bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dynamics of Pneumococcal Carriage in Adults: A New Look at an Old Paradigm
Authors: Almeida Sónia T , Paulo Ana Cristina , Froes Filipe , de Lencastre Hermínia , Sá-Leão Raquel 
Published: September 2020

Abstract

Background
Limited information is available on pneumococcal colonization among adults. We studied pneumococcal carriage dynamics in healthy adults using high-sensitivity approaches.

Methods
Eighty-seven adults (25–50 years old) were followed for 6 months in Portugal. Nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, and saliva samples were obtained monthly; pneumococcal carriers were also sampled weekly. Carriage was investigated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (targeting lytA and piaB) and culture. Positive samples were serotyped.

Results
Approximately 20% of the adults were intermittent carriers; 10% were persistent carriers (&gt;4 months). Pneumococcal acquisition and clearance rates were 16.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.2–24.2) and 95.9 (95% CI, 62.3–145.0) cases/1000 person-weeks, respectively. Living with children increased pneumococcal acquisition (hazard ratio, 9.7 [95% CI, 2.6–20.5]; P &lt; .001). Median duration of carriage was 7 weeks and did not depend on regular contact with children.

Conclusions
The pneumococcal carrier state in healthy adults is more dynamic than generally assumed: Acquisition is frequent and duration of carriage is often long. This suggests that some adults may act as reservoirs of pneumococci and hence, depending on the social structure of a community, the magnitude of herd effects potentially attainable through children vaccination may vary. These findings are important when designing strategies to prevent pneumococcal disease in adults.
Determination of Free Bisphenol A in Commercially Packaged Ready-to-Consume Carbonated/Non-Carbonated and Non-Alcoholic Beverages with Immunoaffinity Column Purification and UPLC with Fluorescence Detector, First Action 2019.07
Authors: Liu Jianmin , Yu Justine , Toth Danrey , Yang Jinchuan , Chen Lingyun 
Published: September 2020

Abstract

Background
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical of concern in the food industry. There is a need for a sensitive analytical method for the determination of BPA in beverages.

Objective
To develop a method for the determination of BPA in carbonated, non-carbonated, and non-alcoholic drinks.

Method
Replicates of a carbonated soft drink, orange juice with pulp, and a dairy-based coffee drink at spiking levels ranging from 0 to 32 ng/mL were analyzed. The carbonated soft drink was adjusted to pH 7.4 and diluted with phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The orange juice with pulp and the dairy-based coffee drink were extracted with methanol and sodium chloride, then diluted with PBS.

Results
LOD ranged from 0.06 to 0.08 ng/mL and LOQ ranged from 0.10 to 0.14 ng/mL. Recoveries of BPA from all sample types at 1 to 16 ng/mL spiked levels were between 93 and 100%; relative standard deviation (RSDr, %) ranged from 0.71 to 8.38% depending on matrix and spiking levels.

Conclusions
The results indicate that the method for determination of BPA in carbonated, non-carbonated, and non-alcoholic drinks is reproducible and meets AOAC Official MethodSM performance criteria.

