bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Using Genomic Resources for Linkage Analysis in Peromyscus with an Application for Characterizing Dominant Spot
Authors: Shang Zhenhua , Horovitz David J , McKenzie Ronald H , Keisler Jessica L , Felder Michael R , Davis Shannon William 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background: Peromyscus are the most common mammalian species in North America and are widely used in both laboratory and field studies. The deer mouse, P. maniculatus and the old-field mouse, P. polionotus, are closely related and can generate viable and fertile hybrid offspring. The ability to generate hybrid offspring, coupled with developing genomic resources, enables researchers to conduct linkage analysis studies to identify genomic loci associated with specific traits. Results: We used available genomic data to identify DNA polymorphisms between P. maniculatus and P. polionotus and used the polymorphic data to identify the range of genetic complexity that underlies physiological and behavioral differences between the species, including cholesterol metabolism and genes associated with autism. In addition, we used the polymorphic data to conduct a candidate gene linkage analysis for the Dominant spot trait and determined that Dominant spot is linked to a region of chromosome 20 that contains a strong candidate gene, Sox10. During the linkage analysis, we found that the spot size varied quantitively in affected Peromyscus based on genetic background. Conclusions: The expanding genomic resources for Peromyscus facilitate their use in linkage analysis studies, enabling the identification of loci associated with specific traits. More specifically, we have linked a coat color spotting phenotype, Dominant spot, with Sox10, a member the neural crest gene regulatory network, and that there are likely two genetic modifiers that interact with Dominant spot. These results establish Peromyscus as a model system for identifying new alleles of the neural crest gene regulatory network.
Abdominal Aortic Calcification Score as a Predictor of Clinical Outcome in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: ma dahua , Yan Hao , Yang Xiaoxiao , Yu Zanzhe , Ni Zhaohui , Fang Wei 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background : Abbominal aortic calcification assessed by X-ray is recommended to evaluate vascular calcification in dialysis patients. It has been shown that abdominal aortic calcification score (AACS) is a predictor of adverse outcomes in hemodialysis patients, but evidence regarding its prognostic value in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is still insufficient. We aimed to examine the predictive role of AACS for major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and mortality in PD patients. Methods : Eligible patients undergoing PD between July 2011 and July 2014 were recruited. AACS was quantified using lateral lumbar radiography. Patients were prospectively followed up until death, PD cessation, or to the end of the study (August 31, 2018). Both subdistribution hazards and cause-specific hazards models were used to evaluate the association between AACS and MACCE as well as mortality. Results: 292 patients were enrolled, including 160 males (54.8%) with mean age 57.1±15.2 years and median PD duration 28.4 (IQR 12.0, 57.8) months. Among them, 75 (25.7%) patients were comorbid with diabetes, and 94 (32.2%) patients had cardiovascular disease (CVD). The average AACS was 2.0 (0.0, 6.0). Patients were categorized on the tertiles of AACS (Low AACS group, AACS=0, n=125; Medium AACS group, AACS 1-4, n=72; and High AACS group, AACS>4, n=95). AACS was associated with age (OR=1.081, P < 0.001), PD duration (OR=1.012, P=0.003), CVD (OR =1.919, P=0.020) and diabetes (OR=2.554, P=0.002). During the follow-up period of 43.6 (24.6, 50.7) months, there were 65 MACCEs and 84 deaths. Significantly higher cumulative incidences of all-cause mortality (Log-rank = 35.992, P<0.001; Gray=38.662, P < 0.001 ) and MACCE (Log-rank=26.146, P<0.001; Gray=27.810, P < 0.001 ) were observed in the upper AACS tertile. AACS was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality (HR=2.438, 95% CI 1.246-4.772, P = 0.009 ; SHR=2.323, 95%CI 1.229-4.389, P=0.009 ) and MACCE (HR = 3.455, 95% CI 1.734-6.884, P <0.001; SHR=3.063, 95%CI 1.460-6.430, P=0.003 ). Conclusions: AACS was associated with age, PD duration, CVD and diabetes in PD patients. AACS could predict MACCE and all-cause mortality in this population. It might be a safe and feasible method to identify PD patients with adverse outcomes.
Radon monitoring on the territory of Northern Tajikistan
Authors: Mirsaidov U. M. , Nazarov Kh. M. , Shosafarova Sh. G. , Mahmudova M. M. 
Published: April 2020

