bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
LCA-SEM Energy Petrochemical Product Structure: A Research on Optimization Model of Low Carbon Economy Urban Agglomeration Supply Chain
Authors: Yucong You , Luxia Yi 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
Nowadays, the carbon dioxide and other gases generated by human activities have caused problems such as the greenhouse effect and global warming. The construction of a low-carbon economy city gathering supply chain is one of the main ways to reduce greenhouse gases. This paper uses the concept of carbon footprint, takes a certain urban agglomeration as the research object, and applies the greenhouse gas emission of energy petrochemical product structure into consideration according to the principles of economic, social and environmental sustainable development, together with constructing the LCA-SEM supply chain optimization model. Taking the minimum net carbon emission of energy and petrochemical product structure in low-carbon economy urban agglomeration area as the optimization goal, combined with the optimization index analysis of energy and petrochemical product structure index system, the research conclusions show that the low-carbon supply chain plays a key role in the environment in terms of five supply chain links: energy petrochemical raw material production, energy and petrochemical raw material transportation, energy and petrochemical production, energy and petrochemical product storage, as well as energy petrochemical transportation. The list of environmental burdens À(X) on the contribution of greenhouse gases to global warming optimization model shows that the urban agglomeration area and the “core area” energy consumption carbon sink area bears a significantly positive correlation with both of the regional carbon intensity and energy intensity of different energy land.
Medication Management Capacity and Its Neurocognitive Correlates in Huntington’s Disease
Authors: Sumida Catherine A , Van Etten Emily J , Lopez Francesca V , Sheppard David P , Pirogovsky-Turk Eva , Corey-Bloom Jody , Filoteo J Vincent , Woods Steven P , Gilbert Paul E , Schmitter-Edgecombe Maureen 
Published: November 2018

Abstract

Objective
Although medication management is a necessary daily activity for individuals with Huntington’s disease (HD), medication management abilities and their relation to cognitive functioning have not been evaluated.

Method
Twenty individuals with HD and 20 healthy adults (HA) completed the Medication Management Abilities Assessment (MMAA). Individuals with HD also completed a self-report medication management measure and neuropsychological tests assessing executive function, retrospective memory, and prospective memory.

Results
Individuals with HD performed significantly poorer and made more undertaking errors on the MMAA as compared to HA. No group differences were found in overtaking errors. In the HD group, significant associations were found between undertaking errors and perceived medication management ability as well as between MMAA task performance and measures assessing prospective memory and executive functions.

Conclusions
Medication management capacity was negatively affected in individuals with HD and may be associated with difficulty remembering to take medications in the future.
Improved inference of intermolecular contacts through protein–protein interaction prediction using coevolutionary analysis
Authors: Correa Marrero Miguel , Immink Richard G H , de Ridder Dick , van Dijk Aalt D J 
Published: November 2018

AbstractMotivationPredicting residue–residue contacts between interacting proteins is an important problem in bioinformatics. The growing wealth of sequence data can be used to infer these contacts through correlated mutation analysis on multiple sequence alignments of interacting homologs of the proteins of interest. This requires correct identification of pairs of interacting proteins for many species, in order to avoid introducing noise (i.e. non-interacting sequences) in the analysis that will decrease predictive performance.ResultsWe have designed Ouroboros, a novel algorithm to reduce such noise in intermolecular contact prediction. Our method iterates between weighting proteins according to how likely they are to interact based on the correlated mutations signal, and predicting correlated mutations based on the weighted sequence alignment. We show that this approach accurately discriminates between protein interaction versus non-interaction and simultaneously improves the prediction of intermolecular contact residues compared to a naive application of correlated mutation analysis. This requires no training labels concerning interactions or contacts. Furthermore, the method relaxes the assumption of one-to-one interaction of previous approaches, allowing for the study of many-to-many interactions.Availability and implementationSource code and test data are available at www.bif.wur.nl/.Supplementary informationSupplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Metabolic Consequences of Concomitant Strongyloides stercoralis Infection in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Rajamanickam Anuradha , Munisankar Saravanan , Bhootra Yukthi , Dolla Chandrakumar , Thiruvengadam Kannan , Nutman Thomas B , Babu Subash 
Published: November 2018

Abstract

Background
Human and animal studies have demonstrated that helminth infections are associated with a decreased prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, very little is known about their biochemical and immunological interactions.

