bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The differences of atrial thrombus locations and variable response to anticoagulation in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation with ventricular cardiomyopathy
Authors: Zhang Hao , Yu Miao , Xia Yu , Li Xiaofeng , Liu Jun , Fang Pihua 
Published: August 2020

AbstractObjectivesThis study aims to research the clinical features of atrial thrombi in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF).METHODSThis study included 191 patients of AF who had atrial thrombi. One hundred and twenty‐eight of them were assigned into nonventricular cardiomyopathy group (non‐VCM), and the remaining 63 into ventricular cardiomyopathy group (VCM). After atrial thrombi diagnosed, all patients had taken oral anticoagulant therapy. The resolution rates of thrombi within 12 months were compared between the two groups, as well as the locations of thrombi.ResultsOf all 191 patients, 161 had thrombi only detected in left atrial appendage (LAA), 20 in both left atrium (LA) and LAA, six in LA only, and four in right atrium only. More patients had thrombi out of LAA in the VCM group than in the non‐VCM group (30.2% vs 8.6%, P < .001). After propensity score matching, the atrial thrombi were resolved faster in the non‐VCM group than in the VCM group (mean time length: 22 ± 2 weeks vs 30 ± 3 weeks, P = .038), and the resolution rate within 12 months was higher in the non‐VCM group than in the VCM group (88.7% vs 61.4%, Log‐rank, P = .038). In Cox proportional hazards model, absence of ventricular cardiomyopathy was an independent predictor for the resolution of atrial thrombus (hazard ratio: 1.76; P = .035).ConclusionsThe patients of atrial fibrillation with ventricular cardiomyopathies have higher incidence of thrombosis in the body of left atrium or right atrium. And the resolution rate was lower in these patients.
Climatology and trends of reference evapotranspiration in Spain
Authors: Tomas‐Burguera Miquel , Beguería Santiago , Vicente‐Serrano Sergio M. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThis study presents a climatology and trend analysis of reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) over continental Spain and the Balearic Islands. Geographic features of the study region play a substantial role in the climatology of ETo. The highest values (in excess of 1,200 mm y−1) are found at lower elevations in the south, while the lowest values (less than 900 mm y−1) are found in the highest elevations in the north. A deep analysis reveals: (a) a low interannual variability; (b) summer accumulates more than 50% of annual values; and (c) the radiative component contribution is higher than 50%. A positive long‐term trend (1961–2014) has been detected for most of the study area, but showing contrasting situations when shorter periods (20–30 years) are analysed. A short initial period of negative trend was followed by a longer period of a positive trend. We argue that global dimming/brightening played a role in this process, as these two contrasting periods are clearly guided by the radiative component. A seasonal analysis of the trends reveals that spring and summer are the seasons showing the long‐term positive trends. Interestingly, a monthly analysis shows that spring trends are guided by March and April and summer trends are mostly guided by June, which is the month showing the highest relative changes. This could have important consequences for agriculture and natural ecosystems since this month represents the start of the summer (dry) period.
