bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Detecting neurodegenerative pathology in multiple sclerosis before irreversible brain tissue loss sets in
Authors: Van Schependom Jeroen , Guldolf Kaat , D’hooghe Marie Béatrice , Nagels Guy , D’haeseleer Miguel 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex chronic inflammatory and degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Accelerated brain volume loss, or also termed atrophy, is currently emerging as a popular imaging marker of neurodegeneration in affected patients, but, unfortunately, can only be reliably interpreted at the time when irreversible tissue damage likely has already occurred. Timing of treatment decisions based on brain atrophy may therefore be viewed as suboptimal.Main bodyThis Narrative Review focuses on alternative techniques with the potential of detecting neurodegenerative events in the brain of subjects with MS prior to the atrophic stage. First, metabolic and molecular imaging provide the opportunity to identify early subcellular changes associated with energy dysfunction, which is an assumed core mechanism of axonal degeneration in MS. Second, cerebral hypoperfusion has been observed throughout the entire clinical spectrum of the disorder but it remains an open question whether this serves as an alternative marker of reduced metabolic activity, or exists as an independent contributing process, mediated by endothelin-1 hyperexpression. Third, both metabolic and perfusion alterations may lead to repercussions at the level of network performance and structural connectivity, respectively assessable by functional and diffusion tensor imaging. Fourth and finally, elevated body fluid levels of neurofilaments are gaining interest as a biochemical mirror of axonal damage in a wide range of neurological conditions, with early rises in patients with MS appearing to be predictive of future brain atrophy.ConclusionsRecent findings from the fields of advanced neuroradiology and neurochemistry provide the promising prospect of demonstrating degenerative brain pathology in patients with MS before atrophy has installed. Although the overall level of evidence on the presented topic is still preliminary, this Review may pave the way for further longitudinal and multimodal studies exploring the relationships between the abovementioned measures, possibly leading to novel insights in early disease mechanisms and therapeutic intervention strategies.
Validation of a brief mental health screening tool for pregnant women in a low socio-economic setting
Authors: Abrahams Zulfa , Schneider Marguerite , Field Sally , Honikman Simone 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
In South Africa, the prevalence of symptoms of common mental disorders (CMD), i.e. depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts are high. This study aimed to use a cognitive interviewing technique to validate the content and structure of a 4-item screening tool, to adapt the tool accordingly, and to use receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis to determine the optimum cut-point for identifying pregnant women with symptoms of CMD.

Methods
We conducted a mixed method study at a Midwife Obstetric Unit in Cape Town. Women attending the clinic for their first antenatal visit during the recruitment period, whose first language was English, Afrikaans or isiXhosa, were invited to participate. A 4-item screening tool was administered in the first language of the interviewee, after which a cognitive interviewing technique was used to examine the question-response processes and considerations used by respondents as they formed answers to the screening tool questions. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to identify women with symptoms of CMD.

Results
A 2-week recall period performed well. Questions about (1) being unable to stop worrying, or thinking too much, (2) feeling down, depressed or hopeless, and (3) having thoughts and plans to harm yourself, were well understood. The question that referred to feeling little interest or pleasure in doing things, was poorly understood across all languages. Using ROC analysis with the EPDS as the reference standard, and a cut-point of ≥13, we showed that a 3-item version of the screening tool was able to correctly classify 91% of the women screened.

Conclusions
Cognitive interviewing enabled testing and refining of the language and constructs of an ultra-brief screening tool. The shortened, 3-item tool is well understood and effective at identifying pregnant women with symptoms of CMD, across the three most commonly spoken languages and cultures in Cape Town.
Dynamics of animal joint space use: a novel application of a time series approach
Authors: French Justin T. , Wang Hsiao-Hsuan , Grant William E. , Tomeček John M. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundAnimal use is a dynamic phenomenon, emerging from the movements of animals responding to a changing environment. Interactions between animals are reflected in patterns of joint space use, which are also dynamic. High frequency sampling associated with GPS telemetry provides detailed data that capture space use through time. However, common analyses treat joint space use as static over relatively long periods, masking potentially important changes. Furthermore, linking temporal variation in interactions to covariates remains cumbersome. We propose a novel method for analyzing the dynamics of joint space use that permits straightforward incorporation of covariates. This method builds upon tools commonly used by researchers, including kernel density estimators, utilization distribution intersection metrics, and extensions of linear models.MethodsWe treat the intersection of the utilization distributions of two individuals as a time series. The series is linked to covariates using copula-based marginal beta regression, an alternative to generalized linear models. This approach accommodates temporal autocorrelation and the bounded nature of the response variable. Parameters are easily estimated with maximum likelihood and trend and error structures can be modeled separately. We demonstrate the approach by analyzing simulated data from two hypothetical individuals with known utilization distributions, as well as field data from two coyotes (Canis latrans) responding to appearance of a carrion resource in southern Texas.ResultsOur analysis of simulated data indicated reasonably precise estimates of joint space use can be achieved with commonly used GPS sampling rates (s.e.=0.029 at 150 locations per interval). Our analysis of field data identified an increase in spatial interactions between the coyotes that persisted for the duration of the study, beyond the expected duration of the carrion resource. Our analysis also identified a period of increased spatial interactions before appearance of the resource, which would not have been identified by previous methods.ConclusionsWe present a new approach to the analysis of joint space use through time, building upon tools commonly used by ecologists, that permits a new level of detail in the analysis of animal interactions. The results are easily interpretable and account for the nuances of bounded serial data in an elegant way.
Rhinitis medicamentosa: A nationwide survey of Canadian otolaryngologists
Authors: Fowler James , Chin Christopher J. , Massoud Emad 
Published: December 2019

