bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Blood-meal analysis of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) reveals a broad host range and new species records for Romania
Authors: Tomazatos Alexandru , Jöst Hanna , Schulze Jonny , Spînu Marina , Schmidt-Chanasit Jonas , Cadar Daniel , Lühken Renke 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
Background
Culicoides biting midges are potential vectors of different pathogens. However, especially for eastern Europe, there is a lack of knowledge on the host-feeding patterns of this vector group. Therefore, this study aimed to identify Culicoides spp. and their vertebrate hosts collected in a wetland ecosystem.

Methods
Culicoides spp. were collected weekly from May to August 2017, using Biogents traps with UV light at four sites in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, Romania. Vectors and hosts were identified with a DNA barcoding approach. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 was used to identify Culicoides spp., while vertebrate hosts were determined targeting cytochrome b or 16S rRNA gene fragments. A maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed to verify the biting midge identity against other conspecific Palaearctic Culicoides species. A set of unfed midges was used for morphological confirmation of species identification using slide-mounted wings.

Results
Barcoding allowed the species identification and detection of corresponding hosts for 1040 (82.3%) of the 1264 analysed specimens. Eight Culicoides spp. were identified with Culicoides griseidorsum, Culicoides puncticollis and Culicoides submaritimus as new species records for Romania. For 39 specimens no similar sequences were found in GenBank. This group of unknown Culicoides showed a divergence of 15.6–16.3% from the closest identified species and clustered in a monophyletic clade, i.e. a novel species or a species without reference sequences in molecular libraries. For all Culicoides spp., nine mammalian and 24 avian species were detected as hosts. With the exception of C. riethi (n = 12), at least one avian host was detected for all Culicoides spp., but this host group only dominated for Culicoides kibunensis and the unknown Culicoides sp.. The most common host group were mammals (n = 993, 87.6% of all identified blood sources) dominated by cattle (n = 817, 70.6%).

Conclusions
Most Culicoides spp. showed a broad host-feeding pattern making them potential bridge vectors. At the same time, new records of biting midge species for Romania, as well as a potentially unknown Culicoides species, highlight the lack of knowledge regarding the biting midge species and their genetic diversity in eastern Europe.
The pan-cancer landscape of prognostic germline variants in 10,582 patients
Authors: Chatrath Ajay , Przanowska Roza , Kiran Shashi , Su Zhangli , Saha Shekhar , Wilson Briana , Tsunematsu Takaaki , Ahn Ji-Hye , Lee Kyung Yong , Paulsen Teressa , Sobierajska Ewelina , Kiran Manjari , Tang Xiwei , Li Tianxi , Kumar Pankaj , Ratan Aakrosh , Dutta Anindya 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
Background
While clinical factors such as age, grade, stage, and histological subtype provide physicians with information about patient prognosis, genomic data can further improve these predictions. Previous studies have shown that germline variants in known cancer driver genes are predictive of patient outcome, but no study has systematically analyzed multiple cancers in an unbiased way to identify genetic loci that can improve patient outcome predictions made using clinical factors.

Methods
We analyzed sequencing data from the over 10,000 cancer patients available through The Cancer Genome Atlas to identify germline variants associated with patient outcome using multivariate Cox regression models.

Results
We identified 79 prognostic germline variants in individual cancers and 112 prognostic germline variants in groups of cancers. The germline variants identified in individual cancers provide additional predictive power about patient outcomes beyond clinical information currently in use and may therefore augment clinical decisions based on expected tumor aggressiveness. Molecularly, at least 12 of the germline variants are likely associated with patient outcome through perturbation of protein structure and at least five through association with gene expression differences. Almost half of these germline variants are in previously reported tumor suppressors, oncogenes or cancer driver genes with the other half pointing to genomic loci that should be further investigated for their roles in cancers.

Conclusions
Germline variants are predictive of outcome in cancer patients and specific germline variants can improve patient outcome predictions beyond predictions made using clinical factors alone. The germline variants also implicate new means by which known oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and driver genes are perturbed in cancer and suggest roles in cancer for other genes that have not been extensively studied in oncology. Further studies in other cancer cohorts are necessary to confirm that germline variation is associated with outcome in cancer patients as this is a proof-of-principle study.
Platelet mitochondrial DNA methylation predicts future cardiovascular outcome in adults with overweight and obesity
Authors: Corsi Sarah , Iodice Simona , Vigna Luisella , Cayir Akin , Mathers John C. , Bollati Valentina , Byun Hyang-Min 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
Background
The association between obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is proven, but why some adults with obesity develop CVD while others remain disease-free is poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) methylation in platelets is altered prior to CVD development in a population of adults with overweight and obesity.

