bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Application of an Integrated Model Based on Bivariate and Multivariate Method in Landslide Susceptibility Mapping
Authors: Hu Han , Wang Changming , Liang Zhu 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Landslides usually result in human losses and economic damages in mountainous areas especially for Himalayan areas. Landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) is a key approach for avoiding hazard and risk. This study aims to explore an improved model combining multivariate and bivariate statistical methods for LSM. Four models were established as logistic regression (LR), LR integrated with certain factor (CF), LR integrated with frequency ratio (FR) and LR integrated with information value method (IV) and their performance was compared in LSM. Firstly, a landslide inventory map with 313 determined landslide events was prepared and 12 predisposing factors were selected. Secondly, the dataset was randomly divided into two parts, 75% of which was used for modeling and 25% for validation. Finally, area under the curve (AUC) and statistical metrics were applied to validate and compare the performance of the models. Results show that the performance of IVLR model is the best (AUC 0.792 and accuracy=78.8%). Besides, the LSM constructed by IVLR model did a reasonable job at predicting the distribution of susceptible areas. It identified the major factors and intervals of high susceptibility that profile curvature greater than 0.1, less than 2 km from the stream, maximum elevation difference greater than 1200 m and rainfall between 440 and 450 mm were prone to landslide. The conclusion reveals that the quality of LSM can be improved by comparing and combining the bivariate and multivariate methods, which serve as a more effective guide for land use planning in the study area or other highlands where landslides are frequent.
Structural Comparison of Acinetobacter baumannii β-ketoacyl-acyl Carrier Protein Reductases in Fatty Acid and Aryl Polyene Biosynthesis
Authors: Lee Woo Cheol , Choi Sungjae , Jang Ahjin , Son Kkabi , Kim Yangmee 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Some gram-negative bacteria harbor lipids with aryl polyene (APE) moieties. Biosynthesis gene clusters (BGCs) for APE biosynthesis exhibit striking similarities with fatty acid synthesis (FAS) genes. Despite their broad distribution among pathogenic and symbiotic bacteria, the detailed roles of the metabolic products of APE gene clusters are unclear. Here, we determined the crystal structures of the β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase ApeQ produced by an APE gene cluster from clinically isolated virulent Acinetobacter baumannii in two states (bound and unbound to NADPH). An in vitro visible absorption spectrum assay of the APE polyene moiety revealed that the β-ketoacyl-ACP reductase FabG from the A. baumannii FAS gene cluster cannot be substituted for ApeQ in APE biosynthesis. Comparison with the FabG structure exhibited distinct surface electrostatic potential profiles for ApeQ, suggesting a positively charged arginine patch as the cognate ACP-binding site. Binding modeling for the aryl group predicted that Leu185 (Phe183 in FabG) in ApeQ is responsible for 4-benzoyl moiety recognition. Isothermal titration and arginine patch mutagenesis experiments corroborated these results. These structure-function insights of a unique reductase in the APE BGC in comparison with FAS provide new directions for elucidating host–pathogen interaction mechanisms and novel antibiotics discovery.
Effectiveness of an out-of-pocket cost removal intervention on health check attendance in Japan
Authors: Murayama Hiroshi , Takahashi Yuta , Shimada Seitaro 
Published: November 2020

Abstract

Background: Annual health checks are important for identifying individuals at high risk for cardiometabolic diseases. In Japan, there is a nationwide program focused on providing specific health checks to screen for such high-risk individuals aged 40–74 years. However, there are socioeconomic disparities in health check attendance rates, and an intervention to lower financial barriers could be useful for increasing health check utilization. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an out-of-pocket (OOP) cost removal intervention on health check attendance in Japan.Methods: Data were obtained on beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance system of Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. In 2018, Yokohama started an intervention to remove OOP costs for specific health checks for all National Health Insurance beneficiaries. We analyzed data from 2015−2018 (131,295 people aged 40–74 years; 377,660 observations). Specific health check utilization in each year was set as the outcome variable.Results: A generalized estimating equation showed that people were more likely to receive specific health checks in 2018 (after the OOP cost removal intervention started) than in 2017 (immediately before the intervention; odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.167 [1.149–1.185]), after adjusting for age, gender, tax exemption (a proxy variable for annual income), and residential area. Contrastingly, the likelihood of receiving specific health checks in 2015 and 2016 was almost the same as that in 2017 (1.025 [1.008–1.042] in 2015, and 0.959 [0.945–0.974] in 2016). Subgroup analyses revealed that the effectiveness of the OOP cost removal intervention was greater among the older age group and those who did not receive a tax exemption (i.e., those with relatively higher income). Conclusions: The present study showed that the OOP cost removal intervention could promote specific health check utilization. This indicates that financial incentives could motivate people’s behavior regarding health check attendance. However, as the effectiveness differed by age and income level, policymakers should consider the possibility that removing OOP costs widens the disparities in health check access.
