bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Circulating Neutrophil Extracellular Traps and Neutrophil Activation Are Increased in Proportion to Disease Severity in Human Malaria
Authors: Kho Steven , Minigo Gabriela , Andries Benediktus , Leonardo Leo , Prayoga Pak , Poespoprodjo Jeanne R , Kenangalem Enny , Price Ric N , Woodberry Tonia , Anstey Nicholas M , Yeo Tsin W 
Published: November 2018

AbstractBackgroundNeutrophil activation results in Plasmodium parasite killing in vitro, but neutrophil products including neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) mediate host organ damage and may contribute to severe malaria. The role of NETs in the pathogenesis of severe malaria has not been examined.MethodsIn Papua, Indonesia, we enrolled adults with symptomatic Plasmodium falciparum (n = 47 uncomplicated, n = 8 severe), Plasmodium vivax (n = 37), or Plasmodium malariae (n = 14) malaria; asymptomatic P falciparum (n = 19) or P vivax (n = 21) parasitemia; and healthy adults (n = 23) without parasitemia. Neutrophil activation and NETs were quantified by immunoassays and microscopy and correlated with parasite biomass and disease severity.ResultsIn patients with symptomatic malaria, neutrophil activation and NET counts were increased in all 3 Plasmodium species. In falciparum malaria, neutrophil activation and NET counts positively correlated with parasite biomass (Spearman rho = 0.41, P = .005 and r2 = 0.26, P = .002, respectively) and were significantly increased in severe disease. In contrast, NETs were inversely associated with parasitemia in adults with asymptomatic P falciparum infection (r2 = 0.24, P = .031) but not asymptomatic P vivax infection.ConclusionsAlthough NETs may inhibit parasite growth in asymptomatic P falciparum infection, neutrophil activation and NET release may contribute to pathogenesis in severe falciparum malaria. Agents with potential to attenuate these processes should be evaluated.
Computational acoustic musicology
Authors: Boren Braxton B 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
While the challenge of historical reconstruction of past musical performances is not a fully solved problem, not all the elements are equally unknown, or of equal magnitude. Despite some uncertainty about the interpretation of individual performers on specific dates, scholarship can still inform other factors of greater perceptual importance, leading to a good approximation of historical performances. In addition to performance style and period instruments, computer simulations make it possible to also account for the acoustics of the period performance space. In addition, the most accurate reconstruction should simulate the room’s acoustics in real time for the performers, thus retaining the feedback mechanisms of room response on performance practice.
Annual parallax measurements of a semi-regular variable star SV Pegasus with VERA
Authors: Sudou Hiroshi , Omodaka Toshihiro , Murakami Kotone , Nagayama Takahiro , Nakagawa Akiharu , Urago Riku , Nagayama Takumi , Hirano Ken , Honma Mareki 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
Many studies have shown that there are clear sequences in the period–luminosity relationship (PLR) for Mira variables and semi-regular variables (SRVs) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). To investigate the PLR for SRVs in our galaxy, we examined the annual parallax measurement and conducted K΄-band photometric monitoring of an SRV star SV Pegasus (SV Peg). We measured the position change of the associated H2O maser spots by phase-referencing Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations with VERA at 22 GHz, spanning approximately 3 yr, and detected an annual parallax of π = 3.00 ± 0.06 mas, corresponding to a distance of D = 333 ± 7 pc. This result is in good agreement with the Hipparcos parallax and improves the accuracy of the distance from 35% to 2%. However, the Gaia DR2 catalog gave a parallax of π = 1.12 ± 0.28 mas for SV Peg. This indicates that the Gaia result might be blurred by the effect of the stellar size because the estimated stellar radius was ∼5 mas, which is comparable to the parallax. We obtained a K΄-band mean magnitude of $m_{K^{\prime }} = -0.48\:$mag and a period of P = 177 d from our photometric monitoring with a 1 m telescope. Using the trigonometric distance, we derived an absolute magnitude of $M_{K^{\prime }}=-8.09 \pm 0.05\:$mag. This result shows that the position of SV Peg in the PLR falls on the C’ sequence found in the PLR in the LMC, which is similar to other SRVs in our galaxy.
Core Outcome Measures for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Research: Recommendations from a Veterans Health Administration Work Group
Authors: Kroenke Kurt , Krebs Erin E , Turk Dennis , Von Korff Michael , Bair Matthew J , Allen Kelli D , Sandbrink Friedhelm , Cheville Andrea L , DeBar Lynn , Lorenz Karl A , Kerns Robert D 
Published: November 2018

AbstractObjectiveChronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP) disorders are among the most prevalent and disabling conditions worldwide. It would be advantageous to have common outcome measures when comparing results across different CMSP research studies.MethodsThe Veterans Health Administration appointed a work group to recommend core outcome measures for assessing pain intensity and interference as well as important secondary domains in clinical research. The work group used three streams of data to inform their recommendations: 1) literature synthesis augmented by three recently completed trials; 2) review and comparison of measures recommended by other expert groups; 3) two Delphi surveys of work group members.ResultsThe single-item numerical rating scale and seven-item Brief Pain Inventory interference scale emerged as the recommended measures for assessing pain intensity and interference, respectively. The secondary domains ranked most important included physical functioning and depression, followed by sleep, anxiety, and patient-reported global impression of change (PGIC). For these domains, the work group recommended the Patient-Reported Outcome Information System four-item physical function and sleep scales, the Patient Health Questionnaire two-item depression scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder two-item anxiety scale, and the single-item PGIC. Finally, a single-item National Health Interview Survey item was favored for defining chronic pain.ConclusionsTwo scales comprising eight items are recommended as core outcome measures for pain intensity and interference in all studies of chronic musculoskeletal pain, and brief scales comprising 13 additional items can be added when possible to assess important secondary domains.
Delivering information about medication assisted treatment to individuals who misuse opioids through a mobile app: a pilot study
Authors: Cavazos-Rehg Patricia A , Krauss Melissa J , Costello Shaina J , Ramsey Alex T , Petkas Demetrie , Gunderson Sean , Bierut Laura J , Marsch Lisa A 
Published: November 2018

Abstract

Background
Digital therapeutic tools (e.g. mobile applications) can be accessible, low-cost interventions that counter misconceptions about medication assisted treatment (MAT) and/or improve deficits in MAT knowledge that are common barriers to treatment entry among individuals with opioid dependence. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the preliminary effectiveness of a mobile application, ‘uMAT-R’, that includes health information about OUD recovery supported by science and MAT benefits.

Methods
Twenty-six adult participants with OUD recruited via social media completed all modules and pre/post-assessments within uMAT-R. McNemar’s test was used to compare interest in treatment before and after completing the app, and paired t tests were used to compare MAT attitude scores before and after completing the modules within uMAT-R.

Results
Before viewing uMAT-R, 32% agreed/strongly agreed that they were interested in starting treatment to recover from opioid misuse, compared to 48% after completing uMAT-R. The average scores on the MAT attitudes scale and its Aid to Behavior Change subscale improved from before to after viewing uMAT-R. Among the participants, 88% felt that uMAT-R would be useful to consult when making decisions about recovery.

