bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Life cycle assessment of wheat production and wheat‐based crop rotations
Authors: Shrestha Prashansa , Karim Rifat A. , Sieverding Heidi L. , Archer David W. , Kumar Sandeep , Nleya Thandi , Graham Christopher J. , Stone James J. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractIn the northern Great Plains (NGP), wheat is the primary grain commodity. There is a need for the NGP to have a detailed analysis of environmental impacts for wheat‐based agricultural production systems to better understand regional agroecosystems. This article provides a cradle‐to‐field gate life cycle assessment (LCA) for NGP dryland wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. The environmental impacts for winter wheat production using crop rotation and agricultural intensification are quantified. Fourteen no‐till crop rotations ranging in duration from 2 to 6 yr were evaluated and compared using data from a historical 13‐yr replicated rotation study (>300 observations). Midpoint LCA categories chosen for this comparison are energy, agricultural land use, climate change potential, freshwater eutrophication, and freshwater ecotoxicity due to their direct links with agricultural management practices. The NGP farmers commonly use a fallow period every other year due to moisture limitations. This specific agricultural practice and allocations within rotations are critical considerations within agricultural LCAs. Two aspects of fallow considerations and a sensitivity analysis were also performed. The allocated midpoint impacts between crops in rotational studies averaged 0.31, 0.79, 0.62, and 0.63 kg CO2 eq. per unit of winter wheat when energy, economic, mass, and cereal unit allocations were used, respectively. Economic analysis of the studied experimental crop was performed; results demonstrated that crop insurance policies improved diversification economics by 20%. Agricultural diversification benefits and burdens were better represented by endpoint damage assessments than by midpoint impact analysis.
Contamination characteristics, source analysis, and ecological risk assessment of toxic metals and metalloid in agricultural soil in Yuzhong, China
Authors: Duan Kaixiang , Zhao Baowei , Zhang Songlin , Ma Yanlong 
Published: October 2020

AbstractHuman activities have caused toxic metal pollution and ecological risks to agricultural soil. In this study, 291 topsoil samples, collected in the agricultural soil system of Yuzhong, China, were selected to study the toxic metals and metalloids contamination characteristics, source and ecological risk based on geostatistics, pollution index, and ecological risk index. The main distribution of As is adjacent to pasture land and mainly comes from animal husbandry; Pb was observed near a coal mining factory and the Yellow River and was derived from industry and transportation; Cd was similar to Pb and was mainly derived from industry, transportation, and agriculture; Cr was found near a cement plant and was derived from industry and transportation; and Hg was found near an urban area and was mainly from industry and domestic garbage. The ratio of these elements exceeding the soil background value reached 99.9%. Except for the excess amounts of Cd and Hg in some samples, Cr, Hg, and As were mostly below permissible limits. Moreover, the comprehensive potential ecological risk of toxic metals is mainly at medium level and below, whereas the risks of Cd and Hg are higher. Control of Cd and Hg is important to prevent soil pollution. This study explains the current contamination situation, the predominant contaminants and their sources, and provides emphasis and direction for agricultural soil remediation.
Acute and early HIV infection screening among men who have sex with men, a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Palmer Shaun , Dijkstra Maartje , Ket Johannes CF , Wahome Elizabeth W , Walimbwa Jeffrey , Gichuru Evanson , van der Elst Elise M , Schim van der Loeff Maarten F , de Bree Godelieve J , Sanders Eduard J 
Published: October 2020

AbstractIntroductionScreening for acute and early HIV infections (AEHI) among men who have sex with men (MSM) remains uncommon in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Yet, undiagnosed AEHI among MSM and subsequent failure to link to care are important drivers of the HIV epidemic. We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of AEHI yield among MSM mobilized for AEHI testing; and assessed which risk factors and/or symptoms could increase AEHI yield in MSM.MethodsWe systematically searched four databases from their inception through May 2020 for studies reporting strategies of mobilizing MSM for testing and their AEHI yield, or risk and/or symptom scores targeting AEHI screening. AEHI yield was defined as the proportion of AEHI cases among the total number of visits. Study estimates for AEHI yield were pooled using random effects models. Predictive ability of risk and/or symptom scores was expressed as the area under the receiver operator curve (AUC).ResultsTwenty‐two studies were identified and included a variety of mobilization strategies (eight studies) and risk and/or symptom scores (fourteen studies). The overall pooled AEHI yield was 6.3% (95% CI, 2.1 to 12.4; I2 = 94.9%; five studies); yield varied between studies using targeted strategies (11.1%; 95% CI, 5.9 to 17.6; I2 = 83.8%; three studies) versus universal testing (1.6%; 95% CI, 0.8 to 2.4; two studies). The AUC of risk and/or symptom scores ranged from 0.69 to 0.89 in development study samples, and from 0.51 to 0.88 in validation study samples. AUC was the highest for scores including symptoms, such as diarrhoea, fever and fatigue. Key risk score variables were age, number of sexual partners, condomless receptive anal intercourse, sexual intercourse with a person living with HIV, a sexually transmitted infection, and illicit drug use. No studies were identified that assessed AEHI yield among MSM in SSA and risk and/or symptom scores developed among MSM in SSA lacked validation.ConclusionsStrategies mobilizing MSM for targeted AEHI testing resulted in substantially higher AEHI yields than universal AEHI testing. Targeted AEHI testing may be optimized using risk and/or symptom scores, especially if scores include symptoms. Studies assessing AEHI yield and validation of risk and/or symptom scores among MSM in SSA are urgently needed.
