bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Selection Criteria of Program Directors for Dermatopathology Fellows
Authors: Wang Jordan V. , Doan Linda , Lee Jason B. 
Published: December 2018

Abstract:
Dermatopathology represents a unique field at the intersection of dermatology and pathology. Although programs are approved by the ACGME, there is neither uniformity in application materials, timetables, and deadlines, nor a centralized application process. Despite the competitive nature of dermatopathology fellowships, no formal studies have thoroughly examined the selection criteria by program directors. Our study fills this gap in the literature and evaluates the impact of selection criteria for dermatopathology fellows. Applicants can now gain insight into the most important and meaningful aspects of their application.
Efficacy of Minimally Invasive Intervention in Patients With Acute Cerebral Infarction
Authors: Li Lirong , Ren Shaohua , Hao Xudong , Zhen Zigang , Ji Hongming 
Published: December 2018

Abstract:
Our aim was to explore the efficacy of minimally invasive intervention in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI). Seventy patients with ACI were randomized into either an experimental group or a control group. In addition to the regular treatment, patients in the control group also received intravenous thrombolysis with urokinase, while patients in the other group underwent percutaneous transluminal cerebral angioplasty and stenting. Metrics included recanalization rate, serum cytokines, fibrinolytic markers, and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey score and were compared between the 2 groups. After treatment, patients in the experimental group had better recanalization rate, higher SF-36 score and greater levels of vascular endothelial growth factors, neurotrophic factors, and nerve growth factors than those in the control group. Moreover, the values of fibrinolytic markers changed significantly in both groups after treatment. Compared with the control group, the experimental group had lower levels of tissue polypeptide antigen and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and a higher level of von Willebrand factor after treatment. In sum, the application of minimally invasive intervention can increase both the recanalization rate and concentrations of serum cytokines, can improve the quality of life in patients with ACI, and has small impacts on the fibrinolytic system in patients.
LongShengZhi Capsule Reduces Established Atherosclerotic Lesions in apoE-Deficient Mice by Ameliorating Hepatic Lipid Metabolism and Inhibiting Inflammation
Authors: Ma Jing , Zhao Dan , Wang Xiaolin , Ma Chuanrui , Feng Ke , Zhang Shuang , Chen Yuanli , Zhu Yan , Gao Xiumei , Zhao Buchang , Wang Yong , Qian Ke , Li Xiaoju , Duan Yajun , Han Jihong , Yang Xiaoxiao 
Published: December 2018

Abstract:
Disorders of lipid metabolism and inflammation play an important role in atherosclerosis. LongShengZhi (LSZ) capsule, a Chinese herbal medicine, has been used for treatment of patients with vascular diseases for many years. In this article, we determined the effect of LSZ on the progression of established atherosclerotic lesions in apoE-deficient (apoE−/−) mice. ApoE−/− mice were prefed high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks to induce atherosclerosis, then started with LSZ treatment contained in HFD for 10 weeks. Although LSZ had little effect on HFD-induced hypercholesterolemia, it substantially reduced en face and sinus aortic lesions. The reduction of lesions was associated with reduced macrophage/foam cell accumulation by activating ABCA1/ABCG1 expression. LSZ maintained the integrity of arterial wall by increasing collagen or smooth muscle cell content and inhibiting cell apoptosis. LSZ also attenuated HFD-induced fatty liver by down-regulating expression of lipogenic and cholesterol synthetic genes while activating expression of triglyceride catabolism genes. Moreover, LSZ demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory effects. In vivo, LSZ reduced serum TNF-α levels, infiltration of neutrophils, Kupffer cells, and expression of inflammatory cytokines in the liver. In vitro, it inhibited lipopolysaccharide or palmitate-induced expression of inflammatory cytokines in macrophages. Therefore, LSZ reduces atherosclerosis by ameliorating hepatic lipid metabolism and inhibiting inflammation.
Biomarkers of Drug-Induced Kidney Toxicity
Authors: Griffin Benjamin R. , Faubel Sarah , Edelstein Charles L. 
Published: December 2018

