bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Retinal Vascular Tortuosity and Diameter Associations with Adiposity and Components of Body Composition
Authors: Tapp Robyn J. , Owen Christopher G. , Barman Sarah A. , Welikala Roshan A. , Foster Paul J. , Whincup Peter H. , Strachan David P. , Rudnicka Alicja R. ,   the UK Biobank Eye, Vision Consortium
Published: July 2020

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess whether adiposity or body composition relates to microvascular characteristics of the retina, indicative of cardiometabolic function.MethodsA fully automated QUARTZ software processed retinal images from 68,550 UK Biobank participants (aged 40‐69 years). Differences in retinal vessel diameter and tortuosity with body composition measures from the Tanita analyzer were obtained by using multilevel regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, clinic, smoking, and Townsend deprivation index.ResultsVenular tortuosity and diameter increased by approximately 2% (P < 10−300) and 0.6 μm (P < 10−6), respectively, per SD increase in BMI, waist circumference index, waist‐hip ratio, total body fat mass index, and fat‐free mass index (FFMI). Venular associations with adiposity persisted after adjustment for FFMI, whereas associations with FFMI were weakened by FMI adjustment. Arteriolar diameter (not tortuosity) narrowing with FFMI was independent of adiposity (−0.6 μm; −0.7 to −0.4 μm per SD increment of FFMI), while adiposity associations with arteriolar diameter were largely nonsignificant after adjustment for FFMI.ConclusionsThis demonstrates, on an unprecedented scale, that venular tortuosity and diameter are more strongly associated with adiposity, whereas arteriolar diameter relates more strongly to fat‐free mass. Different attributes of the retinal microvasculature may reflect distinct roles of body composition and fatness on the cardiometabolic system.
Can a children's hospital still cut it? Comparing outcomes of pediatric, adolescent and young adult patients undergoing thoracic surgery for lung metastases
Authors: Scorletti Federico , Cooke‐Barber Jo , Pressey Joseph G. , Nagarajan Rajaram , Turpin Brian , Jenkins Todd , Dasgupta Roshni 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundAdolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer have unique medical challenges compared with younger children and older adults. Dedicated centers have been established to deliver cancer therapy to the AYA population; many of these programs are located in pediatric hospitals. Outcomes of AYA patients on pediatric protocols are generally superior to those on adult protocols. Little is understood about the impact of care within a pediatric environment for surgical care of young adults.MethodsA retrospective institutional review was performed of patients undergoing thoracic metastectomy between 2012 and 2017. Demographics, procedural factors, cost, and outcomes were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups: > 18 and <18 years.ResultsNinety‐one procedures were performed: 61.5% (n = 56) were in patients <18 years old and 38.5% (n = 35) were > 18 years old. The median age was 6.5 years for <18 years old and 28 years for > 18 years old. Older patients had a significantly longer operative time on thoracoscopic cases; 91 versus 63 minutes. Fifty percent of the > 18 group had > 1 lesion resected compared with one lesion resected in 80.8% in <18 years old. No significant differences were found between the two groups in the duration of chest tube or length of stay. The AYA group demonstrated more “adult type” comorbidities.ConclusionAYA patients have unique developmental and emotional challenges. Surgical intervention in this special population of patients cared for within a pediatric environment shows no significant difference in outcome compared with pediatric patients undergoing the same procedure. AYA patients with “adult type” comorbidities can safely undergo multidisciplinary care including surgery within a pediatric environment without the need to fragment care.
Emerging Role of Mass Spectrometry‐Based Structural Proteomics in Elucidating Intrinsic Disorder in Proteins
Authors: Mitra Gopa 
Published: July 2020

