bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Contrasting responses within a single neuron class enable sex-specific attraction in
Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Narayan Anusha , Venkatachalam Vivek , Durak Omer , Reilly Douglas K. , Bose Neelanjan , Schroeder Frank C. , Samuel Aravinthan D. T. , Srinivasan Jagan , Sternberg Paul W. 
Published: February 2016

Significance
Roundworms carry out crucial sensory behaviors with a relatively small number of neurons. We find that male roundworms have strong preferences for particular concentrations of sex-specific small molecule cues secreted by their potential mates. These preferences emerge from the dynamics of a population of four apparently identical male-specific neurons. The response of these sensory neurons is not uniform, with some being excitatory and others inhibitory, and the timing of response varies with concentration. These features allow this single neuronal class to prefer a concentration, and potentially to calculate a derivative of chemical concentration. This previously uncharacterized neural coding strategy might allow nematodes to efficiently use a small number of cells to carry out a crucial computation to enact innate social behaviors.
Higher bone mass in prepubertal and peripubertal female footballers
Authors: Plaza‐Carmona M. , Vicente‐Rodríguez G. , Gómez‐Cabello A. , Martín‐García M. , Sánchez‐Sánchez J. , Gallardo L. , Ara I. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractObjectives: The main aim of this study was to compare the bone mass of female football players with controls of different pubertal stages. Methods: Sixty five girls aged 8–14 years (10.14 ± 0.1, Tanner stages I–IV) participated in the study. Twenty participants were prepubertal (10 prepubertal control) and 45 peripubertal (15 peripubertal control). All footballers trained two days per week while the control group did not perform regular physical activity outside of school. Body composition was assessed by Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry. Analysis of covariance was performed to evaluate differences in lean and bone masses. Results: Significant differences in lower‐body extremities lean mass (LLM) between peripubertal groups were found (P < .05). Additionally, prepubertal footballers showed higher values of bone mineral content (BMC) at the femoral neck (P < .05) while peripubertal footballers exhibited enhanced BMC at the whole‐body, trochanter and Wards triangle area. Bone mineral density (BMD) was higher in footballers compared to their non‐active peers at the femoral neck and intertrochanter (P < .05, respectively) while in the peripubertal footballers higher BMD values were found in almost all of the studied body sites. Conclusion: Female footballers showed higher bone and lean masses compared to control counterparts; these differences are already detectable at prepubertal ages and more consistent after pubertal spurt.
The self that remains: a symbolic analysis of the psychological death of the self in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Blandin Kesstan 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACTIn Alzheimer's disease, we witness a psychologicaldeath of the selfbefore physical death. The unraveling of the self that occurs in Alzheimer's disease is a classic underworld journey, through which the deceased undergo a dismantling of memory and temporal identity to become shades of the Underworld. Through stories of family members living with dementia in a loved one, Alzheimer's disease reveals a descent into an irrational, symbolic, and timeless otherworld. This unique dying process provides insight into a degeneration and death of self and identity that is always occurring in the undergrowth of individuation. Individuation, as explicated through Greek eschatology, has two aspects: a general, phylogeneticHomericprocess, and an ontogeneticOrphicprocess characterized by intentional participation in one's own evolution of consciousness. Analyses of an archetypal death, a symbolic birth, and the self that remains as temporal identity is deconstructed through dementia conclude the article.
Range expansion of invasive shrubs: implication for crown fire risk in forestlands of the southern USA
Authors: Wang Hsiao-Hsuan , Wonkka Carissa L. , Grant William E. , Rogers William E. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractNon-native plant invasions and changing management activities have dramatically altered the structure and composition of forests worldwide. Invasive shrubs and fire suppression have led to increased densification and biomass accumulation in forest ecosystems of the southeastern USA. Notably, Chinese and European privets are rapid growing, shade-tolerant shrubs which number among the most aggressive invasive species in these forests. Privet encroachment has caused losses of native diversity, alteration of ecosystem processes and changes in community structure. The latter has become manifest through decreases in fine herbaceous fuels concurrent with increases in coarse woody fuels in forest understoreys. These alterations in fuel structure will potentially lead to less frequent, but more severe forest fires, which threaten important forest resources during extreme weather conditions. Drawing on extensive data sets compiled by the US Forest Service, we integrated statistical forecasting and analytical techniques within a spatially explicit, agent-based, simulation framework to predict potential range expansion of Chinese and European privet ( Ligustrum sinense and L. vulgare ) and the associated increase in crown fire risk over the next two decades in forestlands of Mississippi and Alabama. Our results indicate that probability of invasion is positively associated with elevation, adjacency (within 300 m) to water bodies, mean daily maximum temperature, site productivity and private land ownership, and is negatively associated with slope, stand age, artificial regeneration, distance to the nearest road and fire disturbance. Our projections suggest the total area invaded will increase from 1.36 to ≈31.39% of all forestlands in Mississippi and Alabama (≈7 million hectares) and the annual frequency of crown fires in these forestlands will approximately double within the next two decades. Such time series projections of annual range expansions and crown fire frequency should provide land managers and restoration practitioners with an invasion chronology upon which to base proactive management plans.
Modified Mini-open Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Authors: Pakzaban Peyman 
Published: February 2016