Abstract:
Blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine are imperfect markers of kidney function because they are influenced by many renal and nonrenal factors independent of kidney function. A biomarker that is released directly into the blood or urine by the kidney in response to injury may be a better early marker of drug-induced kidney toxicity than blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine. Urine albumin and urine protein, as well as urinary markers kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), β2-microglobulin (B2M), cystatin C, clusterin, and trefoil factor-3 (TFF-3) have been accepted by the Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency as highly sensitive and specific urinary biomarkers to monitor drug-induced kidney injury in preclinical studies and on a case-by-case basis in clinical trials. Other biomarkers of drug-induced kidney toxicity that have been detected in the urine of rodents or patients include IL-18, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, netrin-1, liver-type fatty acid–binding protein (L-FABP), urinary exosomes, and TIMP2 (insulin-like growth factor–binding protein 7)/IGFBP7 (insulin-like growth factor–binding protein 7), also known as NephroCheck, the first Food and Drug Administration–approved biomarker testing platform to detect acute kidney injury in patients. In the future, a combined use of functional and damage markers may advance the field of biomarkers of drug-induced kidney toxicity. Earlier detection of drug-induced kidney toxicity with a kidney-specific biomarker may result in the avoidance of nephrotoxic agents in clinical studies and may allow for earlier intervention to repair damaged kidneys.
Poly-ADP-ribosyl-polymerase inhibitor resistance mechanisms and their therapeutic implications
Authors: McCann Kelly E. 
Published: December 2018

Purpose of review
Poly-ADP-ribosyl-polymerase (PARP) inhibitors are an increasingly-utilized therapy in women with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, but tumor resistance to PARP inhibitor monotherapy is inevitable.

Recent findings
PARP inhibitors have been most studied in patients with breast and ovarian cancers associated with deleterious germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, though their role has expanded to include use as maintenance therapy in women with platinum-sensitive high-grade serous ovarian cancer due to the high propensity of such cancers to have defects in DNA repair by homologous recombination. As mechanisms of PARP inhibitor resistance are elucidated, rationale combination strategies can be devised to extend therapeutic benefits and to abrogate resistance.

Summary
Mechanisms of resistance include restoration of homologous recombination repair proficiency, loss of cancer cell reliance on PARP, and increased intracellular signaling through cell growth pathways.
Self-awareness and the evaluation of hot flash severity: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study
Authors: Taylor-Swanson Lisa Jean , Pike Kenneth , Mitchell Ellen Sullivan , Herting Jerald R. , Woods Nancy Fugate 
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Objective:
The purpose of this study was to test the association of two dimensions of self-awareness with hot flash (HF) severity.

Methods:
A subset of women from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study (N = 232) provided data for these analyses. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate two dimensions of self-awareness (Internal States Awareness [ISA] and Self-Reflectiveness [SR]), and secondary factors of perceived stress, anxiety, and attitudes toward menopause as continuous with earlier life, health perceptions, and menopausal stage with respect to HF severity. The measurement and structural models were tested with a maximum likelihood missing values estimator and displayed good model fit.

Results:
Women with greater ISA reported greater HF severity (β = 0.17, P < 0.05). In addition, women in later menopausal transition stages reported greater HF severity and those with attitudes of continuity toward menopause reported less severe HFs (β = 0.20, P < 0.01, β = −0.30, P < 0.001, respectively). SR was not related to HF severity. Women with higher levels of SR reported greater perceived stress levels (β = .51, P < 0.001), and those with greater perceived stress reported greater anxiety levels (β = 0.63, P < 0.001) and attitudes of continuity toward menopause as less continuous with earlier life (β = −0.30, P < 0.001).

Conclusions:
ISA (balanced self-awareness) was associated with greater HF severity, suggesting that enhanced balanced self-awareness may promote women's ability to evaluate their symptom experience. A multidimensional construct of self-awareness, perceived stress, anxiety, and attitude toward menopause are all plausible targets for future intervention studies of symptom management.
Women's experience of vulvovaginal symptoms associated with menopause
Authors: Shifren Jan L. , Zincavage Rebekah , Cho Ellen L. , Magnavita Ashley , Portman David J. , Krychman Michael L. , Simon James A. , Kingsberg Sheryl A. , Rosen Raymond C. 
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Objective:
This study describes women's experiences of the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) elicited through focus groups and cognitive debriefing sessions during development of a novel patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) designed for use in both clinical care and research.

