bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Structured Compensation Plan Improves But Does Not Erase the Sex Pay Gap in Surgery
Authors: Morris Melanie , Chen Herb , Heslin Martin J. , Krontiras Helen 
Published: July 2018

Objective:
The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the sex pay gap in a large academic department of surgery and a recently instituted structured compensation plan.

Summary of Background Data:
A recent large study found that after controlling for measures of academic and clinical productivity, male physicians earned nearly $20,000 more annually than female physicians. Increased salary transparency has been proposed as a method to reduce this disparity.

Methods:
A new structured compensation plan was developed to improve transparency of compensation and financial viability of each division. The total compensations of each faculty member before and after the new compensation plan were calculated. Salaries were compared with the Association of Academic Medical Colleges (AAMC) median value based on specialty, region, academic rank, stratified by sex and compared. Work relative value units (wRVUs) were calculated for each faculty member during the entire study period, stratified by sex and compared.

Results:
Among 44 eligible surgeons (33 men and 11 women), a sex pay gap existed with male surgeon salaries significantly higher than female surgeon salaries [56% (8 to 213) vs 26% (1 to 64); P < 0.00001] despite similar RVU production (men 8725 ± 831 vs women 7818 ± 911, P = 0.454). The new compensation plan did not significantly change male surgeon salaries [56% (8 to 213) vs 58% (26 to 159); P = 0.552] but did significantly increase the salaries of female surgeons [26% (1 to 64) vs 42% (10 to 80); P = 0.026].

Conclusion:
A structured compensation plan can improve the sex pay gap in a short period of time. More transparency in surgical compensation plans is essential to understand the most equitable way to compensate all surgeons.
Relevance of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors in prostate cancer
Authors: Rescigno Pasquale , Chandler Robert , de Bono Johann 
Published: July 2018

Purpose of review
Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) are approved drugs for the treatment of ovarian and breast cancer and currently under investigation for the treatment of prostate cancer and other malignancies with aberrations in homologous recombination DNA repair.
This review summarizes literature published during 2017 concerning the relevance of PARPi in prostate cancer and presents new evidence on mechanisms of resistance and biomarkers of response.

Recent findings
The approval of several PARPi (olaparib, rucaparib, and niraparib) has driven the focus of anticancer treatment on synthetic lethality in prostate cancer too. Despite anecdotal reports of long-term responders, most cancers become resistant to these therapies.
Different mechanisms of primary and acquired resistance to PARPi have been recently investigated including loss of PARP1 expression, BRCA mutations with partial function, and acquisition of reversion restoration of function mutations.

Summary
Here, we discuss the importance of PARPi in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and discuss the possible mechanisms of resistance.
Clinical Utility of Routine Preoperative Laboratory Assessment in a Urogynecologic Population
Authors: Geynisman-Tan Julia , Bochenska Katarzyna , Gillingham Akira , Collins Sarah , Lewicky-Gaupp Christina , Mueller Margaret , Kenton Kimberly 
Published: July 2018

Objective
The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of newly diagnosed, clinically meaningful laboratory abnormalities on routine preoperative laboratory testing in women undergoing urogynecologic surgery.

Methods
All urogynecologic cases performed at a single institution over a 3-year period were reviewed. Women undergoing major surgery routinely had a basic metabolic panel, complete blood count (CBC), and type and screen, whereas women undergoing minor surgery had testing at the surgeon's discretion. Demographics, surgical details, preoperative laboratory values, and instances of postoperative transfusion were abstracted. If testing revealed a clinically meaningful abnormality, physician notes were reviewed to determine whether the abnormality was previously known or led to surgical postponement.

Results
A total of 836 cases were identified: 411 major (49%) and 425 minor (51%). Patients had a mean ± SD age of 57 ± 13 years and body mass index of 27 ± 6 kg/m2. Medical comorbidities were hypertension, 38%; diabetes, 24%; chronic kidney disease, 3%; and congestive heart failure, 4%; 89% had an American Society of Anesthesiologists class of less than or equal to 2. A total of 453 (54%) had preoperative CBC, and 367 (44%) had preoperative basic metabolic panel. Six (1.3%) new abnormalities (hemoglobin between 8.0 and 10.0) were identified on CBC. Thirty-one women had elevated creatinine level (>1.0), and 28 (90%) of these had a history of hypertension. No surgeries were postponed or changed owing to anemia, thrombocytopenia, or renal dysfunction. No clinically significant electrolyte abnormalities were identified. Type and screen were collected on 394 patients; none were transfused intraoperatively.

