bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness and safety of topical levodopa in a chick model of myopia
Authors: Thomson Kate , Karouta Cindy , Morgan Ian , Kelly Tamsin , Ashby Regan 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAnimal models have demonstrated a link between dysregulation of the retinal dopamine system and the excessive ocular growth associated with the development of myopia. Here we show that intravitreal or topical application of levodopa, which is widely used in the treatment of neurological disorders involving dysregulation of the dopaminergic system, inhibits the development of experimental myopia in chickens. Levodopa slows ocular growth in a dose dependent manner in chicks with a similar potency to atropine, a common inhibitor of ocular growth in humans. Topical levodopa remains effective over chronic treatment periods, with its effectiveness enhanced by coadministration with carbidopa to prevent its premature metabolism. No changes in normal ocular development (biometry and refraction), retinal health (histology), or intraocular pressure were observed in response to chronic treatment (4 weeks). With a focus on possible clinical use in humans, translation of these avian safety findings to a mammalian model (mouse) illustrate that chronic levodopa treatment (9 months) does not induce any observable changes in visual function (electroretinogram recordings), ocular development, and retinal health, suggesting that levodopa may have potential as a therapeutic intervention for human myopia.
Specificity of psychopathology across levels of severity: a transdiagnostic network analysis
Authors: Groen Robin N. , Wichers Marieke , Wigman Johanna T. W. , Hartman Catharina A. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractA prominent hypothesis within the field of psychiatry is that the manifestation of psychopathology changes from non-specific to specific as illness severity increases. Using a transdiagnostic network approach, we investigated this hypothesis in four independent groups with increasing psychopathology severity. We investigated whether symptom domains became more interrelated and formed more clusters as illness severity increased, using empirical tests for two network characteristics: global network strength and modularity-based community detection. Four severity groups, ranging from subthreshold psychopathology to having received a diagnosis and treatment, were derived with a standardized diagnostic interview conducted at age 18.5 (n = 1933; TRAILS cohort). Symptom domains were assessed using the Adult Self Report (ASR). Pairwise comparisons of the symptom networks across groups showed no difference in global network strength between severity groups. Similar number and type of communities detected in the four groups exceeded the more minor differences across groups. Common clusters consisted of domains associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and combined depression and anxiety domains. Based on the strength of symptom domain associations and symptom clustering using a network approach, we found no support for the hypothesis that the manifestation of psychopathology along the severity continuum changes from non-specific to specific.
Ovariectomy increases the incidence and diameter of abdominal aortic aneurysm in a hypoperfusion-induced abdominal aortic aneurysm animal model
Authors: Miyamoto Chie , Kugo Hirona , Hashimoto Keisuke , Moriyama Tatsuya , Zaima Nobuhiro 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAbdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a vascular disease characterized by weakening of the vascular walls. Male sex is a risk factor for AAA, and peak AAA incidence occurs in men 10 years earlier than in women. However, the growth rate of AAA is faster in women, and women have a higher mortality due to AAA rupture. The mechanisms underlying sex-related differences in AAA remain unknown. Herein, we evaluated the effects of ovariectomy (OVX) on AAA in rats. Upon evaluation of the effects of OVX and AAA induction, AAA incidence rate and the aneurysm diameter increased in the OVX group. However, the histopathology in the developed AAA wall was not different between groups. When the effects of OVX on the vascular wall without AAA induction were evaluated, elastin and collagen levels were significantly decreased. Furthermore, the level of matrix metalloproteinase-9 significantly increased in the OVX group. According to our results, it is speculated that decreased levels of collagen and elastin fibers induced by OVX might be involved in increased incidence rate and diameter of AAA. Weakening of the vascular wall before the onset of AAA might be one reason for the faster rate of AAA growth in women.
