bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Marian apparitions in cultural contexts: applying Jungian depth psychological principles to mass visions of the Virgin Mary at Zeitoun
Authors: Musso Valeria Céspedes 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACTThis paper provides a depth-psychological analysis of the mass visions of the Virgin Mary taking place at Zeitoun, Egypt, during the late 1960s. A review of the literature points to a prevailing socio-political approach to examining visions of the Virgin Mary, while I argue that a satisfactory psychoanalytical approach is generally lacking. The interpretation I propose draws on Jung’s theoretical model inFlying Saucerswith the aim of merging depth-psychology and historical material surrounding the Zeitoun phenomenon. Common themes and symbols are extracted and interpreted from the empirical material and analysed along with Egyptian social and political data. This study concludes with a discussion on how depth-psychological principles grounded in empirical and historical material could be applied in order to explicate cases of mass visions.
La Racha: Speed and Violence in Tijuana
Authors: Yeh Rihan 
Published: February 2017

AbstractPerched at the edge of California, Tijuana occupies a strategic location for capitalist mobilities of all sorts. This essay examines how the violence of drug trafficking and the speed of the transnational assembly plants came into resonance during a period often known locally as the racha, or streak, of violence, when Mexico’s so-called war on drug trafficking was perceived by many to be at its worst. The semiotic underpinnings of the racha, I argue, lie in the qualia of speed and slowness as these are valorized in supply-chain provisioning of the assembly plants and then calqued onto automotive traffic in the city. Speed and slowness here, though, are bound up with a highly equivocal sense of individual agency. By tracking these qualia across spheres of practice and, finally, into narratives of violence, I show how the racha took shape as a public crisis in the ability to assign individual agency securely.
Total and Fetal Circulating Cell-Free DNA, Angiogenic, and Antiangiogenic Factors in Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome
Authors: Muñoz-Hernández Rocío , Medrano-Campillo Pablo , Miranda Maria L. , Macher Hada C. , Praena-Fernández Jose Manuel , Vallejo-Vaz Antonio J. , Dominguez-Simeon María J. , Moreno-Luna Rafael , Stiefel Pablo 
Published: February 2017

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy characterized by hypertension and proteinuria. The HELLP syndrome is the most severe form of PE. The aim of the present study was to determine different potential biomarkers that may help us perform an early diagnosis of the disease, assess on the severity of the disease, and/or predict maternal or fetal adverse outcomes.

METHODS
We measured serum levels of total and fetal circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA), soluble endoglin, soluble form of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, and placental growth factor in a healthy control group of pregnant women (n = 26), patients with mild (n = 37) and severe PE (n = 25), and patients with HELLP syndrome (n = 16).

RESULTS
We observed a gradual and strong relationship between all the biomarkers mentioned and the range of severity of PE, with the highest levels in patients with HELLP syndrome. Nevertheless, only the values of total cfDNA were able to significantly differentiate severe PE and HELLP syndrome (20957 ± 2784 vs. 43184 ± 8647 GE/ml, P = 0.01). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed (i) for the healthy group with respect to the groups with PE and (ii) for patients with PE with respect to the group with HELLP syndrome; sensitivity and specificity values at different cutoff levels were calculated in each case. The maximum ROC area under the curve value for PE and HELLP syndrome (with respect to controls) was 0.91 (P &lt; 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS
The measured biomarkers of cell damage, angiogenesis, and antiangiogenesis may reflect the severity of PE, with higher levels in patients who develop HELLP syndrome. In addition, these biomarkers may also help predict adverse fetal and maternal outcomes.
Integrative analysis identifies co-dependent gene expression regulation of BRG1 and CHD7 at distal regulatory sites in embryonic stem cells
Authors: Yang Pengyi , Oldfield Andrew , Kim Taiyun , Yang Andrian , Yang Jean Yee Hwa , Ho Joshua W K 
Published: February 2017

Abstract

Motivation
DNA binding proteins such as chromatin remodellers, transcription factors (TFs), histone modifiers and co-factors often bind cooperatively to activate or repress their target genes in a cell type-specific manner. Nonetheless, the precise role of cooperative binding in defining cell-type identity is still largely uncharacterized.

