bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improved calculations of electron–ion bremsstrahlung Gaunt factors for astrophysical applications
Authors: Chluba Jens , Ravenni Andrea , Bolliet Boris 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
Electron–ion bremsstrahlung (free–free) emission and absorption occur in many astrophysical plasmas for a wide range of physical conditions. This classical problem has been studied multiple times, and many analytical and numerical approximations exist. However, accurate calculations of the transition from the non-relativistic to the relativistic regime remain sparse. Here we provide a comprehensive study of the free–free Gaunt factors for ions with a low charge (Z ≤ 10). We compute the Gaunt factor using the expressions for the differential cross-section given by Elwert and Haug (EH) and compare to various limiting cases. We develop a new software package, BRpack, for direct numerical applications. This package uses a combination of pre-computed tables and analytical approximations to efficiently cover a wide range of electron and photon energies, providing a representation of the EH Gaunt factor to better than $0.03{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ precision for Z ≤ 2. Our results are compared to those of previous studies highlighting the improvements achieved here. BRpack should be useful in computations of spectral distortions of the cosmic microwave background, radiative transfer problems during reionization or inside galaxy clusters, and the modelling of galactic free–free foregrounds. The developed computational methods can furthermore be extended to higher energies and ion charge.
Anti–PD-L1 antibody direct activation of macrophages contributes to a radiation-induced abscopal response in glioblastoma
Authors: Ene Chibawanye I , Kreuser Shannon A , Jung Miyeon , Zhang Huajia , Arora Sonali , White Moyes Kara , Szulzewsky Frank , Barber Jason , Cimino Patrick J , Wirsching Hans-Georg , Patel Anoop , Kong Paul , Woodiwiss Timothy R , Durfy Sharon J , Houghton A McGarry , Pierce Robert H , Parney Ian F , Crane Courtney A , Holland Eric C 
Published: December 2019

Abstract

Background
Most glioblastomas recur near prior radiation treatment sites. Future clinical success will require achieving and optimizing an “abscopal effect,” whereby unirradiated neoplastic cells outside treatment sites are recognized and attacked by the immune system. Radiation combined with anti–programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) demonstrated modest efficacy in phase II human glioblastoma clinical trials, but the mechanism and relevance of the abscopal effect during this response remain unknown.

Methods
We modified an immune-competent, genetically driven mouse glioma model (forced platelet derived growth factor [PDGF] expression + phosphatase and tensin homolog loss) where a portion of the tumor burden is irradiated (PDGF) and another unirradiated luciferase-expressing tumor (PDGF + luciferase) is used as a readout of the abscopal effect following systemic anti–PD-L1 immunotherapy. We assessed relevance of tumor neoepitope during the abscopal response by inducing expression of epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) (PDGF + EGFRvIII). Statistical tests were two-sided.

Results
Following radiation of one lesion, anti–PD-L1 immunotherapy enhanced the abscopal response to the unirradiated lesion. In PDGF-driven gliomas without tumor neoepitope (PDGF + luciferase, n = 8), the abscopal response occurred via anti–PD-L1 driven, extracellular signal-regulated kinase–mediated, bone marrow–derived macrophage phagocytosis of adjacent unirradiated tumor cells, with modest survival implications (median survival 41 days vs radiation alone 37.5 days, P = 0.03). In PDGF-driven gliomas with tumor neoepitope (PDGF + EGFRvIII, n = 8), anti–PD-L1 enhanced abscopal response was associated with macrophage and T-cell infiltration and increased survival benefit (median survival 36 days vs radiation alone 28 days, P = 0.001).

Conclusion
Our results indicate that anti–PD-L1 immunotherapy enhances a radiation- induced abscopal response via canonical T-cell activation and direct macrophage activation in glioblastoma.
Radiosensitizers in the temozolomide era for newly diagnosed glioblastoma
Authors: Mathen Peter , Rowe Lindsay , Mackey Megan , Smart DeeDee , Tofilon Philip , Camphausen Kevin 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is a challenging diagnosis with almost universally poor prognosis. Though the survival advantage of postoperative radiation (RT) is well established, around 90% of patients will fail in the RT field. The high likelihood of local failure suggests the efficacy of RT needs to be improved to improve clinical outcomes. Radiosensitizers are an established method of enhancing RT cell killing through the addition of a pharmaceutical agent. Though the majority of trials using radiosensitizers have historically been unsuccessful, there continues to be interest with a variety of approaches having been employed. Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, histone deacetylase inhibitors, antiangiogenic agents, and a number of other molecularly targeted agents have all been investigated as potential methods of radiosensitization in the temozolomide era. Outcomes have varied both in terms of toxicity and survival, but some agents such as valproic acid and bortezomib have demonstrated promising results. However, reporting of results in phase 2 trials in newly diagnosed GBM have been inconsistent, with no standard in reporting progression-free survival and toxicity. There is a pressing need for investigation of new agents; however, nearly all phase 3 trials of GBM patients of the past 25 years have demonstrated no improvement in outcomes. One proposed explanation for this is the selection of agents lacking sufficient preclinical data and/or based on poorly designed phase 2 trials. Radiosensitization may represent a viable strategy for improving GBM outcomes in newly diagnosed patients, and further investigation using agents with promising phase 2 data is warranted.
The painful truth: work-related musculoskeletal disorders in Australian surgeons
Authors: Grant K M K , Vo T , Tiong L U 
Published: December 2019

