bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
NoPv1: a synthetic antimicrobial peptide aptamer targeting the causal agents of grapevine downy mildew and potato late blight
Authors: Colombo Monica , Masiero Simona , Rosa Stefano , Caporali Elisabetta , Toffolatti Silvia Laura , Mizzotti Chiara , Tadini Luca , Rossi Fabio , Pellegrino Sara , Musetti Rita , Velasco Riccardo , Perazzolli Michele , Vezzulli Silvia , Pesaresi Paolo 
Published: October 2020

AbstractGrapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is a crop of major economic importance. However, grapevine yield is guaranteed by the massive use of pesticides to counteract pathogen infections. Under temperate-humid climate conditions, downy mildew is a primary threat for viticulture. Downy mildew is caused by the biotrophic oomycete Plasmopara viticola Berl. & de Toni, which can attack grapevine green tissues. In lack of treatments and with favourable weather conditions, downy mildew can devastate up to 75% of grape cultivation in one season and weaken newly born shoots, causing serious economic losses. Nevertheless, the repeated and massive use of some fungicides can lead to environmental pollution, negative impact on non-targeted organisms, development of resistance, residual toxicity and can foster human health concerns. In this manuscript, we provide an innovative approach to obtain specific pathogen protection for plants. By using the yeast two-hybrid approach and the P. viticola cellulose synthase 2 (PvCesA2), as target enzyme, we screened a combinatorial 8 amino acid peptide library with the aim to identify interacting peptides, potentially able to inhibit PvCesa2. Here, we demonstrate that the NoPv1 peptide aptamer prevents P. viticola germ tube formation and grapevine leaf infection without affecting the growth of non-target organisms and without being toxic for human cells. Furthermore, NoPv1 is also able to counteract Phytophthora infestans growth, the causal agent of late blight in potato and tomato, possibly as a consequence of the high amino acid sequence similarity between P. viticola and P. infestans cellulose synthase enzymes.
Prebiotic oligomerization and self-assembly of structurally diverse xenobiological monomers
Authors: Chandru Kuhan , Jia Tony Z. , Mamajanov Irena , Bapat Niraja , Cleaves H. James 
Published: October 2020