Conclusions
Routine preoperative laboratory testing does not identify clinically meaningful abnormalities or alter surgical management in women undergoing urogynecologic surgery.
Donor-derived Viral Infections in Liver Transplantation
Authors: Nam Hannah , Nilles Kathy M. , Levitsky Josh , Ison Michael G. 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
Donor-derived infections are defined as any infection present in the donor that is transmitted to 1 or more recipients. Donor-derived infections can be categorized into 2 groups: “expected” and “unexpected” infections. Expected transmissions occur when the donor is known to have an infection, such as positive serology for cytomegalovirus, Epstein Barr virus, or hepatitis B core antibody, at the time of donation. Unexpected transmissions occur when a donor has no known infection before donation, but 1 or more transplant recipients develop an infection derived from the common donor. Unexpected infections are estimated to occur in far less than 1% of solid organ transplant recipients. We will review the epidemiology, risk factors, and approaches to prevention and management of donor-derived viral infectious disease transmission in liver transplantation.
Retinal Neuronal Loss in Visually Asymptomatic Patients With Myoclonic Epilepsy With Ragged-Red Fibers
Authors: Najjar Raymond P. , Reynier Pascal , Caignard Angélique , Procaccio Vincent , Amati-Bonneau Patrizia , Mack Heather , Milea Dan 
Published: July 2018

Background:
Myoclonic epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF, OMIM, #545000) is a rare neurological condition mostly caused by the m.8344A>G mitochondrial DNA pathogenic variant, which can variably affect multiple tissues, including the retina and optic nerve. We report detection of visually asymptomatic neuroretinal loss in 3 patients with genetically confirmed MERRF, using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Methods:
All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination including assessments of visual acuity, color vision, pupillary reactions, extraocular movements, applanation tonometry, slit-lamp, and dilated fundus examinations. Standard automated perimetry or Goldmann kinetic perimetry was performed, as well as fundus photographs and SD-OCT of the optic nerve head and macula.

Results:
Despite the absence of visual symptoms in all patients, and normal visual acuity and visual fields in 1 patient, the 3 genetically confirmed patients (point mutations m.8344A>G; age range: 18–62 years) with MERRF-related neurological manifestations, displayed thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer and variable alterations of the macular ganglion cell complex.

Conclusions:
Visually asymptomatic patients with genetically confirmed MERRF can display features of structural neuroretinal loss, quantifiable with SD-OCT. Further investigations are needed to establish whether OCT can assess early neurodegeneration in MERRF.
Accelerated Magnetic Seizure Therapy for Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Wang Jian , Vila-Rodriguez Fidel , Jiang Wei , Ren Yian-Ping , Wang Chang-Ming , Ma Xin 
Published: July 2018

Introduction
Major depressive disorder is a prevalent and debilitating condition that afflicts millions of people worldwide. Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is a promising convulsive neurostimulation treatment for depression with fewer cognitive adverse effects than electroconvulsive therapy.

Methods
A small case series of patients recruited as part of an open-label clinical trial is presented. Patients with depression underwent an accelerated MST protocol (aMST) consisting of 1 treatment per day for 6 consecutive weekdays. The primary outcome was severity on the HDRS17 (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17-item). In addition, patients underwent neuropsychological assessment with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status and Stroop test.

Results
After completing aMST, all patients experienced improvement. Two patients met response criterion, and the third experienced a 27% decrease on the HDRS17. All 3 patients experienced improvement in cognitive performance with a global 20% mean improvement and strongest improvement in immediate and delayed verbal memory indices (mean improvement of 40% and 27%, respectively). There were no cases of prolonged confusion or delirium after MST treatments. There were no severe adverse effects in any of the 3 patients.

