bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A BPA Approach to the Shroud of Turin
Authors: Borrini Matteo , Garlaschelli Luigi 
Published: July 2018

AbstractAn investigation into the arm and body position required to obtain the blood pattern visible in the image of the Shroud of Turin was performed using a living volunteer. The two short rivulets on the back of the left hand of the Shroud are only consistent with a standing subject with arms at a ca 45° angle. This angle is different from that necessary for the forearm stains, which require nearly vertical arms for a standing subject. The BPA of blood visible on the frontal side of the chest (the lance wound) shows that the Shroud represents the bleeding in a realistic manner for a standing position while the stains at the back—of a supposed postmortem bleeding from the same wound for a supine corpse—are totally unrealistic. Simulation of bleeding from the nail wounds contacting wood surfaces yielded unclear results.
Serum levels of immunoglobulins in an adult population and their relationship with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Sun Shao Mei , Wang Yan Yan , Zhang Qing , Liu Li , Meng Ge , Yao Zhan Xin , Wu Hong Mei , Xia Yang , Bao Xue , Gu Ye Qing , Wang Hong Lei , Shi Hong Bin , Xu Hai Yan , Wang Xing , Zhou Ming , Jiao Huan Li , Jia Qi Yu , Wang Bang Mao , Niu Kai Jun 
Published: July 2018

OBJECTIVESFew studies have reported the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and immunoglobulins. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between serum immunoglobulin levels and NAFLD in a Chinese adult population.METHODSWe performed a cross‐sectional study including 11 261 Chinese adults. NAFLD was diagnosed based on the Chinese Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of fatty liver diseases and an alcohol intake of <70 g/week in women and <140 g/week in men, and serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels were determined using immune nephelometry. Multiple logistic regression analysis was done to assess relationships between concentrations of serum immunoglobulins and NAFLD.RESULTSOf the 11 261 adults recruited from January 2010 to December 2015, the prevalence of NAFLD was 40.8% (n = 4598). The geometric mean levels of IgG, IgM, IgE and IgA were 1177.49 mg/dL (95% confidence interval [CI] 1173.07–1181.93), 93.56 mg/dL (95% CI 92.70–94.42), 30.70 IU/mL (95% CI 29.92–31.49) and 216.64 mg/dL (95% CI 214.95–218.34), respectively. Compared with the lowest quintile, the multivariable adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) of NAFLD for the highest quintile of IgG, IgM, IgE, and IgA were 0.78 (0.66–0.92), 0.71 (0.60–0.84), 0.98 (0.84–1.15) and 1.41 (1.21–1.66), respectively.CONCLUSIONIncreased IgA and decreased IgG and IgM levels are independently associated with NAFLD prevalence. Further research is needed to explore the causal association between serum immunoglobulins and NAFLD.
Medical cannabis legalization and opioid prescriptions: evidence on US Medicaid enrollees during 1993–2014
Authors: Liang Di , Bao Yuhua , Wallace Mark , Grant Igor , Shi Yuyan 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBackground and AimsWhile the United States has been experiencing an opioid epidemic, 29 states and Washington DC have legalized cannabis for medical use. This study examined whether state‐wide medical cannabis legalization was associated with reduction in opioids received by Medicaid enrollees.DesignSecondary data analysis of state‐level opioid prescription records from 1993–2014 Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data. Linear time–series regressions assessed the associations between medical cannabis legalization and opioid prescriptions, controlling for state‐level time‐varying policy covariates (such as prescription drug monitoring programs) and socio‐economic covariates (such as income).SettingUnited States.ParticipantsDrug prescription records for patients enrolled in fee‐for‐service Medicaid programs that primarily provide health‐care coverage to low‐income and disabled people.MeasurementsThe primary outcomes were population‐adjusted number, dosage and Medicaid spending on opioid prescriptions. Outcomes for Schedule II opioids (e.g. hydrocodone, oxycodone) and Schedule III opioids (e.g. codeine) were analyzed separately. The primary policy variable of interest was the implementation of state‐wide medical cannabis legalization.FindingsFor Schedule III opioid prescriptions, medical cannabis legalization was associated with a 29.6% (P = 0.03) reduction in number of prescriptions, 29.9% (P = 0.02) reduction in dosage and 28.8% (P = 0.04) reduction in related Medicaid spending. No evidence was found to support the associations between medical cannabis legalization and Schedule II opioid prescriptions. Permitting medical cannabis dispensaries was not associated with Schedule II or Schedule III opioid prescriptions after controlling for medical cannabis legalization. It was estimated that, if all the states had legalized medical cannabis by 2014, Medicaid annual spending on opioid prescriptions would be reduced by 17.8 million dollars.ConclusionState‐wide medical cannabis legalization appears to have been associated with reductions in both prescriptions and dosages of Schedule III (but not Schedule II) opioids received by Medicaid enrollees in the United States.
