bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Veterans Affairs Low-vision Intervention Trial II: One-year Follow-up
Authors: Stelmack Joan A. , Tang Charlene , Wei Yongliang , Rose Kenneth , Ballinger Rex , Whitman Olga , Chronister Connie , Sayers Scott , Massof Robert W. 
Published: October 2019

SIGNIFICANCE
One-year follow-up is recommended for patients with macular diseases to assess functional changes associated with disease progression and to modify low-vision (LV) treatment plans, if indicated.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to observe 255 patients with macular diseases who received LV rehabilitation (rehabilitation with a therapist) or basic LV services (LV devices dispensed without therapy) during Veterans Affairs Low-vision Intervention Trial II after the trial ended at 4 months until 1-year follow-up.

METHODS
The primary outcome measure was visual ability measured with the 48-item Veterans Affairs Low-vision Visual Functioning Questionnaire. Mean visual ability scores for the treatment groups were compared from baseline to 4 months, 4 months to 1 year, and baseline to 1 year. Changes from baseline to 1 year were compared between the two groups. Predictors of changes in visual ability from 4 months to 1 year were assessed using linear regression.

RESULTS
Both groups experienced significant improvement in all measures of visual ability from baseline to 1 year but lost visual reading ability during the observation period (LV rehabilitation group, −0.64 [1.2] logit; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.84 to −0.44 logit; basic LV group, −0.63 [1.4] logit; 95% CI, −0.88 to −0.38 logit), and overall visual ability was lost in the LV rehabilitation group (−0.20 [0.8] logit; 95% CI, −0.34 to −0.06 logit). Loss of visual reading ability in both groups from 4 months to 1 year was predicted by reading ability scores at 4 months, loss of near visual acuity from 4 months to 1 year, and lower EuroQol-5D utility index scores; loss of overall visual ability in the LV rehabilitation group during the same time period was predicted by lower overall ability scores at 4 months.

CONCLUSIONS
Visual ability significantly improved in all groups from baseline to 1 year. However, the loss of visual reading ability experienced by both groups from 4 months to 1 year reduced the benefit of the services provided.
Topical Review: Retinally Induced Aniseikonia
Authors: Rutstein Robert P. , Currie Debra C. 
Published: October 2019

SIGNIFICANCEWe review retinally induced aniseikonia, an underrecognized condition resulting from common retinal conditions that has a significant effect on quality of life. Optometrists can influence the timing of surgical intervention to mitigate the damage from delaying surgical intervention in patients whose other findings do not meet a surgeon's treatment threshold.Aniseikonia due to optical differences between the eyes occurs in 1 to 3.5% of the population and can hinder the quality of binocular vision. The less noted retinally induced aniseikonia is due to mechanical distortion and displacement of the retinal photoreceptors and occurs with disorders such as epiretinal membrane, reattached retinal detachment, macular hole, and macular edema. Despite that it was first reported in 1950 and its incidence continues to rise in the aging population, many eye care practitioners are unaware of this condition, which can persist or even be exacerbated after treatment as a contributing cause of binocular vision symptoms. The purpose of this report is to allow more eye care practitioners to become familiar with retinally induced aniseikonia. The review of the literature includes demographics and epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, results of treatment, prognosis, and case examples.
Assessing the Validity of Measurements of Swept-source and Partial Coherence Interferometry Devices in Cataract Patients
Authors: Ghaffari Reza , Mahmoudzadeh Raziyeh , Mohammadi S.Saeed , Salabati Mirataollah , Latifi Golshan , Ghassemi Hamed 
Published: October 2019

SIGNIFICANCE
The validity of measurements of OA-2000 (Tomey, Nagoya, Japan), a new swept-source optical coherence tomography–based biometer, was evaluated in comparison with IOLMaster 500 (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany) as a reference method for optical biometry in cataract patients.

PURPOSE
This article compares the validity of measurements between OA-2000 and IOLMaster 500.

METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, axial length, lens thickness, anterior chamber depth, and keratometry readings were obtained by the OA-2000 and IOLMaster 500. Two measurements were taken by each method. Patients in which any one of the biometry methods could not be performed owing to severity of the cataract were excluded from the study. Repeatability of measurements was presented by coefficient of variation, and Bland-Altman method was used for evaluating the agreement between the two biometers.

RESULTS
Fifty-eight eyes of 58 cataract patients with mean ± standard deviation age of 61.4 ± 8.3 years were included in this study. Intraclass correlation ranged from 0.898 to 0.901 and showed good to excellent reliability. It was good for keratometry 1 (0.898) and excellent for keratometry 2 (0.992), axial length (0.999), and anterior chamber depth (0.901). Bland-Altman analysis showed good agreement between the swept-source optical coherence tomography and partial coherence interferometry devices for axial length, anterior chamber depth, and mean keratometry, with narrow 95% limits of agreement (−0.09 to 0.1 mm, −0.33 to 0.54 mm, −0.97 to 1.03 D, respectively), and also indicated small mean difference (0.01 for axial length, 0.11 for anterior chamber depth, 0.03 for mean keratometry, respectively) for all comparisons.

CONCLUSIONS
OA-2000 as a new swept-source optical coherence tomography has an excellent repeatability for measurement of biometric data in cataract patients, comparing with the standard partial coherence interferometry biometer (IOLMaster 500).
Paralysis After Lumbar Interlaminar Epidural Steroid Injection in the Absence of Hematoma
Authors: Petrin Ziva , Marino Ralph J. , Oleson Christina V. , Simon Jeremy I. , McCormick Zachary L. 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Paraplegia after interlaminar epidural steroid injection is a rare event and has typically been described after epidural hematoma or direct spinal cord injury. We present a case of an 87-yr-old man who experienced transient lower limb weakness after a lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injection due to an alternative cause, congestive myelopathy related to an underlying vascular malformation, namely, a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula. This is a poorly recognized and potentially treatable cause of progressive myelopathy. We present this case and review the literature on paraplegia after epidural steroid injection due to spinal dural arteriovenous fistula. Notably, this case of paralysis occurred in association with the lowest volume of epidural injectate reported in the literature to date (4 ml); importantly, this volume is consistent with the current clinical practice guideline standards for the safe performance of interlaminar epidural steroid injections. Physicians should be aware of this potential complication of epidural steroid injection and remain vigilant for the possibility after a procedure, even when performed according to current practice standards.
The Effect of Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate Application on Distracted Bone Biomechanical Properties
Authors: El Hadidi Yasser Nabil , Seif Mohamed , Sleem Heba , Mohsen Karim Abdel , El Kassaby Marwa 
Published: October 2019

Background:
This study was conducted to assess effect of bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) on enhancing biomechanical properties of distraction osteogenesis (DO).

Methods:
Twelve rami of goats had distraction and were divided into test group (DO bone supplemented with BMAC) and control group.

Results:
Assessment of bone-width showed nonsignificant (P = 0.9) increase in test group (mean = 5.3 mm, standard deviation = 1.9 mm) compared to control group (mean = 5.2 mm, standard deviation = 0.8 mm). Assessment of radiographic density showed nonsignificant (P = 0.5) increase in test group (mean = 163.4 Hounsfield Unit, standard deviation = 6.5 Hounsfield Unit) compared to control group (mean = 156.6 Hounsfield Unit, standard deviation = 21.8 Hounsfield Unit). Histomorphometry of mature-bone % showed significant (P = 0.02) increase in test group (mean = 30%, standard deviation = 9.8%) compared to control group (mean = 15.9%, standard deviation = 7.2%). Assessment of biomechanical testing (bone strength) by 3-point bending test showed nonsignificant (P = 0.7) increase in test group (mean = 511.6 Newton, standard deviation = 189.1 Newton) compared to control group (mean = 467.8 Newton, standard deviation = 201.1 Newton).

