bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine and Hearing Loss: A Study in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients
Authors: Polanski Jose F. , Tanaka Eloise A. , Barros Harymy , Chuchene Adriana G. , Miguel Patricia T. G. , Skare Thelma L. 
Published: June 2020

Objectives/HypothesisAntimalarial drugs (chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine) are widely used for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, these drugs may have side effects such as hearing loss. This study aimed to describe the hearing function in SLE patients using antimalarials. Secondarily, this study aimed to investigate whether SLE causes hearing loss and if there are any serological or clinical aspects of this diseases associated with inner ear damage.Study DesignCross‐sectional study.MethodsThis study included 84 individuals (43 SLE patients and 41 controls) with audiometry and tympanometry tests. Epidemiological, clinical, serological, and treatment profiles of SLE patients were extracted from the charts.ResultsSLE patients had more sensorineural hearing loss than controls (23.2% vs. 0; P = .001). Pure‐tone averages in SLE patients using antimalarials and not using antimalarials were similar (8.75 vs. 8.75; P = .63). At 8,000 Hz, antimalarial dug nonusers performed worse than users (10.00 vs. 22.50; P = .03). Tympanometry was normal in all participants. SLE serological and clinical profiles in patients with and without hearing loss were the same (all P = nonsignificant).ConclusionsThere is a high prevalence of hearing loss in SLE that is not affected by antimalarial drug use.Level of Evidence3b Laryngoscope, 131:E957–E960, 2021
Where are mines located insub SaharanAfrica and how have they expanded overtime?
Authors: Ahmed Abdulkareem I. , Bryant Robert G. , Edwards David P. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractMining is a multi‐billion‐dollar industry spanning major to artisanal and small‐scale mines, with diverse local to regional socio‐economic and environmental impacts. Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) has large deposits of minerals, which has made it a global epicenter for investors in the extractive industries. Here, we identified and mapped 469 company‐owned and community‐managed mines across SSA, most of which are formal, to explore their distribution and areal extents and understand the potential threats they pose to conservation. The dominant eight commodities in SSA are gold, copper, iron, limestone, uranium, diamond, bauxite and petroleum, making up 405 mines and occupying 85% of the 3,055 km2total areal extent. Mining significantly expanded between 2000 and 2018, with 260 (58%) new mines created and major expansion of many older mines. Hotspots of mining activity are apparent in the copper‐belt of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, Ghana and the Niger‐Delta region of Nigeria. These mining 'hotspots' are distributed in close proximity to regions of high carbon stocks and value to biodiversity conservation, with the areal extent of mines more than doubling between 2000 and 2018 to 1,192 km2within 10 km of a protected area, suggesting susceptibility to deforestation and other environmental consequences. The identification of mines and their changing spatial extent is imperative for monitoring future encroachments in SSA and to conservation and habitat recovery. Furthermore, Africa needs to introduce sustainable mineral development policies to safeguard and protect its forests, especially reducing the frequency of protected area downgrading, downsizing and degazettement events.
Polyhydroxymethylenes as Multifunctional High Molecular Weight Sugar Alcohols Tailored for 3D Printing and Medical Applications
Authors: Stolz Benjamin , Mönkemeyer Florian , Mader Markus , Schmidt Stanislaus , Volk Lukas , Steinberg Thorsten , Bruchmann Bernd , Mülhaupt Rolf 
Published: June 2020