HIV prevalence and incidence in a cohort of South African men and transgender women who have sex with men: the Sibanye Methods for Prevention Packages Programme (MP3) project
Authors: Sullivan Patrick S , Phaswana‐Mafuya Nancy , Baral Stefan D , Valencia Rachel , Zahn Ryan , Dominguez Karen , Yah Clarence S , Jones Jeb , Kgatitswe Lesego B , McNaghten AD , Siegler Aaron J , Sanchez Travis H , Bekker Linda‐Gail 
Published: October 2020

AbstractIntroductionMen who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) are at increased risk for acquiring HIV, but there are limited HIV incidence data for these key populations in Africa. Understanding HIV prevalence and incidence provides important context for designing HIV prevention strategies, including pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programmes. We describe HIV prevalence, awareness of HIV infection, HIV incidence and associated factors for a cohort of MSM and TGW in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, South Africa.MethodsFrom 2015 to 2016, MSM and TGW in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth were enrolled and prospectively followed for 12 months, receiving a comprehensive package of HIV prevention services. HIV testing was conducted at baseline and at follow‐up visits (targeted for three, six and twelve months). All HIV‐negative PrEP‐eligible participants were offered PrEP enrolment during the first four months of study participation. We determined HIV prevalence among participants at baseline, and incidence by repeat screening of initially HIV‐negative participants with HIV tests at three, six and twelve months.ResultsAmong 292 participants enrolled, HIV prevalence was high (43%; 95% CI: 38 to 49) and awareness of HIV status was low (50%). The 167 HIV‐negative participants who were followed prospectively for 144.7 person‐years; nine incident HIV infections were documented. Overall annual incidence was 6.2% (CI: 2.8 to 11.8) and did not differ by city. Annual HIV incidence was significantly higher for younger (18 to 19 years) MSM and TGW (MSM: 21.8% (CI: 1.2 to 100); TGW: 31.0 (CI: 3.7, 111.2)). About half of participants started PrEP during the study; the annual incidence of HIV among 82 (49%) PrEP starters was 3.6% (CI: 0.4, 13.1) and among those who did not start PrEP was 7.8% (CI: 3.1, 16.1).ConclusionsHIV incidence was high among MSM and TGW in the context of receiving a comprehensive package of prevention interventions and offering of PrEP. PrEP uptake was high; the observed incidence of HIV in those who started PrEP was about half the incidence of HIV in those who did not. Future implementation‐oriented studies should focus on decisions to start and continue PrEP for those at highest risk, including young MSM.
Growth factors produced by bone marrow stromal cells on nanoroughened titanium–aluminum–vanadium surfaces program distal MSCs into osteoblasts via BMP2 signaling
Authors: Berger Michael B. , Bosh Kyla B. , Jacobs Thomas W. , Joshua Cohen D. , Schwartz Zvi , Boyan Barbara D. 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Statement of Clinical Significance: There remains the need to develop materials and surfaces that can increase the rate of implant osseointegration. Though osteoanabolic agents, like bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), can provide signaling for osteogenesis, the appropriate design of implants can also produce an innate cellular response that may reduce or eliminate the need to use additional agents to stimulate bone formation. Studies show that titanium implant surfaces that mimic the physical properties of osteoclast resorption pits regulate cellular responses of bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) by altering cell morphology, transcriptomes, and local factor production to increase their differentiation into osteoblasts without osteogenic media supplements required for differentiation of MSCs on tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS). The goal of this study was to determine how cells in contact with biomimetic implant surfaces regulate the microenvironment around these surfaces in vitro. Two different approaches were used. First, unidirectional signaling was assessed by treating human MSCs grown on TCPS with conditioned media from MSC cultures grown on Ti6Al4V biomimetic surfaces. In the second set of studies, bidirectional signaling was assessed by coculturing MSCs grown on mesh inserts that were placed into culture wells in which MSCs were grown on the biomimetic Ti6Al4V substrates. The results show that biomimetic Ti6Al4V surface properties induce MSCs to produce factors within 7 days of culture that stimulate MSCs not in contact with the surface to exhibit an osteoblast phenotype via endogenous BMP2 acting in a paracrine signaling manner.