The article presents the results of radon monitoring on the territory of Northern Tajikistan. Analysis of the results of the monitoring shows that at present, relatively high values of radon concentration in the atmospheric air are found in the areas where uranium tailings are located, primarily in the city of Istiklol and the Dehmoy tailings dam. This is primarily due to the lack of protective coatings on the surface of the tail material, which turns this area, in fact, into radon-prone areas of technogenic origin. In different parts of the Dehmoy tailings dam, the radon concentration in the atmospheric air varies between 200 and 1000 Bq/m3, and the radon flux density from the surface reaches 65,000 mBq/(m2∙s). On the territory of tailings dam in the city of Istiklol, the value of radon concentration in the atmospheric air is in the range of 44–195 Bq/m3. At the same time, it was found that the radon potential of the tailings dams, where the surface has a protective coating, is much lower. For example, the radon flux density from the surface of the Gafurov tailings dam, where surface is covered with loess-like loams up to 2.5–3.0 m thick, does not exceed 100 mBq/(m2∙s), with average values of 40-60 mBq/(m2∙s); the radon concentration in the atmospheric air is about 55 Bq/m3. Despite the intense exhalation of radon from the surface of some tailings dams, their territory is not currently a residential zone and, accordingly, does not affect the radon situation in buildings located in the settlements nearby. In the cities of Khujand, Buston, Gafurov, Istiklol and the village of Adrasman, the average values of indoor radon concentration do not exceed maximum permissible levels. It is recommended to conduct a full rehabilitation of uranium legacy sites, primarily uranium tailings dams in the city of Istiklol and Dehmoy tailings dam, for the improvement of the radon situation in Northern Tajikistan with consideration for possible expansion of the settlements.
Shape of a water crisis: practitioner perspectives on urban water scarcity and ‘Day Zero’ in South Africa
Authors: Bischoff-Mattson Zachary , Maree Gillian , Vogel Coleen , Lynch Amanda , Olivier David , Terblanche Deon 
Published: April 2020

AbstractThe interruption of essential water services in Cape Town, foreshadowed as ‘Day Zero,’ is one of several recent examples of urban water scarcity connected to the language of urgent climate change. Johannesburg, with its larger and growing population and deeply enmeshed water and power infrastructures, is currently regarded as one drought away from disaster. As a result, the lessons to be learned from Cape Town are under active debate in South Africa. We used Q method to examine the structure of perspectives on urban water scarcity among South African water management practitioners. Our results illustrate distinct viewpoints differentiated by focus on corruption and politics, supply and demand systems, and social justice concerns as well as a distinct cohort of pragmatic optimists. Our analysis underscores the significance of public trust and institutional effectiveness, regardless of otherwise sound policy or infrastructure tools. As practitioners explicitly connect domains of competency to solvable and critical problems, integrated systems approaches will require deliberate interventions. Furthermore, urban water crises exacerbate and are exacerbated by existing experiences of racial and economic inequality, but this effect is masked by focus on demand management of average per capita water consumption and characterization of water scarcity as ‘the new normal.’
Electrochemical oxidation for decolorization of Rhodamine-B dye using mixed metal oxide electrode: modeling and optimization
Authors: Kothari Manisha S. , Shah Kosha A. 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
In the study the electrochemical oxidation process for decolorization of Rhodamine-B dye was studied using an anode coated with mixed metal oxides: TiO2, RuO2, and IrO2. Batch experimental studies were conducted to assess the effect of four important performance variables, current density, electrolyte concentration, initial pH and electrolysis time, on the decolorization and energy consumption. The process was modeled using an artificial neural network. Response surface methodology using central composite design (CCD) was utilized for optimization of the decolorization process. Based on the experimental design given by CCD, the results obtained by the statistical analysis show that the electrolysis time was the most influential parameter for decolorization whereas the current density had the greatest influence on the energy consumption. According to the optimized results given by the CCD model, maximum color removal of 97% and minimum energy consumption of 1.01 kWh/m3 were predicted in 4.9 minute of electrolysis time, using 0.031 M NaCl concentration at current density 10 mA/cm2 and an initial pH of 3.7. A close conformity was observed between the optimized predicted results and experimental results. The process was found to be efficient and consisted of indirect chemical oxidation producing strong oxidizing agents such as Cl2, HClO and OCl−.
Synthesis of Eugenol Derivatives and Evaluation of their Antifungal Activity Against Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis
Authors: Maximino Sarah C. , Dutra Jessyca A.P. , Rodrigues Ricardo P. , Gonçalves Rita C.R. , Morais Pedro A.B. , Ventura José A. , Schuenck Ricardo P. , Júnior Valdemar Lacerda , Kitagawa Rodrigo R. , S. Borges Warley 
Published: April 2020

