bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gene therapy to the blood–brain barrier with resulting protein secretion as a strategy for treatment of Niemann Picks type C2 disease
Authors: Hede Eva , Christiansen Christine B. , Heegaard Christian W. , Moos Torben , Burkhart Annette 
Published: February 2020

AbstractTreatment of many diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS) is complicated by the inability of several therapeutics to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Genetically modifying brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) denotes an approach to overcome the limitations of the BBB by turning BCECs into recombinant protein factories. This will result in protein secretion toward both the brain and peripheral circulation, which is particularly relevant in genetic diseases, like lysosomal storage diseases (LSD), where cells are ubiquitously affected both in the CNS and the periphery. Here we investigated transfection of primary rat brain capillary endothelial cells (rBCECs) for synthesis and secretion of recombinant NPC2, the protein deficient in the lysosomal cholesterol storage disease Niemann Pick type C2. We demonstrate prominent NPC2 gene induction and protein secretion in 21% of BCECs in non‐mitotic monocultures with a biological effect on NPC2‐deficient fibroblasts as verified from changes in filipin III staining of cholesterol deposits. By comparison the transfection efficiency was 75% in HeLa‐cells, known to persist in a mitotic state. When co‐cultured with primary rat astrocytes in conditions with maintained BBB properties 7% BCECs were transfected, clearly suggesting that induction of BBB properties with polarized conditions of the non‐mitotic BCECs influences the transfection efficacy and secretion directionality. In conclusion, non‐viral gene therapy to rBCECs leads to protein secretion and signifies a method for NPC2 to target cells inside the CNS otherwise inaccessible because of the presence of the BBB. However, obtaining high transfection efficiencies is crucial in order to achieve sufficient therapeutic effects.imageCover Image for this issue:https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.15050.
Scrubs contamination, domestic laundry effect and workwear habits of clinical staff at a referral hospital
Authors: Kokkinos P. , Morgan L. , Hughes K. , Pollard D. , Gasson J. , Bowlt‐Blacklock K. 
Published: February 2020

ObjectiveTo determine contamination rates of scrub suits worn by veterinary surgeons and nurses following a single shift.Materials and MethodsCross‐sectional preliminary study at a UK small animal referral centre. Sterilised scrub suits were distributed to veterinary surgeons (n = 9) and nurses (n = 9) at the beginning of their clinical shift and worn for at least 8 hours. They were then analysed for bacterial contamination before and after home laundry at 30°C. A questionnaire was distributed to hospital clinical staff regarding workwear habits.ResultsMedian bacterial counts were 47 (interquartile range: 14 to 162) and 7 (interquartile range: 0 to 27) colony forming units per cm2 before and after laundering scrub suits. Bacteria identified included Staphylococcus sp., Enterococcus sp.,
Escherichia coli
, Bacillus sp.,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, Micrococcus sp., β‐haemolytic Streptococci and a Group G Streptococcus. From 101 staff surveyed, 64.0% reported wearing fresh, clean scrub tops and 58.4% fresh, clean trousers each day, while 64.4% left the workplace wearing the same clothing in which they undertook clinical work.Clinical SignificanceWorkwear contamination risks spread of pathogens into the community and personnel compliance with workplace guidelines warrants further attention. Home laundry at 30°C significantly decreases, but does not eliminate, the bacterial burden after a single shift.
Molecular characterisation and clinical outcomes of Candida auris infection: Single‐centre experience in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Almaghrabi Reem S. , Albalawi Rashed , Mutabagani Maysoon , Atienza Edwin , Aljumaah Suliman , Gade Lalitha , Forsberg Kaitlin , Litvintseva Anastasia , Althawadi Sahar 
Published: February 2020

SummaryBackgroundCandida auris is a difficult‐to‐diagnose multidrug‐resistant yeast that can cause invasive infections with high mortality. Since emerging in 2009, this pathogen has been associated with numerous outbreaks around the world. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is instrumental for understanding the emergence and local transmission of this pathogen.ObjectivesTo describe the clinical, molecular characteristics of Candida auris infection and clinical outcome in our centre.Patients and methodsPatients with positive cultures for Candida auris were identified in a microbiology database. Clinical characteristics and antifungal susceptibility were obtained. Isolates were sent to the US CDC for whole genome sequencing.ResultsSeven unique patients with eight different isolates were identified. Seven isolates were sent to the US CDC for whole genome sequencing. None of the patients had bloodstream infection. Thirty‐day mortality was higher in infected patients compared with those who were colonised. Seven of the eight isolates were resistant to both fluconazole, and five were resistant to amphotericin B. WGS analysis demonstrated that the seven isolates belonged to the South Asian clade but formed two distinct subclades suggesting two independent introductions and ongoing transmission within the facility.ConclusionsCandida auris is associated with a high mortality rate in infected patients. Strict infection control measures and surveillance for asymptomatic cases are warranted to halt ongoing transmission.
Improving oral cavity cancer diagnosis and treatment with fluorescence molecular imaging
Authors: Vonk Jasper , de Wit Jaron Gérard , Voskuil Floris Jan , Witjes Max Johannes Hendrikus 
Published: February 2020

