bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nocardiosis: 7‐year experience at an Australian tertiary hospital
Authors: Paige Emma K. , Spelman Denis 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBackgroundNocardiosis has historically been reported in immunocompromised patients, but Australian epidemiological and antimicrobial susceptibility data are limited.AimTo describe the epidemiology, diagnosis and initial treatment of nocardiosis in an Australian tertiary hospital over 7 years.MethodsIn this retrospective study, all positive cultures for Nocardia species from any site isolated at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2016 were identified, and corresponding laboratory data and medical records reviewed.ResultsSixty‐eight non‐duplicate isolates were identified from 67 patients. Common predisposing factors were chronic lung disease (38/67; 57%), organ, particularly lung, transplantation (13/67; 19%) and solid organ malignancy (6/67; 9%); 12% (8/67) of patients had no identifiable systemic risk factors. Seventy‐nine percent (53/67) of patients had pulmonary nocardiosis only. Nocardia nova was the most commonly isolated species (20/68; 29%). In 48% (32/67) of patients, Nocardia species were isolated only on specific mycobacterial media. All tested species were susceptible to sulfamethoxazole‐trimethoprim and amikacin, with the majority (58/63; 92%) susceptible to imipenem. All‐cause mortality rates at 6 and 12 months where data were available were 15% (10/66 patients) and 22% (14/64 patients) respectively.ConclusionIn the largest Australian series in 25 years, nocardiosis predominantly affected patients with chronic lung disease or impaired cell‐mediated immunity. A significant proportion of organisms from pulmonary sites were isolated on mycobacterial culture media only, suggesting that its use may improve yield. Isolates remain highly susceptible to sulfamethoxazole‐trimethoprim, amikacin and imipenem, while other agents should be used only after confirmation of in vitro susceptibility.
Confidence Intervals for the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve in the Presence of Ignorable Missing Data
Authors: Cho Hunyong , Matthews Gregory J. , Harel Ofer 
Published: August 2018

SummaryReceiver operating characteristic curves are widely used as a measure of accuracy of diagnostic tests and can be summarised using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Often, it is useful to construct a confidence interval for the AUC; however, because there are a number of different proposed methods to measure variance of the AUC, there are thus many different resulting methods for constructing these intervals. In this article, we compare different methods of constructing Wald‐type confidence interval in the presence of missing data where the missingness mechanism is ignorable. We find that constructing confidence intervals using multiple imputation based on logistic regression gives the most robust coverage probability and the choice of confidence interval method is less important. However, when missingness rate is less severe (e.g. less than 70%), we recommend using Newcombe's Wald method for constructing confidence intervals along with multiple imputation using predictive mean matching.
Association of breastfeeding and malocclusion in 5‐year‐old children: Multilevel approach
Authors: Corrêa‐Faria Patrícia , de Abreu Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães , Jordão Lidia Moraes Ribeiro , Freire Maria do Carmo Matias , Costa Luciane Rezende 
Published: August 2018

BackgroundBreastfeeding plays an important role in child health, including the development of normal dental occlusion, but large epidemiological findings on the association breastfeeding‐malocclusion are lacking.AimTo investigate the association between the proportion of breastfed children in the city level and the prevalence of malocclusion in the primary dentition at age 5.DesignThis cross‐sectional analysis used data from national population surveys on oral health and on breastfeeding practices. Data refer to 5278 5‐year‐old children and 44 Brazilian towns. Information on malocclusion and individual sociodemographic characteristics were obtained from the 2010 Brazilian Oral Health Survey. Breastfeeding rates during the first year of life were extracted from the Breastfeeding Prevalence Survey in Brazilian Towns. Population sociodemographic data were analysed as confounder. Multilevel Poisson analyses were performed.ResultsMalocclusion prevalence was 63.3%. Towns exhibiting higher prevalence of breastfeeding among 9‐ to 12‐month‐olds presented lower prevalence of malocclusion among children at age 5 (PR 0.98; 95% CI 0.98‐0.99).ConclusionsLower prevalence of malocclusion among 5‐year‐old children was associated with a higher proportion of children breastfed at ages 9 to 12 months at a city level, regardless of sociodemographic factors. These findings highlight the importance of encouraging breastfeeding during a child's first year.