A functional investigation of the suppression of CpG and UpA dinucleotide frequencies in plant RNA virus genomes
Authors: Ibrahim Ahmad , Fros Jelke , Bertran Andre , Sechan Ferdyansyah , Odon Valerie , Torrance Leslie , Kormelink Richard , Simmonds Peter 
Published: December 2019

AbstractFrequencies of CpG and UpA dinucleotides in most plant RNA virus genomes show degrees of suppression comparable to those of vertebrate RNA viruses. While pathways that target CpG and UpAs in HIV-1 and echovirus 7 genomes and restrict their replication have been partly characterised, whether an analogous process drives dinucleotide underrepresentation in plant viruses remains undetermined. We examined replication phenotypes of compositionally modified mutants of potato virus Y (PVY) in which CpG or UpA frequencies were maximised in non-structural genes (including helicase and polymerase encoding domains) while retaining protein coding. PYV mutants with increased CpG dinucleotide frequencies showed a dose-dependent reduction in systemic spread and pathogenicity and up to 1000-fold attenuated replication kinetics in distal sites on agroinfiltration of tobacco plants (Nicotiana benthamiana). Even more extraordinarily, comparably modified UpA-high mutants displayed no pathology and over a million-fold reduction in replication. Tobacco plants with knockdown of RDP6 displayed similar attenuation of CpG- and UpA-high mutants suggesting that restriction occurred independently of the plant siRNA antiviral responses. Despite the evolutionary gulf between plant and vertebrate genomes and encoded antiviral strategies, these findings point towards the existence of novel virus restriction pathways in plants functionally analogous to innate defence components in vertebrate cells.
The hypothalamus to brainstem circuit suppresses late-onset body weight gain
Authors: Maejima Yuko , Kato Shigeki , Horita Shoichiro , Ueta Yoichi , Takenoshita Seiichi , Kobayashi Kazuto , Shimomura Kenju 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBody weight (BW) is regulated in age-dependent manner; it continues to increase during growth period, and reaches a plateau once reaching adulthood. However, its underlying mechanism remains unknown. Regarding such mechanisms in the brain, we here report that neural circuits from the hypothalamus (paraventricular nucleus: PVN) to the brainstem (dorsal vagal complex: DVC) suppress late-onset BW gain without affecting food intake. The genetic suppression of the PVN-DVC circuit induced BW increase only in aged rats, indicating that this circuit contributes to suppress the BW at a fixed level after reaching adulthood. PVN neurons in the hypothalamus were inactive in younger rats but active in aged rats. The density of neuropeptide Y (NPY) terminal/fiber is reduced in the aged rat PVN area. The differences in neuronal activity, including oxytocin neurons in the PVN, were affected by the application of NPY or its receptor inhibitor, indicating that NPY is a possible regulator of this pathway. Our data provide new insights into understanding age-dependent BW regulation.
Preservation and recovery of mangrove ecosystem carbon stocks in abandoned shrimp ponds
Authors: Elwin Angie , Bukoski Jacob J. , Jintana Vipak , Robinson Elizabeth J. Z. , Clark Joanna M. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractMangrove forests capture and store exceptionally large amounts of carbon and are increasingly recognised as an important ecosystem for carbon sequestration. Yet land-use change in the tropics threatens this ecosystem and its critical ‘blue carbon’ (carbon stored in marine and coastal habitats) stores. The expansion of shrimp aquaculture is among the major causes of mangrove loss globally. Here, we assess the impact of mangrove to shrimp pond conversion on ecosystem carbon stocks, and carbon losses and gains over time after ponds are abandoned. Our assessment is based on an intensive field inventory of carbon stocks at a coastal setting in Thailand. We show that although up to 70% of ecosystem carbon is lost when mangroves are converted to shrimp ponds, some abandoned ponds contain deep mangrove soils (>2.5 m) and large carbon reservoirs exceeding 865 t carbon per hectare. We also found a positive recovery trajectory for carbon stocks in the upper soil layer (0–15 cm) of a chronosequence of abandoned ponds, associated with natural mangrove regeneration. Our data suggest that mangrove carbon pools can rebuild in abandoned ponds over time in areas exposed to tidal flushing.