Conclusions
Accelerated MST protocol was well tolerated and associated with positive outcomes in this small case series. Accelerated MST protocol was not associated with prolonged confusion or delirium and was associated with improvement in memory indices. Our results merit further research in large RCT to test whether accelerated MST protocol might be an efficacious treatment for major depressive disorder.
Cognitive self-regulation influences pain-related physiology
Authors: Matthewson Gordon , Woo Choong-Wan , Reddan Marianne C. , Wager Tor D. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractCognitive self-regulation can shape pain experience, but its effects on autonomic responses to painful events are unclear. In this study, participants (N = 41) deployed a cognitive strategy based on reappraisal and imagination to regulate pain up or down on different trials while skin conductance responses (SCR) and electrocardiogram (ECG) activity were recorded. Using a machine learning approach, we first developed stimulus-locked SCR and ECG physiological markers predictive of pain ratings. The physiological markers demonstrated high sensitivity and moderate specificity in predicting pain across two datasets, including an independent test dataset (N = 84). When we tested the markers on the cognitive self-regulation data, we found that cognitive self-regulation had significant impacts on both pain ratings and pain-related physiology in accordance with regulatory goals. These findings suggest that self-regulation can impact autonomic nervous system responses to painful stimuli and provide pain-related autonomic profiles for future studies.
Disentangling bacterial invasiveness from lethality in an experimental host-pathogen system
Authors: Biancalani Tommaso , Gore Jeff 
Published: July 2018

ABSTRACTQuantifying virulence remains a central problem in human health, pest control, disease ecology, and evolutionary biology. Bacterial virulence is typically quantified by theLT50(i.e.the time taken to kill 50% of infected hosts), however, such an indicator cannot account for the full complexity of the infection process, such as distinguishing between the pathogen’s ability to colonize vs. kill the hosts. Indeed, the pathogen needs to breach the primary defenses in order to colonize, find a suitable environment to replicate, and finally express the virulence factors that cause disease. Here, we show that two virulence attributes, namely pathogen lethality and invasiveness, can be disentangled from the survival curves of a laboratory population ofCaenorhabditis elegansnematodes exposed to three bacterial pathogens:Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Serratia marcescensandSalmonella enterica. We first show that the host population eventually experiences a constant mortality rate, which quantifies the lethality of the pathogen. We then show that the time necessary to reach this constant-mortality rate regime depends on the pathogen growth rate and colonization rate, and thus determines the pathogen invasiveness. Our framework reveals thatSerratia marcescensis particularly good at the initial colonization of the host, whereasSalmonella entericais a poor colonizer yet just as lethal once established.Pseudomonas aeruginosa, on the other hand, is both a good colonizer and highly lethal after becoming established. The ability to quantitatively characterize the ability of different pathogens to perform each of these steps has implications for treatment and prevention of disease and for the evolution and ecology of pathogens.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Category and Target-related Information Processing in the Brain during Object Detection
Authors: Karimi-Rouzbahani Hamid , Vahab Ehsan , Ebrahimpour Reza , Menhaj Mohammad Bagher 
Published: July 2018