Computer‐based testing and the 12‐item Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain‐Revised: A combined approach to improving efficiency
Authors: Finkelman Matthew D. , Jamison Robert N. , Magnuson Britta , Kulich Ronald J. , Butler Stephen F. , Smits Niels , Weiner Scott G. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractObjectives were to combine computer‐based stopping rules with the 12‐item form of the Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain‐Revised (SOAPP‐R), and to compare this combined procedure with the full‐length (24‐item) SOAPP‐R, the computer‐based stopping rules alone, and the 12‐item short form alone. Three datasets were analyzed, including data from 428 subjects from the initial or cross‐validation studies of the SOAPP‐R; 84 patients from a pain center; and 110 primary care patients. Subjects completed the full‐length SOAPP‐R and were assessed for aberrant medication‐related behaviors. A real‐data simulation was conducted to determine the screening characteristics and mean test length of each version of the SOAPP‐R. One procedure combining stochastic curtailment with the 12‐item short form reduced the mean length by 37% to 42% compared to the short form alone; by 42% to 45% compared to stochastic curtailment alone; and by 68% to 71% compared to the full‐length form. The combined procedure had lower mean test lengths, and equal screening characteristics, compared to a procedure coupling curtailment with the 12‐item short form. A procedure combining computer‐based stopping rules with the 12‐item short form of the SOAPP‐R has potential to enhance the efficiency of the screener.
Environmental prevalence and the distribution of species richness across climatic niche space
Authors: Meyer Andreas L. S. , Pie Marcio R. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractAimThe reciprocal relationship between geographical and ecological niche space known as Hutchinson's duality provides a powerful framework to analyse the relationship between biogeographical distributions and environmental variables. However, little attention has been given to how the structure of niche space is associated with the distribution of species across niche space itself. We examined whether environmental prevalence (i.e. the relative availability of different combinations of climatic conditions) can predict the climate‐richness relationship and consequently influence broad‐scale patterns of species richness.LocationWorldwideMethodsWe tested our hypothesis using distribution data on >10,000 species of amphibians and mammals. We measured the environmental prevalence of five climatic variables associated with broad‐scale patterns of species richness. To this end, we divided each variable into equally spaced intervals representing particular climatic regimes, and calculated the geographical area where each regime is present. We then used species‐area regression models and hierarchical partitioning to test the relationship between environmental prevalence and the number of species in each climatic regime, and measure the relative importance of environmental prevalence and climate in explaining species richness across climatic niche space.ResultsOur results indicate a strong relationship between environmental prevalence and the number of species found in each climatic regime, especially in temperature‐related variables. Moreover, environmental prevalence was generally a stronger predictor of species richness than climate. Results were similar for amphibians and mammals, being observed at both global‐ and realm‐scales.Main conclusionsOur findings suggest that the relationship between climate and species richness can arise from the variation in environmental prevalence. This conclusion challenges the traditional idea that climate itself is a primary driver of the climate‐richness relationship. We argue that environmental prevalence should be considered in future tests of the relationship between environmental variables and species richness.
