bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Shape difference of mud clasts depending on depositional facies: application of newly modified elliptic Fourier analysis to hybrid event beds
Authors: Fukuda Sojiro , Naruse Hajime 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACT
Hybrid event beds are the deposits from sediment gravity flows that change their rheological behavior through their passage, entraining muddy sediments and damping turbulence. Muddy facies of hybrid event beds are often associated with abundant mud clasts which show a wide variety of size and shape. The variation of clast occurrence in hybrid event beds is expected to preserve the information of entrainment and transport processes of muddy sediments in submarine density currents. However, previous analyses of hybrid event beds have focused on describing the overall clast occurrence rather than the statistical size and shape analyses because traditional shape parameters are incapable of characterizing the complex shape of mud clasts. Here, a new quantitative grain-shape analysis of mud clasts is conducted and allows visualization of the spatial variation of clast size and shape, which suggests the wide variety of origin and transport systems of entrained mud clasts. This new method revises the traditional elliptic Fourier analysis, substituting Fourier power spectra (FPS) for traditional elliptic Fourier descriptors to overcome the mirror-wise shape problem. Further, principal-component analysis is shown to capture significant shape attributes more effectively than traditional shape parameters. The proposed method is applied to mud clasts in sediment-gravity-flow deposits in the lower Pleistocene Otadai Formation, central Japan. Results imply that there are distinctive shape and size differences of mud clasts that are strongly associated with depositional facies rather than the distance from the source. The clasts have a higher angularity than other facies in the debrite intervals in hybrid event beds. It is also shown that clasts in sandy, structureless facies have different characteristics in shapes based on elongation and convexity compared to laminated facies. Comparison between different shape-analysis methods demonstrates that none of the traditional methods are able to visualize these trends as effectively as the method presented herein. These results highlight the importance of the quantitative shape analysis of sediment grains and the effectiveness of FPS-based elliptic Fourier analysis.
Evaluation of Liver in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Using Unenhanced Computed Tomography
Authors: Osama Huda , Siddig Afraa , Gareeballah Awadia , Gameraddin Moawia , Osman Hanady Elyas 
Published: December 2020

Background: Chronic liver disease occurs due to different etiologies. Most diabetic patients are unaware that the effective control of hyperglycemia might reduce complications and mortality rates. Fatty liver disease is considered a risk factor of hepatic cirrhosis and cancers. Methods and Results: We conducted a case-control study to assess the impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on the liver using a CT scan. A total of 100 patients with T2DM and 96 non-diabetic patients as a control group were selected using a convenient sampling method.	There was a significant difference in liver attenuation in diabetic and control groups. The CT attenuation values of the liver, pancreas, and spleen were significantly lower in patients with T2DM than in non-diabetics (P<0.001). There was a significant negative correlation between the duration of T2DM and CT attenuation of the liver, pancreas, and spleen (P<0.01). Conclusion: The CT attenuation of the liver was significantly lower in T2DM than in the non-diabetic patients, and liver attenuation decreased as the duration of T2DM increased.
Influence of Wrist Tapping on Alpha Rhythm Synchronization in Patients with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy
Authors: Narodova Ekaterina , Shnayder Natalia , Karnaukhov Vladislav , Petrov Kirill , Narodova Valeriya 
Published: December 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of wrist tapping (WT), according to the author's method, on the synchronization of alpha activity in healthy adults and patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME).	Methods and Results: The study included 71 people of working age, including 51 clinically healthy volunteers (median age - 39[21;56] years) and 20 patients with JME (median age 27[23;35] years). Under the influence of WT in a state of sensory deprivation, statistically significant changes in the alpha peak frequency (APF) (P<0.001) and alpha power (AP) (P<0.05) were found in healthy adults. In JME patients, there were statistically significant changes in the APF (P<0.05) and AP (P<0.05), as well as a statistically significant increase in the ARW (P<0.05) after WT. WT, according to the author's technique, allows reducing the severity of alpha rhythm synchronization and leads to a shift in the peak frequency of the alpha rhythm in the occipital leads towards the alpha-2 sub-frequency range and a decrease in AP in both healthy volunteers and JME patients. At the same time, the alpha range width in the occipital leads is statistically significantly increased in JME patients.	Conclusion: The nature of the change in the alpha rhythm, in comparison with the control, indicates the phenomenon of resonance with the frequency of the WT rhythm. The WT effect testifies to the prospects of the clinical application of WT in JME, since it was previously shown that if the selected external frequencies enter into resonance with the neurons of the antiepileptic system, then an antiepileptic effect could be obtained.