Characteristics of older people in an inpatient haematology unit: A descriptive study
Authors: Thillainadesan Janani , Ng Lisa , Cunningham Ilona , Wong Doo Nicole , Naganathan Vasi 
Published: July 2018

ObjectiveTo characterise older inpatients in a haematology unit.MethodsHospital case‐mix data of haematology separations of all ages (n = 7419) and more extensive data restricted to older patients (age ≥75 years, n = 1025) were evaluated.ResultsFrom 2000 to 2014, there was a 200% increase in those aged ≥85 years who were more likely to have a geriatric syndrome as the principal diagnosis (P < 0.05), have delirium (P < 0.05), receive less intensive treatment (P < 0.001) and be discharged to a nursing home (P < 0.001). Compared to younger inpatients, those aged ≥75 years were more likely to be emergency admissions (48% vs 37%, P < 0.001) and die during the admission (8% vs 4%, P < 0.001).ConclusionHaematologists care for older inpatients who are complex with multidisciplinary health service needs. There may be value in conducting comprehensive geriatric assessments in this setting.
Interactive Analysis of Word Vector Embeddings
Authors: Heimerl F. , Gleicher M. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractWord vector embeddings are an emerging tool for natural language processing. They have proven beneficial for a wide variety of language processing tasks. Their utility stems from the ability to encode word relationships within the vector space. Applications range from components in natural language processing systems to tools for linguistic analysis in the study of language and literature. In many of these applications, interpreting embeddings and understanding the encoded grammatical and semantic relations between words is useful, but challenging. Visualization can aid in such interpretation of embeddings. In this paper, we examine the role for visualization in working with word vector embeddings. We provide a literature survey to catalogue the range of tasks where the embeddings are employed across a broad range of applications. Based on this survey, we identify key tasks and their characteristics. Then, we present visual interactive designs that address many of these tasks. The designs integrate into an exploration and analysis environment for embeddings. Finally, we provide example use cases for them and discuss domain user feedback.
Analyzing Residue Surface Proximity to Interpret Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Lichtenberg N. , Menges R. , Ageev V. , George A. A. Paul , Heimer P. , Imhof D. , Lawonn K. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe surface of a molecule holds important information about the interaction behavior with other molecules. In dynamic folding or docking processes, residues of amino acids with different properties change their position within the molecule over time. The atoms of the residues that are accessible to the solvent can directly contribute to binding interactions, while residues buried within the molecular structure contribute to the stability of the molecule. Understanding patterns and causality of structural changes is important for experts in the pharmaceutical domain, e.g., in the process of drug design. We apply an iterative computation of the Solvent Accessible Surface in order to extract virtual layers of a molecule. The extraction allows to track the movement of residues in the body of the molecule, with respect to the distance of the residue to the surface or the core during dynamics simulations. We visualize the obtained layer information for the complete time span of the molecular dynamics simulation as a 2D‐map and for individual time‐steps as a 3D‐representation of the molecule. The data acquisition has been implemented alongside with further analysis functionality in a prototypical application, which is available to the public domain. We underline the feasibility of our approach with a study from the pharmaceutical domain, where our approach has been used for novel insights into the folding behavior of μ‐conotoxins.
Spatio‐Temporal Contours from Deep Volume Raycasting
Authors: Frey S. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractWe visualize contours for spatio‐temporal processes to indicate where and when non‐continuous changes occur or spatial bounds are encountered. All time steps are comprised densely in one visualization, with contours allowing to efficiently analyze processes in the data even in case of spatial or temporal overlap. Contours are determined on the basis of deep raycasting that collects samples across time and depth along each ray. For each sample along a ray, its closest neighbors from adjacent rays are identified, considering time, depth, and value in the process. Large distances are represented as contours in image space, using color to indicate temporal occurrence. This contour representation can easily be combined with volume rendering‐based techniques, providing both full spatial detail for individual time steps and an outline of the whole time series in one view. Our view‐dependent technique supports efficient progressive computation, and requires no prior assumptions regarding the shape or nature of processes in the data. We discuss and demonstrate the performance and utility of our approach via a variety of data sets, comparison and combination with an alternative technique, and feedback by a domain scientist.
