bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association of a four‐gene model with allergic diseases: Two‐year follow‐up of a birth cohort study
Authors: Hua Li , Yang Fen , Chen Qian , Liu Quanhua , Ji Ruoxu , Liu Haipei , Ye Jianmin , Zhang Jun , Zhang Jianhua , Bao Yixiao 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundOur previous study has developed a four‐gene model involving IL13 rs20541, IL4 rs2243250, ADRB2 rs1042713, and FCER1B rs569108 associated with asthma and atopy in Chinese Han children. However, whether the gene model is associated with allergies in early life has yet to be determined. This study aimed to apply the gene model in a birth cohort to investigate its associations with the development of allergic diseases in Chinese Han toddlers.MethodsFive hundred and ninety‐seven children from a birth cohort completing 2‐year follow‐up were included. Epidemiologic information and cord blood were collected. Children were genotyped for the above polymorphisms and divided into high or low genetic risk groups based on the genotypes. Subjects were followed at 6, 12, and 24 months, with information on allergic diseases collected via standard questionnaires and assessed by specialists.ResultsTwo hundred and eighty‐four children were divided into a high‐risk group and 313 into a low‐risk group. Between the two groups, a significant difference was only found in delivery mode among all the subject characteristics (p = .025). After stratification for delivery mode, children at high risk were more likely to develop eczema (relative risk [RR] = 1.46, p = .040) over 2 years of follow‐up compared with those at low risk. No significant associations were found between genetic risk and food allergy, wheezing and allergic rhinitis (p > .05).ConclusionThe gene model was significantly associated with the development of eczema in Chinese Han toddlers. Long‐term follow‐up along with functional and replication studies on the gene model are still needed in future.
Defining groups of companies under the European Insolvency Regulation (recast): On the scope of EU group insolvency law
Authors: Pepels Sid 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThis article examines the general scope of application of the provisions on insolvency regarding members of a “group of companies”, as included in Chapter V of the European Insolvency Regulation (recast) (“Recast EIR”), in order to review whether that scope is appropriate to deal with the different group structures in which business may be conducted. With the definition for a “group of companies” playing a paramount role in determining the scope of these provisions, the article includes a thorough analysis of the current definition for a “group of companies” as included in the Recast EIR. Based upon a teleological approach, the article argues in favour of an independent, broad and flexible interpretation of “group of companies”, in order to include a large number of groups within the scope of the Recast EIR's provisions regarding group insolvencies.
Factors associated with risk of preterm delivery in Tanzania: A case‐control study at Muhimbili National Hospital
Authors: Rugumisa Bernadether T. , Bongcam‐Rudloff Erik , Lukumay Murate S. , Lyantagaye Sylvester L. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractObjectiveTo determine factors associated with risk of preterm delivery among pregnant women delivering at Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania.MethodsA 1:1 case‐control study was conducted to assess maternal sociodemographic, lifestyle, and current and previous obstetric factors associated with risk of preterm delivery. Mothers of preterm infants were regarded as cases and those of term infants were controls. Chi‐square test and logistic regression were used to assess association between the factors and risk of preterm delivery.ResultsA total of 222 case‐control pairs were studied. Maternal type of employment (P = 0.039), previous preterm delivery (P = 0.002), previous spontaneous abortion (P = 0.004), uterine scar (P < 0.001), parity (P = 0.034), number of prenatal care visits (P = 0.032), premature rupture of membranes (PROM) (P < 0.001), placenta previa (P = 0.002), bleeding during second trimester (P = 0.004), pre‐eclampsia (P < 0.001), and maternal anemia (P = 0.033) were associated with risk of preterm delivery. The main risk factors associated with preterm delivery included previous preterm delivery (odds ratio [OR] 13.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.72–101.95), placenta previa (OR 12.63, 95% CI 1.63–97.98), and PROM (OR 8.77, 95% CI 1.33–4.60).ConclusionClose monitoring of pregnant women who present any of the risk factors is important to prevent or reduce the risk of preterm delivery in Tanzania.