Influence of muscle length on the stretch-shortening cycle in skinned rabbit soleus
Authors: Fukutani Atsuki , Isaka Tadao 
Published: December 2019

AbstractMuscle force generated during shortening is instantaneously increased after active stretch. This phenomenon is called as stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) effect. It has been suggested that residual force enhancement contributes to the SSC effect. If so, the magnitude of SSC effect should be larger in the longer muscle length condition, because the residual force enhancement is prominent in the long muscle length condition. This hypothesis was examined by performing the SSC in the short and long muscle length conditions. Skinned fibers obtained from rabbit soleus (N = 20) were used in this study. To calculate the magnitude of SSC effect, the SSC trial (isometric-eccentric-concentric-isometric) and the control trial (isometric-concentric-isometric) were conducted in the short (within the range of 2.4 to 2.7 μm) and long muscle (within the range of 3.0 to 3.3 μm). The magnitude of SSC effect was calculated as the relative increase in the mechanical work attained during the shortening phase between control and SSC trials. As a result, the magnitude of SSC effect was significantly larger in the long (176.8 ± 18.1%) than in the short muscle length condition (157.4 ± 8.5%) (p < 0.001). This result supports our hypothesis that the magnitude of SSC effect is larger in the longer muscle length condition, possibly due to the larger magnitude of residual force enhancement.
Cascading effects of temperature alterations on trophic ecology of European grayling (Thymallus thymallus)
Authors: Smoliński Szymon , Glazaczow Adam 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe aims of this project were to study: diet composition, food selectivity and the phenology of different prey items in grayling’s (Thymallus thymallus) diet. It was hypothesized, that alterations in mayfly emergence, caused by reservoir-induced thermal changes, have consequences for trophic ecology of drift-feeding fish. Sampling of fish and macroinvertebrates were conducted in two closely located rivers, one human-modified and the other an undisturbed river. Grayling preyed mainly on aquatic insects, but only mayflies were preferred. Seasonal changes of the fish diet were observed, and air temperature is considered a predictor of prey occurrence with different time lags, depending on the biology of the organisms. Significant differences in the abundances and probability of mayfly occurrence between two studied rivers were shown. The observed phenological shift suggests that distorted environmental cues were experienced by the Ephemeroptera in the modified river. The “lost generation” of insects which failed to complete development became a new food for fish. The results presented indicate that reservoir-induced thermal alterations in the rivers, similarly to climate change, can lead to a chain of consequences in the ecosystems. Taking into consideration the projected climate scenarios, further monitoring and forecasting of these effects are considered an important step for future mitigating actions and adaptive management of water resources.
Compact quasi‐Yagi antenna with enhanced bandwidth and stable high gain
Authors: Yang Liu , Zhuang Jian‐Jun 
Published: December 2019

A compact double‐dipole driver is constructed for designing quasi‐Yagi antenna with enhanced bandwidth and stable high gain. It is composed of a magnetic dipole and a folded electric dipole, realised by cylinder dielectric resonator and split‐ring resonator. The two dipoles operate at two close frequencies, leading to bandwidth enhancement. Meanwhile, the gains of the two dipoles are also close so that the stable gain in the operating band is obtained, which can be entirely enhanced by the zero‐index metamaterial in front of the dual‐dipole driver. For demonstration, an antenna prototype centred at about 9.6 GHz is implemented and measured. The simulated and measured results are given, showing good agreement.
Mit Heilerde natürlich behandeln – innerlich und äußerlich
Authors: Uehleke Bernhard 
Published: December 2019

ZusammenfassungHeilerde besitzt aufgrund ihrer geologischen Zusammensetzung und Entstehungsweise einen hohen Feinheitsgrad und damit eine große Oberfläche. Deshalb hat sie ein besonders ausgeprägtes Bindungsvermögen für Bakterien, Säuren und andere Stoffwechselprodukte. Sie eignet sich dadurch für die innere Anwendung bei gastroenterologischen Störungen sowie äußerlich bei Hauterkrankungen.
Toxikologische Grenzwerte und Definitionen
Authors: Lampen Alfonso 
Published: December 2019

ZusammenfassungNationale und internationale wissenschaftliche Gremien befassen sich mit der gesundheitlichen Sicherheit von Lebensmitteln und ermitteln toxikologische Obergrenzen des duldbaren Aufnahmebereichs für deren Inhaltsstoffe und etwaige unvermeidliche Fremdstoffe. Diese Grenzwerte fließen in nationale Rechtsvorschriften und die Entwicklung internationaler Standards der Lebensmittelsicherheit ein.
