bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Racial and Educational Disparities in Dementia and Dementia-Free Life Expectancy
Authors: Farina Mateo P , Hayward Mark D , Kim Jung Ki , Crimmins Eileen M 
Published: April 2019

Abstract

Objectives
We estimate life expectancy with and without dementia for Americans 65 years and older by education and race to examine how these stratification systems combine to shape disparities in later-life cognitive health.

Method
Based on the Health and Retirement Study (2000–2014), we use a multivariate, incidence-based life table approach to estimate life expectancy by cognitive health status for race–education groups. The models also simulate group differences in the prevalence of dementia implied by these rates.

Results
The life table results document notable race–education differences in dementia and dementia-free life expectancy, as well as stark differences in implied dementia prevalence. At each education level, blacks can expect to live more years with dementia and they have significantly higher rates of dementia prevalence. This distribution of disparities in the older population is anchored by 2 groups—blacks without a high school diploma and whites with some college or more.

Discussion
Dementia experience and dementia burden differ dramatically along race–education lines. Race and education combine to exaggerate disparities and they both have enduring effects. Future research should explicitly consider how race and education combine to influence dementia in the older American population.
DamMet: ancient methylome mapping accounting for errors, true variants, and post-mortem DNA damage
Authors: Hanghøj Kristian , Renaud Gabriel , Albrechtsen Anders , Orlando Ludovic 
Published: April 2019

Abstract

Background
Recent computational advances in ancient DNA research have opened access to the detection of ancient DNA methylation footprints at the genome-wide scale. The most commonly used approach infers the methylation state of a given genomic region on the basis of the amount of nucleotide mis-incorporations observed at CpG dinucleotide sites. However, this approach overlooks a number of confounding factors, including the presence of sequencing errors and true variants. The scale and distribution of the inferred methylation measurements are also variable across samples, precluding direct comparisons.

Findings
Here, we present DamMet, an open-source software program retrieving maximum likelihood estimates of regional CpG methylation levels from ancient DNA sequencing data. It builds on a novel statistical model of post-mortem DNA damage for dinucleotides, accounting for sequencing errors, genotypes, and differential post-mortem cytosine deamination rates at both methylated and unmethylated sites. To validate DamMet, we extended gargammel, a sequence simulator for ancient DNA data, by introducing methylation-dependent features of post-mortem DNA decay. This new simulator provides direct validation of DamMet predictions. Additionally, the methylation levels inferred by DamMet were found to be correlated to those inferred by epiPALEOMIX and both on par and directly comparable to those measured from whole-genome bisulphite sequencing experiments of fresh tissues.

Conclusions
DamMet provides genuine estimates for local DNA methylation levels in ancient individual genomes. The returned estimates are directly cross-sample comparable, and the software is available as an open-source C++ program hosted at https://gitlab.com/KHanghoj/DamMet along with a manual and tutorial.
Bony Patchwork: Mosaic Patterns of Evolution in the Skull of Electric Fishes (Apteronotidae: Gymnotiformes)
Authors: Evans Kory M , Vidal-García Marta , Tagliacollo Victor A , Taylor Samuel J , Fenolio Dante B 
Published: April 2019

AbstractMosaic evolution refers to the pattern whereby different organismal traits exhibit differential rates of evolution typically due to reduced levels of trait covariation through deep time (i.e., modularity). These differences in rates can be attributed to variation in responses to selective pressures between individual traits. Differential responses to selective pressures also have the potential to facilitate functional specialization, allowing certain traits to track environmental stimuli more closely than others. The teleost skull is a multifunctional structure comprising a complex network of bones and thus an excellent system for which to study mosaic evolution. Here we construct an ultrametric phylogeny for a clade of Neotropical electric fishes (Apteronotidae: Gymnotiformes) and use three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to investigate patterns of mosaic evolution in the skull and jaws. We find strong support for a developmental, three-module hypothesis that consists of the face, braincase, and mandible, and we find that the mandible has evolved four times faster than its neighboring modules. We hypothesize that the functional specialization of the mandible in this group of fishes has allowed it to outpace the face and braincase and evolve in a more decoupled manner. We also hypothesize that this pattern of mosaicism may be widespread across other clades of teleost fishes.
Spatial statism
Authors: Hirschl Ran , Shachar Ayelet 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
In this Foreword, we wish to insert a degree of innovation into debates about global law and the supposed demise of state-based public law. We do so by asking how considerations of space, place and density impact the conceptualization and utilization of state power in a world of growing complexity and interdependence. In an array of key policy areas, we examine in considerable detail how state-centered public law defines, and where required redefines, space and territory in order to tame potential threats—local or global, vertical and horizontal—to the state’s territorial sovereignty. Our exploration highlights the tremendous versatility and creativity of states in deploying and stretching, through the classic tools of public law, their spatial and juridical tentacles in a new and complex global environment. Taken in conjunction, these illustrations suggest that the disregard for and dismissal of the state as a potent actor in the public law arena is premature. State sovereignty may be metamorphosing, but it is evidently not vanishing.
On Zeroes of Random Polynomials and an Application to Unwinding
Authors: Steinerberger Stefan , Wu Hau-tieng 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Let $\mu $ be a probability measure in $\mathbb{C}$ with a continuous and compactly supported density function, let $z_1, \dots , z_n$ be independent random variables, $z_i \sim \mu $, and consider the random polynomial $ p_n(z) = \prod _{k=1}^{n}{(z - z_k)}.$ We determine the asymptotic distribution of $\left \{z \in \mathbb{C}: p_n(z) = p_n(0)\right \}$. In particular, if $\mu $ is radial around the origin, then those solutions are also distributed according to $\mu $ as $n \rightarrow \infty $. Generally, the distribution of the solutions will reproduce parts of $\mu $ and condense another part on curves. We use these insights to study the behavior of the Blaschke unwinding series on random data.
In-hospital mortality among incident hemodialysis older patients in Peru
Authors: Herrera-Añazco Percy , Ortiz Pedro J , Peinado Jesus E , Tello Tania , Valero Fabiola , Hernandez Adrian V , Miranda J Jaime 
Published: April 2019