Methods
We devised a nested case-control study of 200 adults with overweight or obesity who were CVD-free at baseline, of whom 84 developed CVD within 5 years, while 116 remained CVD-free. Platelet mtDNA was isolated from plasma samples at baseline, and mtDNA methylation was quantified in mitochondrially encoded cytochrome-C-oxidase I (MT-CO1; nt6797 and nt6807), II (MT-CO2; nt8113 and nt8117), and III (MT-CO3; nt9444 and nt9449); tRNA leucine 1 (MT-TL1; nt3247 and nt3254); D-loop (nt16383); tRNA phenylalanine (MT-TF; nt624); and light-strand-origin-of-replication (MT-OLR; nt5737, nt5740, and nt5743) by bisulfite-pyrosequencing. Logistic regression was used to estimate the contribution of mtDNA methylation to future CVD risk. ROC curve analysis was used to identify the optimal mtDNA methylation threshold for future CVD risk prediction. A model was generated incorporating methylation at three loci (score 0, 1, or 2 according to 0, 1, or 2–3 hypermethylated loci, respectively), adjusted for potential confounders, such as diastolic and systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and cholesterol ratio. mtDNA methylation at MT-CO1 nt6807 (OR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.02–1.16; P = 0.014), MT-CO3 nt9444 (OR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.02–1.46, P = 0.042), and MT-TL1 nt3254 (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.05–1.61, P = 0.008) was higher at baseline in those who developed CVD by follow-up, compared with those who remained CVD-free. Combined use of the three loci significantly enhanced risk prediction, with hazard ratios of 1.38 (95% CI 0.68–2.78) and 2.68 (95% CI 1.41–5.08) for individuals with score 1 or 2, respectively (P = 0.003). Methylation at these sites was independent of conventional CVD risk factors, including inflammation markers, fasting blood glucose concentration, and blood pressure.

Conclusions
Methylations of MT-CO1, MT-CO3, and MT-TL1 are, together, strong predictors of future CVD incidence. Since methylation of these mtDNA domains was independent of conventional CVD risk factors, these markers may represent a novel intrinsic predictor of CVD risk in adults with overweight and obesity.
Human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (hBMP-2) characterization by physical–chemical, immunological and biological assays
Authors: Suzuki Miriam Fussae , Oliveira João Ezequiel , Damiani Renata , Lima Eliana Rosa , Amaral Kleicy Cavalcante , Santos Anderson Maikon de Souza , Magalhães Geraldo Santana , Faverani Leonardo Perez , Pereira Luis Antonio Violin Dias , Silva Fabiana Medeiros , Bartolini Paolo 
Published: February 2020

AbstractCommercially available preparations of methionyl-human BMP-2 and CHO-derived hBMP-2, which belongs to the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily, were used for a complete characterization. This protein is an extremely efficient osteoinductor that plays an important role during bone regeneration and embryonic development. Characterization was carried out via SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, followed by reversed-phase HPLC, size-exclusion HPLC and MALDI-TOF-MS. The classical in vitro bioassay, based on the induction of alkaline phosphatase activity in C2C12 cells, confirmed that hBMP-2 biological activity is mostly related to the dimeric form, being ~ 4-fold higher for the CHO-derived glycosylated form when compared with the E. coli counterpart. The E. coli-derived met-hBMP-2 has shown, by MALDI-TOF-MS, a large presence of the bioactive dimer. A more complex molecular mass (MM) distribution was found for the CHO-derived product, whose exact MM has never been reported because of its variable glycosylation. A method based on RP-HPLC was set up, allowing a quantitative and qualitative hBMP-2 determination even directly on ongoing culture media. Considering that hBMP-2 is highly unstable, presenting moreover an extremely high aggregate value, we believe that these data pave the way to a necessary characterization of this important factor when synthesized by DNA recombinant techniques in different types of hosts.
Flexural Performance of Steel Reinforced ECC-Concrete Composite Beams Subjected to Freeze–Thaw Cycles
Authors: Ge Wenjie , Ashour Ashraf F. , Lu Weigang , Cao Dafu 
Published: February 2020