AbstractPrebiotic chemists often study how modern biopolymers, e.g., peptides and nucleic acids, could have originated in the primitive environment, though most contemporary biomonomers don’t spontaneously oligomerize under mild conditions without activation or catalysis. However, life may not have originated using the same monomeric components that it does presently. There may be numerous non-biological (or “xenobiological”) monomer types that were prebiotically abundant and capable of facile oligomerization and self-assembly. Many modern biopolymers degrade abiotically preferentially via processes which produce thermodynamically stable ring structures, e.g. diketopiperazines in the case of proteins and 2′, 3′-cyclic nucleotide monophosphates in the case of RNA. This weakness is overcome in modern biological systems by kinetic control, but this need not have been the case for primitive systems. We explored here the oligomerization of a structurally diverse set of prebiotically plausible xenobiological monomers, which can hydrolytically interconvert between cyclic and acyclic forms, alone or in the presence of glycine under moderate temperature drying conditions. These monomers included various lactones, lactams and a thiolactone, which varied markedly in their stability, propensity to oligomerize and apparent modes of initiation, and the oligomeric products of some of these formed self-organized microscopic structures which may be relevant to protocell formation.
The “completely randomised” and the “randomised block” are the only experimental designs suitable for widespread use in pre-clinical research
Authors: Festing Michael F. W. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractToo many pre-clinical experiments are giving results which cannot be reproduced. This may be because the experiments are incorrectly designed. In “Completely randomized” (CR) and “Randomised block” (RB) experimental designs, both the assignment of treatments to experimental subjects and the order in which the experiment is done, are randomly determined. These designs have been used successfully in agricultural and industrial research and in clinical trials for nearly a century without excessive levels of irreproducibility. They must also be used in pre-clinical research if the excessive level of irreproducibility is to be eliminated. A survey of 100 papers involving mice and rats was used to determine whether scientists had used the CR or RB designs. The papers were assigned to three categories “Design acceptable”, “Randomised to treatment groups”, so of doubtful validity, or “Room for improvement”. Only 32 ± 4.7% of the papers fell into the first group, although none of them actually named either the CR or RB design. If the current high level of irreproducibility is to be eliminated, it is essential that scientists engaged in pre-clinical research use “Completely randomised” (CR), “Randomised block” (RB), or one of the more specialised named experimental designs described in textbooks on the subject.
Automatic classification between COVID-19 pneumonia, non-COVID-19 pneumonia, and the healthy on chest X-ray image: combination of data augmentation methods
Authors: Nishio Mizuho , Noguchi Shunjiro , Matsuo Hidetoshi , Murakami Takamichi 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThis study aimed to develop and validate computer-aided diagnosis (CXDx) system for classification between COVID-19 pneumonia, non-COVID-19 pneumonia, and the healthy on chest X-ray (CXR) images. From two public datasets, 1248 CXR images were obtained, which included 215, 533, and 500 CXR images of COVID-19 pneumonia patients, non-COVID-19 pneumonia patients, and the healthy samples, respectively. The proposed CADx system utilized VGG16 as a pre-trained model and combination of conventional method and mixup as data augmentation methods. Other types of pre-trained models were compared with the VGG16-based model. Single type or no data augmentation methods were also evaluated. Splitting of training/validation/test sets was used when building and evaluating the CADx system. Three-category accuracy was evaluated for test set with 125 CXR images. The three-category accuracy of the CAD system was 83.6% between COVID-19 pneumonia, non-COVID-19 pneumonia, and the healthy. Sensitivity for COVID-19 pneumonia was more than 90%. The combination of conventional method and mixup was more useful than single type or no data augmentation method. In conclusion, this study was able to create an accurate CADx system for the 3-category classification. Source code of our CADx system is available as open source for COVID-19 research.
Prenatal intrauterine growth restriction and risk of retinopathy of prematurity
Authors: Chu Alison , Dhindsa Yasmeen , Sim Myung Shin , Altendahl Marie , Tsui Irena 
Published: October 2020

AbstractLow birthweight and decreased postnatal weight gain are known predictors of worse retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) but the role of prenatal growth patterns in ROP remains inconclusive. To distinguish small for gestational age (SGA) from intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) as independent predictors of ROP, we performed a retrospective cohort study of patients who received ROP screening examinations at a level IV neonatal intensive care unit over a 7-year period. Data on IUGR and SGA status, worst stage of and need for treatment for ROP, and postnatal growth was obtained. 343 infants were included for analysis (mean gestational age = 28.6 weeks and birth weight = 1138.2 g). IUGR infants were more likely to have a worse stage of ROP and treatment-requiring ROP (both p < 0.0001) compared to non-IUGR infants. IUGR infants were more likely to be older at worst stage of ROP (p < 0.0001) and to develop postnatal growth failure (p = 0.01) than non-IUGR infants. Independent of postnatal growth failure status, IUGR infants had a 4–5 × increased risk of needing ROP treatment (p < 0.001) compared to non-IUGR infants. SGA versus appropriate for gestational age infants did not demonstrate differences in retinopathy outcomes, age at worst ROP stage, or postnatal growth failure. These findings emphasize the importance of prenatal growth on ROP development.
HFD-induced hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammation are decreased in Factor D deficient mouse
Authors: Tsuru Hiromi , Osaka Mizuko , Hiraoka Yuichi , Yoshida Masayuki 
Published: October 2020