AbstractCommon sugar alcohols used as artificial sweeteners and components of polymer networks represent low molecular weight polyhydroxymethylenes (PHMs) with the general formula [CH(OH)]nH2 but very low degree of polymerization (n = 2–6). Herein high molecular weight PHM (n >> 100) unparalleled in nature is tailored for 3D printing and medical applications by free radical polymerization of 1,3‐dioxol‐2‐one vinylene carbonate to produce polyvinylene carbonate (PVCA) which yields PHM by hydrolysis. Furthermore, PVCA is solution processable and enables PHM functionalization, membrane formation, and extrusion‐based 3D printing. Opposite to cellulose, amorphous PHM is plasticized by water and is readily functionalized via PVCA aminolysis/hydrolysis to produce polyhydroxymethylene urethane (PHMU), enable PHM crosslinking and coupling of PHM with amine‐functional components like gelatin. After hydrolysis/aminolysis the original PVCA shapes are retained. PVCA solution casting yields PVCA and PHM which exhibits uniform and hierarchic pore architectures. Asymmetric membranes, hydrogels, PHM/collagen blends, and electrospun nonwovens of PVCA, PHM, and PHMU are readily tailored for medical applications. 3D printing of PVCA dispersions containing hydroxyapatite affords porous PVCA, PHMU, and PHM scaffolds useful in regenerative medicine. PHM and functionalized PHMs as carbohydrate‐inspired multifunctional materials indicate in vitro biocompatibility and hold great promise for applications in medicine and health care.
A Korean child diagnosed with malonic aciduria harboring a novel start codon mutation following presentation with dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Lee Seung Hoon , Ko Jung Min , Song Mi‐Kyoung , Song Junghan , Park Kyung Sun 
Published: June 2020

AbstractBackgroundMalonic aciduria (MA, OMIM#248360) is an extremely rare inherited metabolic disorder caused by the deficiency of malonyl‐CoA decarboxylase. The phenotype exhibited by patients with MA is variable, but may include symptoms, such as developmental delay in early childhood, seizures, vomiting, metabolic acidosis, hypoglycemia, ketosis, and cardiomyopathy. We describe the first case of a Korean child with MA who presented with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP) at the age of 3 months.Methods and ResultsA 3‐month‐old Korean boy visited our hospital for diagnosis and management of cardiomegaly. Newborn screening for inherited metabolic diseases showed a normal result; therefore, DCMP management was initiated. Biochemical and the MLYCD gene analyses subsequently confirmed diagnosis of MA. Elevated plasma C3DC level and excessive excretion of urinary malonate were observed, and two pathogenic variants, including a novel start codon mutation (c.1A>G), were identified in MLYCD. A low long‐chain fat diet with middle‐chain triglyceride formula and L‐carnitine supplementation was initiated. The patient is now 5 years old and exhibits considerably improved cardiac function.ConclusionsMA can be diagnosed using newborn screening; however, negative results do not exclude the possibility of disease. Metabolic screening for differential diagnosis of infantile DCMP is recommended to rule out rare, but manageable, metabolic cardiomyopathies.
Nonuniformly sampled exclusively‐13C/15N 4D solid‐state NMR experiments: Assignment and characterization of IKe phage capsid
Authors: Porat Gal , Lusky Orr Simon , Dayan Nir , Goldbourt Amir 
Published: June 2020

AbstractAn important step in the process of protein research by NMR is the assignment of chemical shifts. In the coat protein of IKe bacteriophage, there are 53 residues making up a long helix resulting in relatively high spectral ambiguity. Assignment thus requires the collection of a set of three‐dimensional (3D) experiments and the preparation of sparsely labeled samples. Increasing the dimensionality can facilitate fast and reliable assignment of IKe and of larger proteins. Recent progress in nonuniform sampling techniques made the application of multidimensional NMR solid‐state experiments beyond 3D more practical. 4D 1H‐detected experiments have been demonstrated in high‐fields and at spinning speeds of 60 kHz and higher but are not practical at spinning speeds of 10–20 kHz for fully protonated proteins. Here, we demonstrate the applicability of a nonuniformly sampled 4D 13C/15N‐only correlation experiment performed at a moderate field of 14.1 T, which can incorporate sufficiently long acquisition periods in all dimensions. We show how a single CANCOCX experiment, supported by several 2D carbon‐based correlation experiments, is utilized for the assignment of heteronuclei in the coat protein of the IKe bacteriophage. One sparsely labeled sample was used to validate sidechain assignment of several hydrophobic‐residue sidechains. A comparison to solution NMR studies of isolated IKe coat proteins embedded in micelles points to key residues involved in structural rearrangement of the capsid upon assembly of the virus. The benefits of 4D to a quicker assignment are discussed, and the method may prove useful for studying proteins at relatively low fields.
Three‐dimensional inhomogeneous magnetization transfer with rapid gradient‐echo (3D ihMTRAGE) imaging
Authors: Varma Gopal , Munsch Fanny , Burns Brian , Duhamel Guillaume , Girard Olivier M. , Guidon Arnaud , Lebel R. Marc , Alsop David C. 
Published: June 2020