Conclusion:
The BMAC failed to improve both bone quantity and biomechanical bone strength of distracted bone.
Barriers to the Effective Management of Gynecomastia in Adolescents
Authors: Arora Yingyot , Mittal Rhiya Ridhi , Williams Eva Adanna , Thaller Seth Ray 
Published: October 2019

Background:
The aim of this study was to explore the impacts of gynecomastia on adolescents, explore the surgical and psychological success of mastectomy, and evaluate the adequacy of insurance guidelines and coverage.

Methods:
American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) surgical database from 2010 to 2014 was evaluated for current procedural terminology codes 19300 and 19303, representing mastectomies for gynecomastia and complete mastectomies respectively to compare surgical site complications.

Results:
Of 1132 procedures for mastectomy for gynecomastia 1.5% of patients (n = 17) were associated with postoperative superficial surgical site complications. In the same timeframe, a total of 33,124 procedures for simple, complete mastectomy performed with a postoperative surgical complication rate of 2.2% (n = 721). Results of a Chi-squared goodness of fit χ2 (1, N = 34,997) = 2.10, P > 0.05 suggests no statistically significant difference between incidence of surgical site complications for a mastectomy for gynecomastia versus typical mastectomy.

Discussion:
High surgical success rate, coupled with significant improvements in psychosocial functioning suggests that mastectomy is a highly effective intervention for adolescents with gynecomastia. However, due to vague and inadequate coverage and evaluation criteria surgery is often not performed. This paper offers a framework for developing a quantitative system by which to evaluate surgical candidates by adopting well-established guidelines currently in use for reduction mammoplasties and suggests further analysis into a cost/benefit analysis for coverage of the procedure.
Frontal and cerebellar atrophy supports FTSD-ALS clinical continuum
Authors: Pizzarotti Beatrice , Palesi Fulvia , Vitali Paolo , Castellazzi Gloria , Anzalone Nicoletta , Alvisi Elena , Martinelli Daniele , Bernini Sara , Ramusino Matteo Cotta , Ceroni Mauro , Micieli Giuseppe , Sinforiani Elena , D’Angelo Egidio , Costa Alfredo , Wheeler-Kingshott Claudia AM Gandini 
Published: October 2019

AbstractBackgroundFrontotemporal Spectrum Disorder (FTSD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are neurodegenerative diseases often considered as a continuum from clinical, epidemiologic and genetic perspectives. We used localized brain volume alterations to evaluate common and specific features of FTSD, FTSD-ALS and ALS patients to further understand this clinical continuum.MethodsWe used voxel-based morphometry on structural MRI images to localize volume alterations in group comparisons: patients (20 FTSD, seven FTSD-ALS, 18 ALS) versus healthy controls (39 CTR), and patient groups between themselves. We used mean whole-brain cortical thickness to assess whether its correlations with local brain volume could propose mechanistic explanations of the heterogeneous clinical presentations. We also assessed whether volume reduction can explain cognitive impairment, measured with frontal assessment battery, verbal fluency and semantic fluency.ResultsCommon (mainly frontal) and specific areas with reduced volume were detected between FTSD, FTSD-ALS and ALS patients, confirming suggestions of a clinical continuum, while at the same time defining morphological specificities for each clinical group (e.g. a difference of cerebral and cerebellar involvement between FTSD and ALS). values suggested extensive network disruption in the pathological process, with indications of a correlation between cerebral and cerebellar volumes and in ALS. The analysis of the neuropsychological scores indeed pointed towards an important role for the cerebellum, along with fronto-temporal areas, in explaining impairment of executive and linguistic functions.ConclusionsWe identified common elements that explain the FTSD-ALS clinical continuum, while also identifying specificities of each group, partially explained by different cerebral and cerebellar involvement.
Effect of a simple exercise programme on hospitalisation-associated disability in older patients: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Ortiz-Alonso Javier , Bustamante-Ara Natalia , Valenzuela Pedro L. , Vidán María T. , Rodríguez-Romo Gabriel , Mayordomo-Cava Jennifer , Javier-González Marianna , Hidalgo-Gamarra Mercedes , Lopéz-Tatis Myriel , Valades-Malagón María Isabel , Santos-Lozano Alejandro , Lucia Alejandro , Serra-Rexach José Antonio 
Published: October 2019

