bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An outcome evaluation of Functional Family Therapy for court‐involved youth
Authors: Celinska Katarzyna , Sung Hung‐En , Kim Chunrye , Valdimarsdottir Margret 
Published: April 2018

AbstractThis article presents results of a study on the effectiveness of Functional Family Therapy (FFT), a family intervention designed to prevent delinquency. The sample includes 155 court‐involved youth. This study employs two complementary outcomes: court‐obtained data on recidivism and the clinical data on clients’ psychosocial functioning, the Strengths and Needs Assessment (SNA). Adolescents in the treatment and in the comparison groups experienced statistically significant improvements on the majority of the SNA domains. Although youths in the treatment group improved more, the differences between the groups were not statistically significant. Multivariate analysis showed that youths in FFT had significantly lower odds of recidivism as measured by reconvictions for drug offenses, property offenses and technical violations. The results suggest that FFT was effective in reducing recidivism, however, such reductions cannot be attributed to improvements in the SNA scores.
Naturalgwas: An R package for evaluating genomewide association methods with empirical data
Authors: François Olivier , Caye Kevin 
Published: April 2018

AbstractAssociation studies of polygenic traits are notoriously difficult when those studies are conducted at large geographic scales. The difficulty arises as genotype frequencies often vary in geographic space and across distinct environments. Those large‐scale variations are known to yield false positives in standard association testing approaches. Although several methods alleviate this problem, no tools have been proposed to evaluate the power that association tests could achieve for a specific study design and set of genotypes. Our goal here is to present an R program fulfilling this objective, by allowing users to simulate phenotypes from observed genotypes and to estimate upper bounds on achievable power. The simulation model can incorporate realistic features such as population structure and gene‐by‐environment interactions, and the package implements a gold‐standard test that evaluates power using information on confounders. We illustrated the use of the program with example studies based on data for the plant species Arabidopsis thaliana. Simulated phenotypes were used to compare the ability of two recent association methods to correctly remove confounding factors, to evaluate power to detect causal variants, and to assess the influence various parameters. For the simulated data, the new tests reached performances close to the gold‐standard test and could be reasonably used with measured phenotypes. Power to detect causal variants was influenced by the number of variants and by the strength of their effect sizes, and specific thresholds were obtained from the simulation study. In conclusion, our program provides guidance on methodological choice of association tests, as well as useful knowledge on test performances in a user‐specific context.
Sequence clustering threshold has little effect on the recovery of microbial community structure
Authors: Botnen Synnøve Smebye , Davey Marie Louise , Halvorsen Rune , Kauserud Håvard 
Published: April 2018

AbstractAnalysis of microbial community structure by multivariate ordination methods, using data obtained by high‐throughput sequencing of amplified markers (i.e., DNA metabarcoding), often requires clustering of DNA sequences into operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Parameters for the clustering procedure tend not to be justified but are set by tradition rather than being based on explicit knowledge. In this study, we explore the extent to which ordination results are affected by variation in parameter settings for the clustering procedure. Amplicon sequence data from nine microbial community studies, representing different sampling designs, spatial scales and ecosystems, were subjected to clustering into OTUs at seven different similarity thresholds (clustering thresholds) ranging from 87% to 99% sequence similarity. The 63 data sets thus obtained were subjected to parallel DCA and GNMDS ordinations. The resulting community structures were highly similar across all clustering thresholds. We explain this pattern by the existence of strong ecological structuring gradients and phylogenetically diverse sets of abundant OTUs that are highly stable across clustering thresholds. Removing low‐abundance, rare OTUs had negligible effects on community patterns. Our results indicate that microbial data sets with a clear gradient structure are highly robust to choice of sequence clustering threshold.
Pain assessment by pupil dilation reflex in response to noxious stimulation in anaesthetized adults
Authors: Wildemeersch D. , Peeters N. , Saldien V. , Vercauteren M. , Hans G. 
Published: April 2018

