bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Using a Problem/Case-Based Learning Program to Increase First and Second Year Medical Students’ Discussions of Health Care Cost Topics
Authors: Ginzburg Samara B , Schwartz Jessica , Deutsch Susan , Elkowitz David E , Lucito Robert , Hirsch Jerrold E 
Published: December 2019

Background: The rising costs of health care in the United States are unsustainable and gaps in physician knowledge of how to provide care at a lower cost remains a contributing factor. It has been suggested that learning about health care costs should be incorporated into existing, already overburdened medical school curricula. Objective: To increase the discussion of health care costs among first and second year medical students, we added a component of health care cost education to an existing problem/case-based learning (PBL/CBL) program without adding curricular time. Design: A total of 98 medical students participated in this study throughout the first 2 years of their educational program. Students were charged with researching and discussing health care cost topics as part of their weekly PBL/CBL case conferences. Faculty facilitators tracked each student’s participation in discussions of health care cost topics as well as how often students initiated new conversations about health care cost topics during their case conferences. Results: 100% of students engaged in conversations about health care cost topics throughout their first and second year PBL/CBL program. In addition, students increasingly initiated new conversations about health care cost topics as they progressed through their courses from the first to the second year ( R2 = 0.887, P < .01). Conclusions: Sensitizing medical students early during their educational program to incorporate health care cost topics into their PBL/CBL case conferences proved an effective means for having them engage in conversations related to health care costs. These results offer a new, time-efficient option for incorporating health care cost topics for schools with PBL/CBL programs.
Characteristics of Eddy Current Attenuation and Thickness Measurement of Metallic Plate
Authors: Zeng Zhiwei , Ding Pengcheng , Li Jiayi , Jiao Shaoni , Lin Junming , Dai Yonghong 
Published: December 2019

AbstractIn eddy current testing, the law of attenuation of eddy current (EC) is of great concern. In conductive half space under the excitation of uniform magnetic field, the EC density decreases exponentially in the depth direction. However, in conductor with finite thickness tested by coil, the distribution of EC in the depth direction is more complicated. This paper studies the characteristics of EC attenuation in metallic plate of finite thickness. Simulation results show that there is an EC reflection at the bottom of plate, which changes the law of EC attenuation. A new concept, namely the equivalent attenuation coefficient, is proposed to quantify the speed of EC attenuation. The characteristics of EC attenuation are utilized to explain the nonmonotonic relation between coil voltage and plate thickness. Procedure of selecting frequency is discussed. Thereafter, measurement of plate thickness is carried out and accurate result is obtained.
Predicting effective drug combinations using gradient tree boosting based on features extracted from drug-protein heterogeneous network
Authors: Liu Hui , Zhang Wenhao , Nie Lixia , Ding Xiancheng , Luo Judong , Zou Ling 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
Although targeted drugs have contributed to impressive advances in the treatment of cancer patients, their clinical benefits on tumor therapies are greatly limited due to intrinsic and acquired resistance of cancer cells against such drugs. Drug combinations synergistically interfere with protein networks to inhibit the activity level of carcinogenic genes more effectively, and therefore play an increasingly important role in the treatment of complex disease.

Results
In this paper, we combined the drug similarity network, protein similarity network and known drug-protein associations into a drug-protein heterogenous network. Next, we ran random walk with restart (RWR) on the heterogenous network using the combinatorial drug targets as the initial probability, and obtained the converged probability distribution as the feature vector of each drug combination. Taking these feature vectors as input, we trained a gradient tree boosting (GTB) classifier to predict new drug combinations. We conducted performance evaluation on the widely used drug combination data set derived from the DCDB database. The experimental results show that our method outperforms seven typical classifiers and traditional boosting algorithms.