Optic Disc Vascular Density in Normal-Tension Glaucoma Eyes with or without Branch Retinal Vessel Occlusion
Authors: Baek Jiwon , Jeon Soo Ji , Kim Jin Ho , Park Chan Kee , Park Hae-Young 
Published: November 2020

Abstract

We analyzed the vascular densities (VDs) of the optic disc areas in eyes with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) according to branch retinal vessel occlusion (BRVO) status. The VDs of the optic discs and peripapillary areas of 68 patients with NTG + BRVO (eyes with BRVO and fellow eyes with NTG alone) and 37 patients with NTG alone (controls) were measured on binarized angiographic images obtained via swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography. Disc VDs were subdivided into large vessel and small vessel VDs. VD measurements were compared among groups and correlations were assessed. The small vessel and large vessel VDs of the optic disc and peripapillary area differed significantly among eyes in the control, NTG alone, and NTG + BRVO groups (all P < 0.001). More optic disc VDs were significantly larger and fewer were significantly smaller in eyes with BRVO, compared to fellow eyes and control eyes. Large optic disc VD was negatively correlated with small optic disc VD (r = -0.697, P < 0.001). Peripapillary VD was lower in eyes with BRVO than in control eyes, but not in fellow eyes (P < 0.001 and P = 0.975, respectively). In conclusion, significant disc and peripapillary VD changes were observed in eyes with BRVO. However, larger optic disc VD and smaller VD were observed in fellow eyes with NTG alone, but not in control eyes, suggesting that larger optic disc VD may contribute to NTG development in patients with BRVO.
Unique Niche-specific Adaptation of Fructophilic Lactic Acid Bacteria and Proposal of Three Apilactobacillus Species as Novel Members of the Unique Group&nbsp;
Authors: Maeno Shintaro , Nishimura Hiroya , Tanizawa Yasuhiro , Dicks Leon , Arita Masanori , Endo Akihito 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB) found in D-fructose rich niches prefer D-fructose over D-glucose as a growth substrate. They need electron acceptors for growth on D-glucose. The organisms have share carbohydrate metabolic properties. Fructobacillus spp., Apilactobacillus kunkeei, and Apilactobacillus apinorum are members of this unique group. Here we studied the fructophilic characteristics of recently described species Apilactobacillus micheneri, Apilactobacillus quenuiae, and Apilactobacillus timberlakei.Results: The three species prefer D-fructose over D-glucose and only metabolize D-glucose in the presence of electron acceptors. The genomic characteristics of the three species, i.e. small genomes and thus a low number of coding DNA sequences, few genes involved in carbohydrate transport and metabolism, and partial deletion of adhE gene, are characteristic of FLAB. The three species thus are novel members of FLAB. Reduction of genes involved in carbohydrate transport and metabolism in accordance with reduction of genome size were the common characteristics of the family Lactobacillaceae, but FLAB markedly reduced the gene numbers more than other species in the family. Pan-genome analysis of genes involved in metabolism displayed a lack of specific carbohydrate metabolic pathways in FLAB, leading to a unique cluster separation.Conclusions: The present study expand FLAB group. Fructose-rich environments have induced similar evolution in phylogenetically distant FLAB species. These are examples of convergent evolution of LAB.