Highlights
The test portions were filtered and the filtrates applied to an immunoaffinity column (IAC) containing antibodies specific for BPA. After the column was washed with water, BPA was eluted from the IAC with 80% methanol and the eluate was directly injected, or concentrated and injected, into ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) with fluorescence detector (FLD) for separation, detection, and quantitation.
Can a Recently Developed Pig Model Be Used for In Vivo Metabolism Studies of 7-Azaindole-Derived Synthetic Cannabinoids? A Study Using 5F-MDMB-P7AICA
Authors: Doerr Adrian A , Nordmeier Frederike , Walle Nadja , Laschke Matthias W , Menger Michael D , Schmidt Peter H , Schaefer Nadine , Meyer Markus R 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
New psychoactive substances (NPS), especially synthetic cannabinoids (SC) remain a public health concern. Due to ethical reasons, systematic controlled human studies to elucidate their toxicodynamics and/or toxicokinetics are usually not possible. However, such knowledge is necessary, for example, for determination of screening targets and interpretation of clinical and forensic toxicological data. In the present study, the feasibility of the pig model as an alternative for human in vivo metabolism studies of SC was investigated. For this purpose, the metabolic pattern of the SC methyl-2-{[1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-3-carbonyl]amino}-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (5F-MDMB-P7AICA) was elucidated in pig urine following inhalative administration (dosage: 200 µg/kg of body weight). The results were compared with human and pig liver microsomal assays and literature. In addition, different incubations with isolated cytochrome-P450 (CYP) monooxygenases were conducted to identify the involved isozymes. In total, nine phase I and three phase II metabolites were identified in pig urine. The most abundant reactions were ester hydrolysis, ester hydrolysis combined with glucuronidation and ester hydrolysis combined with hydroxylation at the tert-butyl moiety. The parent compound was only found up to 1 h after administration in pig urine. The metabolite formed after hydroxylation and glucuronidation was detectable for 2 h, the one formed after ester hydrolyzation and defluorination for 4 h after administration. All other metabolites were detected during the whole sampling time. The most abundant metabolites were also detected using both microsomal incubations and monooxygenase screenings revealed that CYP3A4 catalyzed most reactions. Finally, pig data showed to be in line with published human data. To conclude, the main metabolites recommended in previous studies as urinary targets were confirmed by using pig urine. The used pig model seems therefore to be a suitable alternative for in vivo metabolism studies of 7-azaindole-derived SC.
A rare form of Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser syndrome associated with ovarian endometrioma: a case report
Authors: Naem Antoine , Shamandi Anwar , AL-Kurdy Bashar 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser syndrome is a congenital malformation that affects the uterus and upper two-thirds of the vagina. Its prevalence is estimated to be 1 in 4500 live births. We present the case of a 19-year-old patient that presented with primary amenorrhea and cyclic abdominal pain. Upon the exploratory laparoscopy, a right rudimentary uterine horn and left unicornuate uterus were found. These two entities were completely separated from each other and from the vaginal vault. In addition, a left ovarian endometrioma was also found. The unicornuate uterus was resected with an intent to resolve the pain. Endometriosis is known to raise the risk of ovarian cancer by 50%. Therefore, a left salpingo-oophorectomy was performed to minimize the risk of ovarian cancer and endometriosis recurrence. In conclusion, ovarian endometriomas should be suspected when obstructive malformations are present with active endometrial remnants. These lesions should be managed appropriately to optimize the postoperative outcomes.