Background Rhinitis medicamentosa is a non-allergic form of rhinitis that is typically caused by prolonged use of topical nasal decongestants. This condition commonly affects young adults and treatment is not trivial. We aimed to survey Canadian Otolaryngologists to determine practice patterns and their opinions regarding this under-studied condition. Methods An electronic survey was sent to practicing Otolaryngologists within the Canadian Society of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. The survey contained 16 questions pertaining to the diagnosis and treatment of rhinitis medicamentosa, as well as opinions on public and primary care awareness of proper use of nasal decongestants. Results The survey was distributed to 533 Otolaryngologists and 69 surveys were returned (response rate of 13%). Cessation and weaning of decongestant (96%), and intranasal steroids (94%) were the most common methods for treating RM. Intranasal saline rinses (55%) and oral steroids (25%) were also supported by some respondents. For those who recommended cessation/weaning, 61% also concurrently introduced an intranasal steroid during this process. The majority responded that current warnings on nasal decongestants were inadequate (75%), and were not visible enough (79%). Conclusions Rhinitis medicamentosa is a common, and very preventable condition. Although the literature lacks a standardized approach to RM, our survey has shown that many Otolaryngologists diagnose and treat RM in a similar manner. Treatment tends to focus on decongestant cessation, often with concurrent introduction of intranasal steroids. It was felt the warning labels on the topical medications are not currently satisfactory.
The comparative analysis of marketing activities among rural women entrepreneurs in Fars province, Iran
Authors: Rezaei-Moghaddam Kurosh , Karami Ommolbani , Fatemi Mahsa 
Published: December 2019

AbstractEntrepreneurship has become the crucial subject of discussion among social and economic development specialists as the key to solving problems and reducing obstacles to human development. On the other hand, marketing is also considered as a main factor for entrepreneurial businesses’ survival and progress. Thus, low marketing skills in small businesses often lead to lower performance levels and higher risk failures. The present study aimed to identify and analyze the marketing activities among rural women entrepreneurs. This research was conducted using a survey method among women entrepreneurs who were the members of agricultural development specialized holding companies in Fars province, Iran. A random sampling method was used to select 307 rural entrepreneurial women. According to the findings, marketing methods such as face-to-face advertising, making phone calls, participating in exhibitions, and sending text messages by women entrepreneurs are widely used. In applying the marketing methods, paying attention to the components of the marketing mix, and applying marketing strategy, women entrepreneurs in Marvdasht had the highest score. The entrepreneurial women in Marvdasht are more risk-takers, who use both marketing methods and strategies more often than women in other cities of Fars. Finally, some suggestions were presented to improve women entrepreneurs’ marketing activities.
Pedigree analysis of atrial fibrillation in Irish wolfhounds supports a high heritability with a dominant mode of inheritance
Authors: Fousse Samantha L. , Tyrrell William D. , Dentino Mariellen E. , Abrams Frances L. , Rosenthal Steven L. , Stern Joshua A. 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in dogs. The Irish Wolfhound breed has a high prevalence of AF making them an ideal breed to investigate possible genetic contributions to this disease. The aim of this study was to perform a heritability analysis in North American Irish Wolfhounds using phenotype data from cardiac screenings performed between 2000 and 2019 in order to determine how much of this disease can be attributed to genetics compared to environmental causes. The second aim was to determine the disease mode of inheritance to help inform prevention and breeding practices.

