bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Alternative lengthening of telomeres in molecular subgroups of paediatric high-grade glioma
Authors: Minasi Simone , Baldi Caterina , Gianno Francesca , Antonelli Manila , Buccoliero Anna Maria , Pietsch Torsten , Massimino Maura , Buttarelli Francesca Romana 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Purpose
The maintenance of telomere length prevents cancer cell senescence and occurs via two mutually exclusive mechanisms: (a) reactivation of telomerase expression and (b) activation of alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). ALT is frequently related to alterations on ATRX, a chromatin-remodelling protein. Recent data have identified different molecular subgroups of paediatric high-grade glioma (pHGG) with mutations of H3F3A, TERTp and ATRX; however, differences in telomere length among these molecular subgroups were not thoroughly examined.

Methods
We investigated which genetic alterations trigger the ALT mechanism in 52 IDH-wildtype, 1p/19q-wildtype pHGG. Samples were analysed for telomere length using Tel-FISH. ATRX nuclear loss of expression was assessed by IHC, H3F3A and TERTp mutations by DNA sequencing, and TERTp methylation by MS-PCR.

Results
Mutant H3.3 was found in 21 cases (40.3%): 19.2% with K27M mutation and 21.1% with G34R mutation. All H3.3G34R-mutated cases showed the ALT phenotype (100%); on the opposite, only 40% of the H3.3K27M-mutated showed ALT activation. ATRX nuclear loss was seen in 16 cases (30.7%), associated sometimes with the G34R mutation, and never with the K27M mutation. ATRX nuclear loss was always related to telomere elongation. TERTp C250T mutations were rare (5.4%) and were not associated with high intensity Tel-FISH signals, as TERTp hyper-methylation detected in 21% of the cases. H3.3/ATRX/TERTp-wildtype pHGG revealed all basal levels of telomere length.

Conclusion
Our results show a strong association between H3.3 mutations and ALT, and highlight the different telomeric profiles in histone-defined subgroups: H3.3-G34R mutants always trigger ALT to maintain telomere length, irrespective of ATRX status, whereas only some H3.3-K27M tumours activate ALT. These findings suggest that acquiring the gly34 mutation on H3.3 might suffice to trigger the ALT mechanism.
Long-term outcome of perimembranous VSD closure using the Nit-Occlud® Lê VSD coil system
Authors: Kozlik-Feldmann Rainer , Lorber Avraham , Sievert Horst , Ewert Peter , Jux Christian , Müller Götz C. , Dalla Pozza Robert , Yigitbasi Mustafa , Schranz Dietmar , Lindinger Angelika , Galal Omar , Meinertz Thomas 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Objective
This study presents data from the admission trial to show the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of the Nit-Occlud® Lê VSD in the treatment of perimembranous ventricular septal defects with an aneurysmal configuration and a diameter up to 8 mm.

Background
The majority of ventricular septal defects (VSD) are still closed surgically, while a less invasive transcatheter treatment by closure devices is available. Device-based closure is reported to be associated with the risk of complete atrio-ventricular block, especially with double-disc devices in perimembranous defects.

Methods
In six tertiary centers in Germany and Israel, an interventional closure of a periembranous VSD was attempted in 88 patients using the Nit-Occlud® Lê VSD.

Results
The interventional VSD closure was performed in 85 patients. Patients had a median age of 8.0 (2–65) years and a median body weight of 26.7 (10–109) kg. A complete closure of the defects was achieved in 85.4% 2 weeks after device implantation, in 88.9% after three months and in 98.6% at the 5-year follow-up. There was no incidence of death during the study nor did any patient suffer of permanent atrio-ventricular block of higher degree. Serious adverse events, by definition, are potentially life-threatening or require surgery to correct, while major serious events require medical or transcatheter intervention to correct. The study results exhibit a serious adverse event rate of 3.5% (3/85 patients) and a major adverse event rate of 5.9% (5/85 patients).

