bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A tissue-specific collaborative mixed model for jointly analyzing multiple tissues in transcriptome-wide association studies
Authors: Shi Xingjie , Chai Xiaoran , Yang Yi , Cheng Qing , Jiao Yuling , Chen Haoyue , Huang Jian , Yang Can , Liu Jin 
Published: September 2020

AbstractTranscriptome-wide association studies (TWASs) integrate expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) studies with genome-wide association studies (GWASs) to prioritize candidate target genes for complex traits. Several statistical methods have been recently proposed to improve the performance of TWASs in gene prioritization by integrating the expression regulatory information imputed from multiple tissues, and made significant achievements in improving the ability to detect gene-trait associations. Unfortunately, most existing multi-tissue methods focus on prioritization of candidate genes, and cannot directly infer the specific functional effects of candidate genes across different tissues. Here, we propose a tissue-specific collaborative mixed model (TisCoMM) for TWASs, leveraging the co-regulation of genetic variations across different tissues explicitly via a unified probabilistic model. TisCoMM not only performs hypothesis testing to prioritize gene-trait associations, but also detects the tissue-specific role of candidate target genes in complex traits. To make full use of widely available GWASs summary statistics, we extend TisCoMM to use summary-level data, namely, TisCoMM-S2. Using extensive simulation studies, we show that type I error is controlled at the nominal level, the statistical power of identifying associated genes is greatly improved, and the false-positive rate (FPR) for non-causal tissues is well controlled at decent levels. We further illustrate the benefits of our methods in applications to summary-level GWASs data of 33 complex traits. Notably, apart from better identifying potential trait-associated genes, we can elucidate the tissue-specific role of candidate target genes. The follow-up pathway analysis from tissue-specific genes for asthma shows that the immune system plays an essential function for asthma development in both thyroid and lung tissues.
Light-driven directional ion transport for enhanced osmotic energy harvesting
Authors: Xiao Kai , Giusto Paolo , Chen Fengxiang , Chen Ruotian , Heil Tobias , Cao Shaowen , Chen Lu , Fan Fengtao , Jiang Lei 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Light-driven ion (proton) transport is a crucial process both for photosynthesis of green plants and solar energy harvesting of some archaea. Here, we describe use of a TiO2/C3N4 semiconductor heterojunction nanotube membrane to realize similar light-driven directional ion transport performance to that of biological systems. This heterojunction system can be fabricated by two simple deposition steps. Under unilateral illumination, the TiO2/C3N4 heterojunction nanotube membrane can generate a photocurrent of about 9 μA/cm2, corresponding to a pumping stream of ∼5500 ions per second per nanotube. By changing the position of TiO2 and C3N4, a reverse equivalent ionic current can also be realized. Directional transport of photogenerated electrons and holes results in a transmembrane potential, which is the basis of the light-driven ion transport phenomenon. As a proof of concept, we also show that this system can be used for enhanced osmotic energy generation. The artificial light-driven ion transport system proposed here offers a further step forward on the roadmap for development of ionic photoelectric conversion and integration into other applications, for example water desalination.
Influence of sugar label formats on consumer understanding and amount of sugar in food choices: a systematic review and meta-analyses
Authors: Scapin Tailane , Fernandes Ana C , Curioni Cintia C , Pettigrew Simone , Neal Bruce , Coyle Daisy H , Rodrigues Vanessa M , Bernardo Greyce L , Uggioni Paula L , Proença Rossana P C 
Published: September 2020

Abstract

Context
Reducing population intakes of sugar has become a focus of many national and international public health policies. Packaged foods and beverages are key contributors to sugar intakes, and food labels can be an effective tool to reduce sugar consumption.

Objective
The aim of this systematic review was to examine the influence of sugar label formats on 2 outcomes: consumers’ understanding of sugar information, and the amount of sugar in consumers’ food choices.

Data Sources
Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, CAB Abstracts, SciELO, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched up until February 4, 2020.

Study Selection
Randomized experiments or quasi-experiments were included if they investigated the influence of sugar label formats on consumers’ understanding of sugar information or on the amount of sugar in consumers’ food choices.

