bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
HIV Seroconversion in the Era of Pharmacologic Prevention: A Case–Control Study at a San Francisco STD Clinic
Authors: Johnson Kelly A. , Hessol Nancy A. , Kohn Robert , Nguyen Trang Q. , Mara Elise S. , Hsu Ling , Scheer Susan , Cohen Stephanie E. 
Published: June 2019

Background:
The comparative effectiveness of pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP) for men who have sex with men (MSM) is unclear.

Setting:
We conducted a case–control study of MSM who were initially HIV-uninfected during September 1, 2012–June 30, 2016 at San Francisco's only municipal sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) clinic.

Methods:
Each case was matched with up to 3 controls based on age, baseline visit date, and follow-up time. The primary dependent variable was HIV seroconversion; the primary independent variable was exposure to PrEP, PEP, or neither. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Results:
Of 638 MSM (161 cases and 477 controls), 137 reported ever taking PrEP, 98 reported taking PEP-only, and 403 took neither. PrEP takers had more non-HIV sexually transmitted diseases during the analysis (72.3% vs. 55.1% vs. 42.4% P < 0.01) and were more likely to report receptive anal sex in the past 3 months (86.5% vs. 80.4% vs. 73.0%; P < 0.01). In the adjusted model, PrEP was associated with lower odds of HIV seroconversion (odds ratio 0.24; 95% confidence interval: 0.13 to 0.46) while PEP use had no effect on HIV acquisition compared with taking neither.

Conclusions:
MSM who ever used PrEP demonstrated equal or higher sexual risk compared with those using neither PrEP nor PEP but had 76% lower odds of HIV seroconversion. MSM who used PEP but never PrEP were no less likely to seroconvert than those using neither. MSM should be offered PrEP. PEP users with ongoing risk of HIV infection should be connected to PrEP after PEP.
Quantitative Assessment of Bone Metastasis in Prostate Cancer Using Synthetic Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Arita Yuki , Takahara Taro , Yoshida Soichiro , Kwee Thomas C. , Yajima Shugo , Ishii Chikako , Ishii Ryota , Okuda Shigeo , Jinzaki Masahiro , Fujii Yasuhisa 
Published: June 2019

Objectives
The aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of quantitative synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (SyMRI) for characterizing bone lesions in prostate cancer and to discriminate viable progressive osteoblastic bone metastasis from nonviable bone metastases with treatment-induced sclerosis during the treatment course.

Materials and Methods
This institutional review board–approved prospective study included 96 consecutive prostate cancer patients who underwent whole-body MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging at the time of staging at diagnosis or starting a new line of anticancer treatment. Additional synthetic MRI of the lumbosacral spine, pelvis, and proximal femurs was performed. A region of interest of 1.0 cm in diameter was set in each bone lesion by 2 independent readers who were blinded to bone lesions' diagnosis. Differences in SyMRI variables between the different bone lesions were compared with the Wilcoxon rank sum test, and associations of SyMRI variables with active disease were analyzed with logistic regression analysis. Performance of T1, T2, and proton density (PD) for diagnosing active disease was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

Results
Ninety-three bone lesions were eligible for analysis. The PD values of active (viable) bone metastatic lesions were significantly higher than those of inactive (nonviable) bone metastatic lesions without sclerosis and those of red bone marrow (P < 0.001 for both readers). The PD values of inactive bone metastatic lesions with sclerosis were significantly lower than those of inactive bone metastatic lesions without sclerosis and red bone marrow (P < 0.001 for both readers). The PD value proved to be an independent significant indicator (P < 0.001) for differentiating bone lesions. The areas under the curve of T1/T2/PD for identifying active disease were 0.81/0.69/0.93 for reader 1 and 0.78/0.70/0.92 for reader 2, respectively.

Conclusions
Signal quantification on SyMRI provides objective assessment of bone lesions in the lower trunk. The PD value can be useful to determine the viability of bone metastases in prostate cancer.
Pediatric Toxic Shock Syndrome After a 7% Burn
Authors: Khajuria Ankur , Nadama Hauwa’u Hayat , Gallagher Michael , Jones Isabel , Atkins Joanne 
Published: June 2019

Introduction
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a life-threatening condition, which occurs in children after sustaining a burn. Often diagnosed retrospectively, many patients may not receive optimal treatment.
The primary objective of this study was to evaluate a severe and complex case of TSS at our unit and subsequently conduct a Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses–compliant systematic literature review, to identify cases of postthermal injury TSS and evaluate their presentation and management.