PurposeTo demonstrate the feasibility of integrating the magnetization transfer (MT) preparations required for inhomogeneous MT (ihMT) within an MPRAGE‐style acquisition. Such a sequence allows for reduced power deposition and easy inclusion of other modules.MethodsAn ihMT MPRAGE–style sequence (ihMTRAGE) was initially simulated to investigate acquisition of the 3D ihMT data sequentially, or in an interleaved manner. The ihMTRAGE sequence was implemented on a 3T clinical scanner to acquire ihMT data from the brain and spine.ResultsBoth simulations and in vivo data provided an ihMT signal that was significantly greater using a sequential ihMTRAGE acquisition, compared with an interleaved implementation. Comparison with a steady‐state ihMT acquisition (defined as having one MT RF pulse between successive acquisition modules) demonstrated how ihMTRAGE allows for a reduction in average power deposition, or greater ihMT signal at equal average power deposition. Inclusion of a prospective motion‐correction module did not significantly affect the ihMT signal obtained from regions of interest in the brain. The ihMTRAGE acquisition allowed combination with a spatial saturation module to reduce phase wrap artifacts in a cervical spinal cord acquisition.ConclusionsUse of preparations necessary for ihMT experiments within an MPRAGE‐style sequence provides a useful alternative for acquiring 3D ihMT data. Compared with our steady‐state implementation, ihMTRAGE provided reduced power deposition, while allowing use of the maximum intensity from off‐resonance RF pulses. The 3D ihMTRAGE acquisition allowed combination of other modules with the preparation necessary for ihMT experiments, specifically motion compensation and spatial saturation modules.
Memantine misuse and social networks: A content analysis of Internet self‐reports
Authors: Natter Johan , Michel Bruno 
Published: June 2020

AbstractPurposeMemantine is a N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist currently used for moderate‐to‐severe Alzheimer's disease. Although the risk of memantine abuse is very low, other NMDA receptor antagonists, such as phencyclidine and ketamine, are well known to drug users. The purpose of this study was to collect data on social networks in order to identify unexpected forms of memantine abuse.MethodA Google Trends search was used to highlight reddit.com as a major source of social discussions about memantine. Self‐reported users experiences posted on reddit.com were recorded and sorted using representative keywords.ResultsFrom 2010 to November 2019, 307 topics citing memantine were identified on reddit.com and 136 users experiences extracted from the topics were recorded. The main use identified was “self‐medication” based on off‐label uses of memantine such as anxiety, depression, attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder, or obsessive‐compulsive disorder (n = 87 reports), followed by nootropic (42) and recreational (39) uses. The average reported doses for acute and chronic uses were 156 ± 110 mg and 23 ± 24 mg respectively. For chronic use, the average duration was 15 ± 29 weeks. Most chronic users (77 out of 100) reported at least one side effect.ConclusionMemantine misuse seems to be a growing phenomenon. Beyond expected use for recreational purpose; the main uses identified on reddit.com were not reported in the medical literature. Off‐label uses and nootropic purposes seemed to be key features of memantine misuse.
Solvent inhibition profiles and inverse solvent isotope effects for enzymatic methyl transfer catalyzed by nicotinamideN‐methyltransferase
Authors: Li Yuping , Zhang Yali , Cheng Yiting , Du Tianshu , Zhang Jianyu 
Published: June 2020

