bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic sensitivity of traumatic axonal injury of the spinothalamic tract in patients with mild traumatic brain injury
Authors: Jang Sung Ho , Kim Seong Ho , Kwon Hyeok Gyu 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) can detect traumatic axonal injury (TAI) in patients whose conventional brain magnetic resonance imaging results are negative. This study investigated the diagnostic sensitivity of TAI of the spinothalamic tract (STT) in patients with a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) suffering from central pain symptoms, using DTT.
Thirty-five patients with central pain following mild TBI and 30 healthy control subjects were recruited for this study. After DTT-based reconstruction of the STT, we analyzed the STT in terms of configuration (narrowing and/or tearing) and the DTT parameters (fractional anisotropy and tract volume).
Thirty-three (94.3%) patients had at least 1 DTT parameter value at 1 standard deviation below the control group value, and 20 (57.1%) patients had values at 2 standard deviations, below the control group value. All 35 patients showed STT abnormalities (tearing, narrowing, or both) on DTT.
A high diagnostic sensitivity of TAI of the STT in patients with mild TBI was achieved. However, the small number of subjects who visited the university hospital and the limitations of DTT should be considered when generalizing the results of this study.
Primary Prevention of Ovarian Cancer: A Patient Decision Aid for Opportunistic Salpingectomy
Authors: Van Lieshout Laura A. M. , Gelderblom Malou E. , De Hullu Joanne A. , The Regina , Van Ginkel Alexandra A. , Oerlemans Anke J. M. , Smeets Kirsten M. W. H. , Schreurs Malou P. H. , Piek Jurgen M. J. , Hermens Rosella P. M. G. 
Published: January 2022

(Abstracted from Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021; doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.09.010)
The site of origin of the most common ovarian cancer subtype—high-grade serous—is the fallopian tube epithelium. Accumulating evidence has clearly demonstrated that surgical removal of the fallopian tube in premenopausal and postmenopausal woman can reduce the lifetime risk of ovarian cancer.
Safety and Tolerability of Once Daily Coformulated Bictegravir, Emtricitabine, and Tenofovir Alafenamide for Postexposure Prophylaxis After Sexual Exposure
Authors: Mayer Kenneth H. , Gelman Marcy , Holmes Johnathon , Kraft Jessica , Melbourne Kathleen , Mimiaga Matthew J. 
Published: January 2022

Background:
Antiretroviral post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is recommended to prevent HIV infection after a high-risk exposure, but current regimens have presented challenges in tolerability, regimen completion, and potential drug–drug interactions. Because coformulated bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide [BIC/FTC/tenofovir alafenamide (TAF)] is effective for HIV treatment, it was evaluated for use for PEP.

Setting:
Boston community health center.

Methods:
Individuals accessing PEP were enrolled in an open-label study of coformulated BIC/FTC/TAF, taken as one pill daily for 28 days. Pearson's χ2 and Fisher's exact tests were used to assess whether BIC/FTC/TAF differed with respect to side effects and regimen completion rates compared with historical PEP regimens.

Results:
Between August, 2018 and March, 2020, 52 individuals enrolled in the study. Most identified as cisgender gay (67.3%) or bisexual (11.5%) men, but 7.7% identified as cisgender heterosexual men and 3.8% cisgender heterosexual women. The most common regimen side effects were nausea or vomiting (15.4%), fatigue (9.6%), and diarrhea/loose stools (7.7%), which were less common than historical controls using other PEP regimens, including those containing other integrase strand transfer inhibitors. Only 1 participant discontinued the regimen because of fatigue, and all other side effects were self-limited. Almost all participants (90.4%) completed the indicated regimen, which was a higher completion rate compared with earlier PEP regimens, and none became HIV-positive.