BackgroundIn response to noxious stimulation, pupillary dilation reflex (PDR) occurs even in anaesthetized patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ability of pupillometry with an automated increasing stimulus intensity to monitor intraoperative opioid administration.MethodsThirty‐four patients undergoing elective surgery were enrolled. Induction by propofol anaesthesia was increased progressively until the sedation depth criteria (SeD) were attained. Subsequently, a first dynamic pupil measurement was performed by applying standardized nociceptive stimulation (SNS). A second PDR evaluation was performed when remifentanil reached a target effect‐site concentration. Automated infrared pupillometry was used to determine PDR during nociceptive stimulations generating a unique pupillary pain index (PPI). Vital signs were measured.ResultsAfter opioid administration, anaesthetized patients required a higher stimulation intensity (57.43 mA vs 32.29 mA, P < .0005). Pupil variation in response to the nociceptive stimulations was significantly reduced after opioid administration (8 mm vs 28 mm, P < .0005). The PPI score decreased after analgesic treatment (8 vs 2, P < .0005), corresponding to a 30% decrease. The elicitation of PDR by nociceptive stimulation was performed without changes in vital signs before (HR 76 vs 74/min, P = .09; SBP 123 vs 113 mm Hg, P = .001) and after opioid administration (HR 63 vs 62/min, P = .4; SBP 98.66 vs 93.77 mm Hg, P = .032).ConclusionsDuring propofol anaesthesia, pupillometry with the possibility of low‐intensity standardized noxious stimulation via PPI protocol can be used for PDR assessment in response to remifentanil administration.
Comparative transcriptomics across 14 Drosophila species reveals signatures of longevity
Authors: Ma Siming , Avanesov Andrei S. , Porter Emily , Lee Byung Cheon , Mariotti Marco , Zemskaya Nadezhda , Guigo Roderic , Moskalev Alexey A. , Gladyshev Vadim N. 
Published: April 2018

SummaryLifespan varies dramatically among species, but the biological basis is not well understood. Previous studies in model organisms revealed the importance of nutrient sensing, mTOR, NAD/sirtuins, and insulin/IGF1 signaling in lifespan control. By studying life‐history traits and transcriptomes of 14 Drosophila species differing more than sixfold in lifespan, we explored expression divergence and identified genes and processes that correlate with longevity. These longevity signatures suggested that longer‐lived flies upregulate fatty acid metabolism, downregulate neuronal system development and activin signaling, and alter dynamics of RNA splicing. Interestingly, these gene expression patterns resembled those of flies under dietary restriction and several other lifespan‐extending interventions, although on the individual gene level, there was no significant overlap with genes previously reported to have lifespan‐extension effects. We experimentally tested the lifespan regulation potential of several candidate genes and found no consistent effects, suggesting that individual genes generally do not explain the observed longevity patterns. Instead, it appears that lifespan regulation across species is modulated by complex relationships at the system level represented by global gene expression.
Dietary Iron Fortification Normalizes Fetal Hematology, Hepcidin, and Iron Distribution in a Rat Model of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Authors: Huebner Shane M. , Helfrich Kaylee K. , Saini Nipun , Blohowiak Sharon E. , Cheng Adrienne A. , Kling Pamela J. , Smith Susan M. 
Published: April 2018

BackgroundPrenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) causes neurodevelopmental disability. Clinical and animal studies show gestational iron deficiency (ID) exacerbates PAE's behavioral and growth deficits. In rat, PAE manifests an inability to establish iron homeostasis, increasing hepcidin (maternal and fetal), and fetal liver iron while decreasing brain iron and promoting anemia. Here, we hypothesize dietary iron fortification during pregnancy may mitigate alcohol's disruption of fetal iron homeostasis.MethodsPregnant Long‐Evans rats, fed iron‐sufficient (100 ppm iron) or iron‐fortified (IF; 500 ppm iron) diets, received either 5 g/kg alcohol (PAE) or isocaloric maltodextrin daily on gestational days (GD) 13.5 through 19.5. Maternal and fetal outcomes were evaluated on GD20.5.ResultsPAE reduced mean fetal weight (p < 0.001) regardless of maternal iron status, suggesting iron fortification did not improve fetal growth. Both PAE (p < 0.01) and IF (p = 0.035) increased fetal liver iron. In fetal brain, PAE (p = 0.015) affected total (p < 0.001) and nonheme iron (p < 0.001) such that iron fortification normalized (p = 0.99) the alcohol‐mediated reductions in brain iron and nonheme iron. Iron fortification also improved fetal hematologic indices in PAE including hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean cell volume (ps<0.001). Iron fortification also normalized hepcidin expression in alcohol‐exposed maternal and fetal liver. Neither diet nor PAE affected transferrin (Tf) and ferritin (FTN) content in fetal liver, nor Tf or transferrin receptor in fetal brain. However, IF‐PAE fetal brains trended to less FTN content (p = 0.074), suggesting greater availability of nonstorage iron. In PAE, hepcidin levels were linearly related to increased liver iron stores and decreased red blood cell count and brain iron.ConclusionsMaternal oral iron fortification mitigated PAE's disruption of fetal iron homeostasis and improved brain iron content, hematologic indices, and hepcidin production in this rat PAE model. Clinical studies show maternal ID substantially enhances fetal vulnerability to PAE, and our work supports increased maternal dietary iron intake may improve fetal iron status in alcohol‐exposed pregnancies.
Regional Brain Volume Changes in Alcohol‐Dependent Individuals During Short‐Term and Long‐Term Abstinence
Authors: Zou Xiaowei , Durazzo Timothy C. , Meyerhoff Dieter J. 
Published: April 2018

