bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Antibody blockade of CLEC12A delays EAE onset and attenuates disease severity by impairing myeloid cell CNS infiltration and restoring positive immunity
Authors: Sagar Divya , Singh Narendra P. , Ginwala Rashida , Huang Xiaofang , Philip Ramila , Nagarkatti Mitzi , Nagarkatti Prakash , Neumann Konstantin , Ruland Jürgen , Andrews Allison M. , Ramirez Servio H. , Khan Zafar K. , Jain Pooja 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe mechanism of dendritic cells (DCs) recruitment across the blood brain barrier (BBB) during neuroinflammation has been the least explored amongst all leukocytes. For cells of myeloid origin, while integrins function at the level of adhesion, the importance of lectins remains unknown. Here, we identified functions of one C-type lectin receptor, CLEC12A, in facilitating DC binding and transmigration across the BBB in response to CCL2 chemotaxis. To test function of CLEC12A in an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), we administered blocking antibody to CLEC12A that significantly ameliorated disease scores in MOG35–55-induced progressive, as well as PLP138–151-induced relapsing-remitting experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice. The decline in both progression and relapse of EAE occurred as a result of reduced demyelination and myeloid cell infiltration into the CNS tissue. DC numbers were restored in the spleen of C57BL/6 and peripheral blood of SJL/J mice along with a decreased TH17 phenotype within CD4+T-cells. The effects of CLEC12A blocking were further validated using CLEC12A knockout (KO) animals wherein EAE disease induction was delayed and reduced disease severity was observed. These studies reveal the utility of a DC-specific mechanism in designing new therapeutics for MS.
Tissue-specific network-based genome wide study of amygdala imaging phenotypes to identify functional interaction modules
Authors: Yao Xiaohui , Yan Jingwen , Liu Kefei , Kim Sungeun , Nho Kwangsik , Risacher Shannon L. , Greene Casey S. , Moore Jason H. , Saykin Andrew J. , Shen Li ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: May 2017

Abstract

Motivation
Network-based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) aim to identify functional modules from biological networks that are enriched by top GWAS findings. Although gene functions are relevant to tissue context, most existing methods analyze tissue-free networks without reflecting phenotypic specificity.

Results
We propose a novel module identification framework for imaging genetic studies using the tissue-specific functional interaction network. Our method includes three steps: (i) re-prioritize imaging GWAS findings by applying machine learning methods to incorporate network topological information and enhance the connectivity among top genes; (ii) detect densely connected modules based on interactions among top re-prioritized genes; and (iii) identify phenotype-relevant modules enriched by top GWAS findings. We demonstrate our method on the GWAS of [18F]FDG-PET measures in the amygdala region using the imaging genetic data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, and map the GWAS results onto the amygdala-specific functional interaction network. The proposed network-based GWAS method can effectively detect densely connected modules enriched by top GWAS findings. Tissue-specific functional network can provide precise context to help explore the collective effects of genes with biologically meaningful interactions specific to the studied phenotype.

Availability and implementation
The R code and sample data are freely available at http://www.iu.edu/shenlab/tools/gwasmodule/