Palladium nanoplates scotch breast cancer lung metastasis by constraining epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Authors: Wang Shunhao , Li Jingchao , Chen Mei , Ren Liting , Feng Wenya , Xu Lining , Chen Xiaolan , Xia Tian , Zheng Nanfeng , Liu Sijin 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Metastasis accounts for the majority of cancer deaths in many tumor types including breast cancer. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the driving force for the occurrence and progression of metastasis, however, no targeted strategies to block the EMT program are currently available to combat metastasis. Diverse engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have been reported to exert promising anti-cancer effects, however, no ENMs have been designed to target EMT. Palladium (Pd) nanomaterials, a type of ENM, have received substantial attention in nanomedicine due to their favorable photothermal performance for cancer therapeutics. Herein, Pd nanoplates (PdPL) were found to be preferentially biodistributed to both primary tumors and metastatic tumors. Importantly, PdPL showed a significant inhibition of lung metastasis with and without near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. Mechanistic investigations revealed that EMT was significantly compromised in breast cancer cells upon the PdPL treatment, which was partially due to the inhibition of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling. Strikingly, the PdPL was found to directly interact with TGF-β proteins to diminish TGF-β functions in activating its downstream signaling, as evidenced by the reduced phosphorylation of Smad2. Notably, TGF-β-independent pathways were also involved in undermining EMT and other important biological processes that are necessary for metastasis. Additionally, NIR irradiation elicited synergistic effects on PdPL-induced inhibition of primary tumors and metastasis. In summary, these results revealed that the PdPL remarkably curbed metastasis by inhibiting EMT signaling, thereby indicating the promising potential of PdPL as a therapeutic agent for treating breast cancer metastasis.
Efficient network immunization under limited knowledge
Authors: Liu Yangyang , Sanhedrai Hillel , Dong GaoGao , Shekhtman Louis M , Wang Fan , Buldyrev Sergey V , Havlin Shlomo 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Targeted immunization of centralized nodes in large-scale networks has attracted significant attention. However, in real-world scenarios, knowledge and observations of the network may be limited, thereby precluding a full assessment of the optimal nodes to immunize (or quarantine) in order to avoid epidemic spreading such as that of the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic. Here, we study a novel immunization strategy where only n nodes are observed at a time and the most central among these n nodes is immunized. This process can globally immunize a network. We find that even for small n (≈10) there is significant improvement in the immunization (quarantine), which is very close to the levels of immunization with full knowledge. We develop an analytical framework for our method and determine the critical percolation threshold pc and the size of the giant component P∞ for networks with arbitrary degree distributions P(k). In the limit of n → ∞ we recover prior work on targeted immunization, whereas for n = 1 we recover the known case of random immunization. Between these two extremes, we observe that, as n increases, pc increases quickly towards its optimal value under targeted immunization with complete information. In particular, we find a new general scaling relationship between |pc(∞) − pc(n)| and n as |pc(∞) − pc(n)| ∼ n−1exp(−αn). For scale-free (SF) networks, where P(k) ∼ k−γ, 2 &lt; γ &lt; 3, we find that pc has a transition from zero to nonzero when n increases from n = 1 to O(log N) (where N is the size of the network). Thus, for SF networks, having knowledge of  ≈log N nodes and immunizing the most optimal among them can dramatically reduce epidemic spreading. We also demonstrate our limited knowledge immunization strategy on several real-world networks and confirm that in these real networks, pc increases significantly even for small n.
Conscience and Cakes: Reaffirming the Distinction Between Institutional Duties and Individual Rights
Authors: van der Tol Mariëtta D C 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