AbstractNicotinamideN‐methyltransferase (NNMT) catalyzes the methyl transfer from universal methyl donor S‐adenosyl methionine (SAM) to nicotinamide (NA) to form theN‐methylnicotinamide. This important process is related to the level of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) in vivo; thus, NNMT is regarded as an important drug target linked with various diseases. Although NNMT has been extensively studied in the area of biology and medicine, the detailed mechanism of NNMT is still not clear, especially in the aspect of the role of solvents (water) in the enzyme catalysis. Here, we have examined the effects of three common organic solvents (dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO], methanol, and acetonitrile) and deuterated water to explore the enzymatic methyl transfer activity by NNMT (wild type [WT]) and its mutants. Competitive inhibition was detected for DMSO and acetonitrile as the solvent, and a subtle inhibitory effect was observed with methanol. Molecular docking suggested DMSO and acetonitrile compete with both cofactor and substrate. However, methanol is mainly bound to compete for the substrate. Furthermore, the activity increased when deuterated water was substituted for water with an inverse solvent isotope effectD2Okcat/Km= 0.49 ± 0.17 for WT andD2Okcat/Km= 0.32 ± 0.08 for Y20F. These effects in this enzymatic methyl transfer system without any metal ion or acid/base catalysis were due to the stabilization of protein provided by deuterated water.
Population Pharmacokinetics and Exposure–Response of Luspatercept, an Erythroid Maturation Agent, in Anemic Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Authors: Chen Nianhang , Kassir Nastya , Laadem Abderrahmane , Maxwell Stephen E. , Sriraman Priya , Giuseppi Ana Carolina , Ritland Steve , Linde Peter G. , Budda Balasubrahmanyam , Reynolds Joseph G. , Zhou Simon , Palmisano Maria 
Published: June 2020

Luspatercept is a recombinant fusion protein that enhances late‐stage erythroid maturation. This report describes the population pharmacokinetics and exposure–response relationship of luspatercept in 260 patients with anemia due to myelodysplastic syndromes. Luspatercept displayed linear and time‐invariant pharmacokinetics over a dose range of 0.125–1.75 mg/kg administered subcutaneously once every 3 weeks. Body weight was the only clinically relevant covariate of luspatercept exposure, supporting the weight‐based dosing. The probability of achieving transfusion independence ≥ 8 weeks increased with time‐averaged luspatercept serum exposure, reaching the plateau at doses 1.0–1.75 mg/kg. The probability of achieving multiple efficacy end points increased with slower luspatercept clearance, independent of effects of luspatercept exposure or disease characteristics. The probability of experiencing severe treatment‐emergent adverse events decreased with increasing luspatercept exposure, especially during long‐term treatment. These results provide a positive benefit–risk profile for the titration‐to‐response dose regimen (1.0–1.75 mg/kg) recommended for this population.
Data fusion analysis for attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder emotion recognition with thermal image and Internet of Things devices
Authors: Lai Ying Hsun , Chang Yao Chung , Tsai Chia Wei , Lin Chih Hsun , Chen Mu Yen 
Published: June 2020

SummaryAttention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a symptom of behavioral or emotional problems as these problems affect children's learning and social integration. With the advancements in the Internet of Things (IoTs), emotions can be detected through image and physiological data. However, some critical ADHD children are often accompanied by the inability to control their body and even facial expressions, making emotion recognition technologies difficult to develop successfully. This study aims to predict the emotions of ADHD children and to address their emotional problems with related IoT robotic devices. Data fusion analysis technology for facial expressions was used to combine thermal images and recognition data, while deep reinforcement learning technology was used to periodically stream information for ADHD students, in alignment with intervention strategies that were designed to address behavioral problems.
Acceleration of an Enzymatic Reaction in Liquid Phase Separated Compartments Based on Intrinsically Disordered Protein Domains
Authors: Küffner Andreas M. , Prodan Marc , Zuccarini Remo , Capasso Palmiero Umberto , Faltova Lenka , Arosio Paolo 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe front cover artwork is provided by the Arosio Lab at ETH Zurich. The image shows liquid phase separated droplets that are based on biologically inspired intrinsically disordered proteins and act as microreactors for enhanced enzymatic reactions. Read the full text of the Article at 10.1002/syst.202000001.
Sensitivity of Thin Film Magnetoimpedance Sensor in 0.3 T Surface Normal Magnetic Field
Authors: Nakai Tomoo 
Published: June 2020