AbstractExperimental and theoretical investigations on the flexural performance of steel reinforced ECC-concrete composite beams subjected to freeze–thaw cycles are presented in this paper. Four groups of reinforced composite beams with different ECC height replacement ratios subject to 0, 50, 100 and 150 cycles of freeze–thaw were physically tested to failure. Experimental results show that the bending capacity decreases with the increase of freeze–thaw cycles regardless of ECC height replacement ratios. However, the ultimate moment, stiffness and durability of ECC specimens and ECC-concrete composite specimens are greater than those of traditional concrete specimens, owing to the excellent tensile performance of ECC materials. With the increase of ECC height, the crack width and average crack spacing gradually decrease. According to materials’ constitutive models, compatibility and equilibrium conditions, three failure modes with two boundary failure conditions are proposed. Simplified formulas for the moment capacity are also developed. The results predicted by the simplified formulas show good agreement with the experimental moment capacity and failure modes. A parametric analysis is conducted to study the influence of strength and height of ECC, amount of reinforcement, concrete strength and cycles of freeze–thaw on moment capacity and curvature ductility of ECC-concrete composite beams.
Gold nanoparticle clusters for the investigation of therapeutic efficiency against prostate cancer under near-infrared irradiation
Authors: Kim Jeonghun , Chun Sang Hun , Amornkitbamrung Lunjakorn , Song Chanyoung , Yuk Ji Soo , Ahn So Yeon , Kim Byung Woo , Lim Yong Taik , Oh Byung-Keun , Um Soong Ho 
Published: February 2020

AbstractGold particles have been widely used in the treatment of prostate cancer due to their unique optical properties, such as their light-heat conversion in response to near-infrared radiation. Due to well-defined synthesis mechanisms and simple manufacturing methods, gold particles have been fabricated in various sizes and shapes. However, the low photothermal transduction efficiency in their present form is a major obstacle to practical and therapeutic uses of these particles. In the current work, we present a silica-coated gold nanoparticle cluster to address the therapeutic limit of single gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and use its photothermal effect for treatment against PC-3, a typical prostate cancer. Due to its specific nanostructure, this gold nanocluster showed three times higher photothermal transduction efficiency than free single AuNPs. Moreover, while free single particles easily clump and lose optical properties, this silica-coated cluster form remained stable for a longer time in a given medium. In photothermal tests under near-infrared radiation, the excellent therapeutic efficacy of gold nanoclusters, referred to as AuNC@SiO2, was observed in a preclinical sample. Only the samples with both injected nanoclusters followed by photothermal treatment showed completely degraded tumors after 15 days. Due to the unique intrinsic biocompatibility and higher therapeutic effect of these silica-coated gold nanoclusters, they may contribute to enhancement of therapeutic efficacy against prostate cancer.
Nasopalatine Cyst or Apical Pathology? A Diagnostic Dilemma and How to Manage It
Authors: Cresta Marialena , Philpott Robert , Besi Eleni 
Published: February 2020

Nasopalatine cysts (NPCs) present as maxillary midline radiolucencies and are the most common radiolucency of non-odontogenic origin. The proximity of these radiolucencies to the apical region of the maxillary anterior teeth may complicate diagnosis. We are presenting two cases of maxillary midline radiolucencies with a similar presentation but different diagnoses. Reaching a definitive diagnosis may be complicated, even when a detailed clinical examination has been carried out. The use of CBCT has been a valuable addition to the diagnostic armamentarium which can help clinicians reach more accurate diagnoses in such cases. A definitive diagnosis may be established following histopathological analysis, which is indicated in symptomatic cases. CPD/Clinical Relevance: This article highlights the importance of careful assessment of apical radiolucencies associated with the maxillary midline, leading to the correct diagnoses and appropriate treatment planning.
Consent in Oral Surgery: a Guide for Clinicians
Authors: Dungarwalla Mohammed M , Bailey Edmund 
Published: February 2020