AbstractTo recognize a target object, the brain implements strategies which involve a combination of externally sensory-driven and internally task-driven mechanisms. While several studies have suggested a role for frontal brain areas in enhancing task-related representations in visual cortices, especially the lateral-occipital cortex, they remained silent about the type of information transferred to visual areas. However, the recently developed method of representational causality analysis, allowed us to track the movement of different types of information in the brain. Accordingly, we designed an EEG object detection experiment and evaluated the spatiotemporal dynamics of category- and target-related information across the brain using. Results showed that the prefrontal area initiated the processing of target-related information. This information was then transferred to posterior brain areas during stimulus presentation to facilitate object detection and to direct the decision-making procedure. We also observed that, as compared to category-related information, the target-related information could predict the behavioral detection performance more accurately, suggesting the dominant representation of internal compared to external information in brain signals. These results provided new evidence about the role of prefrontal cortices in the processing of task-related information the brain during object detection.
Most sleep does not serve a vital function. Evidence from Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Geissmann Quentin , Beckwith Esteban J. , Gilestro Giorgio F. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractSleep appears to be a universally conserved phenomenon among the animal kingdom but whether this striking evolutionary conservation underlies a basic vital function is still an open question. Using novel technologies, we conducted an unprecedentedly detailed high-throughput analysis of sleep in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, coupled with a life-long chronic and specific sleep restriction. Our results show that some wild-type flies are virtually sleepless in baseline conditions and that complete, forced sleep restriction is not necessarily a lethal treatment in wild-type Drosophila melanogaster. We also show that circadian drive, and not homeostatic regulation, is the main contributor to sleep pressure in flies. We propose a three-partite model framework of sleep function, according to which, total sleep accounts for three components: a vital component, a useful component, and an accessory component.
Inference of Chromosome-length Haplotypes using Genomic Data of Three to Five Single Gametes
Authors: Li Ruidong , Qu Han , Chen Jinfeng , Wang Shibo , Chater John M. , Zhang Le , Wei Julong , Zhang Yuan-Ming , Xu Chenwu , Zhong Wei-De , Zhu Jianguo , Lu Jianming , Ma Renyuan , Ferrante Sergio Pietro , Roose Mikeal L. , Jia Zhenyu 
Published: July 2018

AbstractKnowledge of chromosome-length haplotypes will not only advance our understanding of the relationship between DNA and phenotypes, but also promote a variety of genetic applications. Here we present Hapi, an innovative method for chromosomal haplotype inference using only 3 to 5 gametes. Hapi outperformed all existing haploid-based phasing methods in terms of accuracy, reliability, and cost efficiency in both simulated and real gamete datasets. This highly cost-effective phasing method will make large-scale haplotype studies feasible to facilitate human disease studies and plant/animal breeding. In addition, Hapi can detect meiotic crossovers in gametes, which has promise in the diagnosis of abnormal recombination activity in human reproductive cells.
Flux, toxicity and protein expression costs shape genetic interaction in a metabolic pathway
Authors: Kemble Harry , Eisenhauer Catherine , Couce Alejandro , Chapron Audrey , Magnan Mélanie , Gautier Gregory , Le Nagard Hervé , Nghe Philippe , Tenaillon Olivier 
Published: July 2018

AbstractOur ability to predict the impact of mutations on traits relevant for disease and evolution remains severely limited by the dependence of their effects on the genetic background and environment. Even when molecular interactions between genes are known, it is unclear how these translate to organism-level interactions between alleles. We therefore characterized the interplay of genetic and environmental dependencies in determining fitness by quantifying ~4,000 fitness interactions between expression variants of two metabolic genes, in different environments. We detect a remarkable variety of environment-dependent interactions, and demonstrate they can be quantitatively explained by a mechanistic model accounting for catabolic flux, metabolite toxicity and expression costs. Complex fitness interactions between mutations can therefore be predicted simply from their simultaneous impact on a few connected molecular phenotypes.
A zinc knuckle gene on the Y chromosome (zkY) determines sex in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)
Authors: Kirubakaran Tina Graceline , Andersen Øivind , De Rosa Maria Cristina , Andersstuen Terese , Hallan Kristina , Kent Matthew Peter , Lien Sigbjørn 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe genetic mechanisms determining sex in teleost fishes are highly variable, ranging from a single gene to complex patterns of polygenic regulation. The master sex determining gene has only been identified in very few species and there is no information about the gene in the superorder Paracanthopterygii that includes the codfishes, toadfishes and anglerfishes. Here we characterize a male-specific region of 9 kb on linkage group 11 in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) harboring a single gene namedzkYfor zinc knuckle on the Y chromosome. A diagnostic PCR test of phenotypically sexed males and females of Atlantic cod confirmed the sex-specific nature of the Y-sequence. We searched for autosomal gene copies ofzkYand identified twelve highly similar genes, of which eight (zk1-zk8) code for proteins containing the zinc knuckle motif. 3D structure modelling suggests that the amino acid changes observed in six of the eight copies might influence the putative RNA-binding specificity. Cod zkY and the autosomal proteins zk1 and zk2 possess an identical zinc knuckle structure, but only the Y-specific genezkYwas expressed at high levels in the developing larvae before the onset of sex differentiation. We propose that codzkYfunctions as the master masculinization gene by coding for a suppressor of germ cell division in males. PCR amplification of Y-sequences in Arctic cod (Arctogadus glacialis) and Greenland cod (Gadus macrocephalus ogac) suggests that this novel sex determining mechanism emerged in codfishes more than 7.5 million years ago.Author SummaryStudying the diverse sex determining genes in teleost fish may contribute to increase our understanding of sex chromosome evolution in vertebrates. To date, no sex determinant is known for the superorder Paracanthopterygii, comprising about 1340 species, including the commercially important Atlantic cod. In this study we characterize a Y-specific region of 9 kb on linkage group 11 containing a single gene namedzkYfor zinc knuckle on the Y chromosome. The gene is transcribed at high levels in larvae before commencement of sex differentiation and encodes a novel zinc knuckle protein that putatively binds RNA target sequences. We propose that cod zkY suppresses germ cell proliferation in the developing males by interacting with the germ-cell specific RNA regulatory network.
How do wind speed, release height, seed morphology interact to determine seed dispersal trajectory of Calligonum (Polygonaceae) species Wind speed, release height, seed morphology determine seed dispersal trajectory
Authors: Zhou Quanlai , Liu Zhimin , Xin Zhiming , Qian Jianqiang , Wang Yongcui , Liang Wei , Qin Xuanping , Zhao Yingming , Li Xinle , Cui Xue , Liu Minghu 
Published: July 2018

