bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Alpha‐band functional connectivity during cued versus implicit modality‐specific anticipatory attention: EEG‐source coherence analysis
Authors: Talalay I. V. , Kurgansky A. V. , Machinskaya R. I. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe anticipation of future events based on a background experience is one of the main components of any goal‐directed behavior. Anticipatory attention can be either voluntary (explicit) or involuntary (implicit). We presumed that these two types of anticipatory attention differed in terms of cortical functional organization. We examined this assumption with an experimental model consisting of three experimental sessions (cued attention, implicit learning, and baseline) that were equal in terms of stimuli, motor responses, and cognitive task. Participants were asked to discriminate the temporal order of stimuli within a pair presented in either the visual or auditory sensory modality. Prestimulus functional connectivity was assessed via alpha‐band coherence computed in the source space for preselected regions of interests. Functional links between the cortices of the frontoparietal control system increased during the cued attention condition and did not increase during the implicit anticipation condition. The buildup of implicit anticipation was accompanied by the strengthening of functional links between the intraparietal, ventral premotor, and presupplementary motor areas. It was discovered that both cued and implicit types of anticipation were underlain by functional modality‐specific cortical links.
Validity and reliability of the Danish version of the Ice Expressive Family Functioning and Ice Family Perceived Support questionnaires
Authors: Konradsen Hanne , Dieperink Karin Brochstedt , Lauridsen Jørgen , Sorknaes Anne Dichmann , Ostergaard Birte 
Published: July 2018

AimInternational research has only rarely examined the functioning of families experiencing chronic illness and the perception of nurses towards involving families in patient care. This has also been the case in Denmark. To undertake this kind of research, carefully translated questionnaires are needed. The purpose of this study was therefore to translate the Ice Expressive Family Functioning (ICE‐EFFQ) and the Ice Family Perceived Support (ICE‐FPSQ) into Danish, and to test the validity and reliability of the Danish versions.MethodsThe study had a cross‐sectional design. The questionnaires were translated into Danish using forward–backward translation. Then, they were tested empirically among adult patients with chronic diseases and their family members in three different settings. A total of 81 patients were included in the testing of ICE‐EFFQ and 70 patients were included in the testing of ICE‐FPSQ. Internal consistency reliability was assessed followed by confirmatory factor analysis.ResultsBoth questionnaires showed acceptable construct validity, reliability (Cronbach's alpha 0.93 and 0.94), internal consistency were confirmed, and there was good reproducibility (Cronbach's alpha 0.76 and 0.77). Furthermore, confirmatory factor analysis showed acceptable to good fit for both questionnaires.ConclusionsThe ICE‐EFFQ and the ICE‐FPSQ were both found to be valid and reliable instruments to measure family functioning and perceived support among families experiencing chronic illness in a Danish context.
Investigation of the utility of lymph node fine‐needle aspiration cytology for the staging of malignant solid tumors in dogs
Authors: Fournier Quentin , Cazzini Paola , Bavcar Spela , Pecceu Evi , Ballber Clara , Elders Richard 
Published: July 2018