The Results of Bacteriological Examination in Premature Infants with Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality
Authors: Orazmuradov Agamurad , Kostin Igor , Akhmatova Anastasiya , Damirov Kemer , Savenkova Irina , Arakelyan Gayane , Haddad Khalid , Lopatin Alexander , Kyrtikov Sergey , Lukaev Aleksey 
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this study was to assess the results of bacteriological studies in children born prematurely and compare the received data with the detected neonatal morbidity.	Methods and Results: Our study included 227 pregnant women at gestational age of 28-36 weeks 6 days, and their newborns. Depending on the gestational age, they were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 included 73 women at gestational age of 28-30 weeks 6 days; Group 2 included 81 women at gestational age of 31-33 weeks 6 days, Group 3 included 73 women at gestational age of 34-36 weeks 6 days.	All women underwent an assessment of vaginal microcenosis and the quantitative and qualitative composition of the biotope of the cervical discharge; the newborns underwent bacteriological examination of the auricle, pharynx and anus. Analysis of the results of bacteriological studies shows a significant growth of microorganisms in newborns from mothers of Group 1. The analysis of morbidity among premature infants showed that in each group there were 2 or 3 diseases, mainly of an infectious nature. The main proportion of morbidity (congenital pneumonia and infections of the perinatal period, diseases of the urinary system, neonatal jaundice of premature infants and cerebral ischemia}.among newborns was found in Group 1, compared with Groups 2 and 3.	The analysis of the results obtained showed that the low birth weight in preterm labor correlated with the growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis in the throat of newborns. Neonatal jaundice of premature newborns was characterized by 100% detection of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Serratia odorifera in the anus swabs, and Staphylococcus epidermidis in swabs from the pharynx and ear. Congenital pneumonia positively correlated with the growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis, E. coli, Candida spp, Enterococcus faecalis in the throat swab. The deceased children had a co-infection.	Conclusion: Our study identified the main microorganisms affecting both perinatal morbidity and neonatal mortality: Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, E. coli, Candida spp. It is necessary to note the frequent identification of E. coli strains resistant to the main antibacterial drugs.
Growth, exclusion and vulnerability: evaluation of the socio-spatial transformation of post-apartheid Pretoria-Tshwane (South Africa)
Authors: Horn Andre 
Published: December 2020

Apartheid left South African city regions with two major challenges: social integration at a city level and spatial integration at a regional level. The task to finds solutions to these problems was left to municipalities, the lowest level of the three trier government system introduced after 1994. This article critically evaluates the success of the post-apartheid municipal government of Pretoria-Tshwane to address the said challenges in the reorganization of the city region over a 25-year period. The paper starts with a reconstruction of the apartheid city to display its socio-spatial contrasts and to define the challenge of integration and compaction. The investigation is based on literature, census information and observation. The main finding is that the progress made with the integration of the city at both scales is being neutralized by demographic trends, choice of association, urban sprawl, uncertain management, the scale of aspirations, unrealistic expectations and, most of all, municipal incapacity. The failure of the local government of Pretoria-Tshwane to achieve the said goals points to the inefficiency of the current approach that obligates municipalities with the complete task to rectify the dichotomies of the apartheid city system within their regions. It is advocated that additional governmental entities be implemented to support local governments with the planning and re-development of post-apartheid city-regions.