AbstractEarly diagnosis and radical surgical excision of oral squamous cell carcinomas are essential for achieving optimal treatment outcomes. To date, diagnostic tools that rely on anatomical anomalies provide limited information and resolution in clinical practice. As a result, oral cancer is often detected in an advanced stage. Also, no reliable real‐time intraoperative tools are readily available for the evaluation of surgical resection margins. Fluorescence imaging visualises biological processes that occur in early carcinogenesis and could, therefore, enable detection of small tumours in early stages. Furthermore, due to the high sensitivity and spatial resolution, fluorescence imaging could assist in resection margin assessment during surgery. In this review, we discuss several techniques that employ fluorescence for early diagnosis and surgical guidance in oral squamous cell carcinoma and present future perspectives on the potential of fluorescence imaging in oral cancer in the near future.
Low FCMR mRNA expression in leukocytes of patients with Kawasaki disease six months after disease onset
Authors: Chang Ling‐Sai , Guo Mindy Ming‐Huey , Yan Jia‐Huei , Huang Ying‐Hsien , Lo Mao‐Hung , Kuo Ho‐Chang 
Published: February 2020

AbstractBackgroundImmunoglobulin (Ig) M plays an important role in immune regulation. FCMR‐encoded FcμR is a receptor of IgM. Previous research has suggested that IgM levels may be involved in the coronary artery lesions of Kawasaki syndrome or Kawasaki disease (KD). In this study, we aimed to explore the roles of mRNA expressions of IgM receptors, particularly FCMR, in KD patients. FCMR encodes the Fc fragment of immunoglobulin M receptor.MethodsWe enrolled 60 KD patients and 55 non‐KD controls. Whole‐blood leukocytes were isolated, and the mRNA expression for FCMR was determined. Each mRNA consisted of a sample taken before intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) was administered (acute, KD1) and those taken at three weeks, six months, and one year later (KD3, KD4, KD5). Paired KD subjects were analyzed from both the acute and convalescent phases (n = 28).ResultsAfter six months and one year of treatment, KD patients still apparently have lower FCMR compared with controls (P = .004). FCMR expressions were downregulated in male patients with KD prior to IVIG administration (P = .044). The FCMR of paired KD patients who received IVIG treatments after six months was significantly lower than before undergoing IVIG treatment (P = .044). Expressions in the polymorphonuclear leukocytes were similar to those in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells.ConclusionThe unique data supported that FCMR is expressed by granulocytes at RNA levels in humans and demonstrated lower FCMR six months after the onset of KD. The findings remind us of the need to track the health of children with KD over the long term, even if we think patients have fully recovered.
Implementation of Digital‐Era Governance: The Case of Open Data in U.S. Cities
Authors: Young Matthew M. 
Published: February 2020

AbstractThis article examines the institutional factors that influence the implementation of open data platforms in U.S. cities. Public management scholarship has argued that governance can be transformed by new information technologies that improve transparency and engagement, reduce administrative costs, and support performance management systems. However, this argument ignores key risks for administrators, as well as institutional and political obstacles that can thwart implementation. This article uses hierarchical negative binomial regression to analyze the organizational and institutional features influencing implementation in more than 1,500 departments across 60 cities. Department type and administrative capacity are strongly associated with the number of open data files available, while city‐level institutional characteristics and administrative capacity are not significant factors. Municipal demographics are also identified as a factor, suggesting a potential demand‐side influence from wealthy and technologically proficient residents.Evidence for Practice

The implementation of open data policies benefits from targeted approaches at the department level rather than uniform, citywide objectives or requirements.
City executive‐level positions such as chief data or information officers are not necessarily associated with successful implementation, measured by the number of open data files made available.
Open data implementation involves additional administrative responsibilities and labor at the department level, so city administrators looking to expand the number and variety of data sets available through their open data platforms should devote time and resources to working directly with departments to facilitate and encourage data sharing.
Administrators looking to expand the number and variety of data sets available through their open data platforms should consider the costs associated with investing in increasing individual departments’ abilities to balance the additional administrative responsibilities and labor involved.
Comparison of tuberculin skin test and interferon gamma release assay in pediatric candidates of heart transplantation and a 2‐year follow‐up
Authors: Sayyahfar Shirin , Mahdavi Mohammad , Seyedi Arani Soodeh , Fotovati Zahra 
Published: February 2020