Results
Here, we collected and analyzed 214 public datasets representing chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-Seq) of 104 DNA binding proteins in embryonic stem cell (ESC) lines. We classified their binding sites into those proximal to gene promoters and those in distal regions, and developed a web resource called Proximal And Distal (PAD) clustering to identify their co-localization at these respective regions. Using this extensive dataset, we discovered an extensive co-localization of BRG1 and CHD7 at distal but not proximal regions. The comparison of co-localization sites to those bound by either BRG1 or CHD7 alone showed an enrichment of ESC master TFs binding and active chromatin architecture at co-localization sites. Most notably, our analysis reveals the co-dependency of BRG1 and CHD7 at distal regions on regulating expression of their common target genes in ESC. This work sheds light on cooperative binding of TF binding proteins in regulating gene expression in ESC, and demonstrates the utility of integrative analysis of a manually curated compendium of genome-wide protein binding profiles in our online resource PAD.

Availability and Implementation
PAD is freely available at http://pad.victorchang.edu.au/ and its source code is available via an open source GPL 3.0 license at https://github.com/VCCRI/PAD/

Supplementary information
Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Marginal likelihood estimation of negative binomial parameters with applications to RNA-seq data
Authors: León-Novelo Luis , Fuentes Claudio , Emerson Sarah 
Published: February 2017

SUMMARY
RNA-Seq data characteristically exhibits large variances, which need to be appropriately accounted for in any proposed model. We first explore the effects of this variability on the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) of the dispersion parameter of the negative binomial distribution, and propose instead to use an estimator obtained via maximization of the marginal likelihood in a conjugate Bayesian framework. We show, via simulation studies, that the marginal MLE can better control this variation and produce a more stable and reliable estimator. We then formulate a conjugate Bayesian hierarchical model, and use this new estimator to propose a Bayesian hypothesis test to detect differentially expressed genes in RNA-Seq data. We use numerical studies to show that our much simpler approach is competitive with other negative binomial based procedures, and we use a real data set to illustrate the implementation and flexibility of the procedure.
Bayesian inference for causal mechanisms with application to a randomized study for postoperative pain control
Authors: Baccini Michela , Mattei Alessandra , Mealli Fabrizia 
Published: February 2017

SUMMARYWe conduct principal stratification and mediation analysis to investigate to what extent the positive overall effect of treatment on postoperative pain control is mediated by postoperative self administration of intra-venous analgesia by patients in a prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Using the Bayesian approach for inference, we estimate both associative and dissociative principal strata effects arising in principal stratification, as well as natural effects from mediation analysis. We highlight that principal stratification and mediation analysis focus on different causal estimands, answer different causal questions, and involve different sets of structural assumptions.
SERAPHIN haemodynamic substudy: the effect of the dual endothelin receptor antagonist macitentan on haemodynamic parameters and NT-proBNP levels and their association with disease progression in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Galiè Nazzareno , Jansa Pavel , Pulido Tomás , Channick Richard N. , Delcroix Marion , Ghofrani Hossein-Ardeschir , Le Brun Franck-Olivier , Mehta Sanjay , Perchenet Loïc , Rubin Lewis J. , Sastry B.K.S. , Simonneau Gérald , Sitbon Olivier , Souza Rogério , Torbicki Adam 
Published: February 2017

Aims
The effect of macitentan on haemodynamic parameters and NT-proBNP levels was evaluated in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients in the SERAPHIN study. Association between these parameters and disease progression, assessed by the primary endpoint (time to first morbidity/mortality event), was explored.

Methods and results
Of the 742 randomized patients, 187 with right heart catheterization at baseline and month 6 participated in a haemodynamic sub-study. Prespecified endpoints included change from baseline to month 6 in cardiac index (CI), right atrial pressure (RAP), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), mixed-venous oxygen saturation, and NT-proBNP. Exploratory analyses examined associations between CI, RAP, and NT-proBNP and disease progression using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression models. Macitentan improved CI, RAP, mPAP, PVR and NT-proBNP vs. placebo at month 6. Absolute levels of CI, RAP and NT-proBNP at baseline and month 6, but not their changes, were associated with morbidity/mortality events. Patients with CI &gt; 2.5 L/min/m2, RAP &lt; 8 mmHg, or NT-proBNP &lt; 750 fmol/ml at month 6 had a lower risk of morbidity/mortality than those not meeting these thresholds (HR 0.49, 95% CL 0.28–0.86; HR 0.72, 95% CL 0.42–1.22; and HR 0.22, 95% CL 0.15–0.33, respectively).

