bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of metformin on epicardial adipose tissue and atrial electromechanical delay of obese children with insulin resistance
Authors: Güneş Hatice , Güneş Hakan , Özmen Şebnem , Çelik Enes , Temiz Fatih 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIntroduction:Obesity is usually related to insulin resistance and glucose metabolism disorders. The relationship between insulin resistance and epicardial adipose tissue and atrial electromechanical delay has been described in previous studies.Aim:This study aims to demonstrate the effects of metformin on epicardial adipose tissue and electromechanical delay in patients using metformin for insulin resistance.Materials and methods:A total of 30 patients using metformin for insulin resistance were included in the study. Pre-treatment and post-treatment epicardial adipose tissue and electromechanical delay were evaluated.Results:There was a statistically significant decrease in epicardial adipose tissue thickness after 3 months of metformin therapy (6.4 ± 2.1 versus 4.7 ± 2.0; p = 0.008). Furthermore, the inter-atrial and intra-atrial electromechanical delay also significantly decreased after 3 months of metformin monotherapy (23.6 ± 8.2 versus 18.1 ± 5.8; p < 0.001, 9.1 ± 2.9 versus 6.3 ± 3.6; p = 0.003, respectively).Conclusion:In this study, we show that metformin monotherapy significantly decreases epicardial adipose tissue thickness and electromechanical delay in obese children.
A case of double-outlet left ventricle, malposition of the great arteries, and superior–inferior ventricular arrangement
Authors: Palma Andreia , Henriques Cláudio , Silva Patrícia V. , Francisco Andreia , Pires António 
Published: July 2020

AbstractSuperior–inferior ventricular arrangement with double-outlet left ventricle and malposition of the great arteries is an extremely rare congenital cardiac anomaly. The authors present the case of an infant who presented with cyanosis and respiratory distress. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported.
Spatial Distribution and Impacts of Aerosols on Clouds Under Meiyu Frontal Weather Background Over Central China Based on Aircraft Observations
Authors: Yang Junmei , Li Junxia , Li Peiren , Sun Guode , Cai Zhaoxin , Yang Xiao , Cui Chunguang , Dong Xiquan , Xi Baike , Wan Rong , Wang Bin , Zhou Zhimin 
Published: July 2020

