bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Narrow‐band bandpass filter with very wide upper stopband
Authors: Xu Kai‐Da , Li Donghao , Jiang Yannan 
Published: June 2020

AbstractA narrow‐band bandpass filter (BPF) based on parallel coupled lines and shorted stubs with very wide upper stopband has been presented. The transmission coefficient and reflection coefficient of the proposed BPF are straightforwardly derived via the input impedances using odd‐ and even‐mode analysis method. The calculation results illustrate that two narrow passbands with very high frequency ratio of the upper‐band to lower‐band center frequencies can be realized, which is significantly suitable to design a narrow‐band BPF with very wide upper stopband. To verify the proposed design idea, a narrow‐band BPF example was designed and experimentally characterized, whose measured in‐band return loss is >30 dB with center frequency at 1.76 GHz. The measured upper stopband is up to 14.34 GHz with the rejection levels of over 20 dB.
A 1.0 to 1.58‐GHz tunable bandpass filter with switchable single‐/dual‐band responses
Authors: Cho Young‐Ho , Yun Sang‐Won , Park Cheolsoo 
Published: May 2020

AbstractA tunable bandpass filter with switchable single‐/dual‐band responses is presented. The single‐band to dual‐band transformation is achieved by controlling frequencies of poles in a passband. The frequencies of poles are adjusting by using a coupled structure with two coupling capacitors. A filter with both 4‐pole single‐band and 2‐pole dual‐band characteristics is built on a Duroid substrate with εr = 3.0 and h = 30 mils. The tuning of the center frequency and the passband transformation are done using silicon varactor diodes. In the 4‐pole single‐passband mode, a center frequency tuning of 1.0 to 1.4 GHz is achieved with 1‐dB bandwidths of 150 to 198 MHz. The 2‐pole dual‐band bandpass filter mode has the center frequency tuning of 1.0 to 1.29 GHz (low‐band) and 1.4 to 1.58 GHz (high‐band). The application areas are in wideband cognitive radios.
Myopathies with finger flexor weakness: Not only inclusion‐body myositis
Authors: Nicolau Stefan , Liewluck Teerin , Milone Margherita 
Published: June 2020

AbstractMuscle disorders are characterized by differential involvement of various muscle groups. Among these, weakness predominantly affecting finger flexors is an uncommon pattern, most frequently found in sporadic inclusion‐body myositis. This finding is particularly significant when the full range of histopathological findings of inclusion‐body myositis is not found on muscle biopsy. Prominent finger flexor weakness, however, is also observed in other myopathies. It occurs commonly in myotonic dystrophy types 1 and 2. In addition, individual reports and small case series have documented finger flexor weakness in sarcoid and amyloid myopathy, and in inherited myopathies caused by ACTA1, CRYAB, DMD, DYSF, FLNC, GAA, GNE, HNRNPDL, LAMA2, MYH7, and VCP mutations. Therefore, the finding of finger flexor weakness requires consideration of clinical, myopathological, genetic, electrodiagnostic, and sometimes muscle imaging findings to establish a diagnosis.
Subsidize farmers or bioenergy producer? The design of a government subsidy program for a bioenergy supply chain
Authors: Ye Fei , Cai Zigong , Chen Ying‐Ju , Li Yina , Hou Gang 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe success of the bioenergy industry will depend, in part, on enough biomass feedstocks being grown. To increase the reliability of feedstocks supply, a government can offer two types of subsidy program: a farmer subsidy program (FSP) and a bioenergy producer subsidy program (PSP). We develop models to analyze the optimal subsidy program by capturing the interactions between the government, the bioenergy producer, and the farmers. The models incorporate the subsidy budget constraint, the environmental benefits from the use of bioenergy, the farmer's risk aversion and land capacity constraint, as well as the yield uncertainty of feedstocks. The findings reveal that both FSP and PSP are effective as long as the farmers' land capacity exceeds a threshold. If both the subsidy budget and the land capacity are sufficiently large, PSP outperforms FSP; if only the subsidy budget is limited, FSP is better; if only the land capacity is limited, FSP and PSP are equivalent. Counter‐intuitively, we find that PSP always favors farmers more, while FSP favors the bioenergy producer more under certain conditions. Also, we find that FSP can better mitigate risk than PSP when yield uncertainty is high. Lastly, insights for policy makers to promote bioenergy development are highlighted.
Factors related to spiritual health in Chinese haemodialysis patients: A multicentre cross‐sectional study
Authors: Zhang Yingjun , Xue Guifang , Chen Yunlan , An KeRun , Chen Lin 
Published: June 2020

