bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characteristics and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in multi-transfused patients with thalassemia major. Experience of a single tertiary center.
Authors: Papadopoulos Nikolaos , Kountouras Dimitrios , Malagari Katerina , Tampaki Maria , Theochari Maria , Koskinas John 
Published: February 2020

Background: In this retrospective study, records of patients with thalassemia major (TM) diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from 2008‐2018 were reviewed in order to determine the survival rate and evaluate possible etiological factors associated with survival.
Methods: Forty-two TM patients who were diagnosed with HCC have been included in the study. Most of our patients (78.5%) were anti-HCV positive, while 16.5% had evidence of resolved HBV infection. At the time of HCC diagnosis, 78.5% of our patients were diagnosed with cirrhosis, while the vast majority (98%) had normal or mild elevated liver iron concentration (LIC) values. According to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) grading system patients were classified as 0-A: 28.5%, B: 57% and as C-D: 14.5%. HCC has been treated with loco-regional treatment in 78.5% of our patients, while the rest have been treated with sorafenib.
Results: Twenty-eight patients (66.5%) have eventually died with a median survival time of 6 months (range: 2-60). Using the Cox proportional hazard model, the only factors who have been associated with poor survival were BCLC stages C and D.
Conclusions: In conclusion, BCLC staging is the main prognostic factor of survival in patients with TM who develop HCC, with a median survival time of six months.
Morphological characterization and porosity profiles of tantalum glancing-angle-deposited thin films
Authors: Ott Tobias , Gerlach Gerald 
Published: February 2020

Abstract. Glancing angle deposition (GLAD) is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process using a substrate that rotates tilted at an angle to the evaporation source. Depending on the deposition conditions, it provides the controlled formation of regular nanostructures during the PVD process.
As a result, a wide variety of shapes, such as spirals or vertical columns, can be easily fabricated in the nanometer range. For this reason, GLAD has already been proven reliable in the production of optical coatings with very low reflectance in a broad spectral range. This paper examines the morphology of tantalum nanostructures deposited on planar silicon substrates by electron beam evaporation. The prepared samples are characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) images at a breaking edge with respect to the layer structure and by focused ion beam (FIB) SEM images of the cross-sectional areas with respect to the porosity. The porosity can be used to model the optical properties of the thin film with the effective medium theory (EMT).
Our work studies the relationship between the evaporation parameters (growth pitch and deposition angle) and thin film morphology of tantalum so that in future work the optical properties can be linked to the deposition parameters, which in turn can be chosen to achieve highly absorbent infrared radiation layers, e.g., for infrared sensors. It was shown that the porosity across the film thickness of both columnar and screw-like thin films is nearly constant, whereas the porosity profiles of spiral structures show a periodic pattern, the period of which seems to depend on the growth pitch.
In proportion
Authors: Feast Luke 
Published: February 2020

Avoiding the worst impacts of global warming is a matter of systemic change and political will. An easily adaptable political system would be resilient to the effects of climate change, since a government could maintain effective control by implementing incremental changes. However, except for the United Kingdom (UK), Israel and New Zealand, all other states have rigid codified constitutions. Drawing on cybernetics and variety engineering, the study of New Zealand’s constitutional system presented in this article suggests that a rigid codified constitution has merits for addressing long-term problems, such as climate change and sustainable development.
Cover image photo: Christoph Strässler
DISCo-microbe: design of an identifiable synthetic community of microbes
Authors: Carper Dana L. , Lawrence Travis J. , Carrell Alyssa A. , Pelletier Dale A. , Weston David J. 
Published: February 2020

Background
Microbiomes are extremely important for their host organisms, providing many vital functions and extending their hosts’ phenotypes. Natural studies of host-associated microbiomes can be difficult to interpret due to the high complexity of microbial communities, which hinders our ability to track and identify individual members along with the many factors that structure or perturb those communities. For this reason, researchers have turned to synthetic or constructed communities in which the identities of all members are known. However, due to the lack of tracking methods and the difficulty of creating a more diverse and identifiable community that can be distinguished through next-generation sequencing, most such in vivo studies have used only a few strains.