Conclusions:
BIC/FTC/TAF coformulated as a single daily pill was found to be safe, well-tolerated, and highly acceptable when used for PEP, and compared more favorably than historical PEP regimens used at an urban health center.
A Useful Tool for Various Problems in Nasal Tip: The Cephalic Transdomal Suture
Authors: Bilkay Ufuk , Biçer Ahmet , Erçin Burak Sercan , Durukan Kutay , Özek Zeyyat Cüneyt , Gürler Tahir 
Published: January 2022

Abstract:
Surgical manipulation of the nasal tip is a critical point in functional and aesthetic rhinoplasty procedure. Cephalic strip excision from the lower lateral cartilages, elongation or shortening the caudal septum, structural grafting for supporting the medial and lateral crura are major structural moves in building a durable cartilaginous framework. However, it is suture techniques that make up the final touch in fine tuning of the shape, projection, definition, and angulation (rotation) of the nasal tip over this framework.
Problems with fine-tuning of the nasal tip include inadequate or excessive definition, or projection resulting with bulbous or boxy appearance can be overcome reversibly with correctly placed sutures. One of the most decisive sutures in this context is transdomal sutures. Incorrect placement of which can result with too narrow or too wide nostril apices, as well as a cephalic malposition deformity of the lower lateral cartilages, botching an otherwise perfectly executed rhinoplasty procedure.
In this article, cephalad placement of the transdomal sutures, and its relevance is disclosed in 223 consecutive cases of primary rhinoplasty.
A nonrandomized phase 2 trial of EG-Mirotin, a novel, first-in-class, subcutaneously delivered peptide drug for non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Yoo Seunghoon , You Dae Hyuk , Lee Jeongyoon , Hong H. Christian , Lee Sung Jin 
Published: January 2022

ABSTRACTAimEG-Mirotin (active ingredient EGT022) targets non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), the early stage of retinopathy. EG-Mirotin reverses capillary damage before NPDR progresses to an irreversible stage. EG-Mirotin safety and efficacy were investigated in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus and moderate-to-severe NPDR.MethodsIn this open-label, single-arm, single-center, exploratory phase II study, 10 patients (20 eyes) received EG-Mirotin once a day (3 mg/1.5 ml sterile saline) for 5 days and were evaluated for ischemic index changes and safety. End-of-study was approximately 8±1 weeks (57±7 days) after the first drug administration.ResultsEG-Mirotin injections were well tolerated with no dose-limiting adverse events, serious adverse events, or deaths. Four treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) unrelated to the investigational drug were observed in 2 out of 10 participants (20.00%) who had received the investigational drug. The overall average percent change in ischemic index at each evaluation point compared to baseline was statistically significant (Greenhouse-Geisser F=9.456, p=0.004 for the main effect of time), and a larger change was observed when the baseline ischemic index value was high (Greenhouse-Geisser F=10.946, p=0.002 for time × group interaction).ConclusionsEG-Mirotin was well tolerated and reversed diabetes-induced ischemia and leakage of capillaries in the retina.
Immune responses to inactivated and vector-based vaccines in individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Suntronwong Nungruthai , Yorsaeng Ritthideach , Auphimai Chompoonut , Thongmee Thanunrat , Vichaiwattana Preeyaporn , Kanokudom Sitthichai , Assawakosri Suvichada , Nilyanimit Pornjarim , Srimuan Donchida , Thatsanatorn Thaksaporn , Sudhinaraset Natthinee , Wanlapakorn Nasamon , Poovorawan Yong 
Published: January 2022

AbstractImmunity wanes in individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, and vaccinating those individuals may help reduce reinfection. Herein, reactogenicity and immunogenicity following vaccination with inactivated (CoronaVac) and vector-based (ChAdOx1-S, AZD1222) vaccines were examined in previously infected individuals. Immune response was also compared between short and long intervals between first date of detection and vaccination. Adverse events were mild but were higher with AZD1222 than with CoronaVac. Baseline IgG-specific antibodies and neutralizing activity were significantly higher with shorter than longer intervals. With a single-dose vaccine, IgG and IgA-specific binding antibodies, neutralizing activity, and total interferon-gamma response peaked at 14 days. Immune response was significantly higher in recovered individuals than in infection-naïve individuals. Antibody response was greater with longer than shorter intervals. AZD1222 induced higher antibody and T cell responses than those of CoronaVac. Thus, to achieve immunity, individuals with prior SARS-CoV-2 exposure may require only a single dose of AZD1222 or two doses of CoronaVac to achieve the immune response. These findings supported vaccine strategies in previously infected individuals.
Linked-Read Sequencing of Eight Falcons Reveals a Unique Genomic Architecture in Flux
Authors: Wilcox Justin J.S. , Arca-Ruibal Barbara , Samour Jaime , Mateuta Victor , Idaghdour Youssef , Boissinot Stéphane 
Published: January 2022

