bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hand Pattern Based on Second-to-Fourth Digit Ratio: Its Relationship to Sex, Body Mass Index, and Physical Activity
Authors: Al-Qattan Noha M. , Al-Kharashi Sara K. , Al-Hindi Ghada K. , Dammas Nada M. , Kattan Abdullah E. , Al-Qattan Mohammad M. 
Published: May 2019

Background:
The second-to-fourth digit ratio is measured by dividing the length of the index finger by the length of the ring finger. A ratio <1 means that the ring finger is longer; this is known as the male pattern or “A” pattern. A ratio >1 means that the index finger is longer; this is known as the female pattern or “C” pattern. When both fingers are equal in length (ratio = 1), the pattern is labeled as “B” pattern; this may be seen in both sexes. None of the previously reported studies on this topic were reported in the plastic or hand surgery literature. Our aim is to increase the awareness of plastic and hand surgeons to these types of hand patterns and to correlate such patterns to sex, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity in a group of healthy medical students and interns.

Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional study on 160 healthy medical students/interns. There were 82 females and 78 males between the ages of 20 and 30. A male pattern (pattern A) was defined as pattern A in both hands or pattern A in one hand and pattern B in the other hand. A female pattern (pattern C) was defined as pattern C in both hands or pattern C in one hand and pattern B in the other hand. The correlation between hand pattern and sex, BMI, and physical activity was done using the chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:
Five participants (3.1%) had pattern B in both hands. Another 15 participants (9.4%) had a male pattern in one hand and a female pattern in the other hand. Both of these groups were excluded from the statistical analysis. Pattern A was significantly higher in males, and pattern C was significantly higher in females (P < 0.001). BMI and physical activity did not significantly affect the hand pattern in males. However, the correlations between hand pattern and both BMI and physical activity were significant in females (P = 0.005 for BMI) (P = 0.042 for physical activity).

Conclusions:
About 12.5% of the study group did not fit into a male or female pattern. In the remaining 87.5% of the participants, sex correlated with hand pattern. BMI and physical activity significantly affected the hand pattern in females. We believe that our study will encourage plastic surgeons to further investigate the correlation of different hands patterns to other variables of interest in plastic surgery such as masculine facial anthropometric values, hypoplastic breasts, gynecomastia, and lipodystrophy.
Treatment of Nasal Aging and Possible Long-term Nasal Enhancement with Fat Using Injectable Tissue Replacement
Authors: Cohen Steven R. , Womack Hayley A. , Hauch Adam T. , Delaunay Flore , Trivisonno Angelo 
Published: May 2019

Summary:
This article addresses nasal aging using a minimally invasive procedure with an algorithm that includes the diagnosis of a patient’s nose within the context of the individual’s facial anatomy. Pyriform augmentation for the elevation of tip projection and columellar strutting with injectable fat are, to our knowledge, applied for the first time as important steps in minimally invasive rhinoplasties. This procedure offers patients with more subtle nasal changes with aging or other causes to be treated with potentially long-lasting improvements, which can be easily retreated. New techniques using injectable liquid cartilage grafts are being explored.
Is it time for the 4th P in nurse practitioner education? Physical assessment, pharmacology, pathophysiology, and procedures: A systematic review
Authors: Schallmo Marianne K. , Godfrey Timian M. , Dunbar Darryn , Brown Kristen M. , Coyle Amanda , D'Aoust Rita F. 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACT

Background and purpose:
Nurse practitioners (NPs) perform diagnostic and clinical procedure skills in the acute, specialty, urgent, and primary care settings. Nurse practitioners surveyed on readiness for practice report a lack of confidence and education preparation for performing selected advanced diagnostic and skills. As NPs gain independent, full practice scope, it is imperative advanced diagnostic and procedure skills used in practice are taught in nurse practitioner curriculum. The purpose of this review is to document a systematic review of the literature, answering the following question: Among primary care NPs, does current program curriculum align with current procedures and skills in theclinical setting?

