bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Open-neck organ preservation surgery for hypopharyngeal cancer: indications, techniques, limits, and outcomes
Authors: Bradley Patrick J. , Liu Liangfa 
Published: November 2018

Purpose of reviewTo appraise the practice and role of open-neck organ preserving surgery for hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and to update the current indications, techniques, limits, and outcomes.Recent findingsThe role of primary surgery for hypopharyngeal carcinoma has shifted over the past two decades to primary nonsurgical management with the use of induction or concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The preferred and most suitable tumours for open-neck surgery are the small-volume T stage diseases, with small to medium-volume neck metastases, however such patients are exceedingly rare. Nonetheless, more advanced tumours with cartilage invasion, vocal cord paralysis, or located at piriform apex and postcricoid area, previously unsuitable for open-neck organ preserving surgery, can now be excised and repaired, minimizing morbidity and improving quality of patients’ life. Much of this surgical progress has been developed by innovative surgeons using free tissue transfer, accurate placement surgery, reconstruction of a neoglottis, and perfecting the pharyngoesophageal anastomosis. Current practice of open-neck organ preserving surgery for hypopharyngeal carcinoma has been mainly reported in Asia: Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and China.SummaryThere are some patients who are deemed unsuitable and/or unwilling for current treatment by nonsurgical approaches, and open-neck organ preserving laryngopharyngeal surgery may be a more suitable alternative than selecting a ‘lesser or modified’ chemo or bioradiotherapy regimen, resulting in a prolonged quantity and quality of life.
New age technology and social media: adolescent psychosocial implications and the need for protective measures
Authors: Shah Jay , Das Prithwijit , Muthiah Nallammai , Milanaik Ruth 
Published: November 2018

Purpose of review
In recent years, breakthroughs and advancements in new age technology have revolutionized the way children communicate and interact with the world around them. As social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat continue to grow in popularity, their usage has raised concerns about their role and impact on adolescent development and behavior. This review examines the psychosocial implications of social media usage on youth outcomes related to body image, socialization, and adolescent development. It discusses ways that clinicians and parents can effectively safeguard their children from the potential threats posed by digital media while providing a fact sheet for parents that addresses these concerns and summarizes recommended strategies to combat them.

Recent findings
While social media platforms continue to experience surges in popularity, mounting evidence suggests significant correlations between their usage and adolescent mental health and behavioral issues. Increased social media usage has been linked to diminished self-esteem and body satisfaction, elevated risk of cyber-bullying, heightened exposure to pornographic material, and risky sexual behaviors.

Summary
Given how new age technology is steadily permeating everyday life, greater efforts are needed to inform adolescent users and their families about the negative consequences of social media usage. Pediatricians and parents must take cautionary measures to reduce psychosocial risks and ensure the online safety of children.
Tumor necrosis factor-driven cell death in donor organ as a barrier to immunological tolerance
Authors: Ang Rosalind L. , Ting Adrian T. 
Published: November 2018

Purpose of review
Regulated cell death (RCD) is likely to play a role in organ rejection but it is unclear how it may be invoked. A well-known trigger of regulated cell death is tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), which activates both caspase-dependent apoptosis and caspase-independent necroptosis. TNF is best known as a pro-inflammatory cytokine because it activates NFκB and MAPK signaling to induce expression of pro-inflammatory genes.

Recent findings
Emerging data from animal models now suggest that TNF-induced cell death can also be inflammatory. Therefore, the role of cellular demise in regulating immunity should be considered. In transplantation, TNF could have a role in cellular injury or death from ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury and this may dictate organ survival. The default response to TNF in most cells is survival, rather than death, because of the presence of cell death checkpoints. However, cells succumb to TNF-driven death when these checkpoints are disrupted, and sensitivity to death likely reflects a reduction in molecules that fortify these checkpoints. We propose that a cell's propensity to die in response to TNF may underlie allograft rejection.