AbstractAn airborne field campaign was conducted from 10 June to 10 July 2018 in Hubei Province over central China as a part of the State Key Natural Science Foundation Project referred to as Integrative Monsoon Frontal Rainfall Experiment (IMFRE). Comprehensive observations of atmospheric aerosols and cloud characteristics in this region were collected and analyzed. In this study, data from six flights on nonprecipitating days were selected to investigate the spatial distribution of aerosols and microphysical properties of clouds. The profiles of aerosol number concentrations (Na) were 1 order of magnitude lower than those over the North Plain of China, due to the different atmospheric backgrounds, local emission, and long‐range transport. The highest Na occurred at the altitude of the temperature inversion layer (TIL), indicating that Na profiles were significantly affected by the TIL structure. Relative humidity (RH) had an effect on the aerosol size distribution where high RH values corresponded well with large values of particle mean diameter (MD). Compared with the vertical distributions of Na and MD, their horizontal directions had minor changes, except for the MD at 4,000 m in one case. Of the three flights that penetrated through the stratiform clouds, the probability distribution functions of cloud droplet number concentration (Nc), effective radius (re), and liquid water content (LWC), showed the same features with a single peak mode. Since the nucleation of aerosol in‐cloud caused the decrease of aerosol concentration, the maximum aerosol activation ratio almost reached 74%. The average spectrum of cloud droplets showed a multimodal distribution and their microphysical properties were analyzed in this study.
The ECCO‐Darwin Data‐Assimilative Global Ocean Biogeochemistry Model: Estimates of Seasonal to Multidecadal Surface Ocean pCO2 and Air‐Sea CO2 Flux
Authors: Carroll D. , Menemenlis D. , Adkins J. F. , Bowman K. W. , Brix H. , Dutkiewicz S. , Fenty I. , Gierach M. M. , Hill C. , Jahn O. , Landschützer P. , Lauderdale J. M. , Liu J. , Manizza M. , Naviaux J. D. , Rödenbeck C. , Schimel D. S. , Van der Stocken T. , Zhang H. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractQuantifying variability in the ocean carbon sink remains problematic due to sparse observations and spatiotemporal variability in surface ocean pCO2. To address this challenge, we have updated and improved ECCO‐Darwin, a global ocean biogeochemistry model that assimilates both physical and biogeochemical observations. The model consists of an adjoint‐based ocean circulation estimate from the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) consortium and an ecosystem model developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Darwin Project. In addition to the data‐constrained ECCO physics, a Green's function approach is used to optimize the biogeochemistry by adjusting initial conditions and six biogeochemical parameters. Over seasonal to multidecadal timescales (1995–2017), ECCO‐Darwin exhibits broad‐scale consistency with observed surface ocean pCO2 and air‐sea CO2 flux reconstructions in most biomes, particularly in the subtropical and equatorial regions. The largest differences between CO2 uptake occur in subpolar seasonally stratified biomes, where ECCO‐Darwin results in stronger winter uptake. Compared to the Global Carbon Project OBMs, ECCO‐Darwin has a time‐mean global ocean CO2 sink (2.47 ± 0.50 Pg C year−1) and interannual variability that are more consistent with interpolation‐based products. Compared to interpolation‐based methods, ECCO‐Darwin is less sensitive to sparse and irregularly sampled observations. Thus, ECCO‐Darwin provides a basis for identifying and predicting the consequences of natural and anthropogenic perturbations to the ocean carbon cycle, as well as the climate‐related sensitivity of marine ecosystems. Our study further highlights the importance of physically consistent, property‐conserving reconstructions, as are provided by ECCO, for ocean biogeochemistry studies.
Upper Mantle Shear Wave Velocity Structure of Southeastern China: Seismic Evidence for Magma Activities in the Late Mesozoic to the Cenozoic
Authors: Zhang Yayun , Yao Huajian , Xu Min , Liu Bin 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe Fujian‐Taiwan Strait‐Taiwan region, as the active eastern margin of Eurasia since the Mesozoic, has experienced the subduction and retreat of the Paleo‐Pacific plate from the Middle Mesozoic, the breakup of the continental margin in the early Cenozoic, and then the collision with the Philippine Sea plate in the late Cenozoic. To better understand the tectonic evolution process, a high‐resolution 3‐D shear wave velocity model of the crust and upper mantle was obtained from surface wave tomography through a direct inversion method. Intermediate‐ to long‐period Rayleigh wave dispersion curves, extracted from teleseismic surface wave with the traditional two‐station method, were combined with the short‐period dispersion curves obtained from ambient noise cross correlation to obtain broader band surface wave data. Two groups of large‐scale low‐velocity bodies are found to be located in the upper mantle of Fujian and the Taiwan Strait and are inferred to be closely related to the magmatic activities caused by the Mesozoic subduction and Cenozoic extension, respectively. The low‐velocity anomalies in Fujian are concentrated in the west Cathaysia block in deep regions and split into small bodies in the uppermost mantle, while the low‐velocity body in the strait is divided into northern and southern parts, corresponding to the two‐stage Cenozoic extension. The velocity gradient was also calculated to estimate the lithospheric thickness, which is only 60–80 km, and the lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary also features strongly horizontal variations and discontinuities. Our results provide important seismological constraints to investigate the geological and tectonic processes of this region.
Assessing the Effects of the Hong Kong‐Zhuhai‐Macau Bridge on the Total Suspended Solids in the Pearl River Estuary Based on Landsat Time Series
Authors: Guo Jin , Ma Chunlei , Ai Bin , Xu Xiaoping , Huang Wei , Zhao Jun 
Published: July 2020

AbstractTotal suspended solids (TSSs) can affect primary production through influencing light penetration and nutrient availability in aquatic environments. In this study, novel algorithms were developed for TSS in the Pearl River estuary using Landsat‐derived reflectance corrected for Rayleigh scattering (Rrc). Comparisons between in situ and estimated TSS using the calibration and validation data sets resulted in R2s > 0.8 and mean absolute percentage errors < 35%. Landsat‐derived annual TSS between 1987 and 2018 in the Pearl River estuary ranged from 16.5 to 41 mg L−1. It indicated a statistically significant decreasing trend with an annual rate of 0.26 mg L−1 and decreased by 58.5% from 1987 to 2018. It showed a higher decreasing rate after than before the construction of the Hong Kong‐Zhuhai‐Macau Bridge. Nonetheless, TSS 2 km upstream from the Hong Kong‐Zhuhai‐Macau Bridge on the western side increased after the construction of the bridge related to the change of flow influenced by piers and artificial islands.
Satellite Retrieval of Cloud Condensation Nuclei Concentrations in Marine Stratocumulus by Using Clouds as CCN Chambers
Authors: Efraim Avichay , Rosenfeld Daniel , Schmale Julia , Zhu Yannian 
Published: July 2020