Data Extraction
Data were extracted independently by 2 authors. Mean differences (MDs), standardized mean differences (SMDs), and odds ratios (ORs) plus 95%CIs were used to describe between-group differences for intervention label formats using random-effects models.

Results
Twenty-three studies, which examined 39 comparisons, were included. Label formats using “high in sugar” interpretative texts (traffic light labels [MD 41.6; 95%CI 37.9–45.4] and warning signs [OR 1.33; 95%CI 1.0–1.78]) were most effective in increasing consumers’ understanding of the sugar content in packaged foods. Health warning messages (SMD −0.32; 95%CI −0.43 to −0.22), graphical depictions of sugar content in teaspoons (SMD −0.32; 95%CI −0.48 to −0.17), and warning signs (SMD −0.24; 95%CI −0.35 to −0.13) were most effective for influencing consumers to choose products with lower sugar content.

Conclusions
Formats that provide an interpretation of sugar information, particularly those indicating if a product is high in sugar, were more helpful than only numerical information for improving consumer understanding and promoting food choices with less sugar.

Systematic Review Registration
PROSPERO registration number CRD42018081222.
The Effects of Police Violence on Inner-City Students*
Authors: Ang Desmond 
Published: September 2020

AbstractNearly 1,000 officer-involved killings occur each year in the United States. This article documents the large, racially disparate effects of these events on the educational and psychological well-being of Los Angeles public high school students. Exploiting hyperlocal variation in how close students live to a killing, I find that exposure to police violence leads to persistent decreases in GPA, increased incidence of emotional disturbance, and lower rates of high school completion and college enrollment. These effects are driven entirely by black and Hispanic students in response to police killings of other minorities and are largest for incidents involving unarmed individuals.
A standardized framework for testing the performance of sleep-tracking technology: step-by-step guidelines and open-source code
Authors: Menghini Luca , Cellini Nicola , Goldstone Aimee , Baker Fiona C , de Zambotti Massimiliano 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Sleep-tracking devices, particularly within the consumer sleep technology (CST) space, are increasingly used in both research and clinical settings, providing new opportunities for large-scale data collection in highly ecological conditions. Due to the fast pace of the CST industry combined with the lack of a standardized framework to evaluate the performance of sleep trackers, their accuracy and reliability in measuring sleep remains largely unknown. Here, we provide a step-by-step analytical framework for evaluating the performance of sleep trackers (including standard actigraphy), as compared with gold-standard polysomnography (PSG) or other reference methods. The analytical guidelines are based on recent recommendations for evaluating and using CST from our group and others (de Zambotti and colleagues; Depner and colleagues), and include raw data organization as well as critical analytical procedures, including discrepancy analysis, Bland–Altman plots, and epoch-by-epoch analysis. Analytical steps are accompanied by open-source R functions (depicted at https://sri-human-sleep.github.io/sleep-trackers-performance/AnalyticalPipeline_v1.0.0.html). In addition, an empirical sample dataset is used to describe and discuss the main outcomes of the proposed pipeline. The guidelines and the accompanying functions are aimed at standardizing the testing of CSTs performance, to not only increase the replicability of validation studies, but also to provide ready-to-use tools to researchers and clinicians. All in all, this work can help to increase the efficiency, interpretation, and quality of validation studies, and to improve the informed adoption of CST in research and clinical settings.