Methods
To assess the relationship between a soil-transmitted helminth, Strongyloides stercoralis (Ss), and T2DM, we examined analytes associated with glycemic control, metabolic processes, and T-cell–driven inflammation at the time of Ss diagnosis and 6 months after definitive anthelmintic treatment. We measured plasma levels of hemoglobin A1c, glucose, insulin, glucagon, adipocytokines, and T-helper (TH) 1-, 2-, and 17- associated cytokines in patients with T2DM with (INF group) or without (UN group) Ss infection. In INF individuals, we again assessed the levels of these analytes 6 months following anthelmintic treatment.

Results
Compared to UN individuals, INF individuals exhibited significantly diminished levels of insulin and glucagon that increased significantly following therapy. Similarly, INF individuals exhibited significantly diminished levels of adiponectin and adipsin that reversed following therapy. INF individuals also exhibited significantly decreased levels of the TH1- and TH17- associated cytokines in comparison to UN individuals; again, anthelmintic therapy augmented these levels. As expected, INF individuals had elevated levels of TH2-associated and regulatory cytokines that normalized following definitive therapy. Multivariate analysis revealed that these changes were independent of age, sex, body mass index, and liver and renal function.

Conclusions
Strongyloides stercoralis infection is associated with a significant modulation of glycemic, hormonal, and cytokine parameters in T2DM and its reversal following anthelmintic therapy. Hence, Ss infection has a protective effect on diabetes-related parameters.
Aequatus: an open-source homology browser
Authors: Thanki Anil S , Soranzo Nicola , Herrero Javier , Haerty Wilfried , Davey Robert P 
Published: November 2018

Abstract

Background
Phylogenetic information inferred from the study of homologous genes helps us to understand the evolution of genes and gene families, including the identification of ancestral gene duplication events as well as regions under positive or purifying selection within lineages. Gene family and orthogroup characterization enables the identification of syntenic blocks, which can then be visualized with various tools. Unfortunately, currently available tools display only an overview of syntenic regions as a whole, limited to the gene level, and none provide further details about structural changes within genes, such as the conservation of ancestral exon boundaries amongst multiple genomes.

Findings
We present Aequatus, an open-source web-based tool that provides an in-depth view of gene structure across gene families, with various options to render and filter visualizations. It relies on precalculated alignment and gene feature information typically held in, but not limited to, the Ensembl Compara and Core databases. We also offer Aequatus.js, a reusable JavaScript module that fulfills the visualization aspects of Aequatus, available within the Galaxy web platform as a visualization plug-in, which can be used to visualize gene trees generated by the GeneSeqToFamily workflow.
Transfer learning improves resting-state functional connectivity pattern analysis using convolutional neural networks
Authors: Vakli Pál , Deák-Meszlényi Regina J , Hermann Petra , Vidnyánszky Zoltán 
Published: November 2018

Abstract

Background
Deep learning is gaining importance in the prediction of cognitive states and brain pathology based on neuroimaging data. Including multiple hidden layers in artificial neural networks enables unprecedented predictive power; however, the proper training of deep neural networks requires thousands of exemplars. Collecting this amount of data is not feasible in typical neuroimaging experiments. A handy solution to this problem, which has largely fallen outside the scope of deep learning applications in neuroimaging, is to repurpose deep networks that have already been trained on large datasets by fine-tuning them to target datasets/tasks with fewer exemplars. Here, we investigated how this method, called transfer learning, can aid age category classification and regression based on brain functional connectivity patterns derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. We trained a connectome-convolutional neural network on a larger public dataset and then examined how the knowledge learned can be used effectively to perform these tasks on smaller target datasets collected with a different type of scanner and/or imaging protocol and pre-processing pipeline.