AbstractA new methodology for the satellite retrieval of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) in shallow marine boundary layer clouds is developed and validated in this study. The methodology is based on retrieving cloud base drop concentrations (Nd) and updrafts (Wb), which are used for calculating the supersaturation (S). The Nd is then defined as the CCN at that S. The accuracy of the satellite retrievals was validated against ship‐borne measurements of CCN done in recent campaigns in the Southern Oceans (ACE‐SPACE, MARCUS, & PEGASO [2015–2018]) and in the subtropics (MAGIC [2012–2013]). The satellite‐retrieved Nd and S at cloud base were validated against the measured CCN at sea surface. The main findings show that (a) coupled clouds have good agreement between satellite retrievals and ship measurements of CCN; (b) the best agreement is achieved when using the brightest 10% of the clouds and accounting for their adiabatic fraction; (c) most of the decoupled clouds had much lower CCN than were present at the underlying surface. This means that most CCN in the coupled clouds originate from the surface and not from the free troposphere. This study validates the satellite retrievals of CCN and allows us to further quantify the relationships between CCN and cloud microphysical properties.
First Lidar Observations of Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation‐Induced Interannual Variations of Gravity Wave Potential Energy Density at McMurdo via a Modulation of the Antarctic Polar Vortex
Authors: Li Zimu , Chu Xinzhao , Harvey V. Lynn , Jandreau Jackson , Lu Xian , Yu Zhibin , Zhao Jian , Fong Weichun 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThis work presents the first lidar observations of a Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation (QBO) in the interannual variations of stratospheric gravity wave potential energy density (Epm in 30–50 km) at McMurdo (77.84°S, 166.67°E), Antarctica. This paper also reports the first identification of QBO signals in the distance between McMurdo and the polar vortex edge. Midwinter stratospheric gravity wave activity is stronger during the QBO easterly phase when the June polar vortex expands and the polar night jet shifts equatorward. During the QBO westerly phase, gravity wave activity is weaker when the polar vortex contracts and the polar night jet moves poleward. Nine years of lidar data (2011–2019) exhibit the mean Epm winter maxima being ~43% higher during QBO easterly than westerly. The June polar vortex edge at 45 km altitude moves equatorward/poleward during QBO easterly/westerly phases with ~8° latitude differences (39.7°S vs. 47.7°S) as revealed in 21 years of MERRA‐2 data (1999–2019). We hypothesize that an equatorward shifted polar vortex corresponds to less critical level filtering of gravity waves and thus higher Epm at McMurdo. The critical level filtering is characterized by wind rotation angle (WRA), and we find a linear correlation between the WRA and Epm interannual variations. The results suggest that the QBO is likely controlling the interannual variations of the Epm winter maxima over McMurdo via the critical level filtering. This observationally based study lays the groundwork for a rigorous numerical study that will provide robust statistics to better understand the mechanisms that link the tropical QBO to extratropical waves.
Longitudinal monitoring of circulating tumour DNA improves prognostication and relapse detection in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Openshaw Mark R. , Suwaidan Ali Abdulnabi , Ottolini Barbara , Fernandez-Garcia Daniel , Richards Cathy J. , Page Karen , Guttery David S. , Thomas Anne L. , Shaw Jacqui A. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Background
Gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GOA) has poor clinical outcomes and lacks reliable blood markers. Here we present circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) as an emerging biomarker.

Methods
Forty patients (17 palliative and 23 curative) were followed by serial plasma monitoring. Primary tumour DNA was analysed by targeted next-generation sequencing to identify somatic single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), and Nanostring nCounter® to detect copy number alterations (CNAs). Patient-specific SNVs and CNA amplifications (CNAamp) were analysed in plasma using digital droplet PCR and quantitative PCR, respectively.

Results
Thirty-five patients (13 palliative, 22 curative) had ≥1 SNVs and/or CNAamp detected in primary tumour DNA suitable for tracking in plasma. Eighteen of 35 patients (nine palliative, nine curative) had ≥1 ctDNA-positive plasma sample. Detection of postoperative ctDNA predicted short RFS (190 vs 934 days, HR = 3.7, p = 0.028) and subsequent relapse (PPV for relapse 0.83). High ctDNA levels (>60.5 copies/ml) at diagnosis of metastatic disease predicted poor OS (90 vs 372 days, HR = 11.7 p < 0.001).