AbstractInherent disorder is an integral part of all proteomes, represented as fully or partially unfolded proteins. The lack of order in intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) results in an incredibly flexible, floppy, and heterogeneous ensemble, contrary to the well‐structured and unique organization of folded proteins. Despite such unusual demeanor, IDPs are crucial for numerous cellular processes and are increasingly being associated with disease‐causing pathologies. These warrant more intensive investigation of this atypical class of protein. Traditional biophysical tools, however, fall short of analyzing IDPs, thus making their structure‐function characterization challenging. Mass spectrometry (MS) in recent years has evolved as a valuable tool for elucidating the unusual conformational facets of IDPs. In this review, the features of advanced MS techniques such as Hydrogen‐deuterium exchange (HDX)‐MS, native MS, limited proteolysis (LiP)‐MS, chemical cross‐linking (XL)‐MS, and Fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP)‐MS are briefly discussed. Recent MS studies on IDPs and the unique advantages/shortfalls associated with the above methods while evaluating structural proteomics of IDPs, are illustrated. Eventually the future scope of the MS methods in further decoding the unexplored landscapes of IDPs is presented.
Synthesis of magnetic metal organic framework/covalent organic framework hybrid materials as adsorbents for magnetic solid‐phase extraction of four endocrine‐disrupting chemicals from milk samples
Authors: Yue Bing , Liu Jianghua , Li Guoliang , Wu Yongning 
Published: July 2020

RationaleEndocrine‐disrupting chemicals (EDCs), widespread and easily ingested through the simple food chain, have been suggested to pose potential carcinogenic threats to human health. Considering food safety and public health, it is urgent to establish a sensitive and effective method to enrich and determine EDCs in food samples.MethodsNovel hybrid nanocomposites Fe3O4@A‐TpBD@NH2‐MIL‐125(Ti) were synthesized through the formation of amide bonds. The as‐prepared Fe3O4 were innovatively encapsulated with 4‐aminobenzoic acid functionalized COF(A‐TpBD) to generate bare carboxyl (‐COOH), which formed amide bonds with the NH2‐MIL‐125(Ti), generating well‐defined and hierarchical hybrid materials. The Fe3O4@A‐TpBD@NH2‐MIL‐125(Ti) materials were used as the adsorbents for magnetic solid‐phase extraction (MSPE) coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS) to enrich and determine EDCs (E1, E2, E3 and BPA) from milk samples.ResultsFe3O4@A‐TpBD@NH2‐MIL‐125(Ti) exhibited improved adsorption efficiency and selectivity based on π‐π stacking interaction, hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interaction, and the interaction between the hydroxyl group in EDCs and titanium ions (IV, [Ti]4+). Under the optimized conditions, Fe3O4@A‐TpBD@NH2‐MIL‐125(Ti)‐based MSPE coupled with HPLC/MS/MS showed good linearity with correlation coefficient (R2) ≥0.9983 and high sensitivity with limits of detection (LODs) in the range of 0.37–0.85 μg/L. Moreover, the developed method was successfully employed to detect EDCs in milk samples.ConclusionsFe3O4@A‐TpBD@NH2‐MIL‐125(Ti) possess good adsorption capability and selectivity for EDCs. In addition, the proposed MSPE‐HPLC/MS/MS method based on Fe3O4@A‐TpBD@NH2‐MIL‐125(Ti) is effective and sensitive for the determination of EDCs in real samples, which can be used as a robust alternative method to monitor EDCs in complex matrices.
Capsule robot for gut microbiota sampling using shape memory alloy spring
Authors: Rehan Muhammad , Al‐Bahadly Ibrahim , Thomas David G. , Avci Ebubekir 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundHuman gut microbiota can provide lifelong health information and even influence mood and behaviour. We currently lack the tools to obtain a microbial sample, directly from the small intestine, without contamination.MethodsShape memory alloy springs are used in concentric configuration to develop an axial actuator. A novel design of sampling mechanism is fabricated for collecting the sample from the gut. Storage chamber (500 µl) is used to protect the sample from downstream contamination.ResultsThe developed actuator occupies a small space (5 × Ø5.75 mm) and produces sufficient output force (1.75 N) to operate the sampling mechanism. A non‐invasive capsule robot was tested ex vivo on the animal intestine, and it captured an average of 134 µl content which was sufficient for microbiome assessment.ConclusionsLaboratory testing revealed that the collected sample had an amino acid signature indicative of microbiota, mucus and digesta, which provided a proof of concept for the proposed design.
Implementation of fast independent component analysis on field‐programmable gate array for resolving the slot collision issue in the space‐based automatic identification system
Authors: Krishna Adithya , Nimbal Akshay , Makam Adarsh , Sambasiva Rao V 
Published: July 2020

