bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experimental Study on Mechanical Strength of Porous Concrete Pavement Containing Pozzolans
Authors: Pachideh Ghasem , Gholhaki Majid , Moshtagh Amin 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
The technical and economic advantages of porous concrete pavement have drawn the attention of many researchers. Accordingly, in this study, the effects of cement replacement (10 and 20 %) by pozzolanic materials such as silica fume, zeolite, fly ash, and granulated blast-furnace slag (GBFS) on the performance of porous concrete was evaluated by conducting compressive and tensile strength as well as water absorption tests at the ages of 7 and 28 days. To conduct the strength tests, cylindrical and cubic specimens were built with dimensions of 100 by 200 mm and 100 by 100 by 100 mm, respectively. Based on the results, application of silica fume and GBFS managed to improve the compressive and tensile strengths by 60 and 300 %, respectively. Moreover, the inclusion of zeolite, fly ash, and GBFS enhanced the specimen’s water absorption and stood at fair and good ranking provided by the International System of Unified Standard Codes of Practice for Structures (CEB-FIP) standard.
Cerebral Contribution to the Execution, But Not Recalibration, of Motor Commands in a Novel Walking Environment
Authors: de Kam Digna , Iturralde Pablo A. , Torres-Oviedo Gelsy 
Published: January 2020

AbstractHuman movements are flexible as they continuously adapt to changes in the environment. The recalibration of corrective responses to sustained perturbations (e.g., constant force) altering one’s movement contributes to this flexibility. We asked whether the recalibration of corrective actions involve cerebral structures using stroke as a disease model. We characterized changes in muscle activity in stroke survivors and control subjects before, during, and after walking on a split-belt treadmill moving the legs at different speeds. The recalibration of corrective muscle activity was comparable between stroke survivors and control subjects, which was unexpected given the known deficits in feedback responses poststroke. Also, the intact recalibration in stroke survivors contrasted their limited ability to adjust their muscle activity during steady-state split-belt walking. Our results suggest that the recalibration and execution of motor commands are partially dissociable: cerebral lesions interfere with the execution, but not the recalibration, of motor commands on novel movement demands.
Post-Saccadic Face Processing Is Modulated by Pre-Saccadic Preview: Evidence from Fixation-Related Potentials
Authors: Buonocore Antimo , Dimigen Olaf , Melcher David 
Published: January 2020

Humans actively sample their environment with saccadic eye movements to bring relevant information into high-acuity foveal vision. Despite being lower in resolution, peripheral information is also available before each saccade. How the pre-saccadic extrafoveal preview of a visual object influences its post-saccadic processing is still an unanswered question. The current study investigated this question by simultaneously recording behavior and fixation-related brain potentials while human subjects made saccades to face stimuli. We manipulated the relationship between pre-saccadic “previews” and post-saccadic images to explicitly isolate the influences of the former. Subjects performed a gender discrimination task on a newly foveated face under three preview conditions: scrambled face, incongruent face (different identity from the foveated face), and congruent face (same identity). As expected, reaction times were faster after a congruent-face preview compared with a scrambled-face preview. Importantly, intact face previews (either incongruent or congruent) resulted in a massive reduction of post-saccadic neural responses. Specifically, we analyzed the classic face-selective N170 component at occipitotemporal electroencephalogram electrodes, which was still present in our experiments with active looking. However, the post-saccadic N170 was strongly attenuated following intact-face previews compared with the scrambled condition. This large and long-lasting decrease in evoked activity is consistent with a trans-saccadic mechanism of prediction that influences category-specific neural processing at the start of a new fixation. These findings constrain theories of visual stability and show that the extrafoveal preview methodology can be a useful tool to investigate its underlying mechanisms.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTNeural correlates of object recognition have traditionally been studied by flashing stimuli to the central visual field. This procedure differs in fundamental ways from natural vision, where viewers actively sample the environment with eye movements and also obtain a low-resolution preview of soon-to-be-fixated objects. Here we show that the N170, a classic electrophysiological marker of the structural encoding of faces, also occurs during a more natural viewing condition but is strongly reduced due to extrafoveal preprocessing (preview benefit). Our results therefore highlight the importance of peripheral vision during trans-saccadic processing in building a coherent and stable representation of the world around us.