Methods:
PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, CINAHL, and Embase were searched between inception and 2018 using the search terms “advanced practice nursing, clinical competence, diagnostic techniques or procedures, and primary health care.” Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis guidelines, nine articles were included in the synthesis.

Conclusion:
There is scant research regarding NP educational preparation of skills and procedures. Study findings indicate that programs are not teaching all the procedures deemed important. Education should promote improved congruence between the skills and procedures taught in program curricula and those used in clinical practice.

Implications for practice:
It is critical to complete an education practice survey measuring skill and procedure preparation and competency at graduation. Survey results will determine whether skill and procedure guidelines are indicated for NP education. A recommendation may include minimal skills and procedure for all nurse practitioner curricula.
Factors Associated With Continuous Improvement by Local Boards of Health
Authors: Nguyen Tran Ha , Shah Gulzar H. , Schwartz Rachel D. , Jones Jeffery A. 
Published: May 2019

Background:
The continuous improvement function, 1 of the 6 public health governance functions, can be usefully applied in the context of local boards of health (LBoHs) operations to target self-improvements.

Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to determine the engagement level of LBoHs in continuous improvement efforts and to identify factors associated with this function.

Methods:
Negative binomial regression was performed to analyze data from the 2015 Local Board of Health National Profile. The LBoH taxonomy was used as the guiding model. The taxonomy includes 6 governance functions as structural domains and LBoHs' characteristics and strengths as the central or seventh domain.

Results:
For the 17 items that comprise the continuous improvement domain, the mean of the dichotomous responses was 4.97 (SD = 3.41). The negative binomial regression analysis showed that the overall summary scale for the other 5 governance domains and the LBoHs' other strengths domain had a significant positive association with the governance domain continuous improvement domain (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.05, P < .001). The 5 individual scales for the governance domains also had significant positive associations with the continuous improvement domain, which included the governance functions of policy development (IRR = 1.13, P < .001), resource stewardship (IRR = 1.18, P < .001), legal authorization (IRR = 1.09, P < .001, partnership engagement (IRR = 1.12, P < .001), and oversight (IRR = 1.29, P < .001). The scale for other characteristics and strengths also showed positive association with continuous improvement (IRR = 1.14, P < .001).

Conclusion:
The findings of this study revealed that there was room for improvement in LBoHs' engagement in the continuous improvement governance function. The results also identified other governance functions and LBoHs' characteristics as factors associated with their continuous improvement.
Anticytokine autoantibodies leading to infection: early recognition, diagnosis and treatment options
Authors: Barcenas-Morales Gabriela , Cortes-Acevedo Paulina , Doffinger Rainer 
Published: May 2019

Purpose of review
The current review gives a concise and updated overview of the relative new field of anticytokine autoantibodies (ACAA) and associated infections with a focus on recent findings regarding clinical manifestions, diagnostic and treatments.

Recent findings
Several recent case reports of unusual presentations of patients with neutralizing autoantibodies to IFN-γ and granulocyt macrophage colony-stimulating factor and expand the spectrum of clinical manifestations and suggest that anticytokine-mediated acquired immunodeficiency causing susceptibility to infection may be underdiagnosed. There is an expanding geographical distribution of antigranulocyt macrophage colony-stimulating factor associated Cryptococcus gattii infection. The spectrum of identified infections in patients with neutralizing antibodies to IFN-γ has a strong endemic component. Rituximab or cyclophophamide in addition to antimycobacterials could be a treatment options in refractory cases. NF-κB2 deficiency may be associated with a complex pattern of high titre neutralizing ACAA similar to autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type I and Thymoma. New technique for the detection of anticytokine antibodies are presented. Quantiferon testing, which is widely available for TB-diagnostic, may be repurposed to detect anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies. We propose that this test could be as well used to show if they are neutralizing.

