bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Compliance with aspirin in paediatric CHD post-percutaneous transcatheter occlusion: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Song Qing-Qing , Zhu Li-Hui , Chen Ou-Ying , Xiao Zhi-Rong , Chen Zhi , Xiao Yun-Bin , Meng Jian-Chao , Zuo Chao , Latour Jos M. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractBackground:Predictors of compliance with aspirin in children following cardiac catheterisation have not been identified. The aim of this study is to identify the caregivers’ knowledge, compliance with aspirin medication, and predictors of compliance with aspirin in children with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) post-percutaneous transcatheter occlusion.Methods:A cross-sectional explorative design was adopted using a self-administered questionnaire and conducted between May 2017 and May 2018. Recruited were 220 caregivers of children with CHD post-percutaneous transcatheter occlusion. Questionnaires included child and caregivers’ characteristics, a self-designed and tested knowledge about aspirin scale (scoring scale 0–2), and the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (scoring scale 0–8). Data were analysed using multivariate binary logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of compliance with aspirin.Results:Of the 220 eligible children and caregivers, 210 (95.5%) responded and 209 surveys were included in the analysis. The mean score of knowledge was 7.25 (standard deviation 2.27). The mean score of compliance was 5.65 (standard deviation 1.36). Child’s age, length of aspirin use, health insurance policies, relationship to child, monthly income, and knowledge about aspirin of caregivers were independent predictors of compliance with aspirin (p < 0.05).Conclusion:Caregivers of children with CHD had an adequate level of knowledge about aspirin. Compliance to aspirin medication reported by caregivers was low. Predictors of medium to high compliance with aspirin were related to the child’s age and socio-economic reasons. Further studies are needed to identify effective strategies to improve knowledge, compliance with medication, and long-term outcomes of children with CHD.
Perioperative complications in a paediatric cardiac surgery program with limited systemic resources
Authors: Polivenok Igor V. , Novick William M. , Pyetkov Aleksander V. , Cardarelli Marcelo 
Published: September 2020

AbstractBackground:The perioperative complications rate in paediatric cardiac surgery, as well as the failure-to-rescue impact, is less known in low- and middle-income countries.Aim:To evaluate perioperative complications rate, mortality related to complications, different patients’ demographics, and procedural risk factors for perioperative complication and post-operative death.Methods:Risk factors for perioperative complications and operative mortality were assessed in a retrospective single-centre study which included 296 consecutive children undergoing cardiac surgery.Results:Overall mortality was 5.7%. Seventy-three patients (24.7%) developed 145 perioperative complications and had 17 operative mortalities (23.3%). There was a strong association between the number of perioperative complications and mortality – 8.1% among patients with only 1 perioperative complication, 35.3% – with 2 perioperative complications, and 42.1% – with 3 or more perioperative complications (p = 0.007). Risk factors of perioperative complications were younger age (odds ratio 0.76; (95% confidence interval 0.61, 0.93), previous cardiac surgery (odds ratio 3.5; confidence interval 1.33, 9.20), extracardiac structural anomalies (odds ratio 3.03; confidence interval 1.27, 7.26), concomitant diseases (odds ratio 3.23; confidence interval 1.34, 7.72), and cardiopulmonary bypass (odds ratio 6.33; confidence interval 2.45, 16.4), whereas the total number of perioperative complications per patient was the only predictor of operative death (odds ratio 1.89; confidence interval 1.06, 3.37).Conclusions:In a program with limited systemic resources, failure-to-rescue is a major contributor to operative mortality in paediatric cardiac surgery. Despite the comparable crude mortality, the operative mortality among patients with perioperative complications in our series was significantly higher than in the developed world. A number of initiatives are needed in order to improve failure-to-rescue rates in low- and middle-income countries.
Early and midterm results of ductal stent implantation in neonates with ductal-dependent pulmonary circulation: a single-centre experience
Authors: Onalan Mehmet Akif , Odemis Ender , Saygi Murat , Temur Bahar , Aydin Selim , Demir Ibrahim Halil , Erek Ersin 
Published: September 2020