BackgroundFine‐needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of lymph nodes (LNs) is routinely used for staging canine malignant solid tumors, but studies evaluating its efficacy are limited.ObjectivesThe primary objectives of this study were to evaluate the sensitivity/specificity of FNAC and the significance of nondiagnostic FNAC when staging canine malignant tumors. A secondary objective was to determine the prevalence of multiple nodal metastases.MethodsLymph nodes draining malignant solid tumors assessed with FNAC and histopathology were included. The sensitivity/specificity of FNAC was determined for LNs with diagnostic FNAC, using histopathology as the gold standard. The proportion of nondiagnostic FNAC and associated histopathologic prevalence of metastasis were determined. Among the tumors with multiple LNs assessed, the prevalence of multiple nodal metastases was determined.ResultsThe sensitivity of FNAC (194 LNs) was 67% for sarcomas, 100% for carcinomas, 63% for melanomas, 75% for mast cell tumors, and 100% for other round cell tumors. The specificity varied between 83% and 96%. Nondiagnostic FNAC was reported in 25% of LNs sampled (65/259), most of which were nonenlarged and/or difficult to access, and 20% of which were metastatic on histopathology. When several LNs were assessed (88/189 tumors), the prevalence of multiple nodal metastases was 24%.ConclusionsHistopathologic LN evaluation cannot be robustly substituted with FNAC when staging selected canine solid tumors. When a diagnostic FNAC is elusive, the histopathologic assessment remains ideal. Finally, staging should not always be limited to the assessment of a single LN.
Tectonic vicariance versus Messinian dispersal in western Mediterranean ground beetles
Authors: Faille Arnaud , Casale Achille , Hernando Carles , Aït Mouloud Salah , Ribera Ignacio 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe complex geological history of the western Mediterranean region conceals the interpretation of the evolutionary history of its current fauna, as similar distribution patterns may have very different temporal and geographic origins. Particularly intriguing are some subterranean species in islands, which origin is usually difficult to interpret as their strongly modified morphologies obscure their relationships. We studied subterranean taxa and their likely relatives of two groups of ground beetles in the western Mediterranean: theDuvaliuslineage (“isotopic” Trechini) and Molopina (Pterostichini). We included specimens from the islands of Mallorca, Sardinia and Sicily, plus mainland Europe and North Africa. Phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed with a combination of mitochondrial and nuclear data, and divergence dates were estimated with Bayesian methods using the same a priori molecular evolutionary rates for the same gene fragments in the two groups. In theDuvaliuslineage, the subgenusTrechopsis, including all the highly modified cave or nivicolous species, was found to be polyphyletic: the species from Mallorca was found to be of Pleistocene origin and sister to the less modified species of subgenusDuvaliusfrom the same island, whereas the Algerian species ofTrechopsiswere, on the contrary, related to the SicilianDuvalius, indicating a northern colonisation route during the late Pliocene. Molopina was divided into three main lineages: the generaAbax,Percus, and theMolopsgroups of genera. The basal diversification of the latter was dated within a temporal window (35–25 Ma) fully congruent with the tectonic opening of the western Mediterranean basin and included six main lineages with uncertain relationships among them: the epigean genera (a)Molopsand (b)Tanythrix; and the subterranean (c)Typhlochoromus(Eastern Alps), (d)Speomolops(Sardinia), (e)Henrotius(Mallorca) and (f) a strongly supported clade including the Pyrenean generaZariquieya,OscadytesandMolopidius. Despite the similar distribution of some of their subterranean taxa, the two studied groups show a strongly contrasting origin and mode of diversification. While theDuvaliuslineage had a recent origin, with complex colonisation patterns and widespread morphological convergence among the subterranean species, the subterranean Molopina had an ancient vicariant origin resulting from the tectonic opening of the western Mediterranean basin.
Structure-Function Analysis of the Curli Accessory Protein CsgE Defines Surfaces Essential for Coordinating Amyloid Fiber Formation
Authors: Klein Roger D. , Shu Qin , Cusumano Zachary T. , Nagamatsu Kanna , Gualberto Nathaniel C. , Lynch Aaron J. L. , Wu Chao , Wang Wenjie , Jain Neha , Pinkner Jerome S. , Amarasinghe Gaya K. , Hultgren Scott J. , Frieden Carl , Chapman Matthew R. 
Published: July 2018