Results
Age classification on the target datasets benefitted from transfer learning. Significant improvement (~9%–13% increase in accuracy) was observed when the convolutional layers' weights were initialized based on the values learned on the public dataset and then fine-tuned to the target datasets. Transfer learning also appeared promising in improving the otherwise poor prediction of chronological age.

Conclusions
Transfer learning is a plausible solution to adapt convolutional neural networks to neuroimaging data with few exemplars and different data acquisition and pre-processing protocols.
Services Deepening and the Transmission of Monetary Policy
Authors: Galesi Alessandro , Rachedi Omar 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
The structural transformation from manufacturing to services comes with a process of services deepening: the services share of intermediate inputs rises over time. Moreover, inflation reacts less to monetary policy shocks in countries that are more intensive in services intermediates. We rationalize these facts using a two-sector New Keynesian model where trends in sectoral productivities generate endogenous variations in the Input–Output matrix. Services deepening reduces the contemporaneous response of inflation to monetary policy shocks through a marginal cost channel. Since services prices are stickier than manufacturing prices, the rise of services intermediates raises the sluggishness of sectoral marginal costs and inflation rates.
I-FABP Is Higher in People With Chronic HIV Than Elite Controllers, Related to Sugar and Fatty Acid Intake and Inversely Related to Body Fat in People With HIV
Authors: Cheru Lediya T , Park Elli A , Saylor Charles F , Burdo Tricia H , Fitch Kathleen V , Looby Sara , Weiner Jeffrey , Robinson Jake A , Hubbard Jane , Torriani Martin , Lo Janet 
Published: November 2018

AbstractBackgroundIntestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) has been shown to be a marker of intestinal damage among people living with HIV. We hypothesized that I-FABP would be increased in chronically HIV-infected patents more than elite controllers and would relate to specific nutrient intake and body composition.MethodsIn an observational study, serum I-FABP was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Anthropometric measurements, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and single-slice abdominal computed tomography were obtained to assess body composition, as well as visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue areas (VAT and SAT). Dietary intake was assessed using 4-day food records.ResultsOne hundred forty-nine people with chronic HIV (65% male, 47 ± 7 years of age, 54.7% white, and 14 ± 6 years of known HIV), 10 elite controllers (60% male, 53 ± 8 years, 60% white, and 20 ± 7 years of known HIV), and 69 HIV-negative controls (59.4% male, 46 ± 7 years, and 52.2% white) were included in the analysis. I-FABP was significantly higher in HIV progressors relative to HIV-negative controls and elite controllers. In the chronic HIV group, I-FABP was positively associated with dietary intake of added sugar and with saturated fatty acids. I-FABP was inversely associated with body mass index, VAT, and SAT. I-FABP also correlated with MCP-1, CXCL10, sCD163, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) among all participants.ConclusionsI-FABP was increased among chronically HIV-infected patients to a greater degree than in elite controllers and was related to nutrient intake and body composition in HIV progressors. Future studies to investigate the role of intestinal damage on nutrient absorption are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of these relationships.Trial Registration IdentifierNCT00455793.
MONITORING OF HIGH-ENERGY PHOTON FLUENCE IN CLINAC USING Zn AND Cr PHOTOACTIVATION
Authors: Haddad Kh , Anjak O , Yousef B , Ammar M 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
Monitoring of high-energy photon dose in radiation therapy is crucial for radiation protection, as well as to estimate the radiation effects in the operating microelectronic devices. The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of using the photoactivation technique to monitor the high-energy photon fluence in the Varian 21EX 23MV CLINAC. The 52Cr(γ,n)51Cr and 66Zn(γ,n)65Zn reactions were used. It was found that 51Cr and 65Zn can be used successfully to monitor the fluence for short term (80 days) and long term (110 days), respectively.
Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders: A Medical Student Distinction Track in Health System Transformation and Leadership
Authors: Lawson Luan , Lake Donna , Lazorick Suzanne , Reeder Timothy , Garris Jenna , Baxley Elizabeth G. 
Published: November 2018

Problem
Calls for medical education reform focus on preparing physicians to meet the challenges of today’s complex health care system. Despite implementing curricula focused on health systems science (HSS), including quality improvement (QI), patient safety, team-based care, and population health, a significant gap remains in training students to meet the system’s evolving needs.