AbstractObjective:We aimed to determine the early and midterm outcomes of ductal stenting in neonates with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow.Methods:Between January, 2014 and July, 2018, 102 patients who underwent 115 cardiac catheterisation procedures for ductal stent implantation in our department were retrospectively reviewed. The age of the neonates ranged from 3 to 30 days (median: 11 days) and their weights ranged from 1.8 to 5.8 kg (mean, 2.8 ± 0.53 kg). Fifty-two patients had functional single ventricle and 50 had biventricular physiology. Thirty-one patients’ weights were <2,500 g (30.3%). The patent ductus arteriosus was vertical in 60 patients (58.8%). The mean ductal length was 12.4 ± 4.1 mm (range, 7.8–23 mm), and the mean narrowest ductal diameter was 2.1 ± 0.7 mm (range, 1.2–3.4 mm).Results:The technical success rate was 85.2%. Procedure-related mortality occurred in three patients (2.9%). After the procedure, the aortic oxygen saturation increased from a mean of 73.1 ± 6.2% to a mean of 90.4 ± 4.3% (p < 0.001), and the ductus diameter increased from a mean of 2.1 ± 0.7 mm to a mean of 4.2 ± 0.9 mm (p < 0.001). Either transcatheter or surgical reinterventions were required in 35 patients (34.3%) during the follow-up period after a median of 101 days (2–356 days). Thirty-three patients (32.3%) were bridged to surgical repair after a median of 288 days (163–650 days). The median duration of palliation with ductal stents was 210 days (range, 2–525 days).Conclusion:Ductus arteriosus stenting may be a reasonable and effective alternative to surgery for the initial palliation procedure in neonates with ductus-dependent pulmonary flow.
Transcatheter mechanical manipulation of obstructed prosthetic mitral valve in an infant
Authors: Arar Yousef , Hong Jeff , Veeram Reddy Surendranath 
Published: September 2020

AbstractProsthetic valve thrombosis is a serious complication of prosthetic heart valves that typically requires either surgical intervention or systemic thrombolysis. In patients with contraindications to both treatment modalities, options can be limited. We describe an alternative approach to managing prosthetic valve thrombosis in an infant presenting in extremis with pulmonary haemorrhage. Using transoesophageal echocardiography and fluoroscopic guidance, we restored function to the infant’s obstructed St. Jude prosthetic mitral valve through percutaneous transcatheter manipulation of the valve’s leaflets.
Variability in Sulfur Isotope Records of Phanerozoic Seawater Sulfate
Authors: Present Theodore M. , Adkins Jess F. , Fischer Woodward W. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe δ34S of seawater sulfate reflects processes operating at the nexus of sulfur, carbon, and oxygen cycles. However, knowledge of past seawater sulfate δ34S values must be derived from proxy materials that are impacted differently by depositional and postdepositional processes. We produced new time series estimates for the δ34S value of seawater sulfate by combining 6,710 published data from three sedimentary archives—marine barite, evaporites, and carbonate‐associated sulfate—with updated age constraints on the deposits. Robust features in multiple records capture temporal trends in the δ34S value of seawater and its interplay with other Phanerozoic geochemical and stratigraphic trends. However, high‐frequency discordances indicate that each record is differentially prone to depositional biases and diagenetic overprints. The amount of noise, quantified from the variograms of each record, increases with age for all δ34S proxies, indicating that postdepositional processes obscure detailed knowledge of seawater sulfate's δ34S value deeper in time.
Reemergence of Anthropogenic Carbon Into the Ocean's Mixed Layer Strongly Amplifies Transient Climate Sensitivity
Authors: Rodgers K. B. , Schlunegger S. , Slater R. D. , Ishii M. , Frölicher T. L. , Toyama K. , Plancherel Y. , Aumont O. , Fassbender A. J. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractA positive marine chemistry‐climate feedback was originally proposed by Revelle and Suess (1957, https://doi.org/10.3402/tellusa.v9i1.9075), whereby the invasion flux of anthropogenic carbon into the ocean serves to inhibit future marine CO2 uptake through reductions to the buffering capacity of surface seawater. Here we use an ocean circulation‐carbon cycle model to identify an upper limit on the impact of reemergence of anthropogenic carbon into the ocean's mixed layer on the cumulative airborne fraction of CO2 in the atmosphere. We find under an RCP8.5 emissions pathway (with steady circulation) that the cumulative airborne fraction of CO2 has a sevenfold reduction by 2100 when the CO2 buffering capacity of surface seawater is maintained at preindustrial levels. Our results indicate that the effect of reemergence of anthropogenic carbon into the mixed layer on the buffering capacity of CO2 amplifies the transient climate sensitivity of the Earth system.
Impacts of Latent Energy and Snow Fall Speed on a Wintertime Midlatitude Cyclone
Authors: Collins Ethan , Lebo Zachary J. , Morrison Hugh 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThis study aimed to understand the impacts of latent energy as well as snow fall speeds on precipitation properties and synoptic‐scale storm characteristics of a wintertime midlatitude cyclone. Simulations of a potent winter storm that impacted the Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains of the United States in February 2017 were performed using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with latent heating or cooling from individual microphysical processes systematically turned off and fall speeds adjusted by ±50%. Results indicated substantial impacts on the microphysical characteristics of the simulated storm to fall speed, cooling from sublimation, and warming from deposition. The impacts of cooling and warming were manifested as differences in accumulated snowfall. Increased (decreased) fall speeds led to smaller (larger) ice crystals and total mass, resulting in offsetting effects on the precipitation flux, and thus minimal impacts on snowfall and large‐scale characteristics of the storm. Warming and cooling associated with deposition and sublimation, respectively, impacted the synoptic‐scale dynamics, whereby removing warming from deposition resulted in an increased meridional temperature gradient near the jet stream, thus increasing the jet strength and causing it to be more westerly with less curvature aloft. This in turn limited upper‐level divergence, creating a weaker surface low and shifting the precipitation shield southward. The opposite occurred with the removal of latent cooling due to sublimation. This study highlights the potential importance of latent energy associated with ice sublimation and deposition and fall speeds in the larger‐scale characteristics of winter storms.
COVID-19-activated SREBP2 disturbs cholesterol biosynthesis and leads to cytokine storm
Authors: Lee Wonhwa , Ahn June Hong , Park Hee Ho , Kim Hong Nam , Kim Hyelim , Yoo Youngbum , Shin Hyosoo , Hong Kyung Soo , Jang Jong Geol , Park Chun Gwon , Choi Eun Young , Bae Jong-Sup , Seo Young-Kyo 
Published: September 2020