Results
To address this issue, we developed DISCo-microbe, a program for the design of an identifiable synthetic community of microbes for use in in vivo experimentation. The program is composed of two modules; (1) create, which allows the user to generate a highly diverse community list from an input DNA sequence alignment using a custom nucleotide distance algorithm, and (2) subsample, which subsamples the community list to either represent a number of grouping variables, including taxonomic proportions, or to reach a user-specified maximum number of community members. As an example, we demonstrate the generation of a synthetic microbial community that can be distinguished through amplicon sequencing. The synthetic microbial community in this example consisted of 2,122 members from a starting DNA sequence alignment of 10,000 16S rRNA sequences from the Ribosomal Database Project. We generated simulated Illumina sequencing data from the constructed community and demonstrate that DISCo-microbe is capable of designing diverse communities with members distinguishable by amplicon sequencing. Using the simulated data we were able to recover sequences from between 97–100% of community members using two different post-processing workflows. Furthermore, 97–99% of sequences were assigned to a community member with zero sequences being misidentified. We then subsampled the community list using taxonomic proportions to mimic a natural plant host–associated microbiome, ultimately yielding a diverse community of 784 members.

Conclusions
DISCo-microbe can create a highly diverse community list of microbes that can be distinguished through 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and has the ability to subsample (i.e., design) the community for the desired number of members and taxonomic proportions. Although developed for bacteria, the program allows for any alignment input from any taxonomic group, making it broadly applicable. The software and data are freely available from GitHub (https://github.com/dlcarper/DISCo-microbe) and Python Package Index (PYPI).
Lactoferrin quantification in cattle faeces by ELISA
Authors: Cooke Andrew S. , Watt Kathryn A. , Albery Greg F. , Morgan Eric R. , Dungait Jennifer A.J. 
Published: February 2020

Background
Promoting and maintaining health is critical to ruminant welfare and productivity. Within human medicine, faecal lactoferrin is quantified for routine assessment of various gastrointestinal illnesses avoiding the need for blood sampling. This approach might also be adapted and applied for non-invasive health assessments in animals.

Methods
In this proof-of-concept study, a bovine lactoferrin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), designed for serum and milk, was applied to a faecal supernatant to assess its potential for quantifying lactoferrin in the faeces of cattle. Faecal lactoferrin concentrations were compared to background levels to assess the viability of the technique. A comparison was then made against serum lactoferrin levels to determine if they were or were not reflective of one another.

Results
The optical densities of faecal samples were significantly greater than background readings, supporting the hypothesis that the assay was effective in quantifying faecal lactoferrin (T13, 115 = 11.99, p < 0.0005). The mean faecal lactoferrin concentration was 0.269 µg mL−1 (S.E. 0.031) and the mean serum concentration 0.074 µg mL−1 (S.E. 0.005). Lactoferrin concentrations of faecal and serum samples, taken from the same animals on the same day, were significantly different (T21 = 2.20, p = 0.039) and did not correlate (r = 0.2699, p = 0.238).

Conclusion
Results support the hypothesis that lactoferrin can be quantified in cattle faeces by ELISA. Whilst further research is required to determine the physiological source of the lactoferrin, this highlights the potential of the method for non-invasive assessment of cattle immunology and pathology.
Theoretical study of the interaction between guanine and cytosine
Authors: Thoa Tran Thi , Hue Nguyen Thi Minh 
Published: February 2020