Contact
shenli@iu.edu

Supplementary information
Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Diverse Aging and Health Inequality by Race and Ethnicity
Authors: Ferraro Kenneth F , Kemp Blakelee R , Williams Monica M 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
Although gerontologists have long embraced the concept of heterogeneity in theories and models of aging, recent research reveals the importance of racial and ethnic diversity on life course processes leading to health inequality. This article examines research on health inequality by race and ethnicity and identifies theoretical and methodological innovations that are transforming the study of health disparities. Drawing from cumulative inequality theory, we propose greater use of life course analysis, more attention to variability within racial and ethnic groups, and better integration of environmental context into the study of accumulation processes leading to health disparities.
Optical excess of dim isolated neutron stars
Authors: Ertan Ü. , Çalışkan Ş. , Alpar M. A. 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
The optical excess in the spectra of dim isolated neutron stars (XDINs) is a significant fraction of their rotational energy loss rate. This is strikingly different from the situation in isolated radio pulsars. We investigate this problem in the framework of the fallback disc model. The optical spectra can be powered by magnetic stresses on the innermost disc matter, as the energy dissipated is emitted as blackbody radiation mainly from the inner rim of the disc. In the fallback disc model, XDINs are the sources evolving in the propeller phase with similar torque mechanisms. In this model, the ratio of the total magnetic work that heats up the inner disc matter is expected to be similar for different XDINs. Optical luminosities that are calculated consistently with the optical spectra and the theoretical constraints on the inner disc radii give very similar ratios of the optical luminosity to the rotational energy loss rate for all these sources. These ratios indicate that a significant fraction of the magnetic torque heats up the disc matter while the remaining fraction expels disc matter from the system. For XDINs, the contribution of heating by X-ray irradiation to the optical luminosity is negligible in comparison with the magnetic heating. The correlation we expect between the optical luminosities and the rotational energy loss rates of XDINs can be a property of the systems with low X-ray luminosities, in particular those in the propeller phase.
On the discrepancy between asteroseismic and Gaia DR1 TGAS parallaxes
Authors: Gontcharov George A. , Mosenkov Aleksandr V. 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
Recently, a deviation of the Gaia Tycho–Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS) parallaxes from the asteroseismic ones for giants was found. We show that for parallaxes ϖ &lt; 1.5 mas it can be explained by a selection effect in favour of bright and luminous giants in the Tycho-2 and TGAS catalogues. Another explanation of this deviation seems to be valid for ϖ &gt; 1.5 mas based on the best extinction estimates: The deviation may be caused not by a bias of parallax, but by an underestimation of the extinction (and, consequently, an overestimation of the calculated absolute magnitude) in the asteroseismic results. We demonstrate that the reliable estimates of the reddening and extinction (about 0.22 mag of the visual extinction for the Kepler field) better fit both the giants and main-sequence stars to the PARSEC, MIST and YaPSI isochrones.
Temozolomide therapy for aggressive functioning pituitary adenomas refractory to surgery and radiation: a case series
Authors: Jordan Justin T , Miller Julie J , Cushing Tucker , Seijo Marlon , Batchelor Tracy T , Arrillaga-Romany Isabel C , Shih Helen A , Nachtigall Lisa B , Loeffler Jay S , Dietrich Jorg 
Published: May 2017

Abstract

Background
Treatment of aggressive pituitary adenomas typically involves a multimodality approach based on histopathological features and may include pharmacotherapy, surgery, and occasionally radiation therapy. In cases of treatment-refractory tumor progression, chemotherapy may be considered; however, no standard chemotherapeutic regimen has been established. Literature review suggests that temozolomide may have a beneficial role in a subset of cases. To understand the efficacy of temozolomide in progressive pituitary tumors, we reviewed the outcomes of cases at our center.

Methods
We performed a retrospective chart review to report the outcome and unique features of 7 patients with aggressive functioning pituitary adenomas or carcinomas treated with temozolomide. Tumor pathology included somatotroph (n = 1), corticotroph (n = 3), and lactotroph (n = 3) tumors.

Results
Four of the 7 patients had at least 2 prior resections, and all had prior radiation and surgery before treatment with temozolomide. Notably, all patients showed response to therapy, defined as either stable disease (43%) or partial response (57%). Median progression-free survival was 1.66 years, and median overall survival was 4 years.

Conclusion
Our data suggest that temozolomide has an important role in the management of aggressive functioning pituitary tumors that are resistant to standard therapies, and that optimization of therapy with temozolomide may involve individualized regimens. Future prospective clinical trials should be considered.
Crus Atrophy
Authors: Sukkasem Warawut , Moftah Sherine G. , Kicska Gregory , Godwin J. David , Pipavath Sudhakar , Stern Eric 
Published: May 2017

Purpose:
The aim of this study was to measure the association between crus atrophy as depicted by computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopic diagnosis of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis in patients with suspected diaphragmatic dysfunction.