Case Report
A 9-year-old boy with Down syndrome presented with a 7% total body surface area scald to his back and posterior head. Four days after discharge, he developed a fever. The following day, he deteriorated, becoming stridulous and unresponsive. A working diagnosis of TSS was made. The patient's intensive care stay was arduous with multiple complications, including 2 cardiac arrests.

Methods
A Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses–compliant systematic literature review was conducted. MEDLINE, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched using key terms “burns, thermal injury, scalds, paediatric, child, infant, neonate, toxic shock syndrome” to identify cases. Two authors independently checked each study against inclusion criteria.

Results
The systematic literature search yielded 9 articles, identifying 40 cases. Ages ranged between 9 months and 8 years. The mean number of days' postburn patients presented with symptoms of TSS was 2.5 days (1–7 days). The most common presenting symptoms were fever (75%), rash (70%), and diarrhea, and/or vomiting (52.5%). Intravenous immunoglobulins were administered in 11 (27.5%) cases.

Discussion
We have highlighted a case where a possible delayed diagnosis along with the immunodeficiency seen in Down syndrome may have impacted the severity of TSS. The literature review highlighted that a significant proportion of patients do not meet diagnostic criteria.

Conclusions
It is fundamental that appropriate diagnostic and management guidelines are developed. Furthermore, this case highlights the importance of educating patient's carers and health professionals of key symptoms to be wary of postburn.
Subcutaneous Administration of Carbidopa Enhances Oral Levodopa Pharmacokinetics: A Series of Studies Conducted in Pigs, Mice, and Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Shaltiel-Karyo Ronit , Caraco Yoseph , Zawaznik Eduardo , Weinstock Irena , Nemas Mara , Oren Sheila , Yacoby-Zeevi Oron , LeWitt Peter A. 
Published: June 2019

Objectives
Although commercially available levodopa (LD) formulations include carbidopa (CD) or benserazide for gastrointestinal l-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase inhibition, little is known how manipulating CD delivery affects the pharmacokinetics of LD. Our research systematically evaluated the peripheral and central pharmacokinetics of LD during continuous subcutaneous CD delivery.

Methods
We conducted pharmacokinetic experiments in pigs, mice, and humans to characterize effects of continuous subcutaneous CD delivery co-administered with LD as compared with oral LD/CD administration on LD pharmacokinetics. The porcine and human studies compared peripheral LD pharmacokinetic parameters (area under the curves [AUCs], peak plasma concentrations [C
max], and plasma elimination half-life [t
1/2]) and the mouse studies compared brain LD and dopamine concentrations.

Results
In the pig, supplementary subcutaneous CD delivery significantly increased the LD t
1/2 and AUC versus LD/CD alone and versus additional oral CD administration. In mice, administration of supplementary subcutaneous CD substantially increased mean plasma concentrations of both LD and CD versus oral LD/CD alone at all time points. These increases were mirrored by increased brain dopamine levels for at least the 7 hours of study. In healthy human subjects, continuous subcutaneous CD administration, 3.33 mg/h x24h, increased the plasma LD t
1/2, C
max, and AUC by 17.4%, 40.5%, and 22.3%, respectively (P < 0.003).

Conclusions
This series of studies demonstrates that small continuous dosing of subcutaneous CD has an unexpected effect on LD pharmacokinetics greater than the extent of decarboxylase inhibition achieved by additional oral CD administration.
A Measure to Assess Perceptions and Knowledge About Electroconvulsive Therapy
Authors: Tsai Jack , Huang Minda , Wilkinson Samuel T. , Edelen Carl , Rosenheck Robert A. , Holtzheimer Paul E. 
Published: June 2019

Objectives
Although electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been found to be one of the most robust and rapid treatments for severe depression, it is widely underused partly because of negative perceptions and inaccurate knowledge about the treatment.