ABSTRACTObjectiveHospitalisation-associated disability (HAD, defined as the loss of ability to perform one or more basic activities of daily living [ADL] independently at discharge) is a frequent condition among older patients. The present study aimed to assess whether a simple inpatient exercise programme decreases the incidence of HAD in acutely hospitalised very old patients.DesignIn this randomized controlled trial (Activity in GEriatric acute CARe, AGECAR) participants were assigned to a control or intervention (exercise) group, and were assessed at baseline, admission, discharge, and 3 months thereafter.Setting and participants268 patients (mean age 88 years, range 75–102) admitted to an acute care for elders (ACE) unit of a Public Hospital were randomized to a control (n=125) or intervention (exercise) group (n=143).MethodsBoth groups received usual care, and patients in the intervention group also performed simple supervised exercises (walking and rising from a chair, for a total daily duration of ∼20 min). We measured incident HAD at discharge and after 3 months (primary outcome); and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), ambulatory capacity, number of falls, re-hospitalisation and death during a 3-month follow-up (secondary outcomes).ResultsMedian duration of hospitalisation was 7 days (interquartile range 4 days). Compared with admission, the intervention group had a lower risk of HAD at discharge (odds ratio [OR]: 0.32; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.11–0.92) and at 3-months follow-up (OR 0.24; 95% CI: 0.08–0.74) than controls during follow-up. No intervention effect was noted for the other secondary endpoints (all p>0.05), although a trend towards a lower mortality risk was observed in the intervention group (p=0.078).Conclusion and implicationsThese findings demonstrate that a simple inpatient exercise programme significantly decreases the risk of HAD in acutely hospitalised, very old patients.Trial registrationNCT0137489 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01374893).Brief summaryA simple inpatient intervention consisting of walking and rising from a chair (∼20 minutes/day) considerably decreases the risk of hospitalisation-associated disability in acutely hospitalised older patients.
Evaluating the boundaries of marine biogeographic regions of the Southwestern Atlantic using halacarid mites (Halacaridae), meiobenthic organisms with a low dispersal potential
Authors: Pepato Almir R. , Vidigal Teofânia H. D. , Klimov Pavel B. 
Published: October 2019

ABSTRACTAimWe evaluated traditional biogeographic boundaries of coastal marine regions in SW Atlantic using DNA sequence data from common, rocky-shore inhabiting, marine mites of the generaAgauopsisandRhombognathus, family Halacaridae.MethodsWe investigated geographic population genetic structure using CO1 gene sequences, estimated divergence times using a multigene dataset and absolute time-calibrated molecular clock analyses, and performed environmental niche modeling (ENM) of common marine mite species.ResultsAgauopsis legioniumhas a shallow history (2.01 Ma) with four geographically differentiated groups. Two of them corresponded to the traditional Amazonian and Northeastern ecoregions, but the boundary between the two other groups was inferred at the Abrolhos Plateau, not Cabo Frio.Rhombognathus levigatoidess. lat. was represented by two cryptic species that diverged 7.22 (multilocus data) or 10.01 Ma (CO1-only analyses), with their boundary, again at the Abrolhos Plateau. ENM showed thatA. legioniumhas suitable habitats scattered along the coast, while the twoR. levigatoidescryptic species differ considerably in their niches, especially in parameters related to upwelling. This indicates that genetic isolation associated with the Abrolhos Plateau occurred in both lineages, but for theR. levigatoidesspecies complex, ecological niche specialization was also an important factor.Main conclusionsOur study suggests that the major biogeographic boundary in the Southwestern Atlantic lies not at Cabo Frio but at the Abrolhos Plateau. There, two biogeographically relevant factors meet: (i) changes in current directions (which limit dispersal) and (ii) abrupt changes in environmental parameters associated with the South Atlantic Central Waters (SACW) upwelling (offering distinct ecological niches). We suggest that our result represents a general biogeographic pattern because a barrier at the Abrolhos Plateau was found previously for the fish genusMacrodon(phylogeographic data), prosobranch mollusks, ascidians, and reef fishes (community-level data).
Sexual dimorphism and the effect of wild introgressions on recombination in Manihot esculenta
Authors: Chan Ariel W. , Williams Amy L. , Jannink Jean-Luc 
Published: October 2019

