bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Screening of food supplements for toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids
Authors: Kaltner Florian , Kukula Verena , Gottschalk Christoph 
Published: August 2020

AbstractPyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) and PA-N-oxides (PANO) are a group of more than 660 secondary plant metabolites with hepatotoxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic effects in animals and humans. The phytotoxins can enter the food chain by transfer of PA/PANO between plants via the soil, unintended co-harvesting of PA/PANO-producing weeds, as well as by honeybees collecting pollen and nectar of these plants. Thus, bee- and plant-based products, e.g. (herbal) teas, spices and culinary herbs were identified to be a main source of consumers’ exposure to PA/PANO. Consequently, food supplements based on those ingredients may as well be contaminated with PA/PANO, but so far there are only very few studies available on this topic. Therefore, the current study investigated 50 herbal and bee product-based food supplements available in German retail pharmacies, drugstores, and online on the occurrence of 44 PA/PANO. In total, 19 samples contained PA/PANO with sum contents ranging from 0.1 to 105.1 ng/g in solid samples and from 0.03 to 2.20 ng/mL in liquid preparations. Considering the recommended daily consumption, the sum contents were of no or little concern for the health risk of adults, whereas in case of children the contents of singular samples could significantly contribute to the overall PA/PANO exposure.
The bilinear Hilbert transform in UMD spaces
Authors: Amenta Alex , Uraltsev Gennady 
Published: August 2020

AbstractWe prove$$L^p$$Lp-bounds for the bilinear Hilbert transform acting on functions valued in intermediate UMD spaces. Such bounds were previously unknown for UMD spaces that are not Banach lattices. Our proof relies on bounds on embeddings from Bochner spaces$$L^p(\mathbb {R};X)$$Lp(R;X)into outer Lebesgue spaces on the time-frequency-scale space$$\mathbb {R}^3_+$$R+3.
Characterization of the glycans involved in sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus reversible adhesion
Authors: Simão Mariana , Moço Mariana , Marques Luís , Santos Romana 
Published: August 2020

AbstractSea urchins have hundreds of specialized adhesive organs, the tube feet, which play a key role in locomotion, substrate attachment and food capture. Tube feet are composed by two functional units: a proximal cylindrical stem that is mobile and flexible, attached to a distal flattened disc that produces adhesive secretions. Oral tube feet discs possess a specialized duo-glandular epidermis that produces adhesive and de-adhesive secretions, enabling strong but reversible adhesion to the substrate. Due to the growing interest in biomimetic adhesives, several studies have been carried out to characterize sea urchin adhesives, and up to date, it has been shown that it is composed by proteins and glycans. The protein fraction has been the subject of several studies, that pin-pointed several adhesion-related candidates. Contrastingly, little is known about the glycans that compose sea urchin adhesives. This study aims at contributing to this topic by focusing on the characterization of the glycosidic fraction of the adhesive secreted by the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816), using a battery of 22 lectins, applied to 3 complementary techniques. Our results show that five lectins label exclusively the disc adhesive epidermis and simultaneously the secreted adhesive, being, therefore, most likely relevant for sea urchin adhesion. In addition, it was possible to determine that the glycosidic fraction of the adhesive is composed by a high molecular weight glycoprotein containing N-acetylglucosamine oligomers.
Multiparametric MR mapping in clinical decision-making for diffuse liver disease
Authors: Thomaides-Brears Helena B. , Lepe Rita , Banerjee Rajarshi , Duncker Carlos 
Published: August 2020

AbstractAccurate diagnosis, monitoring and treatment decisions in patients with chronic liver disease currently rely on biopsy as the diagnostic gold standard, and this has constrained early detection and management of diseases that are both varied and can be concurrent. Recent developments in multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) suggest real potential to bridge the diagnostic gap between non-specific blood-based biomarkers and invasive and variable histological diagnosis. This has implications for the clinical care and treatment pathway in a number of chronic liver diseases, such as haemochromatosis, steatohepatitis and autoimmune or viral hepatitis. Here we review the relevant MRI techniques in clinical use and their limitations and describe recent potential applications in various liver diseases. We exemplify case studies that highlight how these techniques can improve clinical practice. These techniques could allow clinicians to increase their arsenals available to utilise on patients and direct appropriate treatments.
Systemic therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the first-line setting: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Mori Keiichiro , Mostafaei Hadi , Miura Noriyoshi , Karakiewicz Pierre I. , Luzzago Stefano , Schmidinger Manuela , Bruchbacher Andreas , Pradere Benjamin , Egawa Shin , Shariat Shahrokh F. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Purpose
Management of metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) has undergone a paradigm shift with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in the first-line setting. However, direct comparative data are inadequate to inform treatment decisions. Therefore, we aimed to assess first-line therapy for mRCC and indirectly compare the efficacy and safety of currently available treatments.