A New Device for Fine‐Needle Aspiration Cytology Consisting of a Vibrating Linear Resonant Actuator
Authors: Taguchi Atsushi , Kojima Tsuyoshi , Okanoue Yusuke , Kagoshima Hiroki , Hasebe Koki , Yamamoto Hirotaka , Hori Ryusuke 
Published: October 2020

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of a new device for fine‐needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) consisting of a vibrating linear resonant actuator (LRA).Study DesignProspective clinical study.MethodsThe LRA frequency was optimized by visualization of the needle motion using a high‐speed camera. The FNAC device consists of a vibrating motor fixed to the stopper of a 5‐ml syringe and piston. Upon insertion of the syringe needle into a thyroid nodule (with the stopper attached to the syringe piston), sufficient negative pressure with 1‐ml suction was maintained. Subsequently, samples were obtained using vibration generated by an LRA or an eccentric rotating mass (ERM). Surgically resected thyroid specimens from 10 patients were evaluated. The number of follicular groups required for adequate diagnosis and the number of larger follicular groups were counted. Next, 254 thyroid nodules from 187 patients were also evaluated by FNAC. The inadequacy rate was determined, and final cytology was classified according to thyroid Bethesda categories.ResultsThe optimized LRA frequency was 155 Hz. Both the LRA and ERM devices resulted in sufficient amounts of diagnostic material and achieved low inadequacy rates. The number of large follicular groups obtained was significantly greater with the LRA device compared with the ERM device.ConclusionsThe vibrating device using an LRA for thyroid FNAC resulted in sufficient amounts of thyroid follicular groups and achieved low inadequacy rates. In addition, the LRA device allowed for collection of larger follicular groups sufficient to diagnose appropriate thyroid Bethesda categories.Level of Evidence2 Laryngoscope, 131:E1393–E1399, 2021
Barriers to Voice Therapy Attendance in a Language‐Diverse Population
Authors: Lim Kah Whye Ryan , Zambare Wini , Rubin Batsheva R. , Tracy Lauren F. 
Published: October 2020

Objectives/HypothesisVoice therapy is an effective treatment for many voice disorders, but success depends on attendance and adherence. Many factors hinder treatment attendance, and language discordance with the provider may present an additional obstacle to attending therapy. This study evaluates factors associated with voice therapy attendance at a language‐diverse, safety‐net hospital.Study Design: Retrospective chart review.MethodsRetrospective review of adult patients referred to speech language pathology for treatment of voice disorders from January, 2018 to April, 2019. Primary spoken language, interpreter collaboration, and patient demographics were obtained from medical records. Multivariate analysis compared patient factors with voice therapy attendance versus nonattendance.ResultsOf 422 patients, 219 (52%) attended at least one therapy session, whereas 203 (48%) did not attend (n = 120) or schedule therapy (n = 83). In multivariate analysis, only the association between public insurance and nonattendance was statistically significant (P = .016). After adjusting for interpreter use and interval between referral and first appointment, patients with private health insurance were 2.35 times more likely to attend therapy compared to those with public insurance (95% confidence interval: 1.18–4.71). Non‐English language; interpreter collaboration; distance from hospital; and patient demographics, including age, gender, ethnicity, and birthplace, did not significantly correlate with attendance.ConclusionsIn a culturally and language‐diverse cohort of dysphonic patients, individuals with public health insurance were significantly less likely to attend voice therapy. Language‐discordant therapy and interpreter collaboration was not a statistically significant barrier to therapy attendance. Additional investigation is warranted to optimize allocation of voice therapy resources for those with public health insurance and for diverse speakers of all languages.Level of Evidence4 Laryngoscope, 131:1835–1839, 2021
Thermo‐Mechanical Fractional Injury Enhances Skin Surface‐ and Epidermis‐ Protoporphyrin IX Fluorescence: Comparison of 5‐Aminolevulinic Acid in Cream and Gel Vehicles
Authors: Foged Camilla , Haedersdal Merete , Bik Liora , Dierickx Christine , Phillipsen Peter A. , Togsverd‐Bo Katrine 
Published: October 2020