Conclusion
The Nit-Occlud® Lê VSD coil offers the possibility of an effective and safe approach in patients with aneurysmal perimembranous ventricular septal defects.
Association of secondary displacement of distal radius fractures with cortical bone quality at the distal radius
Authors: Daniels A. M. , Janzing H. M. J. , Wyers C. E. , van Rietbergen B. , Vranken L. , Van der Velde R. Y. , Geusens P . P. M. M. , Kaarsemaker S. , Poeze M. , Van den Bergh J. P. 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Introduction
The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of patient characteristics, bone mineral density (BMD), bone microarchitecture and calculated bone strength with secondary displacement of a DRF based on radiographic alignment parameters.

Materials and methods
Dorsal angulation, radial inclination and ulnar variance were assessed on conventional radiographs of a cohort of 251 patients, 38 men and 213 women, to determine the anatomic position of the DRF at presentation (primary position) and during follow-up.
Secondary fracture displacement was assessed in the non-operatively treated patients (N = 154) with an acceptable position, preceded (N = 97) or not preceded (N = 57) by primary reduction (baseline position). Additionally, bone microarchitecture and calculated bone strength at the contralateral distal radius and tibia were assessed by HR-pQCT in a subset of, respectively, 63 and 71 patients.

Outcome
Characteristics of patients with and without secondary fracture displacement did not differ. In the model with adjustment for primary reduction [OR 22.00 (2.27–212.86), p = 0.008], total [OR 0.16 (95% CI 0.04–0.68), p = 0.013] and cortical [OR 0.19 (95% CI 0.05–0.80], p = 0.024] volumetric BMD (vBMD) and cortical thickness [OR 0.13 (95% CI 0.02–0.74), p = 0.021] at the distal radius were associated with secondary DRF displacement. No associations were found for other patient characteristics, such as age gender, BMD or prevalent vertebral fractures.

Conclusions
In conclusion, our study indicates that besides primary reduction, cortical bone quality may be important for the risk of secondary displacement of DRFs.
Innovative high-resolution microCT imaging of animal brain vasculature
Authors: Hlushchuk Ruslan , Haberthür David , Soukup Petr , Barré Sebastien F. , Khoma Oleksiy-Zakhar , Schittny Johannes , Haghayegh Jahromi Neda , Bouchet Audrey , Engelhardt Britta , Djonov Valentin 
Published: October 2020

AbstractAnalysis of the angioarchitecture and quantification of the conduit vessels and microvasculature is of paramount importance for understanding the physiological and pathological processes within the central nervous system (CNS). Most of the available in vivo imaging methods lack penetration depth and/or resolution. Some ex vivo methods may provide better resolution, but are mainly destructive, as they are designed for imaging the CNS tissues after their removal from the skull or vertebral column. The removal procedure inevitably alters the in situ relations of the investigated structures and damages the dura mater and leptomeninges. µAngiofil, a polymer-based contrast agent, permits a qualitatively novel postmortem microangio-computed tomography (microangioCT) approach with excellent resolution and, therefore, visualization of the smallest brain capillaries. The datasets obtained empower a rather straightforward quantitative analysis of the vascular tree, including the microvasculature. The µAngiofil has an excellent filling capacity as well as a radio-opacity higher than the one of bone tissue, which allows imaging the cerebral microvasculature even within the intact skull or vertebral column. This permits in situ visualization and thus investigation of the dura mater and leptomeningeal layers as well as their blood supply in their original geometry. Moreover, the methodology introduced here permits correlative approaches, i.e., microangioCT followed by classical histology, immunohistochemistry and even electron microscopy. The experimental approach presented here makes use of common desktop microCT scanners, rendering it a promising everyday tool for the evaluation of the (micro)vasculature of the central nervous system in preclinical and basic research.
Swallowing Assessment in Parkinson’s Disease: Patient and Investigator Reported Outcome Measures are not Aligned
Authors: van Hooren M. R. A. , Vos R. , Florie M. G. M. H. , Pilz W. , Kremer B. , Baijens L. W. J. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThis study determines the relationship between patient and investigator reported outcome measures (PROMs versus IROMs) on oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The PROMs used are the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) and the Dysphagia Severity Scale (DSS). The IROMs used are fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and videofluoroscopy of swallowing (VFS). Ninety dysphagic PD patients were included. Multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network analysis was used to investigate the relationship between PROMs and IROMs on OD in PD. MLP neural network analysis showed a moderate agreement between PROMs and IROMs, with an area under the curve between 0.6 and 0.7. Two-step cluster analysis revealed several clusters of patients with similar scores on FEES and/or VFS variables, but with significant different scores on MDADI and DSS variables. This study highlights that there are PD patients with similar FEES and/or VFS findings that cannot be lumped together under the same pathophysiological umbrella due to their differences in PROMs. Since the exact origin of these differences is not fully understood, it seems appropriate for the time being to take into account the different dimensions of OD during the swallowing assessment so that they can be included in a patient-tailored treatment plan.
Integrating field work and large-scale modeling to improve assessment of karst water resources
Authors: Hartmann Andreas , Liu Yan , Olarinoye Tunde , Berthelin Romane , Marx Vera 
Published: October 2020