Study Design.
Retrospective case series.

Objective.
To describe a modified technique for mini-open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) that improves visualization for decompression, fusion, and freehand pedicle screw insertion. Accuracy of freehand pedicle screw placement with this technique was assessed.

Summary of Background Data.
Mini-open TLIF is a minimally invasive technique that allows limited visualization of the bone and neural anatomy via an expandable tubular retractor inserted through the Wiltse plane. No significant modification that of this technique has been described in detail.

Methods.
In this study, 92 consecutive patients underwent one-level modified mini-open TLIF (MOTLIF). MOTLIF modifications consisted of (i) transmuscular dissection through the multifidus muscle rather than intermuscular dissection in the Wiltse plane; (ii) microsurgical detachment of multifidus from the facet rather than muscle dilation; (iii) en bloc total facetectomy (unilateral or bilateral, as needed for decompression); (iv) facet autograft used for interbody fusion; and (v) solid pedicle screws placed bilaterally by a freehand technique under direct vision.

Results.
The mean age was 53 years. Mean follow-up was 35 months (minimum 2 yrs). By 6 months, mean Visual Analog Scale for back and leg pain had improved from 51 to 19 and from 58 to 17, respectively, and mean Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) improved from 53 to 16. These improvements persisted at 2 years. Solid fusion, defined by computed tomography at 1 year, was achieved in 88.1%, whereas satisfactory fusion was achieved in 95.2% of patients. Pedicle screws were accurately placed in 335 of 336 imaged pedicles (pedicle breach grades: 91.1% grade 1; 8.6% grade 2; and 0.3% grade 3). Mean fluoroscopy time was 29.3 seconds.

Conclusion.
MOTLIF is a safe and effective minimally invasive technique with a high fusion rate. It allows accurate pedicle screw placement by a freehand technique. By eliminating bi-planar fluoroscopy, it helps reduce radiation exposure. This is the largest published report of mini-open TLIF to date.

Level of Evidence: 4
Single-stage Treatment of Osteomyelitis of the Cervical Spine Using Anterior Instrumentation and Titanium Mesh Cages
Authors: Zhang Zhen-xing , Li Tao , Hao Ding-jun 
Published: February 2016

Study Design.
A case series.

Objective.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with osteomyelitis of the cervical spine who were treated with single-stage anterior debridement and fusion using titanium mesh cages along with anterior plates.

Summary of Background Data.
There have been few studies in single-stage surgical treatment of osteomyelitis of the cervical spine using titanium mesh cages along with anterior plates.

Methods.
Twenty-four patients treated for osteomyelitis of the cervical spine are presented. There were 11 male and 13 female with an average age of 53.3 years (42–63). Seventeen patients presented with a neurologic deficit at the time of diagnosis. Surgical treatment consisted of anterior debridement and fusion using titanium mesh cages along with anterior plates as a one-step procedure. The patients’ records and radiographs were retrospectively analyzed and follow-up clinical and radiographic data obtained.

