bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The corticotopic organization of the human basal forebrain as revealed by regionally selective functional connectivity profiles
Authors: Fritz Hans‐Christian J. , Ray Nicola , Dyrba Martin , Sorg Christian , Teipel Stefan , Grothe Michel J. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF), comprising different groups of cortically projecting cholinergic neurons, plays a crucial role in higher cognitive processes and has been implicated in diverse neuropsychiatric disorders. A distinct corticotopic organization of CBF projections has been revealed in animal studies, but little is known about their organization in the human brain. We explored regional differences in functional connectivity (FC) profiles within the human CBF by applying a clustering approach to resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs‐fMRI) data of healthy adult individuals (N = 85; 19–85 years). We further examined effects of age on FC of the identified CBF clusters and assessed the reproducibility of cluster‐specific FC profiles in independent data from healthy older individuals (N = 25; 65–89 years). Results showed that the human CBF is functionally organized into distinct anterior‐medial and posterior‐lateral subdivisions that largely follow anatomically defined boundaries of the medial septum/diagonal band and nucleus basalis Meynert. The anterior‐medial CBF subdivision was characterized by connectivity with the hippocampus and interconnected nodes of an extended medial cortical memory network, whereas the posterior‐lateral subdivision was specifically connected to anterior insula and dorsal anterior cingulate components of a salience/attention network. FC of both CBF subdivisions declined with increasing age, but the overall topography of subregion‐specific FC profiles was reproduced in independent rs‐fMRI data of healthy older individuals acquired in a typical clinical setting. Rs‐fMRI‐based assessments of subregion‐specific CBF function may complement established volumetric approaches for the in vivo study of CBF involvement in neuropsychiatric disorders.
Quantifying the axonal pathways directly stimulated in therapeutic subcallosal cingulate deep brain stimulation
Authors: Howell Bryan , Choi Ki Sueng , Gunalan Kabilar , Rajendra Justin , Mayberg Helen S. , McIntyre Cameron C. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractDeep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subcallosal cingulate (SCC) is an emerging experimental therapy for treatment‐resistant depression. New developments in SCC DBS surgical targeting are focused on identifying specific axonal pathways for stimulation that are estimated from patient‐specific computational models. This connectomic‐based biophysical modeling strategy has proven successful in improving the clinical response to SCC DBS therapy, but the DBS models used to date have been relatively simplistic, limiting the precision of the pathway activation estimates. Therefore, we used the most detailed patient‐specific foundation for DBS modeling currently available (i.e., field‐cable modeling) to evaluate SCC DBS in our most recent cohort of six subjects, all of which were responders to the therapy. We quantified activation of four major pathways in the SCC region: forceps minor (FM), cingulum bundle (CB), uncinate fasciculus (UF), and subcortical connections between the frontal pole and the thalamus or ventral striatum (FP). We then used the percentage of activated axons in each pathway as regressors in a linear model to predict the time it took patients to reach a stable response, or TSR. Our analysis suggests that stimulation of the left and right CBs, as well as FM are the most likely therapeutic targets for SCC DBS. In addition, the right CB alone predicted 84% of the variation in the TSR, and the correlation was positive, suggesting that activation of the right CB beyond a critical percentage may actually protract the recovery process.
The accessibility of health services to young deaf adolescents in Ghana
Authors: Senayah Ebenezer Alfa , Mprah Wisdom Kwadwo , Opoku Maxwell Peprah , Edusei Anthony Kweku , Torgbenu Eric Lawer 
Published: October 2018

SummaryQuality health care is a fundamental human right, which is enshrined in several international and domestic legislative instruments. In the Ghanaian context, there are reports that adults with disabilities encounter barriers in their attempts to access health care. However, scholarly attention is yet to explore the perspectives of young people and adolescents with disabilities. Therefore, this quantitative study was conducted from the perspective of critical disability studies, where young deaf adolescents (YDAs) were regarded as right bearers, and where they shared their perspectives on health accessibility decisions, barriers, and needs. Sixty‐seven participants, made up of 44 male and 23 female students, took part in this quantitative study. Although many YDAs who took part in this study indicated that it was not difficult to access health facilities, they claim to have encountered communication barriers. Sign language interpreters in health facilities and introduction of sign language courses in health training institutions to improve communication between health professionals and deaf patients have been suggested as ways of addressing the barriers faced by YDAs in Ghana.