AbstractAimThis study aimed to investigate the current situation of the spiritual health of maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) patients in China and analyse the influencing factors.MethodsA total of 418 patients who underwent maintenance haemodialysis in three grade A tertiary hospitals were selected. The influencing factors were evaluated with demographic questionnaire, the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy‐Spiritual Well‐Being (FACIT‐Sp‐12), Family APGAR Index, Herth Hope Index (HHI) and Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS).ResultsSpiritual health was positively correlated with the HHI, Family APGAR and AIS scores. Nationality, HHI score, Family APGAR score and AIS score were independent influencing factors of spiritual health. MHD patients had a moderate level of spiritual health. Nationality, hope, family function and acceptance of illness were significant predictors of spiritual health. Patients who have higher hope levels, better family functioning and better illness acceptance may maintain better spiritual health.
The systemic influence of chronic smoking on skin structure and mechanical function
Authors: Langton Abigail K , Tsoureli‐Nikita Evridiki , Merrick Holly , Zhao Xuegen , Antoniou Christina , Stratigos Alexander , Akhtar Riaz , Derby Brian , Sherratt Michael J , Watson Rachel EB , Griffiths Christopher EM 
Published: May 2020

AbstractOne of the major functions of human skin is to provide protection from the environment. Although we cannot entirely avoid, for example, sun exposure, it is likely that exposure to other environmental factors could affect cutaneous function. A number of studies have identified smoking as one such factor that leads to both facial wrinkle formation and a decline in skin function. In addition to the direct physical effects of tobacco smoke on skin, its inhalation has additional profound systemic effects for the smoker. The adverse effects on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems from smoking are well known. Central to the pathological changes associated with smoking is the elastic fibre, a key component of the extracellular matrices of lungs. In this study we examined the systemic effect of chronic smoking (>40 cigarettes/day; >5 years) on the histology of the cutaneous elastic fibre system, the nanostructure and mechanics of one of its key components, the fibrillin‐rich microfibril, and the micromechanical stiffness of the dermis and epidermis. We show that photoprotected skin of chronic smokers exhibits significant remodelling of the elastic fibre network (both elastin and fibrillin‐rich microfibrils) as compared to the skin of age‐ and sex‐matched non‐smokers. This remodelling is not associated with increased gelatinase activity (as identified by in situ zymography). Histological remodelling is accompanied by significant ultrastructural changes to extracted fibrillin‐rich microfibrils. Finally, using scanning acoustic microscopy, we demonstrated that chronic smoking significantly increases the stiffness of both the dermis and the epidermis. Taken together, these data suggest an unappreciated systemic effect of chronic inhalation of tobacco smoke on the cutaneous elastic fibre network. Such changes may in part underlie the skin wrinkling and loss of skin elasticity associated with smoking. © 2020 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Paraneoplastic opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome associated with inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in a pediatric patient
Authors: Gerstle Karyn , Siddiqui Amir , Schulte Jefree J. , Cohn Susan L. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractOpsoclonus myoclonus syndrome (OMS) is a rare neurological syndrome caused by a paraneoplastic autoimmune process that affects children with neuroblastic tumors. Treatment includes corticosteroids, intravenous gamma globulin (IVIG), rituximab, and other immunosuppressive therapies. Here, we describe a patient diagnosed with OMS associated with a localized inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor. The patient has no evidence of tumor recurrence following surgical resection with 8‐month follow‐up. The neurologic symptoms resolved with corticosteroids and IVIG. This case demonstrates that in children, neoplasms other than neuroblastoma may be associated with this paraneoplastic syndrome, and highlights the importance of evaluating patients with OMS for underlying malignancies.
Quantification of cranberry proanthocyanidins by normal‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography using relative response factors
Authors: Sintara Marsha , Wang Yifei , Li Lin , Liu Haiyan , Cunningham David G. , Prior Ronald R. , Chen Pei , Chang Tony , Wu Xianli 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIntroductionAmerican cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) contain primarily A‐type proanthocyanidins (PACs), which have been shown to prevent urinary tract infection. Currently, the accurate quantification of cranberry PACs is still lacking.ObjectiveA normal‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (NP‐HPLC) method using relative response factors was developed and validated to quantify cranberry PAC oligomers and polymers.Materials and MethodsPAC oligomers with degree of polymerisation (DP) 3–9 and total polymers were isolated from the cranberry juice concentrate. Characterisation of the isolated PAC oligomers was performed by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐high resolution mass spectrometry. The relative response factors of oligomers from DP 2–9 and total polymers were determined against procyanidin A2. Method validation was conducted to assess limit of detection, limit of quantification, the linearity and working range, precision and accuracy. In addition, quantifications of PACs by NP‐HPLC using relative response factors and two other commonly used methods were conducted in three cranberry food products.ResultsCranberries PACs oligomers contained both A‐type and B‐type linkage, with epicatechin and epigallocatechin as basic units. Method validation results suggested this method is reliable and reproducible. Quantifications of PACs by NP‐HPLC using relative response factors yielded higher values than that by the other two methods.ConclusionA NP‐HPLC method using the relative response factors was developed and validated. This method provides a more accurate approach in determining cranberry PACs. It can be used to quantify individual oligomers from DP 2–9, total polymers and total PACs in cranberries and cranberry products.
Association of GGH Promoter Methylation Levels with Methotrexate Concentrations in Chinese Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Wang Shu‐Mei , Kong Xiao‐Yan , Li Miao , Sun Lu‐Lu , Yan Dan 
Published: June 2020