Acetone clearance of mesocolic or mesorectal fat increases lymph node yield and may improve detection of high‐risk Stage II colorectal cancer patients
Authors: Leung C. A. W. , Fazzi G. E. , Melenhorst J. , Rennspiess D. , Grabsch H. I. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractAimLymph node (LN) status is key to determining the need for adjuvant therapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) and for disease which has progressed to Stage II (T3–T4, N0, M0). A yield of fewer than 12 LNs is considered a risk factor similar to high‐grade histology and vascular, lymphatic and perineural invasion. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the effect of acetone fat clearance of the mesocolon or mesorectum on LN yield and the identification of patients with high‐risk Stage II CRC.MethodAfter conventional LN retrieval, fatty tissue derived from the mesocolon or mesorectum of 80 CRC specimens was incubated in acetone for 24 h. A second dissection was then performed by a trained technician. The total number of LNs as well as tumour involvement (LNpositive and LNnegative) were assessed at each stage. In addition, LN morphology was assessed and clinicopathological data were extracted from existing pathology reports.ResultsEighty CRC specimens were available for study. 1548 (94%) LN were negative and 96 (6%) were positive. The median (range) LN yield per specimen was 12 (3–41) LN increasing to 18 (4–48) LN after fat clearance (P < 0.001). After fat clearance, 534 additional LNs were identified in 75 (94%) of the specimens, and all but 10 were negative. The pN stage did not change in six patients who were found to be LN positive after fat clearance. However, the number of high‐risk Stage II CRC patients decreased from 11 to 7. Although important for these patients, this downstaging did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.125).ConclusionAcetone clearance of mesocolic or mesorectal fat increases median LN yield and may in a larger study decrease the number of patients classified as having high‐risk Stage II CRC.
Vitiligo und Autoantikörper: Systematischer Review und Metaanalyse
Authors: Liu Che‐Wei , Huang Yu‐Chen 
Published: July 2018

ZusammenfassungÜber die Prävalenz von Autoantikörpern bei Patienten mit Vitiligo wurde zwar in zahlreichen berichtet belegt, die Ergebnisse waren jedoch bei einigen Autoantikörpern nicht konsistent. Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, eine systematische Übersicht über die Prävalenz von Autoantikörpern bei Vitiligo‐Patienten zu geben und eine Metaanalyse zu erstellen. Zu diesem Zweck wurde die gesamte Literatur bis zum 31. Dezember 2016 gesichtet. Berücksichtigt wurden Fall‐Kontroll‐Studien mit Vitiligo‐Patienten und einer Kontrollgruppe. Bei Vitiligo‐Patienten betrug die Prävalenz von Anti‐Thyreoperoxidase (ATPO)‐Antikörpern, Anti‐Thyreoglobulin (ATG)‐Antikörpern, antinukleären Antikörpern (ANA), Antikörpern gegen gastrische Parietalzellen (AGPCA), Antikörpern gegen glatte Muskulatur (anti‐smooth muscle antibodies, ASMA), antimitochondrialen Antikörpern (AMA) und Antikörpern gegen die Nebennieren 15,1 %, 9,7 %, 12,5 %, 11,7 %, 12,6 %, 0,2 % beziehungsweise 2,5 %. Die Prävalenz von ATPO‐Antikörpern (Odds‐Ratio [OR]: 3,975; 95 % Konfidenzintervall [CI]: 3,085–5,122), ATG‐Antikörpern (OR: 3,759, 95 % CI: 2,554–5,531), ANA (OR: 1,797, 95 % CI: 1,182–2,731), AGPCA (OR: 2,503, 95 % CI: 1,497–2,896) und Antikörpern gegen die Nebenniere (OR: 9,808, 95 % CI: 1,809–53,159) (Abbildung 2a–e) war bei Vitiligo‐Patienten signifikant höher als bei der Kontrollgruppe. Patienten mit Vitiligo sollten routinemäßig auf Antikörper gegen Schilddrüsenantigene überprüft werden, um diejenigen Patienten zu ermitteln, bei denen ein hohes Risiko besteht, eine autoimmune Schilddrüsenerkrankung zu entwickeln.