This article suggests that there may be scope to accommodate individual conscience whilst holding institutions to their full civil duties by making a structural distinction between institutions and individual members and employees. This distinction might circumvent the paralysing contrasts between more abstract human rights categories. This article approaches the question of conscience through the lens of a Dutch legislation on the position of wedding officials and in particular through a thorough critique of it by the Netherlands Council of State. The Council’s critique illuminates two important distinctions, first, between institutions and individuals and, second, between conscience and behaviour. These findings are potentially relevant in cases on access of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people to services provided by private companies. For example, may photographers and videographers deny services to same-sex couples? May a bakery decline to supply wedding cakes? May a bakery refuse to create a custom-made cake for an LGB event? These questions arose, respectively, in the US cases Elane Photography, Telescope, and Masterpiece cases as well as the British Ashers Bakery case. And, should a Christian law school’s accreditation be rejected when a code of conduct impairs access of LGB students, eg in the Canadian Trinity Western cases?
Spin evolution of neutron stars in wind-fed high-mass X-ray binaries
Authors: Karino Shigeyuki 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
The observed X-ray pulse period of OB-type high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) pulsars is typically longer than 100 seconds. It is considered that the interaction between the strong magnetic field of a neutron star and the wind matter could cause such a long pulse period. In this study, we follow the spin evolution of neutron stars, taking into account the interaction between the magnetic field and wind matter. In this line, as new challenges, we solve the evolution of the magnetic field of the neutron star at the same time, and additionally we focus on the effects of the wind properties of the donor. As a result, evolutionary tracks were obtained in which the neutron star spends some duration in the ejector phase after birth, then rapidly spins down, becomes quasi-equilibrium, and gradually spins up. Such evolution is similar to previous studies, but we found that its dominant physics depends on the velocity of the donor wind. When the wind velocity is fast, the spin-down occurs due to magnetic inhibition, while the classical propeller effect and settling accretion shell causes rapid spin-down in the slow wind accretion. Since the wind velocity of the donor could depend on the irradiated X-ray luminosity, the spin evolution track of the neutron star in a wind-fed HMXB could be more complicated than considered.
Mothering Solidarity: Infant-Feeding, Vulnerability and Poverty in West Africa Since the Seventeenth Century*
Authors: Whyte Christine 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Poor and marginalized people have always distributed the labour of mothering, among their extended kin networks, with friends and neighbours and within their communities. This essay argues that taking a long historical view on the distribution of infant-feeding as labour serves as a useful corrective to modern western or imperial models which reify exclusive breastfeeding in the mother–baby dyad, and opens up questions about how the work of feeding babies has played a role in generating and sustaining rigid gender binaries. The article excavates traces of information about the feeding practices of people in West Africa who are members of gender-segregated solidarity societies, from the eighteenth to the twenty-first century. These institutions regulate much of economic and social life in the region, which incorporates parts of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, reflecting the endurance of institutions of social reproduction through widespread political change. Practices of infant-feeding show similar endurance, shaped more by economic necessity than political pressure. The article focuses on the experiences of West African men and women, along with the babies they feed with milk of all kinds, rice, palm oil and water. This mothering labour is part of a wider knowledge of the body which has been passed down among Africans and the African diaspora, and with which historians of labour, the body and emotions could usefully engage.
Clinical Characteristics and Long-Term Follow-up of Patients Treated for High-Grade Vaginal Intraepithelial Neoplasia: Results From a 20-Year Survey in Italy
Authors: Sopracordevole Francesco , Clemente Nicolò , Di Giuseppe Jacopo , Barbero Maggiorino , Fallani Maria Grazia , Cattani Paolo , Agarossi Alberto , Del Fabro Anna , De Piero Giovanni , Pieralli Annalisa , Giannella Luca , Morini Stefano , Parin Alberto , Boselli Fausto , Buttignol Monica , Nicodemo Martina , Delli Carpini Giovanni , Ciavattini Andrea 
Published: September 2020