Mapping the recovery of critically ill COVID19 patients by high-dimensional profiling&nbsp;identifies longitudinal blood immunotypes
Authors: PA Penttilä , S Van Gassen , D Panovska , L Vanderbeke , Y Van Herck , K Quintelier , A Emmaneel , J Filtjens , B Malengier-Devlies , K Ahmadzadeh , P Van Mol , DM Borras , A Antoranz , F Bosisio , E. Wauters , P Matthys , Y Saeys , A Garg , J Wauters , F De Smet 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic poses a major burden on health-care and economic systems across the globe. Even though a majority of the population only develops minor symptoms upon SARS-CoV2 infection, a significant proportion are hospitalized at intensive care units (ICU) requiring critical care. While insights into the early stages of the disease are gradually expanding, the dynamic immunological processes occurring in critically ill patients throughout their recovery at ICU are far less understood. Here, we have analysed longitudinally collected, whole blood samples of 40 surviving COVID-19 patients during their recovery at ICU using high-dimensional cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF) and cytokine multiplexing. Based on the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), we defined 4 sequential immunotypes during recovery that correlated to various clinical parameters, including the level of respiratory support at concomitant sampling times. We also identified classical monocytes as the first immune cell type to recover by restoring HLA-DR-positivity and by reducing the immunosuppressive CD163+ monocyte population, followed by the recovery of CD8+ and CD4+ T cell, and mDC populations. The identified immunotypes also correlated to aberrant cytokine and acute-phase reactant levels. Finally, integrative analysis of cytokines and immune cell profiles showed a shift from an initially dysregulated immune response to a more coordinated immunogenic interplay, highlighting the importance of longitudinal sampling to understand the pathophysiology underlying recovery from severe COVID-19.
Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated With Preeclampsia, Low Birth Weight and Postpartum Hemorrhage in Northern Ghana
Authors: Ahenkorah Benjamin , Sakyi Samuel , Helegbe Gideon , Owiredu Eddie , Ofosu Winfred , Der Edmund , Ephraim Richard , Amoani Benjamin , Arthur Priscilla , Apio Dominic , Cheetham Susanna , Gyan Ben 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: The study evaluated the risks for developing low birth weight (LBW), preeclampsia (PE) and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in relation to maternal socio-demographic, obstetric characteristics and clinical laboratory information obtained at 1st antenatal care (ANC) visit.Methods: The study included 268 pregnant women attending 1st ANC visit at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. Structured questionnaires were used to obtain socio-demographic and obstetric data from respondents. The main variables were LBW, PPH, PE, mode of delivery, residency, gestational age at 1st ANC visit, maternal age, sickling positivity, Hb at 1st ANC visit, Hb genotype and G6PD status. Odds ratio [OR, 95% confidence interval (CI)] for the association between sociodemographic, obstetric characteristics and clinical variables in relation to PE, LBW and PPH were assessed using logistic regression model.Results: The prevalence of PE, LBW and PPH were 25.4% (68/268), 15.7% (42/268) and 6.0% (16/268), respectively. For PE, delayed 1st ANC visit (AOR=16.82, 95% CI (3.61-78.5), p=0.000) and younger maternal age (AOR= 15.19, 95% CI (1.85-124.56), p=0.011) were independently associated with higher odds whereas vaginal delivery (AOR=0.32, 95% CI (0.15-0.71), p=0.015) was independently associated with reduced odds. Delayed 1st ANC visit (AOR=0.12, 95% CI (0.03-0.47)), p=0.002) independently reduced the risk of PPH whereas the male gender (AOR=7.75, 95% CI (1.60-37.51), p=0.011) independently increased the risk of PPH. Lastly, delayed 1st ANC visit (AOR=3.26, 95% CI (1.05-10.10), p=0.041) was independently associated with increased odds of LBW whereas vaginal delivery (AOR=0.36, 95% CI (0.17-0.74), p=0.006) was an independent risk factor for LBW in the multivariate model.Conclusion: The study identified delayed ANC visit as an independent risk factor for PE, LBW and PPH in Northern Ghana. Vaginal delivery and younger maternal age were also independent risk factors for PE. Additionally, the male gender was independently associated with PPH whereas vaginal delivery was independently associated with LBW. We recommend that public health education for pregnant women that highlights the importance of early ANC visit be enhanced. This will facilitate early identification and intervention for women with risk of foeto-maternal complications. Younger women should be educated on the dangers 48 of early marriages with its attendant foeto-maternal complications.