Connexin Signaling Is Involved in the Reactivation of a Latent Stem Cell Niche after Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Fabbiani Gabriela , Reali Cecilia , Valentín-Kahan Adrián , Rehermann María Inés , Fagetti Jimena , Falco María Victoria , Russo Raúl E. 
Published: January 2020

The ependyma of the adult spinal cord is a latent stem cell niche that is reactivated by spinal cord injury contributing new cells to the glial scar. The cellular events taking place in the early stages of the reaction of the ependyma to injury remain little understood. Ependymal cells are functionally heterogeneous with a mitotically active subpopulation lining the lateral domains of the central canal (CC) that are coupled via gap junctions. Gap junctions and connexin hemichannels are key regulators of the biology of neural progenitors during development and in adult neurogenic niches. Thus, we hypothesized that communication via connexins in the CC is developmentally regulated and may play a part in the reactivation of this latent stem cell niche after injury. To test these possibilities, we combined patch-clamp recordings of ependymal cells with immunohistochemistry for various connexins in the neonatal and the adult (P > 90) normal and injured spinal cord of male and female mice. We find that coupling among ependymal cells is downregulated as postnatal development proceeds but increases after injury, resembling the immature CC. The increase in gap junction coupling in the adult CC was paralleled by upregulation of connexin 26, which correlated with the resumption of proliferation and a reduction of connexin hemichannel activity. Connexin blockade reduced the injury-induced proliferation of ependymal cells. Our findings suggest that connexins are involved in the early reaction of ependymal cells to injury, representing a potential target to improve the contribution of the CC stem cell niche to repair.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTEpendymal cells in the adult spinal cord are latent progenitors that react to injury to support some degree of endogenous repair. Understanding the mechanisms by which these progenitor-like cells are regulated in the aftermath of spinal cord injury is critical to design future manipulations aimed at improving healing and functional recovery. Gap junctions and connexin hemichannels are key regulators of the biology of neural progenitors during development and in adult neurogenic niches. We find here that connexin signaling in the ependyma changes after injury of the adult spinal cord, functionally resembling the immature active-stem cell niche of neonatal animals. Our findings suggest that connexins in ependymal cells are potential targets to improve self-repair of the spinal cord.
A conceptual index for benchmarking intermittent water supply in a water distribution system zone
Authors: Carlo Loubser  , Suzanne Esther Basson  , Heinz Erasmus Jacobs  
Published: January 2020

Various challenges, such as limited freshwater resources, climate change impacts, rapid population growth, urbanisation and underinvestment in water supply infrastructure, have led to intermittent water supply (IWS) in potable water distribution systems. Earlier research has confirmed that IWS negatively impacts the consumers, the infrastructure and the water supply authorities. Water supply authorities need tools to help understand IWS and the associated implications. A new indexing framework involving the causes and impacts associated with IWS is presented in this paper. In addition, a novel approach allows for quantification of the severity of IWS based on knowledge of a few readily available inputs. The severity quantification is based on two ratios: the intermittency ratio is a temporal measurement, accounting for supply duration; the connection ratio describes spatial aspects, using the number of service connections affected. The indexing framework and quantification tool could lead to improved understanding of IWS and could assist water supply authorities faced with IWS to make informed decisions. Improved planning of remedial actions to mitigate or avoid risks associated with IWS is aided. The tools presented in this paper could be used as basis for future development of a key performance indicator.