COVID‐19: Current and future challenges in spine care and education ‐ a worldwide study
Authors: Nolte Michael T. , Harada Garrett K. , Louie Philip K. , McCarthy Michael H. , Sayari Arash J. , Mallow G. Michael , Siyaji Zakariah , Germscheid Niccole , Cheung Jason PY , Neva Marko H. , El‐Sharkawi Mohammad , Valacco Marcelo , Sciubba Daniel M. , Chutkan Norman B. , An Howard S. , Samartzis Dino 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe COVID‐19 pandemic has impacted spine care around the globe. Much uncertainty remains regarding the immediate and long‐term future of spine care and education in this COVID‐19 era.Study designCross‐sectional, international study of spine surgeons.MethodsA multi‐dimensional survey was distributed to spine surgeons around the world. A total of 73 questions were asked regarding demographics, COVID‐19 observations, personal impact, effect on education, adoption of telemedicine, and anticipated challenges moving forward. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess factors related to likelihood of future conference attendance, future online education, and changes in surgical indications.ResultsA total of 902 spine surgeons from seven global regions completed the survey. Respondents reported a mean level of overall concern of 3.7 on a scale of one to five. 84.0% reported a decrease in clinical duties, and 67.0% reported a loss in personal income. The 82.5% reported being interested in continuing a high level of online education moving forward. Respondents who personally knew someone who tested positive for COVID‐19 were more likely to be unwilling to attend a medical conference 1 year from now (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: [0.39, 0.95], P = .029). The 20.0% reported they plan to pursue an increased degree of nonoperative measures prior to surgery 1 year from now, and respondents with a spouse at home (OR: 3.55, 95% CI: [1.14, 11.08], P = .029) or who spend a large percentage of their time teaching (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: [1.02, 2.07], P = .040) were more likely to adopt this practice.ConclusionsThe COVID‐19 pandemic has had an adverse effect on surgeon teaching, clinical volume, and personal income. In the future, surgeons with family and those personally affected by COVID‐19 may be more willing to alter surgical indications and change education and conference plans. Anticipating these changes may help the spine community appropriately plan for future challenges.
Dissolved organic matter regulates nutrient limitation and growth of benthic algae in northern lakes through interacting effects on nutrient and light availability
Authors: Fork Megan L. , Karlsson Jan , Sponseller Ryan A. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractWidespread increases in dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentration across northern lakes can alter rates of primary production by increasing nutrient availability and decreasing light availability. These dual effects of DOM generate a unimodal relationship in pelagic primary production and primary producer biomass among lakes over a gradient of DOM concentration. However, the responses of benthic algae to variation in DOM loading are less clear because of their potential to access sediment nutrients. We tested algal production and nutrient limitation along a DOM gradient in northern Sweden. Without added nutrients, benthic algal production showed a unimodal relationship with DOM, similar to reported pelagic responses. Nutrient addition revealed widespread nitrogen limitation, with decreasing severity in lakes with higher DOM. Because the majority of northern Swedish lakes currently fall below the inflection point in this unimodal relationship, moderate increases in DOM have the potential to increase benthic primary production, particularly for epilithic algae.
Stakeholder perspectives regarding pragmatic clinical trial collateral findings
Authors: Morain Stephanie R. , Mathews Debra J. H. , Weinfurt Kevin , May Elizabeth , Bollinger Juli M. , Geller Gail , Sugarman Jeremy 
Published: August 2020

AbstractContextPragmatic clinical trials (PCTs), which are becoming widespread since they are relatively inexpensive and offer important benefits for healthcare decision‐making, can also present practical, ethical, and legal challenges. One such challenge involves managing “pragmatic clinical trial collateral findings” (PCT‐CFs), or information emerging in a PCT that is unrelated to the primary research question(s), yet may have implications for individual patients, clinicians, or health care systems from whom or within which data were collected. The expansion of PCTs makes it likely healthcare systems will increasingly encounter PCT‐CFs, yet little guidance exists regarding their appropriate management.MethodsWe conducted semi‐structured interviews with key stakeholders experienced in the conduct or oversight of PCTs and those in health system leadership. Interviews explored respondents' experience with PCTs and PCT‐CFs, and actual or hypothetical reactions to PCT‐CF management. We used standard methods of qualitative analysis to identify key themes.FindingsForty‐one stakeholders participated. Four key themes emerged. First, discussions of PCT‐CFs are complicated by layers of ambiguity related to both the nature of PCTs themselves, and unanticipated results that emanate from them. Second, management of PCT‐CFs is context‐specific, and not amenable to a “one‐size‐fits‐all” approach. Third, there was a wide diversity of attitudes regarding the scope of researcher responsibilities in PCTs. Fourth, PCT‐CFs had generally not been previously considered by respondents, but there was widespread belief in the importance of prospective planning to anticipate such issues in future PCTs.ConclusionsPCT‐CFs are likely to increase, yet those charged with PCT‐CF decision‐making and their disclosure are unlikely to have experience with these issues. Further deliberation about the ethical obligations and implementation processes regarding PCT‐CFs is needed. To enhance the likelihood of developing sound policies and practices, such deliberations should include the input and perspectives of key stakeholders in PCTs, including professionals, policy makers, and patients.
