bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Surgical Treatment of Nonsyndromic Unicoronal Craniosynostosis
Authors: Alford Jake , Derderian Christopher A. , Smartt James M. 
Published: March 2018

Purpose:
Unicoronal synostosis (UCS) remains one of the most difficult craniofacial conditions to treat. This review attempts to consolidate all existing literature from the past 25 years that has investigated surgical treatment of nonsyndromic UCS. Additional attention is paid to specific areas of controversy regarding surgical management and evaluation of UCS: outcomes of fronto-orbital advancement (FOA) versus endoscopic strip craniectomy (ESC), emergence of spring-associated cranioplasty for craniosynostosis, and morphologic assessment metrics.

Methods:
A literature search from 1992 to 2017 was performed with a defined search strategy and manual screening process. About 24 studies were included in the final review.

Results:
There is inconsistency among studies in measuring outcomes. Despite wide utilization, FOA produces mixed results, especially when looking at long-term outcomes. Preliminary data suggest advantages to using ESC over FOA with regard to facial symmetry, postoperative strabismus, and operating time. Distraction osteogenesis has long been utilized in Asia and is now being actively studied in the United States. Data on spring-assisted cranioplasty are lacking. Long-term results at skeletal maturity for many of these techniques are lacking.

Discussion:
Despite some promising results, methods of measurement are inconsistent and long-term data are lacking. All future research in this area would benefit from consistent and standardized reporting of data, including perioperative statistics and reproducible 3-dimensional computed tomography craniofacial measurements. Additionally, no definitive recommendations can be made until data at skeletal maturity are studied, and all studies would benefit from long-term follow-up data.
Divergent gene expression among phytoplankton taxa in response to upwelling
Authors: Lampe Robert H. , Cohen Natalie R. , Ellis Kelsey A. , Bruland Kenneth W. , Maldonado Maria T. , Peterson Tawnya D. , Till Claire P. , Brzezinski Mark A. , Bargu Sibel , Thamatrakoln Kimberlee , Kuzminov Fedor I , Twining Benjamin S. , Marchetti Adrian 
Published: March 2018

AbstractFrequent blooms of phytoplankton occur in coastal upwelling zones creating hotspots of biological productivity in the ocean. As cold, nutrient-rich water is brought up to sunlit layers from depth, phytoplankton are also transported upwards to seed surface blooms that are often dominated by diatoms. The physiological response of phytoplankton to this process, commonly referred to as shift-up, is characterized by rapid growth rates and increases in nitrate assimilation. To examine the molecular underpinnings behind this phenomenon, metatranscriptomics was applied to a simulated upwelling experiment using natural phytoplankton communities from the California Upwelling Zone. An increase in diatom growth following five days of incubation was attributed to the generaChaetocerosandPseudo-nitzschia. Here we show that certain bloom-forming diatoms exhibit a distinct transcriptional response that coordinates shift-up where diatoms exhibited the greatest transcriptional change following upwelling; however, comparison of coexpressed genes exposed overrepresentation of distinct sets within each of the dominant phytoplankton groups. The analysis revealed that diatoms frontload genes involved in nitrogen assimilation likely in order to outcompete other groups for available nitrogen during upwelling events. We speculate that the evolutionary success of diatoms may be due, in part, to this proactive response to frequently encountered changes in their environment.
Neurodynamic explanation of inter-individual and inter-trial variability in cross-modal perception
Authors: Kumar G. Vinodh , Dutta Shrey , Talwar Siddharth , Roy Dipanjan , Banerjee Arpan 
Published: March 2018

AbstractA widely used experimental design in multisensory integration is the McGurk paradigm that entail illusory (cross-modal) perception of speech sounds when presented with incongruent audio-visual (AV) stimuli. However, the distribution of responses across trials and individuals is heterogeneous and not necessarily everyone in a given group of individuals perceives the effect. Nonetheless, existing studies in the field primarily focus on addressing the correlation between subjective behavior and cortical activations to reveal the neuronal mechanisms underlying the perception of McGurk effect, typically in the “frequent perceivers”. Additionally, a solely neuroimaging approach does not provide mechanistic explanation for the observed inter-trial or inter-individual heterogeneity. In the current study we employ high density electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings in a group of 25 human subjects that allow us to distinguish “frequent perceivers” from “rare perceivers” using behavioral responses as well as from the perspective of large-scale brain functional connectivity (FC). Using global coherence as a measure of large-scale FC, we find that alpha band coherence, a distinctive feature in frequent perceivers is absent in the rare perceivers. Secondly, a decrease in alpha band coherence and increase in gamma band coherence occur during illusory perception trials in both frequent and rare perceivers. Source analysis followed up with source time series reconstructions reveals a large scale network of brain areas involving frontal, temporal and parietal areas that are involved in network level processing of cross-modal perception. Finally, we demonstrate that how a biophysically realistic computational model representing the interaction among key neuronal systems (visual, auditory and multisensory cortical regions) can explain the empirical observations. Each system involves a group of excitatory and inhibitory Hindmarsh Rose neurons that are coupled amongst each other. Large-scale FC between areas is conceptualized using coupling functions and the identity of a specific system, e.g., visual/ auditory/ multisensory is chosen using empirical estimates of the time-scale of information processing in these systems. The model predicts that the disappearance of alpha band coherence observed in rare perceivers stems from a negligible direct A-V (audio-visual) coupling however, an increase in indirect interaction via multisensory node leads to enhanced gamma band and reduced alpha band coherences observed during illusory perception. Overall, we establish the mechanistic basis of large-scale FC patterns underlying cross-modal perception.
Whole-exome sequencing identified rare variants associated with body length and girth in cattle
Authors: Chen Yan , Du Min , Liu Yining , Gao Xue , Zhang Wengang , Xu Ling , Zhang Lupei , Gao Huijiang , Xu Lingyang , Zhu Bo , Zhao Min , Li Junya 
Published: March 2018