Conclusions
The heterogeneous network-derived features introduced in our method are more informative and enriching compared to the primary ontology features, which results in better performance. In addition, from the perspective of network pharmacology, our method effectively exploits the topological attributes and interactions of drug targets in the overall biological network, which proves to be a systematic and reliable approach for drug discovery.
Genetic analysis of a white-to-red berry skin color reversion and its transcriptomic and metabolic consequences in grapevine (Vitis vinifera cv. ‘Moscatel Galego’)
Authors: Ferreira Vanessa , Matus José Tomás , Pinto-Carnide Olinda , Carrasco David , Arroyo-García Rosa , Castro Isaura 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
Somatic mutations occurring within meristems of vegetative propagation material have had a major role in increasing the genetic diversity of the domesticated grapevine (Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera). The most well studied somatic variation in this species is the one affecting fruit pigmentation, leading to a plethora of different berry skin colors. Color depletion and reversion are often observed in the field. In this study we analyzed the origin of a novel white-to-red skin color reversion and studied its possible metabolic and transcriptomic consequences on cv. ‘Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs’ (synonym cv. ‘Moscatel Galego Branco’), a member of the large family of Muscats.

Results
The mild red-skinned variant (cv. ‘Muscat à Petits Grains Rouge’, synonym cv. ‘Moscatel Galego Roxo’), characterized by a preferential accumulation of di-hydroxylated anthocyanins, showed in heterozygosis a partially-excised Gret1 retrotransposon in the promoter region of the MYBA1 anthocyanin regulator, while MYBA2 was still in homozygosis for its non-functional allele. Through metabolic (anthocyanin, resveratrol and piceid quantifications) and transcriptomic (RNA-Seq) analyses, we show that within a near-isogenic background, the transcriptomic consequences of color reversion are largely associated to diminished light/UV-B responses probably as a consequence of the augment of metabolic sunscreens (i.e. anthocyanins).

Conclusions
We propose that the reduced activity of the flavonoid tri-hydroxylated sub-branch and decreased anthocyanin synthesis and modification (e.g. methylation and acylation) are the potential causes for the mild red-skinned coloration in the pigmented revertant. The observed positive relation between anthocyanins and stilbenes could be attributable to an increased influx of phenylpropanoid intermediaries due to the replenished activity of MYBA1, an effect yet to be demonstrated in other somatic variants.
NK cell predicts the severity of acute graft-versus-host disease in patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation using antithymocyte globulin (ATG) in pretreatment scheme
Authors: Zhang Ping , Yang Shujun , Zou Yujing , Yan Xiao , Wu Hao , Zhou Miao , Sun Yong Cheng , Zhang Yi , Zhu Huiling , Xu Kaihong , Wang Yi , Sheng Li Xia , Mu Qitian , Sun Liguang , Ouyang Guifang 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is one of the most complex complications after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Current standard of grading system is based on clinical symptoms in skin, liver and intestinal. However, it’s difficult to differ GVHD and its extent just by clinical manifestation. Here we retrospectively analyzed cell immune function in patients implemented allogeneic stem cell transplantation in Ningbo first Hospital from Jan 2013 to Jan 2018.

Results
the data are collected from 51 patients (mean age was 42; 45.1% women). The average NK cell percentage was 39.31% in severe GVHD (Grade III-IV), was 16.98% in mild GVHD (GradeI-II), while was 21.15% in No GVHD group. The statistical analysis showed difference among each grade. Further analysis was performed in Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) treated group and control group. We showed NK Cell percentage was sharply different in ATG treated group: 47.34% in severe GVHD, 11.98% in mild GVHD group, while 18.3% in no GVHD group. However, in control group, the average percentage of NK cells was 23.27% in severe GVHD, was 23.22%in mild GVHD group, while was 21.13% in no GVHD group.

Conclusion
The data supports that ATG can prevent GVHD by increasing NK cell percentage. The percentage of NK cell seemed to be a useful probe to evaluate the severity of GVHD in allogeneic stem cell transplantation patients using ATG in pretreatment.
Change of the duodenal mucosa-associated microbiota is related to intestinal metaplasia
Authors: Gong Jian , Li Lixiang , Zuo Xiuli , Li Yanqing 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
In this study, we aimed to investigate the characteristics of the duodenal mucosal microbiota of patients with intestinal metaplasia (IM) and compare it with those of the gastric mucosal microbiota.

