bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
High-voltage, diffuse delta rhythms coincide with wakeful consciousness and complexity in Angelman syndrome
Authors: Frohlich Joel , Bird Lynne M , Dell’Italia John , Johnson Micah A , Hipp Joerg F , Monti Martin M 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Abundant evidence from slow wave sleep, anesthesia, coma, and epileptic seizures links high-voltage, slow electroencephalogram (EEG) activity to loss of consciousness. This well-established correlation is challenged by the observation that children with Angelman syndrome (AS), while fully awake and displaying volitional behavior, display a hypersynchronous delta (1–4 Hz) frequency EEG phenotype typical of unconsciousness. Because the trough of the delta oscillation is associated with down-states in which cortical neurons are silenced, the presence of volitional behavior and wakefulness in AS amidst diffuse delta rhythms presents a paradox. Moreover, high-voltage, slow EEG activity is generally assumed to lack complexity, yet many theories view functional brain complexity as necessary for consciousness. Here, we use abnormal cortical dynamics in AS to assess whether EEG complexity may scale with the relative level of consciousness despite a background of hypersynchronous delta activity. As characterized by multiscale metrics, EEGs from 35 children with AS feature significantly greater complexity during wakefulness compared with sleep, even when comparing the most pathological segments of wakeful EEG to the segments of sleep EEG least likely to contain conscious mentation and when factoring out delta power differences across states. These findings (i) warn against reverse inferring an absence of consciousness solely on the basis of high-amplitude EEG delta oscillations, (ii) corroborate rare observations of preserved consciousness under hypersynchronization in other conditions, (iii) identify biomarkers of consciousness that have been validated under conditions of abnormal cortical dynamics, and (iv) lend credence to theories linking consciousness with complexity.
How Reliable Are Volumetric Techniques for High-Grade Gliomas? A Comparison Study of Different Available Tools
Authors: Zeppa Pietro , Neitzert Luca , Mammi Marco , Monticelli Matteo , Altieri Roberto , Castaldo Margherita , Cofano Fabio , Borrè Alda , Zenga Francesco , Melcarne Antonio , Garbossa Diego 
Published: June 2020

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Gliomas are the most common malignant primary brain tumors. Assessment of the tumor volume represents a crucial point in preoperative and postoperative evaluation.

OBJECTIVE
To compare pre- and postoperative tumor volumes obtained with an automated, semi-automatic, and manual segmentation tool. Mean processing time of each segmentation techniques was measured.

METHODS
Manual segmentation was performed on preoperative and postoperative magnetic resonance images with the open-source software Horos (Horos Project). “SmartBrush,” a tool of the IPlan Cranial software (Brainlab, Feldkirchen, Germany), was used to carry out the semi-automatic segmentation. The open-source BraTumIA software (NeuroImaging Tools and Resources Collaboratory) was employed for the automated segmentation. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to assess volumetric comparison. Subsequently deviation/range and average discrepancy were determined. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to assess statistical significance.

RESULTS
A total of 58 patients with a newly diagnosed high-grade glioma were enrolled. The comparison of the volumes calculated with Horos and IPlan showed a strong agreement both on preoperative and postoperative images (respectively: “enhancing” ρ = 0.99-0.78, “fluid-attenuated inversion recovery” ρ = 0.97-0.92, and “total tumor volume” ρ = 0.98-0.95). Agreement between BraTumIA and the other 2 techniques appeared to be strong for preoperative images, but showed a higher disagreement on postoperative images. Mean time expenditure for tumor segmentation was 27 min with manual segmentation, 17 min with semi-automated, and 8 min with automated software.

