bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Loop neochord versus leaflet resection techniques for minimally invasive mitral valve repair: long-term results
Authors: Pfannmueller Bettina , Misfeld Martin , Verevkin Alexander , Garbade Jens , Holzhey David M , Davierwala Piroze , Seeburger Joerg , Noack Thilo , Borger Michael A 
Published: July 2020

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Non-leaflet resection techniques including loop chordal replacement are being used with increasing frequency, but the long-term results of these techniques are still unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the long-term results of loop neochord replacement with leaflet resection techniques in patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve (MV) repair for MV prolapse.

METHODS
Between 1999 and 2014, 2134 consecutive MV prolapse patients underwent minimally invasive MV repair with isolated loop (n = 1751; 82.1%) or resection techniques (n = 383, 17.9%) at our institution. Follow-up data were available for 86% of patients with a mean follow-up time of 6.1 ± 4.3 years.

RESULTS
The 30-day mortality was 0.8% for all patients (loop: 0.7%, resection: 1.6%; P = 0.09). Leaflet resection was associated with more moderate or more mitral regurgitation on predischarge echocardiography (P = 0.003). The 1-, 5- and 10-year survival rates were 98 ± 1%, 95 ± 1% and 86 ± 2% for the loop technique versus 97 ± 1%, 92 ± 1% and 81 ± 2% for resection patients, respectively (P = 0.003). Significant predictors for late mortality were MV repair technique (P = 0.004), left ventricular ejection fraction (P &lt; 0.001), age (P &lt; 0.001) and myocardial infarction (P &lt; 0.001). Freedom from MV reoperation at 1, 5 and 10 years was 98 ± 1%, 97 ± 1%, 97 ± 1% and 97 ± 1%, 97 ± 1%, 96 ± 1% for patients operated on with the loop technique and leaflet resection (P = 0.4).

CONCLUSIONS
In our patient cohort, MV repair with loop chordal replacement is associated with less early recurrent mitral regurgitation and very good long-term results when compared to classical leaflet resection techniques for MV prolapse and is therefore an excellent option for such patients.
Textbook outcome as a composite outcome measure in non-small-cell lung cancer surgery
Authors: ten Berge Martijn G , Beck Naomi , Steup Willem Hans , Verhagen Ad F.T.M , van Brakel Thomas J , Schreurs Wilhelmina H , Wouters Michel W.J.M ,   the Dutch Lung Cancer Audit for Surgery Group
Published: July 2020

Abstract

OBJECTIVES

Quality assessment is an important element in providing surgical cancer care. The main objective of this study was to develop a new composite measure ‘textbook outcome’, to evaluate and improve quality of surgical care for patients undergoing a resection for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS
All patients undergoing an anatomical resection for NSCLC from 2012 to 2016 registered in the nationwide Dutch Lung Cancer Audit were included in an analysis to assess usefulness of a composite measure as a quality indicator. Based on expert opinion, textbook outcome was defined as having a complete resection (negative resection margins and sufficient lymph node dissection), plus no 30-day or in-hospital mortality, no reintervention in 30 days, no readmission to the intensive care unit, no prolonged hospital stay (&lt;14 days), no hospital readmission after discharge and no major complications. The percentage of patients with a textbook outcome was calculated per hospital. Between-hospital variation in textbook outcome was analysed using case-mix adjustment models.

RESULTS
In total, 5513 patients were included in this study. Textbook outcome was achieved in 26.4% of patients. Insufficient lymph node dissection had the most substantial effect on not realizing textbook outcome. If ‘sufficient lymph node dissection’ was not included as a criterion, textbook outcome would be 60.7%. Case-mix adjusted textbook outcome proportions per hospitals varied between 13.2% and 37.7%.

CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to focusing on a single aspect, the composite measure textbook outcome provides insight into comprehensive performance in NSCLC surgery. It can be used to evaluate both individual hospitals and national performance and provides the opportunity to give benchmarked feedback to thoracic surgeons.
The primary care workforce in Europe: a cross-sectional international comparison of rural and urban areas and changes between 1993 and 2011
Authors: Groenewegen Peter P , Bosmans Mark W G , Boerma Wienke G W , Spreeuwenberg Peter 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Rural areas have problems in attracting and retaining primary care workforce. This might have consequences for the existing workforce. We studied whether general practitioners (GPs) in rural practices differ by age, sex, practice population and workload from those in less rural locations and whether their practices differ in resources and service profiles. We used data from 2 studies: QUALICOPC study collected data from 34 countries, including 7183 GPs in 2011, and Profiles of General Practice in Europe study collected data from 32 countries among 7895 GPs in 1993. Data were analyzed using multilevel analysis. Results show that the share of female GPs has increased in rural areas but is still lower than in urban areas. In rural areas, GPs work more hours and provide more medical procedures to their patients. Apart from these differences between locations, overall ageing of the GP population is evident. Higher workload in rural areas may be related to increased demand for care. Rural practices seem to cope by offering a broad range of services, such as medical procedures. Dedicated human resource policies for rural areas are required with a view to an ageing GP population, to the individual preferences and needs of the GPs, and to decreasing attractiveness of rural areas.
In vivo evaluation of the interaction between the Escherichia coli IGP synthase subunits using the Bacterial Two-Hybrid system
Authors: Chioccioli Sofia , Bogani Patrizia , Del Duca Sara , Castronovo Lara Mitia , Vassallo Alberto , Puglia Anna Maria , Fani Renato 
Published: July 2020

ABSTRACT
Histidine biosynthesis is one of the most characterized metabolic routes for its antiquity and its central role in cellular metabolism; indeed, it represents a cross-road between nitrogen metabolism and de novo synthesis of purines. This interconnection is due to the activity of imidazole glycerol phosphate synthase, a heterodimeric enzyme constituted by the products of two his genes, hisH and hisF, encoding a glutamine amidotransferase and a cyclase, respectively. Despite their interaction was suggested by several in vitro experiments, their in vivo complex formation has not been demonstrated. On the contrary, the analysis of the entire Escherichia coli interactome performed using the yeast two hybrid system did not suggest the in vivo interaction of the two IGP synthase subunits. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the interaction of the two proteins using the Bacterial Adenylate Cyclase Two-Hybrid (BACTH) system. Data obtained demonstrated the in vivo interaction occurring between the proteins encoded by the E. coli hisH and hisF genes; this finding might also open the way to pharmaceutical applications through the design of selective drugs toward this enzyme.
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma expression along the male genital system and its role in male fertility
Authors: Santoro Marta , De Amicis Francesca , Aquila Saveria , Bonofiglio Daniela 
Published: July 2020

ABSTRACTPeroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) acts as a ligand activated transcription factor and regulates processes, such as energy homeostasis, cell proliferation and differentiation. PPARγ binds to DNA as a heterodimer with retinoid X receptor and it is activated by polyunsaturated fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives, such as prostaglandins. In addition, the insulin-sensitizing thiazolidinediones, such as rosiglitazone, are potent and specific activators of PPARγ. PPARγ is present along the hypothalamic–pituitary–testis axis and in the testis, where low levels in Leydig cells and higher levels in Sertoli cells as well as in germ cells have been found. High amounts of PPARγ were reported in the normal epididymis and in the prostate, but the receptor was almost undetectable in the seminal vesicles. Interestingly, in the human and in pig, PPARγ protein is highly expressed in ejaculated spermatozoa, suggesting a possible role of PPARγ signaling in the regulation of sperm biology. This implies that both natural and synthetic PPARγ ligands may act directly on sperm improving its performance. Given the close link between energy balance and reproduction, activation of PPARγ may have promising metabolic implications in male reproductive functions. In this review, we first describe PPARγ expression in different compartments of the male reproductive axis. Subsequently, we discuss the role of PPARγ in both physiological and several pathological conditions related to the male fertility.
Möbius Disjointness for Skew Products
Authors: de Faveri Alexandre 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
We show that for $\varepsilon&gt; 0$, every $C^{1+\varepsilon }$ skew product on $\mathbb{T}^2$ over a rotation of $\mathbb{T}^1$ satisfies Sarnak’s conjecture. This is an improvement of earlier results of Kułaga–Przymus–Lemańczyk, Huang–Wang–Ye, and Kanigowski–Lemańczyk–Radziwiłł.
Detection of Drugs in Postmortem Specimens of Blood, Vitreous Humor and Bone Marrow Aspirate
Authors: Iskierka M , Zawadzki M , Szpot P , Jurek T 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
In case of basic biological materials (blood, urine, vitreous humor) being unavailable, bone marrow can be used for toxicological tests. The aim of the study was to assess the concentration of various xenobiotics in the bone marrow, as well as in the blood and the vitreous humor. The analysis was performed in the biological material originating from the autopsy (n = 120), using the LC–MS method and with liquid/liquid extraction at pH = 9. As many as 46 different xenobiotics were detected in the biological material, strong correlations between the concentration of a given xenobiotic in blood and bone marrow, as well as in the vitreous humor and bone marrow, were noted for most of them, with the exception of diazepam and 7-aminoclonazepam. The obtained results indicate the possibility of using bone marrow to determine the concentration of numerous xenobiotics in the situation of basic biological materials being unavailable, as well as using the results obtained in the future to better understand the pharmacokinetic processes and the effect of postmortem redistribution on medication and drug concentrations in the body of a deceased person.
New lineages within the Malagasy freshwater crab fauna: Agora n. gen. for Thelphusa goudoti H. Milne Edwards, 1853, and a phytotelmic new species of Malagasya Cumberlidge & Sternberg, 2002 (Brachyura: Potamonautidae: Deckeniinae)
Authors: Cumberlidge Neil , Soma Julia B , Leever Ellen M , Daniels Savel R 
Published: July 2020

AbstractNew molecular and morphological analyses of the relationships of 77 specimens of potamonautid freshwater crabs collected from all parts of Madagascar support the monophyly of the island’s freshwater crab fauna and verify most of the existing taxa. The phylogenetic tree identified several new lineages that represent four new genera and 10 new species, and found Foza Reed & Cumberlidge, 2006 to be paraphyletic. The present work is the first of a series of articles reporting on these discoveries that provide an improved understanding of the relationships between the endemic potamonautid species found on this tropical island. We describe a new species of Malagasya Cumberlidge & Sternberg, 2002 from a phytotelmic habitat in northeast Madagascar, and establish Agoragen. nov. to accommodate Thelphusa goudoti H. Milne Edwards, 1853. Both of these new taxa are recognized based on combinations of morphological characters and molecular data. The new species of Malagasya is distinguished from the other two species of this genus, which are illustrated here for comparative purposes. Agora goudotin. comb. is endemic to Madagascar, and is compared with and distinguished from the eight other genera of freshwater crabs occurring in that country.
The Good, the Bad, and the Risky: Can Birds Be Incorporated as Biological Control Agents into Integrated Pest Management Programs?
Authors: Garcia Karina , Olimpi Elissa M , Karp Daniel S , Gonthier David J 
Published: July 2020

AbstractSome bird species often benefit farmers by suppressing invertebrate crop pests, yet birds are rarely considered in integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. This is likely because some bird species pose risks to farmers through crop damage, intraguild predation, and food safety concerns. Nonetheless, the benefits of some bird species on crop production are often substantial. Therefore, understanding when birds are most likely to enhance crop production (and when they are most likely to depress it) is crucial for designing effective IPM strategies. Here, we briefly review the literature on birds in agricultural systems, discuss examples of how birds can provide services and disservices to crops, examine factors that influence the net effects of birds, and discuss emerging tools that will help fill key knowledge gaps surrounding the complex roles of birds in agricultural systems.
Beauveria bassiana Culturing and Harvesting for Bioassays With House Flies
Authors: Johnson Dana M , White Roxie L , Pereira Roberto M , Geden Christopher J 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) has been widely studied against a wide range of arthropod pests, including many of medical and veterinary importance. New investigators must sort through a wide array of published methods for the production, harvest, storage, and bioassay methods for this pathogen. Simplified methods for production of conidia using Sabouraud dextrose agar with yeast (SDYA) plates and two conidial harvesting methods are described. Dry harvesting yields conidia that are ready to incorporate into dusts and food baits, but the fungal product includes mycelial debris that can hamper quantification and introduces variable amounts of unwanted bulk. Wet harvesting with filtration produces a cleaner product that is immediately ready for testing in liquid formulations. Examples of bioassays with house flies are presented that include conidia applied topically to the dorsal thorax for dose–mortality assays and conidial suspensions applied to filter paper disks for concentration mortality assays.
Judges ad hoc and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea: An Overview of its Practice
Authors: De Herdt Sandrine 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
The Statute of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea makes provision for the appointment of judges ad hoc. Out of the 29 cases submitted to the Tribunal to date, 22 judges ad hoc were appointed in 15 cases. This article provides an overview of the practice of the Tribunal with respect to the institution of judge ad hoc.
Acute Hemolytic Transfusion Reaction Due to Pooled Platelets: A Rare but Serious Adverse Event
Authors: Gammon Richard , Cook Susan , Trinkle Anthony , Thomas Korena , Benson Kaaron 
Published: July 2020