BackgroundWidespread brain atrophy in alcohol‐dependent individuals (ALC) has been consistently documented in pathological and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. Longitudinal MRI studies have shown that the regional brain volume losses in ALC are partially reversible during abstinence from alcohol. The goal of this study was to determine volume reductions in cortical and subcortical regions functionally important to substance use behavior and their changes during short‐term (1 week to 1 month) and long‐term abstinence (1 to 7 months) from alcohol. The regions of interest (ROIs) were as follows: anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), insula, amygdala, and hippocampus.MethodsA total of 85 unique ALC were assessed at 1 week (n = 65), 1 month (n = 82), and 7 months (n = 36) of abstinence. In addition, 17 light/nondrinking healthy controls (CON) were assessed at baseline and follow‐up over a 10‐month interval. Regional brain volumes were derived from FreeSurfer. Cross‐sectional statistical analyses using 1‐way analysis of variance or Fisher's exact test were applied to identify group differences. Longitudinal statistical analyses using linear mixed models were applied to identify regional volume increases and nonlinear volume recovery trajectories.ResultsWe demonstrated significant regional volume reductions in ACC, DLPFC, and hippocampus. Older age was associated with smaller DLPFC and OFC, and higher average monthly drinking over 1 year prior to study was associated with smaller OFC. We also demonstrated significant volume increases of all ROIs except amygdala in ALC and significant nonlinear volume recovery trajectories of DLPFC, OFC, and insula.ConclusionsResults showed significant volume reductions in key regions of the executive control, salience, and emotion networks in ALC at entry into treatment and significant volume increases during short‐term and long‐term abstinence that were nonlinear over the entire abstinence period for the DLPFC, OFC, and insula. This gray matter plasticity during alcohol abstinence may have important neurobiological and neurocognitive implications in ALC, and it may contribute to an individual's ability to maintain abstinence from alcohol at different phases.
Estimating success of vaginal birth after caesarean section in a regional Australian population: Validation of a prediction model
Authors: Mooney Samantha S , Hiscock Richard , Clarke Inkeri D'Arcy , Craig Simon 
Published: April 2018

BackgroundFollowing a primary caesarean section (CS), women must decide between attempted vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) and elective repeat caesarean section (ERCS) in subsequent pregnancies. Both options carry potential morbidity and mortality for mother and child, with the most feared being uterine rupture and its consequences. In attempts to reduce morbidity, several predictive nomograms have been developed to assist in delivery mode decisions.AimTo assess the validity of the predictive nomogram developed by Grobman et al. in our regional Australian population.Materials and MethodsIn our retrospective analysis, patients at term, with one previous CS who had a trial of labour were assigned a ‘Grobman score’ based on antenatal details. Outcomes were noted and patient groups analysed according to percentage deciles of estimated VBAC success, compared with actual VBAC success rates.ResultsA total of 395 women underwent trial of labour after a single prior CS, with a VBAC success rate of 83%. The Grobman model displayed adequate calibration and the re‐calibrated model good calibration with the slope coefficient of 0.87 (95% CI 0.54–1.19) and intercept 0.19 (95% CI −0.34–0.72). Discrimination was moderate with receiver operating characteristic area of 0.71 (95% CI 0.67–0.76).ConclusionThis analysis supports further validation studies in larger Australian settings, and suggests that use of the original Grobman predictive nomogram may be appropriate in Australia.
Rural–urban variation in injury‐related hospitalisation, health outcomes and treatment cost in New South Wales
Authors: Mitchell Rebecca J. , Lower Tony 
Published: April 2018