AbstractSterol regulatory element binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) is activated by cytokines or pathogen, such as virus or bacteria, but its association with diminished cholesterol levels in COVID-19 patients is unknown. Here, we evaluated SREBP-2 activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of COVID-19 patients and verified the function of SREBP-2 in COVID-19. Intriguingly, we report the first observation of SREBP-2 C-terminal fragment in COVID-19 patients’ blood and propose SREBP-2 C-terminal fragment as an indicator for determining severity. We confirmed that SREBP-2-induced cholesterol biosynthesis was suppressed by Sestrin-1 and PCSK9 expression, while the SREBP-2-induced inflammatory responses was upregulated in COVID-19 ICU patients. Using an infectious disease mouse model, inhibitors of SREBP-2 and NF-κB suppressed cytokine storms caused by viral infection and prevented pulmonary damages. These results collectively suggest that SREBP-2 can serve as an indicator for severity diagnosis and therapeutic target for preventing cytokine storm and lung damage in severe COVID-19 patients.
Genotype–phenotype correlation of β-lactamase-producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains from Bangladesh
Authors: Hossain Maqsud , Tabassum Tahmina , Rahman Aura , Hossain Arman , Afroze Tamanna , Momen Abdul Mueed Ibne , Sadique Abdus , Sarker Mrinmoy , Shams Fariza , Ishtiaque Ahmed , Khaleque Abdul , Alam Munirul , Huq Anwar , Ahsan Gias U. , Colwell Rita R. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractEscherichia coli is a pathogen commonly encountered in clinical laboratories, and is capable of causing a variety of diseases, both within the intestinal tract (intestinal pathogenic strains) and outside (extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, or ExPEC). It is associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs), one of the most common infectious diseases in the world. This report represents the first comparative analysis of the draft genome sequences of 11 uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strains isolated from two tertiary hospitals located in Dhaka and Sylhet, Bangladesh, and is focused on comparing their genomic characteristics to each other and to other available UPEC strains. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) confirmed the strains belong to ST59, ST131, ST219, ST361, ST410, ST448 and ST4204, with one of the isolates classified as a previously undocumented ST. De novo identification of the antibiotic resistance genes blaNDM-5, blaNDM-7, blaCTX-M-15 and blaOXA-1 was determined, and phenotypic-genotypic analysis of virulence revealed significant heterogeneity within UPEC phylogroups.
Decreased reproducibility and abnormal experience-dependent plasticity of network dynamics in Fragile X circuits
Authors: Motanis Helen , Buonomano Dean 
Published: September 2020