Conclusions
Our encouraging pilot findings support the use of uMAT-R to help address the current opioid epidemic.
Inference on Causal and Structural Parameters using Many Moment Inequalities
Authors: Chernozhukov Victor , Chetverikov Denis , Kato Kengo 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
This article considers the problem of testing many moment inequalities where the number of moment inequalities, denoted by $p$, is possibly much larger than the sample size $n$. There is a variety of economic applications where solving this problem allows to carry out inference on causal and structural parameters; a notable example is the market structure model of Ciliberto and Tamer (2009) where $p=2^{m+1}$ with $m$ being the number of firms that could possibly enter the market. We consider the test statistic given by the maximum of $p$ Studentized (or $t$-type) inequality-specific statistics, and analyse various ways to compute critical values for the test statistic. Specifically, we consider critical values based upon (1) the union bound combined with a moderate deviation inequality for self-normalized sums, (2) the multiplier and empirical bootstraps, and (3) two-step and three-step variants of (1) and (2) by incorporating the selection of uninformative inequalities that are far from being binding and a novel selection of weakly informative inequalities that are potentially binding but do not provide first-order information. We prove validity of these methods, showing that under mild conditions, they lead to tests with the error in size decreasing polynomially in $n$ while allowing for $p$ being much larger than $n$; indeed $p$ can be of order $\exp (n^{c})$ for some $c > 0$. Importantly, all these results hold without any restriction on the correlation structure between $p$ Studentized statistics, and also hold uniformly with respect to suitably large classes of underlying distributions. Moreover, in the online supplement, we show validity of a test based on the block multiplier bootstrap in the case of dependent data under some general mixing conditions.
Clinical Predictors for Poor Quality of Life in Patients With Covert Hepatic Encephalopathy
Authors: Labenz Christian , Toenges Gerrit , Schattenberg Jörn M. , Nagel Michael , Sprinzl Martin F. , Nguyen-Tat Marc , Zimmermann Tim , Huber Yvonne , Marquardt Jens U. , Galle Peter R. , Wörns Marcus-Alexander 
Published: November 2018

Background:
Current EASL/AASLD guidelines recommend treatment of covert hepatic encephalopathy (HE) only in symptomatic patients, for example, in those with impaired quality of life or with affected driving abilities.

Goals:
Because testing for impaired quality of life is time consuming, the aim of the present study was to identify simple clinical predictors for poor quality of life in patients with covert HE (CHE).

Study:
In total, 139 cirrhotic in- and outpatients without a history of overt hepatic encephalopathy were enrolled. Diagnosis of HE grade 1 (HE1) was diagnosed clinically according to the West-Haven Criteria. Critical flicker frequency and the Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score were used to detect minimal HE (MHE). Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire was used to assess health-related quality of life (HrQoL).

Results:
CHE was detected in 51 (36.7%) patients. Multivariate analysis identified a history of falls in the previous year (P=0.003) and female gender (P=0.030) as independent predictors of reduced HRQoL in patients with CHE. Comparison of patients with and without a history of falls revealed relevant differences in the subdomains—abdominal symptoms, fatigue, systemic symptoms, emotional functions and worries.

Conclusions:
A history of falls and female gender are associated with impaired HRQoL in patients with CHE. These data indicate that a history of falls should be considered as a treatment indication in patients with CHE to improve HRQoL and ultimately prognosis.
Nomogram for predicting diabetes mellitus after the first attack of acute pancreatitis
Authors: Ma Ji-Hong , Yuan You-Jun , Lin Su-Han , Pan Jing-Ye 
Published: November 2018

Background
Diabetes mellitus can occur after acute pancreatitis (AP), but there are currently no tools for evaluating the risk of developing diabetes after an attack of AP. The aim of the study was to develop a nomogram for prediction of new-onset diabetes mellitus after the first attack of AP.

Patients and methods
We enrolled 616 patients with first-attack AP. We collected and statistically analyzed demographic data (age, BMI, and duration of hospitalization) and laboratory data (glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, and cholesterol).

Results
Univariate analysis suggested duration of hospitalization (P=0.0003), BMI (P=0.0059), cholesterol (P=0.0005), triglyceride (P=0.0005), hemoglobin (P=0.0229), and glucose (P<0.001) at admission were significantly associated with newly developed diabetes after the first-attack AP. Multivariate analysis showed that age [odds ratio (OR)=1.01; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00–1.03; P=0.045], BMI (OR=1.06; 95% CI: 1.01–1.12; P=0.018), glucose (OR=1.07; 95% CI: 1.02–1.12; P=0.008), triglyceride (OR=1.03; 95% CI: 1.00–1.06; P=0.035), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (OR=1.18; 95% CI: 1.00–1.38; P=0.044) at admission were important predictors.