Background and ObjectivesThermo‐mechanical fractional injury (TMFI) impacts the skin barrier and may increase cutaneous drug uptake. This study investigated the potential of TMFI in combination with 5‐aminolevulinic acid (ALA) cream and gel formulations to enhance Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence at the skin surface and in the skin.Study Design/Materials and MethodsIn healthy volunteers (n = 12) a total of 144 test areas were demarcated on the upper back. Test areas were randomized to (i) TMFI (6 milliseconds, 400 µm at a single pass) or no pretreatment and (ii) 20% ALA in cream or gel formulations. Skin surface PpIX fluorescence was quantified by PpIX fluorescence photography and photometry in 30‐minute intervals until 3 hours. PpIX fluorescence microscopy quantified separate PpIX fluorescence in the epidermis, and in superficial‐, mid‐, and deep‐ dermis from punch biopsies sampled after 3 hours of ALA incubation. Local skin reactions (LSR) and pain intensities (numerical rating scale 0–10) were evaluated immediately, at 3 hours and 14 days after the intervention.ResultsTMFI exposure before photosensitizer application significantly increased skin surface PpIX fluorescence, both for ALA cream (TMFI‐ALA‐cream 7848 arbitrary units [AU] vs. ALA‐cream 5441 AU, 3 hours, P < 0.001) and ALA gel (TMFI + ALA‐gel 4591 AU vs. ALA‐gel 3723 AU, 3 hours, P < 0.001). The TMFI‐mediated increase in PpIX fluorescence was similar for ALA‐cream and ‐gel formulations (P = 0.470) at the skin surface. In the epidermis, PpIX fluorescence intensities increased from combination treatment with TMFI and ALA‐cream (TMFI + ALA‐cream 421 AU vs. ALA‐cream 293 AU, P = 0.034) but not from combination with TMFI and ALA‐gel (TMI + ALA‐gel 264 AU vs. ALA‐gel 261 AU, P = 0.791). Dermal fluorescence intensities (superficial‐, mid‐, or deep dermis) were unaffected by TMFI pretreatment in both ALA‐cream and ALA‐gel exposed skin (P = 0.339). ALA‐cream generally induced higher PpIX fluorescence intensities than ALA‐gel (skin surface P < 0.001 and epidermis P < 0.03). TMFI induced low pain intensities (median 3) and mild LSR that were resolved at 14 days follow‐up.ConclusionGiven the present study design, TMFI, in combination with the standardized application of 20% ALA cream and gel formulations, significantly enhanced skin surface PpIX fluorescence compared to no pretreatment. Additionally, TMFI increased epidermal PpIX fluorescence combined with 20% ALA cream vehicle. Thus, TMFI pretreatment and formulation characteristics exert influence on PpIX fluorescence intensities in normal skin. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC
Further delineation of autosomal recessive intellectual disability syndrome caused by homozygous variant of the NSUN2 gene in a chinese pedigree
Authors: Sun Songyang , Chen Lin , Wang Yuchuan , Wang Jian , Li Niu , Wang Xike 
Published: October 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe enzyme NOP2/Sun RNA methyltransferase 2 (NSUN2) catalyzes the methylation of cytosine to 5‐methylcytosine (m5C) at position 34 of tRNA(Leu; CAA) precursors containing introns that play a vital role in spindle assembly during mitosis and chromosome segregation. Biallelic variants in the NSUN2 gene cause a rare intellectual disability that has been identified only in a few Middle Eastern patients. Affected individuals usually have other deformities, including developmental delay, short stature, microcephaly, and facial dysmorphism. The aim of this study was to identify the genetic cause of three female patients from a Chinese pedigree, who presented with similar phenotype consisting of the above clinical features.MethodsWhole‐exome sequencing (WES) was used to screen for causal variants in the genome, and the candidate variants were subsequently verified using Sanger sequencing.ResultsWES revealed a previously unreported homozygous nonsense variant (NM_017755.5: c.1004T>A, p.Leu335*) in exon 9 of NSUN2, which was consistent with the clinical phenotype of the patients and co‐segregated with the disease in their family. A comparison of this phenotype with that of patients in published reports uncovered several novel clinical features related to NSUN2 variations, including feeding difficulties, slender hands and fingers, severely restricted finger mobility, hallux valgus, varus foot, and elevated α‐hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH).ConclusionsThese are the first findings of a non‐consanguineous Chinese pedigree with a homozygous NSUN2 variant. We expanded the phenotypic spectrum associated with NSUN2 variations.