Results
There were 327 Irish Wolfhounds diagnosed with AF and 136 Irish Wolfhounds over 8 years of age without AF. The estimated mean (95% confidence interval) heritability of AF in Irish Wolfhounds was 0.69 (0.50–0.86). The pedigree was consistent with a dominant mode of inheritance.

Conclusion
Results of this study indicate a strong genetic contribution to AF in Irish Wolfhounds and suggest that future research to identify causative genetic mutations is warranted.
Bidirectional histone-gene promoters in Aspergillus: characterization and application for multi-gene expression
Authors: Rendsvig Jakob K. H. , Workman Christopher T. , Hoof Jakob B. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundFilamentous fungi are important producers of enzymes and bioactive secondary metabolites and are exploited for industrial purposes. Expression and characterization of biosynthetic pathways requires stable expression of multiple genes in the production host. Fungal promoters are indispensable for the accomplishment of this task, and libraries of promoters that show functionality across diverse fungal species facilitate synthetic biology approaches, pathway expression, and cell-factory construction.ResultsIn this study, we characterized the intergenic region between the genes encoding histones H4.1 and H3, from five phylogenetically diverse species ofAspergillus, as bidirectional promoters (Ph4h3). By expression of the genes encoding fluorescent proteins mRFP1 and mCitrine, we show at the translational and transcriptional level that this region from diverse species is applicable as strong and constitutive bidirectional promoters inAspergillus nidulans. Bioinformatic analysis showed that the divergent gene orientation ofh4.1andh3appears maintained among fungi, and that the Ph4h3display conserved DNA motifs among the investigated 85 Aspergilli. Two of the heterologous Ph4h3s were utilized for single-locus expression of four genes from the putative malformin producing pathway fromAspergillus brasiliensisinA. nidulans. Strikingly, heterologous expression ofmlfAencoding the non-ribosomal peptide synthetase is sufficient for biosynthesis of malformins inA. nidulans, which indicates an iterative use of one adenylation domain in the enzyme. However, this resulted in highly stressed colonies, which was reverted to a healthy phenotype by co-expressing the residual four genes from the putative biosynthetic gene cluster.ConclusionsOur study has documented that Ph4h3is a strong constitutive bidirectional promoter and a valuable new addition to the genetic toolbox of at least the genusAspergillus.
Feasibility and effectiveness of thoracic spine mobilization on sympathetic/parasympathetic balance in a healthy population - a randomized controlled double-blinded pilot study
Authors: Rogan Slavko , Taeymans Jan , Clarys Peter , Clijsen Ron , Tal-Akabi Amir 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundPhysiotherapists often use thoracic spine mobilization (TSM) to reduce pain in patients with back disorders via a reduction of sympathetic activity. There is a “trade-off” in the activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity. A sympathetic/parasympathetic balance (SPB) is needed to guarantee body homeostasis. However, body homeostasis is seldom considered as an aim of the treatment from the perspective of most physiotherapists. Strong empirical evidence for the effects of TSM on the SPB is still lacking.Some studies showed that spinal manipulation may yield beneficial effects on SPB. Therefore, it could be hypothesized that TSM is feasible and could influence SPB reactions. The primary aim was to describe the participants’ adherence to the intervention and to the measurement protocol, to identify unexpected adverse events (UAE) after TSM, to evaluate the best method to measure SPB parameters (heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), skin perfusion and erythema) and to estimate the investigation procedure. The secondary aim was to assess the effects of TSM on SPB parameters in a small sample of healthy participants.MethodsThis crossover pilot study investigated TSM using posterior-anterior mobilization (PAM) and anterior-posterior mobilization (APM) on segments T6 to T12 in twelve healthy participants during two consecutive days. To evaluate feasibility, the following outcomes were assessed: adherence, UAE, data collection and data analysis. To evaluate the effect of TSM on SPB, HRV, BP, HR, skin perfusion and erythema were measured.ResultsThe adherence was 100%. No UAE were reported. PAM showed larger effect sizes compared to APM in many secondary variables.ConclusionsAlthough 100% maximal adherence was reached and no UAE were observed, data recording in future studies should be done during a second time interval while the data transfer from device to the computer software should occur immediately after completion of each participant’s measurement. The results of this pilot study suggest that PAM can reduce HRV HF and HRV ratio LF/HF and increase HR.Trial registrationClinicalTrail.gov (NCT02832141).
Serum vitamin D levels in acute stroke patients
Authors: Selim Fayrouz O. , Fahmi Rasha M. , Ali Ayman E. , Raafat Nermin , Elsaid Ahmed F. 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
Vitamin D deficiency has been proposed as a risk factors of cerebrovascular stroke.