Deletion of Smad3&nbsp;Protects Against Diabetic Myocardiopathy in db/db&nbsp;Mice&nbsp;
Authors: Dong Li , Li Jian-Chun , Hu Zhong-Jing , Huang Xiao-Ru , Wang Li , Wang Hong-Lian , CW Ronald , Yang Si-Jin , LAN Hui-yao 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Background: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common diabetic complication characterized by diastolic relaxation abnormalities, myocardial fibrosis, and chronic heart failure. Although TGF-b/Smad3 signaling has been shown to play a critical role in chronic heart disease, the role and mechanisms of Smad3 in DCM remain unclear. Methods: We generated Smad3 knockout (KO)-db/db, Smad3 wild-type (WT)-db/db, Smad3+/- db/db, and their littermate Smad3 KO/WT-db/m mice. The role of Smad3 in DCM including the left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF), LV fractional shortening (FS), and LV Mass were determined and mechanisms of Smad3 in cardiac inflammation and fibrosis including Smad3-dependent microRNAs were investigated. Results: At the age of 32 weeks, Smad3WT-db/db mice developed moderate to severe DCM as demonstrated by a significant fall in LVEF, LVFS, and a marked increase in LV mass with progressive myocardial fibrosis and inflammation. In contrast, db/db mice lacking Smad3 (Smad3KO-db/db) were protected against the development of DCM with normal cardiac function without myocardial inflammation and fibrosis. Interestingly, db/db mice with deleting one copy of Smad3 (Smad3+/-db/db) did not show any cardioprotective effect. Mechanistically, we found that deletion of Smad3 from db/db mice largely protected cardiac Smad7 from Smurf2-mediated ubiquitin proteasome degradation, thereby inducing IkBa to suppress NF-kB-driven cardiac inflammation. In addition, deletion of Smad3 also altered Smad3-dependent miRNAs by upregulating cardiac miR-29b while suppressing miR-21 to exhibit the cardioprotective effect on Smad3KO-db/db mice. Conclusions: Smad3 is a key mediator in the pathogenesis of DCM. Results from this study imply that targeting Smad3 may be a novel therapy for DCM.
HER3 PET&nbsp;Imaging Identifies HER2+ Breast Cancers That Benefit From HER3&nbsp;Inhibitor Addition&nbsp;&nbsp;
Authors: Wehrenberg-Klee Eric , Sinevici Nicoleta , Nesti Sarah , Kalomeris Taylor , Austin Emily , Larimer Benjamin , Mahmood Umar 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Background: Standard therapy for HER2+ breast cancers includes HER2 inhibition. While HER2 inhibitors have modestly improved outcomes, they have not had nearly the original anticipated therapeutic efficacy, with only a modest improvement in survival in both the metastatic and adjuvant setting. An important intrinsic resistance mechanism to HER2 inhibition in some breast cancers is dynamic upregulation of HER3. Increase in HER3 expression that occurs in response to HER2 inhibition allows for continued growth signaling through HER2:HER3 heterodimers, promoting tumor escape. We hypothesized that a non-invasive method to image changes in HER3 expression would be valuable to identify those breast cancers that dynamically upregulate HER3 in response to HER2 inhibition. We further hypothesized that this imaging method could identify those tumors that would benefit by further addition of a HER3 inhibitor. Methods: In cells treated with the HER2 inhibitor lapatinib, we evaluate changes in HER3 expression and viability. Mouse HER2+ breast cancer models treated with lapatinib were imaged with a peptide-based HER3-specific PET imaging agent (Ga-68-HER3P1) to assess for dynamic changes in tumoral HER3 expression and uptake confirmed by biodistribution. Subsequently, HER2+ cell lines were treated with the HER2 inhibitor lapatinib as well HER3-specific siRNA to assess for changes in viability and correlate with HER3 expression upregulation. For all statistical comparisons, p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Ga68-HER3P1 PET imaging of mice implanted with the HER2+ breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB453 or HCC-1569 prior to and after treatment with lapatinib demonstrated a significant increase in SUV in MDA-MB453 tumors only, consistent with in vitro findings. The addition of HER3 siRNA to lapatinib increased therapeutic efficacy in MDA-MB453 cells, but not in HCC-1569 cells. Conclusion: HER3 PET imaging can be used to visualize dynamic changes in HER3 expression that occur in HER2+ breast cancers with HER2 inhibitor treatment and identify those likely to benefit by the addition of combination HER3 and HER2 inhibition.