Detection of foreign matters and nanoparticles included in industrial and chemical products is an important application target for a sensor system. There is a need to detect a small piece of steel tool chipping or breakage included in the products nondestructively. A recent improvement of the manufacturing system strongly required an inspection of all items in every production process to realize the smart manufacturing system. A thin‐film magnetic field sensor is an impressive candidate for this target as it has an extremely high sensitivity, especially because it is driven by alternating current around hundreds of MHz, and it is also tolerant to a surface normal magnetic field due to its demagnetizing force in the thickness direction. In this study, the sensitivity of a sensor system that was created by applying a 0.3 T normal field to the detection area included in a sensor element and also by using a 400‐MHz high‐frequency driven thin‐film magnetoimpedance sensor was evaluated. An observation of the magnetic domain was also carried out at the same time as the sensitivity evaluation. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Combined Partial Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Garner Amy , Cobb Justin 
Published: June 2020

AbstractArthrosis commonly affects a single compartment of the knee, but may present with two or even three compartments affected. Wear to the medial tibiofemoral compartment is ten times more common than that in the lateral tibiofemoral compartment; primary patellofemoral joint (PFJ) arthrosis is least common [1, 2]. Bicompartmental disease is present in 59% of those with gonarthrosis [3]. In one study, 40% of patients over 50 years old with knee pain had radiographic evidence of combined medial compartment and PFJ wear, 24% had isolated PFJ arthrosis, whilst only 4% had isolated tibiofemoral arthrosis [4]. Degeneration of all three compartments simultaneously is rare [2]. Consequently, removal of healthy tissue in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is common. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is present in 78% of cases of patients undergoing primary knee replacement [5]. The fundamental role of the ACL in knee stability and functional gait is well described [6]; however, regardless of its functional integrity, it is resected in almost all TKAs.
A Discrete Version of Plane Wave Solutions of the Dirac Equation in the Joyce Form
Authors: Sushch Volodymyr 
Published: June 2020

AbstractWe construct a discrete version of the plane wave solution to a discrete Dirac-Kähler equation in the Joyce form. A geometric discretisation scheme based on both forward and backward difference operators is used. The conditions under which a discrete plane wave solution satisfies a discrete Joyce equation are discussed.
Genomic prediction across years in a maize doubled haploid breeding program to accelerate early-stage testcross testing
Authors: Wang Nan , Wang Hui , Zhang Ao , Liu Yubo , Yu Diansi , Hao Zhuanfang , Ilut Dan , Glaubitz Jeffrey C. , Gao Yanxin , Jones Elizabeth , Olsen Michael , Li Xinhai , San Vicente Felix , Prasanna Boddupalli M. , Crossa Jose , Pérez-Rodríguez Paulino , Zhang Xuecai 
Published: June 2020

AbstractKey messageGenomic selection with a multiple-year training population dataset could accelerate early-stage testcross testing by skipping the first-stage yield testing, which significantly saves the time and cost of early-stage testcross testing.AbstractWith the development of doubled haploid (DH) technology, the main task for a maize breeder is to estimate the breeding values of thousands of DH lines annually. In early-stage testcross testing, genomic selection (GS) offers the opportunity of replacing expensive multiple-environment phenotyping and phenotypic selection with lower-cost genotyping and genomic estimated breeding value (GEBV)-based selection. In the present study, a total of 1528 maize DH lines, phenotyped in multiple-environment trials in three consecutive years and genotyped with a low-cost per-sample genotyping platform of rAmpSeq, were used to explore how to implement GS to accelerate early-stage testcross testing. Results showed that the average prediction accuracy estimated from the cross-validation schemes was above 0.60 across all the scenarios. The average prediction accuracies estimated from the independent validation schemes ranged from 0.23 to 0.32 across all the scenarios, when the one-year datasets were used as training population (TRN) to predict the other year data as testing population (TST). The average prediction accuracies increased to a range from 0.31 to 0.42 across all the scenarios, when the two-years datasets were used as TRN. The prediction accuracies increased to a range from 0.50 to 0.56, when the TRN consisted of two-years of breeding data and 50% of third year’s data converted from TST to TRN. This information showed that GS with a multiple-year TRN set offers the opportunity to accelerate early-stage testcross testing by skipping the first-stage yield testing, which significantly saves the time and cost of early-stage testcross testing.