Methods
The 18-item ECT Perception and Knowledge (ECT-PK) measure was developed through a systematic review of the literature, subject matter expert ratings, and examination of content validity. The ECT-PK consists of Perception and Knowledge subscales, which were tested on a national sample of 1091 US adults who screened positive for depression in 2018 through Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform.

Results
Evaluation of the ECT-PK subscales found that both subscales demonstrated good construct validity, criterion validity, and internal consistency reliability. Participants who had higher Perception and Knowledge subscale scores were significantly more likely to report that they were willing to try ECT. The ECT-PK revealed that many participants reported fears about pain, brain damage, and memory loss resulting from ECT, and had inaccurate knowledge about ECT being outdated or lacking scientific evidence.

Conclusions
Together, these results showed that the ECT-PK is an efficient and effective contemporary tool to measure the perception and knowledge of ECT, and highlights areas in need of psychoeducation.
Assessing Public Attitudes to Electroconvulsive Therapy
Authors: Alexander Lauren , Malone Kevin , Counihan Eimear , Kennedy Jennifer , Roddy Darren , Delaney Liam 
Published: June 2019

Introduction
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an established treatment for major depressive disorder, yet it remains controversial. Attitudes toward ECT have been studied in members of the public and service users, with diverse findings. There is no systematically validated scale to quantify attitudes.

Objectives
The aim of this study was to validate a scale measuring attitudes toward ECT using a systematic analysis.

Methods
Validation consisted of 3 stages: item generation, theoretical analysis, and psychometric analysis. A total of 196 members of the public were surveyed, and the findings were used to perform principal component analysis, Cronbach alpha (CA), and interitem correlation.

Results
The Modified ECT Attitudes Questionnaire (EAQ) is a 22-item participant-rated questionnaire (0–44) consisting of 2 principal components: “moral and ethical perceptions of ECT” and “ECT as a last resort treatment.” There was adequate reliability for the total EAQ (CA, 0.873) and each of the components (component 1 CA, 0.907; component 2 interitem correlation, 0.389). Among the 196 members of the public, the mean score was 20.4 (SD, 8.4), which equates to 46% positive responses. Component 1 elicited 39% positive responses; component 2 elicited 52% positive responses. The emotion components of attitudes elicited particularly negative responses.

Conclusions
The EAQ is a validated and reliable scale for the measurement of attitudes toward ECT. Application of this scale to 196 members of the public indicates that negative attitudes are rooted in individuals' moral and ethical objections to ECT, particularly the emotion components of such attitudes. This scale can be applied to other groups, including service users, to further characterize attitudes that underlie the stigma toward ECT.
Clinical Effectiveness of Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy in Patients with Schizophrenia
Authors: Isserles Moshe , Remington Jesse , Kaster Tyler S. , Daskalakis Zafiris J. , Blumberger Daniel M. 
Published: June 2019

Objective
This study aimed to assess the clinical effectiveness and cognitive effects of maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (mECT) in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and explore factors associated with both outcomes.

Methods
In this retrospective cohort study, we examined clinical records of 47 patients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder treated with mECT at an academic mental health hospital between April 2010 and July 2016. Sixty-two mECT courses were reviewed. We assessed clinical effectiveness and cognitive effects as well as factors associated with response to treatment, including psychiatric diagnosis, concomitant pharmacological treatment, and previous treatment response.

Results
Maintenance electroconvulsive therapy was able to maintain clinical response in 48 (77%) treatment courses. Significant cognitive adverse effects were reported in 7 (11%) of the courses. Use of antipsychotic, antidepressant or benzodiazepine medications, psychiatric disorder, and sex were not associated with response.

Conclusion
This study shows meaningful clinical effectiveness and good tolerability of mECT in patients with resistant schizophrenia over extended periods.
Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy on Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Depressed Patients
Authors: Arunachalam Arulmathy , Sarma Shanthi 
Published: June 2019

Background
Research has shown large improvements in quality of life after a course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for severe depressive disorder. The effect of ECT on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in the Australian older population has not been explored.

Objectives
This study aimed to investigate the impact of ECT on HRQOL in older patients with severe major depression and confirm that ECT in these participants is associated with an improvement in depression and no change in cognition.