AbstractFragile X syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with a broad range of neural phenotypes. Interpreting these findings has proven challenging because some phenotypes may reflect compensatory mechanisms or normal forms of plasticity differentially engaged by experiential differences. To help minimize compensatory and experiential influences, we used an ex vivo approach to study network dynamics and plasticity of cortical microcircuits. In Fmr1−/y circuits, the spatiotemporal structure of Up-states was less reproducible, suggesting alterations in the plasticity mechanisms governing network activity. Chronic optical stimulation revealed normal homeostatic plasticity of Up-states, however, Fmr1−/y circuits exhibited abnormal experience-dependent plasticity as they did not adapt to chronically presented temporal patterns in an interval-specific manner. These results, suggest that while homeostatic plasticity is normal, Fmr1−/y circuits exhibit deficits in the ability to orchestrate multiple forms of synaptic plasticity and to adapt to sensory patterns in an experience-dependent manner—which is likely to contribute to learning deficits.
Effect of sequence padding on the performance of deep learning models in archaeal protein functional prediction
Authors: Lopez-del Rio Angela , Martin Maria , Perera-Lluna Alexandre , Saidi Rabie 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe use of raw amino acid sequences as input for deep learning models for protein functional prediction has gained popularity in recent years. This scheme obliges to manage proteins with different lengths, while deep learning models require same-shape input. To accomplish this, zeros are usually added to each sequence up to a established common length in a process called zero-padding. However, the effect of different padding strategies on model performance and data structure is yet unknown. We propose and implement four novel types of padding the amino acid sequences. Then, we analysed the impact of different ways of padding the amino acid sequences in a hierarchical Enzyme Commission number prediction problem. Results show that padding has an effect on model performance even when there are convolutional layers implied. Contrastingly to most of deep learning works which focus mainly on architectures, this study highlights the relevance of the deemed-of-low-importance process of padding and raises awareness of the need to refine it for better performance. The code of this analysis is publicly available athttps://github.com/b2slab/padding_benchmark.
Self-powered, ultrasensitive, room temperature humidity sensors using SnS2 nanofilms
Authors: Rambabu A. , Singh Deependra Kumar , Pant Rohit , Nanda K. K. , Krupanidhi S. B. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractHumidity monitoring has become extremely vital in various technological fields such as environment control, biomedical engineering, and so on. Therefore, a substantial interest lies in the development of fast and highly sensitive devices with high figures of merit. Self-powered and ultrasensitive humidity sensors based on SnS2 nanofilms of different film thicknesses have been demonstrated in this work. The sensing behavior has been investigated in the relative humidity (RH) range of 2–99%. The observed results reveal a remarkable response and ultrafast detection even with zero applied bias (self-powered mode), with response and recovery times of ~ 10 and ~ 0.7 s, respectively. The self-powered behavior has been attributed to the inhomogeneities and the asymmetry in the contact electrodes. The highest sensitivity of ~ 5.64 × 106% can be achieved at an applied bias of 5 V. This approach of fabricating such highly responsive, self-powered and ultrafast sensors with simple device architectures will be useful for designing futuristic sensing devices.
Fetal growth restriction is a host specific response to infection with an impaired spiral artery remodeling-inducing strain of Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Tavarna Tanvi , Phillips Priscilla L. , Wu Xiao-jun , Reyes Leticia 
Published: September 2020