rSjP40 suppresses hepatic stellate cell activation by promoting microRNA‐155 expression and inhibiting STAT5 and FOXO3a expression
Authors: Zhu Dandan , Yang Chunzhao , Shen Pei , Chen Liuting , Chen Jinling , Sun Xiaolei , Duan Lian , Zhang Li , Zhu Jinhua , Duan Yinong 
Published: August 2018

AbstractActivation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is the central event of the evolution of hepatic fibrosis. Schistosomiasis is one of the pathogenic factors which could induce hepatic fibrosis. Previous studies have shown that recombinant Schistosoma japonicum egg antigen P40 (rSjP40) can inhibit the activation and proliferation of HSCs. MicroRNA‐155 is one of the multifunctional noncoding RNA, which is involved in a series of important biological processes including cell development, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Here, we try to observe the role of microRNA‐155 in rSjP40‐inhibited HSC activation and explore its potential mechanisms. We found that microRNA‐155 was raised in rSjP40‐treated HSCs, and further studies have shown that rSjP40 enhanced microRNA‐155 expression by inhibiting STAT5 transcription. Up‐regulated microRNA‐155 can down‐regulate the expression of FOXO3a and then participate in rSjP40‐inhibited expression of α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) and collagen I. Furthermore, we observed microRNA‐155 inhibitor could partially restore the down‐regulation of FOXO3a, α‐SMA and collagen I expression in LX‐2 cells induced by rSjP40. Therefore, our research provides further insight into the mechanism by which rSjP40 could inhibit HSC activation via miR‐155.
Histopathology and external examination of heavily parasitized Lost River Sucker Deltistes luxatus (Cope 1879) and Shortnose Sucker Chasmistes brevirostris (Cope 1879) from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon
Authors: Janik Andrew J , Markle Douglas F , Heidel Jerry R , Kent Michael L 
Published: August 2018

AbstractShortnose Sucker (Chasimistes brevirostris) and Lost River Sucker (Deltistes luxatus) are endemic to the Upper Klamath Basin of Southern Oregon and Northern California, and their populations are in decline. We used histopathology and external examination of 140 and external examination only of 310 underyearling suckers collected in 2013, 2015 and 2016 to document pathological changes, particularly those relating to parasites. The most severe infection was caused by a Contracaecum sp., infecting the atrium of 8%–33% of Shortnose Suckers. The most prevalent infections were caused by Bolbophorus sp. metacercariae in the muscle of Shortnose Suckers (21%–63%) and Lernaea cyprinacea in the skin and muscle of Lost River Suckers (30%–81%). Histology detected Bolbophorus in only 5% of cases where it was not seen externally. Three myxozoans were observed; a Parvicapsula sp. in the renal tubules (10%), a Myxobolus sp. in the intestinal mucosa (2%) and an unusual multicellular, presporogonic myxozoan in the intestinal lumen of one sucker. Severe gill epithelial hyperplasia was observed in several fish collected in 2016. Trichodinids and Ichthyobodo sp. were observed on some of the gills, but absent in many of the fish with severe lesions. A histiocytic sarcoma was observed in sucker.
Image recognition of automatic evisceration of Cherry Valley ducks and biological activities of protein extracts isolated from the duck meat
Authors: Chen Yan , Kong Lina , Wang Shucai 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBased on active contour segmentation algorithm and image acquisition system, Cherry Valley duck meats were collected after evisceration, protein extracts were preliminarily isolated, and their various biological properties were evaluated in present study. The amino acid analysis revealed that these protein extracts contained abundant essential amino acids including Thr, Val, Ile, Leu, Met, Phe, Lys, and His, suggesting that this duck meat have high nutritional value. Antioxidant results indicated that the protein extracts had great free radical scavenging effects and excellent in vivo antioxidant capacities. The immunomodulatory results demonstrated that the duck protein extracts exhibited obvious co‐mitogenic effects on the splenocytes activated by the mitogen and effective natural killer (NK) cells' activity. Moreover, the proposed image processing method based on the visceral contour recognition can be applied in poultry processing, which can improve the production efficiency of Cherry Valley duck processing in the poultry industry.Practical applicationsIn the world, duck meat is very popular by people for a long time because of its delicacy and high nutritional value. In the present study, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities of protein extracts from the Cherry Valley duck show that this duck has significant nutritional value to human body. For a long time, there are many difficult problems on the automatic slaughter and evisceration of duck, chicken and goose in poultry processing industry. Moreover, avian influenza virus has been threatening poultry breeding and slaughter processing, which can easily harm to the health of workers and cause a wide range of virus spread. Image recognition system and contour segmentation algorithm may provide useful information for the development of automatic slaughter of Cherry Valley ducks, which is also helpful to conduct further research in food processing and utilization of various kinds of poultry.
