bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cost(s) of caring for patients with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Orenstein David M. , Abood Robert N. 
Published: March 2018

Purpose of review
Cystic fibrosis (CF) has received a lot of attention in the past few years because of increased longevity and the emergence of ground-breaking new drugs targeting the molecular and cellular defects, making a huge clinical difference, and – not incidentally – carrying massive price tags. The prices of these new drugs make the question of overall costs of CF care highly relevant.

Recent findings
This article reviews recent developments in CF science and treatment, and highlights areas that contribute to costs of CF care, emphasizing how these costs have increased.

Summary
This article should help the pediatrician stay abreast of high points of CF care, with an awareness of the factors that wield the biggest influence on overall costs, to patients, families and the US healthcare system.
Effect of Gaze Stability Exercises on Chronic Motion Sensitivity: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Gaikwad Shilpa B. , Johnson Eric G. , Nelson Todd C. , Ambode Oluwaseun I. , Albalwi Abdulaziz A. , Alharbi Ahmad A. , Daher Noha S. 
Published: March 2018

Background and Purpose:
Motion sensitivity is a common condition among the general population and may be accompanied by postural instability and anxiety. Preliminary studies suggest that minimal dosage of gaze stability exercises improves postural stability in young adults with chronic motion sensitivity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of progressive gaze stability exercises on postural stability, motion sensitivity, and anxiety in healthy young adults with chronic motion sensitivity.

Methods:
We conducted a single-blind randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of gaze stability exercises on chronic motion sensitivity. Forty-one participants of both genders ages 20 to 40 years with chronic motion sensitivity were randomly assigned to 2 groups. The intervention group performed gaze stability exercises while the sham group performed saccadic eye movement exercises for 6 weeks. Computerized Dynamic Posturography with Immersion Virtual Reality (CDP-IVR)—condition 1 (C1) and condition 2 (C2)—Motion Sensitivity Quotient (MSQ), Motion Sickness Sensitivity Susceptibility Questionnaire Short Form (MSSQ-Short: MSA, MSB), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAI Form Y-2) were the outcome measures used.

Results:
There was no significant group × time interaction for MSA, MSB, MSSQ percentile, STAI, MSQ, C1 mean, or C2 mean. However, posttreatment a significant difference in the mean CDP-IVR score of C2 was identified between the 2 groups. For C2, the intervention group demonstrated a 117% increase in the mean CDP-IVR score compared with a 35.2% increase in the sham group. MSQ reduced significantly from baseline to 6 weeks postintervention in the intervention group (4.0 ± 1.2 vs 1.9 ± 0.9). Anxiety was significantly reduced in the sham group only (38.2 ± 1.9 vs 35.8 ± 2.2).

Discussion and Conclusions:
Based on the results of this study, progressive gaze stability exercises appear to have value for managing chronic motion sensitivity in healthy young adults. Further research with larger sample size and broader age range is needed to generalize these findings.

Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, available at: http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A203).
Usefulness of Volume Perfusion Computed Tomography in Differentiating Histologic Subtypes of Thymic Epithelial Tumors
Authors: Jing Yong , Yan Wei-qiang , Li Gang-feng , Duan Shi-jun , Wang Shu-Mei , Sun Lin , Hu Yu-Chuan , Cui Guang-Bin 
Published: March 2018

Purpose
This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of volume perfusion computed tomography (VPCT) parameters in differentiating the World Health Organization subtypes of thymic epithelial tumors.

Materials and Methods
This study was approved by the local ethics committee, and informed written consent was obtained. Fifty-one thymic epithelial tumor patients confirmed by histopathological analysis underwent conventional CT and a 48-second VPCT scan of the tumor bulk before any treatment. The VPCT parameters (blood volume [BV], blood flow [BF], mean transit time [MTT], and permeability [PMB]) based on volume of interest (VOI) or region of interest (ROI) were compared for differences among low-risk thymomas (LRTs; types A, AB, and B1), high-risk thymomas (HRTs; types B2 and B3) and thymic carcinomas (TCs) by one-way analysis of variance.