“‘Academic’ is a dirty word”: Intended impact pathways of an emerging academic health centre in tropical regional Australia
Authors: Edelman Alexandra , Taylor Judy , Ovseiko Pavel V. , Topp Stephanie M. 
Published: October 2018

SummaryBackgroundThe Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre (TAAHC) is being established in northern Queensland across a vast rural geography. The study aim is to identify intended impact pathways and beneficiaries of TAAHC as well as experienced and anticipated challenges.MethodologyThe study is an empirical case study nested within a comparative multi‐case study on academic health centres (AHCs). Data were collected from documents, observation, and interviews with 24 health system and university stakeholders. Intended impact pathways were identified abductively from analysis of aspirations and challenges.ResultsAspirations of TAAHC reflect an ultimate aim to improve the health of the northern Queensland population. Challenges were trust and communication, understanding value and return on investment, health system receptiveness to building a research culture, prioritising and influencing the research agenda, and structure of the health system.DiscussionThe study identifies three interdependent transitions that comprise the main intended impact pathway in TAAHC. Stakeholders expected TAAHC to effect health systems change and improvement rather than drive discovery‐oriented academic research associated with AHCs elsewhere.ConclusionThe findings contribute to the empirical evidence base on the role of AHCs internationally and to ongoing initiatives to establish and resource AHCs in Australia.
Prevalence of infant bronchiolitis‐coded healthcare encounters attributable to RSV
Authors: Turi Kedir N. , Wu Pingsheng , Escobar Gabriel J. , Gebretsadik Tebeb , Ding Tan , Walsh Eileen M. , Li Sherian X. , Carroll Kecia N. , Hartert Tina V. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractAimWe sought to determine the proportion of bronchiolitis episodes attributable to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among ICD‐9 coded infant bronchiolitis episodes which were tested for RSV.MethodsBronchiolitis healthcare encounters were extracted from Kaiser Permanente Northern California databases for years 2006 to 2009. We used ICD‐9 codes for bronchiolitis to capture bronchiolitis‐related healthcare encounters including hospital admissions (Hospitalization), emergency department visits (EDV), and outpatient visits (OPV). We reported the monthly proportion of RSV‐positive bronchiolitis episodes among tested bronchiolitis episodes. We used logistic regression to assess association between bronchiolitis episodes and patient demographic and health care characteristics. We also used logistic regression to assess association between decision to test and patient demographics and health care characteristics.ResultsAmong 10,411 ICD‐9 coded infant bronchiolitis episodes, 29% were RSV tested. Fifty one percent of those tested were RSV positive. Between December and February, and in infants ≤6 months, the proportion of bronchiolitis episodes that were attributable to RSV was 77.2% among hospitalized episodes, 78.3% among EDV episodes, and 60.9% among OPV episodes, respectively. The proportion of RSV‐positive bronchiolitis episodes varied based upon infant age at diagnosis, level of health care service used, and time of the year of the episode.ConclusionEstimation of the proportion of ICD‐9 coded bronchiolitis episodes attributable to RSV is more specific when restricting to bronchiolitis episodes during peak months, younger infant age, and those requiring higher level of healthcare.