Summary
Genetic, epigenetic, and posttranslational control of death checkpoint regulators in donor tissues may determine graft survival. Therapeutically, drugs that prevent donor cell demise could be useful in preventing organ rejection.
Marginal kidney transplantation: the road less traveled
Authors: Sharma Neeraj , Mahajan Arnav , Qazi Yasir A. 
Published: November 2018

Purpose of review
Kidney transplantation indisputably confers a significant survival advantage and a better quality of life compared with dialysis, however, because of the increasing demand for kidney transplantation many patients continue to wait prolonged periods for kidney transplantation. The first step to alleviate the shortage is to reduce the discard rate by utilizing more marginal kidneys. This review studied the recent literature on marginal kidney transplantation.

Recent findings
More than 60% of high-KDPI kidneys are discarded. Despite the increase in posttransplant costs, use of high KDPI transplants suggests a gain in survival years, thus making marginal kidney transplant cost effective. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that marginal kidney transplantation shows a survival benefit compared with remaining in the waitlist and minimizes the kidney discard rate.

Summary
Transplantation with marginal kidneys provides a survival benefit over dialysis or waiting for a low-KDPI kidney. As a result, clinicians should strongly consider transplantation of marginal kidneys as opposed to waiting for a better offer.
Mortality Rates and Trends Among Bologna Community Mental Health Service Users
Authors: Berardi Domenico , Pavarin Raimondo Maria , Chierzi Federico , Terzi Laura , Manzo Valentina , Piazza Antonella , Menchetti Marco , Fioritti Angelo 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
The present study aimed to determine mortality rates and trends among community mental health service users in Bologna (Italy) between 2001 and 2013. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated, and Poisson multiple regression analysis was performed. The cohort comprised 42,357 patients, of which 3556 died. The overall SMR was 1.62 (95% confidence interval = 1.57–1.67). SMRs for natural causes of death ranged from 1.25 to 2.30, whereas the SMR for violent deaths was 3.45. Both serious and common mental disorders showed a significant excess of mortality, although higher rates were found in severe mental disorders, especially in personality disorders. Different from most published studies, the overall SMR slightly decreased during the study period. The present study, though confirming that people with mental disorders present a higher risk of mortality, calls for prevention strategies oriented to all psychiatric diagnoses.
The Face as Diversity: What Was the Medical-Scientific Value of Lombrosian Morphoanthropology?
Authors: Chirchiglia Domenico , Chirchiglia Pasquale , Marotta Rosa 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
The face seen as an element of diversity. The ugliness of a face or a body and deformities were considered in 1800 as symbols of atavism, regression to being primates, or expression of inferior beings. The Italian physician Cesare Lombroso was the author of the concept of morphoanthropology, according to which the human being is judged on the basis of his or her physical connotations. An individual with ugly features of the face and body would be brought in as a criminal. Time has dissolved the value of Lombrosian theories, and scientific research has highlighted the influence of various factors in the genesis of crime. Genetic, biological, socioenvironmental factors, regulated by neurophysiology, which adds the effect of antagonism between the prefrontal cortex and the limbic cortex, explain the tendency to commit crime.
Supervised Classification of CYP2D6 Genotype and Metabolizer Phenotype With Postmortem Tramadol-Exposed Finns
Authors: Wendt Frank R. , Novroski Nicole M.M. , Rahikainen Anna-Liina , Sajantila Antti , Budowle Bruce 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
Cytochrome p450 family 2, subfamily D, polypeptide 6 (CYP2D6) may be used to infer the metabolizer phenotype (MP) of an individual as poor, intermediate, extensive/normal, or ultrarapid. Metabolizer phenotypes may suggest idiosyncratic drug responses as contributing factors to cause and/or manner of death in postmortem investigations. Application of CYP2D6 has used long-range amplification of the locus and restriction enzyme digestion to detect single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) associated with MPs. This process can be cumbersome and requires knowledge of genotype phase. Phase may be achieved using long-read DNA sequencing and/or computational methods; however, both can be error prone, which may make it difficult or impractical for implementation into medicolegal practice. CYP2D6 was interrogated in postmortem autopsied Finns using supervised machine learning and feature selection to identify SNVs indicative of MP and/or rate of tramadol O-demethylation (T:M1). A subset of 18 CYP2D6 SNVs could predict MP/T:M1 with up to 96.3% accuracy given phased data. These data indicate that phase contributes to classification accuracy when using CYP2D6 data. Of these 18 SNVs, 3 are novel loci putatively associated with T:M1. These findings may enable design of small multiplexes for easy forensic application of MP prediction when cause and/or manner of death is unknown.
Blood Lead Surveillance and Exposure Sources Among Alaska Children
Authors: Bressler Jonathan M. , Yoder Sarah , Cooper Stacey , McLaughlin Joe 
Published: November 2018