Results
The BVVOI, PMBVOI, BVROI, and PMBROI values in LRT were significantly higher than the values from HRT and thymic carcinoma (BVVOI: 13.75, 6.17, and 5.48 mL/100 mL; PMBVOI: 22.47, 9.56, and 13.37 mL/100 mL/min; BVROI: 14.75, 6.87, and 6.06 mL/100 mL; PMBROI: 24.05, 9.79, and 15.63 mL/100 mL/min, respectively; all P < 0.05/3). However, the BFVOI, MTTVOI, BFROI, and MTTROI values did not differ between LRT and HRT or thymic carcinoma groups (P > 0.05/3).

Conclusions
These results suggest that VPCT could be useful in differentiating LRTs from HRTs and TCs preoperatively.
Psychosis in “Cognitively Asymptomatic” Elderly Subjects is Associated With Neuritic Plaque Load, Not Neurofibrillary Tangles
Authors: Kim Julia , Schweizer Tom A. , Fischer Corinne E. , Munoz David G. 
Published: March 2018

Introduction:
Despite having severe Alzheimer disease pathology, some individuals remain cognitively asymptomatic (cASYM). To explore noncognitive manifestations in these cASYM individuals, we aim to investigate the prevalence and pathologic substrates of psychosis.

Methods:
Data were obtained from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire, quick version was used to evaluate presence of psychosis. Subjects with Mini-Mental Status Examination score of ≥24 with frequent neuritic plaques (NPs) were defined as NPcASYM, and those with Braak and Braak stage of neurofibrillary tangles of V/VI were defined as NTcASYM (both groups collectively designated cASYM). Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between NP and neurofibrillary tangle severity and psychosis accounting for potential confounders.

Results:
We identified 667 subjects with Mini-Mental Status Examination score of ≥24, of which 137 were NPcASYM and 96 were NTcASYM. NPcASYM were at significantly higher risk of having psychosis compared with those with moderate or sparse/no NP (odds ratio, 2.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.54-3.96). NTcASYM were also at higher risk compared with those with Braak and Braak stage I to IV, but the association explained by the effect of Lewy body pathology and microinfarcts.

Discussion:
The load of NP may be an important substrate of psychosis in individuals who show no gross cognitive symptoms.
Transcriptomic analysis of the early strobilar development of Echinococcus granulosus
Authors: Debarba João Antonio , Monteiro Karina Mariante , Gerber Alexandra Lehmkuhl , de Vasconcelos Ana Tereza Ribeiro , Zaha Arnaldo 
Published: March 2018

AbstractBackgroundEchinococcus granulosus has a complex life cycle involving two mammalian hosts. The transition from one host to another is accompanied by changes in gene expression, and the transcriptional events that underlie these processes have not yet been fully characterized.ResultsIn this study, RNA-seq is used to compare the transcription profiles of four time samples of E. granulosus protoscoleces in vitro induced to strobilar development. We identified 818 differentially expressed genes, which were divided into eight expression clusters formed over the entire 24 hours time course and indicated different transcriptional patterns. An enrichment of gene transcripts with molecular functions of signal transduction, enzymes and protein modifications was observed with progression of development.ConclusionThis transcriptomic study provides insight for understanding the complex life cycle of E. granulosus and contributes for searching for the key genes correlating with the strobilar development, providing interesting hints for further studies.
Thirty clues to the exceptional diversification of flowering plants
Authors: Magallón Susana , Sánchez-Reyes Luna L. , Gómez-Acevedo Sandra L. 
Published: March 2018