AbstractObjectiveTo compare differences in injury characteristics, health outcomes and treatment costs between urban and rural residents who were hospitalised following an injury.DesignA retrospective examination of injury‐linked hospitalisation and mortality data in New South Wales from 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2014.ParticipantsUrban (496 325) and rural (213 139) residents who were hospitalised following an injury.Main outcome measuresDemographic and injury characteristics, injury severity, hospital length of stay, 28‐day hospital readmission, 90‐day mortality and treatment cost.ResultsRural residents had an increased likelihood of being hospitalised for injuries from motorcycles, vehicles, animate causes, venomous animals or plants and assault compared to urban residents. Rural residents were less likely to be readmitted to hospital within 28 days and had a lower length of stay and age‐adjusted length of stay than urban residents. Injury‐related hospitalisations for urban and rural residents cost $4.4 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively. Annually, acute injury treatment ($1.1 billion), rehabilitation ($130 million) and subacute non‐acute patient care ($57 million) cost $1.3 billion ($990 million for urban and $384 million for rural residents) in New South Wales. Fall‐related injuries and transport incidents were the costliest injury mechanisms for both urban and rural residents.ConclusionsInjuries contribute substantially to hospitalised morbidity and its cost. The development and implementation of injury prevention strategies targeting the most common injuries for urban and rural residents will go some way towards reducing hospitalised injury and its cost.
Review article: novel oral‐targeted therapies in inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: White J. R. , Phillips F. , Monaghan T. , Fateen W. , Samuel S. , Ghosh S. , Moran G. W. 
Published: April 2018

SummaryBackgroundThere is a great unmet clinical need for efficacious, tolerable, economical and orally administrated drugs for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). New therapeutic avenues have become possible including the development of medications that target specific genetic pathways found to be relevant in other immune mediated diseases.AimsTo provide an overview of recent clinical trials for new generation oral targeted medications that may have a future role in IBD management.MethodsPubmed and Medline searches were performed up to 1 March 2018 using keywords: “IBD”, “UC”, “CD”, “inflammatory bowel disease” “ulcerative colitis”, “Crohn's disease” in combination with “phase”, “study”, “trial” and “oral”. A manual search of the clinical trial register, article reference lists, abstracts from meetings of Digestive Disease Week, United European Gastroenterology Week and ECCO congress were also conducted.ResultsIn randomised controlled trials primary efficacy endpoints were met for tofacitinib (JAK 1/3 inhibitor‐phase III), upadacitinib (JAK 1 inhibitor‐phase II) and AJM300 (α4‐integrin antagonist‐phase II) in ulcerative colitis. Ozanimod (S1P receptor agonist‐phase II) also demonstrated clinical remission. For Crohn's disease, filgotinib (JAK1 inhibitor‐phase II) met primary endpoints and laquinimod (quinolone‐3‐carboxide small molecule‐phase II) was also efficacious. Trials using mongersen (SMAD7 inhibitor) and vidofludimus (dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitor) have been halted.ConclusionsThis is potentially the start of an exciting new era in which multiple therapeutic options are at the disposal of physicians to treat IBD on an individualised basis. Head‐to‐head studies with existing treatments and longer term safety data are needed for this to be possible.
Optical trocar access for initial trocar placement in laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery: A propensity score‐matching analysis
Authors: Tanaka Chie , Fujiwara Michitaka , Kanda Mitsuro , Murotani Kenta , Iwata Naoki , Hayashi Masamichi , Kobayashi Daisuke , Yamada Suguru , Kodera Yasuhiro 
Published: April 2018

