bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acellular bioscaffolds redirect cardiac fibroblasts and promote functional tissue repair in rodents and humans with myocardial injury
Authors: Svystonyuk Daniyil A. , Mewhort Holly E. M. , Hassanabad Ali Fatehi , Heydari Bobak , Mikami Yoko , Turnbull Jeannine D. , Teng Guoqi , Belke Darrell D. , Wagner Karl T. , Tarraf Samar A. , DiMartino Elena S. , White James A. , Flewitt Jacqueline A. , Cheung Matthew , Guzzardi David G. , Kang Sean , Fedak Paul W. M. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractCoronary heart disease is a leading cause of death. Tissue remodeling and fibrosis results in cardiac pump dysfunction and ischemic heart failure. Cardiac fibroblasts may rebuild damaged tissues when prompted by suitable environmental cues. Here, we use acellular biologic extracellular matrix scaffolds (bioscaffolds) to stimulate pathways of muscle repair and restore tissue function. We show that acellular bioscaffolds with bioinductive properties can redirect cardiac fibroblasts to rebuild microvascular networks and avoid tissue fibrosis. Specifically, when human cardiac fibroblasts are combined with bioactive scaffolds, gene expression is upregulated and paracrine mediators are released that promote vasculogenesis and prevent scarring. We assess these properties in rodents with myocardial infarction and observe bioscaffolds to redirect fibroblasts, reduce tissue fibrosis and prevent maladaptive structural remodeling. Our preclinical data confirms that acellular bioscaffold therapy provides an appropriate microenvironment to stimulate pathways of functional repair. We translate our observations to patients with coronary heart disease by conducting a first-in-human observational cohort study. We show that bioscaffold therapy is associated with improved perfusion of infarcted myocardium, reduced myocardial scar burden, and reverse structural remodeling. We establish that clinical use of acellular bioscaffolds is feasible and offers a new frontier to enhance surgical revascularization of ischemic heart muscle.
A cognitive analysis of deceptive pollination: associative mechanisms underlying pollinators’ choices in non-rewarding colour polymorphic scenarios
Authors: Aguiar João Marcelo Robazzi Bignelli Valen , Giurfa Martin , Sazima Marlies 
Published: June 2020

AbstractIntraspecific floral colour polymorphism is a common trait of food deceptive orchids, which lure pollinators with variable, attractive signals, without providing food resources. The variable signals are thought to hinder avoidance learning of deceptive flowers by pollinators. Here, we analysed the cognitive mechanisms underlying the choice of free-flying stingless beesScaptotrigonaaff.depilistrained to visit a patch of artificial flowers that displayed the colours ofIonopsis utricularioides, a food deceptive orchid. Bees were trained in the presence of a non-rewarding colour and later tested with that colour vs. alternative colours. We simulated a discrete-polymorphism scenario with two distinct non-rewarding test colours, and a continuous-polymorphism scenario with three non-rewarding test colours aligned along a chromatic continuum. Bees learned to avoid the non-rewarding colour experienced during training. They thus preferred the novel non-rewarding colour in the discrete-polymorphic situation, and generalized their avoidance to the adjacent colour of the continuum in the continuous-polymorphism situation, favouring thereby the most distant colour. Bees also visited less flowers and abandoned faster a non-rewarding monomorphic patch than a non-rewarding polymorphic patch. Our cognitive analyses thus reveal that variable deceptive orchids disrupt avoidance learning by pollinators and exploit their generalization abilities, which make them favour distinct morphs.