ABSTRACT

Curli amyloid fibers are produced as part of the extracellular biofilm matrix and are composed primarily of the major structural subunit CsgA. The CsgE chaperone facilitates the secretion of CsgA through CsgG by forming a cap at the base of the nonameric CsgG outer membrane pore. We elucidated a series of finely tuned nonpolar and charge-charge interactions that facilitate the oligomerization of CsgE and its ability to transport unfolded CsgA to CsgG for translocation. CsgE oligomerization
in vitro
is temperature dependent and is disrupted by mutations in the W48 and F79 residues. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), we identified two regions of CsgE involved in the CsgE-CsgA interaction: a head comprising a positively charged patch centered around R47 and a stem comprising a negatively charged patch containing E31 and E85. Negatively charged residues in the intrinsically disordered N- and C-terminal “tails” were not implicated in this interaction. Head and stem residues were mutated and interrogated using
in vivo
measurements of curli production and
in vitro
amyloid polymerization assays. The R47 head residue of CsgE is required for stabilization of CsgA- and CsgE-mediated curli fiber formation. Mutation of the E31 and E85 stem residues to positively charged side chains decreased CsgE-mediated curli fiber formation but increased CsgE-mediated stabilization of CsgA. No single-amino-acid substitutions in the head, stem, or tail regions affected the ability of CsgE to cap the CsgG pore as determined by a bile salt sensitivity assay. These mechanistic insights into the directed assembly of functional amyloids in extracellular biofilms elucidate possible targets for biofilm-associated bacterial infections.

IMPORTANCE
Curli represent a class of functional amyloid fibers produced by
Escherichia coli
and other Gram-negative bacteria that serve as protein scaffolds in the extracellular biofilm matrix. Despite the lack of sequence conservation among different amyloidogenic proteins, the structural and biophysical properties of functional amyloids such as curli closely resemble those of amyloids associated with several common neurodegenerative diseases. These parallels are underscored by the observation that certain proteins and chemicals can prevent amyloid formation by the major curli subunit CsgA and by alpha-synuclein, the amyloid-forming protein found in Lewy bodies during Parkinson’s disease. CsgA subunits are targeted to the CsgG outer membrane pore by CsgE prior to secretion and assembly into fibers. Here, we use biophysical, biochemical, and genetic approaches to elucidate a mechanistic understanding of CsgE function in curli biogenesis.
Does glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist stimulation reduce alcohol intake in patients with alcohol dependence: study protocol of a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial
Authors: Antonsen Kerstin K , Klausen Mette K , Brunchmann Amanda S , le Dous Nina , Jensen Mathias E , Miskowiak Kamilla Woznica , Fisher Patrick M , Thomsen Gerda K , Rindom Henrik , Fahmy Thomas P , Vollstaedt-Klein Sabine , Benveniste Helene , Volkow Nora D , Becker Ulrik , Ekstrøm Claus , Knudsen Gitte Moos , Vilsbøll Tina , Fink-Jensen Anders 
Published: July 2018

IntroductionAlcohol dependence is a major public health problem. It is underdiagnosed and undertreated. Even when treated, more than 2/3 of patients in abstinence-oriented treatment will relapse within the first year. Thus, there is an urgent need for efficacious medical treatment of alcohol dependence. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor stimulation has proven to reduce alcohol consumption in preclinical experiments. However, the effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists in humans has to our knowledge, not yet been investigated.Methods and analysisDesign, participants and intervention: The effect of the once-weekly GLP-1-receptor-agonist exenatide will be investigated in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial. 114 outpatients will be recruited and randomised to treatment with either placebo or exenatide once weekly for 26 weeks as a supplement to cognitive–behavioural therapy.The primary endpointis reduction in number of ‘heavy drinking days’.The secondary endpointsinclude changes in total alcohol consumption, days without consumption, changes in brain activity and function, smoking status, cognition, measures of quality of life and changes in phosphatidylethanol as a biomarker of alcohol consumption from baseline to follow-up at week 26.Status: Currently recruiting patients.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained. Before screening, all patients will be provided oral and written information about the trial. The study results will be disseminated by peer-review publications and conference presentations and has the potential to reveal a completely new medical treatment of alcohol dependence.
Who teaches medical billing? A national cross-sectional survey of Australian medical education stakeholders
Authors: Faux Margaret , Wardle Jonathan , Thompson-Butel Angelica G , Adams Jon 
Published: July 2018