AbstractA female patient aged 65 years with blood group A with relapsed lymphoma had thrombocytopenia; leukocyte-reduced group O prestorage pooled platelet concentrates (PPLTs) were transfused without adverse events. She was discharged home, but 1.5 hours later she returned with fever and dark urine. Hypotension and tachycardia developed; she was admitted to the intensive care unit. Post-transfusion blood and urine samples were obtained. Serial dilutions from 5 donor testing tubes and a simulated PLT pool were performed and read at immediate spin and IgG. Testing confirmed an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction (AHTR): elevated lactate dehydrogenase (996 U/L; normal range 135 U/L–225 U/L) and undetectable haptoglobin (&lt;10 mg/dL; normal range 30 mg/dL–200 mg/dL) levels. Urinalysis showed dark amber urine but no significant quantity of red blood cells. At 37ºC the simulated pool and donor number 5 had high-titer anti-A. As a precaution, the donor was permanently deferred. Research has shown that PLT-associated AHTR has occurred with apheresis platelets but is very rare with whole blood–derived PLTs.
Near mean motion resonance of terrestrial planet pair induced by giant planet: application to Kepler-68 system
Authors: Pan Mengrui , Wang Su , Ji Jianghui 
Published: July 2020

ABSTRACT
In this work, we investigate configuration formation of two inner terrestrial planets near mean motion resonance (MMR) induced by the perturbation of a distant gas giant for the Kepler-68 system, by conducting thousands of numerical simulations. The results show that the formation of terrestrial planets is relevant to the speed of type I migration, the mass of planets, and the existence of giant planet. The mass and eccentricity of the giant planet may play a crucial role in shaping the final configuration of the system. The inner planet pair can be trapped in 5:3 or 7:4 MMRs if the giant planet revolves the central star with an eccentric orbit, which is similar to the observed configuration of Kepler-68. Moreover, we find that the eccentricity of the middle planet can be excited to roughly 0.2 if the giant planet is more massive than 5 MJ; otherwise, the terrestrial planets are inclined to remain in near-circular orbits. Our study may provide a likely formation scenario for the planetary systems that harbour several terrestrial planets near MMRs inside and one gas giant exterior to them.
A Simulation Study to Examine the Information Content in Phylogenomic Data Sets under the Multispecies Coalescent Model
Authors: Huang Jun , Flouri Tomáš , Yang Ziheng 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWe use computer simulation to examine the information content in multilocus data sets for inference under the multispecies coalescent model. Inference problems considered include estimation of evolutionary parameters (such as species divergence times, population sizes, and cross-species introgression probabilities), species tree estimation, and species delimitation based on Bayesian comparison of delimitation models. We found that the number of loci is the most influential factor for almost all inference problems examined. Although the number of sequences per species does not appear to be important to species tree estimation, it is very influential to species delimitation. Increasing the number of sites and the per-site mutation rate both increase the mutation rate for the whole locus and these have the same effect on estimation of parameters, but the sequence length has a greater effect than the per-site mutation rate for species tree estimation. We discuss the computational costs when the data size increases and provide guidelines concerning the subsampling of genomic data to enable the application of full-likelihood methods of inference.
A tale of two cell-fates: role of the Hippo signaling pathway and transcription factors in early lineage formation in mouse preimplantation embryos