SummaryThe space‐based automatic identification system (S‐AIS) is a maritime safety and vessel monitoring system used to broadcast the ship position and other telemetry every few seconds in short bursts. A satellite‐based AIS receiver is of interest to defense community as it provides global or wide‐area coverage. However, when the satellite passes regions with elevated traffic density, a major challenge is to overcome the message or signal interference at the satellite receiver. This paper mainly focuses on developing a novel AIS satellite receiver that uses fast independent component analysis (FastICA) blind source separation technique to resolve the overlapped signals at the satellite. We propose an architecture to realize FastICA algorithm on hardware. In addition to this, we present Gaussian minimum shift keying modulator and demodulator design schemes used by the S‐AIS transponders. The proposed framework is realized on Virtex5‐xc5vlx110t field‐programmable gate array. The results obtained validate the effectiveness of the FastICA architecture realized by recovering the original ship data from the overlapped signals.
Hematopoietic stem cells from pluripotent stem cells: Clinical potential, challenges, and future perspectives
Authors: Demirci Selami , Leonard Alexis , Tisdale John F. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe generation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is an active and promising area of research; however, generating engraftable HSCs remains a major obstacle. Ex vivo HSC derivation from renewable sources such as iPSCs offers an experimental tool for studying developmental hematopoiesis, disease modeling, and drug discovery, and yields tremendous therapeutic potential for malignant and nonmalignant hematological disorders. Although initial attempts mostly recapitulated yolk sac primitive/definitive hematopoiesis with inability to engraft, recent advances suggest the feasibility of engraftable HSC derivation from iPSCs utilizing ectopic transcription factor expression. Strategic development for de novo HSC generation includes further investigations of HSC ontogeny, and elucidation of critical signaling pathways, epigenetic modulations, HSC and iPSC microenvironment, and cell-cell interactions that contribute to stem cell biology and function.Significance statement Patient-specific hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer possibility for the treatment of hematological diseases, particularly when no other options are available. This review highlights the current advances in HSC derivation from PSCs and discusses the obstacles that need to be overcome for future autologous PSC-derived HSC transplantation as a therapeutic modality. The feasibility of HSC generation from transcription factor engineered PSCs has been demonstrated in laboratory conditions and is suggestive of clinically relevant application.
Agropastoralists’ Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Modeling: Software and Coding Method Accuracies for Best-Worst Scaling Data
Authors: Amadou Zakou 
Published: July 2020

AbstractInvestigating software and coding method accuracies are still a challenge when dealing with best-worst scaling data. Comparing various climate change policy estimates and their relative importance across different statistical packages has received little attention. In this chapter, we use best-worst scaling approach to determine agropastoralist preferences for 13 climate change adaptation policies across two popular statistical packages (R and SAS). While data were collected from 271 agropastoralists, mixed logit was used to analyze data. Results reveal that mean and standard deviation estimates for 13 climate change adaptation policies from R are higher and statistically significant than SAS estimates. Based on R estimates, prolific animal selection, vaccination, settlement, strategic mobility, and strategic destocking are the most popular climate change adaptation policies, and more than two-third of respondents are in favor of these policies.
Predictions of quantum gravity in inflationary cosmology: effects of the Weyl-squared term
Authors: Anselmi Damiano , Bianchi Eugenio , Piva Marco 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWe derive the predictions of quantum gravity with fakeons on the amplitudes and spectral indices of the scalar and tensor fluctuations in inflationary cosmology. The action isR+R2plus the Weyl-squared term. The ghost is eliminated by turning it into a fakeon, that is to say a purely virtual particle. We work to the next-to-leading order of the expansion around the de Sitter background. The consistency of the approach puts a lower bound (mχ>mϕ/4) on the massmχof the fakeon with respect to the massmϕof the inflaton. The tensor-to-scalar ratioris predicted within less than an order of magnitude (4/2 <N2r<12 to the leading order in the number ofe-foldingsN). Moreover, the relationr≃ –8nTis not affected by the Weyl-squared term. No vector and no other scalar/tensor degree of freedom is present.
A new renormalon in two dimensions
Authors: Mariño Marcos , Reis Tomás 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
According to standard lore, perturbative series of super-renormalizable theories have only instanton singularities. In this paper we show that two-dimensional scalar theories with a spontaneously broken O(N ) symmetry at the classical level, which are super-renormalizable, have an IR renormalon singularity at large N . Since perturbative expansions in these theories are made around the “false vacuum” in which the global symmetry is broken, this singularity can be regarded as a manifestation of the non-perturbative absence of Goldstone bosons. We conjecture that the Borel singularity in the ground state energy of the Lieb-Liniger model is a non-relativistic manifestation of this phenomenon. We also provide en passant a detailed perturbative calculation of the Lieb-Liniger energy up to two-loops, and we check that it agrees with the prediction of the Bethe ansatz.
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes after gestational diabetes: a 23 year cohort study
Authors: Auvinen Anna-Maaria , Luiro Kaisu , Jokelainen Jari , Järvelä Ilkka , Knip Mikael , Auvinen Juha , Tapanainen Juha S. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Aims/hypothesis
The aim of this work was to examine the progression to type 1 and type 2 diabetes after gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a 23 year follow-up study.