AbstractBackgroundUnderstanding the pattern of mortality linked to end stage renal disease (ESRD) is important given the increasing ageing population in low- and middle-income countries.MethodsWe analyzed older patients with ESRD with incident hemodialysis, from January 2012 to August 2017 in one large general hospital in Peru. Individual and health system-related variables were analyzed using Generalized Linear Models (GLM) to estimate their association with in-hospital all-cause mortality. Relative risk (RR) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated.ResultsWe evaluated 312 patients; mean age 69 years, 93.6% started hemodialysis with a transient central venous catheter, 1.7% had previous hemodialysis indication and 24.7% died during hospital stay. The mean length of stay was 16.1 days (SD 13.5). In the adjusted multivariate models, we found higher in-hospital mortality among those with encephalopathy (aRR 1.85, 95% CI 1.21-2.82 vs. without encephalopathy) and a lower in-hospital mortality among those with eGFR ≤7 mL/min (aRR 0.45, 95% CI 0.31-0.67 vs. eGFR&gt;7 mL/min).ConclusionsThere is a high in-hospital mortality among older hemodialysis patients in Peru. The presence of uremic encephalopathy was associated with higher mortality and a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate with lower mortality.
Examination of Homing Behaviors in Two Species of Crayfish Following Translational Displacements
Authors: Kamran Maryam , Moore Meghan E , Fisher Andrea M , Moore Paul A 
Published: April 2019

SynopsisCrayfish have been model systems for examining complex behaviors and the underlying neural mechanisms that guide these behaviors. While spatial learning has been examined in a subset of crayfish species, homing behaviors remained largely unexamined. Here we examined homing behavior following translational displacements in a primary burrowing (Creaserinus fodiens) and tertiary burrowing species (Faxonius rusticus). Individuals of both species were placed in an arena with artificial burrows embedded within the arena floor. The arena floor was fitted with a panel, which served as a treadmill belt to allow for translational displacement. Individuals were displaced after they had left the burrows. The movement pathways of displaced crayfish were compared with those in two control groups, one which underwent no displacement and the second in which the treadmill belt was displaced but returned to its original position almost immediately. Homing success for displaced individuals of both species was considerably reduced in comparison to the control groups. Moreover, displaced primary burrowers had significantly lower homing success in comparison to displaced tertiary burrowers. Primary burrowers exhibited greater homing error and significantly impaired homing behaviors compared with tertiary burrowers. Furthermore, heading angles in displaced groups (of both species) were significantly higher than the control group of both species. Species-specific differences in homing success and homing error indicate that primary burrowers were more negatively impacted by translational displacements. These homing differences indicate that these two species of crayfish have differing homing strategies.
Optimizing clinical trials recruitment via deep learning
Authors: Gligorijevic Jelena , Gligorijevic Djordje , Pavlovski Martin , Milkovits Elizabeth , Glass Lucas , Grier Kevin , Vankireddy Praveen , Obradovic Zoran 
Published: April 2019

Abstract

Objective
Clinical trials, prospective research studies on human participants carried out by a distributed team of clinical investigators, play a crucial role in the development of new treatments in health care. This is a complex and expensive process where investigators aim to enroll volunteers with predetermined characteristics, administer treatment(s), and collect safety and efficacy data. Therefore, choosing top-enrolling investigators is essential for efficient clinical trial execution and is 1 of the primary drivers of drug development cost.