Mechanically reconfigurable array with pattern and polarization diversity
Authors: Chen Tsair‐Rong , Lin Yao‐Sheng , Kuo Li‐Kai , Row Jeen‐Sheen 
Published: August 2020

AbstractA 2 × 2 array with reconfigurable pattern and polarization is presented. The element of the array is a circularly polarized (CP) antenna, which is mainly composed of a monopole slot, a dipole, and a cylindrical copper tube. By manually moving the dipole arms, the element can be operated at right‐handed and left‐handed circular polarization states; besides, each CP element can be electrically rotated with a servo motor, whereby the phase of its radiated fields is varied with rotation angle. Based on such a mechanically reconfigurable element, the resultant array at each CP state can be operated in different radiation modes, including broadside mode, conical mode, and steerable beam mode. In addition, the array operated in the broadside mode can also provide a linearly polarized radiation with 360° polarization scanning. Simulations for typical radiation modes of the proposed array are performed, and they are validated with experiments.
Cognitive functioning, patient health communication, and worry mediate pain predictive effects on health‐related quality of life in youth with sickle cell disease
Authors: Varni James W. , Panepinto Julie A. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractObjectivesThe objective was to investigate the serial mediating effects of perceived cognitive functioning, patient health communication, and disease‐specific worry in the relationship between pain and overall generic health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in youth with sickle cell disease (SCD) from the patient perspective.MethodsThe pain, cognitive functioning, communication and worry scales from the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Sickle Cell Disease Module and the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, and the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales were completed in a multisite national study by 233 youth with SCD of ages 5‐18. Hierarchical multiple regression and serial multiple mediator model analyses were conducted to test the mediating effects of perceived cognitive functioning, health communication, and disease‐specific worry as intervening variables in the association between the pain predictor variable and overall generic HRQOL.ResultsPain predictive effects on overall generic HRQOL were serially mediated by cognitive functioning, health communication, and disease‐specific worry. In predictive analytics models utilizing hierarchical multiple regression analyses with age and gender demographic covariates, pain, cognitive functioning, health communication, and worry accounted for 65% of the variance in patient‐reported overall generic HRQOL (P < .001), representing a large effect size.ConclusionsPerceived cognitive functioning, patient health communication, and disease‐specific worry explain in part the mechanism of pain predictive effects on overall generic HRQOL in youth with SCD. Identifying SCD‐specific pain, perceived cognitive functioning, health communication, and disease‐specific worry as predictor variables of overall generic HRQOL from the patient perspective may inform clinical interventions and future patient‐centered clinical research.
Identification and management of congenital parvovirus B19 infection
Authors: Attwood Lucy O. , Holmes Natasha E. , Hui Lisa 
Published: August 2020

AbstractParvovirus B19 (B19V) infection is well known for its mild, self‐limiting clinical presentations in children, such as erythema infectiosum. Approximately 40% of women of childbearing age are susceptible to B19V infection. While maternal B19V infection usually has a good prognosis, B19V can cause severe fetal anaemia and pregnancy loss due to its ability to suppress erythroid progenitor cells. Non‐invasive ultrasound monitoring for fetal anaemia is usually performed if maternal seroconversion occurs in the first 20 weeks of gestation, with amniocentesis for fetal infection reserved for those who first present with fetal anaemia or hydrops of unknown cause. Intrauterine transfusion is the standard treatment for severe fetal anaemia and is associated with a significant improvement in survival. However, survivors of hydrops fetalis may have a higher rate of long‐term neurodevelopmental complications compared with non‐hydropic survivors. This review aims to synthesise published data on the diagnosis, surveillance and outcomes of congenital parvovirus infection to assist clinicians in diagnosing and managing this important condition.