Summary
ACAA are an emerging cause of acquired immunodeficiency which is likely underdiagnosed. Recent case reports document expanding spectra of clinical manifestations. NF-κB2 deficiency may be associated with a complex anti cytokine autoantibody pattern.
Balancing Deliberate Practice and Reflection
Authors: Diederich Emily , Lineberry Matthew , Blomquist Michael , Schott Vanessa , Reilly Chelsi , Murray Megan , Nazaran Pooneh , Rourk Meghan , Werner Rachel , Broski Julie 
Published: May 2019

Introduction
A key question in simulation-based education is how to maximize learning within time and resource limits, including how best to balance hands-on practice versus reflective debriefing. Several instructional design frameworks suggest setting the balance according to the type of learning objective(s); however, broad professional activities such as team-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation include several interrelated component skills. This study experimentally manipulated hands-on practice versus reflective debriefing for cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills, hypothesizing that the former best supports learning taskwork (eg, compression quality), whereas the latter best supports learning teamwork.

Methods
The study was a randomized comparison trial with a pretest and posttest. Twenty-six teams of 5 to 6 first-year residents underwent either “drill” practice of key resuscitation phases, designed to maximize deliberate practice opportunities for individual and team skills, or “scrimmage” practice, designed to maximize full-scenario rehearsals and reflective debriefs. Key taskwork and teamwork behaviors were coded, and compression quality was collected and analyzed from an accelerometer.

Results
Most performance parameters improved considerably from a pretest to posttest for both taskwork (eg, percent correct compression depth 62%–81%, P = 0.01) and teamwork (eg, role leadership, 47%–70%, P = 0.00). Only 2 parameters improved differently by condition, favoring “drill” training: checking “Do Not Actively Resuscitate” wristband (odds ratio = 14.75, P = 0.03) and use of compression adjuncts (estimated marginal means = 75% versus 67%, P = 0.03).

Conclusions
Consistent with the notion that component skills in resuscitation do not clearly and exclusively constitute “taskwork” versus “teamwork,” both instructional designs led to similar improvements despite differences in the balance between hands-on practice versus reflection.
Enhanced effective codon numbers to understand codon usage bias
Authors: Smith Reginald 
Published: May 2019

AbstractCodon usage bias is a well recognized phenomenon but the relative influence of its major causes: G+C content, mutational biases, and selection, are often difficult to disentangle. This paper presents methods to calculate modified effective codon numbers that allow the investigation of the sources of codon bias and how genes or organisms have their codon biases shaped. In particular, it demonstrates that variation in codon usage bias across organisms is likely driven more by likely mutational forces while the variation in codon usage bias within genomes is likely driven by codon selectional forces.Author summaryA new method of disaggregating codon bias influences is described where I show how that different values of the effective codon number, following Wright’s Nc, can be used as ratios to demonstrate the similar or different causes of codon biases across genes or organisms. By calculating ratios of the different types of effective codon numbers, one can easily compare organisms or different genes while controlling for gene G+C content or codon nucleotide G+C content. The driving forces determining the variations in codon usage bias across or within organisms thus become much clearer.
Changes in the expression of mitochondrial morphology-related genes during the differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells
Authors: Lee Jeong Eon , Seo Bong Jong , Han Min Ji , Hong Yean Ju , Hong Kwonho , Song Hyuk , Lee Jeong Woong , Do Jeong Tae 
Published: May 2019