Approach
Brody School of Medicine redesigned its curriculum to prepare leaders to effect health system change. This included development of a distinction track in health system transformation and leadership, known as the Leaders in INnovative Care (LINC) Scholars Program. Selected LINC scholars spend eight weeks in a summer immersion experience designed to provide foundational knowledge and practical application.

Outcomes
Two cohorts (15 LINC scholars) completed the summer immersion in 2015 and 2016. Participants demonstrated significant improvement in knowledge and confidence and continue to be engaged in ongoing QI projects throughout the health system. All scholars have presented their work at local, regional, or national meetings. Students rated patient navigation experiences, health system leader interviews, QI project application, and interprofessional experiences as most valuable and recommended adoption in the curriculum for all students.

Next Steps
A distinction track with an immersion component can be an effective method to pilot innovative HSS components for the entire curriculum while preparing a cadre of learners with advanced expertise. To longitudinally measure HSS knowledge change, behavioral impact, and organization-level outcomes, next steps must focus on development of workplace-based assessments, establishment of learner portfolios, and longitudinal tracking of student outcomes, including career trajectory.
Cochlear Reflectance and Otoacoustic Emission Predictions of Hearing Loss
Authors: Neely Stephen T. , Fultz Sara E. , Kopun Judy G. , Lenzen Natalie M. , Rasetshwane Daniel M. 
Published: November 2018

Objectives:
Cochlear reflectance (CR) is the cochlear contribution to ear-canal reflectance. CR is a type of otoacoustic emission (OAE) that is calculated as a transfer function between forward pressure and reflected pressure. The purpose of this study was to compare wideband CR to distortion-product (DP) OAEs in two ways: (1) in a clinical-screening paradigm where the task is to determine whether an ear is normal or has hearing loss and (2) in the prediction of audiometric thresholds. The goal of the study was to assess the clinical utility of CR.

Design:
Data were collected from 32 normal-hearing and 124 hearing-impaired participants. A wideband noise stimulus presented at 3 stimulus levels (30, 40, 50 dB sound pressure level) was used to elicit the CR. DPOAEs were elicited using primary tones spanning a wide frequency range (1 to 16 kHz). Predictions of auditory status (i.e., hearing-threshold category) and predictions of audiometric threshold were based on regression analysis. Test performance (identification of normal versus impaired hearing) was evaluated using clinical decision theory.

Results:
When regressions were based only on physiological measurements near the audiometric frequency, the accuracy of CR predictions of auditory status and audiometric threshold was less than reported in previous studies using DPOAE measurements. CR predictions were improved when regressions were based on measurements obtained at many frequencies. CR predictions were further improved when regressions were performed on males and females separately.

Conclusions:
Compared with CR measurements, DPOAE measurements have the advantages in a screening paradigm of better test performance and shorter test time. The full potential of CR measurements to predict audiometric thresholds may require further improvements in signal-processing methods to increase its signal to noise ratio. CR measurements have theoretical significance in revealing the number of cycles of delay at each frequency that is most sensitive to hearing loss.
Pericoital contraception
Authors: Cahill Erica P. , Blumenthal Paul D. 
Published: November 2018

Purpose of review
To evaluate the literature on repeat use of emergency contraception and pericoital approaches to contraception.

Recent findings
Women are very interested in an oral, on-demand contraceptive option, were one available. Ulipristal acetate and a combination of levonorgestrel (LNG) and meloxicam (a cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor) both appear to be more effective at disrupting ovulation than LNG alone. Recent advisories from the United Kingdom regarding daily dosing of ulipristal for fibroids emphasize the need for more safety data.