A hierarchical Bayesian approach for multi‐site optimization of a satellite‐based evapotranspiration model
Authors: Su Yonghong , Feng Qi , Zhu Gaofeng , Gu Chunjie , Wang Yunquan , Shang Shasha , Zhang Kun , Han Tuo , Chen Huiling , Ma Jinzhu 
Published: October 2018

AbstractModelling is an important tool in simulating and partitioning evapotranspiration (ET). To obtain realistic partitioning of ET, a hierarchical Bayesian (HB) method was used to fit the Priestly–Taylor Jet Propulsion Laboratory (PT‐JPL) model against the multi‐tower Flux Network (FLUXNET) datasets. Unique to the HB method is its ability to exchange of information between sites and simultaneously estimate the species‐and PFT‐level parameters. The results suggested that the sensitive parameters varied at the both species and PFT levels. The parameter β (water control of soil evaporation) exhibited relatively wide species‐and PFT‐level posterior distributions, indicating that the original parameterization of soil moisture constraint may be problematic. Generally, the model with parameters determined by the HB approach showed better performance in predicting and partitioning ET than the original model, especially in evergreen needleleaf forests, open shrublands, closed shrublands, and woody savannas. To overcome the problem of parameter uncertainty (equifinality), direct observations of different components of ET are urgently needed in future studies, and assessments the extent to which the parameter uncertainties are reduced by the use of additional data.
Technology in the Service of Pedagogy: Teaching with Chemistry Databases
Authors: Tuvi‐Arad Inbal , Blonder Ron 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe chemical sciences integrate numerous pieces of structural data into families of compounds, and countless experimental results of reactive processes into ground rules. Collecting these pieces of information, analyzing them, and making the relevant contextual connections between them is in the heart of chemistry education. Here we emphasize the contribution of technology, and more specifically, chemical databases for enhancing these learning processes. Several important, open access, databases are described in detail and examples of using them in chemistry class are provided. In an era of continuous information revolution we hope that chemistry instructors will take the next step up, and acquire the professional skills needed to integrate the use of technology and chemistry databases in their classes.
The Irresistible Use of Contexts in Chemistry Education
Authors: Apotheker Jan 
Published: October 2018

AbstractIn an introduction the position of chemistry education over the past twenty five years is discussed. The relative low interest of students is discussed as well as some ways that were formulated to counteract this low interest and raise the number of students electing to study science and more in particular chemistry. Context oriented chemistry is one of these solutions, in which a specific context related to everyday life is chosen as a starting point to learn about chemistry. An example from an FP7 project, called Irresistible is presented, to demonstrate the use of contexts. In this project several other aspects were introduced as well. One of them was the introduction of current science research in the classroom. The idea is that students get a better understanding of science at the university when confronted with (results) of recent research. A second aspect is the introduction of the concept of ‘Responsible Research and Innovation’. This concept formulated by the EU, discusses the link between scientific research and society, and specifically the way science can play a role in solving problems society is confronted with as formulated for example by the sustainable development goals of the UN.
Does aggregate insider trading predict stock returns in China?
Authors: He Qing , Cheng Bingqian , Wen Jing 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThis paper studies the information content of aggregate insiders' transactions in their own firms in China by analysing approximately 28,000 open market transactions from July 2007 to December 2014. The evidence suggests that publicly available information about aggregate insiders' transactions cannot predict future stock returns. However, the ability of aggregate insiders' transactions to predict future stock returns is positively associated with the strength of corporate governance. Results from vector autoregressive models and examination of profitable strategies corroborate these findings.
The human rights impact of gender stereotyping in the context of reproductive health care
Authors: O'Connell Ciara , Zampas Christina 
Published: October 2018

AbstractGender stereotypes surrounding women's reproductive health impede women's access to essential reproductive healthcare and contribute to inequality more generally. Stereotyping in healthcare settings impedes women's access to contraceptive information, services, and induced abortion, and lead to involuntary interventions in the context of sterilization. Decisions by human rights monitoring bodies, such as the Inter‐American Court of Human Rights’ case, IV v. Bolivia, which was a case concerned with the involuntary sterilization of a woman during childbirth, highlight how stereotypes in the context of providing health care can operate to strip women of their agency and decision‐making authority, deny them their right to informed consent, reinforce gender hierarchies and violate their reproductive rights. In the present article, IV v. Bolivia is examined as a case study with the objective being to highlight how, in the context of coercive sterilization, human rights law has been used to advance legal and ethical guidelines, including the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics’ (FIGO) own guidelines, on gender stereotyping and reproductive healthcare. The Inter‐American Court's judgment in IV v. Bolivia illustrates the important role FIGO's guidance can play in shaping human rights standards and provides guidance on the service provider's role and responsibility in eliminating gender stereotypes and upholding and fulfilling human rights.