Materials and methods
Multiple databases were searched for articles published before June 2020. Studies that compared overall and/or progression-free survival (OS/PFS) and/or adverse events (AEs) in mRCC patients were considered eligible.

Results
Six studies matched our eligibility criteria. For OS, pembrolizumab plus axitinib [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85, 95% credible interval (CrI) 0.73–0.98] and nivolumab plus ipilimumab (HR 0.86, 95% CrI 0.75–0.99) were significantly more effective than sunitinib, and pembrolizumab plus axitinib was probably the best option based on analysis of the treatment ranking. For PFS, pembrolizumab plus axitinib (HR 0.86, 95% CrI 0.76–0.97) and avelumab plus axitinib (HR 0.85, 95% CrI 0.74–0.98) were statistically superior to sunitinib, and avelumab plus axitinib was likely to be the preferred option based on analysis of the treatment ranking, closely followed by pembrolizumab plus axitinib. Nivolumab plus ipilimumab had significantly lower rates of serious AEs than sunitinib.

Conclusion
Pembrolizumab plus axitinib seemed to be the most efficacious first-line agents, while nivolumab plus ipilimumab had the most favorable efficacy–tolerability equilibrium. These findings may facilitate individualized treatment strategies and inform future direct comparative trials in an expanding treatment options without direct comparison between approved drugs.
Mitochondria, immunosenescence and inflammaging: a role for mitokines?
Authors: Conte Maria , Martucci Morena , Chiariello Antonio , Franceschi Claudio , Salvioli Stefano 
Published: August 2020

AbstractA global reshaping of the immune responses occurs with ageing, indicated as immunosenescence, where mitochondria and mitochondrial metabolism play an important role. However, much less is known about the role of mitochondrial stress response in this reshaping and in particular of the molecules induced by such response, collectively indicated as mitokines. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the role of mitokines in modulating immune response and inflammation focusing on GDF15, FGF21 and humanin and their possible involvement in the chronic age-related low-grade inflammation dubbed inflammaging. Although many aspects of their biology are still controversial, available data suggest that these mitokines have an anti-inflammatory role and increase with age. Therefore, we hypothesize that they can be considered part of an adaptive and integrated immune-metabolic mechanism activated by mitochondrial dysfunction that acts within the framework of a larger anti-inflammatory network aimed at controlling both acute inflammation and inflammaging.
MiRNAs expression profiling of rat ovaries displaying PCOS with insulin resistance
Authors: Zhang Chunren , Yu Chuyi , Lin Zengxian , Pan Haixia , Li Kunyin , Ma Hongxia 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Purpose
The present study established microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles for rat ovaries displaying polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with insulin resistance and explored the underlying biological functions of differentially expressed miRNAs.

Methods
A PCOS with insulin resistance rat model was created by administering letrozole and a high-fat diet. Total RNA was extracted from the ovaries of PCOS with insulin resistance rats and normal rats. Three ovaries from each group were used to identify differentially expressed miRNAs by deep sequencing. A hierarchical clustering heatmap and volcano plot were used to display the pattern of differentially expressed miRNAs. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were conducted to explore the potential target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs and identify their putative biological function. Nine of the differentially expressed miRNAs were selected for validation by Real-time Quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR).

Results
A total of 58 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in the rat ovaries exhibiting PCOS with insulin resistance compared with control ovaries, including 23 miRNAs that were upregulated and 35 miRNAs that were downregulated. GO and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that the predicted target genes were related to metabolic processes, cellular processes, and metabolic pathways. Furthermore, qRT-PCR confirmed that miR-3585-5p and miR-30-5p were significantly upregulated and miR-146-5p was downregulated in the ovaries of PCOS with insulin resistance rats compared with the controls.