SummaryAs angiosperms became one of the megadiverse groups of macroscopic eukaryotes, they forged modern ecosystems and promoted the evolution of extant terrestrial biota. Unequal distribution of species among lineages suggests that diversification, the process which ultimately determines species-richness, acted differentially through angiosperm evolution.We investigate how angiosperms became megadiverse by identifying the phylogenetic and temporal placement of exceptional radiations, by combining the most densely fossil-calibrated molecular clock phylogeny with a Bayesian model that identifies diversification shifts among evolutionary lineages and through time. We evaluate the effect of the prior number of expected shifts in the phylogenetic tree.Major diversification increases took place over 100 Ma, from the Early Cretaceous to the end Paleogene, and are distributed across the angiosperm phylogeny. Angiosperm long-term diversification trajectory shows moderate rate variation, but is underlain by increasing speciation and extinction, and results from temporally overlapping, independent radiations and depletions in component lineages.The identified deep time diversification shifts are clues to identify ultimate drivers of angiosperm megadiversity, which probably involve multivariate interactions among intrinsic traits and extrinsic forces. An enhanced understanding of angiosperm diversification will involve a more precise phylogenetic location of diversification shifts, and integration of fossil information.
Ecological patterns are robust to use of exact sequence variants versus operational taxonomic units
Authors: Glassman Sydney I. , Martiny Jennifer B.H. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractRecent controversy focuses on the best method for delineating microbial taxa, based on either traditional operational taxonomic units (OTUs) or exact sequence variants (ESVs) of marker gene sequences. We sought to test if the binning approach (ESVs versus OTUs) affected the ecological conclusions of a large field study. The dataset included sequences of both bacteria (16S) and fungi (ITS), across multiple environments diverging markedly in abiotic conditions, over three collection times. Despite quantitative differences in microbial richness, we found that all alpha- and beta-diversity metrics were highly positively correlated (r > 0.90) between samples analyzed with both approaches. Moreover, the community composition of the dominant taxa did not vary between approaches. Consequently, statistical inferences were nearly indistinguishable. Thus, we conclude that for typical alpha- and beta-diversity analyses, OTU or ESV methods will likely reveal similar ecological results and determining which method to employ will depend on the question at hand.
Protected area effectiveness for fish spawning habitat in relation to earthquake-induced landscape change
Authors: Orchard Shane , Hickford Michael J. H. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractWe studied the effectiveness of conservation planning methods forGalaxias maculatus, a riparian spawning fish, following earthquake-induced habitat shift in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. Mapping and GIS overlay techniques were used to evaluate three protection mechanisms in operative or proposed plans in two study catchments over two years. Method 1 utilised a network of small protected areas around known spawning sites. It was the least resilient to change with only 3.9% of post-quake habitat remaining protected in the worst performing scenario. Method 2, based on mapped reaches of potential habitat, remained effective in one catchment (98%) but not in the other (52.5%). Method 3, based on a habitat model, achieved near 100% protection in both catchments but used planning areas far larger than the area of habitat actually used. This example illustrates resilience considerations for protected area design. Redundancy can help maintain effectiveness in face of dynamics and may be a pragmatic choice if planning area boundaries lack in-built adaptive capacity or require lengthy processes for amendment. However, an adaptive planning area coupled with monitoring offers high effectiveness from a smaller protected area. Incorporating elements of both strategies provides a promising conceptual basis for adaptation to major perturbations or responding to slow change.
IRIS-DGE: An integrated RNA-seq data analysis and interpretation system for differential gene expression
Authors: Monier Brandon , McDermaid Adam , Zhao Jing , Fennell Anne , Ma Qin 
Published: March 2018