AbstractBackgroundCurrently, tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) are used to find the latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) cases in the candidates of heart transplantation. Therefore, this study aimed to compare TST and IGRA to diagnose LTBI in pediatric heart transplant candidates.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study was performed on 50 children, who were candidates for heart transplantation, of whom 42 cases underwent heart transplantation in Shahid Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical, and Research center, Tehran, Iran, from 2016 to 2017.ResultsParticipants of the study included 24 male patients (%48) (p‐value = 0.67). The mean age of the patients was 8.18 ± 4.27 years (1‐16 years). According to the results, IGRA was negative in all patients, and no indeterminate result was reported, while the purified derivative test (PPD) was positive in three (6%) cases. In comparison with QFT, an accuracy of 94% was achieved for TST to diagnose Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.ConclusionsIt seems that TST can still be used as an accurate test for screening LTBI in pediatric candidates for heart transplantation.
Design of a Robotic Rehabilitation System for Mild Cognitive Impairment Based on Computer Vision
Authors: Chen Hao-dong , Zhu Hongbo , Teng Zhiqiang , Zhao Ping 
Published: February 2020

AbstractThis paper develops a robotic cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CRT) system to assist patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in block design test (BDT) rehabilitation training. This system bridges the treatment gap that occurs when one physician has several patients to attend to. One physician can setup the BDT training task and simultaneously monitor the training progress of several patients with MCI, which forms an effective one-to-many rehabilitation model. A target information acquisition method is designed to realize target detection and position extraction in automatic rehabilitation. Two graphic user interfaces (GUIs) are developed to provide intuitive control and immediate visual feedback. Different BDTs are selected from the benchmark by the physician in an integrated GUI (I-GUI) and are assigned to several patient GUIs (P-GUIs), respectively. During training, automatic visual assistance can be triggered by the help button and the patients can be guided in finding the target block. Additionally, a robotic arm could be engaged to further help with teaching so that patients can follow the instructions given by the P-GUI and imitate the demonstration given by the robot arm to finish the training task. This system converts traditional MCI rehabilitation into an automatic process, creating an effective model of BDT training for MCI rehabilitation.
Lumped Parameter Modeling and Snap-Through Stability Analysis of Planar Hydraulically Amplified Dielectric Elastomer Actuators
Authors: Zamanian Amir Hosein , Son David Y. , Krueger Paul S. , Richer Edmond 
Published: February 2020