Sustaining Disciplinary Literacy in Science: A Transformative, Just Model for Teaching the Language of Science
Authors: Patterson Williams Alexis D. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThis department explores the concept of disciplinary literacy—the conceptual understandings and ways of reading, thinking, and writing involved in critiquing and constructing knowledge in a discipline—and its intersections with aspects of culturally sustaining pedagogy. Columns highlight high‐quality disciplinary literacy learning opportunities across subject areas that engage students in critically examining the world around them, interrogating accepted knowledge, contributing their own perspectives to shape that knowledge, and sustaining and developing the literacies needed to do this work.
Lubricin Contributes to Homeostasis of Articular Cartilage by Modulating Differentiation of Superficial Zone Cells
Authors: Maenohara Yuji , Chijimatsu Ryota , Tachibana Naohiro , Uehara Kosuke , Xuan Fengjun , Mori Daisuke , Murahashi Yasutaka , Nakamoto Hideki , Oichi Takeshi , Chang Song Ho , Matsumoto Takumi , Omata Yasunori , Yano Fumiko , Tanaka Sakae , Saito Taku 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACT
Lubricin encoded by the proteoglycan 4 (Prg4) gene is produced from superficial zone (SFZ) cells of articular cartilage and synoviocytes, which is indispensable for lubrication of joint surfaces. Loss-of-function of human and mouse Prg4 results in early-onset arthropathy accompanied by lost SFZ cells and hyperplastic synovium. Here, we focused on increases in the thickness of articular cartilage in Prg4-knockout joints and analyzed the underlying mechanisms. In the late stage of articular cartilage development, the articular cartilage was thickened at 2 to 4 weeks and the SFZ disappeared at 8 weeks in Prg4-knockout mice. Similar changes were observed in cultured Prg4-knockout femoral heads. Cell tracking showed that Prg4-knockout SFZ cells at 1 week of age expanded to deep layers after 1 week. In in vitro experiments, overexpression of Prg4 lacking a mucin-like domain suppressed differentiation of ATDC5 cells markedly, whereas pellets of Prg4-knockout SFZ cells showed enhanced differentiation. RNA sequencing identified matrix metalloproteinase 9 (Mmp9) as the top upregulated gene by Prg4 knockout. Mmp9 expressed in the SFZ was further induced in Prg4-knockout mice. The increased expression of Mmp9 by Prg4 knockout was canceled by IκB kinase (IKK) inhibitor treatment. Phosphorylation of Smad2 was also enhanced in Prg4-knockout cell pellets, which was canceled by the IKK inhibitor. Expression of Mmp9 and phosphorylated Smad2 during articular cartilage development was enhanced in Prg4-knockout joints. Lubricin contributes to homeostasis of articular cartilage by suppressing differentiation of SFZ cells, and the nuclear factor-kappa B-Mmp9-TGF-β pathway is probably responsible for the downstream action of lubricin. © 2020 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Overexpressed miR‐335‐5p reduces atherosclerotic vulnerable plaque formation in acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Sun Dingjun , Ma Tianyi , Zhang Yixue , Zhang Fuwei , Cui Bo 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundAcute coronary syndrome (ACS) may induce cardiovascular death. The correlation of mast cells related microRNAs (miRs) with risk of ACS has been investigated. We explored regulatory mechanism of miR‐335‐5p on macrophage innate immune response, atherosclerotic vulnerable plaque formation, and revascularization in ACS in relation to Notch signaling.MethodsACS‐related gene microarray was collected from Gene Expression Omnibus database. After different agomir or antagomir, or inhibitor of Notch signaling treatment, IL‐6, IL‐1β, TNF‐α, MCP‐1, ICAM‐1, and VCAM‐1 levels were tested in ACS mice. Additionally, Notch signaling‐related genes and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were measured after miR‐335‐5p interference. Finally, mouse atherosclerosis, lipid accumulation, and the collagen/vessel area ratio of plaque were determined.ResultsmiR‐335‐5p targeted JAG1 and mediated Notch signaling in ACS. miR‐335‐5p up‐regulation and Notch signaling inhibition reduced expression of JAG1, Notch pathway‐related genes, IL‐6, IL‐1β, TNF‐α, MCP‐1, ICAM‐1, VCAM‐1, and MMPs, but promote TIMP1 and TIMP2 expression. Additionally, vulnerable plaques were decreased and collagen fiber contents were observed to increase after miR‐335‐5p overexpression and Notch signaling inhibition.ConclusionsOverexpression of miR‐335‐5p inhibited innate immune response of macrophage, reduced atherosclerotic vulnerable plaque formation, and promoted revascularization in ACS mice targeting JAG1 through Notch signaling.