Positionspapier: Diagnostik und Therapie der Xerosis cutis
Authors: Augustin Matthias , Wilsmann‐Theis Dagmar , Körber Andreas , Kerscher Martina , Itschert Götz , Dippel Michaela , Staubach Petra 
Published: July 2018

ZusammenfassungHintergrund und RationaleDie Xerosis cutis (Synonym: Xerodermie, trockene Haut, hydrolipidarme Haut) ist mit > 10 Millionen Betroffenen nicht nur eine der häufigsten dermatologischen Diagnosen in Deutschland, sondern auch Leitsymptom vieler dermatologischer, internistischer und neurologischer Erkrankungen. Trotz der medizinischen Relevanz der topischen Basistherapie für die Xerosis cutis gibt es in Deutschland für ihr Management bisher keinen wissenschaftlich belegten Diagnostik‐ und Therapiealgorithmus.ZielDieses Positionspapier vermittelt Ärzten fachübergreifend einen an individuellen Symptomen orientierten, praxisnahen Leitfaden für die Prävention, Diagnostik und Therapie der Xerosis cutis.MethodikIm Rahmen eines strukturierten Entscheidungsprozesses wurden von erfahrenen dermatologischen Experten zunächst praxisrelevante Fragestellungen definiert und systematisch aufgearbeitet. Auf der Basis von Evidenz und Expertenkonsens wurden daraus diagnostische und therapeutische Algorithmen mit Empfehlungen für die Praxis entwickelt und konsentiert.ErgebnisDie Xerosis cutis kann grundsätzlich klinisch diagnostiziert werden. Auslöser und/oder Grunderkrankungen müssen abgeklärt und vermieden bzw. spezifisch behandelt werden. Bei der Wahl der geeigneten Basistherapie ist es wichtig, dass nicht nur die Hauthydratation verbessert, sondern auch die Barrierefunktion der Haut wiederhergestellt wird. Sie sollte daher aus einer Kombination von rückfeuchtenden und rückfettenden Inhaltsstoffen bestehen. Je trockener die Haut, desto lipidhaltiger sollte die Hautpflege sein (bevorzugt Wasser‐in‐Öl‐Formulierungen). Die individuelle Auswahl der Inhaltsstoffe orientiert sich nach kausaler Prüfung an den Symptomen Schuppung (v.a. Urea), Fissuren/Rhagaden (v.a. Urea oder Dexpanthenol), Rötung (v.a. Licochalcone A) und Pruritus (v.a. Polidocanol), sowie an der Lokalisation und dem Alter der Patienten. Inhaltsstoffe bzw. Inhaltsstoffkombinationen mit guter Studienevidenz sind zu bevorzugen. Die mit Abstand beste Evidenz bei der Xerosis cutis weist Urea auf, dessen Wirksamkeit in Kombination mit anderen natürlichen Feuchthalte‐Komponenten und Ceramiden noch gesteigert werden kann. Zur Arbeitserleichterung am Patienten und zum besseren Erlernen wurde das Xerosimeter entwickelt, das die praktische Umsetzung der Diagnostik und Verlaufskontrolle, eine Klassifikation der Inhaltsstoffe und einen strukturierten Therapiealgorithmus enthält.SchlussfolgerungDas hier vorgeschlagene strukturierte symptom‐ und evidenzorientierte Vorgehen mit Diagnostik‐ und Behandlungspfad soll für die Prävention und frühzeitige Behandlung der Xerosis cutis sensibilisieren. Damit können die Lebensqualität verbessert und Folgeerkrankungen verhindert werden.
Telomere shortening and frailty in Mexican older adults
Authors: Ortiz‐Ramírez Mauricio , Sánchez‐García Sergio , García‐Dela Torre Paola , Reyes‐Maldonado Elba , Sánchez‐Arenas Rosalinda , Rosas‐Vargas Haydeé 
Published: July 2018

AimTelomere shortening has been associated with several age‐related diseases, in addition to being considered a hallmark of aging. Frailty is a clinical syndrome characterized by an accentuated physiological and functional decline that might be a predictor of an adverse condition in older age. The present study evaluated the relationship between frailty and telomere shortening in older adults from Mexico City, Mexico.MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional study. Data were collected from 323 frail older adults, including physical and environmental factors, such as body mass index, comorbidities, physical activity and tobacco consumption. Telomere length was measured by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The frailty syndrome was diagnosed using the Fried criteria.ResultsAn association between frailty and telomere shortening was found in both sexes. Telomere length decreased from 6.05 kb (5.54–6.48 kb) to 4.20 kb (3.80–4.54 kb; P < 0.001). It was also observed that tobacco consumption could be a significant modifying factor in the association between these two variables. Previous reports are contradictory, suggesting that there is no relationship between telomere length and frailty; however, it is possible that there are genetic and/or environmental variables to be elucidated, that might influence this association, particularly in the studied population.ConclusionsTelomere length is inversely related to frailty in Mexican frail older adults, and tobacco consumption is the main environmental modifying factor. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1286–1292.