BackgroundIt is known that γ‐glutamyl hydrolase (GGH) is involved in the disposition of methotrexate (MTX), and GGH activity is regulated by DNA methylation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. The present study explores the methylation status of the GGH promoter in peripheral blood and its association with MTX levels and toxicities in Chinese children with ALL.MethodsSerum MTX concentrations were determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Methylation quantification and genotyping for GGH rs3758149 and rs11545078 was performed by Sequenom MassARRAY in 50 pediatric patients with ALL.ResultsOverall, the investigated region of the GGH promoter was in hypomethylated status. The methylation levels of cytosine phosphate guanine (CpG)_7, CpG_12, CpG_17, and CpG_20 were significantly higher in patients with B‐cell ALL than other immunotypes (p<0.05). The methylation levels of CpG_13.14, CpG_17, and CpG_19 showed a significant negative correlation with MTX C24 hr (p<0.05). The methylation level of CpG_8.9 correlated significantly with MTX C42 hrs (p<0.05). The methylation level of CpG_19 was significantly lower in patients with MTX toxicities (p<0.05).ConclusionsThe methylation levels of the GGH promoter might affect MTX exposure and toxicities. These findings provided reasonable explanations for the variability of MTX responses in patients with childhood ALL.
Ductal carcinoma in situ of the breasts: Over‐diagnosis, over‐treatment and a decade of lost direction
Authors: Co Michael 
Published: June 2020