CRAGE-mediated insertion of fluorescent chromosomal markers for accurate and scalable measurement of co-culture dynamics in Escherichia coli
Authors: Noonan Avery J C , Qiu Yilin , Ho Joe C H , Ocampo Jewel , Vreugdenhil K A , Marr R Alexander , Zhao Zhiying , Yoshikuni Yasuo , Hallam Steven J 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Monitoring population dynamics in co-culture is necessary in engineering microbial consortia involved in distributed metabolic processes or biosensing applications. However, it remains difficult to measure strain-specific growth dynamics high-throughput formats. This is especially vexing in plate-based functional screens leveraging whole-cell biosensors to detect specific metabolic signals. Here we develop an experimental high-throughput co-culture system to measure and model the relationship between fluorescence and cell abundance, combining chassis-independent recombinase-assisted genome engineering (CRAGE) and whole-cell biosensing with a PemrR-green fluorescent protein (GFP) monoaromatic reporter used in plate-based functional screening. CRAGE was used to construct E. coli EPI300 strains constitutively expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP) and the relationship between RFP expression and optical density (OD600) was determined throughout the EPI300 growth cycle. A linear equation describing the increase of normalized RFP fluorescence during deceleration phase was derived and used to predict biosensor strain dynamics in co-culture. Measured and predicted values were compared using flow cytometric detection methods. Induction of the biosensor lead to increased GFP fluorescence normalized to biosensor cell abundance, as expected, but a significant decrease in relative abundance of the biosensor strain in co-culture and a decrease in bulk GFP fluorescence. Taken together, these results highlight sensitivity of population dynamics to variations in metabolic activity in co-culture and the potential effect of these dynamics on the performance of functional screens in plate-based formats. The engineered strains and model used to evaluate these dynamics provide a framework for optimizing growth of synthetic co-cultures used in screening, testing and pathway engineering applications
Can Jobs Programs Build Peace?
Authors: Brück Tilman , Ferguson Neil T N , Izzi Valeria , Stojetz Wolfgang 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
In the last decade, well over $10 billion has been spent on employment programs designed to contribute to peace and stability. Despite the outlay, whether these programs perform, and how they do so, remain open questions. This study conducts three reviews to derive the status quo of knowledge. First, it draws on academic literature on the microfoundations of instability to distill testable theories of how employment programs could affect stability at the micro level. Second, it analyses academic and grey literature that directly evaluates the impacts of employment programs on peace-related outcomes. Third, it conducts a systematic review of program-based learning from over 400 interventions. This study finds good theoretical reasons to believe that employment programs could contribute to peace. However, only very limited evidence exists on overall impacts on peace or on the pathways underlying the theories of change. At the program level, the review finds strong evidence that contributions to peace and stability are often simply assumed to have occurred. This provides a major challenge for the justification of continued spending on jobs for peace programs. Instead, systematic and rigorous learning on the impacts of jobs for peace programs needs to be scaled up urgently.
PF627 SERUM CEREBLON LEVELS PREDICT FIVE‐ YEAR POST LEALIDOMIDE/DEXAMETHASONE (RD) SURVIVAL IN MULTIPLE MYELOMA (MM) PATIENTS AND CORRELATE WITH DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS
Authors: Gkioka A.I. , Papaioannou P. , Tryfou?.  , Niki R. , Dimou M. , Theodoros I. , Pardalis V. , Bitsani A. , Koudouna A. , Grafakos I. , Panayiotidis P. , Kyrtsonis M.‐C. 
Published: September 2020

