bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hydrogel Delivery of Mesenchymal Stem Cell–Expressing Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 Enhances Bone Defect Repair
Authors: Hsiao Hui-Yi , Yang Shu-Rui , Brey Eric M. , Chu I-Ming , Cheng Ming-Huei 
Published: August 2016

Background:
The application of bone tissue engineering for repairing bone defects has gradually shown some satisfactory progress. One of the concerns raising scientific attention is the poor supply of growth factors. A number of growth factor delivery approaches have been developed for promoting bone formation. However, there is no systematic comparison of those approaches on efficiency of neobone formation. In this study, the approaches using periosteum, direct supply of growth factors, or gene transfection of growth factors were evaluated to determine the osteogenic capacity on the repair of bone defect.

Methods:
In total, 42 male 21-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250 to 400 g were used as the bone defect model to evaluate the bone repair efficiency. Various tissue engineered constructs of poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(l-lactic acid) (PEG-PLLA) copolymer hydrogel with periosteum, with external supply of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2), or with BMP2-transfected bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) were filled in a 7-mm bone defect region. Animals were euthanized at 3 months, and the hydrogel constructs were harvested. The evaluation with histological staining and radiography analysis were performed for the volume of new bone formation.

Results:
The PEG-PLLA scaffold with BMMSCs promotes bone regeneration with the addition of periosteum. The group with BMP2-transfected BMMSCs demonstrated the largest volume of new bone among all the testing groups.

Conclusions:
Altogether, the results of this study provide the evidence that the combination of PEG-PLLA hydrogels with BMMSCs and sustained delivery of BMP2 resulted in the maximal bone regeneration.
Treatment of Suture-related Complications of Buried-suture Double-eyelid Blepharoplasty in Asians
Authors: Mizuno Tsutomu 
Published: August 2016

Background:
Double-eyelid blepharoplasty is a popular aesthetic surgery in Asians. However, the buried suture technique is associated with complications related to implantation of the suture thread. The present study was performed to identify optimal surgical suture removal techniques in Japanese patients with suture-related complications after buried suture double-eyelid blepharoplasty.

Methods:
This retrospective study included 210 upper eyelids of 116 consecutive Japanese patients who had undergone buried suture double-eyelid blepharoplasty at other clinics. All patients underwent suture removal surgery at the author's institution for treatment of suture-related complications. Although 12 patients (10.3%) underwent suture removal surgery alone, 104 (89.7%) underwent secondary double-eyelid blepharoplasty. The outcomes of 3 techniques were evaluated: the small skin incision method, the full skin incision method, and the conjunctival method.

Results:
The small skin incision method was performed in 46 patients, the full skin incision method in 63, and the conjunctival method in 7. The success rate of the full skin incision method was significantly higher than that of the small skin incision method (4.8% vs 37.0%, respectively; p < 0.0001). Patients with an uncomfortable pulling sensation exhibited a linear scar or depressive deformity without inflammation of the tarsal plate and impingement on the subconjunctival capillary vessels of the tarsal plate or a depressive deformity of the levator muscle. Patients with corneal irritation exhibited chronic inflammation of the conjunctival surface of the tarsal plate.

Conclusions:
Suture-related complications of buried suture double-eyelid blepharoplasty in Asians must be treated with suture removal surgery. The full skin incision method is more reliable than the small incision method for such patients.
The Influence of Palatoplasty on Eating Function
Authors: Fujikawa Heishiro , Wakami Satoki , Motomura Hisashi 
Published: August 2016

Summary:
Postoperative dietary control and surgical procedures are important for minimizing complications after a palatoplasty because the palate is always exposed to stresses by various movements associated with eating. Currently, we provide fluid foods (food paste, liquid food, and soft food) to postpalatoplasty patients. However, nutritional inadequacies associated with fluid food necessitate the need to develop a new food specifically for postpalatoplasty patients. Although evaluating the influence of a palatoplasty on eating function is important for the development of a new diet, no data have been published on this topic. Thus, to evaluate the influence of a palatoplasty on eating function, we analyzed postoperative changes in the eating condition of cleft palate patients. We performed a retrospective study. All participants had undergone surgery for a cleft palate at our hospital. Nurses recorded the amount of food that patients consumed as a ratio of the whole meal, and we extracted data on the food type and the amount consumed at each meal from their medical records. After the ratio was expressed as a percentage of the whole meal (eating rate), we calculated the mean value of the percentage of the subject group and examined chronological changes. The eating rate was very low on postoperative day 1, it improved over time and was constant on postoperative day 7. From this result, we concluded that palatoplasty greatly influences the eating function of patients, and the influence lasts for at least a week after surgery.
Internal Pudendal Artery Perforator Island Flap for Management of Recurrent Benign Rectovaginal Fistula
Authors: Khalil Haitham H. , Malahias Marco N. , Karandikar Sharad , Hendrickse Charles 
Published: August 2016