Conclusion
The nomogram is a potentially clinically useful tool for predicting new-onset diabetes, which is currently clinically unprecedented. This finding is not confined to the patients with severe AP but is also for patients who have recovered from mild AP. The nomogram must to be validated externally.
Overcoming the Challenging Cervix: Identification and Techniques to Access the Uterine Cavity
Authors: Wood Michelle A. , Kerrigan Katherine L. , Burns Megan K. , Glenn Tanya L. , Ludwin Artur , Christianson Mindy S. , Bhagavath Bala , Lindheim Steven R. 
Published: November 2018

ABSTRACT

Importance
Cervical stenosis is a challenging clinical entity that requires prompt identification and management in order to avoid iatrogenic injury at the time of endocervical canal cannulation.

Objective
The aim of this study was to identify cervical stenosis and discuss associated etiologies, risk factors, and review medical and surgical approaches for overcoming cervical stenosis.

Evidence Acquisition
Computerized searches of MEDLINE and PubMed were conducted using the key words “cervix”, “cervical stenosis,” “embryo transfer,” “hysteroscopy complications,” “misoprostol,” and “ultrasound.” References from identified sources were manually searched to allow for a thorough review. Data from relevant sources were compiled to create this review.

Results
Transcervical access to the uterine cavity is frequently required for procedures such as hysteroscopy, dilation and curettage, endometrial biopsy, sonohysterogram, hysterosalpingogram, intrauterine insemination, embryo transfer in those undergoing in vitro fertilization, and insertion of intrauterine devices. These procedures can become complicated when difficult cannulation of the endocervical canal is encountered. Management strategies include preprocedural use of cervical-ripening agents or osmotic dilators, ultrasound guidance, no-touch vaginoscopy, manual dilatation, and hysteroscopic resection of the obstructed endocervical canal.

Conclusions and Relevance
Cervical stenosis is associated with iatrogenic complications that can result in significant patient morbidity. In patients undergoing in vitro fertilization, difficult embryo transfer is associated with lower pregnancy rates. The clinician should carefully consider the patient's menopausal status, risk factors, and symptoms in order to anticipate difficult navigation of the endocervical canal. Various medical and surgical management strategies, including hysteroscopic resection, can be used to overcome the stenotic cervix.

Target Audience
Obstetricians and gynecologists, family physicians.

Learning Objectives
After participating in this activity, the provider should be better able to diagnose cervical stenosis; distinguish associated etiologies and risk factors; and assess appropriate medical and surgical approaches.
Impact of Dry Eye on Prolonged Reading
Authors: Karakus Sezen , Mathews Priya M. , Agrawal Devika , Henrich Claudia , Ramulu Pradeep Y. , Akpek Esen K. 
Published: November 2018

SIGNIFICANCE
Patients with dry eye frequently report difficulty with reading. However, the impact of dry eye on reading has not been studied in detail. This study shows the unfavorable effect of dry eye on reading speed and offers mechanisms that may be responsible.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of dry eye signs as well as symptoms on both short-duration out-loud and prolonged silent reading.

METHODS
This study included 116 patients with clinically significant dry eye, 39 patients with dry eye symptoms only, and 31 controls, 50 years or older. After the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, objective testing of dry eye (tear film stability studies, Schirmer's test, and ocular surface staining) was performed. Total OSDI score and two subscores (vision related and discomfort related) were calculated. A short-duration out-loud reading test and a 30-minute sustained silent reading test were performed. Reading speed for each test was calculated as words per minute (wpm) and compared across the three groups.

RESULTS
Patients with clinically significant dry eye read slower than controls measured with sustained silent reading test (240 vs. 272 wpm, P = .04), but not with short-duration out-loud reading test (146 vs. 153 wpm, P = .47). Patients with dry eye symptoms only did not have slower reading speed measured using either reading test as compared with controls. However, vision-related OSDI subscore independently was associated with slower reading speed (P = .02). Multivariable regression models demonstrated that each 1-point (between 0 and 6) increase in corneal staining score led to a 10-wpm decrease in sustained silent reading speed (P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates a significant negative impact of dry eye (particularly presence of corneal staining) on prolonged reading. Prolonged reading task may serve as an objective clinically relevant test to measure the impact of dry eye on vision-related quality of life.
7 T Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Heckova Eva , Strasser Bernhard , Hangel Gilbert J. , Považan Michal , Dal-Bianco Assunta , Rommer Paulus S. , Bednarik Petr , Gruber Stephan , Leutmezer Fritz , Lassmann Hans , Trattnig Siegfried , Bogner Wolfgang 
Published: November 2018

Objectives
The aim of this study was to assess the utility of increased spatial resolution of magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) at 7 T for the detection of neurochemical changes in multiple sclerosis (MS)–related brain lesions.