Methods
We carried out a cohort study of 391 women with GDM diagnosed by an OGTT or the use of insulin treatment during pregnancy, and 391 age- and parity-matched control participants, who delivered in 1984–1994 at the Oulu University Hospital, Finland. Diagnostic cut-off levels for glucose were as follows: fasting, ≥4.8 mmol/l; 1 h, ≥10.0 mmol/l; and 2 h, ≥8.7 mmol/l. Two follow-up questionnaires were sent (in 1995–1996 and 2012–2013) to assess the progression to type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Mean follow-up time was 23.1 (range 18.7–28.8) years.

Results
Type 1 diabetes developed (5.7%) during the first 7 years after GDM pregnancy and was predictable at a 2 h OGTT value of 11.9 mmol/l during pregnancy (receiver operating characteristic analysis: AUC 0.91, sensitivity 76.5%, specificity 96.0%). Type 2 diabetes increased linearly to 50.4% by the end of the follow-up period and was moderately predictable with fasting glucose (AUC 0.69, sensitivity 63.5%, specificity 68.2%) at a level of 5.1 mmol/l (identical to the fasting glucose cut-off recommended by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups [IADPSG) and WHO]).

Conclusions/interpretation
All women with GDM should be intensively monitored for a decade, after which the risk for type 1 diabetes is minimal. However, the incidence of type 2 diabetes remains linear, and therefore individualised lifelong follow-up is recommended.
Controlling airgap magnetic flux density harmonics in synchronous machines using field current injection
Authors: Evestedt Fredrik , Pérez-Loya J. José , Abrahamsson C. Johan D. , Lundin Urban 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIn this paper, a method to control the harmonic content of the magnetic flux density in the airgap of a synchronous machine is presented. Voltage harmonics in one phase as well as the exciting magnetic forces can be affected. Switched power electronics were used to provide the field current to a synchronous machine, the control added specific current harmonics to the DC field current in order to minimize either voltage harmonics or magnetic forces. The method is verified and compared with simulations and experiments on an existing electrical machine.
Patient safety associated with the surgical treatment of bone and soft tissue tumours during the COVID-19 pandemic—results from an observational study at the Oxford Sarcoma Service
Authors: Rajasekaran Raja Bhaskara , Kotecha Sanjeev , Whitwell Duncan , Cosker Thomas D. A. , Critchley Paul , Fries Charles Anton , Pigott David , Gibbons Christopher L. M. H. , Carr Andrew 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Purpose
Deferring cancer surgery can have profound adverse effects including patient mortality. During the COVID-19 pandemic, departmental reorganisation and adherence to evolving guidelines enabled provision of uninterrupted surgical care to patients with bone and soft tissue tumours (BST) in need of surgery. We reviewed the outcomes of surgeries on BST during the first two months of the pandemic at one of the tertiary BST centres in the UK.

Materials and methods
Between 12 March 2020 and 12 May 2020, 56 patients of a median age of 57 years (18–87) underwent surgery across two sites: index hospital (n = 27) and COVID-free facility (n = 29). Twenty-five (44.6%) patients were above the age of 60 years and 20 (35.7%) patients were in ASA III and ASA IV category. The decision to offer surgery was made in adherence with the guidelines issued by the NHS, BOOS and BSG.

Results
At a minimum follow-up of 30 days post-surgery, 54 (96.4%) patients were recovering well. Thirteen patients (23.2%) had post-operative complications which included four (7.1%) patients developing pulmonary embolism. The majority of complications (12/13 = 92.7%) occurred in ASA III and IV category patients. Four (7.1%) patients contracted COVID-19, of which three required escalation of care due to pulmonary complications and two (3.6%) died. Patients < 60 years of age had significantly less complications than those > 60 years (p < 0.001). Patients operated on in the COVID-free facility had fewer complications compared with those operated on at the index hospital (p < 0.027).

