TFs that share targets. Our validations in well-studied immune and cancer contexts show that addressing the overlap challenge and using state-of-the-art regulatory networks enable EPEE to consistently produce accurate results. (Accessible at: https://github.com/Cobanoglu-Lab/EPEE)
Environmental sources of bacteria and genetic variation in behavior influence host-associated microbiota
Authors: Mushegian Alexandra A. , Arbore Roberto , Walser Jean-Claude , Ebert Dieter
Published: April 2018

In many organisms, host-associated microbial communities are acquired horizontally after birth. This process is believed to be shaped by a combination of environmental and host genetic factors. We examined whether genetic variation in animal behavior could affect the composition of the animal’s microbiota in different environments. The freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna is primarily planktonic, but exhibits variation in the degree to which it browses in benthic sediments. We performed an experiment with clonal lines of D. magna showing different levels of sediment-browsing intensity exposed to either bacteria-rich or bacteria-poor sediment or whose access to sediments was prevented. We find that the bacterial composition of the environment and genotype-specific browsing intensity together influence the diversity and composition of the Daphnia-associated bacterial community. Exposure to more diverse bacteria did not lead to a more diverse microbiome, but greater abundances of environment-specific bacteria were found associated with host genotypes that exhibited greater browsing behavior. Our results indicate that individual behavior can mediate genotype-by-environment interaction effects on microbiome composition.

Summary statement

Genetic differences in Daphnia behavior contribute to the amount of environmental bacteria present in their microbiome
Convolutional neural network models of V1 responses to complex patterns
Authors: Zhang Yimeng , Lee Tai Sing , Li Ming , Liu Fang , Tang Shiming
Published: April 2018

In this study, we evaluated the convolutional neural network (CNN) method for modeling V1 neurons of awake macaque monkeys in response to a large set of complex pattern stimuli. CNN models outperformed all the other baseline models, such as Gabor-based standard models for V1 cells and various variants of generalized linear models. We then systematically dissected different components of the CNN and found two key factors that made CNNs outperform other models: thresholding nonlinearity and convolution. In addition, we fitted our data using a pre-trained deep CNN via transfer learning. The deep CNN’s higher layers, which encode more complex patterns, outperformed lower ones, and this result was consistent with our earlier work on the complexity of V1 neural code. Our study systematically evaluates the relative merits of different CNN components in the context of V1 neuron modeling.
Comprehensive quantification of the modified proteome reveals oxidative heart damage in mitochondrial heteroplasmy
Authors: Bagwan Navratan , Bonzon-Kulichenko Elena , Calvo Enrique , Lechuga-Vieco Ana Victoria , Michalakopoulos Spiros , Trevisan-Herraz Marco , Ezkurdia Iakes , Rodríguez José Manuel , Magni Ricardo , Latorre-Pellicer Ana , Enríquez José Antonio , Vázquez Jesús
Published: April 2018

Post-translational modifications hugely increase the functional diversity of proteomes. Recent algorithms based on ultratolerant database searching are forging a path to unbiased analysis of peptide modifications by shotgun mass spectrometry. However, these approaches identify only half of the modified forms potentially detectable and do not map the modified residue. Moreover, tools for the quantitative analysis of peptide modifications are currently lacking. Here, we present a suite of algorithms that allow comprehensive identification of detectable modifications, pinpoint the modified residues, and enable their quantitative analysis through an integrated statistical model. These developments were used to characterize the impact of mitochondrial heteroplasmy on the proteome and on the modified peptidome in several tissues from 12-week old mice. Our results reveal that heteroplasmy mainly affects cardiac tissue, inducing oxidative damage to proteins of the oxidative phosphorylation system, and provide a molecular mechanism that explains the structural and functional alterations produced in heart mitochondria.

Highlights

Identifies all protein modifications detectable by mass spectrometry

Locates the modified site with 85% accuracy

Integrates quantitative analysis of the proteome and the modified peptidome

Reveals that mtDNA heteroplasmy causes oxidative damage in heart OXPHOS proteins