Materials and Methods
To facilitate clinical trials optimization, we propose DeepMatch (DM), a novel approach that builds on top of advances in deep learning. DM is designed to learn from both investigator and trial-related heterogeneous data sources and rank investigators based on their expected enrollment performance on new clinical trials.

Results
Large-scale evaluation conducted on 2618 studies provides evidence that the proposed ranking-based framework improves the current state-of-the-art by up to 19% on ranking investigators and up to 10% on detecting top/bottom performers when recruiting investigators for new clinical trials.

Discussion
The extensive experimental section suggests that DM can provide substantial improvement over current industry standards in several regards: (1) the enrollment potential of the investigator list, (2) the time it takes to generate the list, and (3) data-informed decisions about new investigators.

Conclusion
Due to the great significance of the problem at hand, related research efforts are set to shift the paradigm of how investigators are chosen for clinical trials, thereby optimizing and automating them and reducing the cost of new therapies.
Barriers and facilitators to clinical information seeking: a systematic review
Authors: Aakre Christopher A , Maggio Lauren A , Fiol Guilherme Del , Cook David A 
Published: April 2019

AbstractObjectiveThe study sought to identify barriers to and facilitators of point-of-care information seeking and use of knowledge resources.Materials and MethodsWe searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library from 1991 to February 2017. We included qualitative studies in any language exploring barriers to and facilitators of point-of-care information seeking or use of electronic knowledge resources. Two authors independently extracted data on users, study design, and study quality. We inductively identified specific barriers or facilitators and from these synthesized a model of key determinants of information-seeking behaviors.ResultsForty-five qualitative studies were included, reporting data derived from interviews (n = 26), focus groups (n = 21), ethnographies (n = 6), logs (n = 4), and usability studies (n = 2). Most studies were performed within the context of general medicine (n = 28) or medical specialties (n = 13). We inductively identified 58 specific barriers and facilitators and then created a model reflecting 5 key determinants of information-seeking behaviors: time includes subthemes of time availability, efficiency of information seeking, and urgency of information need; accessibility includes subthemes of hardware access, hardware speed, hardware portability, information restriction, and cost of resources; personal skills and attitudes includes subthemes of computer literacy, information-seeking skills, and contextual attitudes about information seeking; institutional attitudes, cultures, and policies includes subthemes describing external individual and institutional information-seeking influences; and knowledge resource features includes subthemes describing information-seeking efficiency, information content, information organization, resource familiarity, information credibility, information currency, workflow integration, compatibility of recommendations with local processes, and patient educational support.ConclusionsAddressing these determinants of information-seeking behaviors may facilitate clinicians' question answering to improve patient care.
Charities Can Increase the Effectiveness of Donation Appeals by Using a Morally Congruent Positive Emotion
Authors: Goenka Shreyans , van Osselaer Stijn M J 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Prosocial organizations have different moral objectives. Some seek to promote welfare (e.g., Red Cross), but others seek to promote justice and equality (e.g., ACLU). Additionally, these organizations can induce different positive emotions to motivate donations. If organizations are seeking to promote different moral objectives using positive emotions, which positive emotion will be the most effective for their respective campaigns? We demonstrate how the congruency between the moral domain of an emotion and the moral objective of an organization plays a role in influencing prosocial behaviors. Charities that seek to increase care in society (e.g., disaster-relief charities) should utilize compassion in their promotion campaigns, but charities that seek to promote fairness and equality in society (e.g., human rights charities) should utilize gratitude in their promotion campaigns. One field study (N = 2,112) and four experiments (N = 2,100) demonstrate that utilizing a positive emotion congruent with the charity’s moral objective increases monetary donations and preferences. The preferences are driven by the moral concerns made salient by the respective emotions. Further, the preferences attenuate when exchange norms are made salient. Altogether, these results underscore the importance of considering moral congruence in consumption contexts.
Association Between Ownership of Imaging Equipment and Appropriateness of Staging Positron-Emission Tomography in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Authors: Huntington Scott F , Zhu Weiwei , Hoag Jessica R , Wang Rong , Zeidan Amer M , Giri Smith , Podoltsev Nikolai A , Gore Steven D , Ma Xiaomei , Gross Cary P , Davidoff Amy J 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Physician ownership of imaging equipment has been shown to be associated with greater use of low-value imaging. However, it is unclear whether ownership also influences utilization of appropriate imaging. We conducted a cohort study of older adults diagnosed with three non-Hodgkin lymphomas with distinct guideline recommendations concerning the use of positron emission tomography (PET) during staging (recommended, not recommended, or equivocal). We found patients who were treated by oncologists with PET ownership were more likely to receive a staging PET regardless of lymphoma subtype. However, the difference in utilization by ownership status was smallest (6%, 95% confidence interval = 2% to 11%, P = .01) in the setting of diffuse large B cell lymphoma, where consensus guidelines recommend routine use of PET. Overall, removing financial incentives related to imaging self-referral may reduce utilization during cancer care, with the potential for greatest impact on imaging of equivocal or low clinical utility.
The Effects of Survey Enhancements on the Quality of Reporting in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2008–2015
Authors: Zuvekas Samuel H , Biener Adam I , Hicks Wendy D 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
It is well established that survey respondents imperfectly recall health care use in surveys. However, careful attention to both survey design and fielding procedures can enhance recall. We examine the effects of a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach to changing field procedures in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) to improve quality of health care use reporting. Conducted annually since 1996, the MEPS is the leading large-scale nationally representative health survey with detailed individual and household information on health care use and expenditures. These survey enhancements were undertaken in 2013–2014 because of concerns over a drop in the quality of reporting in 2010 that persisted into 2011–2012. The approach combined focused retraining of field supervisors and interviewers, developing quality metrics and reports for ongoing monitoring of interviewers, and revising advanced letters and materials sent to respondents.
We seek to determine the extent to which changes in field procedures and trainings improved interviewer and respondent behaviors associated with better reporting, and more importantly, improved reporting accuracy. We use longitudinal MEPS data from 2008 through 2015, combining household reported use with sociodemographic and health status characteristics, and paradata on the characteristics of the interviews and interviewers. We exploit the longitudinal data and timings of major trainings and changes in field procedures in regression models, separating out the effects of the trainings and other fielding changes to the extent possible.
We find that the 2013–2014 data quality improvement activities substantially improved reporting quality. Positive interviewer behaviors increased substantially to above pre-2010 levels, and utilization reporting has recovered to above pre-2010 levels, returning MEPS to trend. Importantly, these substantial gains occurred in 2013, prior to extensive in-person training for most of the field force.
We examine the lessons learned from this data quality initiative both for the MEPS program and for other large household surveys.
Paradoxical Hypercholesterolemia in an Otherwise Healthy Adult Man
Authors: Mcpherson Peter A 
Published: April 2019