Context:
Nationally, the child lead poisoning prevention strategy focuses on children in low-income communities living in old housing with lead paint. In Alaska, however, only about 3% of existing homes were built before 1950 and 38% were built during 1950-1979. As such, lead paint in old housing is a less frequent source of exposure for Alaska children with elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs).

Program:
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services collects and maintains data for all blood lead level (BLL) tests in the state and is responsible for following up on EBLLs.

Implementation:
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services conducts telephone interviews with parents of children with an EBLL to identify and remove possible sources of lead from the child's environment and prevent subsequent exposure.

Evaluation:
This review summarizes the surveillance data on BLLs in Alaska children for 2011-2015 and describes the most commonly identified possible sources of childhood lead exposure statewide since 2011.

Discussion:
While the proportion of children in Alaska who received a BLL test during these years is low compared with other states and EBLL prevalence is low among children tested, several possible sources of exposure were identified among children with EBLLs, including nonpaint sources. This report summarizes the challenges of combatting childhood lead exposure in a rural state where housing is a less common exposure source and describes ongoing work to prevent childhood lead exposure in Alaska.
LAMP: A CDC Program to Ensure the Quality of Blood-Lead Laboratory Measurements
Authors: Caldwell Kathleen L. , Cheng Po-Yung , Vance Kathryn A. , Makhmudov Amir , Jarrett Jeffery M. , Caudill Samuel P. , Ho De-Pei , Jones Robert L. 
Published: November 2018

Context:
The Lead and Multielement Proficiency (LAMP) program is an external quality assurance program promoting high-quality blood-lead measurements.

Objectives:
To investigate the ability of US laboratories, participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) LAMP program to accurately measure blood-lead levels (BLL) 0.70 to 47.5 μg/dL using evaluation criteria of ±2 μg/dL or 10%, whichever is greater.

Methods:
The CDC distributes bovine blood specimens to participating laboratories 4 times per year. We evaluated participant performance over 5 challenges on samples with BLL between 0.70 and 47.5 μg/dL. The CDC sent 15 pooled samples (3 samples shipped in 5 rounds) to US laboratories. The LAMP laboratories used 3 primary technologies to analyze lead in blood: inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy, and LeadCare technologies based on anodic stripping voltammetry. Laboratories reported their BLL analytical results to the CDC. The LAMP uses these results to provide performance feedback to the laboratories.

Setting:
The CDC sent blood samples to approximately 50 US laboratories for lead analysis.

Participants:
Of the approximately 200 laboratories enrolled in LAMP, 38 to 46 US laboratories provided data used in this report (January 2017 to March 2018).

Results:
Laboratory precision ranged from 0.26 μg/dL for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to 1.50 μg/dL for LeadCare instruments. All participating US LAMP laboratories reported accurate BLL for 89% of challenge samples, using the ±2 μg/dL or 10% evaluation criteria.

Conclusions:
Laboratories participating in the CDC's LAMP program can accurately measure blood lead using the current Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 guidance of ±4 μg/dL or ±10%, with a success rate of 96%. However, when we apply limits of ±2 μg/dL or ±10%, the success rate drops to 89%. When challenged with samples that have target values between 3 and 5 μg/dL, nearly 100% of reported results fall within ±4 μg/dL, while 5% of the results fall outside of the acceptability criteria used by the CDC's LAMP program. As public health focuses on lower blood lead levels, laboratories must evaluate their ability to successfully meet these analytical challenges surrounding successfully measuring blood lead. In addition proposed CLIA guidelines (±2 μg/dL or 10%) would be achievable performance by a majority of US laboratories participating in the LAMP program.
TaTME: 2 Years of Experience of a Single Center
Authors: Piatkowski Jacek , Jackowski Marek , Nowak Mariusz , Szeliga Jacek 
Published: November 2018

Introduction:
Concomitant transanal and transabdominal access has shown potential benefits for patients with lower and medial rectal cancers and led to better short-term and medium-term outcomes, a better quality of surgical specimen and a lower number of positive radial margins.