Clinical Profiles and Symptom Burden Estimates to Support Decision‐Making Using the Urinary Symptom Questionnaire for People with Neurogenic Bladder (USQNB) using Intermittent Catheters
Authors: Tractenberg Rochelle E. , Groah Suzanne L. , Rounds Amanda K. , Davis Elizabeth F. , Ljungberg Inger H. , Frost Jamie K. , Schladen Manon M. 
Published: August 2020

ObjectiveTo describe the scoring approach, considering interpretability, validity, and use, of a new patient‐centered patient reported outcome (PRO), the Urinary Symptom Questionnaire for Neurogenic Bladder‐Intermittent Catheter version (USQNB‐IC).DesignSubject matter experts (researchers, clinicians, a consumer, a psychometrician) classified USQNB‐IC items. Profiles were then composed based on self‐management decisions made by patients; patient management decisions made by clinicians; and research‐oriented decisions made by investigators. Participants in an 18‐month pilot study completed the USQNB‐IC every week. Differences in decisions based on traditional ‘total scores’ and profiles were examined. Validity was defined based on alignment of scoring method with decisions.SettingA new set of patient‐centered PROs enable monitoring and decision‐making around urinary signs and symptoms among people with neurogenic bladder (NB).ParticipantsClassifications of USQNB‐IC items by subject matter experts. Utility of the classifications and profiles that were created was assessed using weekly responses from the 6‐month baseline period from 103 participants in a pilot study.InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresClassification of the 29 symptoms resulted in four categories with exchangeability within‐category and nonexchangeability across categories. The burden of each symptom type is one approach to scoring the USQNB‐IC. Five profiles, based on these categories, emerged based on, and supportive of, decisions to be made according to symptoms, representing a categorical approach to scoring the USQNB‐IC.ResultsUSQNB‐IC items are not all exchangeable. Four symptom classifications comprise within‐class exchangeable items. Five profiles emerged to summarize these items to promote decision‐making and identification of change over time. Both ways to “score” the USQNB‐IC are described and discussed.Conclusions“Profiling” promotes valid and interpretable decisions by patients and clinicians, based on a patient's urinary symptoms with the USQNB‐IC cross‐sectionally and longitudinally. Alternatively, four subsets of the 29 USQNB‐IC symptoms can be used as continuous outcomes representing “burden” in clinical management or research.
Exploring the effect of silicene monolayer on the structure and function of villin headpiece and amyloid fibrils by molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Meng Yajie , Liu Ruirui , Song Liting , Zhu Min , Zhai Honglin , Ren Cuiling 
Published: August 2020

AbstractWith the development of various nanomaterial expected to be used in biomedical fields, it is more important to evaluate and understand their potential effects on biological system. In this work, two proteins with different structure, Villin Headpiece (HP35) with α‐helix structure and protofibrils Aβ1‐42 with five β‐strand chains, were selected and their interactions with silicene were studied by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to reveal the potential effect of silicene on the structure and function of biomolecules. The obtained results indicated that silicene could rapidly attract HP35 and Aβ1‐42 fibrils onto the surface to form a stable binding. The adsorption strength was moderate and no significant structural distortion of HP35 and Aβ1‐42 fibrils was observed. Moreover, the strength of calculated the H‐bonds in neighbor chain of Aβ1‐42 fibrils indicated that the mild interactions between silicene and fibrils could regularize the structure of Aβ1‐42 fibrils and stabilize the interactions between five chains of fibrils protein, which might enhance the aggregation of Aβ1‐42 fibrils. This study provides a new insight for understanding the interaction between nanomaterials and biomolecules and moves forward the development of silicene into biomedical fields.