Methods
Data on 34 patients from a Public Older Persons Mental Health Service in Queensland were collected. The Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were used pre- and post-ECT. The Wilcoxon signed rank test, Friedman test, and Kendall τ correlation coefficient were performed.

Results
A significant improvement in Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form was demonstrated post-ECT. Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale scores decreased significantly post-ECT. Montreal Cognitive Assessment score increased significantly post-ECT. Significant results were sustained at the 3-month time point.

Conclusions
An acute course of ECT for severe depressive disorder was associated with clinically and statistically significant improvement in HRQOL. There was also clinical and statistical improvement in depression and no significant decrease in global cognitive function, memory, or executive function domains after ECT compared with baseline. In fact, the cohort showed improvement on measures of cognition post-ECT.
Landscape heterogeneity of peasant-managed agricultural matrices
Authors: Urrutia Ana L. , González-González Cecilia , Van Cauwelaert Emilio Mora , Rosell Julieta A. , Barrios Luis García , Benítez Mariana 
Published: June 2019

ABSTRACTIn agricultural landscapes, management practices and other environmental and social factors shape complex agroecological matrices. In turn, the structure of such matrices impacts both agricultural activities and biodiversity conservation, for instance, by mediating wildlife migration between agricultural and habitat patches. One way to characterize a matrix, its potential role in biodiversity conservation, and how its descriptors change across different spatial scales, is characterizing heterogeneity metrics and systematically examining how such metrics change with grain size and landscape extent. However, these methods have rarely been applied to tropical, peasant-managed landscapes, even though this type of landscape occupies most of the agricultural surface in or near biodiversity hotspots. We focus on a peasant-managed agricultural landscape in Oaxaca, Mexico, for which we mapped and quantified the land-use classes and evaluated heterogeneity metrics. We also examined the response of heterogeneity metrics to changes in grain and extent scales. This allowed us to further understand the structure and conservation potential of the agroecological matrix in this type of landscape, to broadly compare this landscape with other agricultural landscapes in North America, and to recommend specific landscape metrics for different types of studies involving agricultural matrices. We conclude that this type of agricultural matrix is ideal to pursue joint agricultural and conservation strategies in an integrated landscape.
Mitochondrial genomes ofColumbicolafeather lice are highly fragmented, indicating repeated evolution of minicircle-type genomes in parasitic lice
Authors: Sweet Andrew D. , Johnson Kevin P. , Cameron Stephen L. 
Published: June 2019