Seasonal variation in net ecosystem CO2 exchange of a Brazilian seasonally dry tropical forest
Authors: Mendes Keila R. , Campos Suany , da Silva Lindenberg L. , Mutti Pedro R. , Ferreira Rosaria R. , Medeiros Salomão S. , Perez-Marin Aldrin M. , Marques Thiago V. , Ramos Tarsila M. , de Lima Vieira Mariana M. , Oliveira Cristiano P. , Gonçalves Weber A. , Costa Gabriel B. , Antonino Antonio C. D. , Menezes Rômulo S. C. , Bezerra Bergson G. , Santos e Silva Cláudio M. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractForest ecosystems sequester large amounts of atmospheric CO2, and the contribution from seasonally dry tropical forests is not negligible. Thus, the objective of this study was to quantify and evaluate the seasonal and annual patterns of CO2 exchanges in the Caatinga biome, as well as to evaluate the ecosystem condition as carbon sink or source during years. In addition, we analyzed the climatic factors that control the seasonal variability of gross primary production (GPP), ecosystem respiration (Reco) and net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE). Results showed that the dynamics of the components of the CO2 fluxes varied depending on the magnitude and distribution of rainfall and, as a consequence, on the variability of the vegetation state. Annual cumulative NEE was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in 2014 (−169.0 g C m−2) when compared to 2015 (−145.0 g C m−2) and annual NEP/GPP ratio was 0.41 in 2014 and 0.43 in 2015. Global radiation, air and soil temperature were the main factors associated with the diurnal variability of carbon fluxes. Even during the dry season, the NEE was at equilibrium and the Caatinga acted as an atmospheric carbon sink during the years 2014 and 2015.
Electrochemical Immunoassay for Determination of Glycated Albumin using Nanozymes
Authors: Choi Hyun , Son Seong Eun , Hur Won , Tran Van-Khue , Lee Han Been , Park Yosep , Han Do Kyoung , Seong Gi Hun 
Published: June 2020

AbstractWe developed a new nanozyme-based electrochemical immunoassay method for the monitoring of glycated albumin (GA) known to reflect short-term glycaemic levels. For this study, we synthesized urchin-like Pt nanozymes (uPtNZs) and applied them to colorimetric and electrochemical assays for sensitive determination of GA in total human serum albumin (tHSA) using 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and thionine as substrates, respectively. The uPtNZs showed peroxidase-mimic activity in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Boronic acid (BA)-agarose bead was used to capture GA through specific cis-diol interactions. uPtNZs were modified with GA antibody (GA-Ab) to form sandwich complexes with GA/BA-agarose bead. The amount of Ab-uPtNZ/GA/BA-agarose bead complex increased with increasing percentage of GA in 50 mg/mL tHSA. The colorimetric assay exhibited linearity from 0.02 to 10% (10 µg/mL – 5 mg/mL) GA with an LOD of 0.02% (9.2 µg/mL). For electrochemical assay, GA was detected from 0.01 to 20% (5 µg/mL – 10 mg/mL) with an LOD of 0.008% (3.8 µg/mL). The recovery values of measured GA in human plasma samples were from 106 to 107%. These results indicate that electrochemical assay using uPtNZs is a promising method for determining GA.
Multi-branch Convolutional Neural Network for Identification of Small Non-coding RNA genomic loci
Authors: Georgakilas Georgios K. , Grioni Andrea , Liakos Konstantinos G. , Chalupova Eliska , Plessas Fotis C. , Alexiou Panagiotis 
Published: June 2020

AbstractGenomic regions that encode small RNA genes exhibit characteristic patterns in their sequence, secondary structure, and evolutionary conservation. Convolutional Neural Networks are a family of algorithms that can classify data based on learned patterns. Here we present MuStARD an application of Convolutional Neural Networks that can learn patterns associated with user-defined sets of genomic regions, and scan large genomic areas for novel regions exhibiting similar characteristics. We demonstrate that MuStARD is a generic method that can be trained on different classes of human small RNA genomic loci, without need for domain specific knowledge, due to the automated feature and background selection processes built into the model. We also demonstrate the ability of MuStARD for inter-species identification of functional elements by predicting mouse small RNAs (pre-miRNAs and snoRNAs) using models trained on the human genome. MuStARD can be used to filter small RNA-Seq datasets for identification of novel small RNA loci, intra- and inter- species, as demonstrated in three use cases of human, mouse, and fly pre-miRNA prediction. MuStARD is easy to deploy and extend to a variety of genomic classification questions. Code and trained models are freely available at gitlab.com/RBP_Bioinformatics/mustard.