AbstractMotivationNext-Generation Sequencing has made available much more large-scale genomic and transcriptomic data. Studies with RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data typically involve generation of gene expression profiles that can be further analyzed, many times involving differential gene expression (DGE). This process enables comparison across samples of two or more factor levels. A recurring issue with DGE analyses is the complicated nature of the comparisons to be made, in which a variety of factor combinations, pairwise comparisons, and main or blocked main effects need to be tested.ResultsHere we present a tool called IRIS-DGE, which is a server-based DGE analysis tool developed using Shiny. It provides a straightforward, user-friendly platform for performing comprehensive DGE analysis, and crucial analyses that help design hypotheses and to determine key genomic features. IRIS-DGE integrates the three most commonly used R-based DGE tools to determine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and includes numerous methods for performing preliminary analysis on user-provided gene expression information. Additionally, this tool integrates a variety of visualizations, in a highly interactive manner, for improved interpretation of preliminary and DGE analyses.AvailabilityIRIS-DGE is freely available at http://bmbl.sdstate.edu/IRIS/.Contactqin.ma@sdstate.eduSupplementary informationSupplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Transposable elements and gene expression during the evolution of amniotes
Authors: Zeng Lu , Pederson Stephen M. , Kortschak R. Daniel , Adelson David L. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractBackgroundTransposable elements (TEs) are primarily responsible for the changes in genome sequences that occur over time within and between species. TEs themselves evolve, with clade specific LTR/ERV, LINEs and SINEs responsible for the bulk of species specific genomic features. Because TEs can contain regulatory motifs, they can be exapted as regulators of gene expression. While TE insertions can provide evolutionary novelty for the regulation of gene expression, their overall impact on the evolution of gene expression is unclear. Previous investigators have shown that tissue specific gene expression in amniotes is more similar across species than within species, supporting the existence of conserved developmental gene regulation. In order to understand how species specific TE insertions might affect the evolution/conservation of gene expression, we have looked at the association of gene expression in six tissues with TE insertions in six representative amniote genomes (human, opossum, platypus, anole lizard, bearded dragon and chicken).ResultsWe have used a novel bootstrapping approach to minimise the conflation of effects of repeat types on gene expression. We compared the expression of orthologs containing different types of recent TE insertions to orthologs that contained older TE insertions and found significant differences in gene expression associated with TE insertions. Likewise, we compared the expression of non-ortholog genes containing different types of recent TE insertions to non-orthologs with older TE insertions and found significant differences in gene expression associated with TE insertions. As expected TEs were associated with species-specific changes in gene expression, but the magnitude and direction of change of expression changes were unexpected. Overall, orthologs containing clade specific TEs were associated with lower gene expression, while in non-orthologs, non clade-specific TEs were associated with higher gene expression. Exceptions were SINE elements in human and chicken, which had an opposite association with gene expression compared to other species.ConclusionsOur observed species-specific associations of TEs with gene expression support a role for TEs in speciation/response to selection by species. TEs do not exhibit consistent associations with gene expression and observed associations can vary depending on the age of TE insertions. Based on these observations, it would be prudent to refrain from extrapolating these and previously reported associations to distantly related species.
Ligand binding and conformational changes of SUR1 subunit in pancreatic ATP-sensitive potassium channels
Authors: Wu Jing-Xiang , Ding Dian , Wang Mengmeng , Kang Yunlu , Zeng Xin , Chen Lei 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACTATP-sensitive potassium channels (KATP) are energy sensors on the plasma membrane. By sensing the intracellular ADP/ATP ratio of β-cells, pancreatic KATPchannels control insulin release and regulate metabolism at the whole body level. They are implicated in many metabolic disorders and diseases and are therefore important drug targets. Here, we present three structures of pancreatic KATPchannels solved by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), at resolutions ranging from 4.1 to 4.5 Å. These structures depict the binding site of the antidiabetic drug glibenclamide, indicate how Kir6.2 N-terminus participates the coupling between the peripheral SUR1 subunit and the central Kir6.2 channel, reveal the binding mode of activating nucleotides, and suggest the mechanism of how Mg-ADP binding on nucleotide binding domains (NBDs) drives a conformational change of the SUR1 subunit.
The efficacy of sexual selection under environmental change
Authors: Martinossi-Allibert Ivain , Rueffler Claus , Arnqvist Göran , Berger David 
Published: March 2018

AbstractSexual selection can promote adaptation if sexually selected traits are reliable indicators of genetic quality. Moreover, stronger sexual selection in males, as often reported in empirical studies, may help purge deleterious alleles at a low cost to population productivity. However, to what extent this remains true when a changing environment affects sexual selection dynamics has been debated. Here, we show that even if sexually selected traits remain honest signals of male quality in new environments, the efficacy of sexual selection will often be reduced under stress. We model the strength of sex-specific selection under different levels of environmental stress in a population in which males compete with each other for fertilization success and in which females experience fecundity selection. We observe that the strength of sexual selection is reduced relative to fecundity selection, resulting in a lowered potential for selection on males to aid adaptation under environmental change.
E93 expression and links to the juvenile hormone in hemipteran mealybugs with insights on female neoteny
Authors: Vea Isabelle Mifom , Tanaka Sayumi , Tsuji Tomohiro , Shiotsuki Takahiro , Jouraku Akiya , Minakuchi Chieka 
Published: March 2018

