bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Feasibility of precise navigation in high and low latitude regions under scintillation conditions
Authors: Juan José Miguel , Sanz Jaume , González-Casado Guillermo , Rovira-Garcia Adrià , Camps Adriano , Riba Jaume , Barbosa José , Blanch Estefania , Altadill David , Orus Raul 
Published: February 2018

Scintillation is one of the most challenging problems in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) navigation. This phenomenon appears when the radio signal passes through ionospheric irregularities. These irregularities represent rapid changes on the refraction index and, depending on their size, they can produce also diffractive effects affecting the signal amplitude and, eventually producing cycle slips. In this work, we show that the scintillation effects on the GNSS signal are quite different in low and high latitudes.
For low latitude receivers, the main effects, from the point of view of precise navigation, are the increase of the carrier phase noise (measured by σϕ) and the fade on the signal intensity (measured by S4) that can produce cycle slips in the GNSS signal. With several examples, we show that the detection of these cycle slips is the most challenging problem for precise navigation, in such a way that, if these cycle slips are detected, precise navigation can be achieved in these regions under scintillation conditions.
For high-latitude receivers the situation differs. In this region the size of the irregularities is typically larger than the Fresnel length, so the main effects are related with the fast change on the refractive index associated to the fast movement of the irregularities (which can reach velocities up to several km/s). Consequently, the main effect on the GNSS signals is a fast fluctuation of the carrier phase (large σϕ), but with a moderate fade in the amplitude (moderate S4). Therefore, as shown through several examples, fluctuations at high-latitude usually do not produce cycle slips, being the effect quite limited on the ionosphere-free combination and, in general, precise navigation can be achieved also during strong scintillation conditions.
Neues zur COPD – Die aktuellen GOLD-Empfehlungen 2017
Authors: Pfeifer Michael 
Published: February 2018

Was ist neu
Neue Klassifikation der COPD nach GOLD 2017 Die neue Klassifikation erfasst den funktionellen Schweregrad GOLD 1 – 4 entsprechend dem FEV1-Prozent vom Soll getrennt von den Risikogruppen ABCD nach Symptomatik und Exazerbation-Historie.
Prävention Die Bedeutung der Prävention (Tabakentwöhnung, Impfungen) und nicht-medikamentösen Therapien (insbesondere REHA und Trainingstherapie) sind wesentliche Bestandteile der Therapie.
Medikamentöse Therapie Die jeweilige Risikogruppe und nicht die funktionelle Einschränkung der Lungenfunktion bestimmt über die medikamentöse Therapie.
Interventionelle Verfahren Sowohl die nicht-invasive Beatmung bei Hyperkapnie als auch die Volumenreduktion bei schwerem Lungenemphysem haben feste Indikationskriterien.
O-GlcNAcPRED-II: an integrated classification algorithm for identifying O-GlcNAcylation sites based on fuzzy undersampling and a K-means PCA oversampling technique
Authors: Jia Cangzhi , Zuo Yun , Zou Quan 
Published: February 2018

Abstract

Motivation
Protein O-GlcNAcylation (O-GlcNAc) is an important post-translational modification of serine (S)/threonine (T) residues that involves multiple molecular and cellular processes. Recent studies have suggested that abnormal O-G1cNAcylation causes many diseases, such as cancer and various neurodegenerative diseases. With the available protein O-G1cNAcylation sites experimentally verified, it is highly desired to develop automated methods to rapidly and effectively identify O-GlcNAcylation sites. Although some computational methods have been proposed, their performance has been unsatisfactory, particularly in terms of prediction sensitivity.

Results
In this study, we developed an ensemble model O-GlcNAcPRED-II to identify potential O-GlcNAcylation sites. A K-means principal component analysis oversampling technique (KPCA) and fuzzy undersampling method (FUS) were first proposed and incorporated to reduce the proportion of the original positive and negative training samples. Then, rotation forest, a type of classifier-integrated system, was adopted to divide the eight types of feature space into several subsets using four sub-classifiers: random forest, k-nearest neighbour, naive Bayesian and support vector machine. We observed that O-GlcNAcPRED-II achieved a sensitivity of 81.05%, specificity of 95.91%, accuracy of 91.43% and Matthew’s correlation coefficient of 0.7928 for five-fold cross-validation run 10 times. Additionally, the results obtained by O-GlcNAcPRED-II on two independent datasets also indicated that the proposed predictor outperformed five published prediction tools.