Methods:
A draft questionnaire to identify and assess bothersome genitourinary symptoms associated with estrogen deficiency in menopausal women was developed in five discrete phases from multiple sources of information in accordance with standards for PROM development. GSM was confirmed by report of symptoms in conjunction with a confirmatory pelvic examination and laboratory assessments.

Results:
Qualitative content interviews were completed in 36 menopausal women with GSM. Cognitive testing of draft PROM items was performed in nine focus groups, including 26 menopausal women with and 15 without GSM. Participants reported a range of symptoms and described associated impacts on more than 15 quality-of-life domains. The majority of women reported that their symptoms impacted their sexual functioning and had a negative effect on their overall quality of life. GSM affected many aspects of menopausal women's lives beyond sexual function, with descriptions of pain when walking, urinating, wearing tight clothes, and with other activities of daily living.

Conclusions:
Women's own words methodically recorded and analyzed during qualitative interviews and cognitive debriefing focus groups illuminate the subjective experience of women with GSM. It is hoped that the PROM currently in development will provide an effective tool for increasing our understanding of the prevalence, predictors, and impact of GSM in menopausal women's lives.
Can the use of probiotics in association with isoflavone improve the symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause? Results from a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ribeiro Ana Elisa , Monteiro Naice Eleidiane Santana , Moraes Anna Valéria Gueldini de , Costa-Paiva Lucia Helena , Pedro Adriana Orcesi 
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Objective:
To evaluate the effect of isoflavone administration, either in conjunction with probiotic use or not, on the symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause, and compare the effects with those of hormone therapy.

Methods:
A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 60 postmenopausal women aged 40 to 60 years, randomly assigned to receive oral isoflavone (150 mg dry extract of glycine max) alone or isoflavone plus probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactococcus lactis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium lactis) or hormone therapy (1 mg estradiol and 0.5 mg norethisterone acetate). The urogenital symptom subscale of the Menopause Rating Scale and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form were used to assess genitourinary symptoms. Vaginal maturation value, pH, vaginal health score, and vaginal flora were used to evaluate vaginal atrophy. Equol, equol intermediate, O-dimethylangolensin, and aglycones were measured using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry.

Results:
After 16 weeks of treatment, the urogenital symptoms, mainly vaginal dryness and sexual problem complaints, improved significantly in the hormone therapy group. There was a significant increase in the daidzein, glycitein, equol intermediate, and O-dimethylangolensin contents after 16 weeks in the isoflavone plus probiotic group. The maturation value, vaginal pH, and vaginal flora improved in the hormone therapy group. The vaginal health score increased in the isoflavone and hormone therapy groups.

Conclusions:
Probiotics improved the metabolism of isoflavones after 16 weeks of treatment. However, the increase in the contents of isoflavones and their metabolites failed to yield an estrogenic effect on the urogenital tract and relieve the vulvovaginal symptoms.
Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Revision Versus Visco-Trabeculotomy After Failed Ahmed Glaucoma Valve in Refractory Pediatric Glaucoma
Authors: Elwehidy Ahmed S. , Badawi Amani E. , Hagras Sherein M. , Bayoumi Nader H.L. 
Published: December 2018

Purpose:
To compare the outcome of the intraocular pressure (IOP) of Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) revision to visco-trabeculotomy (VT) in children’s eyes with failed AGV.

Patients and Methods:
A prospective randomized study conducted on 41 children (41 eyes) with uncontrolled glaucoma with an AGV presenting to the pediatric ophthalmology clinic of Mansoura Ophthalmic Center between 2011 and 2016. Study eyes were randomized to AGV revision or VT. Success (true and qualified) (IOP<21 mm Hg without any sight-threatening complications) was studied at the end of 12-month follow-up. Operative complications were noted. The primary outcome was the IOP before and after the study intervention.

Results:
The mean±SD age of the study children was 7.9±2.6 and 7.7±2.6 years in the AGV revision (19 eyes) and VT groups (22 eyes), respectively (P=0.654). The most common glaucoma type was primary congenital glaucoma in both groups. The mean±SD of the duration between the last glaucoma procedure and the current study intervention was 24.9±4.8 and 25.2±5.8 months in the AGV revision and VT groups, respectively. The mean±SD preoperative IOP and at 12-month follow-up was 32.1±3.2 and 23.2±3.5 mm Hg in the AGV revision group and was 33.3±2.2 and 20.0±3.5 mm Hg in the VT group. The total success rates at 12 months were 31.6% and 63.7% in the AGV revision and VT groups, respectively.