Conclusion
These results indicate that differentially expressed miRNAs in rat ovaries may be involved in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance in PCOS. Our study may be beneficial in establishing miRNAs as novel diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for insulin resistance in PCOS.
The Antwerp Vestibular Compensation Index (AVeCI): an index for vestibular compensation estimation, based on functional balance performance
Authors: Verbecque Evi , Wuyts Floris L. , Vanspauwen Robby , Van Rompaey Vincent , Van de Heyning Paul , Vereeck Luc 
Published: August 2020

AbstractPurposeTo create an index that is a measure of the amount of vestibular compensation and for which only functional balance performance is needed.MethodsThe medical charts of 62 eligible peripheral vestibular dysfunction (PVD) patients were analyzed retrospectively. To be included, the following vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and balance performance data had to be available: (1) caloric and sinusoidal harmonic acceleration test (SHA) and (2) standing balance sum-eyes closed (SBS-EC), Timed Up and Go Test and Dynamic Gait Index. Patients were divided into three groups: normal caloric- and SHA test (group 1), abnormal caloric- and normal SHA test (group 2, PVD compensated) and abnormal caloric- and SHA test (group 3, PVD uncompensated). Next to the use of non-parametric tests to study the VOR and balance variables, logistic regression was used to identify the balance measures that predict whether PVD patients were compensated or uncompensated. This resulted also in the construction of a continuous measure representing the degree of compensation.ResultsLogistic regression identified SBS-EC and age to classify uncompensated from compensated patients with sensitivity of 83.9% and specificity of 72.4%. Then an index was created, called the Antwerp Vestibular Compensation Index, AVeCI = − 50 + age × 0.486 + SBS-EC × 0.421. A patient belongs to the uncompensated group when AVeCI < 0 and to the compensated group when AVeCI > 0, with respective group means of − 5 and 5.ConclusionAVeCI stages the degree of compensation of PVD patients and can serve to evaluate rehabilitation effects.
Managing liquidity with portfolio staleness
Authors: Buccheri Giuseppe , Pirino Davide , Trapin Luca 
Published: August 2020

AbstractLiquidity is a risk factor of primary relevance that can significantly affect the asset allocation decisions of investors. In this paper, we introduce the concept of portfolio staleness and propose a simple framework to manage portfolio liquidity, intended as the cost needed to liquidate the portfolio. Within this framework, the traditional minimum variance problem is solved under the additional constraint that portfolio staleness must be smaller than a given threshold. We show that a dynamic asset allocation strategy based on the staleness constrained portfolio can significantly enhance portfolio liquidity over the standard minimum variance solution. Meanwhile, the increase in portfolio risk is limited, generating large liquidity gains per unit of risk.
Vom Fuße des Himalaya – Wertschöpfungskette Äpfel in Indien
Authors: Golombek Sabine , Blanke Michael 
Published: August 2020