Availability and implementation
http://121.42.167.206/OGlcPred/

Supplementary information
Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Prevention of Axonal Degeneration by Perineurium Injection of Mitochondria in a Sciatic Nerve Crush Injury Model
Authors: Kuo Chi-Chung , Su Hong-Lin , Chang Tzu-Lin , Chiang Chien-Yi , Sheu Meei-Ling , Cheng Fu-Chou , Chen Chun-Jung , Sheehan Jason , Pan Hung-Chuan 
Published: February 2018

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Axon degeneration leads to cytoskeletal disassembly, metabolism imbalance, and mitochondrial dysfunction during neurodegeneration or nerve injury.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we assess the possibility of mitigating axon degeneration by local injection of mitochondria in a crushed sciatic nerve.

METHODS: Sciatic nerve explants cocultured with mitochondria were assessed for the optimal dosage in local injection and nerve regeneration potential. The left sciatic nerve was crushed in Sprague-Dawley rats and then local injection of mitochondria into the distal end of the injured nerve was conducted for further assessment.

RESULTS: Mitochondrial coculture attenuated cytoskeletal loss and oxidative stress in isolated nerve explants. In Vivo analyses also showed that mitochondrial transplantation improved animal neurobehaviors, electrophysiology of nerve conduction, and muscle activities. Mitochondria injection significantly attenuated the oxidative stress and increased the expression of neurotrophic factors both in injured nerves and denervated muscles, as well as restored muscular integrity, and increased the pool of muscular progenitor cells and total muscle weight.

CONCLUSION: Mitochondria injection can protect injured nerves from axonal degeneration both in Vitro and in Vivo. This improvement was accompanied with the expression of neurotrophic factors as well as the reduction of oxidative stress, which may account for the functional recovery of both injured nerves and denervated muscles.
Comparison of Downstream Health Care Utilization, Costs, and Long-Term Opioid Use: Physical Therapist Management Versus Opioid Therapy Management After Arthroscopic Hip Surgery
Authors: Rhon Daniel I , Snodgrass Suzanne J , Cleland Joshua A , Greenlee Tina A , Sissel Charles D , Cook Chad E 
Published: February 2018

Abstract

Background
Physical therapy and opioid prescriptions are common after hip surgery, but are sometimes delayed or not used.

Objective
The objective of this study was to compare downstream health care utilization and opioid use following hip surgery for different patterns of physical therapy and prescription opioids.

Design
The design of this study was an observational cohort.

Methods
Health care utilization was abstracted from the Military Health System Data Repository for patients who were 18 to 50 years old and were undergoing arthroscopic hip surgery between 2004 and 2013. Patients were grouped into those receiving an isolated treatment (only opioids or only physical therapy) and those receiving both treatments on the basis of timing (opioid first or physical therapy first). Outcomes included overall health care visits and costs, hip-related visits and costs, additional surgeries, and opioid prescriptions.

Results
Of 1870 total patients, 82.7% (n = 1546) received physical therapy only, 71.6% (n = 1339) received prescription opioids, and 1073 (56.1%) received both physical therapy and opioids. Because 24 patients received both opioids and physical therapy on the same day, they were eventually removed the final timing-of-care analysis. Adjusted hip–related mean costs were the same in both groups receiving isolated treatments (${\$}$11,628 vs ${\$}$11,579), but the group receiving only physical therapy had significantly lower overall total health care mean costs (${\$}$18,185 vs ${\$}$23,842) and fewer patients requiring another hip surgery. For patients receiving both treatments, mean hip-related downstream costs were significantly higher in the group receiving opioids first than in the group receiving physical therapy first (${\$}$18,806 vs ${\$}$16,955) and resulted in greater opioid use (7.83 vs 4.14 prescriptions), greater total days’ supply of opioids (90.17 vs 44.30 days), and a higher percentage of patients with chronic opioid use (69.5% vs 53.2%).

Limitations
Claims data were limited by the accuracy of coding, and observational data limit inferences of causality.