Conclusions:
Both VT and AGV revision are reasonably successful and safe interventions for refractory childhood glaucoma after the failure of an AGV. VT is significantly better than AGV revision, resulting in higher success rates and a decrease in IOP-lowering medication use.
Short-term Optic Disc Cupping Reversal in a Patient With Mild Juvenile Open-angle Glaucoma Due to Early Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
Authors: Umfress Allison C. , Mawn Louise A. , Joos Karen M. 
Published: December 2018

Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to report a case of optic disc cupping reversal in an adult without significant intraocular pressure–lowering treatment.

Patient:
A 20-year-old female with a history of mild juvenile open-angle glaucoma who developed subjective blurred vision and a decrease in cupping of her optic discs.

Results:
Dilated examination demonstrated decreased cup-to-disc ratios in both eyes with a slight blurring of the disc margin in the right eye. The appearance of both optic discs returned to baseline after weight loss therapy.

Conclusions:
An unexplained reduction of optic nerve cup-to-disc ratio should prompt a workup for other etiologies, such as increased intracranial pressure. Baseline photographs not subjected to computerized scan obsolescence are extremely useful in monitoring the long-term appearance of asymmetric optic discs as an adjunct to the clinical examination.
Predicting the Therapeutic Efficacy of Laser Peripheral Iridotomy for Individuals With Asymptomatic Narrow Angle: The Triple Hump Sign
Authors: Na Kyeong Ik , Ha Ahnul , Baek Sung Uk , Lee Won June , Kim Dai Woo , Jeoung Jin Wook , Park Ki Ho , Kim Young Kook 
Published: December 2018

Purpose:
To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a novel screening sign [ie, the triple hump (TH) sign] for prediction of laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI)’s intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering effectiveness in subjects with asymptomatic narrow angles.

Methods:
This cross-sectional study was conducted from 2010 to 2015 in a hospital setting. Eighty-four eyes of 84 primary angle-closure suspect (PACS) patients were imaged before LPI using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. The “positive-TH sign” was defined, on anterior segment optical coherence tomography–generated cross-sectional scans, as the characteristic configuration formed by the angulations between the crystalline lens’s central anterior surface and both sides of the iris pigment epithelium. After LPI, the extent of IOP reduction was compared between the positive- and negative-TH groups.

Results:
The positive-TH eyes did not significantly differ from the negative-TH ones in pre-LPI IOP (P=0.200). In the positive-TH group, IOP decreased significantly after LPI (by 6.42%±17.96%, from 14.07±3.11 to 12.88±2.65 mm Hg, P=0.002). In the negative-TH group, IOP did not change significantly after LPI (by 4.66%±25.97%, from 13.23±2.42 to 13.52±3.01 mm Hg, P=0.624).

Conclusion:
PACS eyes indicating the positive-TH sign showed, at post-LPI 1 month, a greater IOP decrease. On this basis, the TH sign may be a useful screening tool for predicting the effect of LPI and determining the treatment plan in PACS patients.
Tripolar Stimulation Improves Polyphonic Pitch Detection in Cochlear Implant Users
Authors: Chari Divya A. , Jiradejvong Patpong , Limb Charles J. 
Published: December 2018

Objective:
Cochlear implant (CI) users struggle with pitch perception, particularly for polyphonic stimuli. Tripolar (TP) stimulation has been proposed as a way to mitigate the broad spread of neural excitation observed in traditional monopolar (MP) stimulation, thereby potentially improving perception of polyphony.

Study Design:
Prospective cohort study.

Setting:
Tertiary academic center.

Patients:
Eleven postlingually deafened adults with Advanced Bionics HiRes 90K CIs.

Intervention(s):
We performed pitch ranking and polyphonic pitch detection testing under MP and TP configurations. To assess pitch ranking, users were asked to identify the higher pitch between two notes. In polyphonic pitch detection, users were asked to distinguish between single-pitch tones and two-pitch tones. Two-pitch stimuli consisted of one pitch of three base frequencies (392, 523, 740 Hz) and a second pitch between 1 and 12 semitones above the base frequency.