AbstractHypercholesterolemia is characterized by serum cholesterol levels greater than 5 mmol per L. However, the distribution of cholesterol among lipoprotein classes has a significant bearing on diagnosis: high–low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol suggests familial hypercholesterolemia, whereas high–high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is associated with hyperalphalipoproteinemia. On routine screening, a 23-year-old man presented with a total cholesterol level of 7.6 mmol per L but was subsequently found to have an HDL cholesterol level of 5.6 mmol per L. The clinical picture was confounded by his use of red yeast rice extract, a popular health supplement with hypolipidemic effects. In this case individual, the use of red yeast rice extract caused a hyperlipidemic state, ostensibly through downregulation of cholesteryl ester transfer protein. This case emphasizes the extended role of laboratory medicine in complex cases of hyperlipidemia.
Timing of Intradermal Rabies Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Injections: Immunological Effect on Vaccination Response
Authors: Van Nieuwenhove Mathias D M , Damanet Benjamin , Soentjens Patrick 
Published: April 2019

Abstract

Introduction
Rabies remains a global threat, with annually over 59,000 deaths. Intradermal (ID) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is very efficient and reduces the need for rabies immunoglobulins. Not much is known about factors that influence the immune response to ID administered rabies vaccine. The aim of this study is to determine if variations in timing of vaccine administration and serology determination, age and gender have an influence on the levels of rabies virus neutralizing antibody (RVNA) after ID rabies vaccination.

Materials and Methods
This is a retrospective study based on electronic health record vaccination data of Belgian military personnel who received ID rabies PrEP with a three injections regimen during the period 2014–2017. Serology was determined by using the RFFIT method. Fischer’s exacts tests were used to evaluate the effect of each independent variable on RVNA levels.

Results
In this study, 2,112 subjects were included. All but one seroconverted with a RVNA level ≥0.5 IU/mL. About 48% of subjects developed an antibody titer of &gt;10 IU/mL, 36% had antibody levels 3–10 IU/mL and 16% had an antibody level 0.5–2.99 IU/mL. Statistically significant (p = 0.0018) higher RVNA levels are observed in the groups that received vaccination doses later as planned. Timing of serology determination also influenced RVNA levels significantly (p = 0.000). Antibody levels were significantly higher in females than in males (p = 0.000). Age did influence RVNA levels significantly (p = 0.022).

Conclusions
Timing of vaccine dose administration, timing of serology testing, sex and age do significantly influence the humoral B-cell response to ID administered rabies vaccine.