Conclusions
Physical therapy first was associated with lower hip-related downstream costs and lower opioid use than opioids first; physical therapy instead of opioids was associated with less total downstream health care utilization. These results need to be validated in prospective controlled trials.
Activator Protein-1 Decoy Oligodeoxynucleotide Transfection Is Beneficial in Reducing Organ Injury and Mortality in Septic Mice
Authors: Imaizumi Takahiro , Matsuda Naoyuki , Tomita Kengo , Palikhe Sailesh , Ohashi Wakana , Hattori Kohshi , Hattori Yuichi 
Published: February 2018

Objectives:
Inflammation and apoptosis are decisive mechanisms for the development of end-organ injury in sepsis. Activator protein-1 may play a key role in regulating expression of harmful genes responsible for the pathophysiology of septic end-organ injury along with the major transcription factor nuclear factor-κB. We investigated whether in vivo introduction of circular dumbbell activator protein-1 decoy oligodeoxynucleotides can provide benefits for reducing septic end-organ injury.

Design:
Laboratory and animal/cell research.

Settings:
University research laboratory.

Subjects:
Male BALB/c mice (8–10 wk old).

Interventions:
Activator protein-1 decoy oligodeoxynucleotides were effectively delivered into tissues of septic mice in vivo by preparing into a complex with atelocollagen given 1 hour after surgery.

Materials and Main Results:
Polymicrobial sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture in mice. Activator protein-1 decoy oligodeoxynucleotide transfection inhibited abnormal production of proinflammatory and chemotactic cytokines after cecal ligation and puncture. Histopathologic changes in lung, liver, and kidney tissues after cecal ligation and puncture were improved by activator protein-1 decoy oligodeoxynucleotide administration. When activator protein-1 decoy oligodeoxynucleotides were given, apoptosis induction was strikingly suppressed in lungs, livers, kidneys, and spleens of cecal ligation and puncture mice. These beneficial effects of activator protein-1 decoy oligodeoxynucleotides led to a significant survival advantage in mice after cecal ligation and puncture. Apoptotic gene profiling indicated that activator protein-1 activation was involved in the up-regulation of many of proapoptotic and antiapoptotic genes in cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis.

Conclusions:
Our results indicate a detrimental role of activator protein-1 in the sepsis pathophysiology and the potential usefulness of activator protein-1 decoy oligodeoxynucleotides for the prevention and treatment of septic end-organ failure.
Web App– and Text Message–Based Patient Education in Mohs Micrographic Surgery—A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Hawkins Spencer D. , Koch Sarah B. , Williford Phillip M. , Feldman Steven R. , Pearce Daniel J. 
Published: February 2018

BACKGROUND
Consent and wound care (WC) videos are used for education in Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). Postoperative text messaging is poorly studied.

OBJECTIVE
Develop and evaluate perioperative resources for MMS patients—video modules (DermPatientEd.com) and postoperative text messaging (DermTexts.com).

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A study was conducted on 90 MMS patients. Patients were randomized 1:1:1:1 to videos with text messages, videos-only, text messages-only, or control. Primary outcomes included preoperative anxiety and knowledge of MMS and postoperative care. The secondary outcome included helpfulness/preference of interventions.

RESULTS
Patients experienced a 19% reduction in anxiety as measured by a visual analog scale after the MMS video (p = .00062). There was no difference in knowledge after the WC video (p = .21498). Patients were more likely to report the WC video “very helpful” when compared with the pamphlet in understanding postoperative WC (p = .0016). Patients in text messaging groups were not more likely to report the service as “very helpful” when compared with the pamphlet (p = .3566), but preferred to receive WC instructions by text message for future visits (p = .0001).

CONCLUSION
These resources proved helpful and effective in reducing preoperative anxiety. Patients prefer text message–based WC instructions over pamphlets after experiencing the service, but do not find them more helpful.
Comparisons of low-intensity versus moderate-intensity combined aerobic and resistance training on body composition, muscle strength, and functional performance in older women
Authors: Shiotsu Yoko , Yanagita Masahiko 
Published: February 2018

Abstract

Objective:
This study aimed to examine the effects of exercise order of combined aerobic and low- or moderate-intensity resistance training into the same session on body composition, functional performance, and muscle strength in healthy older women. Furthermore, this study compared the effects of different (low- vs moderate-) intensity combined training.