ABSTRACTRecombination has essential functions in evolution, meiosis, and breeding. Here, we use the multi-generational pedigree, consisting of 7,165 informative meioses (3,679 female; 3,486 male), and genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) data from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to study recombination in cassava (Manihot esculenta). We detected recombination events using SHAPEIT2 and duoHMM, examined the recombination landscape across the 18 chromosomes of cassava and in regions with known introgressed segments from cassava’s wild relative Manihot glaziovii, constructed a genetic map and compared it to an existing map constructed by the International Cassava Genetic Map Consortium (ICGMC), and inspected patterns of recombination placement in male and female meioses to see if there is evidence of sexual dimorphism in crossover distribution and frequency. We found that the placement of crossovers along chromosomes did not vary between the two sexes but that females undergo more meiotic recombination than males. We also observed that introgressions from M. glaziovii decreased recombination in the introgressed region and, in the case of chromosome 4, along the entire length of the chromosome that the introgression is on. We observed a dosage effect on chromosome 1, possibly suggesting the presence of a variant on the M. glaziovii haplotype that leads to lower overall recombination in the introgressed region.
Exact Distribution of Linkage Disequilibrium in the Presence of Mutation, Selection or Minor Allele Frequency Filtering
Authors: Qu Jiayi , Kachman Stephen D , Garrick Dorian , Fernando Rohan L , Cheng Hao 
Published: October 2019

ABSTRACTLinkage disequilibrium (LD), often expressed in terms of the squared correlation (r2) between allelic values at two loci, is an important concept in many branches of genetics and genomics. Genetic drift and recombination have opposite effects on LD, and thusr2will keep changing until the effects of these two forces are counterbalanced. Several approximations have been used to determine the expected value ofr2at equilibrium in the presence or absence of mutation. In this paper, we propose a probability-based approach to compute the exact distribution of allele frequencies at two loci in a finite population at any generationtconditional on the distribution at generationt− 1. Asr2is a function of this distribution of allele frequencies, this approach can be used to examine the distribution ofr2over generations as it approaches equilibrium. The exact distribution of LD from our method is used to describe, quantify and compare LD at different equilibria, including equilibrium in the absence or presence of mutation, selection, and filtering by minor allele frequency. We also propose a deterministic formula for expected LD in the presence of mutation at equilibrium based on the exact distribution of LD.
Brain-engrafted macrophages provide protection against therapeutic irradiation and secondary concussive injury
Authors: Feng Xi , Frias Elma S. , Paladini Maria S. , Chen David , Boosalis Zoe , Becker McKenna , Gupta Sonali , Liu Sharon , Gupta Nalin , Rosi Susanna 
Published: October 2019

AbstractBrain resident microglia have a distinct origin compared to macrophages in other organs. Under physiological conditions, microglia are maintained by self-renewal from the local pool, independent of hematopoietic progenitors. Pharmacological depletion of microglia during therapeutic whole-brain irradiation prevents synaptic loss and long-term recognition memory deficits but the mechanisms behind these protective effects are unknown. Here we demonstrate that after a combination of therapeutic whole-brain irradiation and microglia depletion, macrophages originating from circulating monocytes engraft into the brain and replace the microglia pool. Comparisons of transcriptomes reveal that brain-engrafted macrophages have an intermediate phenotype that resembles both monocytes and embryonic microglia. Brain-engrafted macrophages display reduced phagocytic activity for synaptic compartments compared to microglia from normal brains in response to a secondary concussive brain injury. In addition to sparing mice from brain radiotherapy-induced long-term cognitive deficits, replacement of microglia by brain-engrafted macrophages can prevent concussive injury-induced memory loss. These results demonstrate the long-term functional role of brain-engrafted macrophages as a possible therapeutic tool against radiation-induced cognitive deficits.