AbstractIn this paper, we established an analytical model that avoids extensive numerical computation for the analysis of a hydraulically amplified dielectric elastomer actuator. This actuator comprises a thin elastomer shell filled with an incompressible dielectric fluid coupled with a pair of electrodes placed in the central area. Application of high voltage on the electrodes inflates the actuator due to the induced Maxwell stress that pressurizes the incompressible dielectric fluid. The lumped parameter model predicts the stable functional region and the snap-through instability in the actuator. The model was compared with multi-physics finite element models that considered both linear elastic and nonlinear Mooney–Rivlin materials. The proposed model showed good agreement in the estimation of the actuation strain and the hydrostatic pressure as a function of voltage when compared to the finite element results. The average error in the axial and radial actuation using the proposed analytical model and nonlinear finite element method models was 1.62% and 3.42%, respectively. This shows the model strength in the estimation of the actuator states and the critical voltage to avoid snap-through instability, required in applications such as control algorithms.
Investigation of the Mechanical Behavior of Electroless Ni–P–Ti Composite Coatings
Authors: Li Zhi , Farhat Zoheir , Jarjoura George , Fayyad Eman , Abdullah Aboubakr , Hassan Mohammad 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
To improve the toughness of Ni–P coatings, NiTi superelastic particles were introduced into the Ni–P matrix through the electroless co-depositing of Ni–P and Ti particles and annealing Ni–P–Ti coatings. The mechanical properties of the coatings were determined through bend testing bilayer specimens and tensile testing the standalone coating. The effects of Ti content and annealing on Young’s modulus, toughness, and fracture strength were investigated. After annealing, the toughness and strength improved considerably. The formation of the superelastic NiTi phase after annealing led to the improvement of toughness and fracture strength of the composite coating through transformation toughening, crack deflection, bridging, and shielding. Different toughening mechanisms interacted with each other and operated together. This contributed to the enhancement of toughness and fracture strength.
Numerical and Experimental Analyses of Breakwater Designs for Turbulent Flow Characteristics and Sediment Transport Under Coastal Wave Actions
Authors: Wang Hairui , Foltz William , Zhang Ning , Dermisis Dimitrios 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
The goal of the study is to identify optimal breakwater designs to be placed on the banks of various water bodies in coastal Louisiana, to prevent the coastal erosion. Coastal erosion is a significant concern for Louisiana's wavy coastline. The loss of coastal wetlands is threatening the environment and the economic development. One of the ways to prevent coastal erosion and wetland losses is by using breakwaters designed to reduce the wave energy and change the transport of sediments brought by the waves. The objective of this research is to analyze the turbulent characteristics around specially designed three-dimensional (3D) breakwaters, and its impact on sediment deposition under coastal wave actions. Both computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and experimental measurements were conducted. In order to validate the CFD models used for this study, the simulation results were compared to data measured from a scale-down experiment. Once the validity of the CFD models has been confirmed on three miniature panels, namely, a solid panel, a panel with three holes, and a panel with eight holes, the simulations were scaled up to the actual size of the designed breakwater panels for tests. The breakwater designs aim to allow sediment pass through the holes, to deposit sediment at target areas, and to reduce wave actions. There were three different panel-design cases simulated in this study. The results of 3D CFD simulations of these panels were compared and analyzed to determine the performance of each design in terms of wave reduction and sediment retention.
Thermodynamics Model for Stribeck Curve and Experiments: The Role of Interfacial Interaction
Authors: Zhang Xiangjun , Jing Haoda , Tian Yu , Meng Yonggang 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
A thermodynamics model was built to simulate and analyze the Stribeck curve of a lubrication system, focusing on the competition between the hydrodynamic effect of the lubricant and the lubricant–substrate interaction effect. For the first time, an entropy production model for a lubrication system was introduced by combining with interfacial disjoining pressure function and interfacial free energy. It reveals that as the film thickness of the lubricant decrease to nanometers, the friction force resulted from interfacial interaction becomes significant and dominant. Meanwhile, the Stribeck curve of the lubrication system presents transition lubrication regime with minimum friction coefficients, namely, valley zone. The Stribeck curve based on the thermodynamic model was simulated and experimentally confirmed by friction tests on silicon wafer substrates modified with different free energies. Test results revealed that a stronger interfacial interaction may cause a smaller friction coefficient within the valley zone on the Stribeck curve, and the corresponding transition regime could be tailored by modifying the interfacial interaction. The proposed thermodynamic model is inclusive and reasonable to reveal the multiscale and multidiscipline effects involved in the lubrication and friction system.
Effectiveness of an innovative and comprehensive eye care model for individuals in residential care facilities: results of the residential ocular care (ROC) multicentred randomised controlled trial
Authors: Man Ryan Eyn Kidd , Gan Alfred Tau Liang , Constantinou Marios , Fenwick Eva K , Holloway Edith , Finkelstein Eric A , Coote Michael , Jackson Jonathan , Rees Gwyn , Lamoureux Ecosse Luc 
Published: February 2020

BackgroundTo assess the clinical and patient-centred effectiveness of a novel residential ocular care (ROC) model in Australian individuals residing in residential care.MethodsIn this prospective, multicentred, randomised controlled trial conducted in 38 Australian aged-care facilities (2015–2017), 178 visually impaired individuals living in residential care facilities (mean age ±SD: 83.9±8.6 years; 65.7% women) were cluster randomised to ROC (n=95) or usual care (n=83) pathways. The ROC arm comprised a tailored and comprehensive within-site eye examination and care rehabilitation pathway, while usual care participants were given a referral to an external eyecare provider. Outcomes included presenting distance and near visual acuity (PNVA); Rasch-transformed Reading, Emotional and Mobility scores from the Impact of Vision Impairment questionnaire; quality of vision (QoV comprising Rasch-transformed Frequency, Severity and Bother domains) scores; Euroqol-5-Dimensions (raw scores); Cornell Scale for Depression (raw scores) and 6-month falls frequency, assessed at baseline and 6 months post intervention. Within-group and between-group comparisons were conducted using linear mixed models, adjusted for baseline differences in characteristics between the two arms.ResultsAt 6 months, intention-to-treat analyses showed significant between-group improvements in ROC residents compared with usual care for PNVA, Emotional and QoV scores (all p<0.05) These significant findings were retained in per-protocol analyses. No other between-group changes were observed.ConclusionOur ROC model was effective in improving near vision, emotional well-being and perceived burden of vision-related symptoms in residential care dwellers in Australia with vision impairment. Future studies to evaluate the cost effectiveness and implementation of ROC in Australia are warranted.