The consent process remains a pillar of excellent clinical care. The changes in the law after the Montgomery ruling in 2015 has changed the shape of consent, and now, taking adequate consent can be extensive and sometimes confusing for clinicians and patients. Dentists are sometimes faced with the unenvious task of weighing up what patients should know versus what they want to know. This paper aims to describe the consent process for more common oral surgical procedures, helping clinicians to allow their patients to make informed decisions. CPD/Clinical Relevance: To assist primary and secondary care clinicians in taking adequate consent for oral surgical procedures.
The Epileptor Model: A Systematic Mathematical Analysis Linked to the Dynamics of Seizures, Refractory Status Epilepticus, and Depolarization Block
Authors: El Houssaini Kenza , Bernard Christophe , Jirsa Viktor K. 
Published: February 2020

AbstractOne characteristic of epilepsy is the variety of mechanisms leading to the epileptic state, which are still largely unknown. Refractory status epilepticus (RSE) and depolarization block (DB) are other pathological brain activities linked to epilepsy, whose patterns are different and whose mechanisms remain poorly understood. In epileptogenic network modeling, the Epileptor is a generic phenomenological model that has been recently developed to describe the dynamics of seizures. Here, we performed a detailed qualitative analysis of the Epileptor model based on dynamical systems theory and bifurcation analysis, and investigate the dynamic evolution of “normal” activity toward seizures and to the pathological RSE and DB states. The mechanisms of the transition between states are called bifurcations. Our detailed analysis demonstrates that the generic model undergoes different bifurcation types at seizure offset, when varying some selected parameters. We show that the pathological and normal activities can coexist within the same model under some conditions, and demonstrate that there are many pathways leading to and away from these activities. We here archive systematically all behaviors and dynamic regimes of the Epileptor model to serve as a resource in the development of patient-specific brain network models, and more generally in epilepsy research.
Hybrid Hydraulic Vehicle Parameter Optimization using Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Hawary A. F. , Ramdan M. I. 
Published: February 2020

Parameter optimizations of HHV torque distribution must deal with conflicting objectives between the engine torque and fuel economy without compromising the vehicle driving quality. The torque generation from an internal combustion engine (ICE) is directly influenced by the amount of fuel burnt, hence cannot be solved using a classical single-objective optimization method. In this paper, multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) is used to optimize the power split of a parallel hybrid hydraulic vehicle (HHV) that utilizes an ICE and a hydraulic motor. The simulation runs on three operating modes, engine only, power assist and regenerative modes to optimize two conflicting objectives, engine torque and fuel economy considering both highway and city drive cycles. Using a single unified formulation, a number of design objectives can be simultaneously optimized through a systematic search algorithm within a diverse parameter space. Simulation results have shown both objectives have good compromises that lie along the Pareto optimal front. In comparison, it is observed that there is a significant improvement on fuel economy for HHV as compared to a conventional ICE especially at low-torque operation when the hydraulic motor assists the vehicle for both highway and city drive cycles.
Computational Fluid Analysis on Catalytic Converter with More Surface Area Monolithic Structure
Authors: Sugavaneswaran M. , Saha S. , Kumar P. P. , Sharma G. S. , Prakash R. 
Published: February 2020

Catalytic converters are used to convert toxic gases into less toxic residues. Monolithic honeycomb structure coated with Noble metals as catalysts are used for this purpose. Noble metals cause a redox reaction and put a check on the emission of toxic elements. Thus, increases in contact time with noble metals, lesser the emission. Hence the larger surface area is preferred in the monolithic structure of catalytic converter for coating Noble metals. This paper does a comparative study over a new monolithic structural design in place of the conventional honeycomb structure of the same dimensions with least weight and more contact area. Conventional used structure and proposed monolithic structure designs were simulated in ANSYS fluent software and the results are compared. The proposed design resulted in 9.23% increase of contact surface area and weight reduction of 64.18%. Exhaust flow analysis in terms of back pressure and exhaust temperature for the proposed structure are almost equivalent to the earlier design.
Edukacyjne i socjalizacyjne aspekty kultury popularnej. Fascynacje literackie młodego pokolenia
Authors: Kiwior Wiktoria 
Published: February 2020