Methods:
A total of 60 healthy older women (age 61—81 y) were randomly assigned to five groups that performed aerobic exercise before low-intensity resistance training (AR-L, n = 12) or after resistance training (RA-L, n = 12), performed aerobic exercise before moderate-intensity resistance training (AR-M, n = 12) or after resistance training (RA-M, n = 12), or nonintervention control conditions (CON, n = 12). Body composition, functional performance, and muscle strength were evaluated before and after the 10-week training.

Results:
No effects of exercise order of combined aerobic and low- or moderate-intensity resistance training (AR-L vs RA-L, AR-M vs RA-M) were observed in body composition, functional performance, or muscle strength, whereas the effects of training intensity of combined training (AR-L vs AR-M, RA-L vs RA-M) were observed on functional performance. All combined trainings significantly increased muscle strength and gait ability (P < 0.01, respectively). Functional reach test significantly increased in the AR-M and RA-M groups (P < 0.01, respectively), and there were significant group differences between AR-L and AR-M (P = 0.002), RA-L and RA-M (P = 0.014).

Conclusions:
Preliminary findings suggest that combined aerobic and low- or moderate-intensity resistance training increases muscle strength and improves gait ability, regardless of the exercise order. Also, greater improvement in dynamic balance capacity, a risk factor associated with falling, is observed in moderate-intensity combined training.
History of vasomotor symptoms, extent of coronary artery disease, and clinical outcomes after acute coronary syndrome in postmenopausal women
Authors: Ferri Luca A. , Morici Nuccia , Bassanelli Giorgio , Franco Nicoletta , Misuraca Leonardo , Lenatti Laura , Jacono Emilia Lo , Leuzzi Chiara , Corrada Elena , Aranzulla Tiziana C. , Colombo Delia , Cagnacci Angelo , Prati Francesco , Savonitto Stefano 
Published: February 2018

Abstract

Objective:
Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) during menopausal transition have been linked to a higher burden of cardiovascular risk factors, subclinical vascular disease, and subsequent vascular events. We aim to investigate the association of VMS with the extent of coronary disease and their prognostic role after an acute coronary syndrome.

Methods:
The Ladies Acute Coronary Syndrome study enrolled consecutive women with an acute coronary syndrome undergoing coronary angiography. A menopause questionnaire was administered during admission. Angiographic data underwent corelab analysis. Six out of 10 enrolling centers participated in 1-year follow-up. Outcome data included the composite endpoint of all-cause mortality, recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, and rehospitalization for cardiovascular causes within 1 year.

Results:
Of the 415 women with available angiographic corelab analysis, 373 (90%) had complete 1-year follow-up. Among them, 202 women had had VMS during menopausal transition. These women had the same mean age at menopause as those without VMS (50 years in both groups), but were younger at presentation (median age 71 vs 76 years; P < 0.001), despite a more favorable cardiovascular risk profile (chronic kidney dysfunction 4.5% vs 15.9%; P = 0.001; prior cerebrovascular disease 4.5 vs 12.2%; P = 0.018). Extent of coronary disease at angiography was similar between groups (mean Gensini score 49 vs 51; P = 0.6; mean SYNTAX score 14 vs 16; P = 0.3). Overall cardiovascular events at 1 year did not differ between groups (19% vs 22%; P = 0.5).

Conclusions:
In postmenopausal women with an acute coronary syndrome, a history of VMS was associated with younger age at presentation, despite a lower vascular disease burden and similar angiographically defined coronary disease as compared with women without VMS. No difference could be found in terms of overall clinical outcomes. These results should be interpreted cautiously as all analyses were unadjusted and did not account for risk factor differences between women with and without a history of VMS.
Diagnostic performance of a new noninvasive test for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis using a simplified histological reference
Authors: Poynard Thierry , Munteanu Mona , Charlotte Frederic , Perazzo Hugo , Ngo Yen , Deckmyn Olivier , Pais Raluca , Merrouche Wassil , de Ledinghen Victor , Mathurin Philippe , Ratziu Vlad 
Published: February 2018

Background
One of the unmet needs in patients with metabolic risks is the prediction of metabolic liver disease (MLD) by noninvasive tests (NITs).

Objective
The primary aim of this study was to construct a new quantitative test for the diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) using a simplified histological definition.