Authors: Karasek Challis , Ashry Mohamed , Driscoll Chad S , Knott Jason G 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIn mammals, the first cell-fate decision occurs during preimplantation embryo development when the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) lineages are established. The ICM develops into the embryo proper, while the TE lineage forms the placenta. The underlying molecular mechanisms that govern lineage formation involve cell-to-cell interactions, cell polarization, cell signaling and transcriptional regulation. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding regarding the cellular and molecular events that regulate lineage formation in mouse preimplantation embryos with an emphasis on cell polarity and the Hippo signaling pathway. Moreover, we will provide an overview on some of the molecular tools that are used to manipulate the Hippo pathway and study cell-fate decisions in early embryos. Lastly, we will provide exciting future perspectives on transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that modulate the activity of the Hippo pathway in preimplantation embryos to ensure robust lineage segregation.
Transcription of intragenic CpG islands influences spatiotemporal host gene pre-mRNA processing
Authors: Amante Samuele M , Montibus Bertille , Cowley Michael , Barkas Nikolaos , Setiadi Jessica , Saadeh Heba , Giemza Joanna , Contreras-Castillo Stephania , Fleischanderl Karin , Schulz Reiner , Oakey Rebecca J 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) and alternative polyadenylation (APA) generate diverse transcripts in mammalian genomes during development and differentiation. Epigenetic marks such as trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 36 (H3K36me3) and DNA methylation play a role in generating transcriptome diversity. Intragenic CpG islands (iCGIs) and their corresponding host genes exhibit dynamic epigenetic and gene expression patterns during development and between different tissues. We hypothesise that iCGI-associated H3K36me3, DNA methylation and transcription can influence host gene AS and/or APA. We investigate H3K36me3 and find that this histone mark is not a major regulator of AS or APA in our model system. Genomewide, we identify over 4000 host genes that harbour an iCGI in the mammalian genome, including both previously annotated and novel iCGI/host gene pairs. The transcriptional activity of these iCGIs is tissue- and developmental stage-specific and, for the first time, we demonstrate that the premature termination of host gene transcripts upstream of iCGIs is closely correlated with the level of iCGI transcription in a DNA-methylation independent manner. These studies suggest that iCGI transcription, rather than H3K36me3 or DNA methylation, interfere with host gene transcription and pre-mRNA processing genomewide and contributes to the spatiotemporal diversification of both the transcriptome and proteome.
Cutting in-line with iron: ribosomal function and non-oxidative RNA cleavage
Authors: Guth-Metzler Rebecca , Bray Marcus S , Frenkel-Pinter Moran , Suttapitugsakul Suttipong , Montllor-Albalate Claudia , Bowman Jessica C , Wu Ronghu , Reddi Amit R , Okafor C Denise , Glass Jennifer B , Williams Loren Dean 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Divalent metal cations are essential to the structure and function of the ribosome. Previous characterizations of the ribosome performed under standard laboratory conditions have implicated Mg2+ as a primary mediator of ribosomal structure and function. Possible contributions of Fe2+ as a ribosomal cofactor have been largely overlooked, despite the ribosome's early evolution in a high Fe2+ environment, and the continued use of Fe2+ by obligate anaerobes inhabiting high Fe2+ niches. Here, we show that (i) Fe2+ cleaves RNA by in-line cleavage, a non-oxidative mechanism that has not previously been shown experimentally for this metal, (ii) the first-order in-line rate constant with respect to divalent cations is &gt;200 times greater with Fe2+ than with Mg2+, (iii) functional ribosomes are associated with Fe2+ after purification from cells grown under low O2 and high Fe2+ and (iv) a small fraction of Fe2+ that is associated with the ribosome is not exchangeable with surrounding divalent cations, presumably because those ions are tightly coordinated by rRNA and deeply buried in the ribosome. In total, these results expand the ancient role of iron in biochemistry and highlight a possible new mechanism of iron toxicity.