Evaluation of Ophthalmology Residency Program Web Sites
Authors: Shaath Deena S. , Whittaker Thomas J. 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Objective This article evaluates the current availability of information on residency program Web sites that may be of interest to residency applicants.
Design Cross-sectional analysis of 117 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited ophthalmology residency program Web sites from October 17, 2018 to December 17, 2018.
Methods Programs were identified through the ACGME-specialty search, and the URL links provided by the program were evaluated for directing the user to the institution, department, or residency program. If a link was not functional or not provided, programs were identified through a Google search. Web sites were evaluated for having information on how to apply, application requirements and eligibility, and providing a link to the San Francisco (SF) Match. Educational content included: didactic instruction, rotation overview, research requirement information, active and/or past research, institutional conferences, academic conferences, call schedules, and charitable work. Recruitment content included current residents and faculty and their biographies, graduate placement, salary, benefits, surrounding area information, message from the Program Director, Chair, and/or Chief Residents, surgical statistics, affiliated hospital information, selection criteria, and association links. Data was stratified by program size, geographic region, and top 20 hospitals in ophthalmology by the U.S. News & World Report.
Results Nonfunctional links were provided by 16.2% of programs, and 3.4% did not provide a link. Application instructions were presented by 83% of programs and 77% provided a link to the SF Match. Greater than 80% provided didactic instruction, rotation overviews, research expectations of residents, and faculty and resident listings. Up to half of programs listed information about application requirements and eligibility, call schedules, surgical statistics, academic conferences, charitable work, salary, and selection criteria. A message to applicants was displayed by 48% of programs, and 16% of programs provided association links. Programs with more than 15 residents provided more educational content than programs with less than 12 (p = 0.042). Differences in recruitment content were observed among programs in the Northeast and West, (p = 0.003) and programs in the South and West (p = 0.037). No other differences were observed.
Conclusion The Internet is frequently consulted during the residency application process. Many programs provide basic information, but this can be further optimized to maximize the utility of residency Web sites.
A Case of Needle-Directed Pulse-Spray Pharmacomechanical Thrombolysis of Acute Brachial Artery Thrombosis
Authors: Samireddypalle Yugandhar , V. Uma Maheshwara Reddy , Deepak Chinmay , Neelakantan Sankar , KS Amitha Vikrama 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAcute limb ischemia is a serious disabling condition. The management options depend upon the patient symptoms and signs of ischemia in the affected limb. The management options include surgical thrombo-embolectomy and catheter directed thrombolysis. Catheter directed thrombolysis has now become the first line of management in symptomatic cases. Here, we discuss a case of acute left brachial artery thrombosis which was successfully managed by needle-directed pulse-spray thrombolysis.
Development Within a Religious Ontology? The Argument from Islamic Dharma
Authors: Pool Fernande W. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractDrawing on long-term ethnographic research with Muslims in India, this article suggests that religion should not (only) be understood as a sub-category of development but as an integral part of the meta-ontology based on which one should engage with development initially. Value-driven development implies a normative view of society, and a ‘more human’ society is at the core of worthwhile development. For the research participants, their ontological conceptions (notions of what being human means) and the ethical autonomy to deliberate on a normative view of life and society are embedded in the Islamicdharma. To approach religion as only a sub-category in an otherwise secular development framework marginalises these, and probably many other, religious life experiences and ontological notions from the outset. Instead, secular and religious ontologies should be considered at par in an inclusive dialogue on worthwhile development.