Method
We collected the duodenal and gastric mucosal samples from 10 adult patients with IM and 10 healthy controls (HC). The V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was examined by high throughput sequencing method.

Results
The diversity of the HC duodenal microbiota was higher than that of IM patient based on the Shannon and Simpson index while the Chao indices of IM duodenal mucosal microbiota was significantly higher than that of gastric mucosal microbiota of patients with IM. There was a marked difference in the duodenal microbiota structure between patients with IM and HC (ANOSIM, R = 1, P = 0.001). We also found that the Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric mucosa did not influence the structure of duodenal mucosal microbiota. The gastric mucosal microbiota structure significantly differed between patients with IM and HC who were H. pylori-negative (ANOSIM, R = 0.452, P = 0.042) or H. pylori-positive (ANOSIM, R = 0.548, P = 0.003), respectively. For duodenal mucosal microbiota, genera Lactococcus, Flavobacterium, Psychrobacter, Mysroides, Enhydrobacter, Streptococcus, and Leuconostoc were enriched in patients with IM. In contrast, genera Bacillus, Solibacillus, Lysinibacillus, Exiguobacterium, Oceanobacillus, and Paenibacillus were enriched in HC.

Conclusion
A marked dysbiosis duodenal mucosal microbiota in patients with IM was observed, and this dysbiosis might be responsible for IM pathogenesis.
Complete versus simplified Selvester QRS score for infarct severity assessment in ST-elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Tiller Christina , Reindl Martin , Reinstadler Sebastian Johannes , Holzknecht Magdalena , Schreinlechner Michael , Peherstorfer Alexander , Hein Nicolas , Lechner Ivan , Mayr Agnes , Klug Gert , Metzler Bernhard 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
Complete and simplified Selvester QRS score have been proposed as valuable clinical tool for estimating myocardial damage in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We sought to comprehensively compare both scoring systems for the prediction of myocardial and microvascular injury assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in patients with acute STEMI.

Methods
In this prospective observational study, 201 revascularized STEMI patients were included. Electrocardiography was conducted at a median of 2 (interquartile range 1–4) days after the index event to evaluate the complete and simplified QRS scores. CMR was performed within 1 week and 4 months thereafter to determine acute and chronic infarct size (IS) as well as microvascular obstruction (MVO).

Results
Complete and simplified QRS score showed comparable predictive value for acute (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.64 vs. 0.67) and chronic IS (AUC = 0.63 vs. 0.68) as well as for MVO (AUC = 0.64 vs. 0.66). Peak high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) showed an AUC of 0.88 for acute IS and 0.91 for chronic IS, respectively. For the prediction of MVO, peak hs-cTnT represented an AUC of 0.81.

Conclusions
In reperfused STEMI, complete and simplified QRS score displayed comparable value for the prediction of acute and chronic myocardial as well as microvascular damage. However, both QRS scoring systems provided inferior predictive validity, compared to peak hs-cTnT, the clinical reference method for IS estimation.
Prognostic significance of the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score in patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Takagi Kosei , Domagala Piotr , Polak Wojciech G. , Buettner Stefan , Ijzermans Jan N. M. 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
The clinical value of the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has increased. The aim of this meta-analysis was to systematically review the association between the CONUT score and outcomes in patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC.

Methods
Embase, Medline Ovid, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Google Scholar were systematically searched. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted to examine the prognostic value of the CONUT score in HCC patients.