Patients and methods
As a reference, we used a simplified histological definition of NASH derived from the FLIP-CRN-definition that does not require the presence of steatosis and the presence of both lobular inflammation and ballooning. We analyzed 1081 patients from two prospective cohorts at risk of MLD who had biopsies and contemporaneous blood samples. These patients were divided randomly into a training group (n=541) and a control group (n=540) for internal validation. The new test was compared with standard tests, and applied in two large populations at risk of MLD.

Results
Out of 1081 patients with biopsy, 39 (3.6%) cases with significant inflammatory activity or fibrosis (A2orF2) were missed by the current histological definitions. The combination of 11 parameters permitted to construct a test (NIT-NASHs) predicting NASH with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.773 (95% confidence interval: 0.730–0.810), confirmed in the control group 0.814 (0.774–0.847). The AUROCs of NIT-NASHs were higher (all P<0.001) than those of ActiTest, FIB4, BARD, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease scores. A combination of NIT-NASHs with FibroTest (AUROC=0.800; 0.759–0.835) enabled a better prediction (P<0.0001) of significant MLD, A2orF2, than the ActiTest–FibroTest combination.

Conclusion
These results suggested that this new test enables a quantitative assessment of NASH, and when associated with the FibroTest, identifies cases with clinically significant MLD. An external validation is needed.
Genetic risk of APOL1 and kidney disease in children and young adults of African ancestry
Authors: Reidy Kimberly J. , Hjorten Rebecca , Parekh Rulan S. 
Published: February 2018

Purpose of review
Understanding the genetic risk of APOL1 in children and young adults is important given the lifetime risk of hypertension and kidney disease among children of African descent. We review recent epidemiologic and biologic findings on the effects of APOL1 and kidney disease.

Recent findings

APOL1 in children and young adults is associated with hypertension, albuminuria and more rapid decline in kidney function and progression to end-stage kidney disease, especially among those with glomerular causes of kidney disease, and those affected by sickle cell disease or HIV. There are conflicting data on the APOL1 association with cardiovascular disease in children and young adults. APOL1 functions as part of the innate immune system. Podocyte expression of APOL1 likely contributes to the development of kidney disease. In cell culture and model organisms, APOL1 expression disrupts autophagic and ion flux, leads to defects in mitochondrial respiration and induces cell death.

Summary

APOL1 explains almost 70% of the excess risk of kidney disease in those of African descent, and is common in children with glomerular disease. An evolving understanding of the pathogenesis of APOL1-mediated kidney damage may aid in personalized medicine approaches to APOL1 attributable kidney disease.
Peripheral Monochromatic Aberrations in Young Adult Caucasian and East Asian Eyes
Authors: Osuagwu Uchechukwu L. , Verkicharla Pavan , Suheimat Marwan , Atchison David A. 
Published: February 2018

SIGNIFICANCE
Myopia prevalence rates differ between racial groups. If the growth of the eye is sensitive to differences in optical input, the difference in spherical aberration between East Asian and Caucasian eyes found in this study may be important in understanding myopia development.

PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to determine differences in peripheral wavefront aberrations between two racial groups.

METHODS
Wavefront aberrations were measured using a COAS-HD aberrometer across the 42 × 32° central visual field on 37 right eyes of young adults (18 Caucasians, 19 East Asians; mean age 21.5 ± 2.4 years). The mean spherical equivalent refraction was −1.94 ± 1.63 diopters (D) with a range of −5.87 to +0.16 D. Effect of race and visual field position on refractions, individual Zernike aberration coefficients up to the fourth order, higher-order root-mean-square aberration, and total root-mean-square aberration were assessed by repeated-measures analysis of covariance.

RESULTS
Caucasians and East Asians had similar relative peripheral myopia across the visual field. All higher-order aberration coefficients were affected by visual field position. Race had no significant effect on any higher-order Zernike coefficient, but the difference in mean vertical coma coefficient C
3
−1 across the visual field (i.e., average of 38 field locations) approached significance, being less positive in Caucasians than in East Asians (P = .08). When correction was made for the Caucasian group being slightly less myopic than the East Asian group, spherical aberration coefficient C
4
0 was less positive in Caucasians than in East Asians by 0.04 μm (P = .001). The rates of change of coma coefficients across the field were not affected by race.

CONCLUSIONS
Caucasians and East Asians had similar relative peripheral myopia, but with less positive spherical aberration coefficient in Caucasians than in East Asians. It remains to be determined whether aberrations have a role in the difference of myopia prevalence rates in different countries.