HER2 immunohistochemistry in endometrial and ovarian clear cell carcinoma: discordance between antibodies and with in‐situ hybridisation
Authors: Koopman Timco , van der Vegt Bert , Dijkstra Marcel , Bart Joost , Duiker Evelien , Wisman G. Bea A. , de Bock Geertruida H. , Hollema Harry 
Published: July 2018

AimsTreatment with anti‐HER2 therapy could be beneficial for patients with HER2‐positive endometrial and ovarian clear cell carcinoma (CCC). We studied HER2 overexpression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using three different antibodies, including concordance with amplification by in‐situ hybridisation (ISH).Methods and resultsIHC and ISH were performed on tissue microarrays of 101 tumours: 58 endometrial pure CCC, 19 endometrial mixed carcinomas with a CCC component and 24 ovarian pure CCC. IHC was performed using SP3, 4B5 and HercepTest antibodies, and was scored by two independent observers. ISH was performed using dual‐colour silver ISH. Using IHC, agreement was poor between SP3/4B5 (61.4%), poor between SP3/HercepTest (68.3%) and reasonable between 4B5/HercepTest (75.2%). Interobserver agreement was substantial to almost perfect for all antibodies (SP3: linear weighted κ = 0.89, 4B5: κ = 0.90, HercepTest: κ = 0.76). HER2‐positivity by ISH was 17.8% (endometrial pure CCC: 24.1%, endometrial mixed: 0%, ovarian pure CCC: 16.7%). IHC/ISH concordance was poor, with a high false‐negative rate of all three IHC antibodies: sensitivity (38.9–50.0%) and positive predictive value (PPV) (37.5–58.3%) were poor; specificity (81.9–94.0%) and negative predictive value (NPV) (87.1–88.3%) were reasonable. When excluding 2+ cases, sensitivity declined (26.7–43.8%) but PPV (80.0–87.5%) and specificity (98.6–98.7%) improved.ConclusionsIn ovarian and endometrial CCC, there is considerable difference in HER2 overexpression by different IHC antibodies and marked discordance with ISH. As such, no single antibody can be considered conclusive for determining HER2 status in CCC. Based on these results, the lack of predictive value of different HER2 testing methods, as used in other studies, could be explained.
To T or not to T: Differences in Testosterone Use and Discontinuation by HIV Serostatus among Men who Have Sex with Men
Authors: Haberlen SA , Jacobson LP , Palella FJ , Dobs A , Plankey M , Lake JE , Kingsley LA , Stall R , Post WS , Brown TT 
Published: July 2018

ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to characterize contemporary patterns and correlates of testosterone therapy (TTh) use and discontinuation by HIV serostatus among men in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS).MethodsSelf‐reported testosterone use data were collected semiannually from 2400 (1286 HIV‐infected and 1114 HIV‐uninfected) men who have sex with men. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios for TTh use and predictors of TTh discontinuation (2012–2015).ResultsUse was higher among HIV‐infected compared with HIV‐uninfected men in all age strata, with an age‐adjusted prevalence of 17% vs. 5%, respectively (adjusted prevalence ratio 3.7; P < 0.001). Correlates of use in the multivariable model were similar by HIV serostatus: white race, the Los Angeles (LA) site, more than one recent sexual partner, non‐smoking status, and higher American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk score category (approximately 70% of testosterone users were in the high‐risk category). Compared with HIV‐uninfected men, HIV‐infected men more frequently reported building muscle mass as a motivation for testosterone use. The TTh discontinuation rate was 20.9/100 person‐years [95% confidence interval (CI) 17.3, 25.0/100 person‐years]. Relative to HIV‐uninfected men, HIV‐infected men were half as likely to discontinue (adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.4; P < 0.001). Discontinuation was 40% higher in the period after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety communication for testosterone in 2014, independent of co‐factors (P = 0.06).ConclusionsGiven the high prevalence of both TTh use and CVD risk among HIV‐infected men, the benefits and risks of TTh should be examined in future studies of aging HIV‐infected men and monitored routinely in clinical practice.