AbstractFalcons are diverse birds of cultural and economic importance. They have undergone major lineage-specific chromosomal rearrangements, resulting in greatly-reduced chromosome counts relative to other birds. Here, we use 10X Genomics linked reads to provide new high-contiguity genomes for two gyrfalcons, a saker falcon, a lanner falcon, three subspecies of peregrine falcons, and the common kestrel. Assisted by a transcriptome sequenced from 22 gyrfalcon tissues, we annotate these genomes for a variety of genomic features, estimate historical demography, and then investigate genomic equilibrium in the context of falcon-specific chromosomal rearrangements. We find that falcon genomes are not in AT-GC equilibrium with a bias in mutations towards higher AT content; this bias is predominantly driven by—but not dependent on—hypermutability of CpG sites. Small indels and large structural variants were also biased towards insertions rather than deletions. Patterns of disequilibrium were linked to chromosomal rearrangements: falcons have lost GC content in regions that have fused to larger chromosomes from microchromosomes and gained GC content in regions of macrochromosomes that have translocated to microchromosomes. Inserted bases have accumulated on regions ancestrally belonging to microchromosomes, consistent with insertion-biased gene conversion. We also find an excess of interspersed repeats on regions of microchromosomes that have fused to macrochromosomes. Our results reveal that falcon genomes are in a state of flux. They further suggest that many of the key differences between microchromosomes and macrochromosomes are driven by differences in chromosome size, and indicate a clear role for recombination and biased-gene-conversion in determining genomic equilibrium.SignificanceFalcons are a particularly diverse and widespread genus of birds of particular cultural and economic importance. Falcons have also undergone recent large-scale chromosomal rearrangements to arrive at atypically low chromosome counts relative to other birds. We produced eight new high-quality falcon genomes to support general research on falcons, and we analyze these genomes to assess how chromosome loss has influenced specific aspects of genomic architecture.
Statistical analysis reveals the onset of synchrony in sparse swarms of Photinus knulli fireflies
Authors: Sarfati Raphaël , Gaudette Laura , Cicero Joseph M. , Peleg Orit 
Published: January 2022

AbstractFlash synchrony within firefly swarms is an elegant but elusive manifestation of collective animal behaviour. It has been observed, and sometimes demonstrated, in a few populations across the world, but exactly which species are capable of large-scale synchronization remains unclear, especially in low-density swarms. The underlying question which we address here is: how does one qualify a collective flashing display as synchronous, given that the only information available is the time and location of flashes? We propose different statistical approaches and apply them to high-resolution stereoscopic video recordings of the collective flashing of Photinus knulli fireflies, hence establishing the occurrence of synchrony in this species. These results substantiate detailed visual observations published in the early 1980s and made at the same experimental site: Peña Blanca Canyon, Coronado National Forest, Arizona, USA. We also remark that P. knulli’s collective flashing patterns mirror that observed in Photinus carolinus fireflies in the Eastern United States, consisting of synchronous flashes in periodic bursts with rapid accretion and quick decay.
Conflicting effects of recombination on the evolvability and robustness in neutrally evolving populations
Authors: Klug Alexander , Krug Joachim 
Published: January 2022