Registration-Free Workflow for Electromagnetic and Optical Navigation in Orbital and Craniofacial Surgery
Authors: Schreurs Ruud , Baan Frank , Klop Cornelis , Dubois Leander , Beenen Ludo , Habets Petra , Becking Alfred , Maal Thomas 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
The accuracy of intra-operative navigation is largely dependent on the intra-operative registration procedure. Next to accuracy, important factors to consider for the registration procedure are invasiveness, time consumption, logistical demands, user-dependency, compatibility and radiation exposure. In this study, a workflow is presented that eliminates the need for a registration procedure altogether: registration-free navigation. In the workflow, the maxillary dental model is fused to the pre-operative imaging data using commercially available virtual planning software. A virtual Dynamic Reference Frame on a splint is designed on the patient’s fused maxillary dentition: during surgery, the splint containing the reference frame is positioned on the patient’s dentition. This alleviates the need for any registration procedure, since the position of the reference frame is known from the design. The accuracy of the workflow was evaluated in a cadaver set-up, and compared to bone-anchored fiducial, virtual splint and surface-based registration. The results showed that accuracy of the workflow was greatly dependent on tracking technique used: the workflow was the most accurate with electromagnetic tracking, but the least accurate with optical tracking. Although this method offers a time-efficient, non-invasive, radiation-free automatic alternative for registration, clinical implementation is hampered by the unexplained differences in accuracy between tracking techniques.
Boosting Phonological Fluency Following Leftward Prismatic Adaptation: A New Neuromodulation Protocol for Neurological Deficits?
Authors: Turriziani Patrizia , Chiaramonte Gabriele , Mangano Giuseppa Renata , Bonaventura Rosario Emanuele , Smirni Daniela , Oliveri Massimiliano 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Prism adaptation (PA) has been recently shown to modulate a brain frontal-parieto-temporal network, with an increase of excitation of this network in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the side of prismatic deviation. This effect raises the hypothesis that left prismatic adaptation, modulating the excitability of frontal areas of the left hemisphere, could modulate subjects’ performance on linguistic tasks that map on those areas.To test this hypothesis, sixty-one healthy subjects participated in experiments in which leftward, rightward or no-PA were applied before the execution of a phonological fluency task, i.e. a task with strict left hemispheric lateralization and mapping onto frontal areas.Leftward-PA significantly increased the number of words produced compared with the pre-PA (p = .0017), R-PA (p=.00013) and no-PA (p=.0005) sessions. In contrast, rightward-PA did not significantly modulate phonological fluency compared with the pre-PA (p = .92) and no-PA (p = .99) sessions.The effect of leftward PA on phonological fluency correlated with the magnitude of spatial aftereffect, i.e. the spatial bias towards the side of space opposite to prismatic deviation following prisms removal (r = .51; p = .04).The present findings document for the first time modulation of a language ability following prismatic adaptation. The results could have a huge clinical impact in neurological populations, opening new strategies of intervention for language and executive dysfunctions.