Evaluating performance of health care facilities at meeting HIV-indicator reporting requirements in Kenya: An application of K-means clustering algorithm
Authors: Gesicho Milka , Were Martin , Babic Ankica 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Background The ability to report complete, accurate and timely data by HIV care providers and other entities is a key aspect in monitoring trends in HIV prevention, treatment and care, hence contributing to its eradication. In many low-middle-income-countries (LMICs), aggregate HIV data reporting is done through the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2). Nevertheless, despite a long-standing requirement to report HIV indicator data to DHIS2 in LMICs, few rigorous evaluations exist to evaluate adequacy of health facility reporting at meeting completeness and timeliness requirements over time. The aim of this study is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the reporting status for HIV indicators, from the time of DHIS2 implementation, using Kenya as a case study. Methods A retrospective observational study was conducted to assess reporting performance of health facilities providing any of the HIV services in all 47 counties in Kenya between 2011 to 2018. Using data extracted from DHIS2, K-means clustering algorithm was used to identify homogeneous groups of health facilities based on their performance in meeting timeliness and completeness facility reporting requirements for each of the six programmatic areas. Average silhouette coefficient was used in measuring the quality of the selected clusters. Results Based on percentage average facility reporting completeness and timeliness, four homogeneous groups of facilities were identified namely: best performers, average performers, poor performers and outlier performers. Apart from blood safety reports, a distinct pattern was observed in five of the remaining reports, with the proportion of best performing facilities increasing and the proportion of poor performing facilities decreasing over time. However, between 2016 and 2018, the proportion of best performers declined in some of the programmatic areas. Over the study period, no distinct pattern or trend in proportion changes was observed among facilities in the average and outlier groups.Conclusions The identified clusters revealed general improvements in reporting performance in the various reporting areas over time, but with noticeable decrease in some areas between 2016 and 2018. This signifies the need for continuous performance monitoring with possible integration of machine learning and visualization approaches into national HIV reporting systems.
Study of Survivin: A Biomarker in Carcinoma Colon – An Original Study
Authors: Chandra Pratibha , Kinra Prateek 
Published: December 2020

Background: Survivin, an anti-apoptotic protein has been of importance in colon carcinoma patient. Here we studied the prevalence of Survivin biomarker among cases of colon carcinoma and its relationship with other prognostic indicators.
Design: Tissue samples from 102 patients with colon carcinoma were studied. H&E stain and immunohistochemistry were performed and evaluated. Immuno-histochemistry expression was sought according to IRS Scoring System (Immunoreactivity Scoring) for stain intensity and percentage positive cells. Survivin expression was also correlated with age at diagnosis, gender, grade, nodal status, lympho-vascular and perineural invasion, resection margins, Tumor stage (TNM) and Group Stage.
Result and discussion: Survivin was expressed in high grade and stage tumors and showed significant association (p value= 0.002). Survivin expression was positive in lymph node positive tumors and showed significant association (p value= 0.002). Survivin was expressed in tumors with lympho-vascular and perineural invasion and showed significant association (p value= 0.02 and 0.001) respectively. Age at diagnosis showed significance of p=0.03 whereas Gender (Male/Female) and resection margins did not show any association with Survivin expression.
Conclusion: Survivin expression increases as the tumor grade worsens in colon cancer and is maintained in approximately all high group staged tumors (TNM Staging) along with tumors showing lymphovascular and perineural invasion. Gender does not have any association.
Microsatellite Instability in Endometrial Carcinoma.
Authors: Toor Sharanjit Singh , Kinra Prateek , Kumar Aman , Hothi Onkar Singh 
Published: December 2020

Background: Endometrial carcinoma is the commonest gynaecological malignancy in the western countries with a standardised incidence of 8 per 100000 women. In India and Southeast Asia, the incidence of endometrial carcinoma is low but it is increasing due to increasing prevalence of obesity, diabetes, early menarche, late menopause, late marriage and declining birth rate. The study aimed to identify the role of microsatellite instability in endometrial carcinoma. Although MSI has been studied extensively in colorectal carcinoma there have been very few studies in southeast asian region regarding association of MSI and prognosis in endometrial carcinoma. To the best of our knowledge this is first study in India.