Summary:
The management of recurrent rectovaginal fistula after obstetric injury and cryptoglandular sepsis is considered a major surgical challenge. The fistula poses a significant negative psychosocial and sexual morbidity. In addition, the poor quality of local tissues due to previous attempts at surgical repair adds to this challenge. There are few data regarding the management of persistent or recurrent fistula in the literature; however, several studies reported high failure rates after 2 or more procedures. We present 4 cases managed successfully in a multidisciplinary approach involving fistulectomy and immediate reconstruction with an internal pudendal artery perforator island flap.
Systematic Review and Operative Technique of Recalcitrant Pressure Ulcers Using a Fillet Flap Technique
Authors: McCarthy James E. , Rao Venkat K. 
Published: August 2016

Background:
The purpose of this article is to describe the indications, operative technique, outcomes, and systematic review of the literature on the reconstruction of patients with end-stage pressure ulcers using a fillet flap technique. In this technique, the femur, tibia, and fibula are removed from the thigh and leg, and the soft tissue is used as a pedicled, or free, myocutaneous flap for reconstruction. Long-term outcomes, salient surgical technique of flap elevation, and design are detailed for patients who had a fillet of leg flap for reconstruction of extensive pressure ulcers.

Methods:
The indications, surgical technique, and postoperative outcomes of 5 patients who had pedicled fillet flaps are reviewed including patient age, sex, underlying comorbidities, duration of paraplegia, operative technique, and complications. A systematic review of the literature was performed searching PubMed, Cochrane Database, and Medline with the following MeSH terms: pressure ulcer, pressure sore, decubitus ulcer, fillet flap, and fillet flap. Inclusion criteria were use of a fillet technique, article data on the number of reconstructions before fillet flap, complications, and English language.

Results:
Most of our patients were male 75% (n = 3) with an average age of 47.5 years, had been paralyzed for an average of 16 years, and had few medical comorbidities. Two patients (3 flaps) required hip disarticulation, 1 patient had a bilateral fillet flaps, and 3 patients had resection of tibia/fibula. After following patients for an average of 1.4 years (4 mo to 2 yr), complications were limited to 1 patient who had partial-thickness flap loss at the distal skin flap that healed by secondary intention and 1 patient who had ulcer recurrence because of noncompliance. Four articles met inclusion criteria for systematic review and 3 were excluded.

Conclusions:
The fillet of leg flap remains a useful and reliable method of reconstructing end-stage pressure ulcers.
Treatment Patterns and Antipsychotic Medication Adherence Among Commercially Insured Patients With Schizoaffective Disorder in the United States
Authors: Joshi Kruti , Lin Jay , Lingohr-Smith Melissa , Fu Dong-Jing , Muser Erik 
Published: August 2016

Abstract
This study assessed real-world treatment patterns and antipsychotic (AP) medication adherence among commercially insured US patients with schizoaffective disorder (SCA). Continuously insured adults aged 18 years or older with a diagnosis of SCA from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2012, were identified from the Clinformatics Data Mart database. Patients were categorized into 2 cohorts: incident or prevalent SCA. Demographics and clinical characteristics were evaluated during the baseline period. Use of psychiatric medications and adherence to AP medications were evaluated during a 12-month follow-up period after index diagnosis of SCA. Of the overall study population (N = 2713; mean age, 40.2 y; 52.7% female), 1961 patients (72.3%) (mean age, 38.7 y; 51.3% female) had incident SCA, and 752 patients (27.7%) (mean age, 43.9 y; 56.5% female) had prevalent SCA. Antipsychotics were used by 74.8% of patients in the overall study population during the follow-up period. The most commonly prescribed oral AP was risperidone (23.9%), followed by quetiapine (21.4%) and aripiprazole (20.4%). Use of any long-acting injectable APs in the overall study population during the follow-up period was less than 3%. A total of 49.0% and 38.0% of the overall study population had medication possession ratios and proportion of days covered for APs of 80% or greater, respectively. Overall use of long-acting injectable APs for the treatment of SCA is low, and adherence to AP medications, measured by both medication possession ratio and proportion of days covered, is suboptimal among patients with SCA in the real-world setting.
Cataract and Depressive Symptoms among Older Chinese Adults
Authors: Wang Haifang , Sun Hong-Peng , Wang Pei , Xu Yong , Pan Chen-Wei 
Published: August 2016

ABSTRACT

Purpose
We aimed to assess the association of age-related cataract, a common eye condition in older people, with the presence of depressive symptoms in a community-based cohort of Chinese adults after controlling for a wide range of confounders.