Radio, library, and storytelling: Building an information system for indigenous community development in Chiapas, Mexico
Authors: Gomez Ricardo , Iribe Ramirez Yvette , Berwick Jeannie 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe Tseltal Maya are an indigenous people living in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, with about 500,000 speakers of the Tseltal language. The encroachment of the dominant Mestizo culture and Spanish language is accelerating as access to the Internet increases, threatening the loss of Tseltal language and cultural heritage. We collaborate with local partners to create the first Tseltal indigenous information system, which includes a community library, a community radio station, and storytelling to document lived experiences and development impacts. The information system is anchored to Tseltal indigenous notions of well‐being or Lekil Cuxlejalil, which conceptualizes living well as living in harmony with self, family, community, environment, and spirit. Building a holistic Tseltal information system requires engaging local stakeholders and indigenous leaders to identify ways to organize, disseminate, generate, and conserve information to achieve broader goals of strengthening and preserving Tseltal language, culture, and identity, while promoting endogenous development based on culturally appropriate notions of well‐being, in harmony with self, family, community, environment, and spirit.
Expanding intestinal segment using osmotic hydrogel: An in vivo study
Authors: Coletta Riccardo , Olivieri Claudio , Persano Giorgio , Solari Valeria , Inserra Alessandro , Morabito Antonino 
Published: October 2018

AbstractIntestinal circumferential expansion is essential for bowel lengthening in patients with Short Bowel Syndrome. We hypothesized use of an endoluminal osmotic hydrogel expander (EOHE) as a novel approach for intestinal expansion.An EOHE was introduced into an isolated intestinal segment of New Zealand rabbits, with a similar segment created as a control. After 4weeks, the segments were retrieved for analysis. Weight, inflammatory markers and fluoroscopy data was recorded weekly. EOHE allowed successful expansion of intestinal segments from 4.68 ± 0.35 to 9.79 ± 0.35 cm (p = 0.01). Increase in intestinal length was 167.8 ± 35.21% in segments with EOHE vs. 23.03 ± 4.2% in the control group (p < 0.01). A significant intestinal dilatation (214.4 ± 1.58 vs. 34.59 ± 1.23%, p < 0.01) was demonstrated. Hematoxylin and eosin stain revealed conservation of intestinal architecture with muscle hypertrophy and flattening of the epithelium possibly due to compression. No reduction of rabbit weight, inflammatory markers or liver damage was described. EOHE appears to produce safe intestinal expansion, achieving increased length and dilatation suitable for lengthening procedure. This approach may allow development of similar techniques to expand bowel in short bowel patients. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 1304–1309, 2019.
Insights on UNC‐104‐dynein/dynactin interactions and their implications on axonal transport in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Chen Chih‐Wei , Peng Yu‐Fei , Yen Ying‐Cheng , Bhan Prerana , Muthaiyan Shanmugam Muniesh , Klopfenstein Dieter R. , Wagner Oliver I. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractBidirectional cargo transport in neurons can be explained by two models: the “tug‐of‐war model” for short‐range transport, in which several kinesin and dynein motors are bound to the same cargo but travel in opposing directions, and by the “motor coordination model” for long‐range transport, in which small adaptors or the cargo itself activates or deactivates opposing motors. Direct interactions between the major axonal transporter kinesin‐3 UNC‐104(KIF1A) and the dynein/dynactin complex remains unknown. In this study, we dissected and evaluated the interaction sites between UNC‐104 and dynein as well as between UNC‐104 and dynactin using yeast two‐hybrid assays. We found that the DYLT‐1(Tctex) subunit of dynein binds near the coiled coil 3 (CC3) of UNC‐104, and that the DYRB‐1(Roadblock) subunit binds near the CC2 region of UNC‐104. Regarding dynactin, we specifically revealed strong interactions between DNC‐6(p27) and the FHA‐CC3 stretch of UNC‐104, as well as between the DNC‐5(p25) and the CC2‐CC3 region of UNC‐104. Motility analysis of motors and cargo in the nervous system of Caenorhabditis elegans revealed impaired transport of UNC‐104 and synaptic vesicles in dynein and dynactin mutants (or in RNAi knockdown animals). Further, in these mutants UNC‐104 clustering along axons was diminished. Interestingly, when dynamic UNC‐104 motors enter a stationary UNC‐104 cluster their dwelling times are increased in dynein mutants (suggesting that dynein may act as an UNC‐104 activator). In summary, we provide novel insights on how UNC‐104 interacts with the dynein/dynactin complex and how UNC‐104 driven axonal transport depends on dynein/dynactin in C. elegans neurons.