Seed morphology: An addition to the taxonomy ofAstragaleaeandTrifolieae(Leguminosae: Papilionoidae) from Pakistan
Authors: Rashid Neelam , Zafar Muhammad , Ahmad Mushtaq , Memon Rabia Asma , Akhter Muhammad Salim , Malik Khafsa , Malik Nafeesa Zahid , Sultana Shazia , Shah Syed Nasar 
Published: December 2020

AbstractSeed morphology was described in detail for 12 species belonging to 5 genera of tribesAstragaleaeandTrifolieae(Leguminosae; Papilionoideae) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate the taxonomic relevance of macromorphological and micromorphological seed characters. The study aims to search for diagnostic seed ultrastructural features that may help to elucidate species identification. For SEM analysis, seed morphological characters including seed form and shape, color and size, ornamentation, epidermal cell shape, and anticlinal wall pattern were investigated. As a result of the study, species‐specific characters have been determined. Based on seed exomorphology, three characteristic cell patterns; irregular, round, and flat were observed. In majority of studied taxa, species may be further differentiated based on seed shape, size, and surface ornamentation. The inconsistency in testa cell pattern, shape, and distribution of papillae or protuberances may probably give further insight and significant morphological features at specific and generic level within the tribe. This study illustrated that considerable taxonomic knowledge can be obtained by examining the seed characters ofAstragaleaeandTrifolieae, particularly at the species level. The results demonstrated that the use of SEM in seed morphology could play a role in the identification of taxa particularly at genus and species level. Twelve species ofAstragaleaeandTrifolieaewere studied in order to describe and investigate the seed morphology and to evaluate the diagnostic value of this character using a SEM. A broader taxon sampling is required for classification at generic and tribal level, besides molecular and phylogenetic studies.
Transition to telephone genetic counseling services during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Shannon Kristen M. , Emmet Margaret M. , Rodgers Linda H. , Wooters Mackenzie , Seidel Meredith L. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the delivery of healthcare services, including oncology. To ensure continuity of cancer genetic counseling at a large academic medical center while also promoting the safety of patients and staff, our team transitioned to fully remote telephone genetic counseling and testing services within 48 hr. We compare differences in the six weeks following the shift to telephone genetic counseling (post‐COVID) to the six weeks preceding the pandemic (pre‐COVID). We maintained 99% of our total visit capacity and saw a decrease in patient no‐show rate from 9.5% to 7.3%. Of all patients who received telephone genetic counseling, fewer consented to genetic testing as compared to patients seen in‐person prior to the pandemic (79% pre‐COVID v. 72% post‐COVID; p = .012). Four weeks after this cohort was closed for analysis, 96 out of 303 samples (32%) had not been received by the genetic testing laboratory, despite at least one reminder phone call to the patient. In 13 reported instances, a second sample was required (quality not sufficient, lost or mislabeled sample), thus delaying test results. We conclude that a rapid transition to remote genetic counseling and testing allowed uninterrupted access to cancer genetics services during to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Patient compliance with sample return and higher rates of sample failure emerge as potential barriers to timely genetic testing under this service delivery model.