Preoperative Anemia, Functional Outcomes, and Quality of Life After Hip Fracture Surgery
Authors: Sim Yilin Eileen , Sim Shao‐en David , Seng Chusheng , Howe Tet Sen , Koh Suang Bee , Abdullah Hairil Rizal 
Published: August 2018

ObjectivesTo determine whether preoperative anemia, perioperative blood transfusion, and predischarge anemia affect function and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) after hip fracture surgery.DesignRetrospective single‐center cohort studyParticipantsIndividuals undergoing traumatic hip fracture surgery from 2012 to 2016 (N=973).MeasurementsDemographic data, Charlson Comorbidity Index, preoperative hemoglobin level, perioperative blood transfusion, predischarge hemoglobin level, type of surgery (replacement or fixation). Anemia was divided into quintiles at 10.0, 11.0, 12.0, and 13.0 g/dL. Baseline, 6‐week, and 6‐month Harris Hip Scale (HHS), Parker Mobility Scale (PMS), and Medical Outcomes Study 36‐item Short‐Form Health Survey (SF‐36) scores were obtained. PMS; HHS and SF‐36 role physical (RP), physical function (PF), and social functioning (SF) domains had more than 20% change from baseline to 6 weeks and from 6 weeks to 6 months. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to examine the association between preoperative anemia, transfusion and predischarge anemia on 6‐month scores.ResultsOn univariate analysis, preoperative hemoglobin less than 10.0 g/dL was associated with lower baseline prefall PMS, PF, RP, and SF scores. Predischarge anemia did not affect 6‐month scores. On multivariate analysis, preoperative anemia (hemoglobin <10.0 g/dL) was associated with lower 6‐month HHS, PMS, PF, and RP scores, whereas transfusion was not significant.ConclusionPreoperative anemia (hemoglobin <10.0 g/dL) is associated with poorer physical function and HRQoL after hip fracture surgery. Perioperative blood transfusion and predischarge anemia had no effect.
Hospice Care of Veterans in Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare: A Risk‐Adjusted Analysis
Authors: Gidwani‐Marszowski Risha , Kinosian Bruce , Scott Winifred , Phibbs Ciaran S. , Intrator Orna 
Published: August 2018

ObjectivesTo compare the quality of end‐of‐life care in Medicare Advantage (MA) and traditional Medicare (TM), specifically, receipt and length of hospice care.DesignRetrospective analysis of administrative data.SettingHospice care.ParticipantsVeterans dually enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and MA or TM who died between 2008 and 2013 (N = 1,515,441).MeasurementsOutcomes studied included use and duration of hospice care. Use of a VHA‐enrolled population allowed for risk adjustment that is otherwise challenging when studying MA.ResultsAdjusted analyses revealed that MA beneficiaries were more likely to receive hospice than TM beneficiaries; results corroborate published non‐risk‐adjusted analyses. MA beneficiaries had shorter hospice duration; this is an opposite direction of effect than non‐risk‐adjusted analyses. Results were robust to multiple sensitivity analyses limiting the cohort to individuals in MA and TM who had equal opportunity for their comorbidities to be captured. Removing risk adjustment resulted in results that mirrored those in the existing published literature.ConclusionOur work provides two important insights regarding MA that are important to consider as enrollment in this insurance mechanism grows. First, MA beneficiaries received poorer‐quality end‐of‐life care than TM beneficiaries, as ascertained by exposure to hospice. Second, any comparisons made between MA and TM require proper risk adjustment to obtain correct directions of effect. We encourage the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to make comorbidity data specific to MA enrollees available to researchers for these purposes.