AbstractDuctal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast is the earliest detectable form of breast cancer. Mainstay of treatment is complete surgical removal with or without adjuvant radiotherapy. Incidence of DCIS has increased significantly over the last decade; however, increased surgical removal of DCIS has not resulted in the decreased incidence of invasive breast cancer. Whether or not we are over‐treating ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with complete surgical removal of the tumor has been subjected to much debate.
Performance of an aerially applied liquid Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis formulation (strain AM65‐52) against mosquitoes in mixed saltmarsh–mangrove systems and fine‐scale mapping of mangrove canopy cover using affordable drone‐based imagery
Authors: Johnson Brian J , Manby Russell , Devine Gregor J 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBACKGROUNDIn the Australian southeast, the saltmarsh mosquito Aedes vigilax (Skuse) is the focus of area‐wide larviciding campaigns employing the biological agent Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti). Although generally effective, frequent inundating tides and considerable mangrove cover can make control challenging. Here, we describe the efficacy and persistence of an aqueous Bti suspension (potency: 1200 International Toxic Units; strain AM65‐52) within a mixed saltmarsh–mangrove system and the use of affordable unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to identify and map problematic levels of mangrove canopy cover.RESULTSHigh mangrove canopy density (>40% cover) reduced product deposition by 75.2% (0.01 ± 0.002 μL cm–2 versus 0.05 ± 0.006 μL cm–2), larval mortality by 27.7% (60.7 ± 4.1% versus 84.0 ± 2.4%), and ground level Bti concentrations by 32.03% (1144 ± 462.6 versus 1683 ± 447.8 spores mL−1) relative to open saltmarsh. Persistence of product post‐application was found to be low (80.6% loss at 6 h) resulting in negligible additional losses to tidal inundation 24 h post‐application. UAS surveys accurately identified areas of high mangrove cover using both standard and multispectral imagery, although derived index values for this vegetation class were only moderately correlated with ground measurements (R2 = 0.17–0.38) at their most informative scales.CONCLUSIONThese findings highlight the complex operational challenges that affect coastal mosquito control in heterogeneous environments. The problem is exacerbated by continued mangrove transgression into saltmarsh habitat in the region. Emerging UAS technology can help operators optimize treatments by accurately identifying and mapping challenging canopy cover using both standard and multispectral imaging. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Hydrogen sulphide H2S and noble gases (Ng = He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn) complexes: A theoretical study of their dynamics, spectroscopy, and interactions
Authors: de Araujo Oliveira Alan Leone , de Abreu Silva Mônica , Pirani Fernando , de Macedo Luiz Guilherme Machado , Gargano Ricardo 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIn this work, some basic features of the intermolecular bond in gas phase H2S‐Ng complexes (Ng = He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, and Rn) have been investigated in detail, coupling information from scattering experiments with results of quantum chemical calculations at the CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVTZ level. Spectroscopic constants, rotovibrational energies, and lifetime as a function of temperature have been evaluated for the complete family of H2S‐Ng systems, and an extensive study of involved intermolecular interactions has been performed. In particular, their nature has been characterized by exploiting Atoms‐In‐Molecules (AIM), Non‐Covalent Interactions (NCI), Symmetry‐Adapted Perturbation Theory (SAPT), and Charge Displacement (CD) methods, and it was found that all complexes are bound essentially by near‐isotropic van der Waals forces, perturbed by weak‐stabilizing charge (electron) transfer contributions. Obtained results also show that these additional contributions increase from He up to Rn, providing an appreciable chemical‐stabilizing effect of the noncovalent intermolecular bond for H2S‐heavier Ng systems.
Cell-based therapy to reduce mortality from COVID-19: Systematic review and meta-analysis of human studies on acute respiratory distress syndrome
Authors: Qu Wenchun , Wang Zhen , Hare Joshua M. , Bu Guojun , Mallea Jorge M. , Pascual Jorge M. , Caplan Arnold I. , Kurtzberg Joanne , Zubair Abba C. , Kubrova Eva , Engelberg-Cook Erica , Nayfeh Tarek , Shah Vishal P. , Hill James C. , Wolf Michael E. , Prokop Larry J. , Murad M. Hassan , Sanfilippo Fred P. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractSevere cases of COVID-19 infection, often leading to death, have been associated with variants of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Cell therapy with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) is a potential treatment for COVID-19 ARDS based on preclinical and clinical studies supporting the concept that MSCs modulate the inflammatory and remodeling processes and restore alveolo-capillary barriers. The authors performed a systematic literature review and random-effects meta-analysis to determine the potential value of MSC therapy for treating COVID-19-infected patients with ARDS. Publications in all languages from 1990 to March 31, 2020 were reviewed, yielding 2691 studies, of which nine were included. MSCs were intravenously or intratracheally administered in 117 participants, who were followed for 14 days to 5 years. All MSCs were allogeneic from bone marrow, umbilical cord, menstrual blood, adipose tissue, or unreported sources. Combined mortality showed a favorable trend but did not reach statistical significance. No related serious adverse events were reported and mild adverse events resolved spontaneously. A trend was found of improved radiographic findings, pulmonary function (lung compliance, tidal volumes, PaO2/FiO2 ratio, alveolo-capillary injury), and inflammatory biomarker levels. No comparisons were made between MSCs of different sources.Significance statement The potential benefits of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy for patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome support the rapid commencement of clinical trials, as well as the compassionate use of MSCs that already have documented safety profiles from FDA-approved studies.
Alexithymia, infertility‐related stress and quality of life in women undergoing an assisted reproductive treatment
Authors: Renzi Alessia , Di Trani Michela , Solano Luigi , Minutolo Elisa , Tambelli Renata 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe investigation of the association between alexithymia and quality of life in infertility is a relatively neglected area of research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between alexithymia and infertility‐related quality of life in women during Assisted Reproductive Treatment. Data were collected in a clinic in Rome, 93 infertile women completed the 20‐item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS‐20), the Fertility Quality of Life (FertiQoL) questionnaire and a socio‐demographic questionnaire. TAS‐20 total and two factors—Difficulty in Identifying Feelings (DIF) and Difficulty in Describing Feelings (DDF)—showed significant negative correlations with the overall questionnaire and with both Core and Treatment modules of FertiQoL. The regression model explained the 43% variance in FertiQol overall scores (R2 = 0.43; adjusted R2 = .38); a significant effect was reported for the number of previous attempts (beta = 0.20; p < .04), TAS‐20 DIF (beta = −0.47; p < .001) and TAS‐20 Externally Orientated Thinking (EOT) (beta = 0.20; p < .04); after applying Benjamini‐Hochberg correction procedure only TAS‐20 DIF maintained its significance. Alexithymia is associated with a worsened quality of life in infertile women; specifically, low difficulties in identifying feelings were associated to higher quality of life. Further investigations are needed also to develop specific therapeutic interventions aimed to promote emotional abilities in infertile people.
Timing isolation and improved scheduling of deep neural networks for real‐time systems
Authors: Casini Daniel , Biondi Alessandro , Buttazzo Giorgio 
Published: June 2020