Discursive constructions on Spanish languages
Authors: Morales-López Esperanza 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
The analysis of the different ideological constructions around the languages of Spain shows two main metaphors
that support the linguistic conflict experienced in the last three or four decades: the container metaphor (languages conceived as
entities that are completely independent of each other) and the ecological metaphor (each language occupies a specific niche for
historical reasons). The study of complexity provides a new metaphor as a new solution for this conflict, i.e. the
eco-biosociological metaphor, which is based on the assumption that what is human cannot be explained exclusively by biological
factors, but instead by communicative action in cooperation with others above all. To illustrate the first two metaphors, in this
paper we consider the linguistic position of two new parties: En Marea and En Comú-Podem.
T cell epitope of arginine kinase with CpG co-encapsulated nanoparticles attenuates a shrimp allergen-induced Th2-bias food allergy
Authors: Gao Qichan , Hong Jingyi , Xiao Xiaojun , Cao Hui , Yuan Ruyi , Liu Zhigang , Chen Tongqiang 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTT cell peptide-based immunotherapy (PIT) is an appealing therapeutic strategy for modulating allergic responses without IgE cross-linking. We propose a novel PIT that combines a T-cell epitope of the shrimp allergen arginine kinase (AKp) with TLR9 agonist CpG-ODN in nanoparticles (CpG-AKp NPs) to attenuate a shrimp allergen-induced food allergy. Treatment with CpG-AKp NPs demonstrated the attenuation of anaphylaxis responses such as the reduced incidence of diarrhea and hypothermia, lower levels of specific IgE and the induction of IgG2a in serum. Th2 cytokines were suppressed and higher Th1 cytokines were detected in the splenocyte culture supernatants. Treatment of CpG-AKp NPs also enhanced the protein expression of Foxp3 and IL-10 in small intestine but decreased the activation of STAT6 and GATA3 expression, which are related to differentiation of Th2. Our data indicated that CpG-AKp NPs may represent a promising PIT against shrimp allergy.
Developing competency profiles of IT specialists based on semantic analysis of vacancies
Authors: Gintciak Aleksey , Rytik Andrey , Terin Denis , Kudaka Marina , Kaisyn Dmitriy , Ignatev Aleksey , Marakhtanov Aleksey , Gladkih Oksana 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
The article focuses on applying Big Data processing methods and tools for creating specialists’ competency profiles. It covers the approach developed to formulate the key competencies required for the IT vacancies. The first stage of the research includes carrying out a semantic analysis of the IT vacancies database. The second stage includes clustering of the results of semantic analysis and using them for building the map of the competencies of IT specialists. The modularity score reveals a significant isolation of the specialties in this area. The performed approach can be implemented in designing the professional standards and competency based education programs.
Word reordering algorithm for poetry analysis
Authors: Barakhnin V B , Pastushkov I S 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Automatic poetry analysis is usually examined as subtask of natural language processing but approaches which are good for prose texts are ineffective for poetry due to free semantic characteristics. It allows us to use large corpus for training words order and rather small text corpus amount. In this paper we suggest the way to adapt poetry texts to prose ones by changing word order without loosing of model and also use word2vec features to improve the classifier work.
Emissions in the stream: estimating the greenhouse gas impacts of an oil and gas boom
Authors: Waxman Andrew R , Khomaini Achmad , Leibowicz Benjamin D , Olmstead Sheila M 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
The Shale Revolution has stimulated a large and rapid buildout of oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf and Southwest regions of the United States (US), expected to unfold over decades. Therefore, it is critical to develop a clearer understanding of the scale and composition of the likely greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with this activity. We compile a detailed inventory of projected upstream oil and gas production expansions as well as recently and soon-to-be built midstream and downstream facilities within the region. Using data from emissions permits, emissions factors, and facility capacities, we estimate expected GHG emissions at the facility level for facilities that have recently been constructed or are soon to be constructed. Our central estimate suggests that the total annual emissions impact of the regional oil and gas infrastructure buildout may reach 541 million tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) by 2030, which is more than 8% of total US GHG emissions in 2017 and roughly equivalent to the emissions of 131 coal-fired power plants. A substantial fraction of the projected emissions come from petrochemical facilities (38%) and liquefied natural gas terminals (19%). Researchers have largely focused on upstream emissions such as fugitive methane (CH4) associated with new US production; our findings reveal the potentially greater prominence of midstream and downstream sources in the studied region.