Methods
A community-based survey of 4611 Chinese adults aged 60 years or older was conducted. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) depression scale in 4597 study participants whereas age-related cataracts were graded clinically using the Lens Opacities Classification System (LOCS) III scheme. The presence of depressive symptoms was defined as a PHQ-9 score from 5 to 27. Binary logistic regression models were fitted to calculate the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between the age-related cataract and depressive symptoms.

Results
After adjusting for age, gender, educational level, monthly income, living alone, smoking, alcohol intake, tea consumption, sleeping hours per day, and presenting visual acuity, adults with cataract had higher odds of having depressive symptoms compared with those without (odds ratio = 1.33; 95% confidence interval 1.08, 1.70). There were no significant differences in the risk of depressive symptoms between those with bilateral and unilateral cataract. Adults with nuclear cataract had the greatest odds of having depressive symptoms among all cataract subtypes. Cataract patients with less education had greater odds of having depressive symptoms compared to those with higher levels of education.

Conclusions
Age-related cataract was related to the presence of depressive symptoms among older adults, particularly in poorly educated ones. This observed association was independent of poor vision and other potential confounders. It may be recommended that efforts and resources be channeled towards the surgical treatment programs of cataract in depressive adults.
What Public Policies Should Be Developed to Deal with the Epidemic of Myopia?
Authors: Morgan Ian G. 
Published: August 2016

ABSTRACTDeveloped countries in East and Southeast Asia are now faced with a high prevalence of high myopia in young adults, and this trend is emerging in other parts of the world. This is likely to lead to increased levels of pathological myopia. Fortunately, several school-based clinical trials have demonstrated that interventions based on increasing the amount of time that children spend outdoors can significantly slow the onset of myopia. I argue that it is time to implement mandatory programs of this kind in school systems, within a framework of regular monitoring of visual acuity, so that those children who become myopic are referred for clinical treatment as soon as possible to slow progression of their myopia towards high and potentially pathological myopia.
What Public Policies Should Be Developed to Cope with the Myopia Epidemic?
Authors: Verkicharla Pavan Kumar , Chia Nadine En Hui , Saw Seang-Mei 
Published: August 2016

ABSTRACT
The epidemic of myopia in urban Asian cities has increased over recent generations and has become a significant public health concern. Considering the potential role of time outdoors in myopia prevention, and the differences in behavioral attitudes of individuals living in Urban East Asian (more indoor-centric) and Western countries, public policies should be developed in different countries accordingly to encourage children to go outdoors to counteract myopia. This is a short manuscript (presented at the International Myopia Conference—2015 by Prof. Seang Mei Saw) about public policies that should be developed to cope with the “myopia epidemic.”
Epstein–Barr Virus Neuroretinitis in a Lung Transplant Patient
Authors: Hsia Yen C. , Chin-Hong Peter V. , Levin Marc H. 
Published: August 2016

Abstract:
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-associated optic neuropathy is rare with few reported cases, mostly involving immunocompetent patients who developed optic nerve involvement after infectious mononucleosis. We describe a unique case of a patient who developed severe bilateral EBV neuroretinitis after solid organ transplant.
“Salt and Pepper” Pontine Infarct
Authors: Lyons Lance J. , Law Susan W. , Kubie John L. 
Published: August 2016

Abstract:
A paramedian pontine stroke may herald the unique symptom of “salt and pepper” eye pain, in which patients describe the sensation of pepper rubbed into the eye. While localization of the lesion is a common thread among published cases, the mechanism for the sensation of eye pain is still a matter of conjecture. It is important for clinicians to be aware of this unique symptom because strokes rarely present with eye pain and failure to establish this diagnosis might lead to a poor clinical outcome.
Highly parallel direct RNA sequencing on an array of nanopores
Authors: Garalde Daniel R. , Snell Elizabeth A. , Jachimowicz Daniel , Heron Andrew J. , Bruce Mark , Lloyd Joseph , Warland Anthony , Pantic Nadia , Admassu Tigist , Ciccone Jonah , Serra Sabrina , Keenan Jemma , Martin Samuel , McNeill Luke , Wallace Jayne , Jayasinghe Lakmal , Wright Chris , Blasco Javier , Sipos Botond , Young Stephen , Juul Sissel , Clarke James , Turner Daniel J 
Published: August 2016