Foot characteristics during walking in 6–14- year-old children
Authors: Kasović Mario , Štefan Lovro , Zvonár Martin 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe main purpose of the study was to establish foot characteristics during walking in children. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 1 284 primary-school students aged 6–14 years (714 boys and 570 girls) randomly selected from five schools in the city of Brno, Czech Republic. Children walked across a pressure platform (EMED-xl; NovelGmbH, Munich, Germany) to collect the data for both left and right foot during three trials. After the procedure, the software generated several foot characteristic variables: (1) force-time integral, (2) pressure-time integral, (3) contact area, (4) contact time, (5) peak pressure and (6) average pressure for the total foot. Curves for the 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th percentiles were calculated using the Lambda, Mu and Sigma (LMS) Chartmaker software. Our results showed that boys had longer force-time integral, higher contact area and contact time values, and higher peak plantar pressure, while no significant differences in pressure-time integral and average plantar pressure between sexes were observed. Older boys and girls had higher values in all measured variables. Our results provide for the first-time sex- and age-specific foot characteristics during walking in 6–14-year-old children.
Dispersive effects in imaging polarimetry based on a wire-grid polarizer
Authors: Im Seongmin , Moon Gwiyeong , Kim Donghyun 
Published: June 2020

AbstractWe explore effects of light dispersion by a wire-grid polarizer (WGP) in imaging polarimetry. The dispersive characteristics of a WGP, combined with off-axis scene incidence, cause significant non-uniformity. The normalized performance measure of contrast due to dispersion of WGP exceeded 0.84 for transmittance and 0.90 for extinction ratio (maximum non-uniformity at 1 and 0 for uniform performance). Dispersion also produces a lateral spread in the imaging plane, which may induce spectral image misregistration. Without higher-order excitation, the misregistration can be at the least a few pixels long in the detector. In the presence of higher-order modes, the dispersive misregistration can be severe and critical for polarized scene extraction. The results emphasize the need for an imaging polarimeter to be designed to manage the dispersive effects.
Reconfigurable hybrid matrix‐based power divider with variable power‐dividing ratios and frequencies
Authors: Kim J. , Yang J.‐R. , Oh J. 
Published: June 2020

In this Letter, the authors present a reconfigurable power divider using a hybrid matrix with variable impedance tuners. The proposed hybrid matrix‐based power divider with varactor‐tuned impedance tuners (VTITs) can simultaneously obtain variable power‐dividing ratios at the centre frequency and variable operating frequencies for the 3 dB coupling states. The VTITs, consisting of a transmission line, an inductor, and a varactor located between the line and the inductor, are connected in parallel between two hybrid couplers for high impedance variation. Measured results demonstrate that the power‐dividing ratio of the proposed divider varies from −14.3 to 13.3 dB with a return loss above 20 dB and the isolation above 20 dB at a centre frequency of 2.45 GHz. Moreover, it achieves an insertion loss of 0.7–1.45 dB and a phase variation of less than 8° across the variable power‐dividing ratio at the centre frequency. The frequency‐tuning range for the 3 dB coupling states is 750 MHz with a small phase variation of 5°.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Trends among Pathogens Isolated from Blood: A 6-Year Retrospective Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital in East Sikkim, India
Authors: Yangzom Tsering , Tsering Dechen Chomu , Kar Sumit , Kapil Jyotsna 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are one of the frequent nosocomial infections among hospitalized patients. To understand the local epidemiology and evolving antimicrobial drug resistance of blood-borne pathogens, we analyzed the distribution and antibiotic sensitivity profile of organisms causing BSI in our hospital-based study.
Materials and Methods We reviewed retrospective data of laboratory-confirmed BSIs, from January 2013 to December 2018. Causative organisms and their antibiotic susceptibility profile of primary and secondary BSI reports were determined from BacT/Alert and Vitek systems findings (bioMérieux). A 6-year multidrug resistance indexing was done to document the resistance pattern of the commonly isolated organisms.
Results A total of 1,340 (10.2%) BSIs were reported from 13,091 blood cultures. Organisms were frequently isolated from the younger population (≤20 years), especially from ages < 1 year (20.8% of total BSIs). Majority of pathogens were bacterial (97.1%) whereas 2.9% were fungal in origin. Monomicrobial growth was recorded in over 98% of BSIs. Gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria isolated were 518 (39.8%) and 783 (60.2%), respectively. Commonly isolated organisms were coagulase-negative Staphylococci (29.4%), Escherichia coli (19.8%), Klebsiella species (13.5%), Salmonella species (9.4%), and Staphylococcus aureus (7.5%). Multidrug-resistance index was observed highest in Acinetobacter species followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and S. aureus.