Background:Cereblon (CRBN) was identified as target protein of Immunomodulatory Drugs (ImiDs). It was shown that its decreased expression was related to ImiDs resistance and carcinogenesis. However, very little is known about the importance of serum CRBN concentrations.Aims:To determine serum CRBN in MM patients treated with RD (lenalidomide‐dexamethasone) and to study eventual correlations with disease characteristics.Methods:We studied 91 MM patients from RD initiation until last follow up or death; their files were reviewed after patients’ informed consent was obtained, while clinical and laboratory characteristics were collected. Frozen patients’ sera, drawn at the time of RD treatment (68 patients), best response (59 patients) and at relapse/refractoriness to Rd (54 patients) were retrospectively analyzed. CRBN was measured by commercially available ELISA kit (cloud clone), according to the manufacturer's instructions. Twenty healthy individuals (HI) were also tested. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS v24.0. software.Results:The median age of patients was 70 years (56% men, 44% women). Ig type was IgG in 64%, IgA in 22%, light‐chain in 11% and IgD or biclonal in 3%. Thirty percent of patients were staged ISS 1, 20% ISS 2 and 51% ISS 3. RD was administered in 1st line in 8% of patients, second in 37%, third in 26%, forth in 16% and in 5th to 9th line in 13%. Median serum CRBN levels at RD initiation were 247 pg/ml (0–9760), 148,8 pg/ml (0 ‐9940) at best response and 294 pg/ml (0–9840) at relapse/resistance to RD. In HI CRBN ranged from 0 to 580 pg/ml. CRBN values at RD initiation were negatively correlated with paraprotein levels (τ = −0,204, p = 0,05). At best response they marginally correlated with quality of response (τ = −0,250, p = 0,055). Median serum CRBN level was used as a cut‐off point in survival analysis. Median overall survival was 70 months (range, 7–345) and time until next treatment was 14 months (range, 1–110). Five‐year survival was improved in patients with CRBN levels below median at the time of RD initiation (p = 0,03), during best response (p = 0,035), and in relapse/refractory patients to Rd (p = 0,05) while time to next treatment was significantly shorter in patients with CRBN levels above median at best response (p = 0,026).Summary/Conclusion:serum CRBN levels below median were related to a better 5‐year survival post RD and to time to next treatment. Mechanisms leading to protein release in the serum possibly explain this apparent discrepancy with the reported impact of low CRBN expression.
Impact of a Dedicated Advanced Practice Provider Model for Pediatric Trauma and Burn Patients
Authors: Noffsinger Dana Lee , Wurster Lee Ann , Wheeler Krista K. , Thakkar Rajan , Fabia Renata , Shi Junxin , Xiang Henry , Groner Jonathan I. 
Published: September 2020

Background:
A free-standing, academic Level 1 pediatric trauma and verified pediatric burn center created a dedicated trauma and burn service advanced practice provider role, and restructured rounds. The changes were implemented to improve patient care.

Methods:
A pre and postintervention study using historical controls was performed to compare 18 months prior (preintervention) and 18 months following (postintervention) practice changes. Data collection included demographics, injury characteristics, length of stay (LOS), complications, and patient satisfaction results.

Results:
When compared with the preintervention period, the postintervention period had a higher patient volume and an increased number of severely injured patients. Mean LOS was stable for all patients and trauma patients, as were the complication rates related to trauma and burns. However, the mean LOS/total body surface area (TBSA) burned decreased from 1.36 to 1.04 days/TBSA (p = .160) in burn patients and from 0.84 to 0.62 days/TBSA (p = .060) in those with more than 5% TBSA. Patient satisfaction scores were stable in the categories of nursing care and the child's physician. Despite an increase in the volume and severity of patients, there was a clinically meaningful decrease in burn patient LOS/TBSA.

Conclusion:
The addition of a dedicated advanced practice provider and restructured trauma service appears to provide a benefit to pediatric burn patients.
A Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Perioperative Hypothermia Rates in the NICU Utilizing Checklists
Authors: Hanna Morcos , Htun Zeyar , Islam Shahidul , Hanna Nazeeh , Kothari Ulka , Nayak Amrita 
Published: September 2020

Background:
Premature infants are at high risk for heat loss. Infants undergoing surgical procedures outside of the neonatal intensive care unit have an increased risk of hypothermia. Hypothermia can lead to delayed recovery, hypoglycemia, metabolic acidosis, sepsis, and emotional stress for the parents. We aimed to reduce the incidence of hypothermia for infants undergoing surgical procedures from a baseline of 44.4% to less than 25% over 3 years (2016–2018) with the utilization of a checklist and education.

Methods:
We conducted a retrospective chart review for all infants undergoing surgical procedures from 2014 to 2015 and prospective data for 2016–2018. Next, we created a multidisciplinary team, educated staff members, and instituted a checklist comprising 9 tasks. We conducted Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles quarterly and audited checklist compliance monthly.

Results:
From 2014 to 2015, the total incidence of perioperative hypothermia was 44.4% (n = 54). After the initiation of the checklist, the overall incidence of hypothermia decreased to 23.4% (n = 124, P = 0.007). Hypothermia occurred most frequently while the patient was in the operating room. Furthermore, we noticed that hypothermia was significantly associated with neonates requiring emergency procedures. There was an inverse correlation between overall compliance with checklist usage and the incidence of hypothermia.