AbstractInsect metamorphosis generates reproductive adults and is commonly accompanied by the direct or indirect development of wings. In some winged insects, the imago is altered by life history changes. For instance, in scale insects and mealybugs, reproductive females retain juvenile features and are wingless. The transcription factorE93triggers metamorphosis and plays in concert with the juvenile hormone pathway to guarantee the successful transition from juvenile to adult. We previously provided evidence of an atypical down-regulation of the juvenile hormone pathway during female adult development in the Japanese mealybug. Here, we further investigate howE93is involved in the production of neotenic wingless females, by identifying its isoforms, assessing their expression patterns and evaluating the effect of exogenous juvenile hormone mimic treatment onE93. This study identifies threeE93isoforms on the 5’ end based on Japanese mealybug cDNA and shows that female development occurs with the near absence ofE93transcripts, as opposed to male metamorphosis. Additionally, while male development is typically affected by exogenous juvenile hormone mimic treatments, females seem to remain insensitive to the treatment, and up-regulation of the juvenile hormone signaling is not observed. Furthermore, juvenile hormone mimic treatment on female nymphs did not have obvious effect onE93transcription, while treatment on male prepupae resulted in decreasedE93transcripts. In this study, we emphasize the importance of examining cases of atypical metamorphosis as complementary systems to provide a better understanding on the molecular mechanisms underlying insect metamorphosis. For instance, the factors regulating the expression ofE93are largely unclear. Investigating the regulatory mechanism ofE93transcription could provide clues towards identifying the factors that induce or suppressE93transcription, in turn triggering male adult development or female neoteny.Graphical abstractHighlights- Neotenic femalePlanococcus kraunhiae(Japanese mealybug) develops with lowE93expression.-E93expression pattern during male development is typical to other insects.- Juvenile hormone mimic treatment on male prepupae results in decreasedE93transcripts.- Juvenile hormone mimic treatment on female nymphs does not have obvious effects onE93transcription.- Female mealybugs have low sensitivity to juvenile hormone mimic treatments compared to males and other insects.
Protein phase separation provides long-term memory of transient spatial stimuli
Authors: Dine Elliot , Gil Agnieszka A. , Uribe Giselle , Brangwynne Clifford P. , Toettcher Jared E. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractProtein/RNA clusters arise frequently in spatially-regulated biological processes, from the asymmetric distribution of P granules and PAR proteins in developing embryos to localized receptor oligomers in migratory cells. This co-occurrence suggests that protein clusters might possess intrinsic properties that make them a useful substrate for spatial regulation. Here, we demonstrate that protein droplets show a robust form of spatial memory, maintaining the spatial pattern of an inhibitor of droplet formation long after it has been removed. Despite this persistence, droplets can be highly dynamic, continuously exchanging monomers with the diffuse phase. We investigate the principles of biophysical spatial memory in three contexts: a computational model of phase separation; a novel optogenetic system where light can drive rapid, localized dissociation of liquid-like protein droplets; and membrane-localized signal transduction from clusters of receptor tyrosine kinases. Our results suggest that the persistent polarization underlying many cellular and developmental processes could arise through a simple biophysical process, without any additional requirement for biochemical positive and negative feedback loops.HighlightsWe introduce PixELLs, an optogenetic system for protein droplet disassembly.Modeling and experiments demonstrate long-term memory of local droplet dissociation.Droplets ‘remember’ spatial stimuli in nuclei, the cytosol and on cell membranes.FGFR-optoDroplets convert transient local inputs to persistent cytoskeletal responses.