ImportanceBilling errors and healthcare fraud have been described by the WHO as ‘the last great unreduced health-care cost’. Estimates suggest that 7% of global health expenditure (US$487 billion) is wasted from this phenomenon. Irrespective of different payment models, challenges exist at the interface of medical billing and medical practice across the globe. Medical billing education has been cited as an effective preventative strategy, with targeted education saving $A250 million in Australia in 1 year from an estimated $A1–3 billion of waste.ObjectiveThis study attempts to systematically map all avenues of medical practitioner education on medical billing in Australia and explores the perceptions of medical education stakeholders on this topic.DesignNational cross-sectional survey between April 2014 and June 2015. No patient or public involvement. Data analysis—descriptive statistics via frequency distributions.ParticipantsAll stakeholders who educate medical practitioners regarding clinical practice (n=66). 86% responded.ResultsThere is little medical billing education occurring in Australia. The majority of stakeholders (70%, n=40) did not offer/have never offered a medical billing course. 89% thought medical billing should be taught, including 30% (n=17) who were already teaching it. There was no consensus on when medical billing education should occur.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first attempt of any country to map the ways doctors learn the complex legal and administrative infrastructure in which they work. Consistent with US findings, Australian doctors may not have expected legal and administrative literacy. Rather than reliance on ad hoc training, development of an Australian medical billing curriculum should be encouraged to improve compliance, expedite judicial processes and reduce waste. In the absence of adequate education, disciplinary bodies in all countries must consider pleas of ignorance by doctors under investigation, where appropriate, for incorrect medical billing.
Prevalence and risk factors of MRSA colonisations: a cross-sectional study among personnel in outpatient care settings in Hamburg, Germany
Authors: Peters Claudia , Kleinmüller Olaf , Nienhaus Albert , Schablon Anja 
Published: July 2018

ObjectivesHealthcare workers frequently come into contact with infected individuals and are at a greater risk of infection than the general population due to their occupation. Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) also pose a significant challenge for personnel and medical facilities. Currently, little is known about the occupational risk of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) in outpatient care settings. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Hamburg to investigate MRSA colonisation among outpatient nursing staff.MethodsMRSA screening with nasal swabs was carried out, the known risk factors for colonisation were determined and information on infection control was inquired. Where tests were positive, a control swab was taken; if this confirmed a positive result, decolonisation was offered. A molecular biological examination of the MRSA samples was performed. The occupational MRSA exposure and risk factors were compared with the situation for personnel in inpatient geriatric care.ResultsA total of 39 outpatient services participated in the study and 579 employees were tested. The MRSA prevalence was 1.2% in all and 1.7% in nursing staff. Most of the employees that tested positive had close or known contact with MRSA patients. Health personnel frequently reported personal protective measures and their application. Compared with inpatient care staff, outpatient staff were older and had worked in their profession for a longer time.ConclusionThis study marks the first time that data has been made available on the occupational MRSA risk of outpatient care personnel in Hamburg. The MRSA prevalence is low and provides a good basis for describing the MRSA risk of occupational exposure by health personnel in outpatient care.
Effectiveness of early assessment and intervention by interdisciplinary teams including health and social care professionals in the emergency department: protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Cassarino Marica , Robinson Katie , Quinn Rosie , Naddy Breda , O’Regan Andrew , Ryan Damien , Boland Fiona , Ward Marie E , McNamara Rosa , McCarthy Gerard , Galvin Rose 
Published: July 2018