Conclusion
Sensitive ctDNA detection allows disease monitoring and prediction of short OS in metastatic patients. Presence of ctDNA postoperatively predicts relapse and defines a ‘molecular relapse’ before overt clinical disease. This lead time defines a potential therapeutic window for additional anticancer therapy.
A simple method for detecting oncofetal chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans in bladder cancer urine
Authors: Clausen Thomas Mandel , Kumar Gunjan , Ibsen Emilie K. , Ørum-Madsen Maj S. , Hurtado-Coll Antonio , Gustavsson Tobias , Agerbæk Mette Ø. , Gatto Francesco , Todenhöfer Tilman , Basso Umberto , Knowles Margaret A. , Sanchez-Carbayo Marta , Salanti Ali , Black Peter C. , Daugaard Mads 
Published: July 2020

AbstractProteoglycans in bladder tumors are modified with a distinct oncofetal chondroitin sulfate (ofCS) glycosaminoglycan that is normally restricted to placental trophoblast cells. This ofCS-modification can be detected in bladder tumors by the malarial VAR2CSA protein, which in malaria pathogenesis mediates adherence of parasite-infected erythrocytes within the placenta. In bladder cancer, proteoglycans are constantly shed into the urine, and therefore have the potential to be used for detection of disease. In this study we investigated whether recombinant VAR2CSA (rVAR2) protein could be used to detect ofCS-modified proteoglycans (ofCSPGs) in the urine of bladder cancer patients as an indication of disease presence. We show that ofCSPGs in bladder cancer urine can be immobilized on cationic nitrocellulose membranes and subsequently probed for ofCS content by rVAR2 protein in a custom-made dot-blot assay. Patients with high-grade bladder tumors displayed a marked increase in urinary ofCSPGs as compared to healthy individuals. Urine ofCSPGs decreased significantly after complete tumor resection compared to matched urine collected preoperatively from patients with bladder cancer. Moreover, ofCSPGs in urine correlated with tumor size of bladder cancer patients. These findings demonstrate that rVAR2 can be utilized in a simple biochemical assay to detect cancer-specific ofCS-modifications in the urine of bladder cancer patients, which may be further developed as a noninvasive approach to detect and monitor the disease.
Molecular subtyping and genomic profiling expand precision medicine in refractory metastatic triple-negative breast cancer: the FUTURE trial
Authors: Jiang Yi-Zhou , Liu Yin , Xiao Yi , Hu Xin , Jiang Lin , Zuo Wen-Jia , Ma Ding , Ding Jiahan , Zhu Xiaoyu , Zou Jianjun , Verschraegen Claire , Stover Daniel G. , Kaklamani Virginia , Wang Zhong-Hua , Shao Zhi-Ming 
Published: July 2020

AbstractTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous disease, and molecular subtyping may result in improved diagnostic precision and targeted therapies. Our previous study classified TNBCs into four subtypes with putative therapeutic targets. Here, we conducted the FUTURE trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03805399), a phase Ib/II subtyping-based and genomic biomarker-guided umbrella trial, to evaluate the efficacy of these targets. Patients with refractory metastatic TNBC were enrolled and stratified by TNBC subtypes and genomic biomarkers, and assigned to one of these seven arms: (A) pyrotinib with capecitabine, (B) androgen receptor inhibitor with CDK4/6 inhibitor, (C) anti PD-1 with nab-paclitaxel, (D) PARP inhibitor included, (E) and (F) anti-VEGFR included, or (G) mTOR inhibitor with nab-paclitaxel. The primary end point was the objective response rate (ORR). We enrolled 69 refractory metastatic TNBC patients with a median of three previous lines of therapy (range, 1–8). Objective response was achieved in 20 (29.0%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 18.7%–41.2%) of the 69 intention-to-treat (ITT) patients. Our results showed that immunotherapy (arm C), in particular, achieved the highest ORR (52.6%, 95% CI: 28.9%–75.6%) in the ITT population. Arm E demonstrated favorable ORR (26.1%, 95% CI: 10.2%–48.4% in the ITT population) but with more high grade (≥ 3) adverse events. Somatic mutations of TOP2A and CD8 immunohistochemical score may have the potential to predict immunotherapy response in the immunomodulatory subtype of TNBC. In conclusion, the phase Ib/II FUTURE trial suggested a new concept for TNBC treatment, demonstrating the clinical benefit of subtyping-based targeted therapy for refractory metastatic TNBC.
Prior vaccination with rVSV-ZEBOV does not interfere with but improves efficacy of postexposure antibody treatment
Authors: Cross Robert W. , Bornholdt Zachary A. , Prasad Abhishek N. , Geisbert Joan B. , Borisevich Viktoriya , Agans Krystle N. , Deer Daniel J. , Melody Kevin , Fenton Karla A. , Feldmann Heinz , Sprecher Armand , Zeitlin Larry , Geisbert Thomas W. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractA replication-competent vesicular stomatitis virus vaccine expressing the Ebola virus (EBOV) glycoprotein (GP) (rVSV-ZEBOV) was successfully used during the 2013-16 EBOV epidemic. Additionally, chimeric and human monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against the EBOV GP have shown promise in animals and humans when administered therapeutically. Uncertainty exists regarding the efficacy of postexposure antibody treatments in the event of a known exposure of a recent rVSV-ZEBOV vaccinee. Here, we model a worst-case scenario using rhesus monkeys vaccinated or unvaccinated with the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine. We demonstrate that animals challenged with a uniformly lethal dose of EBOV one day following vaccination, and then treated with the anti-EBOV GP mAb MIL77 starting 3 days postexposure show no evidence of clinical illness and survive challenge. In contrast, animals receiving only vaccination or only mAb-based therapy become ill, with decreased survival compared to animals vaccinated and subsequently treated with MIL77. These results suggest that rVSV-ZEBOV augments immunotherapy.
Preferential inhibition of adaptive immune system dynamics by glucocorticoids in patients after acute surgical trauma
Authors: Ganio Edward A. , Stanley Natalie , Lindberg-Larsen Viktoria , Einhaus Jakob , Tsai Amy S. , Verdonk Franck , Culos Anthony , Ghaemi Sajjad , Rumer Kristen K. , Stelzer Ina A. , Gaudilliere Dyani , Tsai Eileen , Fallahzadeh Ramin , Choisy Benjamin , Kehlet Henrik , Aghaeepour Nima , Angst Martin S. , Gaudilliere Brice 
Published: July 2020