CONCLUSION
The considered segmentation tools showed high agreement in preoperative volumetric assessment. Both manual and semi-automated software appear adequate for the postoperative quantification of residual volume. The evaluated automated software is not yet reliable. Automated software considerably reduces the time expenditure.
MI5, the Cold War, and the Rule of Law
Authors: Ewing Keith , Mahoney Joan , Moretta Andrew 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
This title is concerned with the powers, activities, and accountability of MI5 principally in the period from 1945 to 1964. It was a body without statutory authority, with no statutory powers, and with no obvious forms of statutory accountability. It was established as a counter-espionage agency, yet was beset by espionage scandals on a frequency that suggested if not high levels of incompetence, then high levels of distraction and the squandering of resources. The book addresses the evolution of MI5’s mandate which set out its role and functions and to a limited extent the lines of accountability, the surveillance targets of MI5, and the surveillance methods that it used for this purpose, with a focus in two chapters on MPs and lawyers, respectively; the purposes for which this information was used, principally to exclude people from certain forms of employment; and the accountability of MI5 or the lack thereof for the way in which it discharged its responsibilities under the mandate.
What Do We Owe to Animals? Kant on Non-Intrinsic Value
Authors: Hay Carol 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
This chapter argues that intrinsic value is necessarily connected to the rational ability people have to value things. Because animals do not have this ability, they cannot have intrinsic value. This means that if animals are to have any value at all, their value must be non-intrinsic. I argue that, despite their seemingly second-rate moral status, we can construct a surprisingly robust Kantian account of what we owe to animals. Kant is usually interpreted as arguing that the only reason we have to avoid cruelty to animals is that such behaviour is likely to harden our characters, making us more likely to behave cruelly towards people. I argue here that we can affirm the basic Kantian story about the loci and sources of both intrinsic and non-intrinsic value without being committed to a variety of morally problematic conclusions about animals. On this picture, we can still say that animals matter morally, that their interests must be taken into account, that they are moral patients or subjects, and that they deserve genuine moral consideration or regard.
RADIATION DOSE ASSESSMENT TO FAMILY MEMBERS TAKING CARE OF NON-CANCEROUS THYROID PATIENTS TREATED WITH I-131 THERAPY IN NUCLEAR MEDICINE DEPARTMENT
Authors: Kadhim Ali Abdulhasan , Sheikhzadeh Peyman , Farzanefar Saeed , Yavari Shima , Ay Mohammad Reza 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
This study aimed to determine the effective doses of caregivers taking care of non-cancerous patients treated with iodine-131 (I-131). Patients (administered 185–1110 MBq of I-131) were given specific radiation safety instructions (RSI). Afterwards, caregivers were provided with thermoluminescent (TLD) dosimeter badges to be worn for 12–28 days when taking care of the patients. At the end of this period, TLD measurements were obtained. Results showed that caregivers’ mean effective dose was 0.15 ± 0.15 mSv, which is far less than the international recommendations of 5 mSv. Furthermore, the effective doses had no significant correlation with administered I-131 activity to the patients, distance from the hospital, caregivers’ age, educational level and mode of transport. Our study showed that radiation doses received by caregivers of non-cancerous patients are higher than that of cancerous patients, nevertheless their received doses were within the international limits, thereby indicating good compliance by the caregivers to RSI.
The critical importance of experimentation in biomarker-based trophic ecology
Authors: Galloway Aaron W. E. , Budge Suzanne M. 
Published: June 2020