SummaryIn recent years, the performance of deep neural networks (DNNs) is significantly improved, making them suitable for many application fields, such as autonomous driving, advanced robotics, and industrial control. Despite a lot of research being devoted to improving the accuracy of DNNs, only limited efforts have been spent to enhance their timing predictability, required in several real‐time applications. This paper proposes a software infrastructure based on the Linux operating system to integrate DNNs within a real‐time multicore system. It has been realized by modifying both the internal scheduler of the popular TensorFlow framework and the SCHED_DEADLINE scheduling class of Linux. The proposed infrastructure allows providing timing isolation of DNN inference tasks, hence improving the determinism of the temporal interference generated by TensorFlow. The proposal is finally evaluated with a case study derived from a state‐of‐the‐art benchmark inspired by an autonomous industrial system. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed solution and show a significant reduction of both average and longest‐observed response times of TensorFlow tasks.
Maternal hypothyroidism in mice influences glucose metabolism in adult offspring
Authors: Kemkem Yasmine , Nasteska Daniela , de Bray Anne , Bargi-Souza Paula , Peliciari-Garcia Rodrigo A. , Guillou Anne , Mollard Patrice , Hodson David J. , Schaeffer Marie 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
Aims/hypothesis
During pregnancy, maternal metabolic disease and hormonal imbalance may alter fetal beta cell development and/or proliferation, thus leading to an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood. Although thyroid hormones play an important role in fetal endocrine pancreas development, the impact of maternal hypothyroidism on glucose homeostasis in adult offspring remains poorly understood.

Methods
We investigated this using a mouse model of hypothyroidism, induced by administration of an iodine-deficient diet supplemented with propylthiouracil during gestation.

Results
Here, we show that, when fed normal chow, adult mice born to hypothyroid mothers were more glucose-tolerant due to beta cell hyperproliferation (two- to threefold increase in Ki67-positive beta cells) and increased insulin sensitivity. However, following 8 weeks of high-fat feeding, these offspring gained 20% more body weight, became profoundly hyperinsulinaemic (with a 50% increase in fasting insulin concentration), insulin-resistant and glucose-intolerant compared with controls from euthyroid mothers. Furthermore, altered glucose metabolism was maintained in a second generation of animals.

Conclusions/interpretation
Therefore, gestational hypothyroidism induces long-term alterations in endocrine pancreas function, which may have implications for type 2 diabetes prevention in affected individuals.