AbstractDuring embryonic development, cells undergo changes in gene expression, signaling pathway activation/inactivation, metabolism, and intracellular organelle structures, which are mediated by mitochondria. Mitochondria continuously switch their morphology between elongated tubular and fragmented globular via mitochondrial fusion and fission. Mitochondrial fusion is mediated by proteins encoded byMfn1, Mfn2, andOpa1, whereas mitochondrial fission is mediated by proteins encoded byFis1andDmn1L. Here, we investigated the expression patterns of mitochondria-related genes during the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in response to leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) withdrawal. The expression ofMfn2andDnm1Lwas, as expected, increased and decreased, respectively. By comparing gene expression and mitochondrial morphology, we proposed an index that could precisely represent mitochondrial changes during the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells by analyzing the expression ratios of three fusion- and two fission-related genes. Surprisingly, increasedMfn2/Dnm1Lratio was correlated with elongation of mitochondria during the differentiation of ESCs. Moreover, application of this index to other specialized cell types revealed that neural stems cells (NSCs) and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) showed increasedMfn2/Dnm1Lratio compared to ESCs. Thus, we suggest that theMfn2/Dnm1Lratio could reflect changes in mitochondrial morphology according to the extent of differentiation.
Antibiotic transport kinetics in Gram-negative bacteria revealed via single-cell uptake analysis and mathematical modelling
Authors: Cama Jehangir , Voliotis Margaritis , Metz Jeremy , Smith Ashley , Iannucci Jari , Keyser Ulrich F. , Tsaneva-Atanasova Krasimira , Pagliara Stefano 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe double-membrane cell envelope of Gram-negative bacteria is a formidable barrier to intracellular antibiotic accumulation. A quantitative understanding of antibiotic transport in these cells is crucial for drug development, but this has proved elusive due to the complexity of the problem and a dearth of suitable investigative techniques. Here we combine microfluidics and time-lapse auto-fluorescence microscopy to quantify antibiotic uptake label-free in hundreds of individual Escherichia coli cells. By manipulating the microenvironment, we showed that drug (ofloxacin) accumulation is higher in growing versus non-growing cells. Using genetic knockouts, we provide the first direct evidence that growth phase is more important for drug accumulation than the presence or absence of individual transport pathways. We use our experimental results to inform a mathematical model that predicts drug accumulation kinetics in subcellular compartments. These novel experimental and theoretical results pave the way for the rational design of new Gram-negative antibiotics.
Differential chromatin accessibility in developing projection neurons is correlated with transcriptional regulation of cell fate
Authors: Heavner Whitney E. , Ji Shaoyi , Notwell James H. , Dyer Ethan S. , Tseng Alex M. , Birgmeier Johannes , Yoo Boyoung , Bejerano Gill , McConnell Susan K. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractWe are only just beginning to catalog the vast diversity of cell types in the cerebral cortex. Such categorization is a first step toward understanding how diversification relates to function. All cortical projection neurons arise from a uniform pool of progenitor cells that lines the ventricles of the forebrain. It is still unclear how these progenitor cells generate the more than fifty unique types of mature cortical projection neurons defined by their distinct gene expression profiles. Here we compare gene expression and chromatin accessibility of two subclasses of projection neurons with divergent morphological and functional features as they develop in the mouse brain between embryonic day 13 and postnatal day 5 in order to identify transcriptional networks that diversity neuron cell fate. We find groups of transcription factors whose expression is correlated with chromatin accessibility, transcription factor binding motifs, and lncRNAs that define each subclass and validate the function of a family of novel candidate genes in vitro. Our multidimensional approach reveals that subclass-specific chromatin accessibility is significantly correlated with gene expression, providing a resource for generating new specific genetic drivers and revealing regions of the genome that are particularly susceptible to harmful genetic mutations by virtue of their correlation with important developmental genes.
Opposing functions for retromer and Rab11 in extracellular vesicle cargo traffic at presynaptic terminals