AbstractComprehensive management of karst water resources requires sufficient understanding of their dynamics and karst-specific modeling tools. However, the limited availability of observations of karstic groundwater dynamics has been prohibiting the assessment of karst water resources at regional to global scales. This paper presents the first global effort to integrate experimental approaches and large-scale modeling. Using a global soil-moisture monitoring program and a global database of karst spring discharges, the simulations of a preliminary global karstic-groundwater-recharge model are evaluated. It is shown that soil moisture is a crucial variable that better distinguishes recharge dynamics in different climates and for different land cover types. The newly developed dataset of karst spring discharges provides first insights into the wide variability of discharge volumes and recharge areas of different karst springs around the globe. Comparing the model simulations with the newly collected soil-moisture and spring-discharge observations, indicates that (1) improvements of the recharge model are still necessary to obtain a better representation of different land cover types and snow processes, and (2) there is a need to incorporate groundwater dynamics. Applying and strictly evaluating these improvements in the model will finally provide a tool to identify hot spots of current or future water scarcity in the karst regions around the globe, thus supporting national and international water governance.
Determination of precise Galileo orbits using combined GNSS and SLR observations
Authors: Bury Grzegorz , Sośnica Krzysztof , Zajdel Radosław , Strugarek Dariusz , Hugentobler Urs 
Published: October 2020