Abstract

Background
Work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMD) is a collective term for preventable work-related disorders that cause musculoskeletal symptoms. The growing prevalence of these disorders amongst surgeons has been labelled an ‘impending epidemic’ and currently there is a lack of awareness and no existing intervention programme.

Aims
To estimate prevalence and identify risk factors for developing work related neck, shoulder and upper back pain in surgeons.

Methods
Cross-sectional questionnaire survey of surgeons and surgical trainees across Australia. We collected data on demographics, nature of regular operative work, hours working/operating per week, and prevalence and severity of musculoskeletal disorders based on the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire [1]. We assessed associations between categorical predictors and pain over 7 days and 12 months using Pearson’s chi-square test. We assessed associations involving continuous variables using Student’s t-test. Tests were two-tailed and assessed at the 5% alpha level.

Results
From ~2058 recipients, 329 (16%) responded; 137 (42%) surgeons reported shoulder, neck or upper back pain in a 7-day period, 245 (75%) reported pain and 101 (31%) had pain preventing normal work in a 12-month period. Significant predictors of increased prevalence included female sex (P &lt; 0.001), decreasing age (P &lt; 0.01) and fewer years working (P &lt; 0.01). Body mass index (BMI) and mode of practise did not significantly affect prevalence of WRMDs.

Conclusions
The prevalence of WRMDs amongst surgeons is high, females and younger surgeons reporting increased rates. There is a need to build awareness and educate surgical trainees about WRMDs.
Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Lumbar Medial Branch Thermal Radiofrequency Neurotomy, Stratified for Diagnostic Methods and Procedural Technique
Authors: Schneider Byron J , Doan Lisa , Maes Marc K , Martinez Kevin R , Gonzalez Cota Alan , Bogduk Nikolai ,   on behalf of the Standards Division of the Spine Intervention Society
Published: December 2019

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the effectiveness of lumbar medial branch thermal radiofrequency neurotomy based on different selection criteria and procedural techniques.DesignComprehensive systematic review.MethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted, and all authors screened and evaluated the studies. The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system was used to assess all eligible studies.Outcome MeasuresThe primary outcome measure assessed was the success rate of the procedure, defined by varying degrees of pain relief following neurotomy. Data are stratified by number of diagnostic blocks and degree of pain relief, as well as procedural technique with perpendicular or parallel placement of electrodes.ResultsResults varied by selection criteria and procedural technique. At six months, 26% of patients selected via single medial branch block with 50% pain relief and treated via perpendicular technique achieved at least 50% pain relief; 49% of patients selected via dual medial branch blocks with 50% pain relief and treated via parallel technique achieved at least 50% pain relief. The most rigorous patient selection and technique—two diagnostic medial branch blocks with 100% pain relief and parallel electrode placement—resulted in 56% of patients experiencing 100% relief of pain at six months.ConclusionsThis comprehensive systematic review found differences in the effectiveness of lumbar medial branch radiofrequency neurotomy when studies were stratified by patient selection criteria and procedural technique. The best outcomes are achieved when patients are selected based on high degrees of pain relief from dual medial branch blocks with a technique employing parallel electrode placement.
The Debt Burden of Entry-Level Physical Therapists
Authors: Ambler Steven B 
Published: December 2019

Abstract

Background
The growing student debt of physical therapists entering the workforce, coupled with the growth in projected need, raises concerns about where and how entry-level physical therapists will practice and if these choices will be affected by their debt burden.

Objective
The purpose of this study was to identify the debt profile of entry-level physical therapists and explore relationships between student debt and clinical practice setting choices.

Methods
This study utilized a cross-sectional survey design to identify debt profiles and explore relationships between student debt and the clinical practice choices of entry-level physical therapists.

Results
The mean debt-to-income ratio based on the total reported educational debt was 197% (93%). The most frequently reported debt range for doctor of physical therapy (DPT) debt and total educational debt was $100,000 to $124,999. Despite the setting itself being rated as the most important factor (83%), 28% of participants reported debt as a barrier to their desired practice setting. In addition, when considering job choice overall, 57% of the participants reported that their student debt has had an effect on their decision.