Unnatural trend of global land long‐term surface air temperature change
Authors: Wang Yu , Yan Pengcheng , Ji Fei , Tang Shankai , Yang Liu , Hu Shujuan , Feng Guolin 
Published: December 2020

AbstractIn the context of global warming, determining to what extent natural variability and external forcing have an impact on climate change is crucial for formulating mitigation policies and adaptation plans. We quantifiably and effectively separate unnatural trends from the global land surface air temperature (SAT) changes during 1951–2015 by calculating the long‐term correlation exponent through detrended fluctuation analysis and applying mainly probability statistics methods. We provide effective discriminated evidence for whether the observed SAT change exceeds its natural internal variability. Furthermore, we search the range of SAT changes caused by unnatural trends, and identify their corresponding minimum contributions to warming relative trends in different regions. The unnatural warming of the mid‐ to high latitude inland areas of Eurasia and North America is basically high, and the warming responses to unnatural forcing are most intense in these areas. Compared to earlier detection, we find the minimum unnatural trend contributes more than 80% to the observed SAT change in North America, northern Greenland, eastern Africa, and the mid‐ to high latitudes of Eurasia. In addition, the temporal evolutions of unnatural trends in key areas are determined. In North Africa, Western Australia, the United States and Mexico, the unnatural impact became significant at the earliest. Meanwhile, the overall unnatural trend in North Africa is the most significant, followed by western Brazil, and grows most rapidly over time in the two key areas.
SERS and the scientific career of Richard P. Van Duyne (1945–2019)
Authors: Schatz George C. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThis article describes the scientific career of our dear friend Richard P. Van Duyne. Rick was the discoverer of surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and over the period from the mid‐1970s until his death in 2019, he served as both the intellectual leader of the field, and the technical genius who pushed the field forward through his numerous inventions and discoveries. Rick's work went through many phases, and even involved a significant period of inactivity that Rick was able to break out of, but especially after 2000, there was a period of incredible creativity that ultimately led to a detailed understanding of what the SERS enhancement factor is all about and also led to fabrication techniques for making optimum SERS substrates such that applications of SERS to a wide variety of real‐world problems in sensing became possible. In addition, Rick's SERS work spawned numerous related technologies, including index of refraction sensing based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) measurements, and the extension of SERS to its tip‐enhanced cousin TERS, to electrochemical versions of SERS and TERS, and to ultrafast nonlinear techniques. The practical applications he pursued included diagnostics for diseases such as cancer, hand‐held glucose sensing, and SERS studies related to art conservation. However, Rick's legacy will probably be best known through the numerous students, postdocs, and collaborators that passed through his lab and who are now active researchers in areas related to SERS at universities and industrial labs around the world.
Enrichment of fermented cassava meal ‘mchuchume’ with micronutrient ingredients from soya bean flour and Moringa oleifera leaves powder
Authors: Alphonce Severino , Kaale Lilian Daniel , Millinga Francis , Rweyemamu Leonard MP 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBACKGROUND‘Mchuchume’ is a ready to eat fermented cassava food used for breakfast, lunch, and/or snack purposes. Its diverse consumption modes attract many studies, including regarding its fortification with inexpensive food materials rich in beneficial nutritional qualities. This study is aimed at investigating the effect of soya bean flour and Moringa oleifera leaves powder on the micronutrient composition of mchuchume.RESULTSEnrichment significantly increased iron (0.001 g kg−1 in control to 0.03 g kg−1 in cassava–soya, 0.06 g kg−1 in cassava–moringa and 0.09 g kg−1 in cassava–soya–moringa) and potassium (1.01 g kg−1 in control to 5.14 g kg−1 in cassava–soya, 3.45 g kg−1 in cassava–moringa and 7.43 g kg−1 in cassava–soya–moringa). Compared with the control (0.10 g kg−1 sodium), sodium content either decreased significantly (to 0.09 g kg−1 in cassava–soya) or increased significantly (to 0.37 g k g−1 in cassava–moringa and 0.36 g kg−1 in cassava–soya–moringa). β‐Carotene was below the instrument's limit of detection (<0.2 × 10−6 g mL−1) in the control and cassava–soya blends but was detected in cassava–moringa (0.01–0.02 g kg−1) and cassava–soya–moringa blends (0.01–0.02 g kg−1).CONCLUSIONMchuchume fortified with both M. oleifera leaves powder and soya bean flour has micronutrients at recommended dietary allowances. The food is recommended for use in management of iron and vitamin A deficiencies, which are endemic not only to inhabitants and refugees of the Kigoma region in Tanzania but also to people in most African countries and other cassava‐consuming developing nations. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Interannual climate variability determines the efficiency of functional recovery in dry Mediterranean abandoned vineyards