Method: A Descriptive study in which 40 patients of endometrial carcinoma were studied. MSI was detected using immunohistochemistry (MSH-1, PMS-2, MSH-2, MSH-6). Statistical Analysis was done using SPSS software and fisher exact test was used to calculate p value. p value less than.05% was considered significant.
Results: Overall prevalence of microsatellite instability was 40%. Microsatellite instability was associated with higher tumor grade, myometrial invasion>50% and presented in initial stages compared to microsatellite stable tumors.
Conclusion: Our study showed statistically significant association between microsatellite instability and Figo staging, tumor grade and myometrial invasion.
Chromogenic anti-Xa test: the ratio between heparin activity units and concentration of apixaban and rivaroxaban
Authors: Titaeva E. V. , Dobrovolsky A. B. 
Published: December 2020

Introduction. The direct oral anticoagulants (DOC) therapy does not require alaboratory control; however, it may be required to determine the anticoagulationlevel to choose a treatment strategy if alarge bleeding is developing or emergency surgery is needed.The objective of this experimental study was to investigate the relationship between the residual factor Xa (FXa) activity, anti-Xa activity units oflow molecular weight heparins (LMWH), and the apixaban and rivaroxaban plasma concentrations in a chromogenic anti-Xa assay.Material and methods. Concentrated DOC solutions were prepared by extracting apixaban and rivaroxaban from crushed tablets using methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide, respectively. The resulting solutions were added to the donor plasma pool until final inhibitor concentrations are achieved in the range from 10 to 100 ng/ml plasma. Anti-Xa activity was determined using an STA-compact analyser and the Liquid anti-Xa reagent kit, an analysis protocol, and calibrators designed to control the LMWH therapy. The effect on the thrombin formation dynamics was investigated using the thrombin generation test (TGT) and the PPR reagent as a trigger (final concentrations of tissue factor are 5 pM, and those of phospholipids are 4 μM). TGT curves were analysed using the Thrombinoscope program.Results. It was shown that in the anti-Xa activity test version designed to control the LMWH therapy, there is a high correlation (R2 > 0.98) between thelogarithm of the residual factor Xa activity and the content of apixaban and rivaroxaban in the range from 10 to 80 ng/ml. Rivaroxaban shows about 1.5 times more anti-Xa activity than apixaban at equal concentrations. It was also shown that apixaban and rivaroxaban at doses equal both in concentration and in anti-Xa activity differ in their effect on the thrombin formation dynamics and thrombin inactivation in the TGT.Conclusion. In the LMWH anti-Xa activity test version, the measured range of apixaban and rivaroxaban includes 30 ng/ml and 50 ng/ ml concentrations taken as “cut-off points” to determine the treatment tactics in emergency cases. However, thelack of certified DOC calibratorslimits the use of this test in clinical practice.
Copper-zeolite integrated stormwater biofilter for nutrient removal – the impact of intermittent wetting and drying conditions
Authors: Li Yali , Deletic Ana , McCarthy David T. 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
A large-scale column study was conducted to examine the sediment and nutrient removal performance of stormwater biofilters that contained layers of novel copper-zeolite filter media. The filters were exposed to stormwater under varied dosing frequency over 33 weeks and were assessed for their hydraulic performance and their efficiency in removing sediment and nutrients. The non-vegetated sand filters with layers of copper-zeolite media (SCu filters) achieved consistently good removal of total phosphorus (87%) despite the challenging dry-wet cycles, and the effluent concentration met a long-term irrigation guideline (0.05 mg/L). The same design achieved 51% removal of total nitrogen above the Australian runoff quality load reduction targets (45%). Incorporation of Leptospermum continentale into the copper-zeolite filters (LCCu-T) maintained the phosphorus removal (86%) and led to a slight increase in total nitrogen removal (57%). Both designs maintained good water permeability (200 mm/h at the end of the last wet period). Copper-zeolite played a mixed role in the system: enhancing nutrients removal through precipitation and ion exchange, maintaining high water permeability, limiting the advantages of vegetation on nutrient removal. Future studies should refine biofilter design and vegetation selection to augment the performance of copper-zeolite filters by integrating the advantages of vegetation on nutrient removal.