Materials and Methods:
Between 2015 and 2017, 36 patients with rectal cancer underwent transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) surgery. The group included 21 males and 16 females. The mean age of the patients was 68.7 years and ranged from 41 to 83 years. In all cases, concomitant transanal and laparoscopic access via abdomen were used. Transanal access was achieved with the use of GelPoint Path Transanal Access Platform (Applied Medical). The lower rectum was visualized with the use of Lone Star retractor (Lone Star Medical Products Inc.).

Results:
In 35 cases R0 resection was reported and R1 in 1 case (2.7%). Mean number of lymph nodes in the specimen was 13.7 (8 to 20 nodes). The mesorectal quality was graded as complete in 34 cases (94.4%) and nearly complete in 2 cases (5.6%). Symptoms of anastomotic leak were observed in 6 cases with 3 patients (8.3%) requiring reoperation.

Conclusions:
TaTME seems to be a promising method of treatment for patients with lower and middle rectal cancer. Short-term outcomes show an advantage of TaTME over laparoscopic total mesorectal excision.
Single-Anastomosis Plication Ileal Bypass (SAPI) in Treatment of Morbid Obesity
Authors: Elbanna Hosam , Emile Sameh , Abdel-Razik Mohamed A. 
Published: November 2018

Background:
This report aimed to demonstrate the technical steps and preliminary outcome of a novel bariatric procedure, the single-anastomosis plication ileal bypass (SAPI), for the treatment of morbid obesity.

Materials and Methods:
Totally, 5 female patients with morbid obesity underwent SAPI procedure. The procedure consisted of 2 steps; the first step involved greater curvature plication done in a standardized manner, and the second step involved performing a stapled side-to-side anastomosis between an ileal loop 300 cm distal to the duodenojejunal junction and the gastric antrum. Body mass index (BMI) and percentage excess weight loss (%EWL) at 4 months postoperatively were measured.

Results:
The median age of patients was 38 years. The mean preoperative BMI decreased from 47.3±7.1 kg/m2 to 36.3±6.1 at 4 months, postoperatively. The mean %EWL at 4 months after SAPI was 51.5±10.8. The mean operation time was 66±5.47 minutes. The median hospital stay was one day. No postoperative complications were recorded.

Conclusions:
Despite the small numbers included, the preliminary results of this report show that SAPI is a promising bariatric procedure that achieved significant decrease in BMI and satisfactory excess weight loss. Long-term follow-up of larger number of patients is necessary to reach more firm conclusions on the efficacy and safety of this novel technique.
Cannabinoid drugs: will they relieve or exacerbate tinnitus?
Authors: Zheng Yiwen , Smith Paul F. 
Published: November 2018

Purpose of reviewRecent enthusiasm for cannabinoid drugs for the treatment of chronic pain and some forms of epilepsy, raises the question of whether they could be useful for other disorders associated with abnormal neuronal activity in the brain, such as subjective tinnitus. Indeed, there is evidence to indicate that some tinnitus sufferers self-medicate usingCannabis.The aim of this review is to critically evaluate the available evidence relating to the effects of cannabinoids on tinnitus.Recent findingsDespite the fact that cannabinoids have been shown to decrease neuronal hyperactivity in many parts of the brain, the current evidence suggests that in auditory brain regions such as the dorsal cochlear nucleus, they have the potential to facilitate neuronal hyperactivity and exacerbate tinnitus. All of the available experimental evidence from animal studies suggests that cannabinoid CB1receptor agonists will either have no effect on tinnitus or will worsen it.SummaryIn our opinion, the use of the available cannabinoid drugs to alleviate tinnitus, based on their alleged efficacy for neuropathic pain conditions and some forms of epilepsy, is premature and not supported by the available evidence.
Divergent mesolimbic dopamine circuits support alcohol-seeking triggered by discrete cues and contexts
Authors: Valyear M.D. , Glovaci I. , Zaari A. , Lahlou S. , Trujillo-Pisanty I. , Chapman C.A. , Chaudhri N. 
Published: November 2018