IntroductionFinding cost-effective strategies to improve patient care in the emergency department (ED) is an increasing imperative given growing numbers of ED attendees. Encouraging evidence indicates that interdisciplinary teams including health and social care professionals (HSCPs) enhance patient care across a variety of healthcare settings. However, to date no systematic reviews of the effectiveness of early assessment and/or interventions carried by such teams in the ED exist. This systematic review aims to explore the impact of early assessment and/or intervention carried out by interdisciplinary teams including HSCPs in the ED on the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of care, and to define the content of the assessment and/or intervention offered by HSCPs.Methods and analysisUsing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses standardised guidelines, we will conduct a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs, controlled before–after studies, interrupted time series and repeated measures studies that report the impact of early assessment and/or intervention provided to adults aged 18+ by interdisciplinary teams including HSCPs in the ED. Searches will be carried in Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, Cochrane Library and MEDLINE from inception to March 2018. We will also hand-search the reference lists of relevant studies. Following a two-step screening process, two independent reviewers will extract data on the type of population, intervention, comparison, outcomes and study design. The quality of the studies will be appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. The findings will be synthesised in a narrative summary, and a meta-analysis will be conducted where appropriate.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval will not be sought since it is not required for systematic reviews. The results of this review will be disseminated through publication in a peer-review journal and presented at relevant conferences.Trial registration numberCRD42018091794.
Impact of collateralisation to a concomitant chronic total occlusion in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a subanalysis of the EXPLORE randomised controlled trial
Authors: van Dongen Ivo M , Elias Joëlle , van Houwelingen K Gert , Agostoni Pierfrancesco , Claessen Bimmer E P M , Hoebers Loes P , Ouweneel Dagmar M , Scheunhage Esther M , Delewi Ronak , Piek Jan J , Råmunddal Truls , Laanmets Peep , Eriksen Erlend , Bax Matthijs , Suttorp Maarten J , van der Schaaf René J , Tijssen Jan G P , Henriques José P S 
Published: July 2018

ObjectiveThe impact on cardiac function of collaterals towards a concomitant chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has not been investigated yet. Therefore, we have evaluated the impact of well-developed collaterals compared with poorly developed collaterals to a concomitant CTO in STEMI.Methods and resultsIn the EXPLORE trial, patients with STEMI and a concomitant CTO were randomised to either CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or no-CTO PCI. Collateral grades were scored angiographically using the Rentrop grade classification. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) at 4 months were measured using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Well-developed collaterals (Rentrop grades 2–3) to the CTO were present in 162 (54%) patients; these patients had a significantly higher LVEF at 4 months (46.2±11.4% vs 42.1±12.7%, p=0.004) as well as a trend for a lower LVEDV (208.2±55.7 mL vs 222.6±68.5 mL, p=0.054) when compared with patients with poorly developed collaterals to the CTO. There was no significant difference in the total amount of scar in the two groups. Event rates were statistically comparable between patients with well-developed collaterals and poorly developed collaterals to the CTO at long-term follow-up.ConclusionsIn patients with STEMI and a concomitant CTO, the presence of well-developed collaterals to a concomitant CTO is associated with a better LVEF at 4 months. However, this effect on LVEF did not translate into improvement in clinical outcome. Therefore, the presence of well-developed collaterals is important, but should not solely guide in the clinical decision-making process regarding any additional revascularisation of a concomitant CTO in patients with STEMI.Clinical trial registrationNTR1108.
Stability and mechanical properties of high-La content La–Ni phases by first-principles study
Authors: Wang Xiao , Yu Xiaohua , Zhong Yi , Rong Ju , Li Xiaoyu , Feng Jing , Zhan Zhaolin 
Published: July 2018

The structural stability, mechanical properties and Debye temperatures of La-rich La–Ni (LaNi, La2Ni3 and LaNi2) phases were studied by a first-principles method. The formation enthalpy indicates that the La-rich phase is stable. As the La content increases, the enthalpy of formation decreases. The bonding of La–Ni is covalent and metallic. The La-d and Ni-d orbitals contribute mainly at the Fermi level. The mechanical properties indicate that the La-rich La–Ni phases are brittle. La2Ni3 has the most prominent anisotropy. The hardness of LaNi, La2Ni3 and LaNi2 are 37.62 GPa, 41.61 GPa and 65.06 GPa, respectively. Those phases have the potential to form a superhard material. LaNi2 has the highest Debye temperature (232.88 K). LaNi2 is the most stable among these phases.