Background:
Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis is a phytopathogen that causes one of the most destructive
diseases in black pepper crops, resulting in significant economic and crop production losses. Consequently, the
control of this fungal disease is a matter of current and relevant interest in agriculture.

Objective:
The objective was to synthesize eugenol derivatives with antifungal activity.

Methods:
In this study, using bimolecular nucleophilic substitution and click chemistry approaches, four new and
three known eugenol derivatives were obtained. The eugenol derivatives were characterized and their antifungal
and cytotoxic effects were evaluated.

Results:
Eugenol derivative 4 (2-(4-allyl-2-methoxyphenoxy)-3-chloronaphthalene-1,4-dione) was the most active
against F. solani f. sp. piperis and showed acceptable cytotoxicity. Compound 4 was two-fold more effective
than tebuconazole in an antifungal assay and presented similar cytotoxicity in macrophages. The in silico study of
β-glucosidase suggests a potential interaction of 4 with amino acid residues by a cation-π interaction with residue
Arg177 followed by a hydrogen bond with Glu596, indicating an important role in the interactions with 4, justifying
the antifungal action of this compound. In addition, the cytotoxicity after metabolism was evaluated as a mimic
assay with the S9 fraction in HepG2 cells. Compound 4 demonstrated maintenance of cytotoxicity, showing IC50
values of 11.18 ± 0.5 and 9.04 ± 0.2 μg mL-1 without and with the S9 fraction, respectively. In contrast, eugenol
(257.9 ± 0.4 and 133.5 ± 0.8 μg mL-1), tebuconazole (34.94 ± 0.2 and 26.76 ± 0.17 μg mL-1) and especially carbendazim
(251.0 ± 0.30 and 34.7 ± 0.10 μg mL-1) showed greater cytotoxicity after hepatic biotransformation.

Conclusion:
The results suggest that 4 is a potential candidate for use in the design of new and effective compounds
that could control this pathogen.
Prevention of Endothelial Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Disease by n-3 Fatty Acids-Inhibiting Action on Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Authors: Yamagata Kazuo 
Published: April 2020

Background:Prospective cohort studies and randomized controlled trials have shown the protective effect of n-3 fatty acids against cardiovascular disease (CVD). The effect of n-3 fatty acids on vascular endothelial cells indicates their possible role in CVD prevention.Objective:Here, we describe the effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on endothelial dysfunction-caused by inflammation and oxidative stress-and their role in the development of CVD.Methods:We reviewed epidemiological studies done on n-3 fatty acids in CVD. The effect of DHA and EPA on vascular endothelial cells was examined with regard to changes in various markers, such as arteriosclerosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress, using cell and animal models.Results:Epidemiological studies revealed that dietary intake of EPA and DHA was associated with a reduced risk of various CVDs. EPA and DHA inhibited various events involved in arteriosclerosis development by preventing oxidative stress and inflammation associated with endothelial cell damage. In particular, EPA and DHA prevented endothelial cell dysfunction mediated by inflammatory responses and oxidative stress induced by events related to CVD. DHA and EPA also increased eNOS activity and induced nitric oxide production.Conclusion:The effects of DHA and EPA on vascular endothelial cell damage and dysfunction may involve the induction of nitric oxide, in addition to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. n-3 fatty acids inhibit endothelial dysfunction and prevent arteriosclerosis. Therefore, the intake of n-3 fatty acids may prevent CVDs, like myocardial infarction and stroke.
The Interaction of Schistosoma Japonicum Glutathione Transferase with Cibacron Blue 3GA and its Fragments
Authors: Platis Michalis , Vlachakis Dimitrios , Foudah Ahmed I. , Muharram Magdy M. , Alqarni Mohamed H. , Papageorgiou Anastassios C. , Labrou Nikolaos E. 
Published: April 2020