Authors: Walsh Rylie B. , Becalska Agata N. , Zunitch Matthew J. , Lemos Tania , Dresselhaus Erica C. , Lee So Min , Wang ShiYu , Isaac Berith , Yeh Anna , Koles Kate , Rodal Avital A. 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACTNeuronal extracellular vesicles (EVs) play important roles in intercellular communication and pathogenic protein propagation in neurological disease. However, it remains unclear how cargoes are selectively packaged into neuronal EVs. Here, we show that loss of the endosomal retromer complex leads to accumulation of EV cargoes Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) and Synaptotagmin-4 (Syt4) atDrosophilamotor neuron presynaptic terminals, resulting in increased release of these cargoes in EVs. By systematically exploring known retromer-dependent trafficking mechanisms, we show that EV regulation is separable from several previously identified roles of neuronal retromer, and depends on the ESCPE-1 complex. Conversely, loss of the recycling endosome regulatorrab11leads to reduced EV cargo levels, and suppresses cargo accumulation in retromer mutants. Thus, EV traffic reflects a balance between Rab11-mediated loading and retromer-dependent removal from EV precursor compartments. Our data shed light on previous studies implicating Rab11 and retromer in competing pathways in Alzheimer’s Disease, and suggest that misregulated EV traffic may be an underlying defect.
Linking nutrient stoichiometry to Zika virus transmission in a mosquito
Authors: Paige Andrew S. , Bellamy Shawna K. , Alto Barry W. , Dean Catherine L. , Yee Donald A. 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACTFood quality and quantity serve as the basis for cycling of key chemical elements in trophic interactions, yet the role of nutrient stoichiometry in shaping host-parasite interactions is under appreciated. Most of the emergent mosquito-borne viruses affecting human health are transmitted by mosquitoes that inhabit container systems during their immature stages, where allochthonous input of detritus serves as the basal nutrients. Quantity and type of detritus (animal and plant) were manipulated in microcosms containing newly hatched Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae. Adult mosquitoes derived from these microcosms were allowed to ingest Zika virus infected blood and then tested for disseminated infection, transmission, and total nutrients (percent carbon, percent nitrogen, ratio of carbon to nitrogen). Treatments lacking high quality animal (insect) detritus significantly delayed development. Survivorship to adulthood was closely associated with the amount of insect detritus present. Insect detritus was positively correlated with percent nitrogen, which affected Zika virus infection. Disseminated infection and transmission decreased with increasing insect detritus and percent nitrogen. We provide the first definitive evidence linking nutrient stoichiometry to arbovirus infection and transmission in a mosquito using a model system of invasive Ae. aegypti and emergent Zika virus.
High resolution nonlinear registration with simultaneous modelling of intensities
Authors: Andersson Jesper L. R. , Jenkinson Mark , Smith Stephen 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThis paper describes and evaluates FMRIB’s nonlinear image registration tool (FNIRT), that is part of the FMRIB software library (FSL). It is a small deformation framework using sum of squared differences (SSD) as its cost function and Gauss-Newton for minimisation. The framework uses a joint shape and intensity model that attempts to explain the observed differences between two images in terms of having different shape and/or contrast, being differently affected by intensity bias-fields etc. Thus the estimation of the warps will be relatively unaffected by intensity differences that would otherwise violate the assumptions behind the SSD cost function. It uses a projection onto a manifold defined by a specified range of allowed Jacobian determinants to ensure that the warps are diffeomorphic. The utility of the model is demonstrated on a variety of simulated and experimental data with good results. FNIRT is also quantitatively evaluated using previously published datasets consisting of scans from multiple subjects, all with anatomically defined brain regions that are manually outlined. In this evaluation FNIRT performs well in comparison to previously published results with other registration algorithms.
Predicting failures of Molteno and Baerveldt glaucoma drainage devices using machine learning models
Authors: Morrison Paul , Dixon Maxwell , Sheybani Arsham , Rahmani Bahareh 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe purpose of this retrospective study is to measure machine learning models’ ability to predict glaucoma drainage device failure based on demographic information and preoperative measurements. The medical records of sixty-two patients were used. Potential predictors included the patient’s race, age, sex, preoperative intraocular pressure, preoperative visual acuity, number of intraocular pressure-lowering medications, and number and type of previous ophthalmic surgeries. Failure was defined as final intraocular pressure greater than 18 mm Hg, reduction in intraocular pressure less than 20% from baseline, or need for reoperation unrelated to normal implant maintenance. Five classifiers were compared: logistic regression, artificial neural network, random forest, decision tree, and support vector machine. Recursive feature elimination was used to shrink the number of predictors and grid search was used to choose hyperparameters. To prevent leakage, nested cross-validation was used throughout. Overall, the best classifier was logistic regression.