YILAN TÜRLERİ ARASINDAKİ MORFOLOJİK FARKLILIKLARIN SAPTANMASINDA YILAN GÖMLEKLERİNİN KULLANILABİLİRLİĞİNİN ARAŞTIRILMASI
Authors: SAKALLI Veli , ÇÖMELEKOĞLU Ülkü , ALBAYRAK Önder , AVCI Aziz 
Published: January 2020

Yılan derisi dayanıklı ve esnek olmayan bir dış yüzey ile esnek bir iç tabakadan oluşmuştur. Yılanlar yılda birkaç kez stratum corneum olarak bilinen dış katmanı bütün halinde değiştirirler. Yılan gömleği olarak da bilinen bu tabaka folklorik tıpta, kozmetikte ve farmakolojik çalışmalarda kullanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, aynı habitatta yaşayan farklı iki yılan türüne ait stratum corneum tabakalarının taramalı elektron mikroskobu ile morfolojik özelliklerin karşılaştırılması yapmak ve bu yöntemin taksonomide kullanılabileceğini ortaya koymaktır. Çalışmada üç Dolichophis jugularis ve üç Malpolon insignitus olmak üzere toplam altı yılan gömleği kullanıldı. Taramalı elektron mikroskobu ile incelenen iki farklı türe ait yılan gömlekleri arasında morfolojik farklılıklar olduğu belirlendi. Çalışma sonucunda yılan gömleklerinin yılan derisine alternatif olarak taksonomide kullanılabileceği düşünülmektedir.
Clinical treatment of humerus fracture using intramedullary humerus nailing system
Authors: Rawat Pooja , Kumar Mohit , Luthra Gaurav 
Published: January 2020

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> The clinical results of intramedullary humerus nailing system of humeral fracture is controversial variation in implants, and follow up factor and operative technical studies. Humerus fracture is the third long fracture after femoral and tibia bone fracture.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> In this prospective study, 45 patients (24 female and 21 male) between the age group of 18-75 years with humerus fracture were taken who did not get conservative management. Type of fracture was categorized according to AO classification. Intramedullary humeral nailing system (compression intramedullary humerus nail, reconstruction nail and reconstruction intramedullary humerus nail) manufactured at Auxein Medical Pvt. Ltd., was used to treatment of humerus fracture. Patient physical fitness was observed according to American Society of Anesthesiologist. Pain scale and outcomes was record from the patients using visual analog scale. Follow up of the patients were taken on 3-week, 8-week, 16-week, 1-year and 2-year.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> At 2 years follow up, bone consolidation was present in 44 cases. Only one case has reported of mortality but that was not due to implant related. No clinical and biomechanical complications were reported. Proper healing of implant was achieved.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Intramedullary humeral nailing system is the best treatment option to treat the humerus fracture. Compression intramedullary humerus nail can minimize the gap and increase the biomechanical stiffness.</p>
Association of ABCB4 and ABCB11 nucleotide variants with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy
Authors: Gruszczyńska-Losy Milena , Mostowska Adrianna , Adamczak Łukasz , Jagodziński Paweł , Wender-Ożegowska Ewa , Kędzia Małgorzata 
Published: January 2020

Background: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is the most common liver disorder during gestation. The exact pathogenesis of ICP is multifactorial and still unclear. Therefore, our study aimed to check whether the selected ABCB4and ABCB11nucleotide variants are associated with an increased risk of ICP.
Methods:ICP was diagnosed based on clinical symptoms characteristic of this disease and confirmed by increase in serum bile acids and transaminases, spontaneous resolution of clinical symptoms and normalization of laboratory tests after delivery. The total of 86 pregnant women meeting the criteria were included into the study. Healthy pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancy served as control group (n=310). Sixcommon nucleotide variants in theABCB11and ABCB4genes were genotypedwith the use of high-resolution melting curve analysis.