AbstractBody measurements can be used in determining body size to monitor the cattle growth and examine the response to selection. Despite efforts putting into the identification of common genetic variants, the mechanism understanding of the rare variation in complex traits about body size and growth remains limited. Here, we firstly performed GWAS study for body measurement traits in Simmental cattle, however there were no SNPs exceeding significant level associated with body measurements. To further investigate the mechanism of growth traits in beef cattle, we conducted whole exome analysis of 20 cattle with phenotypic differences on body girth and length, representing the first systematic exploration of rare variants on body measurements in cattle. By carrying out a three-phase process of the variant calling and filtering, a sum of 1158, 1151, 1267, and 1303 rare variants were identified in four phenotypic groups of two growth traits, higher/ lower body girth (BG_H and BG_L) and higher/lower body length (BL_H and BL_L) respectively. The subsequent functional enrichment analysis revealed that these rare variants distributed in 886 genes associated with collagen formation and organelle organization, indicating the importance of collagen formation and organelle organization for body size growth in cattle. The integrative network construction distinguished 62 and 66 genes with different co-expression patterns associated with higher and lower phenotypic groups of body measurements respectively, and the two sub-networks were distinct. Gene ontology and pathway annotation further showed that all shared genes in phenotypic differences participate in many biological processes related to the growth and development of the organism. Together, these findings provide a deep insight into rare genetic variants of growth traits in cattle and this will have a promising application in animal breeding.
Survival of the simplest: the cost of complexity in microbial evolution
Authors: Held Torsten , Klemmer Daniel , Lässig Michael 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe evolution of microbial and viral organisms often generates clonal interference, a mode of competition between genetic clades within a population. In this paper, we show that interference strongly constrains the genetic and phenotypic complexity of evolving systems. Our analysis uses biophysically grounded evolutionary models for an organism’s quantitative molecular phenotypes, such as fold stability and enzymatic activity of genes. We find a generic mode of asexual evolution calledphenotypic interferencewith strong implications for systems biology: it couples the stability and function of individual genes to the population’s global speed of evolution. This mode occurs over a wide range of evolutionary parameters appropriate for microbial populations. It generates selection against genome complexity, because the fitness cost of mutations increases faster than linearly with the number of genes. Recombination can generate a distinct mode of sexual evolution that eliminates the superlinear cost. We show that positive selection can drive a transition from asexual to facultative sexual evolution, providing a specific, biophysically grounded scenario for the evolution of sex. In a broader context, our analysis suggests that the systems biology of microbial organisms is strongly intertwined with their mode of evolution.
Autoreactive T cells preferentially drive differentiation of non-responsive memory B cells at the expense of germinal center maintenance
Authors: Jain Rajiv W , Parham Kate A , Tesfagiorgis Yodit , Craig Heather C , Romanchik Emiliano , Kerfoot Steven M 
Published: March 2018