Materials and Methods:
A retrospective review of patient data was approved by our institutional review board and was HIPPA-compliant. We reviewed 90 patients who had undergone diaphragmatic fluoroscopy; 72 had CT scans available for measurement of crus thickness at the levels of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries and the L1 vertebral body. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to determine the threshold of crus thinning that best distinguished a paralyzed hemidiaphragm from a nonparalyzed one.

Results:
Hemidiaphragmatic paralysis caused significant crus thinning at the celiac artery level (mean±SD, 1.7±0.6 vs. 3.6±1.3 mm, P=0.017, on the right; 1.1±0.4 vs. 3.0±1.4 mm, P=0.001, on the left) and the L1 vertebral level (mean±SD, 1.5±0.7 vs. 4.4±1.6 mm, P=0.018, on the right; 1.5±0.6 vs. 3.6+1.7 mm, P=0.017, on the left). On axial CT, thinning to ≤2.5 mm at the celiac artery level identified paralysis of the hemidiaphragm with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 86% on the right and with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 64% on the left. On coronal CT, thinning to ≤2.5 mm at the L1 vertebral level identified paralysis of the hemidiaphragm with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 88% on the right and with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 77% on the left.

Conclusions:
Atrophy of the crus assessed by CT is a good discriminator of paralyzed versus nonparalyzed hemidiaphragm in patients with suspected diaphragmatic dysfunction.
Long-term trends in the contribution of major causes of death to the black-white life expectancy gap by US state
Authors: Riddell Corinne A , Morrison Kathryn T , Harper Sam , Kaufman Jay S 
Published: May 2017

AbstractStates have fared differently in their progress towards eliminating the black-white life expectancy gap. Our objective is to describe the pattern of contributions of each of six major causes of deaths to the sex-specific black-white life expectancy gap across states over the last half-century, and identify divergent states.Using vital statistics and census data, we extracted the number of deaths and population sizes for the years 1969 to 2013, by state, gender, race, 19 age groups, and six major causes of death.Although mortality from cardiovascular disease has decreased dramatically, its contribution to the life expectancy gap increased over time for men (from 0.9 to 1.2 years), but decreased for women (from 2.4 to 1 years). The contribution of non-communicable diseases to the gap was stable over time for men (approximately 0.4 years) but decreased for women (from 0.7 to 0.2 years), while cancers exhibited an inverted-U trend for men (peaking at 1.1 years in 1988) and a stable contribution for women (approximately 0.5 years). Both genders exhibited a decreased contribution from injuries (men: 2.2 to 0.4 years), that became negative for women (women: 0.5 to -0.1 years). Several states diverged from these general trends.Life expectancy for both races has improved substantially in the US. For men, much of this improvement was due to narrowing differences in injury-related mortality, but these contributions were rivaled by an increasing gap in CVD-related mortality. In women, a crossover in injury-related mortality led to a narrower gap, realized partially by increasing mortality among whites.
Achieving better than 3 Å resolution by single particle cryo-EM at 200 keV
Authors: Herzik Mark A. , Wu Mengyu , Lander Gabriel C. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractTechnical and methodological advances in single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) have expanded the technique into a resolution regime that was previously only attainable by X-ray crystallography. Although single-particle cryo-EM has proven to be a useful technique for determining the structures of biomedically relevant molecules at near-atomic resolution, nearly 98% of the structures resolved to better than 4 Å resolution have been determined using 300 keV transmission electron microscopes (TEMs). We demonstrate that it is possible to obtain cryo-EM reconstructions of macromolecular complexes at a range of sizes to better than 3 Å resolution using a 200 keV TEM. These structures are of sufficient quality to unambiguously assign amino acid rotameric conformations and identify ordered water molecules, features previously thought only to be resolvable using TEMs operating at 300 keV.
Use of RetroNectin in studies requiring in vitro HIV-1 infection of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells
Authors: Tsukamoto Tetsuo , Okada Seiji 
Published: May 2017

AbstractHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes damage, directly or indirectly, to the whole hematopoietic system including CD34+hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC). CXCR4-tropic strains of HIV-1 may be potent to affect the function of CD34+CXCR4+progenitor cells either by infecting the cells or by modifying the dynamics of more differentiated hematopoietic cells. However, CD34+cells are known for the resistance to HIV-1 infection in vitro, restricting the detailed analysis of the impact of HIV upon HSPC. Here the authors report a use of RetroNectin, a recombinant fibronectin fragment used for gene transfer with lentiviral vectors, to overcome the limitation.
Sepsis Increases Perioperative Metastases in a Murine Model
Authors: Tai Lee-Hwa , Ananth Abhirami A. , Seth Rashmi , Alkayyal Almohanad , Zhang Jiqing , de Souza Christiano Tanese , Staibano Phillip , Kennedy Michael A. , Auer Rebecca C. 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACTBackgroundCancer surgery can promote tumour metastases and worsen prognosis, but the effects of perioperative complications such as sepsis, blood loss, and hypothermia on subsequent cancer metastases have not been addressed.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of common perioperative factors on postoperative tumour metastases in murine models of cancer surgery. We hypothesize that perioperative blood loss, hypothermia, and sepsis facilitate tumour metastases in these murine models.MethodsPrior to surgery, pulmonary metastases were established by intravenous challenge of CT26LacZ colon cancer cells in Balb/c mice or B16LacZ melanoma cells in C57Bl/6 mice. Surgical stress was generated through partial hepatectomy (PH) or left nephrectomy (LN). Sepsis was induced by puncturing the cecum to express stool into the abdomen. Hemorrhagic shock was induced by removal of 30% of total blood volume via saphenous vein. Hypothermia was induced by removing the heating apparatus during surgery and lowering core body temperatures to 30°C. Lung tumour burden was quantified 3 days following surgery.ResultsSurgically stressed mice subjected to Stage 3 hemorrhagic shock or hypothermia did not show an additional increase in lung tumour burden. In contrast, surgically stressed mice subjected to intraoperative sepsis demonstrated an additional 2-fold increase in the number of tumour metastases. Furthermore, natural killer (NK) cell function, as assessed by YAC-1 tumour cell lysis, was significantly attenuated in surgically stressed mice subjected to intraoperative sepsis. Both NK cell-mediated cytotoxic function and lung metastases were improved with perioperative administration of polyI:C, which is a ligand for toll-like receptor (TLR)-3ConclusionsPerioperative sepsis, but not hemorrhagic shock or hypothermia, enhances the prometastatic effect of surgery in murine models of cancer. Identification of the mechanisms underlying perioperative immune suppression will be critical in the development of immunomodulation strategies that aim to attenuate perioperative metastatic disease.
Human resting-state electrophysiological networks in the alpha frequency band: Evidence from magnetoencephalographic source imaging
Authors: Hindriks R. , Micheli C. , Mantini D. , Deco G. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractIn the resting-state, extended regions of the human cortex engage in electrical oscillations within the alpha-frequency band (7–14 Hz) that can be measured outside the head by magnetoencephalography (MEG). Given the accumulating evidence that alpha oscillations play a fundamental role in attentional processing and working memory, it becomes increasingly important to characterize their cortical organization. Event-related studies have demonstrated that attentional allocation can modulate alpha power selectively within the visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortices, as well as in higher-level regions. Such studies demonstrate the existence of multiple generators by exploiting experimental contrasts and trial-averaging. The identification of alpha generators from resting-state data alone has proven much harder and, consequently, relatively little is known about their organization: Apart from the classical visual, somatosensory, and auditory rhythms, it is unclear how many more generators can be observed with MEG and how they are organized into functional networks. Such knowledge, however, possibly enables to delineate separate cognitive, perceptual, and motor processes that co-occur in the resting-state and is therefore important. In this study we use the resting-state MEG data-set provided by the Human Connectome Project to identify cortical alpha generators and to characterize their organization into functional networks. The large number of subjects (N= 94), multiple scans per subject, and state-of-the-art surface-based cortical registration enable a detailed characterization of alpha in human cortex. By applying non-negative matrix factorization to source-projected power fluctuations, we identify 16 reliable cortical generators in each hemisphere. These include the classical sensory alpha rhythms as well as several additional ones in the lateral occipital and temporal lobes and in inferior parietal cortex. We show that the generators are coordinated across hemispheres and hence form resting-state networks (RSNs), two of which are the default mode network (DMN) and the ventral attention network (VAN). Our study hence provides a further subdivision of RSNs within the alpha frequency band and shows that these RSNs are supported by alpha generators. As such, it links the classical literature on human alpha with more recent research into electrophysiological RNSs.
Rurality or distance to care and the risk of homelessness among Afghanistan and Iraq veterans
Authors: Nelson Richard E. , Gundlapalli Adi , Carter Marjorie , Brignone Emily , Pettey Warren , Byrne Thomas H. , Montgomery Ann Elizabeth , Rupper Randall , Fargo Jamison 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
Several risk factors have been identified in ongoing efforts by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to mitigate high rates of homelessness among veterans. To date, no studies have examined the relationship of rurality and distance to nearest VA facility to risk of homelessness. Due to challenges in accessing available services, the hypothesis was that rural-residing veterans are at greater risk for homelessness. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
The cohort consisted of veterans who had separated from the military between 2001 and 2011. The authors used a forwarding address provided by the service member at the time of separation from the military to determine rurality of residence and distance to care. The authors examined differences in the rate of homelessness within a year of a veteran’s first encounter with the VA following last military separation based on rurality and distance to the nearest VA facility using multivariable log-binomial regressions.