ABSTRACTMost animals have a conserved mitochondrial genome structure composed of a single chromosome. However, some organisms have their mitochondrial genes separated on several smaller circular or linear chromosomes. Highly fragmented circular chromosomes (“minicircles”) are especially prevalent in parasitic lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera), with 16 species known to have between 9 and 20 mitochondrial minicircles per genome. All of these species belong to the same clade (mammalian lice), suggesting a single origin of drastic fragmentation. Nevertheless, other work indicates a lesser degree of fragmentation (2-3 chromosomes/genome) is present in some avian feather lice (Ischnocera: Philopteridae). In this study, we tested for minicircles in four species of the feather louse genusColumbicola(Philopteridae). Using whole genome shotgun sequence data, we applied three different bioinformatic approaches for assembling theColumbicolamitochondrial genome. We further confirmed these approaches by assembling the mitochondrial genome ofPediculus humanusfrom shotgun sequencing reads, a species known to have minicircles. All three methods indicatedColumbicolaspp. genomes are highly fragmented into 15-17 minicircles between 1,119 and 3,173 bp in length, with 1-4 genes per minicircle. Subsequent annotation of the minicircles indicated that tRNA arrangements of minicircles varied substantially between species. These mitochondrial minicircles for species ofColumbicolarepresent the first feather lice (Philopteridae) for which minicircles have been found in a full mitochondrial genome assembly. Combined with recent phylogenetic studies of parasitic lice, our results provide strong evidence that highly fragmented mitochondrial genomes, which are otherwise rare across the Tree of Life, evolved multiple times within parasitic lice.
Full-featured, real-time database searching platform enables fast and accurate multiplexed quantitative proteomics
Authors: Schweppe Devin K. , Eng Jimmy K. , Bailey Derek , Rad Ramin , Yu Qing , Navarrete-Perea Jose , Huttlin Edward L. , Erickson Brian K. , Paulo Joao A. , Gygi Steven P. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractMultiplexed quantitative analyses of complex proteomes enable deep biological insight. While a multitude of workflows have been developed for multiplexed analyses, the most quantitatively accurate method (SPS-MS3) suffers from long acquisition duty cycles. We built a new, real-time database search (RTS) platform, Orbiter, to combat the SPS-MS3 method’s longer duty cycles. RTS with Orbiter enables the elimination of SPS-MS3 scans if no peptide matches to a given spectrum. With Orbiter’s online proteomic analytical pipeline, which includes RTS and false discovery rate analysis, it was possible to process a single spectrum database search in less than 10 milliseconds. The result is a fast, functional means to identify peptide spectral matches using Comet, filter these matches, and more efficiently quantify proteins of interest. Importantly, the use of Comet for peptide spectral matching allowed for a fully featured search, including analysis of post-translational modifications, with well-known and extensively validated scoring. These data could then be used to trigger subsequent scans in an adaptive and flexible manner. In this work we tested the utility of this adaptive data acquisition platform to improve the efficiency and accuracy of multiplexed quantitative experiments. We found that RTS enabled a 2-fold increase in mass spectrometric data acquisition efficiency. Orbiter’s RTS was able to quantify more than 8000 proteins across 10 proteomes in half the time of an SPS-MS3 analysis (18 hours for RTS, 36 hours for SPS-MS3).
Pseudomonas aeruginosaincreases the sensitivity of biofilm-grownStaphylococcus aureusto membrane-targeting antiseptics and antibiotics
Authors: Orazi Giulia , Ruoff Kathryn L. , O’Toole George A. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractPseudomonas aeruginosaandStaphylococcus aureusoften cause chronic, recalcitrant infections in large part due to their ability to form biofilms. The biofilm mode of growth enables these organisms to withstand antibacterial insults that would effectively eliminate their planktonic counterparts. We found thatP. aeruginosasupernatant increased the sensitivity ofS. aureusbiofilms to multiple antimicrobial compounds, including fluoroquinolones and membrane-targeting antibacterial agents, including the antiseptic chloroxylenol. Treatment ofS. aureuswith the antiseptic chloroxylenol alone did not decrease biofilm cell viability; however, the combination of chloroxylenol andP. aeruginosasupernatant led to a 4-log reduction inS. aureusbiofilm viability compared to exposure to chloroxylenol alone. We found that theP. aeruginosa-produced small molecule 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide (HQNO) is responsible for the observed heightened sensitivity ofS. aureusto chloroxylenol. Similarly, HQNO increased the susceptibility ofS. aureusbiofilms to other compounds, including both traditional and non-traditional antibiotics, which permeabilize bacterial membranes. Genetic and phenotypic studies support a model whereby HQNO causes an increase inS. aureusmembrane fluidity, thereby improving the efficacy of membrane-targeting antiseptics and antibiotics. Importantly, our data show thatP. aeruginosaexoproducts can enhance the ability of various antimicrobial agents to kill biofilm populations ofS. aureusthat are typically difficult to eradicate, providing a path for the discovery of new biofilm-targeting antimicrobial strategies.ImportanceThe thick mucus in the airways of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients predisposes them to frequent, polymicrobial respiratory infections.Pseudomonas aeruginosaandStaphylococcus aureusare frequently co-isolated from the airways of individuals with CF, as well as from diabetic foot ulcers and other wounds. Both organisms form biofilms, which are notoriously difficult to eradicate and promote chronic infection. In this study, we have shownP. aeruginosasecreted factors can increase the efficacy of compounds that alone have little or no bactericidal activity againstS. aureusbiofilms. In particular, we discovered thatP. aeruginosaexoproducts can potentiate the anti-staphylococcal activity of phenol-based antiseptics and other membrane-active drugs, including non-traditional antibiotics. Our findings illustrate that polymicrobial interactions can dramatically increase antibacterial efficacyin vitro, and may guide new approaches to target persistent infections, such as those commonly found in respiratory tract infections and in chronic wounds.