Background:
The 26kDa glutathione transferase (GST, EC 2.5.1.18) from Schistosoma
japonicum (SjGST) is recognized as the major detoxification enzyme of S. japonicum, a pathogenic
helminth causing schistosomiasis.

Objective:
In the present study, the interaction of the chlorotriazine dye Cibacron blue 3GA
(CB3GA) and its structural analogues with SjGST was investigated. The work aimed to shed light on
the non-substrate ligand-binding properties of the enzyme.

Methods:
Kinetic inhibition analysis, affinity labelling experiments and molecular modelling studies
were employed.

Results:
The results showed that CB3GA is a potent inhibitor (IC50 0.057 ± 0.003 μM) towards
SjGST. The enzyme was specifically and irreversibly inactivated by the dichlorotriazine-analogue of
CB3GA (IC50 0.190 ± 0.024 μM), following a biphasic pseudo-first-order saturation kinetics with
approximately 1 mol of inhibitor per mol of the dimeric enzyme being incorporated. All other
monochlorotriazine analogues behave as reversible inhibitors with lower inhibition potency (IC50
5.2-82.3 μM). Kinetic inhibition studies, together with molecular modelling and molecular dynamics
simulations, established that the CB3GA binding site overlaps both the G- and H-sites. Both hydrophobic/
polar interactions, as well as steric effects, have decisive roles in determining the inhibitory
strength of CB3GA and its analogues.

Conclusion:
The results of the present study might be useful in future drug design and development
efforts towards SjGST.
Antibiogram of Urinary Enterococcus Isolates from a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Bhat Nanditha Rajaram , Shivashankar Shruthi Bhat Kodur , Dhanashree Biranthabail 
Published: April 2020

Purpose:
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the serious infections caused by enterococci. VancomycinResistant Enterococci (VRE), is a persevering clinical problem globally. This study aims to
detect high-level aminoglycoside and vancomycin resistance in uropathogenic Enterococcus spp.

Methodology:
A total of 75 clinically relevant Enterococcus spp. grown from urine samples, were collected
following convenience non-random sampling method. Identified by standard biochemical
tests and susceptibility to antibiotics was studied by Kirby Bauer’s disc diffusion method. The
MIC of vancomycin was detected by agar dilution test. Van A, and Van B genes in VREs
were detected by PCR.

Results:
Among the 75 Enterococcal isolates, 43 (57.3%) were E.faecalis, 12 (16%) were E.faecium,
six (8%) each were E.pseudoavium and E.casseliflavus, five (6.66%) were E.dispar and three
(4%) were E.durans. E.faecalis (n=19) and E.faecium (n=3) were resistant to High Level
Streptomycin (HLS). E.faecalis (n=21) and E.faecium (n=6) were resistant to High Level
Gentamicin (HLG). Four (9.3%) E.faecalis were vancomycin-resistant, of which three were
of Van A, and one was both Van A and Van B genotype.

Conclusion:
Isolation of high level aminoglycoside resistant (HLAR) Enterococci is a challenge for the
treating physician because aminoglycoside cannot be used in combination with glycopeptide
or ampicillin for such isolates. The occurrence of HLAR, Van A and Van B VRE genotypes is
a cause of concern as they may transfer drug resistance genes to other bacterial isolates, thus
leading to limited therapeutic options.
Re-Enactment as a Method to Reproduce Real-World Fall Events Using Inertial Sensor Data: Development and Usability Study
Authors: Sczuka Kim Sarah , Schwickert Lars , Becker Clemens , Klenk Jochen 
Published: April 2020

Background
Falls are a common health problem, which in the worst cases can lead to death. To develop reliable fall detection algorithms as well as suitable prevention interventions, it is important to understand circumstances and characteristics of real-world fall events. Although falls are common, they are seldom observed, and reports are often biased. Wearable inertial sensors provide an objective approach to capture real-world fall signals. However, it is difficult to directly derive visualization and interpretation of body movements from the fall signals, and corresponding video data is rarely available.