Long‐Term Cognitive Prognosis of Profoundly Deaf Older Adults After Hearing Rehabilitation Using Cochlear Implants
Authors: Mosnier Isabelle , Vanier Antoine , Bonnard Damien , Lina‐Granade Geneviève , Truy Eric , Bordure Philippe , Godey Benoit , Marx Mathieu , Lescanne Emmanuel , Venail Frédéric , Poncet Christine , Sterkers Olivier , Belmin Joël 
Published: August 2018

ObjectivesTo analyze long‐term cognitive status and function after cochlear implantation in profoundly deaf individuals.DesignProspective observational longitudinal study.SettingTen academic medical centers referent for cochlear implantation.ParticipantsIndividuals aged 65 and older who qualified for cochlear implantation (N=70).MeasurementsCognitive tests were administered before cochlear implantation and 1 and 5 or more years after cochlear implantation. Evaluation consisted of 6 tests assessing attention, memory, orientation, executive function, mental flexibility, and fluency. Cognitive status was determined as normal, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia. Speech perception in quiet and noisy conditions was assessed using disyllabic words, and quality of life was assessed using the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire.ResultsMean follow‐up was 6.8 years (range 5.5–8.5 years). Speech perception scores and quality of life remained stable from 1 to 7 years after cochlear implantation. Of 31 participants (45%) with MCI before cochlear implantation, 2 (6%) developed dementia during follow‐up, 19 (61%) remained stable, and 10 (32%) returned to normal cognition. None of the 38 with normal cognition developed dementia during follow‐up, although 12 (32%) developed MCI.ConclusionMCI is highly prevalent in older adults with profound hearing loss. Nevertheless, we observed a low rate of progression to dementia, and cognitive function improved in some individuals with MCI at baseline. These results highlight that cochlear implantation should be strongly considered in profoundly deaf individuals, even those with MCI, who may have a specific subtype of MCI, with a possible positive effect of hearing rehabilitation on neurocognitive functioning.
N‐glycosylation of the AMPA‐type glutamate receptor regulates cell surface expression and tetramer formation affecting channel function
Authors: Kandel Munal Babu , Yamamoto Saki , Midorikawa Ryosuke , Morise Jyoji , Wakazono Yoshihiko , Oka Shogo , Takamiya Kogo 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe AMPA‐type glutamate receptor (AMPA‐R) plays a primary role in principal excitatory synaptic transmission and many neuronal functions including synaptic plasticity that underlie learning and memory. N‐glycosylation is one of the major post‐translational modifications of membrane proteins, but its specific roles in neurons remain largely unknown. AMPA‐R subunits are N‐glycosylated at their extracellular domains during their biosynthesis in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi system. Six N‐glycosylation sites are presumed to exist in the extracellular domain of GluA1, which is a member of the AMPA‐R subunits. We observed that the intracellular trafficking and cell surface expression were strongly suppressed in the GluA1 mutants lacking N‐glycans at N63/N363 in HEK293T cells. Multimer analysis using Blue Native‐PAGE displayed the impaired tetramer formation in the glycosylation mutants (N63S and N363S), indicating that the mis‐transport was caused by impaired tetramer formation. N63S and N363S mutants were primarily degraded via the lysosomal pathway. Flag‐tagged N363S GluA1, but not N63S GluA1, expressed in primary cortical neuron cultures prepared from GluA1 knockout mice was observed to localize at the cell surface. Co‐expression of GluA2 partially rescued tetramer formation and the cell surface expression of N363S GluA1 but not N63S GluA1, in HEK293T cells. Electrophysiological analysis also demonstrated functional heteromers of N363S GluA1 with GluA2. These data suggest that site‐specific N‐glycans on GluA1 subunit regulates tetramer formation, intracellular trafficking, and cell surface expression of AMPA‐R.Open science badgesThis article has received a badge for *Open Materials* because it provided all relevant information to reproduce the study in the manuscript. The complete Open Science Disclosure form for this article can be found at the end of the article. More information about the Open Practices badges can be found at https://cos.io/our-services/open-science-badges/.
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