ABSTRACTDiscrete and contextual cues that predict alcohol trigger alcohol-seeking. However, the extent to which context influences alcohol-seeking triggered by discrete cues, and the neural mechanisms underlying these responses, are not well known. We show that, relative to a neutral context, a context associated with alcohol persistently elevated alcohol-seeking triggered by a discrete cue, and supported higher levels of priming-induced reinstatement. Alcohol-seeking triggered by a discrete cue in a neutral context was reduced by designer receptor-mediated inhibition of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons in TH::Cre rats. Inhibiting terminals of VTA dopamine neurons in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core reduced alcohol-seeking triggered by a discrete cue, irrespective of context, whereas inhibiting VTA dopamine terminals in the NAc shell selectively reduced the elevation of alcohol-seeking triggered by a discrete cue in an alcohol context. This dissociation highlights unique roles for divergent mesolimbic dopamine circuits in alcohol-seeking driven by discrete and contextual environmental cues.
A Novel Method for Quantifying Traction Forces from Hexagonal Micropatterned Features on Deformable Poly-Dimethyl Siloxane Sheets
Authors: Griffin Brian P. , Largaespada Christopher J. , Rinaldi Nicole A. , Lemmon Christopher A. 
Published: November 2018

AbstractMany methods exist for quantifying cellular traction forces, including traction force microscopy and microfabricated post arrays. However, these methodologies have limitations, including a requirement to remove cells to determine undeflected particle locations and the inability to quantify forces of cells with low cytoskeletal stiffness, respectively. Here we present a novel method of traction force quantification that eliminates both of these limitations. Through the use of a hexagonal pattern of microcontact-printed protein spots, a novel computational algorithm, and thin surfaces of polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) blends, we demonstrate a system that quantifies cellular forces on a homogeneous surface that is stable, easily manufactured, and can quantify forces without need for cellular removal.
The genetic robustness of RNA and protein from evolutionary, structural and functional perspectives
Authors: Coray Dorien S. , Sibaeva Nellie , McGimpsey Stephanie , Gardner Paul P. 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThe reactions of functional molecules like proteins and RNAs to mutation affect both host cell viability and biomolecular evolution. These molecules are considered robust if function is maintained despite mutations. Proteins and RNAs have different structural and functional characteristics that affect their robustness, and to date, comparisons between them have been theoretical. In this work, we test the relative mutational robustness of RNA and protein pairs using three approaches: evolutionary, structural, and functional. We compare the nucleotide diversities of functional RNAs with those of matched proteins. Across different levels of conservation, we found the nucleotide-level variations between the biomolecules largely overlapped, with proteins generally supporting more variation than matched RNAs. We then directly tested the robustness of the protein and RNA pairs with in vitro and in silico mutagenesis of their respective genes. The in silico experiments showed that proteins and RNAs reacted similarly to point mutations and insertions or deletions, yet proteins are slightly more robust on average than RNAs. In vitro, mutated fluorescent RNAs retained greater levels of function than the proteins. Overall this suggests that proteins and RNAs have remarkably similar degrees of robustness, with the average protein having moderately higher robustness than RNA as a group.Significance StatementThe ability of proteins and non-coding RNAs to maintain function despite mutations in their respective genes is known as mutational robustness. Robustness impacts how molecules maintain and change phenotypes, which has a bearing on the evolution and the origin of life as well as influencing modern biotechnology. Both protein and RNA have mechanisms that allow them to absorb DNA-level changes. Proteins have a redundant genetic code and non-coding RNAs can maintain structure and function through flexible base-pairing possibilities. The few theoretical treatments comparing protein and RNA robustness differ in their conclusions. In this experimental comparison of protein and RNA, we find that they have remarkably similar degrees of overall genetic robustness.