Conclusion:
A checklist is a useful and simple tool for maintaining an optimal temperature for postsurgical neonates. Frequent re-education and enforcement of the protocol is necessary. Overall, implementation of the checklist, along with regular education, decreased the total incidence of perioperative hypothermia in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound for Focal Hepatic Lesions
Authors: Park Soyoung , You Myung-Won , Kang Hyo-Jin , Moon Sung Kyoung , Park Seong Jin 
Published: September 2020

AbstractContrast-enhanced ultrasound can be used effectively to evaluate focal hepatic lesions and offers unique advantages over computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Serial vascular filling patterns of focal hepatic lesions during arterial, portal, and late phases can provide unique information on lesion characterization and differentiation. Sensitive depiction of arterial hypervascularity and analysis of washout pattern are clues for differentiation of several indeterminate hepatic nodules on conventional ultrasound and computed tomography/magnetic resonance. In this report, we present cases demonstrating clinical applications of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of focal hepatic lesions.
Doppler Velocimetry of the Ophthalmic Artery Behavior in Twin Pregnancy
Authors: Monteiro Viviane Nascimento Pereira , Moreira de Sá Renato Augusto , de Oliveira Cristiane Alves , Vellarde Guillermo 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Our main objective was to evaluate the ophthalmic artery Doppler behavior in twin pregnancies and compare with singleton pregnancies. We studied 64 healthy twin pregnant women between 12 to 38 weeks of gestation. Resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI), and peak ratio (PR) were determined. The control group consisted of 289 singletons. Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between gestational age and the ophthalmic indexes. Student t test was used to compare the means and standard deviation of the Doppler indexes. There was a decrease in RI and PI and an increase in PR with advancing gestational age (ρ < 0.0001, 0.0052, and 0.0033). The means ± SDs for RI, PI, and PR were 0.77 ± 0.07, 1.79 ± 0.46, and 0.53 ± 0.12, in women with twin pregnancies and 0.75 ± 0.05, 1.88 ± 0.43, and 0.52 ± 0.10 in singletons. No significant difference was found between the PI and PR values, but significant difference was found in the RI values between the groups (P = 0.0332). We concluded that there are no significant differences in ophthalmic artery behavior in twins and the same reference values established in singleton pregnancies can be applied for PI and PR indexes in the evaluation of twin pregnancies. These indexes were the best to evaluate twin pregnancies.
Reclaiming Hands-on Ultrasound for Radiology With a Simulation-Based Ultrasound Curriculum for Radiology Residents
Authors: Suarez-Weiss Krista Elise , Yang Heejae , Beland Michael D. 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Hands-on ultrasound training is included in the curriculum of many medical specialties and is increasingly incorporated into medical school curricula. Despite published curricula for ultrasound training in these specialties, there remains a dearth of such programs for radiology residency programs. At our institution, there has been a perceived decline in ultrasound scanning comfort and skill in trainees. The purpose of this project was to assess the utility and efficacy of a hands-on simulation-based ultrasound course for radiology residents.
First-year radiology residents were enrolled in a 2-week simulation-based course for the instruction of hands-on ultrasound training. With the use of a customizable commercial simulation software platform, residents completed didactic modules, virtual simulations, and phantom scans for a 2-week rotation. A dedicated simulation center with scanning models and computer-based software was provided to all residents. Self-assessments and assignments provided benchmarks of performance. All radiology residents were surveyed at the start of the academic year to assess prior experience and comfort with ultrasound scanning. First-year residents were surveyed a second time upon course completion.
Presurvey and postsurvey responses suggest that participation in the 2-week ultrasound scanning course contributed to an improvement in perceived scanning knowledge and comfort for participating residents. Based on our initial experience, the scanning curriculum presented here provides a comprehensive introductory course for first-year radiology residents both for ultrasound anatomy and for scanning technique. Continued education in hands-on ultrasound skills is a crucial factor in maintaining radiology's dominance in the modality.