Conclusions
For all treatment groups, baseline and month 6 values of CI, RAP, and NT-proBNP, but not their changes, were associated with morbidity/mortality events, confirming their relevance in predicting disease progression in patients with PAH. By improving those parameters, macitentan increased the likelihood of reaching threshold values associated with lower risk of morbidity/mortality.
Cutting through the Gordian knot: unravelling morphological, molecular, and biogeographical patterns in the genus Zapteryx (guitarfish) from the Mexican Pacific
Authors: Castillo-Páez Ana , Sandoval-Castillo Jonathan , Corro-Espinosa David , Tovar-Ávila Javier , Blanco-Parra María-Del-Pilar , Saavedra-Sotelo Nancy C. , Sosa-Nishizaki Oscar , Galván-Magaña Felipe , Rocha-Olivares Axayácatl 
Published: February 2017

AbstractDefining species boundaries is important not only for the appropriate attribution of life history and ecological traits but also for sustainable fishery management and for the conservation of biodiversity. Problems arise from taxonomic uncertainty and incorrect species delineation leading to historical misidentification. This is the case of Pacific guitarfishes in the genus Zapteryx. We use a molecular phylogenetic approach combining mitochondrial and nuclear loci to investigate genetic variation in fish along the Mexican Pacific coast. Our analyses reveal a lack of nuclear and mitochondrial distinction between rays identified morphologically as banded guitarfish Z. exasperata and as southern banded guitarfish Z. xyster, casting doubts on the validity of their current systematics. However, we detected two mitochondrial lineages in accordance with the number of species described for the Pacific: a “northern” lineage corresponding to Z. exasperata and a “southern” lineage possibly attributable to Z. xyster. The poorly understood phenotypic plasticity in coloration and size of the evolutionary lineage of Z. exasperata and its apparently wider than currently thought geographic distribution (at least to Oaxaca) are the major sources of confusion regarding the taxonomic and geographic delineation of these nominal species. In light of our findings, eastern Pacific guitarfishes in the genus Zapteryx require a thorough taxonomic revision using morphological and genetic data to unveil what appears to be a complex pattern of diversification.
Galactic rotation in Gaia DR1
Authors: Bovy Jo 
Published: February 2017

Abstract
The spatial variations of the velocity field of local stars provide direct evidence of Galactic differential rotation. The local divergence, shear and vorticity of the velocity field – the traditional Oort constants – can be measured based purely on astrometric measurements and in particular depend linearly on proper motion and parallax. I use data for 304 267 main-sequence stars from the Gaia DR1 Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution to perform a local, precise measurement of the Oort constants at a typical heliocentric distance of 230 pc. The pattern of proper motions for these stars clearly displays the expected effects from differential rotation. I measure the Oort constants to be: A = 15.3 ± 0.4 km s−1 kpc−1, B = −11.9 ± 0.4 km s−1 kpc−1, C = −3.2 ± 0.4 km s−1 kpc−1 and K = −3.3 ± 0.6 km s−1 kpc−1, with no colour trend over a wide range of stellar populations. These first confident measurements of C and K clearly demonstrate the importance of non-axisymmetry for the velocity field of local stars and they provide strong constraints on non-axisymmetric models of the Milky Way.
Comparison Between CTA and Digital Subtraction Angiography in the Diagnosis of Ruptured Aneurysms
Authors: Philipp Lucas R. , McCracken D. Jay , McCracken Courtney E. , Halani Sameer H. , Lovasik Brendan P. , Salehani Arsalaan A. , Boulter Jason H. , Cawley C. Michael , Grossberg Jonathan A. , Barrow Daniel L. , Pradilla Gustavo 
Published: February 2017

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Computerized tomography angiography (CTA) is commonly used to diagnose ruptured cerebral aneurysms with sensitivities reported as high as 97% to 100%. Studies validating CTA accuracy in the setting of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are scarce and limited by small sample sizes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CTA in detecting intracranial aneurysms in the setting of SAH.

METHODS: A single-center, retrospective cohort of 643 patients was reviewed. A total of 401 patients were identified whose diagnostic workup included both CTA and confirmatory digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Aneurysms missed by CTA but diagnosed by DSA were further stratified by size and location.