AbstractUnderstanding the benefits and costs of recombination under different scenarios of evolutionary adaptation remains an open problem for theoretical and experimental research. In this study, we focus on finite populations evolving on neutral networks comprising viable and unfit genotypes. We provide a comprehensive overview of the effects of recombination by jointly considering different measures of evolvability and mutational robustness over a broad parameter range, such that many evolutionary regimes are covered. We find that several of these measures vary non-monotonically with the rates of mutation and recombination. Moreover, the presence of unfit genotypes that introduce inhomogeneities in the network of viable states qualitatively alters the effects of recombination. We conclude that conflicting trends induced by recombination can be explained by an emerging trade-off between evolvability on the one hand, and mutational robustness on the other. Finally, we discuss how different implementations of the recombination scheme in theoretical models can affect the observed dependence on recombination rate through a coupling between recombination and genetic drift.Author summaryMany genetic mechanisms have been invoked to explain the advantage of sex, but a coherent picture is still to emerge. Here we present a systematic theoretical and computational investigation of the effects of recombination in populations evolving on neutral fitness landscapes with unfit genotypes. We focus on populations that are large enough to be polymorphic, but nevertheless strongly affected by drift, which causes them to diffuse across the neutral network of viable genotypes. We identify a novel trade-off between evolvability, robustness and fitness that can lead to a dramatic reduction of the genetic diversity at large recombination rates. This disproves the common notion (often referred to as Weismann’s hypothesis) that recombination generally increases diversity and evolvability, and instead highlights the interplay of recombination and mutational robustness.
TheWeight: A simple and flexible algorithm for simulating non-ideal, age-structured populations
Authors: Waples Robin S. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe Wright-Fisher model, which directs how matings occur and how genes are transmitted across generations, has long been a lynchpin of evolutionary biology. This model is elegantly simple, analytically tractable, and easy to implement, but it has one serious limitation: essentially no real species satisfies its many assumptions. With growing awareness of the importance of jointly considering both ecology and evolution in eco-evolutionary models, this limitation has become more apparent, causing many researchers to search for more realistic simulation models.A recently described variation retains most of the Wright-Fisher simplicity but provides greater flexibility to accommodate departures from model assumptions. This generalized Wright-Fisher model relaxes the assumption that all individuals have identical expected reproductive success by introducing a vector of parental weights w that specifies relative probabilities different individuals have of producing offspring. With parental weights specified this way, expectations of key demographic parameters are simple functions of w. This allows researchers to quantitatively predict the consequences of non-Wright-Fisher features incorporated into their models.An important limitation of the Wright-Fisher model is that it assumes discrete generations, whereas most real species are age-structured. Here I show how an algorithm (TheWeight) that implements the generalized Wright-Fisher model can be used to model evolution in age-structured populations with overlapping generations. Worked examples illustrate simulation of seasonal and lifetime reproductive success and show how the user can pick vectors of weights expected to produce a desired level of reproductive skew or a desired Ne/N ratio. Alternatively, weights can be associated with heritable traits to provide a simple, quantitative way to model natural selection. Using TheWeight, it is easy to generate positive or negative correlations of individual reproductive success over time, thus allowing explicit modeling of common biological processes like skip breeding and persistent individual differences.Code is provided to implement basic features of TheWeight and applications described here. However, required coding changes to the Wright-Fisher model are modest, so the real value of the new algorithm is to encourage users to adopt its features into their own or others’ models.
Where we perceive before we look: The distribution of presaccadic attention assessed with dynamic 1/f noise
Authors: Hanning Nina M. , Deubel Heiner 
Published: January 2022