AbstractThe interaction between guanine and cytosine has been studied using DFT method. The calculation includes the optimization of geometry of guanine, cytosine and their dimers at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) level of theory. The optimized structures have been used to compute the binding energy at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(3df,2p). The obtained result consists of nine cyclic dimers. All the dimers are stabilized by hydrogen bonds such as NH∙∙∙N, NH∙∙∙O, CH∙∙∙N, CH∙∙∙O. The GC2 dimer contains three hydrogen bonds, while other dimers are only comprised of two hydrogen bonds. The formation of the hydrogen bonds in the dimers results in the elongation of the NH and CH bonds and red shifts of the corresponding NH and CH stretching vibrations in eight dimers. The exception of a small blue shift of C5H2 bond is witnessed in the GC8 dimer. The prolongation of the bonds ranges between 0.002 and 0.028 Å. Meanwhile, the contraction of the C5H2 bond is only 0.001 Å. In addition, infrared intensities of the vibrations increase by the region of 0.03 to 3721 km mol‐1. The calculation predicted that the GC2 dimer is the most stable. Moreover, the GC2 dimer is also the G‐C base pair in nature. The binding energy of the GC2 dimer is ‐22.71 kcal mol‐1. The value is in better agreement with the experiment than other previous studies.
Prevalence and molecular characterization of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei spargana in snakes in Hunan Province, China
Authors: Liu W. , Tan L. , Huang Y. , Li W.C. , Liu Y.S. , Yang L.C. 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
Sparganosis is an important foodborne parasitic zoonosis; however, few reports on the prevalence of snake-infecting plerocercoids from Hunan province in China are available. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence of spargana infection in wild snakes from this region in 2018, and identified an astonishing prevalence rate of 91.7% (344/375). Spargana parasites were found in 99.1% of Zaocys dhumnades, 94.1% of Elaphe carinata and 86.7% of Elaphe taeniura. Parasites exhibited various distributions: 50% were located in muscular tissue, 32.1% in subcutaneous tissue and 17.9% in the coelomic cavity. To identify the specific status of spargana collected from wild snakes, partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene sequences were amplified, sequenced and analysed. Sequence variations for cox1 among all the examined plerocercoids ranged between 0.0 and 2.9%, with 21 variable sites identified (4.71%, 21/446). Phylogenetic analyses identified that all plerocercoids isolated from Hunan province were Spirometra erinaceieuropaei. This is the first report of S. erinaceieuropaei infection in snakes in Hunan province. The risks and harms of sparganosis should be publicized, and illegal wildlife trade should be controlled.
A Method for Automatic Detection of Plasma Depletions by Using GNSS Measurements
Authors: Mersha Mogese Wassaie , Lewi Elias , Jakowski Norbert , Wilken Volker , Berdermann Jens , Kriegel Martin , Damtie Baylie 
Published: February 2020

AbstractEnhanced scintillation activities observed at transionospheric radio signals are often correlated with slant total electron content (STEC) depletions in the equatorial ionosphere. In this study, the data derived from high‐rate Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers were used to analyze the observed STEC depletions, commonly associated with plasma bubbles causing radio scintillations in the equatorial ionosphere. We found that the observed STEC depletion can be described by a wedge‐shaped structure. To quantitatively describe the structure of STEC depletions, we developed an effective method to routinely characterize the depth and the width of equatorial plasma depletion in automatized data screening. The developed method has been validated by analyzing data obtained from mostly African GNSS stations in 2014 and 2015. The results confirm current knowledge regarding the seasonal occurrence of radio scintillations and related bubbles. The detection results are compared with those from other published plasma bubble detection techniques.
Avulsion Injuries of the Pelvis and Hip
Authors: Albtoush Omar M. , Bani-Issa Jafar , Zitzelsberger Tanja , Springer Fabian 
Published: February 2020

Background Avulsion injuries of the pelvis and hip region are typical injuries in adolescent athletes but can be found in adults as well. Typical sites for avulsion injuries include the origin/insertion of tendons and ligaments. Among adolescents, the not yet ossified apophysis is also frequently involved. The pelvis and hip are especially prone to such injuries due to their complex musculotendinous anatomy. Clinical history and physical examination in combination with the recognition of typical imaging findings are essential for correct diagnosis of these mostly acute, but sometimes also chronic injuries.
Methods This review article describes typical avulsion injuries of the pelvis and hip and illustrates common radiological findings. Taking current literature into account, there is a special focus on the trauma mechanism, clinical examination, typical imaging findings and clinical management.
Results and Conclusion Detailed knowledge of musculotendinous anatomy and typical injury mechanisms allows a correct diagnosis of avulsion injuries often only based on clinical examination and radiographic findings. Further imaging with ultrasound and MRI may be necessary to evaluate tendon retraction in non-osseous avulsion injuries and extent of soft-tissue damage. Knowledge of potential complications of acute/chronic injuries can help to avoid unnecessary examinations or invasive interventions. Conservative management of avulsion injuries usually leads to functionally good results. However, in the case of competitive athletes, relatively wide bone fragment dislocation or marked tendon retraction, operative re-fixation may be considered in order to expedite the rehabilitation process.
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Multicenter Retrospective Review of Adult Patients Presenting to Pediatric Emergency Departments
Authors: Schwarz Whitney , Ruttan Timothy , Wilkinson Matthew 
Published: February 2020