Artykuł dotyczy edukacyjnego oraz socjalizacyjnego potencjału kultury popularnej, która ma niebagatelny wpływ na funkcjonowanie młodego pokolenia. Dzisiejsza rzeczywistość młodego człowieka przesycona jest przekazami medialnymi, a jej odbiór zapośredniczony przez środki masowego przekazu. Literatura popularna stanowi ważny obszar kultury popularnej, a dzieła zaliczane w jej poczet to bestsellery rynków księgarskich. Celem badań, przeprowadzonych za pomocą wywiadów swobodnych było określenie miejsca, roli oraz funkcji literatury w życiu adolescentów, określenie fascynacji literackich oraz dotarcie do edukacyjnych i socjalizacyjnych wymiarów literatury popularnej.
Tradycja liberacka: o potrzebie pisania teorii liberatury K. Bazarnik, Z. Fajfer
Authors: Matuszyk Łukasz 
Published: February 2020

Artykuł stanowi swoisty teoretyczny wstęp do zjawiska artystycznego zwanego liberaturą. Zostaje w nim podjęta jedna z pierwszych prób usytuowania liberatury w ramach tradycji literackiej, jednak bez szczegółowego badania konkretnych odniesień intertekstualnych. Na początku pokrótce przedstawiono zakres znaczeniowy terminu „liberatura”, przyrównując ową formę do innych form artystycznego wyrazu. Następnie zadano kilka kluczowych pytań dotyczących liberatury i wskazano możliwe odpowiedzi. Szkic ma na celu – poprzez postawienie szeregu problemów badawczych – zwrócenie uwagi na konieczność prowadzenia badań teoretycznych nad liberaturą.
Przejawy okulocentryzmu we współczesnych mediach
Authors: Grabiec Dobrochna 
Published: February 2020

Wszechobecne obrazy zdominowały współczesną rzeczywistość, a przestrzeń medialna zdaje się być tego najlepszym dowodem. Przejawy okulocentryzmu spotykamy na każdym kroku – czytając gazety, przeglądając strony internetowe i prywatne blogi trafiamy na obszerne fotorelacje i sesje zdjęciowe. Kierowców „atakują” bilboardy, pasażerów linii miejskich reklamy na przystankach. I nawet w domowym zaciszu, mimowolnie przeglądamy tysiące zdjęć udostępnionych przez innych na portalach społecznościowych.
Promocja kultury w polskiej reklamie społecznej
Authors: Kromka Małgorzata 
Published: February 2020

Reklama społeczna służy informowaniu opinii publicznej na temat jakiegoś problemu społecznego i ma wpływa na ich zachowanie. Z kolei, marketing społeczny ma na celu rozwój i integracji różnych koncepcji marketingowych do zachowań, które w imię dobra społecznego wpływają korzystanie na jednostki i społeczeństwo. W swoim artykule analizowałam wybrane reklamy społeczne będące środkiem przekazu wartości kulturowych i różnie rozumianych wartości tejże kultury.
Disfunções respiratórias em portadores de doença de Parkinson: revisão sistemática
Authors: Santos Vanessa Souza , Neto Fleury Ferreira 
Published: February 2020

INTRODUÇÃO: A Doença de Parkinson (DP) é uma patologia neurodegenerativa, lentamente progressiva. As alterações posturais típicas da DP, associado à rigidez dos músculos intercostais, comprometem a mobilidade da caixa torácica, repercutindo na diminuição da expansibilidade pulmonar na inspiração e da depressão torácica na expiração. A dinâmica respiratória é afetada pela diminuição da força dos músculos respiratórios, a qual leva a atelectasia, hipoxemia e insuficiência ventilatória. OBJETIVO: Identificar através de revisão sistemática quais as disfunções respiratórias na doença de Parkinson. MATERIAS e MÉTODOS: trata-se de um estudo de Revisão Sistemática, sobre as disfunções respiratórias na doença de Parkinson. Foram realizadas buscas nas bases de dados, Medline, PubMED, Lilacs, SciELO, Scopus não foi imposta restrição de idiomas para pesquisa. Para critério de inclusão foram selecionados estudos que relataram as disfunções respiratórias na DP, desenvolvidos nos últimos 10 anos. A qualidade metodológica dos estudos foi analisada utilizando a escala de PEDro. RESULTADOS: Na buscar iniciada no período de 2009 a outubro de 2019, foram incluídos 10 artigos nesta revisão sistemática que demostraram as disfunções respiratórias na doença de Parkinson. CONCLUSÃO: Os estudos demostraram que a doença de Parkinson apresenta diminuição do volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo, diminuição da capacidade vital forçada, aumento do volume residual e resistências das vias aéreas.