AbstractHow seed dispersal trajectory shifts with abiotic and biotic factors and what is the relationship between seed dispersal distance and dispersal trajectory are remain unclear. We used wind tunnel and video camera to track the seed dispersal trajectory of 7 Calligonum species with different appendages under the different wind speeds and the release heights. Dispersal trajectories and distances were determined by video analysis and spatial coordinate transformation. Based on perspective principle, 4 modes of trajectories were determined. Wind speed, seed mass and release height were the key factors determining seed dispersal trajectory modes. Release height and wind speed tended to have the strongest explanatory power on seeds with bristles and wings, respectively. Different trajectory modes lead to different dispersal distance, while the same dispersal distance can be the result of different trajectory modes. The proportion of species’ trajectory modes formed its trajectory spectrum. Wind speed tends to have strong influence on light and low-wind-loading seeds, release height tends to have that on heavy and high-wind-loading seeds. Species with high proportion of horizontal projectile and projectile have high dispersal capacity, vice versa. Therefore, trajectory spectrum of a species reveals its primary dispersal strategies and evolutionary consequences.
Inhibition of three kinds of expired nitroimidazole antibiotics
Authors: Shi Yulu , Bai Wei , Guo Junming , Gao Libin , Chen Yijian , Wu You , Liang Linqiao 
Published: July 2018

PurposeThis paper aims to evaluate the efficiency and mechanism of three kinds of expired nitroimidazole antibiotics as corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 1M HCl.Design/methodology/approachEvaluation was carried out by weight loss and electrochemical techniques. The surface morphology and the composition of the elements of adsorption layer are studied by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometer.FindingsThe experimental results reveal that the maximum value of inhibition efficiency appear at an extreme point of concentration with the increase of concentration of the inhibitors. Ornidazole has better corrosion inhibition than metronidazole but not as tinidazole. The inhibitors all act as cathodic type corrosion inhibitor. The adsorption of ornidazole, metronidazole and tinidazole on mild steel obeys Langmuir adsorption isotherm and belongs to chemisorption of electron donating. Combined with the molecular structure of the corrosion inhibitor and the experimental structure, the authors propose a detailed mechanism analysis.Originality/valueThe expired nitroimidazole antibiotics as corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution is first studied. It provides a way to deal with expired drugs, thereby reducing environmental pollution. The study explored the inhibition mechanism affecting by comparison different structure of three kinds of expired nitroimidazole antibiotics molecular, providing theoretical support for the preparation of the new inhibitor.