Results.
The median follow-up period was 52 months. There were no implant failures. All patients showed a solid bony fusion without any recurrence of infection at latest follow-up. Changes in pain level, hematologic parameters, and neurologic status demonstrated a significant clinical improvement in all patients.

Conclusion.
This single-stage surgical treatment for osteomyelitis of the cervical spine provided satisfactory results. There is no increased risk of recurrence or persistence of infection related to the implantation of titanium mesh cages and instrumentation.

Level of Evidence: 4
Extending Colorectal Cancer Screening to Persons Aged 40 to 49 Years With Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test
Authors: Chen Chien Hua , Tsai Min Kuang , Wen Chi Pang 
Published: February 2016

Goals:
To assess the association between the initial immunochemical fecal occult blood tests (FIT) and subsequent colorectal cancer, and to explore the ability of FIT to identify individuals age 40 to 49 years with a higher cancer risk.

Background:
The number of cancer cases in this age group is increasing globally and the cancers found in younger age tend to be more advanced than in older age.

Methods:
A total of 513,283 individuals had FIT as part of their self-paying medical screening program between 1994 and 2008. The initial FIT test was used. When matched with the Taiwan cancer registry, the cohort identified 2138 colorectal cancer cases. The number needed to screen (NNS) to identify 1 cancer was calculated from the reciprocal of cancer incidence cases during the study period.

Results:
One in 7 colorectal cancers above age 40 years occurred in the age group of 40 to 49 years. Individuals 40 to 49 years old with positive FIT (≥100 ng/mL) had a 3 times larger cancer risk than those 50 to 59 years old and without FIT, or double the cancer risk as those 50 to 69 years old and without FIT, with NNS at 42, 135, and 95, respectively. A similar relationship existed for the cancer incidence rate. The HR for ages 40 to 44 years or 45 to 49 years with a positive FIT was 2.3 or 5.7 times larger than the HR for ages 50 to 54 years. There was a dose-response relationship between increasing FIT values and the cancer risk for each age group, including ages 40 to 49 years.

Conclusions:
Offering FIT to individuals 40 to 49 years of age could identify higher-risk individuals earlier for follow-up colonoscopy, and could, in turn, reduce cancer mortality.
Folic Acid Supplementation May Reduce Colorectal Cancer Risk in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Burr Nick E. , Hull Mark A. , Subramanian Venkataraman 
Published: February 2016

Goals:
To evaluate the role of folic acid supplementation in colorectal cancer (CRC) chemoprevention in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Background:
CRC is a serious complication of IBD. Folic acid supplementation has been shown to be chemopreventative in sporadic CRC. Patients with IBD are at risk of folate deficiency though intestinal malabsorption and also competitive inhibition by concurrent sulfasalazine use. To date, there have been several studies reporting on folic acid supplementation in patients with IBD and CRC.

Study:
We searched electronic databases for studies reporting folic acid use and CRC incidence in patients with IBD. We produced a pooled hazard ratio with 95% confidence intervals using a random-effects model. Preplanned subgroup analyses were performed to explore for any potential sources of heterogeneity.

Results:
Ten studies reporting on 4517 patients were included. We found an overall protective effect for folic acid supplementation on the development of CRC, pooled hazard ratio=0.58 (95% confidence interval, 0.37-0.80). There was low to moderate heterogeneity among studies, I
2=29.7%. Subgroup analyses suggested that folic acid use was protective in hospital-based studies, studies from North America and those that were performed before folate fortification of foods in 1998.