ZusammenfassungTrotz eines geringen Apfelkonsums von nur ca. 2 kg/Kopf/Jahr ist Indien mit ca. 2,3 Mio. t (2017) Äpfeln – auf 314.000 ha – nach China, USA, Polen und der Türkei – der fünftgrößte Apfelproduzent der Welt; dabei macht der Apfelanbau nur 2,4 % der gesamten Obstproduktion des Landes aus und konzentriert sich auf die 4 nordwestlichen Provinzen Jammu und Kaschmir (ca. 70 %), Himachal Pradesh (ca. 20 %), Uttarakhand (ca. 10 %) und Arunachal Pradesh, wo in Höhen von 1000–3500 m am Fuße des Himalaya mit 800–1600 Kältestunden (CH – Chilling hours) ausreichend Kältereiz für die Blütenbildung zur Verfügung steht. Apfel ist für Kleinbauern – im Vergleich zu Gemüse – eine lukrative Kultur, trotz geringer Ernteerträge auf Hanglagen von durchschnittlich 10 t/ha aus der ‘Red Delicious‘-Gruppe, ursprünglich auf Sämlingsunterlage.Erhebliche Verluste entstehen durch unsachgemäße Ernte, Mangel an Obstlagern und für die langen Entfernungen und schlechten Straßen häufig unzureichende (plastikfreie) Verpackung aus Stroh und Zeitungspapier in Kartons oder hohen harten Holzkisten und Transport ohne Kühlung.Exportiert werden Mangos, Tafeltrauben und Granatäpfel und ca. 18.000 t Äpfel imWert von 9 Mio. US $ in das angrenzende Bangladesh und Nepal. Ein Importembargo für Äpfel aus China seit Mai 2017, offiziell wegen Schädlingsbefall, reduzierte die Apfelimporte von 370.000 t (2016/17) auf 250.000 t in 2017/18 und 270.000 t in 2018/19. Importiert werden Äpfel der Sorten ‘Fuji‘, ‘Red Delicious‘, ‘Gala‘, ‘Granny Smith‘ u. a. aus US, (China), Neuseeland, Chile und Südtirol; bisher stammte die Hälfte der Apfelimporte aus Washington State, deren Einfuhrzoll nach Wirtschaftssanktionen von 50 auf 75 % angehoben wurde.Der indische Markt bzw. Konsument bevorzugt große, rote (oder grüne) Äpfel mit geringen Schalenfehlern.Die hohen Großhandelspreise von 28–35 Rs/kg (0,34–0,43 €/kg) für heimische und 56–145 Rs/kg (0,69–1,77 €/kg) für Importäpfel im Januar 2019 bieten Apfelexporteuren ein Marktpotential von ca. 200 Mio. € jährlich.Hohe Preise und Handarbeit dominieren in der Apfel-Wertschöpfungskette, die so auch vielen ungelernten Menschen ein Einkommen sichert.
Scaffolding Collaborative Case-Based Learning during Research Ethics Training
Authors: Tammeleht Anu , Rodríguez-Triana María Jesús , Koort Kairi , Löfström Erika 
Published: August 2020