RESULTS: Three hundred and thirty aneurysms were detected by CTA while DSA detected a total of 431 aneurysms. False positive CTA results were seen for 24 aneurysms. DSA identified 125 aneurysms that were missed by CTA and 83.2% of those were <5 mm in diameter. The sensitivity of CTA was 57.6% for aneurysms smaller than 5 mm in size, and 45% for aneurysms originating from the internal carotid artery. The overall sensitivity of CTA in the setting of SAH was 70.7%.

CONCLUSION: The accuracy of CTA in the diagnosis of ruptured intracranial aneurysm may be lower than previously reported. CTA has a low sensitivity for aneurysms less than 5 mm in size, in locations adjacent to bony structures, and for those arising from small caliber parent vessels. It is our recommendation that CTA should be used with caution when used alone in the diagnosis of ruptured intracranial aneurysms.
Endovascular Rescue Therapies for Refractory Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Prospective Evaluation Study Using Multimodal, Continuous Event Neuromonitoring
Authors: Albanna Walid , Weiss Miriam , Müller Marguerite , Brockmann Marc Alexander , Rieg Annette , Conzen Catharina , Clusmann Hans , Höllig Anke , Schubert Gerrit Alexander 
Published: February 2017

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Critical hypoperfusion and metabolic derangement are frequently encountered with refractory vasospasm. Endovascular rescue therapies (ERT) have proven beneficial in selected cases. However, angioplasty (AP) and intraarterial lysis (IAL) are measures of last resort and prospective, quantitative results regarding the efficacy (cerebral oxygenation, metabolism) are largely lacking.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of ERTs for medically refractory vasospasm using multimodal, continuous event neuromonitoring.

METHODS: To detect cerebral compromise in a timely fashion, sedated patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage received continuous neuromonitoring (ptiO2 measurement, intraparenchymal microdialysis). ERT (AP and/or IAL) was considered in cases of clinically relevant vasospasm refractory to conservative treatment measures. Oxygen saturation and cerebral and systemic metabolism before and after events of ERT was recorded.

RESULTS: We prospectively included 13 consecutive patients and recorded a total of 25 ERT events: AP (n = 10), IAL (n = 11), or both (AP + IAL, n = 4). Average cerebral ptiO2 was 10 ± 11 torr before and 49 ± 22 torr after ERT (P < .001), with a lactate-pyruvate ratio decreasing from 146.6 ± 119.0 to 27.9 ± 10.7 after ERT (P < .001). Comparable improvement was observed for each type of intervention (AP, IAL, or both). No significant alterations in systemic metabolism could be detected after ERT

CONCLUSION: Multimodal event neuromonitoring is able to quantify treatment efficacy in subarachnoid hemorrhage-related vasospasm. In our small cohort of highly selected cases, ERT was associated with improvement in cerebral oxygenation and metabolism with reasonable outcome. Event neuromonitoring may facilitate individual and timely optimization of treatment modality according to the individual clinical course.
Epilepsy Surgeries Requiring an Operculoinsular Cortectomy: Operative Technique and Results
Authors: Bouthillier Alain , Nguyen Dang Khoa 
Published: February 2017

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Epilepsy surgeries requiring an operculoinsulectomy pose significant difficulties because the perisylvian area is highly vascular, deep, and functional.

OBJECTIVE
To report the operative technique and results of epilepsy surgeries requiring an operculoinsular cortectomy at our institution.

METHODS
The data of all consecutive patients who had undergone an epilepsy surgery requiring an operculoinsular cortectomy with a minimum follow-up of 1 yr were reviewed. Tumor and vascular malformation cases were excluded. Surgical techniques are described based on findings during surgery.

RESULTS
Twenty-five patients underwent an epilepsy surgery requiring an operculoinsular cortectomy: mean age at surgery was 35 y (9-51), mean duration of epilepsy was 19 y (5-36), 14 were female, and mean duration of follow-up was 4.7 y (1-16). Magnetic resonance imaging of the operculoinsular area was normal or revealed questionable nonspecific findings in 72% of cases. Investigation with intracranial EEG electrodes was done in 17 patients. Surgery was performed on the dominant side for language in 7 patients. An opercular resection was performed in all but 2 patients who only had an insulectomy. Engel class I seizure control was achieved in 80% of patients. Postoperative neurological deficits (paresis, dysphasia, alteration of taste, smell, hearing, pain, and thermal perceptions) were frequent (75%) but always transient except for 1 patient with persistent mild alteration of thermal and pain perception.