Conclusion:Our study did not show any significant association of analysed ABCB4and ABCB11nucleotide variants with the increased risk of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
Performance of ultrasonography screening for breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Yang Lei , Wang Shengfeng , Zhang Liwen , Sheng Chao , Song Fengju , Huang Yubei 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background To investigate the performance of primary ultrasound (US) screening for breast cancer, and that of supplemental US screening for breast cancer after negative mammography (MAM). Methods Electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Wed of Science, and Embase) were systematically searched to identify relevant studies published between January 2003 and May 2018. Only high-quality or fair-quality studies reporting any of the following performance values for supplemental or primary US screening were included: sensitivity, specificity, cancer detected rate (CDR), recall rate (RR), biopsy rate (BR), and proportions of invasive cancers (ProIC) or node-negative invasive cancers (ProNNIC) among screening-detected cancers. Results Twenty-three studies were included, including 12 studies in which supplemental US screening was used after negative MAM and 11 joint screening studies in which both MAM and US were used as primary screening methods. Meta-analyses revealed that supplemental US screening could detect 96% [95% confidential intervals (CIs): 82% to 99%] of occult breast cancers missed by MAM and identify 94% (95% CIs: 88% to 97%) of healthy women, with a CDR of 2.9/1000 (95%CIs: 1.8/1000 to 3.9/1000), RR of 8.6% (95%CIs: 4.8% to 13.5%), BR of 3.9% (95%CIs: 2.5% to 5.5%), ProIC of 73.9% (95%CIs: 49.0% to 93.7%), and ProNNIC of 72.6% (95%CIs: 51.9% to 90.0%). Compared with primary MAM screening, primary US screening led to the recall of significantly more women with positive screening results [1.2% (95%CIs:0.4% to 1.9%), P =0.003] and detected significantly more invasive cancers [20.8% (95%CIs: 14.6% to 27.0%), P < 0.001]. However, there were no significant differences for other performance measures between the two screening methods, including sensitivity, specificity, CDR, BR, and ProNNIC. Conclusions Current evidence suggests that supplemental US screening could detect occult breast cancers missed by MAM. Primary US screening has shown to be comparable to primary MAM screening in women with dense breasts in terms of sensitivity, specificity, cancer detection rate, and biopsy rate, but with higher recall rates and higher detection rates for invasive cancers.
In Vitro comparison of cyclic fatigue resistance of TruNatomy in single and double curvature canals compared with different nickel-titanium rotary instruments
Authors: Elnaghy Amr M. , Elsaka Shaymaa E , Mandorah Ayman 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the cyclic fatigue resistance of newly developed TruNatomy instruments (TRN) in single and double (S-shaped) curvature canals with HyFlex CM (HCM), Vortex Blue (VB) and RaCe (RC) instruments.
Methods: Size 20/.04 taper and size 25/0.04 of HCM, VB and RC were used. For TRN instruments, size 20/.04 taper (small) and size 26/.04 taper (prime) were used. The instruments were tested in artificial canals with double curvature (coronal curve; 60° curvature, 5 mm radius and apical curve; 70° curvature and 2 mm radius) and single curvature (60° curvature, 5 mm radius). The number of cycles to failure (NCF) was recorded. Data were statistically analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn’s multiple comparison tests. Weibull analysis was performed on NCF data. Statistical significant was set at p < 0.05.
Results: TRN and HCM revealed higher NCF compared with the other instruments for both tested sizes in single and double curvature canals ( p < 0.05). TRN and HCM showed no statistically significant difference in the NCF ( p > 0.05). The probability of survival was higher for HCM and TRN instruments than VB and RC instruments.
Conclusions: HCM and TRN instruments were more resistant to cyclic fatigue than VB and RC instruments in single and double curvature canals. HCM and TRN instruments were anticipated to survive with higher number of cycles than the other tested instruments. RC instrument had the lowest fatigue resistance than the other instruments.