Summary
Repeat pericoital dosing of 1.5-mg LNG is approximately as effective as other on-demand contraceptive methods and is overall very safe. The most common side effect is irregular bleeding. Repeat on-demand ulipristal acetate or meloxicam/other cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors have potential as an on-demand option either alone or in combination but have not been evaluated for contraceptive efficacy in a large-scale study. Given the high unmet need for contraception, even among women with access to available options, there is a distinct need for options that address needs of women who are interested in an on-demand option. On-demand oral contraception has the potential to expand the convenience of contraceptive options and overall contraceptive use.
Cystoscopy at the time of incontinence and prolapse surgery
Authors: Stewart Lauren E. , Hall Evelyn , Carberry Cassandra L. 
Published: November 2018

Purpose of review
This article provides an update on the use of cystoscopy at the time of prolapse and incontinence surgery.

Recent findings
Iatrogenic lower urinary tract injury is a known complication of antiincontinence procedures and surgical repair of pelvic organ prolapse. Intraoperative cystoscopy improves detection of lower urinary tract injuries in women undergoing pelvic floor surgery. The pelvic surgeon has a number of agents available to aid in the cystoscopic visualization of ureteral efflux. When injuries of the urinary tract are identified and treated intraoperatively, there is decreased morbidity, lower healthcare costs, and a lower risk of litigation than when detection is delayed. Therefore, many organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS), and the American Urological Association (AUA) recommend cystoscopy at the time of pelvic floor surgery.

Summary
Cystoscopy should be universally employed at the time of prolapse and incontinence surgery, except in instances of isolated repair of the posterior compartment.
Assessment of NAMS members’ prescription patterns of hormone therapy before and after the 2016 NAMS Annual Meeting
Authors: Bonnett Lindsay P. , Jiang Xuezhi , Pinkerton JoAnn V. , Schnatz Peter F. 
Published: November 2018

Abstract

Objective:
Hormone therapy (HT) prescription patterns have varied enormously over time and across specialties. The present study attempts to look at practice variation in specific controversial scenarios and to determine if attendance at The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) 2016 Annual Meeting, where the draft of the 2017 NAMS HT Position Statement was presented, had any impact on members’ HT prescribing patterns.

Methods:
An anonymous survey with 11 case scenarios was sent to all NAMS members before and after the 2016 NAMS Annual Meeting. Pre- and postmeeting responses were pooled into a single cohort. For those who responded to both surveys, only the postmeeting survey responses were included in the cohort. The impact of attendance at the 2016 NAMS Annual Meeting was investigated by comparing paired responses with “controversial questions” between pre- and postmeeting surveys in the matched population who either attended the 2016 NAMS Annual Meeting (intervention arm) or did not (control arm). “Controversial questions” were defined as those where 25% to 75% of responders answered “YES” to a question. McNemar's test was applied to analyze paired responses using SAS statistical software, with P ≤ 0.05 being considered statistically significant.

Results:
A total of 1,786 NAMS members were surveyed before and after the 2016 NAMS meeting, 234 (13%) completed the premeeting survey, 166 (9%) completed the postmeeting survey, and 52 completed both surveys. Of the 52, 27 attended the 2016 NAMS Annual Meeting and 25 did not. The pooled cohort contains 348 responses which represents a 20% response rate. Six complex case scenarios with “controversial questions” were identified from the pooled cohort and reexamined in the intervention and control arm, respectively. In the intervention arm, significant changes toward being more likely to prescribe HT in guideline-consistent cases were noted in four out of six cases, whereas significant changes in HT use were not seen in any of six complex cases in the control arm.

Conclusions:
NAMS members’ prescribing patterns of HT vary in complex clinical scenarios. After the 2016 NAMS Annual Meeting where a draft of the 2017 NAMS HT Position Statement was presented and discussed, in four challenging and complex clinical situations a significant number of practitioners changed their prescription patterns toward prescribing HT which was consistent with the new guideline.