Conclusion Overall, there has been a gradual decline in the reporting of BSI. However, infections by gram-negative bacilli and multidrug-resistant organisms remain persistently high. Ages < 20 years were the vulnerable group, with infants < 1 year contributing to the maximum number of BSI cases caused by both bacteria and fungi. Therefore, additional methods are required to study the origin and causation of these infections, particularly among vulnerable patients.
Short Telomeres: Cause and Consequence in Liver Disease
Authors: Penrice Daniel D. , Simonetto Douglas A. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractShort telomere syndrome is a genetically inherited syndrome resulting in premature telomere shortening. This premature shortening of telomeres can result in hematologic, pulmonary, vascular, gastrointestinal, and hepatic manifestations of disease. Identifying patients with short telomere syndrome can be a clinical challenge due to the multitude of potential manifestations and lack of widely available diagnostic tests. In this review, we will highlight hepatic manifestations of short telomere syndrome with a focus on diagnosis, testing, and potential treatments.
Clinical Management of Critical COVID-19 Patients: Insights from the Literature and “On the Field” Experience
Authors: Alessandri Francesco , Bilotta Federico , Ceccarelli Giancarlo , Ruberto Franco , Araimo Fabio , Imperiale Carmela , Pugliese Francesco ,   for the PolU COVID-19 Team
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe recent outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a health emergency all over the world. Several health care professionals are currently putting their best efforts to deal with this situation. The aim of this review is to report insights from the literature and “on the field” experience in clinical management of critical COVID-19 patients. Respiratory support varies from high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) to noninvasive and invasive mechanical ventilation, often associated with nitric oxide, prone position, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Experienced specialists have to manage the airways minimizing any contamination and virus spread. The hemodynamic management of critical COVID-19 patients requires not only an accurate fluid strategy, but also an appropriate use of vasopressors and inotropes. Various adjuvant treatments have been proposed: antiviral drugs, immunomodulators, anticoagulants, antibiotics, and nutrition.
Functioning Free Muscle Transfer for Brachial Plexus Injury: A Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis Comparing Functional Outcomes of Intercostal Nerve and Spinal Accessory Nerve Grafts
Authors: Oliver Jeremie D. , Beal Chase , Graham Emily M. , Santosa Katherine B. , Hu Michael S. 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background The aim of this study was to compare postoperative elbow flexion outcomes in patients receiving functioning free muscle transplantation (FFMT) innervated by either intercostal nerve (ICN) or spinal accessory nerve (SAN) grafts.
Methods A comprehensive systematic review on FFMT for brachial plexus reconstruction was conducted utilizing Medline/PubMed database. Analysis was designed to compare functional outcomes between (1) nerve graft type (ICN vs. SAN) and (2) different free muscle graft types to biceps tendon (gracilis vs. rectus femoris vs. latissimus dorsi).
Results A total of 312 FFMTs innervated by ICNs (169) or the SAN (143) are featured in 10 case series. The mean patient age was 28 years. Patients had a mean injury to surgery time of 31.5 months and an average follow-up time of 39.1 months with 18 patients lost to follow-up. Muscles utilized included the gracilis (275), rectus femoris (28), and latissimus dorsi (8). After excluding those lost to follow-up or failures due to vascular compromise, the mean success rates of FFMTs innervated by ICNs and SAN were 64.1 and 65.4%, respectively.
Conclusion This analysis did not identify any difference in outcomes between FFMTs via ICN grafts and those innervated by SAN grafts in restoring elbow flexion in traumatic brachial plexus injury patients.
Current Status of Computed Tomography in Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pneumonia
Authors: Madhusudhan Kumble Seetharama , Srivastava Deep Narayan 
Published: June 2020

AbstarctThe novel coronavirus disease, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2), has developed into a pandemic affecting more than three million people worldwide. It predominantly affects the respiratory system and patients present with fever, dry cough, dyspnea, and myalgia. The confirmatory diagnostic test is real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction on blood or respiratory samples. Imaging with computed tomography, although not routinely recommended, may not only assist in making a diagnosis but also in assessing disease progression, assessing complications, and in prognostication. This review describes the objectives, techniques, imaging features, and reporting of computed tomography findings of SARS-CoV2 pneumonia.