Results
A total of five studies including 4679 patients were found to be eligible and analyzed in the meta-analysis. The CONUT score was significantly associated with overall survival (HR 1.78, 95%CI = 1.20–2.64, P = 0.004, I2 = 79%), recurrence-free survival (HR 1.34, 95%CI = 1.17–1.53, P < 0.001, I2 = 16%) and postoperative major complications (OR 1.85, 95%CI: 1.19–2.87, P = 0.006, I2 = 72%) in HCC patients. Moreover, the CONUT score was associated with the Child–Pugh classification, liver cirrhosis, ICGR15, and tumor differentiation. However, it was not associated with tumor size, tumor number, and microvascular invasion.

Conclusions
The CONUT score is an independent prognostic indicator of the prognosis and is associated with postoperative major complications and hepatic functional reserve in HCC patients.
Systemic RAGE ligands are upregulated in tuberculosis individuals with diabetes co-morbidity and modulated by anti-tuberculosis treatment and metformin therapy
Authors: Kumar Nathella Pavan , Moideen Kadar , Nancy Arul , Viswanathan Vijay , Shruthi Basavaradhya S. , Sivakumar Shanmugam , Hissar Syed , Kornfeld Hardy , Babu Subash 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundLigands of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) are key signalling molecules in the innate immune system but their role in tuberculosis-diabetes comorbidity (TB-DM) has not been investigated.MethodsWe examined the systemic levels of soluble RAGE (sRAGE), advanced glycation end products (AGE), S100A12 and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in participants with either TB-DM, TB, DM or healthy controls (HC).ResultsSystemic levels of AGE, sRAGE and S100A12 were significantly elevated in TB-DM and DM in comparison to TB and HC. During follow up, AGE, sRAGE and S100A12 remained significantly elevated in TB-DM compared to TB at 2nd month and 6th month of anti-TB treatment (ATT). RAGE ligands were increased in TB-DM individuals with bilateral and cavitary disease. sRAGE and S100A12 correlated with glycated hemoglobin levels. Within the TB-DM group, those with known diabetes (KDM) revealed significantly increased levels of AGE and sRAGE compared to newly diagnosed DM (NDM). KDM participants on metformin treatment exhibited significantly diminished levels of AGE and sRAGE in comparison to those on non-metformin regimens.ConclusionsOur data demonstrate that RAGE ligand levels reflect disease severity and extent in TB-DM, distinguish KDM from NDM and are modulated by metformin therapy.
Autoregressive modeling to assess stride time pattern stability in individuals with Huntington’s disease
Authors: Alzakerin Helia Mahzoun , Halkiadakis Yannis , Morgan Kristin D. 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a progressive, neurological disorder that results in both cognitive and physical impairments. These impairments affect an individual’s gait and, as the disease progresses, it significantly alters one’s stability. Previous research found that changes in stride time patterns can help delineate between healthy and pathological gait. Autoregressive (AR) modeling is a statistical technique that models the underlying temporal patterns in data. Here the AR models assessed differences in gait stride time pattern stability between the controls and individuals with HD. Differences in stride time pattern stability were determined based on the AR model coefficients and their placement on a stationarity triangle that provides a visual representation of how the patterns mean, variance and autocorrelation change with time. Thus, individuals who exhibit similar stride time pattern stability will reside in the same region of the stationarity triangle. It was hypothesized that individuals with HD would exhibit a more altered stride time pattern stability than the controls based on the AR model coefficients and their location in the stationarity triangle.

Methods
Sixteen control and twenty individuals with HD performed a five-minute walking protocol. Time series’ were constructed from consecutive stride times extracted during the protocol and a second order AR model was fit to the stride time series data. A two-sample t-test was performed on the stride time pattern data to identify differences between the control and HD groups.

Results
The individuals with HD exhibited significantly altered stride time pattern stability than the controls based on their AR model coefficients (AR1 p < 0.001; AR2 p < 0.001).