AbstractPorphyromonas gingivalis is a periodontal pathogen implicated in a range of pregnancy disorders that involve impaired spiral artery remodeling (ISAR) with or without fetal growth restriction (FGR). Using a rodent periodontitis model, we assessed the ability of P. gingivalis to produce ISAR and FGR in Sprague Dawley (SD) and Wistar (WIS) rats. Both infected SD and WIS rats developed ISAR, but only WIS rats developed FGR despite both rat strains having equivalent microbial loads within the placenta. Neither maternal systemic inflammation nor placental (fetal) inflammation was a feature of FGR in WIS rats. Unique to infected WIS rats, was loss of trophoblast cell density within the junctional zone of the placenta that was not present in SD tissues. In addition, infected WIS rats had a higher proportion of junctional zone trophoblast cells positive for cytoplasmic high temperature requirement A1 (Htra1), a marker of cellular oxidative stress. Our results show a novel phenomenon present in P. gingivalis-induced FGR, with relevance to human disease since dysregulation of placental Htra1 and placental oxidative stress are features of preeclamptic placentas and preeclampsia with FGR.
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WJL administration during pregnancy and lactation improves lipid profile, insulin sensitivity and gut microbiota diversity in dyslipidemic dams and protects male offspring against cardiovascular dysfunction in later life
Authors: Guimarães Keyth Sulamitta de Lima , Braga Valdir de Andrade , Noronha Sylvana I. S. Rendeiro de , Costa Whyara Karoline Almeida da , Makki Kassem , Cruz Josiane de Campos , Brandão Larissa Ramalho , Chianca Junior Deoclecio Alves , Meugnier Emmanuelle , Leulier François , Vidal Hubert , Magnani Marciane , de Brito Alves José Luiz 
Published: September 2020

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WJL administration during pregnancy and lactation improves gut microbiota diversity.
Inflammageing in the cardiovascular system: mechanisms, emerging targets, and novel therapeutic strategies
Authors: Liu Danlin , Richardson Gavin , Benli Fehmi M. , Park Catherine , de Souza João V. , Bronowska Agnieszka K. , Spyridopoulos Ioakim 
Published: September 2020

AbstractIn the elderly population, pathological inflammation has been associated with ageing-associated diseases. The term ‘inflammageing’, which was used for the first time by Franceschi and co-workers in 2000, is associated with the chronic, low-grade, subclinical inflammatory processes coupled to biological ageing. The source of these inflammatory processes is debated. The senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) has been proposed as the main origin of inflammageing. The SASP is characterised by the release of inflammatory cytokines, elevated activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, altered regulation of acetylcholine (ACh) nicotinic receptors, and abnormal NAD+ metabolism. Therefore, SASP may be ‘druggable’ by small molecule therapeutics targeting those emerging molecular targets.It has been shown that inflammageing is a hallmark of various cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, and adverse cardiac remodelling. Therefore, the pathomechanism involving SASP activation via the NLRP3 inflammasome; modulation of NLRP3 via α7 nicotinic ACh receptors; and modulation by senolytics targeting other proteins have gained a lot of interest within cardiovascular research and drug development communities.In this review, which offers a unique view from both clinical and preclinical target-based drug discovery perspectives, we have focused on cardiovascular inflammageing and its molecular mechanisms. We have outlined the mechanistic links between inflammageing, SASP, interleukin (IL)-1β, NLRP3 inflammasome, nicotinic ACh receptors, and molecular targets of senolytic drugs in the context of cardiovascular diseases. We have addressed the ‘druggability’ of NLRP3 and nicotinic α7 receptors by small molecules, as these proteins represent novel and exciting targets for therapeutic interventions targeting inflammageing in the cardiovascular system and beyond.
Graphene self‐switching diode‐based thermoelectric rectifier
Authors: Kaushal B. , Garg S. , Prakash K. , Kasjoo S.R. , Kumar S. , Gupta N. , Singh A.K. 
Published: September 2020

This Letter demonstrates thermoelectric rectification in graphene self‐switching diode (GSSD) on SiO2 /Si substrate. Nanometre‐scale non‐linear semiconductor device, called self‐switching diode (SSD), has been utilised. Applied bias leads to a change in potential profile and effective channel width of GSSD resulting in diode like I–V characteristics. The excellent electronic properties of graphene potentially make it suitable for producing SSD's with high responsivity and low noise equivalent power (NEP). The designed GSSD demonstrates a high Seebeck coefficient (S ) of 200 μV/K, voltage detection sensitivity, and NEP of 97.964 V/W and 0.6064 nW/Hz1/2, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of applying backgate voltage on the Seebeck coefficient has also been demonstrated in this work. The GSSD is presented as a potential thermoelectric rectifier, which can convert the thermal energy into useful electrical energy.