Health System Response to COVID-19 Epidemic in India
Authors: Ramachandran Prema , Kalaivani Krishnamurthy 
Published: June 2020

AbstarctThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, detected first in China in December 2019, is now rapidly spreading across the world. India responded by drawing up National Containment Plan for COVID-19 that envisaged screening of people for COVID-19 for early detection of infection, providing community, primary health care-centered management for those with mild infection, tertiary care for those with severe infection, and health education to the population to reduce person-to-person transmission of infection. To minimize the spread of infection from other countries, all travelers were screened and quarantined; in the third week of March, India imposed ban on all international travel. To prevent person-to-person spread, congregation of people for commercial, educational, entertainment, sports, religious, and other social activities was banned. To minimize intracity, interstate, and urban rural spread, India imposed nationwide lockdown on 25th March 2020. The lockdown flattened the epidemic curve and provided needed time for the country to reorganize the health system, so that it can provide needed care for the increasing number of COVID-19 patients at all levels of health care. National guidelines for screening of people for severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 infection, quarantine, and home isolation and care of infected people were drawn up and implemented. Health education on methods by which person-to-person transmission of infection can be minimized has been provided using all media of communication. Global comparison shows that currently India has low infection rates, low fatality rates per 1,00,000, and high recovery rates. There are ongoing research studies to document the course and outcome of COVID-19 in India. Clinical trials of potential drugs for treatment of severe infections and vaccines for preventing infection in the high-risk groups are underway. A COVID-19 disease surveillance program is underway to track the infection rates and bring appropriate midcourse corrections in interventions. In the coming months, the people and health system will not only have to evolve a sustainable strategy to provide needed care for COVID-19 cases but also ensure that all other health care programs are implemented and patients with other illnesses get optimal care too.
Discrepancies in Electrolyte Measurements by Direct and Indirect Ion Selective Electrodes due to Interferences by Proteins and Lipids
Authors: Chopra Parul , Datta Sudip Kumar 
Published: June 2020

AbstractObjectives We aim to report the simultaneous effect of different protein and lipid concentrations on sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) measurement by direct and indirect ion selective electrodes (dISE and iISE) in patient samples.Materials and Methods Na+ and K+ were measured in 195 serum samples received in the laboratory using iISE by Roche Modular P800 autoanalyzer and using dISE by XI-921 ver. 6.0 Caretium electrolyte analyzer. Serum total protein (TP), cholesterol (Chol), and triglycerides (TG) were measured using conventional photometric methods on Roche Modular P800 autoanalyzer. Differences for each pair of results for Na+ (Diff_Na+ = [Na+ dISE–Na+ iISE]) and K+ (Diff_K+ = [K+ dISE–K+ iISE]) were calculated. Patient subgroups with high, normal, or low TP (< 5, 5–7.9, or ≥ 8 g/dL), Chol (< 150, 150–299, or ≥300 mg/dL), or TG (< 150, 150–299, or ≥300 mg/dL) were compared using analysis of variance. Note that 95% confidence interval of Diff_Na+ and Diff_K+ were calculated to see the number of samples showing clinically significant differences.Results Diff_Na+ (p = 0.007) and Diff_K+ (p = 0.002) were found significant between samples with normal and high TP. However, effect of TG was not significant. Chol concentration affected Diff_Na+ significantly between low versus normal (p = 0.002), and high versus normal (p = 0.031) Chol groups. Diff_K+ was significant (p = 0.009) between low versus normal Chol. Clinically relevant disagreement of ≥|5| mmol/L for Na+ was observed in high percentage of samples including all subcategories; however, for K+ only 3.6% of the total samples showed disagreement of ≥ |0.5| mmol/L. A multivariate regression equation based on fit regression model was also derived.Conclusion Summarily, interchangeable use of electrolyte results from dISE and iISE is not advisable, especially in a setting of hyperproteinemia (≥8 g/dL) or hypercholesterolemia (≥300 mg/dL); more so for Na+.
Real Segre cubics, Igusa quartics and Kummer quartics
Authors: Krasnov V. A. 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
We prove some properties of real Segre cubics. In particular, we find the topological types of the real parts of Segre cubics as well as the topological types of the real parts of the complements of the Segre planes. We prove some differential-geometric properties of the real parts of real Segre cubics and Kummer quartics. We study the automorphism groups of real Segre cubics and, in particular, their action on the real parts of these cubics.