Conclusions:
CRC remains an important complication of IBD. Chemoprevention is an attractive strategy and folic acid as a cheap, safe, and well-tolerated supplement may have a role. Focused prospective studies are required to precisely define any potential effect.
Massachusetts Health Reform Cost Less and Was More Effective for Uninsured Individuals With Venous Thromboembolism
Authors: Kapoor Alok , Shaffer Nicholas , Hanchate Amresh , Roberts Mark , Smith Kenneth 
Published: February 2016

Background:
Patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) require access to comprehensive physician and pharmacy benefits to prevent recurrence and hemorrhage. Before 2006, Massachusetts provided these benefits through a program restricted to safety net hospitals called Free Care. Providing portable health insurance through Massachusetts health reform could improve outcomes for uninsured with VTE but its cost-effectiveness is unknown.

Methods and Results:
We constructed a Markov decision analysis model comparing our conceptualization of the Massachusetts health reform (health reform strategy) to no health reform strategy for a patient beginning warfarin for new episode of VTE. In the model, a patient may develop recurrent VTE or develop hemorrhage or stop warfarin after 6 months if no event occurs. To measure effectiveness, we analyzed laboratory data from Boston Medical Center, the largest safety net hospital in Massachusetts. Specifically, we measured the probability of having a subtherapeutic warfarin level for patients newly insured compared with those on Free Care prereform adjusting for secular trends. To calculate inpatient costs, we used the Health Care Utilization Project. We then calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for the health reform strategy adjusted to 2014 USD per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) and performed sensitivity analyses. The health reform strategy cost less and gained more QALYs than the no health reform strategy. Our result was most sensitive to the odds that Health Reform protected against a subtherapeutic warfarin level, the cost of Health Reform, and the percentage of total health care costs attributable to VTE in Massachusetts.

Conclusion:
The health reform strategy cost less and was more effective than the no health reform strategy for patients with VTE.
Low uncertainty Boltzmann constant determinations and the kelvin redefinition
Authors: Fischer J. 
Published: February 2016

At its 25th meeting, the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) approved Resolution 1 ‘On the future revision of the International System of Units, the SI’, which sets the path towards redefinition of four base units at the next CGPM in 2018. This constitutes a decisive advance towards the formal adoption of the new SI and its implementation. Kilogram, ampere, kelvin and mole will be defined in terms of fixed numerical values of the Planck constant, elementary charge, Boltzmann constant and Avogadro constant, respectively. The effect of the new definition of the kelvin referenced to the value of the Boltzmann constant
k
is that the kelvin is equal to the change of thermodynamic temperature
T
that results in a change of thermal energy
kT
by 1.380 65×10
−23
J. A value of the Boltzmann constant suitable for defining the kelvin is determined by fundamentally different primary thermometers such as acoustic gas thermometers, dielectric constant gas thermometers, noise thermometers and the Doppler broadening technique. Progress to date of the measurements and further perspectives are reported. Necessary conditions to be met before proceeding with changing the definition are given. The consequences of the new definition of the kelvin on temperature measurement are briefly outlined.
CAGEd-oPOSSUM: motif enrichment analysis from CAGE-derived TSSs
Authors: Arenillas David J. , Forrest Alistair R.R. , Kawaji Hideya , Lassman Timo ,   The FANTOM Consortium, Wasserman Wyeth W. , Mathelier Anthony 
Published: February 2016