AbstractRibonucleic acid sequencing can allow us to monitor the RNAs present in a sample. This enables us to detect the presence and nucleotide sequence of viruses, or to build a picture of how active transcriptional processes are changing – information that is useful for understanding the status and function of a sample. Oxford Nanopore Technologies’ sequencing technology is capable of electronically analysing a sample’s DNA directly, and in real-time. In this manuscript we demonstrate the ability of an array of nanopores to sequence RNA directly, and we apply it to a range of biological situations. Nanopore technology is the only available sequencing technology that can sequence RNA directly, rather than depending on reverse transcription and PCR. There are several potential advantages of this approach over other RNA-seq strategies, including the absence of amplification and reverse transcription biases, the ability to detect nucleotide analogues and the ability to generate full-length, strand-specific RNA sequences. Direct RNA sequencing is a completely new way of analysing the sequence of RNA samples and it will improve the ease and speed of RNA analysis, while yielding richer biological information.
Evo-engineering and the Cellular and Molecular Origins of the Vertebrate Spinal Cord
Authors: Steventon Ben , Arias Alfonso Martinez 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe formation of the spinal cord during early embryonic development in vertebrate embryos is a continuous process that begins at gastrulation and continues through to the completion of somitogenesis. Despite the conserved usage of patterning mechanisms and gene regulatory networks that act to generate specify spinal cord progenitors, there now exists two seemingly disparate models to account for their action. In the first, a posterior localized signalling source transforms previously anterior-specified neural plate into the spinal cord. In the second, a population of bipotent stem cells undergo continuous self-renewal and differentiation to progressively lay down the spinal cord and axial mesoderm by posterior growth. Whether this represents fundamental differences between the experimental model organisms utilised in the generation of these models remains to be addressed. Here we review lineage studies across four key vertebrate models: mouse, chicken,Xenopusand zebrafish and relate this to the underlying gene regulatory networks that are known to be required for spinal cord formation. We propose that by applying a dynamical systems approach to understanding how distinct neural and mesodermal fates arise from a bipotent progenitor pool, it is possible to begin to understand how differences in the dynamical cell behaviours such as proliferation rates and cell movements can map onto conserved regulatory networks to generate diversity in the timing of tissue generation and patterning during development.
Planning horizon affects prophylactic decision-making and epidemic dynamics
Authors: Nardin Luis G. , Miller Craig R. , Ridenhour Benjamin J. , Krone Stephen M. , Joyce Paul , Baumgaertner Bert O. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractHuman behavior can change the spread of infectious disease. There is limited understanding of how the time in the future over which individuals make a behavioral decision, their planning horizon, affects epidemic dynamics. We developed an agent-based model (along with an ODE analog) to explore the decision-making of self-interested individuals on adopting prophylactic behavior. The decision-making process incorporates prophylaxis efficacy and disease prevalence with individuals' payoffs and planning horizon. Our results show that for short and long planning horizons individuals do not consider engaging in prophylactic behavior. In contrast, individuals adopt prophylactic behavior when considering intermediate planning horizons. Such adoption, however, is not always monotonically associated with the prevalence of the disease, depending on the perceived protection efficacy and the disease parameters. Adoption of prophylactic behavior reduces the peak size while prolonging the epidemic and potentially generates secondary waves of infection. These effects can be made stronger by increasing the behavioral decision frequency or distorting an individual’s perceived risk of infection.
Physical model of the genotype-to-phenotype map of proteins
Authors: Tlusty Tsvi , Libchaber Albert , Eckmann Jean-Pierre 
Published: August 2016

How DNA is mapped to functional proteins is a basic question of living matter. We introduce and study a physical model of protein evolution which suggests a mechanical basis for this map. Many proteins rely on large-scale motion to function. We therefore treat protein as learning amorphous matter that evolves towards such a mechanical function: Genes are binary sequences that encode the connectivity of the amino acid network that makes a protein. The gene is evolved until the network forms a shear band across the protein, which allows for long-range, soft modes required for protein function. The evolution reduces the high-dimensional sequence space to a low-dimensional space of mechanical modes, in accord with the observed dimensional reduction between genotype and phenotype of proteins. Spectral analysis of the space of 106solutions shows a strong correspondence between localization around the shear band of both mechanical modes and the sequence structure. Specifically, our model shows how mutations are correlated among amino acids whose interactions determine the functional mode.PACS numbers: 87.14.E-, 87.15.-v, 87.10.-e
Reward learning deficits in Parkinson’s disease depend on depression
Authors: Timmer Monique H.M. , Sescousse Guillaume , van der Schaaf Marieke E. , Esselink Rianne A.J. , Cools Roshan 
Published: August 2016

AbstractBackgroundDepression is one of the most common and debilitating non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The neurocognitive mechanisms underlying depression in PD are unclear and treatment is often suboptimal.MethodsWe investigated the role of striatal dopamine in reversal learning from reward and punishment by combining a controlled medication withdrawal procedure with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 22 non-depressed PD patients and 19 PD patients with past or present PD-related depression.ResultsPD patients with a PD-related depression (history) exhibited impaired reward versus punishment reversal learning as well as reduced reward versus punishment-related BOLD signal in the striatum (putamen) compared with non-depressed PD patients. No effects of dopaminergic medication were observed.ConclusionsThe present findings demonstrate that impairments in reversal learning from reward versus punishment and associated reward-related striatal signalling depend on the presence of (a history of) depression in PD.