Fatty acids are commonly used as biomarkers for making inferences about trophic relationships in aquatic and soil food webs. However, researchers are often unaware of the physiological constraints within organisms on the trophic transfer and modification of dietary biomarkers in consumers. Fatty acids are bioactive molecules, which have diverse structures and functions that both complicate and enhance their value as trophic tracers. For instance, consumers may synthesize confounding non-dietary sourced markers from precursor molecules, and environmental conditions also affect fatty acid composition. There is a vital need for more research on the uptake and transfer of trophic biomarkers in individual organisms in order to advance the field and make meaningful use of these tools at the scale of populations or ecosystems. This special issue is focused on controlled feeding experiments on a diverse taxonomic breadth of model consumers from freshwater, marine and soil ecosystems with a goal of creating a more integrated understanding of the connection between consumer physiology and trophic ecology.
This article is part of the theme issue ‘The next horizons for lipids as ‘trophic biomarkers’: evidence and significance of consumer modification of dietary fatty acids'.
Feasibility of dual phase 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT imaging in rheumatoid arthritis evaluation
Authors: Abdelhafez Yasser G. , Godinez Felipe , Sood Kanika , Hagge Rosalie J. , Boutin Robert D. , Raychaudhuri Siba P. , Badawi Ramsey D. , Chaudhari Abhijit J. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractObjectivesTo prospectively demonstrate the feasibility of performing dual-phase SPECT/CT for the assessment of the small joints of the hands of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and to evaluate the reliability of the quantitative and qualitative measures derived from the resulting images.MethodsA SPECT/CT imaging protocol was developed in this pilot study to scan both hands simultaneously in RA patients, in two phases of 99mTc-MDP radiotracer uptake; namely the soft-tissue blood pool phase (within 15 minutes after radiotracer injection) and osseous phase (after 3 hours). Joints were evaluated qualitatively (normal vs. abnormal uptake) and quantitatively (by measuring the maximum corrected count ratio [MCCR]). Qualitative and quantitative evaluations were repeated to assess reliability.ResultsFour participants completed seven studies (all four were imaged at baseline, and three of them at follow-up after 1-month of arthritis therapy). A total of 280 joints (20 per hand) were evaluated. The MCCR from soft-tissue phase scans was significantly higher for clinically abnormal joints compared to clinically normal ones; p<0.001, however the MCCR from the osseous phase scans were not different between the two groups. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) for MCCR was excellent (0.9789, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9734-0.9833). Intra-observer agreement for qualitative SPECT findings was good for both the soft-tissue phase (kappa=0.78, 95%CI: 0.72-0.83) and osseous-phase (kappa=0.70, 95%CI: 0.64-0.76) scans.ConclusionExtracting reliable quantitative and qualitative measures from dual-phase 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT hand scans is feasible in RA patients. SPECT/CT may provide a unique means for assessing both synovitis and osseous involvement in RA joints using the same radiotracer injection.
Copper deficiency alters shoot architecture and reduces fertility of both gynoecium and androecium inArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Ishka Maryam Rahmati , Vatamaniuk Olena K. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractCopper deficiency reduces plant growth, male fertility and seed set. The contribution of copper to female fertility and the underlying molecular aspects of copper deficiency-caused phenotypes are not well-known. We show that among copper deficiency-caused defects inArabidopsis thalianawere the increased shoot branching, delayed flowering and senescence, and entirely abolished gynoecium fertility. The increased shoot branching of copper-deficient plants was rescued by the exogenous application of auxin or copper. The delayed flowering was associated with the decreased expression of the floral activator,FT. Copper deficiency also decreased the expression of senescence-associated genes,WRKY53andSAG13, but increased the expression ofSAG12. The reduced fertility of copper-deficient plants stemmed from multiple factors including the abnormal stigma papillae development, the abolished gynoecium fertility, and the failure of anthers to dehisce. The latter defect was associated with reduced lignification, the upregulation of copper microRNAs and the downregulation of their targets, laccases, implicated in lignin synthesis. Copper-deficient plants accumulated ROS in pollen and had reduced cytochromecoxidase activity in leaves. This study opens new avenues for the investigation into the relationship between copper homeostasis, hormone-mediated shoot architecture, gynoecium fertility and copper deficiency-derived nutritional signals leading to the delay in flowering and senescence.HighlightCopper deficiency alters shoot architecture, delays flowering and senescence, and compromises fertility by altering stigma morphology, disrupting anther lignification and dehiscence, and pollen redox status inArabidopsis thaliana.
Colon Cancer and SARS-CoV-2: Impact of ACE2 Expression in Susceptibility to COVID-19
Authors: Ahmadi Mohsen , Saffarzadeh Negin , Habibi Mohammad Amin , Hajiesmaeili Fatemeh , Rezaei Nima 
Published: June 2020