Conclusions
The AR coefficients successfully delineated between the controls and individuals with HD. Individuals with HD resided closer to and within the oscillatory region of the stationarity triangle, which could be reflective of the oscillatory neuronal activity commonly observed in this population. The ability to quantitatively and visually detect differences in stride time behavior highlights the potential of this approach for identifying gait impairment in individuals with HD.
No association between early antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy and plasma levels of angiogenic factors: a cohort study
Authors: Djeha Ameyo , Girard Sylvie , Trottier Helen , Kakkar Fatima , Soudeyns Hugo , Boucher Marc , Lapointe Normand , Boucoiran Isabelle 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
Early antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy has dramatically reduced the risk of perinatal HIV transmission. However, studies have shown an association between premature delivery and the use of ART during pregnancy (particularly protease inhibitor (PI)-based therapies), which could be explained by placental dysfunction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of ART (class, duration of exposure and time of initiation) with placental function by using angiogenic factors placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) as biomarkers.

Methods
Clinical and biological data from 159 pregnant women living with HIV were analyzed. Levels of each biomarker were measured in the first and second trimester of pregnancy. After logarithmic transformation, we compared these using generalized estimating equations according to (a) the type of ART; (b) the duration of exposure to ART; and (c) the time of initiation of ART.

Results
After adjusting for variables such as ethnicity, maternal age, gestational age, body mass index, parity, smoking status, and sex of the fetus, we found no significant association between the class of ART (PI-based or not) and serum concentrations of PlGF or sFlt-1. Furthermore, no significant association was found between biomarker levels and the duration of ART exposure or the timing of ART initiation (pre- or post-conception).

Conclusions
This study suggests that first and second trimester angiogenic factor levels are not significantly associated with ART, regardless of the duration or type (with or without PI). These observations seem reassuring when considering the use of ART during early pregnancy.
Comparison of two invitation-based methods for human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling with usual care among un- and under-screened Māori, Pacific and Asian women: study protocol for a randomised controlled community trial to examine the effect of self-sampling on participation in cervical-cancer screening
Authors: Brewer Naomi , Bartholomew Karen , Maxwell Anna , Grant Jane , Wihongi Helen , Bromhead Collette , Scott Nina , Crengle Sue , Cunningham Chris , Douwes Jeroen , Potter John D. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundMāori, Pacific and Asian women in New Zealand have lower cervical-cancer screening rates than European women, and there are persistent inequities in cervical cancer outcomes for Māori and Pacific women. Innovative ways to address access barriers are required. New Zealand is transitioning to screening with human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing, which could allow women themselves, rather than a clinician, to take the sample. Internationally, self-sampling has been found to increase screening participation rates. The aim of this open-label community-based randomised controlled trial is to investigate whether self-sampling increases screening participation among un- and under-screened Māori, Pacific and Asian women in New Zealand.Methods/designWe aim to invite at least 3550 un- or under-screened (≥5 years overdue) Māori, Pacific and Asian women (1050, 1250, 1250 respectively), aged 30–69 years, for screening. The three study arms are: usual care in which women are invited to attend a clinic for a standard clinician-collected cytology test; clinic-based self-sampling in which women are invited to take a self-sample at their usual general practice; and mail-out self-sampling in which women are mailed a kit and invited to take a self-sample at home. Women will be randomised 3:3:1 to the clinic and mail-out self-sampling groups, and usual care. There is also a nested sub-study in which non-responding women in all allocation groups, when they subsequently present to the clinic for other reasons, are offered clinic or home-kit self-sampling. The primary outcome will be the proportion of women who participate (by taking a self-sample or cytology test).DiscussionThis trial is the first to evaluate the effectiveness of mailed self-sampling in New Zealand and will be one of the first internationally to evaluate the effectiveness of opportunistic in-clinic invitations for self-sampling. The trial will provide robust evidence on the impact on participation proportions from different invitation approaches for HPV self-sampling in New Zealand un- and under-screened Māori, Pacific and Asian women.Trial registrationANZCTR Identifier: ACTRN12618000367246 (date registered 12/3/2018)https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=371741&isReview=true;UTN: U1111–1189-0531.