Exploring the role of hydrophilic amino acids in unfolding of protein in aqueous ethanol solution
Authors: Halder Ritaban , Jana Biman 
Published: August 2020

AbstractHydrophobic association is the key contributor behind the formation of well packed core of a protein which is often believed to be an important step for folding from an unfolded chain to its compact functional form. While most of the protein folding/unfolding studies have evaluated the changes in the hydrophobic interactions during chemical denaturation, the role of hydrophilic amino acids in such processes are not discussed in detail. Here we report the role of the hydrophilic amino acids behind ethanol induced unfolding of protein. Using free energy simulations, we show that chicken villin head piece (HP‐36) protein unfolds gradually in presence of water‐ethanol binary mixture with increasing composition of ethanol. However, upon mutation of hydrophilic amino acids by glycine while keeping the hydrophobic amino acids intact, the compact state of the protein is found to be stable at all compositions with gradual flattening of the free energy landscape upon increasing compositions. The local environment around the protein in terms of ethanol/water number significantly differs in wild type protein compared to the mutated protein. The calculated Wyman‐Tanford preferential binding coefficient of ethanol for wild type protein reveals that a greater number of cosolutes (here ethanol) bind to the unfolded state compared to its folded state. However, no significant increase in binding coefficient of ethanol at the unfolded state is found for mutated protein. Local‐bulk partition coefficient calculation also suggests similar scenarios. Our results reveal that the weakening of hydrophobic interactions in aqueous ethanol solution along with larger preferential binding of ethanol to the unfolded state mediated by hydrophilic amino acids combinedly helps unfolding of protein in aqueous ethanol solution.
Multiscale Model Identifies Improved Schedule for Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia In Vitro With the Mcl‐1 Inhibitor AZD5991
Authors: Goliaei Ardeshir , Woods Haley A. , Tron Adriana E. , Belmonte Matthew A. , Secrist J. Paul , Ferguson Douglas , Drew Lisa , Fretland Adrian J. , Aldridge Bree B. , Gibbons Francis D. 
Published: August 2020

Anticancer efficacy is driven not only by dose but also by frequency and duration of treatment. We describe a multiscale model combining cell cycle, cellular heterogeneity of B‐cell lymphoma 2 family proteins, and pharmacology of AZD5991, a potent small‐molecule inhibitor of myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl‐1). The model was calibrated using in vitro viability data for the MV‐4‐11 acute myeloid leukemia cell line under continuous incubation for 72 hours at concentrations of 0.03–30 μM. Using a virtual screen, we identified two schedules as having significantly different predicted efficacy and showed experimentally that a “short” schedule (treating cells for 6 of 24 hours) is significantly better able to maintain the rate of cell kill during treatment than a “long” schedule (18 of 24 hours). This work suggests that resistance can be driven by heterogeneity in protein expression of Mcl‐1 alone without requiring mutation or resistant subclones and demonstrates the utility of mathematical models in efficiently identifying regimens for experimental exploration.
National culture's influence on environmental performance of countries: A study of direct and indirect effects
Authors: Dangelico Rosa Maria , Fraccascia Luca , Nastasi Alberto 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe effect of national culture on country environmental performance has received attention during the past few years. However, previous studies considered a subset of cultural dimensions, focused on diverse environmental performance measures, provided contrasting results, and did not adequately investigated the mediating effects of socio‐economic variables. In this study, we investigate the impact of all cultural dimensions (power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long‐term orientation, indulgence) on three environmental performance measures at the country level: the environmental performance index and its two main overarching objectives. Both direct and indirect effects, through three socio‐economic variables (population growth, education, income), are tested using a sample of 62 countries. Results show that the effect of cultural dimensions may vary based on the specific cultural dimension and the type of environmental performance measure considered. Masculinity and indulgence directly impact on environmental performance. Power distance has no influence on environmental performance measures. The other dimensions affect environmental performance through the mediating effect of socio‐economic variables.