Conclusion
In spite of the favourable results in majority of our patients, our study shows that patients with sarcoma operated at the height of the pandemic are at a risk of contracting COVID-19 and also having associated with mortality. The use of a COVID-free facility, surgery in patients < 60 60 years and in ASA I & II category are associated with better outcomes. If a second wave occurs, a serious consideration should be given to ways of minimising the risk of contracting COVID-19 in these vulnerable patients either by using COVID-free facilities or delaying treatment until peak of infection has passed.
Global monsoon response to tropical and Arctic stratospheric aerosol injection
Authors: Sun Weiyi , Wang Bin , Chen Deliang , Gao Chaochao , Lu Guonian , Liu Jian 
Published: July 2020

AbstractStratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) is considered as a backup approach to mitigate global warming, and understanding its climate impact is of great societal concern. It remains unclear how differently global monsoon (GM) precipitation would change in response to tropical and Arctic SAI. Using the Community Earth System Model, a control experiment and a suite of 140-year experiments with CO2increasing by 1% per year (1% CO2) are conducted, including ten tropical SAI and ten Arctic SAI experiments with different injecting intensity ranging from 10 to 100 Tg yr−1. For the same amount of injection, a larger reduction in global temperature occurs under tropical SAI compared with Arctic SAI. The simulated result in the last 40 years shows that, for a 10 Tg yr−1injection, GM precipitation decreases by 1.1% (relative to the 1% CO2experiment) under Arctic SAI, which is weaker than under tropical SAI (1.9%). Further, tropical SAI suppresses precipitation globally, but Arctic SAI reduces the Northern Hemisphere monsoon (NHM) precipitation by 2.3% and increases the Southern Hemisphere monsoon (SHM) precipitation by 0.7%. Under the effect of tropical SAI, the reduced GM precipitation is mainly due to the thermodynamic term associated with the tropical cooling-induced decreased moisture content. The hemispheric antisymmetric impact of Arctic SAI arises from the dynamic term related to anomalous moisture convergence influenced by the anomalous meridional temperature gradient.
Dietary macronutrients do not differently affect postprandial vascular endothelial function in apparently healthy overweight and slightly obese men
Authors: Smeets Ellen T. H. C. , Mensink Ronald P. , Joris Peter J. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Purpose
Well-designed trials comparing side-by-side effects of macronutrients on postprandial endothelial function are missing. Therefore, we investigated under well-controlled and isocaloric condition effects of fat, carbohydrates, and protein on postprandial endothelial function as assessed by brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), an important non-invasive technique to assess endothelial function.

Methods
Eighteen apparently healthy overweight and slightly obese men (BMI 26.0–35.0 kg/m2) completed this randomized, double-blinded, cross-over trial. The study consisted of three test days each separated by a wash-out period of at least 1 week. After an overnight fast, men received an isocaloric meal providing 3987 kJ (953 kcal) that was either high in dietary fat (En% fat [F]/carbohydrates [C]/protein [P]: 52.3, 39.2, 8.0), carbohydrates (En% F/C/P: 9.6, 81.5, 8.6), or protein (En% F/C/P: 10.6, 51.5, 36.9). Fasting and 2-h postprandial FMD responses were measured.

Results
A postprandial decrease of 1.2% point in FMD was observed after the high-protein meal (P = 0.015). However, postprandial changes did not differ between meals (P = 0.45). An increase in baseline brachial artery diameters was observed after the high-protein meal (P < 0.001) and changes differed between meals (P = 0.020). A meal*time interaction was found for plasma glucose concentrations, with the most pronounced increases after the high-carbohydrate meal at T15, T30, T60, and T90 (P < 0.05). A significant time and meal (P < 0.001), but no time*meal effect (P = 0.06) was found for serum insulin concentrations. Increases in serum triacylglycerol concentrations did not differ between meals (P = 0.014).

Conclusion
Macronutrients did not differently affect postprandial endothelial function in apparently healthy overweight and slightly obese men.

Trial registration
Trial registration number (ClinicalTrials.gov) NCT03139890 in May 2017