AbstractSummaryWith the emergence of large-scale Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) data sets from individual labs and the FANTOM consortium, one can now analyze the cis-regulatory regions associated with gene transcription at an unprecedented level of refinement. By coupling transcription factor binding site (TFBS) enrichment analysis with CAGE-derived genomic regions, CAGEd-oPOSSUM can identify TFs that act as key regulators of genes involved in specific mammalian cell and tissue types. The webtool allows for the analysis of CAGE-derived transcription start sites (TSSs) either provided by the user or selected from ~1,300 mammalian samples from the FANTOM5 project with pre-computed TFBS predicted with JASPAR TF binding profiles. The tool helps power insights into the regulation of genes through the study of the specific usage of TSSs within specific cell types and/or under specific conditions.Availability and implementationThe CAGEd-oPOSUM web tool is implemented in Perl, MySQL, and Apache and is available athttp://cagedop.cmmt.ubc.ca/CAGEd_oPOSSUM.Supporting InformationSupplementary Text, Figures, and Data are available online at bioRxiv.
Bayesian analysis of normal mouse cell lineage trees allowing intra-individual, cell population specific mutation rates
Authors: Csordas Attila , Bouckaert Remco 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIndividual cell lineage trees are of biological and clinical importance. The Sanger Mouse Pilot Study used clonal organoid lines of endodermal origin to extract somatic base substitutions from single cells of two healthy mice. Here we applied Bayesian phylogenetics analysis using the Pilot’s 35 somatic base substitutions in order to reconstruct the two cell trees and apply relaxed clock methods allowing intra-individual, cell lineage specific mutation rates. Detailed analysis provided support for the strict clock for mouse_1 and relaxed clock for mouse_2. Interestingly, a clade of two prostate organoid lines in mouse_2 presented one outlier branch mutation rate compared to the mean rates calculated. Based on this study unbiased clock analysis has the potential to add a new, useful layer to our understanding of normal and disturbed cell lineage trees. This study is the first to apply the popular Bayesian BEAST package to individual single cell resolution data.
The Influence of Financial Performance, Capital Structure and Macroeconomic Factors on Firm’s Value – Evidence from Textile Companies at Indonesia Stock Exchange
Authors: Jubaedah Jubaedah , Yulivan Ivan , Abdul Hadi Abdul Razak 
Published: February 2016

This study aims to investigate how financial performance, capital structure and macroeconomic factors may influence a firm’s value in Indonesia textile industry. This research is exploratory in nature involving 20 textile companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). Using panel data regression, the results show that financial performance, capital structure, inflation and exchange rate are contributory factors that influence firm’s value. The better the financial performance of a company, the higher its value will be. The study also reveals that ratio of short term debt to total assets has no significant impact on firm’s value, while there is a positive significant relationship between the ratio of long term debt to total assets and firm’s value. Interestingly, depreciation in Indonesia Rupiah and increase in inflation rate would also enhance the firm’s value. As far as Indonesian textile industry is concerned, the findings suggest that capital structure, increased financial performance, higher inflation rate and depreciating Rupiah do influence the textile company’s value.
From Drug Screening to Target Deconvolution: a Target-Based Drug Discovery Pipeline Using Leishmania Casein Kinase 1 Isoform 2 To Identify Compounds with Antileishmanial Activity
Authors: Durieu Emilie , Prina Eric , Leclercq Olivier , Oumata Nassima , Gaboriaud-Kolar Nicolas , Vougogiannopoulou Konstantina , Aulner Nathalie , Defontaine Audrey , No Joo Hwan , Ruchaud Sandrine , Skaltsounis Alexios-Leandros , Galons Hervé , Späth Gerald F. , Meijer Laurent , Rachidi Najma 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT

Existing therapies for leishmaniases present significant limitations, such as toxic side effects, and are rendered inefficient by parasite resistance. It is of utmost importance to develop novel drugs targeting
Leishmania
that take these two limitations into consideration. We thus chose a target-based approach using an exoprotein kinase,
Leishmania
casein kinase 1.2 (LmCK1.2) that was recently shown to be essential for intracellular parasite survival and infectivity. We developed a four-step pipeline to identify novel selective antileishmanial compounds. In step 1, we screened 5,018 compounds from kinase-biased libraries with
Leishmania
and mammalian CK1 in order to identify hit compounds and assess their specificity. For step 2, we selected 88 compounds among those with the lowest 50% inhibitory concentration to test their biological activity on host-free parasites using a resazurin reduction assay and on intramacrophagic amastigotes using a high content phenotypic assay. Only 75 compounds showed antileishmanial activity and were retained for step 3 to evaluate their toxicity against mouse macrophages and human cell lines. The four compounds that displayed a selectivity index above 10 were then assessed for their affinity to LmCK1.2 using a target deconvolution strategy in step 4. Finally, we retained two compounds, PP2 and compound 42, for which LmCK1.2 seems to be the primary target. Using this four-step pipeline, we identify from several thousand molecules, two lead compounds with a selective antileishmanial activity.