AbstractNovel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has become a global health emergency. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) interacts with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enter the cells and infects diverse human tissues. It has been reported that a few conditions, including cancer, predispose individuals to SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe form of COVID-19. These findings led us to evaluate the susceptibility of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) patients to SARS-CoV-2 infection by investigation of ACE2 expression in their tumor tissues. The expression analysis revealed that both mRNA and protein levels of ACE2 had increased in colon cancer samples than normal group. Next, the prognosis analysis has indicated that the upregulation of ACE2 was not correlated with patient survival outcomes. Further assessment displayed the hypomethylation of the ACE2 gene promoter in COAD patients. Surprisingly, this methylation status has a strong negative correlation with ACE2 gene expression. The functional enrichment analysis of the genes that had similar expression patterns with ACE2 in colon cancer tissues demonstrated that they mainly enriched in Vitamin digestion and absorption, Sulfur relay system, and Fat digestion and absorption pathways. Finally, we found that ACE2 gene expression had a significant association with the immune cell infiltration levels in COAD patients. In conclusion, it has plausible that COAD patients are more likely to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and experience severe injuries. Moreover, COVID-19 would bring unfavorable survival outcomes of patients with colon cancer by the way of immune cell infiltration linked process. The present study highlights the importance of preventive actions for COAD patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 challenges to dentistry in the new pandemic epicenter: Brazil
Authors: Moraes Rafael R. , Correa Marcos B. , Queiroz Ana B. , Daneris Ândrea , Lopes João P. , Pereira-Cenci Tatiana , D’Avila Otávio P. , Cenci Maximiliano S. , Lima Giana S. , Demarco Flávio F. 
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACTA nationwide survey of dentists was carried out in Brazil, a new pandemic epicenter, to analyze how dental coverage has been affected (public versus private networks), changes in routine and burdens, and how the local prevalence of COVID-19 affects dental professionals. Dentists were recruited via email and an Instagram® campaign. Responses to an online questionnaire were collected May 15–24, 2020. COVID-19 case/death counts in the state where respondents work was used to test associations between contextual status and decreases in weekly appointments, fear of contracting COVID-19 at work, and current work status (α=0.05). Over 10 days, 3,122 responses were received, with region, gender, and age distributions similar to those of dentists in Brazil. Work status was affected for 94% of dentists, with less developed regions being more impacted. The impact on routine was high or very high for 84%, leading to varied changes to clinic infrastructure, personal protective equipment use, patient screening, and increased costs. COVID-19 patients had been seen by 5.3% of respondents, and 90% reported fearing contracting COVID-19 at work. Multilevel statistics showed that greater case and death rates (1000 cases or 100 deaths/million inhabitants) in one’s state increased the odds of being fearful of contracting the disease (by 18% and 25%). For each additional 1000 cases or 100 deaths, the odds of currently not working or treating emergencies increased by 36% and 58%. The reduction in patients seen weekly per dentist was greater in public (38.7±18.6) than in private clinics (22.5±17.8). This study provides early evidence of three major impacts of the pandemic on dentistry in Brazil: increasing inequalities due to coverage differences between public and private networks; adoption of new clinical routines, which are associated with an economic burden; and associations of regional COVID-19 incidence and mortality with fear of contracting the disease at work.
Integrating genotypes and phenotypes improves long-term forecasts of seasonal influenza A/H3N2 evolution
Authors: Huddleston John , Barnes John R. , Rowe Thomas , Xu Xiyan , Kondor Rebecca , Wentworth David E. , Whittaker Lynne , Ermetal Burcu , Daniels Rodney S. , McCauley John W. , Fujisaki Seiichiro , Nakamura Kazuya , Kishida Noriko , Watanabe Shinji , Hasegawa Hideki , Barr Ian , Subbarao Kanta , Neher Richard A. , Bedford Trevor 
Published: June 2020