Association of atrial fibrillation and gastroesophageal reflux disease: Natural and therapeutic linkage of the two common diseases
Authors: Maruyama Toru , Fukata Mitsuhiro , Akashi Koichi 
Published: October 2018

AbstractAtrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is popular in Japan. The two common diseases share several predisposing factors such as lifestyle and senescence, and inflammation and oxidative stress play an important role in their development and progression. Incidental cases of AF treated successfully by proton pump inhibitor (PPI) applied for coexisting GERD have been sporadically reported. An increasing evidence indicates that GERD induces the initiation and the perpetuation of AF. This is caused by the autonomic nerve influence, mechanical compression, and propagation of local inflammation due to proximity of left atrium (LA) and lower esophagus. Meanwhile, AF also develops GERD by mechanical and inflammatory actions of LA characterized by remodeling and inflammation. The robust association of AF with GERD is not limited to their natural interaction, i.e., pharmacological or nonpharmacological treatment of AF is reported to aggravate GERD. Many cardiac drugs (anticoagulants, calcium antagonists, and nitrates) induce esophageal mucosal damage and lower esophageal sphincter relaxation promoting acid reflux. These drugs are frequently prescribed in patients with AF for stroke prevention, rate control, and for coexisting coronary heart disease. Catheter ablation also yields both GERD and esophageal thermal injury, which is a precursor lesion of atrioesophageal fistula. The notion that AF and GERD are mutually interdependent is widely and empirically recognized. However, mechanistic link of the two common diseases and objective evaluation of PPI as an adjunctive AF treatment warrant future large‐scale prospective trials.
The role of caspase‐8, caspase‐9, and apoptosis inducing factor in periodontal disease
Authors: Aral Kübra , Aral Cüneyt Asım , Kapila Yvonne 
Published: October 2018

AbstractBackgroundCaspases are key mediators of apoptosis. Caspase‐8 mediates extrinsic, and caspase‐9 initiates the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Apoptosis Inducing Factor (AIF), a mitochondrial proapoptotic protein, mediates cell death by a caspase‐independent process. Because apoptosis is involved in periodontal disease, this study evaluated caspase‐8, ‐9, and AIF in periodontal disease.MethodsTwenty periodontally healthy volunteers (Group Healthy), 20 patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis (Group AgP), and 20 patients with generalized chronic periodontitis (Group CP) were included in this study. Levels of caspase‐8, ‐9, and AIF were evaluated in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of all participants via enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays.ResultsAIF was significantly higher in the AgP (P = 0.07) and CP groups (P = 0.01) than the Healthy group, and similar to the CP and AgP groups (P > 0.05). Caspase‐8 was significantly higher in the CP and Healthy groups than the AgP group (P = 0.00), and similar between Healthy and CP groups (P > 0.05). Caspase‐9 was significantly higher in the AgP group than the Healthy group (P = 0.01), and similar between Healthy and CP groups (P > 0.05).ConclusionsThe mitochondrial‐centered intrinsic pathway involving caspase‐9 and AIF, and the extrinsic pathway involving caspase‐8 are significant for aggressive periodontitis. The intrinsic pathway involving caspase‐independent AIF is also significant for chronic periodontitis.