Objective
This descriptive study aimed at evaluating the impact of distance between a general and pediatric emergency department (PED) on adults seeking care at PEDs.

Methods
The Pediatric Health Information Systems database was used to perform a retrospective study of all adult patients presenting to PEDs from 2005 to 2015. Data regarding age, disposition, pregnancy status, insurance status, median household income, all-patients refined diagnosis-related groups, and procedures were gathered. Distances were categorized as PEDs less than 1 mile and 1 mile from a general facility. Data were analyzed for the entire population, in addition to those 45 years old.

Results
The majority of patients were discharged from the ED; transfers were more frequent at PEDs 1 mile away from a general facility. Death was rare, with minimal differences noted between interfacility distances (21: 0.25% vs 0.24%; 45: 0.36% vs 0.32%). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation occurred in 0.25% with no differences based on location. Pregnant women visits and childbirth occur more frequently in PEDs closer to general facilities (4.89% vs 2.85%, P < 0.05; 0.07% vs 0.03%, P < 0.05, respectively). Chest pain was seen more frequently at PEDs located farther away from general EDs, the difference more pronounced in those 45 years old (21: 5.12% vs 6.3%; 45: 6.61% vs 13.17%).

Conclusions
Statistically significant differences were seen in the adult population presenting to PEDs based on the interfacility distance between a pediatric and general ED. These data can help PEDs prepare for the adult patients they are more likely to treat.
E-commerce mercantilism-practices and causes
Authors: Chu C.Y. Cyrus , Lee Po-Ching 
Published: February 2020

Purpose
This paper aims to highlight in particular one commercially influential but subtle constituent of China’s mercantilist stratagem – asymmetrical internet access. The wider aim of the paper is to provide a solid basis of real-world facts and knowledge to the e-commerce discussions at the World Trade Organization and the ongoing plurilateral e-commerce negotiations.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses an empirical approach to reflect the general experiences of consumers connecting from China to e-commerce platform websites in other countries and vice versa consumers connecting from other countries to China’s e-commerce platform.

Findings
The empirical data show that Chinese potential customers trying to connect to the websites of foreign internet retailers in 17 other sample countries are faced with prohibitively long waiting times. In contrast, the average waiting time that it takes for customers in those other 17 countries to link up to China’s major internet retail platforms is much shorter.

Practical implications
The hard evidence presented here serves to strengthen the arguments that such internet censorship is used by China to establish unfair e-commerce advantage. This paper further argues that the General Agreement on Trade in Services is restrained from providing systemic solutions to the digital mercantilism problem. It is essential, therefore, that the ongoing plurilateral e-commerce negotiations address this issue.

Originality/value
This paper is the first to publish detailed results of a systematic survey designed to analyze the impact of asymmetrical internet access in China. It is also the first to examine the extent and effect of differing internet connection speeds in the context of international trade. The outcome of the survey provides a factual base for future rule-making at the multilateral level.
Contrasting sensitivity of nestling and fledgling Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica body mass to local weather conditions
Authors: Facey Richard J. , Vafidis Jim O. , Smith Jeremy A. , Vaughan Ian P. , Thomas Robert J. 
Published: February 2020