Main Outcome Measure:
Pitch performance was analyzed as a function of current delivery mode (tripolar vs. monopolar), with smaller semitone interval pitch resolution indicating better performance.

Results:
In pitch ranking tasks, TP configuration did not confer an advantage over MP stimulation. In polyphonic perception, however, tripolar stimulation improved performance in lower frequencies and resulted in statistically significant (p < 0.05) improvement at the highest base frequency, 740 Hz.

Conclusions:
These data suggest that TP configuration may confer an advantage in the perception of polyphonic pitch, which may not be observed in monophonic pitch ranking tasks. Since music is typically polyphonic, such data offer approaches toward improving perception of real-world musical stimuli.
Functional Status Is Associated With 30-Day Potentially Preventable Readmissions Following Home Health Care
Authors: Middleton Addie , Downer Brian , Haas Allen , Knox Sara , Ottenbacher Kenneth J. 
Published: December 2018

Background:
Beginning in 2019, home health agencies’ rates of potentially preventable hospital readmissions over the 30 days following discharge will be publicly reported.

Objectives:
Our primary objective was to determine the association between patients’ functional status at discharge from home health care and 30-day potentially preventable readmissions. A secondary objective was to identify the most common conditions resulting in potentially preventable readmissions.

Design:
This was a retrospective cohort study.

Participants:
A total of 1,510,297 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged from home health care in 2013–2015. Average age was 75.9 (SD, 10.9) years, 60.0% were female, and 84.2% non-Hispanic white.

Measurements:
Thirty-day potentially preventable readmissions following home health discharge. Functional status measures included mobility, self-care, and impaired cognition.

Results:
The overall rate of 30-day potentially preventable readmissions was 2.6% (N=39,452), which accounted for 40% of all 30-day readmissions. After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, the odds ratios for the most dependent score quartile versus the most independent was 1.58 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.53–1.63] for mobility and 1.65 (95% CI, 1.59–1.69) for self-care. The odds ratios for impaired versus intact cognition was 1.21 (95% CI, 1.18–1.24). The 5 most common conditions resulting in a potentially preventable readmission were congestive heart failure (23.6%), septicemia (16.7%), bacterial pneumonia (9.8%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (9.4%), and renal failure (7.5%).

Conclusions:
Functional limitations at discharge from home health are associated with increased risk for potentially preventable readmissions. Future research is needed to determine whether improving functional independence decreases the risk for potentially preventable readmissions following home health care.
Delayed graft function in kidney transplantation
Authors: Bahl Disha , Haddad Zaid , Datoo Asma , Qazi Yasir A. 
Published: December 2018

Purpose of review
Delayed graft function (DGF) has several long-term graft implications in the field of kidney transplantation and remains a challenge. The incidence of DGF is on the rise because of an increasing use of marginal kidneys in an era of organ shortage. Risk factors for DGF are numerous and stem from multiple sources in the transplant chain starting from the donor to its final allocation in the recipient. There is no FDA-approved therapy for DGF, and several therapies are being studied to mitigate ischemic injury and prolong graft survival.

Recent findings
Published data from studies suggest that ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) and immune responses to transplants are the leading cause of DGF, which in turn is associated with an increased incidence in acute renal rejection. Several novel methods are being developed and are undergoing further clinical validation to prove as an effective therapy against DGF.

Summary
Recent studies have proposed several different mechanisms to mitigate ischemic injury to prevent acute renal injury, both of which are representative of DGF. New therapies must be effectively reviewed to ensure advancement of DGF prevention. A number of immunotherapies targeted towards inhibition of complement activation in addition to other novel therapies might prove promising towards mitigating DGF.
Isolated Superior Rectus Muscle Hematoma Following Blunt Orbital Trauma
Authors: Friehmann Asaf , Peled Alon , Ela-Dalman Noa , Nemet Arie Y. 
Published: December 2018

Abstract
Isolated ocular muscle hematoma due to blunt trauma is very rare. In this study, a 15-year-old patient presented with an isolated superior rectus hematoma due to an orbital hit from a cellular phone. He was treated with oral corticosteroids alone. Marked improvement in symptoms and eye movements was observed.