AbstractB cell fate decisions within a germinal center (GC) are critical to determining the outcome of the immune response to a given antigen. Here, we characterize GC kinetics and B cell fate choices in a response to the autoantigen myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), and compare them the response to a standard model foreign antigen (NP-haptenated ovalbumin, NPOVA). Both antigens generated productive primary responses, as evidenced by GC development, circulating antigen-specific antibodies, and differentiation of memory B cells. However, in the MOG response the status of the cognate T cell partner drove preferential B cell differentiation to a memory phenotype at the expense of GC maintenance, resulting in a truncated GC. Reduced plasma cell differentiation was largely independent of T cell influence. Interestingly, memory B cells formed in the MOG GC were unresponsive to secondary challenge and this could not be overcome with T cell help.
Engineered Peptide Barcodes for In-Depth Analyses of Binding Protein Ensembles
Authors: Egloff Pascal , Zimmermann Iwan , Arnold Fabian M. , Hutter Cedric A. J. , Morger Damien , Opitz Lennart , Poveda Lucy , Keserue Hans-Anton , Panse Christian , Roschitzki Bernd , Seeger Markus A. 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACTBinding protein generation relies on laborious screening cascades that process candidate molecules individually. To break with this paradigm, we developed NestLink, a binder selection and identification technology able to biophysically characterize thousands of library members at once without handling individual clones at any stage of the process. NestLink builds on genetically fused barcoding peptides, termed flycodes, which are designed for maximal detectability by mass spectrometry and serve as unique molecular identifiers for accurate deep sequencing. We applied NestLink to overcome current limitations of binder generation. Rare binders against an integral membrane protein were identified directly in the cellular environment of a human pathogen. Hundreds of binder candidates were simultaneously ranked according to kinetic parameters. Adverse effects of target immobilization were overcome by selecting nanobodies against an ABC transporter entirely in solution. NestLink may provide a basis for the selection of tailored binder characteristics directly in tissues or in living organisms.
Hydrophobicity drives the systemic distribution of lipid-conjugated siRNAs via lipid transport pathways
Authors: Osborn Maire F. , Coles Andrew H. , Biscans Annabelle , Haraszti Reka A. , Roux Loic , Davis Sarah , Ly Socheata , Echeverria Dimas , Hassler Matthew R. , Godinho Bruno M.D.C. , Nikan Mehran , Khvorova Anastasia 
Published: March 2018

AbstractEfficient delivery of therapeutic RNA is the fundamental obstacle preventing its clinical utility. Lipid conjugation improves plasma half-life, tissue accumulation, and cellular uptake of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). However, the impact of conjugate structure and hydrophobicity on siRNA pharmacokinetics is unclear, impeding the design of clinically relevant lipid-siRNAs. Using a panel of biologically-occurring lipids, we show that lipid conjugation modulates siRNA hydrophobicity and governs spontaneous partitioning into distinct plasma lipoprotein classes in vivo. Lipoprotein binding influences siRNA distribution by delaying renal excretion and promoting uptake into lipoprotein receptor-enriched tissues. Lipid-siRNAs elicit mRNA silencing without causing toxicity in a tissue-specific manner. Lipid-siRNA internalization occurs independently of lipoprotein endocytosis, and is mediated by siRNA phosphorothioate modifications. Although biomimetic lipoprotein nanoparticles have been considered for the enhancement of siRNA delivery, our findings suggest that hydrophobic modifications can be leveraged to incorporate therapeutic siRNA into endogenous lipid transport pathways without the requirement for synthetic formulation.
Occult return, divine grace, and saabui: practising transnational kinship in postsocialist Guinea
Authors: Cohen Adrienne 
Published: March 2018

AbstractIn the Republic of Guinea, where transnational migration has become a critical path to prestige among young urbanites, migrant success abroad is intimately connected to the cultivation of kin ties at home. For performing artists, who were the darlings of Guinea's Socialist Revolution (1958‐84), the experience of migration is uniquely linked to the fall of the socialist state and to the precarity of urban life in contemporary Africa. This article describes how Guinean artists manage distance and uncertainty through three practices: occult aggression, grace‐seeking, and patronage (saabui), which together illustrate the contours and limitations of kinship's efficacy in transnational space. By exploring transnational kinship as an intersubjective and productive practice that can extend beyond obligation or solidarity and into the realm of magic, this article proposes new ways of conceptualizing what it means for migrants to maintain significant connections across national borders.
Plasticity of mycangia in Xylosandrus ambrosia beetles
Authors: Li You , Ruan Yong‐Ying , Stanley Edward L. , Skelton James , Hulcr Jiri 
Published: March 2018