Objectives
The aim of this study was firstly, to assess the serum level of vitamin D in cerebral stroke patients and secondly, to examine if its deficiency was associated with stroke severity and outcome.

Methods
We utilized a case-control study design and recruited 138 acute stroke patients and 138 age- and sex-matched controls from subjects attending outpatient clinic for other reasons. All participants were subjected to full general and neurological examination. Brain imaging CT and/or MRI was performed. Blood samples were collected for measurement of serum level of vitamin D (ng/ml) by ELISA, alkaline phosphatase, serum calcium, and phosphorous. The stroke severity was assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and stroke outcome was assessed by modified Rankin Scale (mRS).

Results
Stroke patients had significant lower levels of vitamin D compared with the control group. Vitamin D deficiency remained significantly associated with the NIHSS stroke severity score and the mRS 3-month stroke outcome after controlling for other significant factors such as age, dyslipidemia, and infarction size using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Conclusion
Our results demonstrated that stroke patients suffer from vitamin D deficiency, which was associated with both stroke severity and poor outcome. Vitamin D supplementation could exert a therapeutic role in the management of cerebral stroke.
Discrepancies in Financial Self-Disclosures and Open Payments Reporting Among Authors of Clinical Oncology Research Studies
Authors: Garrett-Mayer Elizabeth , Kaltenbaugh Melinda W. , Spence Rebecca , Bruinooge Suanna S. , Hudis Clifford A. , Michels Dina , Schilsky Richard L. 
Published: December 2019

PURPOSE Company-reported payments from the Open Payments database (OP) have been compared with self-disclosed financial relationships made by physician authors. Discrepancies have been viewed as under-reporting of financial relationships. Our goal was to perform a systematic comparison to determine sources of discordance between company-reported and self-reported financial relationships. METHODS Financial disclosures reported by 163 authors and presenters who published in Journal of Clinical Oncology or who presented an abstract at the ASCO 2018 Annual Meeting were obtained and matched to payment data in OP. Categories included ownership, research, consulting/services, honoraria, expenses, royalty/patent/intellectual property, and other disclosures. Measures of concordance and discordance were calculated on the basis of matches on both company and category of disclosure and matches on company. Results are reported overall and within certain categories of disclosures. RESULTS Overall concordance between disclosures to ASCO and payments in OP was 16% for company and category matching and 24% for matching on the basis of company only. Authors tended to report more disclosures for research and consulting to ASCO than appear in OP. Expense disclosures were more frequently reported in OP than to ASCO. No payments were categorized as ownership in OP, but 35 authors/presenters disclosed ownership (including stock) to ASCO. CONCLUSION Our results reveal substantial discordance between self-reported and company-reported financial relationships for authors who report clinical oncology research. These findings support the calls for development of standardized disclosure policies across medicine.
БЕЗОПАСНОЕ ПОВЕДЕНИЕ ДЕТЕЙ С МЕНТАЛЬНЫМИ НАРУШЕНИЯМИ КАК ОБЪЕКТ ПСИХОЛОГИЧЕСКОГО ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ
Authors: Fatihova Lidija Favarisovna , Sajfutdijarova Elena Favarisovna 
Published: December 2019

Цель. В статье предлагается теоретический анализ проблемы безопасного поведения детей и подростков. Рассмотрены такие понятия как «безопасное поведение», «культура безопасного поведения», «представление о безопасности», «безопасность жизнедеятельности», «личность безопасного типа».Результаты. Сделан обзор исследований отечественных ученых по проблеме возрастных особенностей формирования безопасного поведения, его компонентах и условиях преодоления детьми опасных ситуаций, дан анализ исследований по проблеме формирования безопасного поведения у детей с ментальными нарушениями. В отечественно психологии выделено несколько компонентов готовности к безопасному поведению: когнитивно-познавательный, ценностно-мотивационный, эмоционально-волевой, операционально-деятельностный, регулятивный, оценочно-рефлексивный. Российскими учеными выявлены следующие особенности безопасного поведения детей с ментальными нарушениями: несформированность понимания опасных ситуаций, трудности в установлении причинно-следственных связей между опасным/безопасным поведением и его последствиями, отсутствие установки на безопасное поведение.Область применения результатов. Результаты теоретического анализа рассматриваемой проблемы позволяют определить задачи эмпирического исследования безопасного поведения детей и подростков с ментальными нарушениями.