Bacillus velezensis LG37: Transcriptome profiling and functional verification of GlnK and MnrA in ammonia (NH4+) assimilation
Authors: Liu Guangxin , V Sarath Babu , Dong Yanjun , Li Xinfeng , A Binda Tembeng , Zhao Lijuan , Tu Jiagang , He Jin , lin li 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: In recent years, interest in Bacillus velezensis has increased significantly due to its role in many industrial water bioremediation processes, including the use of probiotics. In this study, we isolated and assessed the transcriptome of Bacillus velezensis LG37 (aquaculture pond) under different nitrogen sources. Since Bacillus species exhibit heterogeneity, it is worth investigating the molecular information of LG37 through ammonia nitrogen assimilation, where nitrogen in the form of ammonia is considered toxic to aquatic organisms. Results: Here, a total of 812 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from the transcriptomic sequencing of LG37 grown in minimal medium supplemented with ammonia (treatment) or glutamine (control) were obtained, from which 56 had Fold Change ≥ 2. BLAST-NCBI and UniProt databases revealed 27 out of the 56 DEGs were potentially involved in NH4+ assimilation. Among them, 8 DEGs together with the two-component regulatory system glnK/glnL were randomly selected for validation by quantitative real-time RT-PCR, and the results showed that expression of all the 8 DEGs is consistent with the RNA-seq data. Moreover, the transcriptome and relative expression analysis were consistent with the transporter (amtB) gene of LG37 and it is not involved in ammonia transport, even in the highest ammonia concentrations. Besides, CRISPR-Cas9 knockout and overexpression LG37 mutants of glnK further evidenced the exclusion of amtB regulation, suggesting the involvement of alternative transporter. Additionally, in the transcriptomic data, a novel ammonium transporter mnrA was expressed significantly in increased ammonia concentrations. Subsequently, OEmnrA and ΔmnrA LG37 strains showed unique expression pattern of specific genes compared to that of wild-LG37 strain. Conclusion: Based on the transcriptome data, regulation of nitrogen related genes was determined in the newly isolated LG37 strain to analyse the key regulating factors during ammonia assimilation. Using genomics tools, the novel MnrA transporter of LG37 became apparent in ammonia transport instead of AmtB, which transports ammonium nitrogen in other Bacillus strains. Collectively, this study defines heterogeneity of B. velezensis LG37 through comprehensive transcriptome analysis and subsequently, by genome editing techniques, sheds light on the enigmatic mechanisms controlling the functional genes under different nitrogen sources also reveals the need for further research.
Combination of isoflurane and propofol, a means for general anesthesia in the orthopedic surgery of perioperative cerebral hypoperfusion rats to avoid cognitive impairment Anesthesia of perioperative cerebral hypoperfusion
Authors: Bu Xinyue , Li Tang , Wang Haiyun , Xia Zhengyuan , Guo Di , Wang Jinxin , Sun Yi , Yang Chenyi , Liu Guoqiang , Ma Ji , Yang Zhuo , Wang Guolin 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: Perioperative cerebral hypoperfusion often occurs. However, the underlying mechanism of cognitive impairment resulting when perioperative cerebral hypoperfusion occurs remain mostly to be determined. Anesthetic isoflurane induces neuronal injury via endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, whereas sub-anesthetic dose of propofol improves postoperative cognitive function. However, the effects of the combination of isoflurane plus propofol, which is a common combination of anesthesia for patient, on ER stress and the associated cognitive function remain unknown.
Methods: We therefore set out to determine the effects of isoflurane plus propofol on the ER stress and cognitive function in the rats insulted by cerebral hypoperfusion. A ligation of bilateral common carotid arteries (CCA) surgery was adopted to prepare rats as cerebral hypoperfusion (CH) animal model. A second surgery, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), requiring general anesthesia, was operated 30 days later so that the effects of anesthetics on cognitive function of these CH rats could be assessed. The rats received isoflurane alone (1.9%), propofol alone (40 mg·kg -1 ·h -1 ) or a combination of isoflurane and propofol (1% and 20 mg·kg -1 ·h -1 or 1.4% and 10 mg·kg -1 ·h -1 ). Behavior studies (Fear Conditioning test), histological analyses (Nissl staining) and biochemical analyses (western blotting for the harvested rat brain tissues) were employed in the studies.
Results: We found that the combination of 1% isoflurane plus 20 mg·kg -1 ·h -1 propol did not aggravate the cognitive impairment and the ER stress in aging rats with cerebral hypoperusion and being subjected to an ORIF surgery.
Conclusions: These data suggest that ER stress contributes to the underlying mechanism of cognitive impairment and the combination of isoflurane and propofol did not aggravate the cognitive impairment and the ER stress in aging rats with cerebral hypoperfusion and being subjected to an ORIF surgery.