Materials and Methods
This prospective, institutional review board–approved study was performed in 20 relapsing-remitting MS patients (9 women/11 men; mean age ± standard deviation, 30.8 ± 7.7 years) after receiving written informed consent. Metabolic patterns in MS lesions were compared at 3 different spatial resolutions of free induction decay MRSI with implemented parallel imaging acceleration: 2.2 × 2.2 × 8 mm3; 3.4 × 3.4 × 8 mm3; and 6.8 × 6.8 × 8 mm3 voxel volumes, that is, matrix sizes of 100 × 100, 64 × 64, and 32 × 32, respectively. The quality of data was assessed by signal-to-noise ratio and Cramér-Rao lower bounds. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with correction for multiple testing.

Results
Seventy-seven T2-hyperintense MS lesions were investigated (median volume, 155.7 mm3; range, 10.8–747.0 mm3). The mean metabolic ratios in lesions differed significantly between the 3 MRSI resolutions (ie, 100 × 100 vs 64 × 64, 100 × 100 vs 32 × 32, and 64 × 64 vs 32 × 32; P < 0.001). With the ultra-high resolution (100 × 100), we obtained 40% to 80% higher mean metabolic ratios and 100% to 150% increase in maximum metabolic ratios in the MS lesions compared with the lowest resolution (32 × 32), while maintaining good spectral quality (signal-to-noise ratio >12, Cramér-Rao lower bounds <20%) and measurement time of 6 minutes. There were 83% of MS lesions that showed increased myo-inositol/N-acetylaspartate with the 100 × 100 resolution, but only 66% were distinguishable with the 64 × 64 resolution and 35% with the 32 × 32 resolution.

Conclusions
Ultra-high-resolution MRSI (~2 × 2 × 8 mm3 voxel volume) can detect metabolic alterations in MS, which cannot be recognized by conventional MRSI resolutions, within clinically acceptable time.
Refining interaction search through signed iterative Random Forests
Authors: Kumbier Karl , Basu Sumanta , Brown James B. , Celniker Susan , Yu Bin 
Published: November 2018

AbstractAdvances in supervised learning have enabled accurate prediction in biological systems governed by complex interactions among biomolecules. However, state-of-the-art predictive algorithms are typically “black-boxes,” learning statistical interactions that are difficult to translate into testable hypotheses. The iterative Random Forest (iRF) algorithm took a step towards bridging this gap by providing a computationally tractable procedure to identify the stable, high-order feature interactions that drive the predictive accuracy of Random Forests (RF). Here we refine the interactions identified by iRF to explicitly map responses as a function of interacting features. Our method, signed iRF (s-iRF), describes “subsets” of rules that frequently occur on RF decision paths. We refer to these “rule subsets” as signed interactions. Signed interactions share not only the same set of interacting features but also exhibit similar thresholding behavior, and thus describe a consistent functional relationship between interacting features and responses. We describe stable and predictive importance metrics (SPIMs) to rank signed interactions in terms of their stability, predictive accuracy, and strength of interaction. For each SPIM, we definenull importance metricsthat characterize its expected behavior under known structure. We evaluate our proposed approach in biologically inspired simulations and two case studies: predicting enhancer activity and spatial gene expression patterns. In the case of enhancer activity, s-iRF recovers one of the few experimentally validated high-order interactions and suggests novel enhancer elements where this interaction may be active. In the case of spatial gene expression patterns, s-iRF recovers all 11 reported links in the gap gene network. By refining the process of interaction recovery, our approach has the potential to guide mechanistic inquiry into systems whose scale and complexity is beyond human comprehension.