AbstractSeasonal influenza virus A/H3N2 is a major cause of death globally. Vaccination remains the most effective preventative. Rapid mutation of hemagglutinin allows viruses to escape adaptive immunity. This antigenic drift necessitates regular vaccine updates. Effective vaccine strains need to represent H3N2 populations circulating one year after strain selection. Experts select strains based on experimental measurements of antigenic drift and predictions made by models from hemagglutinin sequences. We developed a novel influenza forecasting framework that integrates phenotypic measures of antigenic drift and functional constraint with previously published sequence-only fitness estimates. Forecasts informed by phenotypic measures of antigenic drift consistently outperformed previous sequence-only estimates, while sequence-only estimates of functional constraint surpassed more comprehensive experimentally-informed estimates. Importantly, the best models integrated estimates of both functional constraint and either antigenic drift phenotypes or recent population growth.
A systematic and quantitative comparison of lattice and Gaussian light-sheets
Authors: Chang Bo-Jui , Dean Kevin M. , Fiolka Reto 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe axial resolving power of a light-sheet microscope is determined by the thickness of the illumination beam and the numerical aperture of its detection optics. Bessel-based optical lattices have generated significant interest owing to their potentially narrow beam waist and propagation-invariant characteristics. Yet, despite their significant use in Lattice Light-Sheet Microscopy, and recent incorporation into commercialized systems, there are very few quantitative reports on their physical properties and how they compare to standard Gaussian illumination beams. Here, we systematically measure the beam properties in transmission of dithered square lattices, which is the most commonly used variant of Lattice Light-Sheet Microscopy, and Gaussian-based light-sheets. After a systematic analysis, we find that square lattices are very similar to Gaussian-based light-sheets in terms of thickness, confocal parameter and propagation length.
Reproductive barriers as a byproduct of gene network evolution
Authors: Yang Chia-Hung , Scarpino Samuel V. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractMolecular analyses of closely related taxa have increasingly revealed the importance of higher-order genetic interactions in explaining the observed pattern of reproductive isolation between populations. Indeed, both empirical and theoretical studies have linked the process of speciation to complex genetic interactions. Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs) capture the inter-dependencies of gene expression and encode information about an individual’s phenotype and development at the molecular level. As a result, GRNs can–in principle–evolve via natural selection and play a role in non-selective, evolutionary forces. Here, we develop a network-based model, termed the pathway framework, that considers GRNs as a functional representation of coding sequences. We then simulated the dynamics of GRNs using a simple model that included natural selection, genetic drift, and sexual reproduction and found that reproductive barriers can develop rapidly between allopatric populations experiencing identical selection pressure. Further, we show that alleles involved in reproductive isolation can predate the allopatric separation of populations and that the number of interacting loci involved in genetic incompatibilities, i.e., the order, is often high simply as a by-product of the networked structure of GRNs. Finally, we discuss how results from the pathway framework are consistent with observed empirical patterns for genes putatively involved in post-zygotic isolation. Taken together, this study adds support for the central role of gene networks in speciation and in evolution more broadly.
Interpretation of the morphological adaptations associated with viviparity in the Tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans) by three dimensional analysis
Authors: Attardo GM , Tam N , Parkinson DY , Mack LK , Zahnle XJ , Arguellez J , Takáč P , Malacrida AR 
Published: June 2020

AbstractTsetse flies (genusGlossina), the sole vectors of African trypanosomiasis, are distinct from other disease vectors, and most other insects, due to dramatic morphological and physiological adaptations required to support their unique life histories. These evolutionary adaptations are driven by demands associated with their strict dietary and reproductive requirements. Tsetse reproduce by obligate viviparity which entails obligate intrauterine larval development and provisioning of nutrients for the developing larvae. Viviparous reproduction reduces reproductive capacity/rate which also drives increased inter- and intra-sexual competition. Here, we use phase contrast microcomputed tomography (pcMicroCT) to perform a three-dimensional (3D) analysis of viviparity associated morphological adaptations of tsetse female reproductive tract. These include 1) abdominal modifications facilitating the extreme abdominal distention required during blood feeding and pregnancy; 2) abdominal and uterine musculature required for parturition of developed larvae; 3) reduction of ovarian structure and capacity; 4) structural features of the spermatophore form in the female uterus to enhance semen/sperm delivery and inhibition of insemination by competing males; 5) uterine morphological features facilitating expansion and contraction before, during and after pregnancy; 6) milk gland structural optimizations facilitating nutrient incorporation and transfer into the uterus. The use of pcMicroCT provides unprecedented opportunities for examination and discovery of internal morphological features not possible with traditional microscopy techniques and new opportunities for comparative morphological analyses over time and between species.