Local weather can influence the growth and development of young birds either indirectly, by modifying prey availability, or directly, by affecting energetic trade‐offs. Such effects can have lasting implications for life history traits, but the nature of these effets may vary with the developmental stage of the birds, and over timescales from days to weeks. We examined the interactive effects of temperature, rainfall and wind speed on the mass of nestling and fledgling Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica both on the day of capture and averaging weather across the time since hatching. At the daily timescale, nestling mass was negatively correlated with temperature, but the strength of this association depended on the level of rainfall and wind speed; nestlings were typically heavier on dry or windy days, and the negative effect of temperature was strongest under calm or wet conditions. At the early lifetime timescale (i.e. from hatching to pre‐fledging), nestling mass was negatively correlated with temperature at low wind speed. Fledgling body mass was less sensitive to weather; the only weather effect evident was a negative correlation with temperature at the daily scale under high rainfall that became slightly positive under low rainfall. These changes are consistent with weather effects on the availability and distribution of insects within the landscape (e.g. causing high concentrations of flying insects) and with the effects of weather variation on nest microclimate. These results together demonstrate the impacts of weather on chick growth, over immediate (daily) and longer term (nestling/fledgling lifetime) timescales. This shows that sensitivity to local weather conditions varies across the early lifetime of young birds (nestling–fledgling stages) and illustrates the mechanisms by which larger scale (climate) variations influence the body condition of individuals.
Boron nitride‐reinforced polysilazane‐derived ceramic composites via direct‐ink writing
Authors: Kemp James W. , Hmeidat Nadim S. , Compton Brett G. 
Published: February 2020

AbstractIn this study we investigate the use of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) as a rheology modifier in polysilazane resin to enable direct‐ink writing (DIW) of polysilazane‐derived boron nitride‐reinforced ceramic composites. hBN is shown to effectively modify the flow properties of the resin by imparting strong shear thinning and yield stress behavior, and to reduce the mass loss and shrinkage associated with the polymer‐to‐ceramic conversion process, when compared with unfilled polysilazane resin. DIW inks are formulated with 40 vol.% hBN and used print flexural specimens and complex structures with high resolution. Mechanical properties of the resulting polymer‐derived ceramic composites were evaluated by 3‐pt. flexure and Vickers microhardness. The printed composites exhibit flexural strength of 56.4 MPa and microhardness of 111.4 HV2.
Geochemical characteristics of ores and surface waters for environmental risk assessment in the Pinpet iron deposit, southern Shan State, Myanmar
Authors: Zay Ya Kyaw , Otake Tsubasa , Koide Aoi , Sanematsu Kenzo , Sato Tsutomu 
Published: February 2020

AbstractMining operations in the Pinpet Fe deposit, which is the second‐largest Fe deposit in Myanmar, are currently suspended, in part because of possible contamination of heavy metals and hazardous elements (e.g., Fe, As, Cu, Zn, and U) into the surrounding aquatic environment and associated public concern. However, a scientific investigation of the source and degree of contamination in streams near the deposit has not yet been conducted. Therefore, we quantified heavy‐metal and hazardous‐element concentrations of stream waters and sediments in stream beds, and measured the speciation and concentration of these metals in deposit Fe ores using the sequential extraction method, to better understand the influence of mining activities on the surrounding environment. Geochemical results for Nan‐tank‐pauk stream and its tributaries indicate that the chemical compositions of their waters are controlled by carbonate bedrock and that no detectable contamination has occurred as a result of mining activity or hematite and limonite ore beneficiation processes in either the wet or dry seasons. All measured heavy‐metal and hazardous‐element concentrations were below the World Health Organization standards for drinking water and the proposed national drinking water quality standards in Myanmar. Bulk chemical compositions of stream‐bed and tailings dam sediments show that As, Zn, and Cu concentrations are similar to those in uncontaminated sediments. Results of bulk mineralogical and chemical analyses of ore samples reveal that some limonite ore samples contain substantial amounts of As (up to 2 wt%). However, sequential extraction results indicate that most (>90%) of the As in these As‐rich ores is hosted in insoluble fractions (e.g., crystalline Fe hydroxides and clays). Therefore, arsenic is unlikely to be released into the aquatic environment by interacting with water during ore beneficiation processes should the mine resume operations.