Authors: Quintana José Ramón , Molina José Antonio , Diéguez‐Antón Ana , Valverde‐Asenjo Inmaculada 
Published: December 2020

AbstractEuropean abandoned lands have been increasing in recent decades, and this is occurring in a climate change scenario in which the consequences of their interactions are still little known. We tested the hypothesis that the functionality of abandoned lands responds differently to year‐to‐year climate variations depending on the time since the cessation of agricultural activity. We constructed a chronosequence in Mediterranean abandoned vineyards at six different years of abandonment in 2016 (1, 3, 7, 11, 25, 40), in a current vineyard and in land not dedicated to vineyards. Soil total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and available nutrients, enzyme activities relating to the main macronutrient cycles and plant‐community attributes were studied at 24 sites over three consecutive years. A total of 144 samplings were performed. TOC, TN, most enzyme activities and plant species density increased throughout the chronosequence, although interannual climate variability also had a significant influence. The extreme drought event increased the activity of enzymes related to the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycle, as well as the stock of TOC after a subsequent decrease in TOC when environmental conditions became favourable. In contrast, plant species density and the cover of certain plant functional traits such as mycorrhizal symbiotic plants (Cistaceae) and N‐fixers (Fabaceae) decreased significantly. Our results also demonstrated that extreme drought events had a higher negative impact on lands that had been abandoned for longer. We therefore conclude that extreme drought events damage the functionality of Mediterranean abandoned agrosystems, thus affecting all its compartments and jeopardising its functionality.
Cascading effects of freshwater salinization on plankton communities in the Sierra Nevada
Authors: Moffett Emma R. , Baker Henry K. , Bonadonna Christine C. , Shurin Jonathan B. , Symons Celia C. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractRunoff containing road salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) causes the salinization of inland freshwaters, with potentially severe impacts on aquatic species. We performed a mesocosm experiment to test the effects of salinization on plankton community structure in an oligotrophic mountain lake with a limited history of elevated salt concentrations. We exposed plankton communities to a gradient of 30 salt concentrations ranging from 1 to 2900 Cl− mg L−1 for 6 weeks. Adding salt increased zooplankton biomass at concentrations < 500 mg Cl− L−1 while reducing phytoplankton biomass. Zooplankton biomass declined precipitously at higher concentrations, with phytoplankton biomass showing a mirror image increase. The initial increase in zooplankton biomass with salt addition suggests that zooplankton are salt‐limited at low ionic concentrations. Additionally, the inverse response of zooplankton and phytoplankton suggests that salinity mainly affects phytoplankton biomass via changes in top‐down regulation by grazers.
Simulation of coupled multiphase flow and geomechanics in porous media with embedded discrete fractures
Authors: Cusini Matteo , White Joshua A. , Castelletto Nicola , Settgast Randolph R. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractIn fractured natural formations, the equations governing fluid flow and geomechanics are strongly coupled. Hydrodynamical properties depend on the mechanical configuration, and they are therefore difficult to accurately resolve using uncoupled methods. In recent years, significant research has focused on discretization strategies for these coupled systems, particularly in the presence of complicated fracture network geometries. In this work, we explore a finite‐volume discretization for the multiphase flow equations coupled with a finite‐element scheme for the mechanical equations. Fractures are treated as lower dimensional surfaces embedded in a background grid. Interactions are captured using the embedded discrete fracture model (EDFM) and the embedded finite element method (EFEM) for the flow and the mechanics, respectively. This nonconforming approach significantly alleviates meshing challenges. EDFM considers fractures as lower dimension finite volumes that exchange fluxes with the rock matrix cells. The EFEM method provides, instead, a local enrichment of the finite‐element space inside each matrix cell cut by a fracture element. Both the use of piecewise constant and piecewise linear enrichments are investigated. They are also compared to an extended finite element approach. One key advantage of EFEM is the element‐based nature of the enrichment, which reduces the geometric complexity of the implementation and leads to linear systems with advantageous properties. Synthetic numerical tests are presented to study the convergence and accuracy of the proposed method. It is also applied to a realistic scenario, involving a heterogeneous reservoir with a complex fracture distribution, to demonstrate its relevance for field applications.