AbstractInsects that depend on microbial mutualists evolved a variety of organs to transport the microsymbionts while dispersing. The ontogeny and variability of such organs is rarely studied, and the microsymbiont's effects on the animal tissue development remain unknown in most cases. Ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae or Platypodinae) and their mutualistic fungi are an ideal system to study the animal–fungus interactions. While the interspecific diversity of their fungus transport organ—mycangia—is well‐known, their developmental plasticity has been poorly described. To determine the ontogeny of the mycangium and the influence of the symbiotic fungus on the tissue development, we dissected by hand or scanned with micro‐CT the mycangia in various developmental stages in five Xylosandrus ambrosia beetle species that possess a large, mesonotal mycangium: Xylosandrus amputatus, Xylosandrus compactus, Xylosandrus crassiusculus, Xylosandrus discolor, and Xylosandrus germanus. We processed 181 beetle samples from the United States and China. All five species displayed three stages of the mycangium development: (1) young teneral adults had an empty, deflated and cryptic mycangium without fungal mass; (2) in fully mature adults during dispersal, the pro‐mesonotal membrane was inflated, and most individuals developed a mycangium mostly filled with the symbiont, though size and symmetry varied; and (3) after successful establishment of their new galleries, most females discharged the bulk of the fungal inoculum and deflated the mycangium. Experimental aposymbiotic individuals demonstrated that the pronotal membrane invaginated independently of the presence of the fungus, but the fungus was required for inflation. Mycangia are more dynamic than previously thought, and their morphological changes correspond to the phases of the symbiosis. Importantly, studies of the fungal symbionts or plant pathogen transmission in ambrosia beetles need to consider which developmental stage to sample. We provide illustrations of the different stages, including microphotography of dissections and micro‐CT scans.
A general framework for globally optimized pagination
Authors: Mittelbach Frank 
Published: March 2018

AbstractPagination problems deal with questions around transforming a source text stream into a formatted document by dividing it up into individual columns and pages, including adding auxiliary elements that have some relationship to the source stream data but may allow a certain amount of variation in placement (such as figures or footnotes).Traditionally, the pagination problem has been approached by separating it into one of micro‐typography (eg, breaking text into paragraphs, also known as h&j) and one of macro‐typography (eg, taking a galley of already formatted paragraphs and breaking them into columns and pages) without much interaction between the two.While early solutions for both problem areas used simple greedy algorithms, Knuth and Plass introduced in 1981 a global‐fit algorithm for line breaking that optimizes the breaks across the whole paragraph. This algorithm was implemented in (see Computers & Typesetting, Volume B: TeX: The Program by Knuth in 1986) and has since kept its crown as the best available solution for this space. However, for macro‐typography there has been no (successful) attempt to provide a globally optimized page layout: All systems to date (including ) use greedy algorithms for pagination. Various problems in this area have been researched, and the literature documents some prototype development. However, none of them have been made widely available to the research community or ever made it into a generally usable and publicly available system.This paper is an extended version of the author's work in 2016 originally presented at the 16th ACM Symposium on Document Engineering in Vienna, Austria. It presents a framework for a global‐fit algorithm for page breaking based on the ideas of Knuth/Plass. It is implemented in such a way that it is directly usable without additional executables with any modern installation. It therefore can serve as a test bed for future experiments and extensions in this space. At the same time, a cleaned‐up version of the current prototype has the potential to become a production tool for the huge number of users worldwide.This paper also discusses 2 already implemented extensions that increase the flexibility of the pagination process (a necessary prerequisite for successful global optimization): the ability to automatically consider existing flexibility in paragraph length (by considering paragraph variations with different numbers of lines) and the concept of running the columns on a double spread a line long or short. It concludes with a discussion of the overall approach, its inherent limitations and directions for future research.
Clinical predictors of Alzheimer's disease progression
Authors: Hishikawa Nozomi , Fukui Yusuke , Takemoto Mami , Sato Kota , Shang Jingwei , Yamashita Toru , Ohta Yasuyuki , Abe Koji 
Published: March 2018

AimRates of disease progression differ among patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), but prognostic predictions remain a challenge. We carried out a clinic‐based retrospective study to investigate the clinical factors for AD progression.MethodsThe 748 AD patients, who attended our hospital for >1 year and were given the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) at least three times, were divided into three groups according to the annual change rate of MMSE score (G): Aggravater group (G < −2), Stabler group (−2 ≤ G ≤ 2) and Improver group (2 < G). We compared the three groups on cognitive, affective and activities of daily living functions, response to medication, clinical fluctuations, serum levels of metabolic factors, and neuroimaging data.ResultsWe found no significant differences in age, sex, educational attainment or body mass index across the groups. The Aggravater group showed better baseline MMSE (P < 0.01) and Abe's behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (P < 0.01) scores than the Improver group, but its MMSE improvement after drug treatment was the worst among the three groups (P < 0.01 vs Stabler/Improver). Fluctuations in MMSE (P < 0.01), apathy scale (P < 0.05) and activities of daily living (P < 0.01) scores were smaller in the Improver group than in the Aggravater or Stabler groups. Serum docosahexaenoic acid levels tended to be lower (trend P < 0.05) and voxel‐based specific regional analysis system for Alzheimer's disease Z‐scores tended to be higher (trend P < 0.05) in the Improver group than in the Stabler or Aggravater groups.ConclusionsInitial responses to medication, fluctuations in cognitive, affective and activities of daily living functions, serum docosahexaenoic acid levels, and medial temporal atrophy are clinical factors related to AD prognosis. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 929–936.