AbstractAlready before the onset of a saccadic eye movement, we preferentially process visual information at the upcoming eye fixation. This ‘presaccadic shift of attention’ is typically assessed via localized test items, which potentially bias the attention measurement. Here we show how presaccadic attention shapes perception from saccade origin to target when no scene-structuring items are presented. Participants made saccades into a 1/f (“pink”) noise field, in which we embedded a brief orientation signal at various locations shortly before saccade onset. Local orientation discrimination performance served as a proxy for the allocation of attention. Results demonstrate that (1) saccades are preceded by shifts of attention to their goal location even if they are directed into an unstructured visual field, but the spread of attention, compared to target-directed saccades, is broad; (2) the presaccadic attention shift is accompanied by considerable attentional costs at the presaccadic eye fixation; (3) objects markedly shape the distribution of presaccadic attention – demonstrating the relevance of an item-free approach for measuring attentional dynamics across the visual field.
A novel method for multi-scale recording of intracranial EEG through dynamic alteration of electrode surface area
Authors: Sindhu Kavyakantha Remakanthakurup , Ngo Duy , Ombao Hernando , Olaya Joffre E. , Shrey Daniel W. , Lopour Beth A. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractIntracranial EEG (iEEG) plays a critical role in the treatment of neurological diseases, such as epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease, as well as the development of neural prostheses and brain computer interfaces. While electrode geometries vary widely across these applications, the impact of electrode size on iEEG features and morphology is not well understood. Some insight has been gained from computer simulation studies and experiments in which signals are recorded using electrodes of different sizes concurrently in different brain regions. Here, we introduce a novel method to record from electrodes of different sizes in the exact same location by changing the size of iEEG electrodes after implantation in the brain. We first present a theoretical model and an in vitro validation of the method. We then report the results of an in vivo implementation in three human subjects with refractory epilepsy. We recorded iEEG data from three different electrode sizes and compared the amplitudes, power spectra, inter-channel correlations, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of interictal epileptiform discharges, i.e., epileptic spikes. We found that iEEG amplitude and power decreased as electrode size increased, while inter-channel correlation increased with electrode size. The SNR of epileptic spikes was generally highest in the smallest electrodes, but 39% of spikes had maximal SNR in medium or large electrodes. This likely depends on the precise location and spatial spread of each spike. Overall, this new method enables multi-scale measurements of electrical activity in the human brain that facilitate our understanding of neurophysiology, treatment of neurological disease, and development of novel technologies.
IKKalpha-Mediated Non-canonical NF-kappaB Signaling is Required to Support Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 LatencyIn Vivo
Authors: Cieniewicz Brandon , Kirillov Varvara , Daher Isabel , Li Xiaofan , Oldenburg Darby G. , Dong Qiwen , Bettke Julie A. , Marcu Kenneth B. , Krug Laurie T. 
Published: January 2022

ABSTRACTNon-canonical NF-kappaB signaling is activated in B cells via TNF receptor superfamily members CD40, Lymphotoxin beta-R, and BAFF-R. The non-canonical pathway is required at multiple stages of B-cell maturation and differentiation, including the germinal center reaction. However, the role of this pathway in gammaherpesvirus latency is not well understood. Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) is a genetically tractable system used to define pathogenic determinants. Mice lacking the BAFF-R exhibit defects in splenic follicle formation and are greatly reduced for MHV68 latency. We report a novel approach to disrupt non-canonical NF-kappaB signaling exclusively in cells infected with MHV68. We engineered a recombinant virus that expresses a dominant negative form of IKKalpha, named IKKα-SA, with S176A and S180A mutations that prevent phosphorylation by NIK. We controlled for the transgene insertion by introducing two all-frame stop codons into the IKKα-SA gene. The IKKα-SA mutant but not the IKKα-SA.STOP control virus impaired LTbetaR-mediated activation of NF-kappaB p52 upon fibroblast infection. IKKα-SA expression did not impact replication in primary fibroblasts or in the lungs of mice following intranasal inoculation. However, the IKKα-SA mutant was severely defective in colonization of the spleen and in the establishment of latency compared to the IKKα-SA.STOP control and WT MHV68 at 16 dpi. Reactivation was undetectable in splenocytes infected with the IKKα-SA mutant, but reactivation in peritoneal cells was not impacted by IKKα-SA. Taken together, the non-canonical NF-kappaB signaling pathway is essential for the establishment of latency in the secondary lymphoid organs of mice infected with the murine gammaherpesvirus pathogen MHV68.IMPORTANCEThe latency programs of the human gammaherpesviruses EBV and KSHV are associated with B cell lymphomas. It is critical to understand the signaling pathways that are used by gammaherpesviruses to establish and maintain latency in primary B cells. We used a novel approach to block non-canonical NF-kappaB signaling only in the infected cells of mice. We generated a recombinant virus that expresses a dominant negative mutant of IKKalpha that is non-responsive to upstream activation. Latency was reduced in a route- and cell type-dependent manner in mice infected with this recombinant virus. These findings identify a significant role for the non-canonical NF-kappaB signaling pathway that might provide a novel target to prevent latent infection of B cells with oncogenic gammaherpesviruses.