Findings
In the cohort of 708,318 veterans, 84.3 percent were determined to have a forwarding address in urban areas, 60.4 and 88.7 percent lived within 40 miles of the nearest VA medical center (VAMC), respectively. Veterans living in a rural area (RR=0.763; 95 percent CI=0.718-0.810) and those living between 20 and 40 miles (RR=0.893; 95 percent CI=0.846-0.943) and 40+ miles away from the nearest VAMC (RR=0.928; 95 percent CI=0.879-0.979) were at a lower risk for homelessness.

Originality/value
The unique data set allowed the authors to explore the relationship between geography and homelessness. These results are important to VA and national policy makers in understanding the risk factors for homelessness among veterans and planning interventions.
What matters in student-centered learning? Managing conditions for students to appropriate the object of learning
Authors: Msonde Sydney Enock , Msonde Charles Enock 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
There have been ideological variations in the understanding of student-centered learning (SCL), culminating in varied practices of SCL across the world. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of learning study on teachers’ appropriation of the conditions for learning in SCL lessons.

Design/methodology/approach
Three secondary school mathematics teachers in Tanzania formed a learning study group, guided by the theory of variation, to share their experience of how to engage learners in experiencing critical aspects of the object of learning. In-depth interviews, records of teachers’ lesson preparation meetings, and students’ tests were tools used to collect data. All of the qualitative data were analyzed using a phenomenographic variation framework and coding strategies. Moreover, a paired sample t-test was used to analyze the students’ pre- and post-test results.

Findings
The results show that teachers were able to identify critical aspects of two objects of learning for mathematics and create conditions for engaging learners in experiencing those aspects sequentially and simultaneously. There was strong evidence that the theory of variation as a framework helps teachers to learn effective ways of creating conditions for students to appropriate features of the objects of learning for mathematics as well as developing a new SCL pedagogical framework.

Originality/value
This study suggests that using learning study guided by the theory of variation supports teachers’ appropriation of the conditions for student learning within an SCL framework.
The effect of internal control on earnings quality in Iran
Authors: Salehi Mahdi , Bahrami Mostafa 
Published: May 2017

PurposeThe purpose of the present research is to examine the effect of internal control and risk management on earnings quality of companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE).
Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 560 listed firms on TSE, which were selected using systematic sampling. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and panel data regression were used for data analysis during 2009-2014.
FindingsThe results showed that earnings management reduces earnings relevance and book value relevance through short-term and long-term discretionary accruals.
Originality/valueThe outcomes of the current study are quite interesting to academia and practitioners.