Objectives
The aim of this survey was to evaluate the different surgical approaches for women with high-grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (HG-VaIN) used in 8 hospitals in central and northern Italy in the last 20 years. In particular, the baseline characteristics of the patients and factors potentially leading to excisional treatment rather than ablation were considered. Moreover, the clinical outcome of patients treated for HG-VaIN (disease persistence or recurrence and progression toward invasive vaginal cancer) was analyzed.

Materials and Methods
The medical records of all women initially diagnosed with HG-VaIN and subsequently treated in 8 Italian hospitals from January 1996 to December 2016 were analyzed in a multicenter retrospective case series.

Results
Among the 226 women included, 116 (51.3%) underwent ablative procedures and 110 underwent excisional surgery (48.7%). An ablative procedure was preferred in cases where multiple lesions were found on colposcopic examinations. Physicians decided more frequently to perform excisional procedures in women with menopausal status, high-grade referral cervical cytology, previous hysterectomy for human papillomavirus–related disease, or VaIN 3 on colposcopic-guided biopsy.

Conclusions
The surgical treatment of HG-VaIN should be tailored according to the clinical characteristics of each woman and each lesion. However, in potentially high-risk cases (VaIN 3, previous hysterectomy for human papillomavirus–related disease, and menopausal women) or in those cases in which an occult invasive disease cannot be ruled out, an excisional approach should be preferred.
In any case, long-term follow-up is advisable in women treated for HG-VaIN.
Independent risk factors evaluation for overall survival and cancer-specific survival in thyroid cancer patients with bone metastasis
Authors: Tong Yuexin , Huang Zhangheng , Hu Chuan , Chi Changxing , Lv Meng , Li Pengfei , Zhao Chengliang , Song Youxin 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Bone is a frequent site for the occurrence of metastasis of thyroid cancer (TC). TC with bone metastasis (TCBM) is associated with skeletal-related events (SREs), with poor prognosis and low overall survival (OS). Therefore, it is necessary to develop a predictive nomogram for prognostic evaluation. This study aimed to construct an effective nomogram for predicting the OS and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of TC patients with BM. Those TC patients with newly diagnosed BM were retrospectively examined over a period of 6 years from 2010 to 2016 using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Demographics and clinicopathological data were collected for further analysis. Patients were randomly allocated into training and validation cohorts with a ratio of ∼7:3. OS and CSS were retrieved as research endpoints. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed for identifying independent predictors. Overall, 242 patients were enrolled in this study. Age, histologic grade, histological subtype, tumor size, radiotherapy, liver metastatic status, and lung metastatic status were determined as the independent prognostic factors for predicting the OS and CSS in TCBM patients. Based on the results, visual nomograms were separately developed and validated for predicting 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS and CSS in TCBM patients on the ground of above results. The calibration, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) also demonstrated the reliability and accuracy of the clinical prediction model. Our predictive model is expected to be a personalized and easily applicable tool for evaluating the prognosis of TCBM patients, and may contribute toward making an accurate judgment in clinical practice.
Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound superb microvascular imaging for lymph nodes
Authors: Li Xuejiao , Wang Cong , Hou Xiukun , Tao Ye 
Published: September 2020

Abstract

Background:
As a novel ultrasound technique, superb microvascular imaging can quickly, simply and noninvasively study the microvascular distribution in the tumor and evaluate the microvascular perfusion. Studies suggested that superb microvascular imaging is helpful for the differentiation between benign and malignant lymph nodes. However, the results of these studies have been contradictory. Therefore, the present meta-analysis aimed at determining the accuracy of superb microvascular imaging in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant lymph nodes.

Methods:
We will search PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Chinese biomedical databases from their inceptions to the July 30, 2020, without language restrictions. Two authors will independently carry out searching literature records, scanning titles and abstracts, full texts, collecting data, and assessing risk of bias. Review Manager 5.2 and Stata14.0 software will be used for data analysis.

Results:
This systematic review will determine the accuracy of superb microvascular imaging in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant lymph nodes.

Conclusion:
Its findings will provide helpful evidence for the accuracy of superb microvascular imaging in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant lymph nodes.

Systematic review registration:
INPLASY202070133.
Significance of nuclear medicine scan in comparison with diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid and ultrasound imaging in diagnosing renal disorders
Authors: Bafaraj Saeed M. 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
The effectiveness of diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid scan is regularly monitored for the assessment of any potential modifications in treatment responses or kidney functions in the pediatric population.
This study attempts to compare the usefulness of diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid and ultrasound imaging of renal disorders among paediatric patients.
A retrospective observational study was conducted by enrolling 106 children. The demographic details such as: participant's age, gender, and the history of renal disease of each patient were recorded. Patients were administered radiopharmaceuticals in a fixed dose and were later subjected to computed tomography (CT) scan. The obtained data was analysed using descriptive statistics.
Findings indicated increased sensitivity for CT (61.20%); whereas, a major decrease in specificity (23.68%) was observed. Comparison of Single-photon emission CT (SPECT) and CT findings revealed the increased sensitivity (90.90%) for ultrasound; whereas, there was a slight decrease in the specificity (40%) for SPECT. However, SPECT findings show 91% sensitivity among patients with 71.42% positive predictive value. Moreover, an increase in sensitivity for CT (61.20%), followed by a major decrease in specificity (23.68%) was observed.
Ultrasonography has been proved to be the safest and the most effective method for the diagnosis and the treatment of most renal disorders, due to the higher predictive value of SPECT scans. It is thus suggested that patients with ureteral calculi should be diagnosed with renal scintigraphy and unenhanced helical computerized tomography.