Objective
The re-enactment method uses available information from inertial sensors to simulate fall events, replicate the data, validate the simulation, and thereby enable a more precise description of the fall event. The aim of this paper is to describe this method and demonstrate the validity of the re-enactment approach.

Methods
Real-world fall data, measured by inertial sensors attached to the lower back, were selected from the Fall Repository for the Design of Smart and Self-Adaptive Environments Prolonging Independent Living (FARSEEING) database. We focused on well-described fall events such as stumbling to be re-enacted under safe conditions in a laboratory setting. For the purposes of exemplification, we selected the acceleration signal of one fall event to establish a detailed simulation protocol based on identified postures and trunk movement sequences. The subsequent re-enactment experiments were recorded with comparable inertial sensor configurations as well as synchronized video cameras to analyze the movement behavior in detail. The re-enacted sensor signals were then compared with the real-world signals to adapt the protocol and repeat the re-enactment method if necessary. The similarity between the simulated and the real-world fall signals was analyzed with a dynamic time warping algorithm, which enables the comparison of two temporal sequences varying in speed and timing.

Results
A fall example from the FARSEEING database was used to show the feasibility of producing a similar sensor signal with the re-enactment method. Although fall events were heterogeneous concerning chronological sequence and curve progression, it was possible to reproduce a good approximation of the motion of a person’s center of mass during fall events based on the available sensor information.

Conclusions
Re-enactment is a promising method to understand and visualize the biomechanics of inertial sensor-recorded real-world falls when performed in a suitable setup, especially if video data is not available.
Using Natural Language Processing Techniques to Provide Personalized Educational Materials for Chronic Disease Patients in China: Development and Assessment of a Knowledge-Based Health Recommender System
Authors: Wang Zheyu , Huang Haoce , Cui Liping , Chen Juan , An Jiye , Duan Huilong , Ge Huiqing , Deng Ning 
Published: April 2020

Background
Health education emerged as an important intervention for improving the awareness and self-management abilities of chronic disease patients. The development of information technologies has changed the form of patient educational materials from traditional paper materials to electronic materials. To date, the amount of patient educational materials on the internet is tremendous, with variable quality, which makes it hard to identify the most valuable materials by individuals lacking medical backgrounds.

Objective
The aim of this study was to develop a health recommender system to provide appropriate educational materials for chronic disease patients in China and evaluate the effect of this system.

Methods
A knowledge-based recommender system was implemented using ontology and several natural language processing (NLP) techniques. The development process was divided into 3 stages. In stage 1, an ontology was constructed to describe patient characteristics contained in the data. In stage 2, an algorithm was designed and implemented to generate recommendations based on the ontology. Patient data and educational materials were mapped to the ontology and converted into vectors of the same length, and then recommendations were generated according to similarity between these vectors. In stage 3, the ontology and algorithm were incorporated into an mHealth system for practical use. Keyword extraction algorithms and pretrained word embeddings were used to preprocess educational materials. Three strategies were proposed to improve the performance of keyword extraction. System evaluation was based on a manually assembled test collection for 50 patients and 100 educational documents. Recommendation performance was assessed using the macro precision of top-ranked documents and the overall mean average precision (MAP).

Results
The constructed ontology contained 40 classes, 31 object properties, 67 data properties, and 32 individuals. A total of 80 SWRL rules were defined to implement the semantic logic of mapping patient original data to the ontology vector space. The recommender system was implemented as a separate Web service connected with patients' smartphones. According to the evaluation results, our system can achieve a macro precision up to 0.970 for the top 1 recommendation and an overall MAP score up to 0.628.

Conclusions
This study demonstrated that a knowledge-based health recommender system has the potential to accurately recommend educational materials to chronic disease patients. Traditional NLP techniques combined with improvement strategies for specific language and domain proved to be effective for improving system performance. One direction for future work is to explore the effect of such systems from the perspective of patients in a practical setting.