AbstractIntroductionOptical trocar access is a technique to place the initial trocar in laparoscopic surgery. With optical trocar access, each tissue layer can be visualized before insertion, which can help prevent organ injury, and air leaks at the trocar site can be minimized even in obese patients. The aim of this study was to compare the time needed for trocar insertion using optical trocar access and an open method in patients who underwent laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery.MethodsWe reviewed our prospectively collected database and identified 384 patients who underwent laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery involving initial trocar insertion near the umbilicus by either the optical trocar access or the open method. Before the two methods were compared, propensity score matching was used to adjust for essential variables between the optical trocar access and open groups.ResultsPatients categorized in the optical trocar access and open groups were matched one‐to‐one by propensity score matching, and 137 pairs of patients were generated. The time needed for trocar insertion was significantly shorter in the optical trocar access group than in the open group (36.6 vs 209.8 s, P < 0.01). The multivariable analysis identified an inexperienced surgeon as the only independent risk factor for prolonged time for initial trocar insertion using the optical trocar access.ConclusionsThis study indicated that optical trocar access may be recommended for inserting the initial trocar in laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery.
Fine‐root exploitation strategies differ in tropical old growth and logged‐over forests in Ghana
Authors: Addo‐Danso Shalom D. , Prescott Cindy E. , Adu‐Bredu Stephen , Duah‐Gyamfi Akwasi , Moore Sam , Guy Robert D. , Forrester David I. , Owusu‐Afriyie Kennedy , Marshall Peter L. , Malhi Yadvinder 
Published: April 2018

AbstractUnderstanding the changes in root exploitation strategies during post‐logging recovery is important for predicting forest productivity and carbon dynamics in tropical forests. We sampled fine (diameter < 2 mm) roots using the soil core method to quantify fine‐root biomass and architectural and morphological traits to determine root exploitation strategies in an old growth forest and in a 54‐yr‐old logged‐over forest influenced by similar parent material and climate. Seven root traits were considered: four associated with resource exploitation potential or an ‘extensive’ strategy (fine‐root biomass, length, surface area, and volume), and three traits which reflect exploitation efficiency or an ‘intensive’ strategy (specific root area, specific root length, and root tissue density). We found that total fine‐root biomass, length, surface area, volume, and fine‐root tissue density were higher in the logged‐over forest, whereas the old growth forest had higher total specific root length and specific root surface area than the logged‐over forest. The results suggest different root exploitation strategies between the forests. Plants in the old growth forest invest root biomass more efficiently to maximize soil volume explored, whereas plants in the logged‐over forest increase the spatial distribution of roots resulting in the expansion of the rhizosphere.
Dynamic risk stratification system in post‐lobectomy low‐risk and intermediate‐risk papillary thyroid carcinoma patients
Authors: Cho Jae Won , Lee Yu‐mi , Lee Yi Ho , Hong Suck Joon , Yoon Jong Ho 
Published: April 2018

SummaryObjectiveThe dynamic risk stratification (DRS) and its current definition of each response‐to‐therapy category in post‐lobectomy papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients have not been well studied. This study aimed to validate the DRS system and to investigate useful thyroglobulin (Tg) or anti‐Tg antibody (Ab)‐related parameters in defining each response‐to‐therapy category.DesignRetrospective observational study.PatientsThis historical cohort study included 619 patients with PTC treated by thyroid lobectomy.MeasurementsAll enrolled participants were stratified according to the American Thyroid Association (ATA) initial risk stratification system and DRS system, respectively. The association between these stratifications and structural recurrence was evaluated.ResultsThe median follow‐up period was 103 months. Structural recurrence occurred in 1.6% of the patients with excellent response, 3.8% of those with indeterminate response, 2.9% of those with biochemical incomplete response, and all patients with structural incomplete response. Five (1.5%) of the low‐risk patients and 14 (5.0%) of the intermediate‐risk patients had structural recurrence. The disease‐free survival curves showed significant differences according to the DRS (P < .001) and ATA initial risk stratification (P = .012), respectively. The proportion of variance explained the DRS system and ATA risk stratification system for structural recurrence was 32.4% and 29.4%, respectively. A thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) level >2.75 μU/mL at 1 year after the initial operation (P < .001) was the only valuable risk factor for structural recurrence identified in this study.ConclusionThe long‐term postoperative management of PTC patients treated with thyroid lobectomy could be guided based on the DRS.