CONCLUSION
Surgical treatment of operculoinsular epilepsy is effective in achieving seizure control and is associated with an acceptable long-term complication rate.
Sex Disparity in Cord Blood FoxP3+ CD4 T Regulatory Cells in Infants Exposed to Malaria In Utero
Authors: Prahl Mary , Jagannathan Prasanna , McIntyre Tara I. , Auma Ann , Wamala Samuel , Nalubega Mayimuna , Musinguzi Kenneth , Naluwu Kate , Sikyoma Esther , Budker Rachel , Odorizzi Pamela , Kakuru Abel , Havlir Diane V. , Kamya Moses R. , Dorsey Grant , Feeney Margaret E. 
Published: February 2017

Abstract
Sex differences in the immune response and in infectious disease susceptibility have been well described, although the mechanisms underlying these differences remain incompletely understood. We evaluated the frequency of cord blood CD4 T cell subsets in a highly malaria-exposed birth cohort of mother-infant pairs in Uganda by sex. We found that frequencies of cord blood regulatory T cell ([Treg] CD4+CD25+FoxP3+CD127lo/−) differed by infant sex, with significantly lower frequencies of Tregs in female than in male neonates (P = .006). When stratified by in utero malaria exposure status, this difference was observed in the exposed, but not in the unexposed infants.
Pelvic-Floor Properties in Women Reporting Urinary Incontinence After Surgery and Radiotherapy for Endometrial Cancer
Authors: Bernard Stéphanie , Moffet Hélène , Plante Marie , Ouellet Marie-Pier , Leblond Jean , Dumoulin Chantale 
Published: February 2017

Abstract
Background. Endometrial cancer is the fourth most prevalent cancer in Canadian women. Radiotherapy (RT) is frequently recommended as an adjuvant treatment. There is a high prevalence (&gt;80%) of urinary incontinence (UI) after RT. It is plausible that UI is associated, at least in part, with alterations of the pelvic-floor muscles (PFM).
Objective. The aim of this exploratory study was to compare the PFM functional properties of women reporting UI after hysterectomy and RT for endometrial cancer with those of women with a history of hysterectomy but without UI.
Design. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Eleven women were recruited for the affected group, and 18 were recruited for the comparison group.
Methods. Urogenital and bowel functions were assessed using International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaires, and PFM properties were evaluated using a Montreal dynamometer. Nonparametric tests were used for comparison of personal characteristics, functional status, and muscle properties. A correspondence analysis detailed the association between UI severity and PFM properties.
Results. Maximal opening of dynamometer branches, maximal vaginal length, PFM maximum force and rate of force development in a strength test, and number of rapid contractions during a speed test were reduced in the affected group. No significant difference was found for the endurance test. The severity of UI was found to correspond to the rate of force development and the number of rapid contractions in a speed test, endurance, age, and vaginal length.
Limitations. The results are limited to the population studied. The small sample size limited the strength of the conclusions.
Conclusions. Some evidence of alterations in PFM properties were found in women with UI after hysterectomy and RT for endometrial cancer. These alterations appeared to be associated with UI, suggesting a possible role for rehabilitation.
Spatial mismatch and youth unemployment in US cities: public transportation as a labor market institution
Authors: Brandtner Christof , Lunn Anna , Young Cristobal 
Published: February 2017

Abstract
Spatial mismatch between homes and jobs within a city can create unemployment despite the presence of unfilled jobs. This is especially problematic among young people who have limited transportation options and high rates of joblessness. Car ownership is a possible solution to spatial mismatch, but private vehicles are expensive and involve negative externalities. Public transportation provides an alternative infrastructure that reduces structural unemployment by matching supply and demand. Using longitudinal models of public transportation in the 95 largest US cities between 2000 and 2010, we test whether better public transit services reduce youth unemployment. Public transportation systems can serve as a labor market institution, but there are two worlds of public transportation in American cities. Improvements in public transit are mostly beneficial in cities that are already less dependent on private automobiles. Path dependence in transportation design means that some cities see little benefits to incremental investments in public transit.