AbstractAs development of research ethics competencies is in the focus in higher education (HE) institutions, it is crucial to understand how to support the learning process during such training. While there is plenty of research on how to scaffold children’s learning of cognitive skills, there is limited knowledge on how to enhance collaborative case-based learning of research ethics competencies in HE contexts. Our aim was to identify whether, how and when scaffolding is needed with various expertise levels to support development of ethics competencies. To identify and evaluate scaffolding during collaborative case-based ethics training we synthesised a scaffolding framework consisting of three levels: techniques, mechanisms and process. We organised 5 training sessions where 46 participants (including bachelor, master and PhD students as well as junior and senior academics) were involved. Data was collected as part of action research from group-work recordings and transcribed verbatim. Deductive qualitative analysis was implemented on transcripts based on the scaffolding framework. Our analysis revealed that structural scaffolding alone (learning material) is not always efficient with bachelor level students, they also require oral scaffolding when the need becomes apparent. Master’s level students benefited most from wording the issues they needed to focus on. Doctoral students and senior academics needed scaffolding to maintain goal orientation. We end our article with some recommendations for facilitators of ethics education, and encourage using the scaffolding framework also in complex problem-solving beyond ethics training.
COVID-19 and the ethics of quarantine: a lesson from the Eyam plague
Authors: Spitale Giovanni 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe recent outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is posing many different challenges to local communities, directly affected by the pandemic, and to the global community, trying to find how to respond to this threat in a larger scale. The history of the Eyam Plague, read in light of Ross Upshur’s Four Principles for the Justification of Public Health Intervention, and of the Siracusa Principles on the Limitation and Derogation Provisions in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, could provide useful guidance in navigating the complex ethical issues that arise when quarantine measures need to be put in place.
Exposure to airborne gold nanoparticles: a review of current toxicological data on the respiratory tract
Authors: De Berardis Barbara , Marchetti Magda , Risuglia Anna , Ietto Federica , Fanizza Carla , Superti Fabiana 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIn recent years, the introduction of innovative low-cost and large-scale processes for the synthesis of engineered nanoparticles with at least one dimension less than 100 nm has led to countless useful and extensive applications. In this context, gold nanoparticles stimulated a growing interest, due to their peculiar characteristics such as ease of synthesis, chemical stability and optical properties. This stirred the development of numerous applications especially in the biomedical field. Exposure of manufacturers and consumers to industrial products containing nanoparticles poses a potential risk to human health and the environment. Despite this, the precise mechanisms of nanomaterial toxicity have not yet been fully elucidated. It is well known that the three main routes of exposure to nanomaterials are by inhalation, ingestion and through the skin, with inhalation being the most common route of exposure to NPs in the workplace. To provide a complete picture of the impact of inhaled gold nanoparticles on human health, in this article, we review the current knowledge about the physico-chemical characteristics of this nanomaterial, in the size range of 1–100 nm, and its toxicity for pulmonary structures both in vitro and in vivo. Studies comparing the toxic effect of NPs larger than 100 nm (up to 250 nm) are also discussed.
Stress Enhances Proinflammatory Platelet Activity: the Impact of Acute and Chronic Mental Stress
Authors: Koudouovoh-Tripp Pia , Hüfner Katharina , Egeter Jonas , Kandler Christina , Giesinger Johannes M. , Sopper Sieghart , Humpel Christian , Sperner-Unterweger Barbara 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe role of platelets in hemostasis and thrombosis has long been recognized, recently their contribution to immunological and inflammatory processes is emerging. Platelets could be the missing link between cardiovascular disease, chronic stress and depressive symptoms. Both physical and mental stressors cause platelet activation reflected by changes in platelet bioactivity and aggregation. Here we evaluate the proinflammatory platelet response to acute and chronic mental stress. In a prospective study design an acute mental stress test was administered to 55 healthy male participants once without and once in the presence of chronic mental stress. Blood was collected prior to and at three time points following an acute mental stress test (0, 30, 60 min). Platelet proinflammatory activation markers, were assessed using FACS analysis and aggregability was measured in response to ADP or epinephrine using PFA-100. A linear mixed model was used for analysis. Chronic mental stress lead to a significant increase in state anxiety (p < 0.001), depressive symptoms (p = 0.045) and perceived stress (p = 0.001). The factor “chronic mental stress” was significantly associated with increased numbers of CD63+ platelets (p = 0.009). The factor “acute mental stress” was associated with alterations in CD62P+ platelets (p < 0.001), CD63+ platelets (p = 0.011), PAC-1+ platelets (p < 0.001) as well as platelet leucocyte aggregates (p = 0.019). The recovery of CD62P function following the acute mental stress exposure was significantly impaired by chronic stress (p = 0.023). Aggregation was affected by chronic and acute mental stress. In conclusion, mental stress is linked to an increased and prolonged proinflammatory platelet bioactivity. This proinflammatory and immunomodulatory stimuli could help to explain the link between mental and somatic disorders.
Interactive mapping of language and memory with the GE2REC protocol
Authors: Banjac Sonja , Roger Elise , Cousin Emilie , Perrone-Bertolotti Marcela , Haldin Célise , Pichat Cédric , Lamalle Laurent , Minotti Lorella , Kahane Philippe , Baciu Monica 
Published: August 2020

AbstractPrevious studies have highlighted the importance of considering cognitive functions from a dynamic and interactive perspective and multiple evidence was brought for a language and memory interaction. In this study performed with healthy participants, we present a new protocol entitled GE2REC that interactively accesses the neural representation of language-and-memory network. This protocol consists of three runs related to each other, providing a link between tasks, in order to assure an interactive measure of linguistic and episodic memory processes. GE2REC consists of a sentence generation (GE) in the auditory modality and two recollecting (2REC) memory tasks, one recognition performed in the visual modality, and another one recall performed in the auditory modality. Its efficiency was evaluated in 20 healthy volunteers using a 3T MR imager. Our results corroborate the ability of GE2REC to robustly activate fronto-temporo-parietal language network as well as temporal mesial, prefrontal and parietal cortices in encoding during sentence generation and recognition. GE2REC is useful because it: (a) requires simultaneous and interactive language-and-memory processes and jointly maps their neural basis; (b) explores encoding and retrieval, managing to elicit activation of mesial temporal structures; (c) is easy to perform, hence being suitable for more restrictive settings, and (d) has an ecological dimension of tasks and stimuli. GE2REC may be useful for studying neuroplasticity of cognitive functions, especially in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy who show reorganization of both language and memory networks. Overall, GE2REC can provide valuable information in terms of the practical foundation of exploration language and memory interconnection.