AbstractGalileo satellites are equipped with laser retroreflector arrays for satellite laser ranging (SLR). In this study, we develop a methodology for the GNSS-SLR combination at the normal equation level with three different weighting strategies and evaluate the impact of laser observations on the determined Galileo orbits. We provide the optimum weighting scheme for precise orbit determination employing the co-location onboard Galileo. The combined GNSS-SLR solution diminishes the semimajor axis formal error by up to 62%, as well as reduces the dependency between values of formal errors and the elevation of the Sun above the orbital plane—the β angle. In the combined solution, the standard deviation of the SLR residuals decreases from 36.1 to 29.6 mm for Galileo-IOV satellites and |β|> 60°, when compared to GNSS-only solutions. Moreover, the bias of the Length-of-Day parameter is 20% lower for the combined solution when compared to the microwave one. As a result, the combination of GNSS and SLR observations provides promising results for future co-locations onboard the Galileo satellites for the orbit determination, realization of the terrestrial reference frames, and deriving geodetic parameters.
Steiner systems and configurations of points
Authors: Ballico Edoardo , Favacchio Giuseppe , Guardo Elena , Milazzo Lorenzo 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to make a connection between design theory and algebraic geometry/commutative algebra. In particular, given any Steiner SystemS(t, n, v) we associate two ideals, in a suitable polynomial ring, defining a Steiner configuration of points and its Complement. We focus on the latter, studying its homological invariants, such as Hilbert Function and Betti numbers. We also study symbolic and regular powers associated to the ideal defining a Complement of a Steiner configuration of points, finding its Waldschmidt constant, regularity, bounds on its resurgence and asymptotic resurgence. We also compute the parameters of linear codes associated to any Steiner configuration of points and its Complement.
International Law, COVID-19 and Feminist Engagement with the United Nations Security Council: The End of the Affair?
Authors: O’Rourke Catherine 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe gendered implications of COVID-19, in particular in terms of gender-based violence and the gendered division of care work, have secured some prominence, and ignited discussion about prospects for a ‘feminist recovery’. In international law terms, feminist calls for a response to the pandemic have privileged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), conditioned—I argue—by two decades of the pursuit of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda through the UNSC. The deficiencies of the UNSC response, as characterised by the Resolution 2532 adopted to address the pandemic, manifest yet again the identified deficiencies of the WPS agenda at the UNSC, namely fragmentation, securitisation, efficacy and legitimacy. What Resolution 2532 does bring, however, is new clarity about the underlying reasons for the repeated and enduring nature of these deficiencies at the UNSC. Specifically, the COVID-19 ‘crisis’ is powerful in exposing the deficiencies of the crisis framework in which the UNSC operates. My reflections draw on insights from Hilary Charlesworth’s seminal contribution ‘International Law: A Discipline of Crisis’ to argue that, instead of conceding the ‘crisis’ framework to the pandemic by prioritising the UNSC, a ‘feminist recovery’ must instead follow Charlesworth’s exhortation to refocus on an international law of the everyday.
Motility and Mechanical Properties of Dendritic Cells Deteriorated by Extracellular Acidosis
Authors: Tong Lu , Yue Ping , Yang Yingying , Huang Jin , Zeng Zhu , Qiu Wei 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most powerful antigen-presenting cells known to date and play an important role in initiating and amplifying both innate and adaptive immune responses. Extracellular acidosis is an important hallmark of a variety of inflammatory processes and solid tumors. However, few studies have focused on the effect of extracellular acidosis on DCs and their functions. Cellular mechanical properties reflect the relationship between cell structure and function, including cytoskeleton (especially F-actin organization), membrane negative charges, membrane fluidity, and osmotic fragility. The study investigated the effects of extracellular acidosis on the DCs functions from the perspective of cellular migration and mechanical properties. The results showed that migration ability, F-actin contents, and membrane negative charges of DCs were reduced by extracellular acidosis no matter whether LPS stimulated its maturation or not. And these functions could not return to normal after removing acidic microenvironment, which revealed that the function impairment induced by extracellular acidosis might be irreversible. In addition, the proliferation capacity of stimulated allogeneic T cells was impaired by extracellular acidosis. Our results suggest extracellular acidosis may play an immunosuppressive role in DCs-mediated immune process.
Collocation of Next-Generation Operators for Computing the Basic Reproduction Number of Structured Populations
Authors: Breda Dimitri , Kuniya Toshikazu , Ripoll Jordi , Vermiglio Rossana 
Published: October 2020

AbstractWe contribute a full analysis of theoretical and numerical aspects of the collocation approach recently proposed by some of the authors to compute the basic reproduction number of structured population dynamics as spectral radius of certain infinite-dimensional operators. On the one hand, we prove under mild regularity assumptions on the models coefficients that the concerned operators are compact, so that the problem can be properly recast as an eigenvalue problem thus allowing for numerical discretization. On the other hand, we prove through detailed and rigorous error and convergence analyses that the method performs the expected spectral accuracy. Several numerical tests validate the proposed analysis by highlighting diverse peculiarities of the investigated approach.
The assessment of the annual effective dose due to ingestion of radionuclides from drinking water consumption: calculation methods
Authors: Pintilie-Nicolov Violeta , Georgescu Puiu Lucian , Iticescu Cătălina , Moraru Dana Iulia , Pintilie Adelina Georgiana 
Published: October 2020