Long-Term Outcomes of Hemostatic Therapy for Gastrointestinal Variceal Bleeding and the Transition of Hemostatic Therapy: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Shibata Kumiko , Yokoyama Keiji , Yamauchi Ryo , Higashi Tomotaka , Kitaguchi Takanori , Uchida Yotaro , Fukuda Hiromi , Tsuchiya Naoaki , Takata Kazuhide , Tanaka Takashi , Morihara Daisuke , Takeyama Yasuaki , Shakado Satoshi , Sakisaka Shotaro , Hirai Fumihito 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal varices are dilated submucosal veins in the gastrointestinal lumen associated with portal hypertension and represent important complications of liver cirrhosis (LC). Gastrointestinal variceal bleeding has serious life-threatening outcomes; although hemostatic therapy is possible in many cases, there are only a few studies reporting the detailed course of patients with variceal bleeding after hemostatic therapy and the transition of hemostatic therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of endoscopic hemostatic therapy for gastrointestinal variceal bleeding and of the transition of hemostatic therapy.METHODS A total of 125 patients who underwent emergency hemostatic therapy for gastrointestinal variceal bleeding between April 2006 and June 2020 were included. Data on the bleeding site, therapeutic method, primary therapeutic success rate, cumulative survival rates, factors associated with prognosis, recurrence rates, re-bleeding rates after treatment, and causes of re-bleeding were analyzed. Additionally, patients were classified into two groups: the previous term and the latter term. Patients’ background, therapeutic method, and treatment results were compared between the groups.RESULTS Overall, 94.4% had cirrhosis. The average Child-Pugh (CP) score (CPS) was 8.90. The rate of successful primary hemostasis was 98.4%, and 5.6% died within two weeks, all with a CPS ≥9. The respective one- and five-year survival rates for CP grade A/B were 81.3% and 55.4%, while those for CP grade C were 58.1% and 17.8%. CP grade C or hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly associated with poor prognosis. In total, 21.6% experienced variceal re-bleeding, and 62.9% of variceal re-bleeding cases were triggered by alcohol consumption. There was no significant difference in survival between patients with and without variceal re-bleeding. There was no significant difference in post-treatment survival between the previous and latter terms. In the latter term, the number of cases caused by alcohol consumption increased.CONCLUSIONS The hemostasis rate for variceal bleeding was high. Multidisciplinary treatment and continuation of proper management after treatment are crucial. Alcohol consumption increased variceal re-bleeding in the post-direct-acting antivirals era.
Simultaneous Removal of SO2 and NOx From Flue Gas by Low-temperature Adsorption Over Activated Carbon
Authors: Wang Shiqing , Fan Qixiang , Xu Shisen , Gao Shiwang , Xiao Ping , Jiang Minhua , Zhao He , Huang Bin , Liu Lianbo , Niu Hongwei , Wang Jinyi , Guo Dongfang 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
An exceptional phenomenon has been observed that nitrogen monoxide can be effectively adsorbed over activated carbon at cold temperatures with the presence of oxygen. Based on this finding, a novel low temperature adsorption process is developed to simultaneously remove SO2 and NOx from flue gas with a target of near-zero emission. In this study, the adsorption characteristics of NO and SO2 over activated carbon at various temperatures (-20, 0, 20 and 80℃) are experimentally investigated. For NO-O2 co-adsorption, NO-NO2 equilibriums with increasing NO2 concentration along the the adsorption bed are established due to the catalytic oxidation of NO over activated carbon. Co-adsorption of NO-NO2 occurs at each cross section of the adsorption bed and the adsorption capability increases along the adsorption bed with increasing NO2 concentrations. The oxidation rate of NO can be significantly enhanced at cold temperatures, which leads to an extraordinary improvement of NO adsorption. At a space velocity of 5000h-1 and an initial NO concentration of 200 ppmv, the breakthrough time increases from 3.49 to 1591.75 minutes when the temperature decreases from 80 to -20℃. In addition, the adsorption capacity of SO2 is also dramatically increased at cold temperatures. At a space velocity of 5000h-1 and an initial SO2 concentration of 1000 ppmv, the breakthrough time increase from 20 to 265 minutes when the temperature decreases from 80 to -20℃. A pilot-scale testing platform with a flue gas flowrate of 3600 Nm3/h is developed to validate this novel adsorption process for simultaneous desulfurization and denitrification. Emission of both SO2 and NOx is less than 1mg/Nm3, and the predicted energy penalty is about 3% of the net generation.