Bi‐objective optimization of catheter positions for high‐dose‐rate prostate brachytherapy
Authors: van der Meer Marjolein C. , Bosman Peter A.N. , Niatsetski Yury , Alderliesten Tanja , van Wieringen Niek , Pieters Bradley R. , Bel Arjan 
Published: October 2020

PurposeBi‐objective simultaneous optimization of catheter positions and dwell times for high‐dose‐rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy, based directly on dose‐volume indices, has shown promising results. However, optimization with the state‐of‐the‐art evolutionary algorithm MO‐RV‐GOMEA so far required several hours of runtime, and resulting catheter positions were not always clinically feasible. The aim of this study is to extend the optimization model and apply GPU parallelization to achieve clinically acceptable computation times. The resulting optimization procedure is compared with a previously introduced method based solely on geometric criteria, the adapted Centroidal Voronoi Tessellations (CVT) algorithm.MethodsBi‐objective simultaneous optimization was performed with a GPU‐parallelized version of MO‐RV‐GOMEA. This optimization of catheter positions and dwell times was retrospectively applied to the data of 26 patients previously treated with HDR prostate brachytherapy for 8–16 catheters (steps of 2). Optimization of catheter positions using CVT was performed in seconds, after which optimization of only the dwell times using MO‐RV‐GOMEA was performed in 1 min.ResultsSimultaneous optimization of catheter positions and dwell times using MO‐RV‐GOMEA was performed in 5 min. For 16 down to 8 catheters (steps of 2), MO‐RV‐GOMEA found plans satisfying the planning‐aims for 20, 20, 18, 14, and 11 out of the 26 patients, respectively. CVT achieved this for 19, 17, 13, 9, and 2 patients, respectively. The P‐value for the difference between MO‐RV‐GOMEA and CVT was 0.023 for 16 catheters, 0.005 for 14 catheters, and <0.001 for 12, 10, and 8 catheters.ConclusionsWith bi‐objective simultaneous optimization on a GPU, high‐quality catheter positions can now be obtained within 5 min, which is clinically acceptable, but slower than CVT. For 16 catheters, the difference between MO‐RV‐GOMEA and CVT is clinically irrelevant. For 14 catheters and less, MO‐RV‐GOMEA outperforms CVT in finding plans satisfying all planning‐aims.
MR properties of 19F C3F8 gas in the lungs of healthy volunteers: and apparent diffusion coefficient at 1.5T and at 3T
Authors: Maunder Adam , Chan Ho‐Fung , Hughes Paul J. C. , Collier Guillhem , Norquay Graham , Rodgers Oliver , Thelwall Peter , Robb Fraser , Rao Madhwesha , Wild Jim M. 
Published: October 2020

PurposeTo measure the transverse relaxation time () and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of 19F‐C3F8 gas in vivo in human lungs at 1.5T and 3T, and to determine the representative distribution of values of these parameters in a cohort of healthy volunteers.MethodsMapping of ADC at lung inflation levels of functional residual capacity (FRC) and total lung capacity (TLC) was performed with inhaled 19F‐C3F8 (eight subjects) and 129Xe (six subjects) at 1.5T. mapping with 19F‐C3F8 was performed at 1.5T (at FRC and TLC) for 8 subjects and at 3T (at TLC for seven subjects).ResultsAt both FRC and TLC, the 19F‐C3F8 ADC was smaller than the free diffusion coefficient demonstrating airway microstructural diffusion restriction. From FRC to TLC, the mean ADC significantly increased from 1.56 mm2/s to 1.83 mm2/s (P = .0017) for 19F‐C3F8, and from 2.49 mm2/s to 3.38 mm2/s (P = .0015) for 129Xe. The posterior‐to‐anterior gradient in ADC for FRC versus TLC in the superior half of the lungs was measured as 0.0308 mm2/s per cm versus 0.0168 mm2/s per cm for 19F‐C3F8 and 0.0871 mm2/s per cm versus 0.0326 mm2/s per cm for 129Xe. A consistent distribution of 19F‐C3F8 values was observed in the lungs, with low values observed near the diaphragm and large pulmonary vessels. The mean across volunteers was 4.48 ms at FRC and 5.33 ms at TLC for 1.5T, and 3.78 ms at TLC for 3T.ConclusionIn this feasibility study, values of physiologically relevant parameters of lung microstructure measurable by MRI (, and ADC) were established for C3F8 in vivo lung imaging in healthy volunteers.