AbstractIn the present paper the different ways of assessing the annual effective dose due to ingestion of radionuclides by drinking water consumption were examined and exemplified. On a set of 10 samples the gross alpha activity, the gross beta activity, the concentration of 210Po, 210Pb, 238U, 232Th and, 226Ra were measured. The highest annual effective dose values assessed by relying on the investigated sample set were found by using the rationale according to which all the gross alpha and beta activity is due to the alpha and beta radionuclide, with the highest effective dose coefficient, namely 210Po and 210Pb/228Ra, respectively.
Nomination vs. election: do they influence women’s access to institutional decision-making bodies?
Authors: Diogo Sara , Carvalho Teresa , Breda Zélia 
Published: October 2020

AbstractPortuguese higher education institutions (HEIs) are excellent case-studies of women representation in academia, considering their significant presence and rapid growth in HEIs. Nevertheless, and despite efforts to minimise gender gaps, women are still underrepresented in top management and leading positions, contributing to increment the phenomenon of vertical segregation. Based on the reality of the Portuguese academia, and focusing on an in-depth case study of a Portuguese university, this paper analyses if and how the way decision-making bodies are constituted, influence the gender balance of their members. Recently, within the New Public Management (NPM) context, HEIs have been subjected to external pressures to create a new organisational environment aiming at substituting the collegial model of governance with a managerial one. In this context, there has been a trend to replace the election by the nomination as the dominant process to occupy decision-making positions. The opening hypothesis of this study is that the way decision-making bodies are constituted, impacts on their gender balance. More specifically, it is argued that the nomination process tends to be more advantageous to women than the election. However, although it is possible to conclude that the gender balance decreases with the increasing importance of the decision-making body, it is not accurate to say that there is a direct relationship between the way actors are chosen to these bodies and their gender balance. In other words, the way actors are chosen can not be seen as the only factor influencing the gender constitution of decision-making bodies. The study provides a relevant contribution to the literature on mechanisms and strategies to improve gender equality in institutional decision-making processes and bodies.
Material dimensions of a chivalric romance: metanarrative and book history in Ortúñez de Calahorra’s Espejo de príncipes y cavalleros and other libros de caballerías
Authors: Syrovy Daniel 
Published: October 2020

AbstractApart from a specific set of conventions in book design, the so-called “género editorial”, the Castilian chivalric romances from the late 15th to the early 17th c., are a varied genre. The paper takes a look at different ways in which materiality plays a role for the romances, situating them between market strategy and complex literary tradition. Certain approaches, from paratextual keywords (‘mirror’, ‘chronicle’) to metanarrative and metafictional elements (found manuscripts, pseudotranslations, metalepsis) are not only fixed topoi, but vary from text to text. In fact, they are in constant dialogue with recent developments in historiography, as well as other fictional genres. Thus, supernatural sources, contradictory textual evidence, and explanations of the marvelous often combine into a complex discursive strategy that helps explain the continuous popularity of the genre for more than 120 years.
A fully CMOS true random number generator based on hidden attractor hyperchaotic system
Authors: Nguyen Ngoc , Kaddoum Georges , Pareschi Fabio , Rovatti Riccardo , Setti Gianluca 
Published: October 2020

AbstractLow-power devices used in Internet-of-things networks have been short of security due to the high power consumption of random number generators. This paper presents a low-power hyperchaos-based true random number generator, which is highly recommended for secure communications. The proposed system, which is based on a four-dimensional chaotic system with hidden attractors and oscillators, exhibits rich dynamics. Numerical analysis is provided to verify the dynamic characteristics of the proposed system. A fully customized circuit is deployed using 130 nm CMOS technology to enable integration into low-power devices. Four output signals are used to seed a SHIFT-XOR-based chaotic data post-processing to generate random bit output. The chip prototype was simulated and tested at 100 MHz sampling frequency. The hyperchaotic circuit consumes a maximum of 980 $$\upmu $$μW in generating chaotic signals while dissipates a static current of 623 $$\upmu $$μA. Moreover, the proposed system provides ready-to-use binary random bit sequences which have passed the well-known statistical randomness test suite NIST SP800-22. The proposed novel system design and its circuit implementation provide a best energy efficiency of 4.37 pJ/b at a maximum sampling frequency of 100 MHz.