AbstractGlucocorticoids (GC) are a controversial yet commonly used intervention in the clinical management of acute inflammatory conditions, including sepsis or traumatic injury. In the context of major trauma such as surgery, concerns have been raised regarding adverse effects from GC, thereby necessitating a better understanding of how GCs modulate the immune response. Here we report the results of a randomized controlled trial (NCT02542592) in which we employ a high-dimensional mass cytometry approach to characterize innate and adaptive cell signaling dynamics after a major surgery (primary outcome) in patients treated with placebo or methylprednisolone (MP). A robust, unsupervised bootstrap clustering of immune cell subsets coupled with random forest analysis shows profound (AUC = 0.92, p-value = 3.16E-8) MP-induced alterations of immune cell signaling trajectories, particularly in the adaptive compartments. By contrast, key innate signaling responses previously associated with pain and functional recovery after surgery, including STAT3 and CREB phosphorylation, are not affected by MP. These results imply cell-specific and pathway-specific effects of GCs, and also prompt future studies to examine GCs’ effects on clinical outcomes likely dependent on functional adaptive immune responses.
Evaluation of the immunogenicity of prime-boost vaccination with the replication-deficient viral vectored COVID-19 vaccine candidate ChAdOx1 nCoV-19
Authors: Graham Simon P. , McLean Rebecca K. , Spencer Alexandra J. , Belij-Rammerstorfer Sandra , Wright Daniel , Ulaszewska Marta , Edwards Jane C. , Hayes Jack W. P. , Martini Veronica , Thakur Nazia , Conceicao Carina , Dietrich Isabelle , Shelton Holly , Waters Ryan , Ludi Anna , Wilsden Ginette , Browning Clare , Bialy Dagmara , Bhat Sushant , Stevenson-Leggett Phoebe , Hollinghurst Philippa , Gilbride Ciaran , Pulido David , Moffat Katy , Sharpe Hannah , Allen Elizabeth , Mioulet Valerie , Chiu Chris , Newman Joseph , Asfor Amin S. , Burman Alison , Crossley Sylvia , Huo Jiandong , Owens Raymond J. , Carroll Miles , Hammond John A. , Tchilian Elma , Bailey Dalan , Charleston Bryan , Gilbert Sarah C. , Tuthill Tobias J. , Lambe Teresa 
Published: July 2020

AbstractClinical development of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, a replication-deficient simian adenoviral vector expressing the full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein was initiated in April 2020 following non-human primate studies using a single immunisation. Here, we compared the immunogenicity of one or two doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 in both mice and pigs. Whilst a single dose induced antigen-specific antibody and T cells responses, a booster immunisation enhanced antibody responses, particularly in pigs, with a significant increase in SARS-CoV-2 neutralising titres.