Limitations
This study is limited by its small sample size, originating from 1 state, and being taken by convenience from a special interest group. Data were collected via an anonymous survey, which increases the risk of selection bias. In addition, there are further personal, family, and institutional characteristics that were not collected in this study, which may influence the interaction between student debt and clinical practice choices.

Conclusion
The results of this study suggest that practice setting choice may be affected by physical therapist student debt, and student debt may be a barrier overall to practice and career choices in physical therapy.
Determinants of Public Attitudes Towards Immigrants: Evidence from Arab Barometer
Authors: Ceyhun Hüseyin Emre 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
What factors determine public opinion towards immigrants? This inquiry is especially crucial in the context of developing countries since they hold 80 per cent of global refugee populations. Lebanon, with the burden on its shoulders due to hosting about one million Syrians, offers a unique case to study the mechanisms driving the formation of attitudes towards immigrants. In this article, I examine how Syrian density is associated with Lebanese attitudes towards immigrants. Using Arab Barometer Wave IV data (2016), I test three arguments linking public attitudes to natives’ economic, security, and sectarian concerns. My analysis suggests that there is no relationship between employment status and negative attitudes towards immigrants. Instead, I argue that perceived economic situation and sense of security provide better mechanisms for the formation of natives’ attitudes towards immigrants. Moreover, I present the observational evidence that Lebanese attitudes towards immigrants are driven by one’s sectarian affiliation. Notably, Christians are more likely to adopt positive attitudes towards immigrants as Syrian density increases, compared with Shi’as more likely to cite prejudice.
Application of a sequence-based taxonomic classification method to uncultured and unclassified marine single-stranded RNA viruses in the order Picornavirales
Authors: Vlok Marli , Lang Andrew S , Suttle Curtis A 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Metagenomics has altered our understanding of microbial diversity and ecology. This includes its applications to viruses in marine environments that have demonstrated their enormous diversity. Within these are RNA viruses, many of which share genetic features with members of the order Picornavirales; yet, very few of these have been taxonomically classified. The only recognized family of marine RNA viruses is the Marnaviridae, which was founded based on discovery and characterization of the species Heterosigma akashiwo RNA virus. Two additional genera of marine RNA viruses, Labyrnavirus (one species) and Bacillarnavirus (three species), were subsequently defined within the order Picornavirales but not assigned to a family. We have defined a sequence-based framework for taxonomic classification of twenty marine RNA viruses into the family Marnaviridae. Using RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) phylogeny and distance-based analyses, we assigned the genera Labyrnavirus and Bacillarnavirus to the family Marnaviridae and created four additional genera in the family: Locarnavirus (four species), Kusarnavirus (one species), Salisharnavirus (four species) and Sogarnavirus (six species). We used pairwise capsid protein comparisons to delineate species within families, with 75 per cent identity as the species demarcation threshold. The family displays high sequence diversities and Jukes–Cantor distances for both the RdRp and capsid genes, suggesting that the classified viruses are not representative of all of the virus diversity within the family and that there are many more extant taxa. Our proposed taxonomic framework provides a sound classification system for this group of viruses that will have broadly applicable principles for other viral groups. It is based on sequence data alone and provides a robust taxonomic framework to include viruses discovered via metagenomic studies, thereby greatly expanding the realm of viruses subject to taxonomic classification.
Defective sarcomere organization and reduced larval locomotion and fish survival in slow muscle heavy chain 1 (smyhc1) mutants
Authors: Li Siping , Wen Haishen , Du Shaojun 
Published: December 2019

AbstractZebrafish skeletal muscles are broadly divided into slow‐twitch and fast‐twitch muscle fibers. The slow fibers, which express a slow fiber‐specific myosin heavy chain 1 (Smyhc1), are the first group of muscle fibers formed during myogenesis. To uncover Smyhc1 function in muscle growth, we generated three mutant alleles with reading frame shift mutations in the zebrafish smyhc1 gene using CRISPR. The mutants showed shortened sarcomeres with no thick filaments and M‐lines in slow fibers of the mutant embryos. However, the formation of slow muscle precursors and expression of other slow muscle genes were not affected and fast muscles appeared normal. The smyhc1 mutant embryos and larvae showed reduced locomotion and food intake. The mutant larvae exhibited increased lethality of incomplete penetrance. Approximately 2/5 of the homozygous mutants were viable and grew into reproductive adults. These adult mutants displayed a typical pattern of slow and fast muscle fiber distribution, and regained normal slow muscle formation. Together, our studies indicate that Smyhc1 is essential for myogenesis in embryonic slow muscles, and loss of Smyhc1 results in defective sarcomere assembly, reduces larval motility and fish survival, but has no visible impact on muscle growth in juvenile and adult zebrafish that escape the larval lethality.
Exercise twice‐a‐day potentiates markers of mitochondrial biogenesis in men
Authors: Andrade‐Souza Victor Amorim , Ghiarone Thaysa , Sansonio Andre , Santos Silva Kleiton Augusto , Tomazini Fabiano , Arcoverde Lucyana , Fyfe Jackson , Perri Enrico , Saner Nicholas , Kuang Jujiao , Bertuzzi Romulo , Leandro Carol Gois , Bishop David John , Lima‐Silva Adriano Eduardo 
Published: December 2019

AbstractEndurance exercise begun with reduced muscle glycogen stores seems to potentiate skeletal muscle protein abundance and gene expression. However, it is unknown whether this greater signaling responses is due to performing two exercise sessions in close proximity—as a first exercise session is necessary to reduce the muscle glycogen stores. In the present study, we manipulated the recovery duration between a first muscle glycogen‐depleting exercise and a second exercise session, such that the second exercise session started with reduced muscle glycogen in both approaches but was performed either 2 or 15 hours after the first exercise session (so‐called “twice‐a‐day” and “once‐daily” approaches, respectively). We found that exercise twice‐a‐day increased the nuclear abundance of transcription factor EB (TFEB) and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and potentiated the transcription of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐ɣ coactivator 1‐alpha (PGC‐1α), peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐alpha (PPARα), and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor beta/delta (PPARβ/δ) genes, in comparison with the once‐daily exercise. These results suggest that part of the elevated molecular signaling reported with previous “train‐low” approaches might be attributed to performing two exercise sessions in close proximity. The twice‐a‐day approach might be an effective strategy to induce adaptations related to mitochondrial biogenesis and fat oxidation.
Ascidian caveolin induces membrane curvature and protects tissue integrity and morphology during embryogenesis
Authors: Bhattachan Punit , Rae James , Yu Haiyan , Jung WooRam , Wei Jiankai , Parton Robert G. , Dong Bo 
Published: December 2019

AbstractCell morphology and tissue integrity are essential for embryogenesis. Caveolins are membrane proteins that induce the formation of surface pits called caveolae that serve as membrane reservoirs for cell and tissue protection during development. In vertebrates, caveolin 1 (Cav1) and caveolin 3 (Cav3) are required for caveola formation. However, the formation of caveola and the function of caveolins in invertebrates are largely unknown. In this study, three caveolins, Cav‐a, Cav‐b, and CavY, are identified in the genome of the invertebrate chordate Ciona spp. Based on phylogenetic analysis, Cav‐a is found to be closely related to the vertebrate Cav1 and Cav3. In situ hybridization shows that Cav‐a is expressed in Ciona embryonic notochord and muscle. Cell‐free experiments, model cell culture systems, and in vivo experiments demonstrate that Ciona Cav‐a has the ability to induce membrane curvature at the plasma membrane. Knockdown of Cav‐a in Ciona embryos causes loss of invaginations in the plasma membrane and results in the failure of notochord elongation and lumenogenesis. Expression of a dominant‐negative Cav‐a point mutation causes cells to change shape and become displaced from the muscle and notochord to disrupt tissue integrity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Cav‐a vesicles show polarized trafficking and localize at the luminal membrane during notochord lumenogenesis. Taken together, these results show that the invertebrate chordate caveolin from Ciona plays crucial roles in tissue integrity and morphology by inducing membrane curvature and intracellular vesicle trafficking during embryogenesis.
Outside‐in regulation of the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles by α2δ‐1
Authors: Martínez San Segundo Pablo , Terni Beatrice , Burgueño Javier , Monroy Xavier , Dordal Albert , Merlos Manuel , Llobet Artur 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe readily releasable pool (RRP) of synaptic vesicles is a key determinant of phasic neurotransmission. Although the size of the RRP is tightly regulated by intracellular factors, there is little evidence for its modification by extracellular signals. By studying the homogeneous population of synapses present in autaptic microcultures, we show that pregabalin, a prototypical gabapentinoid, decreases the effective RRP size. Simultaneous imaging of presynaptic calcium influx and recording of postsynaptic responses shows that the effect is not related to a reduction of calcium entry. The main cause is the impairment of the functional coupling among N‐type calcium channels and the RRP, resembling an increase of intracellular mobile calcium buffers. The ectodomain of neurexin‐1α shows a similar action to pregabalin, acting as an endogenous ligand of α2δ‐1 that reduces the RRP size without affecting presynaptic calcium influx. The regulatory actions described for pregabalin and the ectodomain of neurexin‐1α are mutually exclusive. The overexpression of α2δ‐1 enhances the effect of pregabalin and the ectodomain of neurexin‐1α on neurotransmission by decreasing their effective concentration. In contrast, knockdown of α2δ‐1 causes a profound inhibition of synaptic transmission. These observations prompt to consider α2δ‐1 as an outside‐in signaling platform that binds exogenous and endogenous cues for regulating the coupling of voltage‐gated calcium channels to synaptic vesicles.