AbstractExcessive intake of fat causes accumulation of fat in liver, leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). High-fat diet (HFD) upregulates the expression of Factor D, a complement pathway component, in the liver of mice. However, the functions of Factor D in liver are not well known. Therefore, the current study investigated the relationship between Factor D and hepatic lipid accumulation using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Factor D knockout (FD-KO) mice. Factor D deficiency downregulated expression of genes related to fatty acid uptake and de novo lipogenesis in the liver. Furthermore, Factor D deficiency reduced the expression of inflammatory factors (Tnf and Ccl2) and fibrosis markers and decreased accumulation of F4/80-positive macrophages. These data suggest that the Factor D deficiency improved hepatic lipid accumulation and hepatic inflammation in HFD-fed mice.
First detection and full genomic analysis of Canine Circovirus in CPV-2 infected dogs in Colombia, South America
Authors: Giraldo-Ramirez Sebastian , Rendon-Marin Santiago , Vargas-Bermudez Diana S. , Jaime Jairo , Ruiz-Saenz Julian 
Published: October 2020

AbstractCanine Circovirus (CanineCV) is an emerging virus which since its first report in USA in 2012, it has been described worldwide. It was the second mammalian circovirus species identified in dogs and its role in canine enteritis is still being uncertain as much as its association in disease with the Canine Parvovirus-2 (CPV-2). Here, we aim to confirm for the first time the presence of CanineCV in Colombia and to develop phylogenetic evolutive analyses of CanineCV in CPV-2 positive animals. DNA from samples were extracted and PCR, full genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis was performed to detect and characterize CanineCV. From a total of 30 CPV-2 positive samples, 16.6% (n = 5) were positives for CanineCV. Sequencing analysis of Colombian CanineCV wild-type strains displayed high identity to each other (99.5–99.7% nt; 99.7% aa). The full genome phylogenetic analysis confirmed that worldwide reported CanineCV strains were separated into four distinct genotypes in addition to a European origin of the South American CanineCV strains. This study demonstrated the importance of continue surveillance of emerging viruses in canine populations and confirm for the first time the circulation and origin of CanineCV in Colombia.
Initial red cell distribution width as a predictor of poor neurological outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors in a prospective, multicenter observational study (the KoCARC study)
Authors: Woo Seon Hee , Lee Woon Jeong , Kim Dae Hee , Cho Youngsuk , Cho Gyu Chong 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate whether the initial red cell distribution width (RDW) at the emergency department (ED) is associated with poor neurological outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors. We performed a prospective observational analysis of patients admitted to the ED between October 2015 and June 2018 from the Korean Cardiac Arrest Research Consortium registry. We included OHCA patients who visited the ED and achieved return of spontaneous circulation. Initial RDW values were measured at the time of the ED visit. The primary outcome was a poor neurological (Cerebral Performance Category, or CPC) score of 3–5. A total of 1008 patients were ultimately included in this study, of whom 712 (70.6%) had poor CPC scores with unfavorable outcomes. Higher RDW quartiles (RDW 13.6–14.9%, RDW ≥ 15.0%), older age, female sex, nonshockable initial rhythm at the scene, unwitnessed cardiac arrest, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), medical history, low white blood cell counts and high glucose levels were associated with poor neurological outcomes in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, the highest RDW quartile was independently associated with poor neurological outcomes (odds ratio 2.04; 95% confidence interval 1.12–3.69; p = 0.019) at hospital discharge after adjusting for other confounding factors. Other independent factors including age, initial rhythm, bystander CPR and high glucose were also associated with poor neurological outcomes. These results show that an initial RDW in the highest quartile as of the ED visit is associated with poor neurological outcomes at hospital discharge among OHCA survivors.
Accuracy of Placement of Pedicle Screws in the Lumbosacral Region of Dogs Using 3D-Printed Patient-Specific Drill Guides
Authors: Toni Cristina , Oxley Bill , Clarke Stephen , Behr Sebastien 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Objective The aim of this study was to report the accuracy of pedicle screw placement using three-dimensional (3D)-printed, patient-specific drill guides in the lumbosacral region of dogs.
Study Design This was a retrospective study. Thirty-two pedicle screws were placed in five dogs. Medical records were reviewed between November 2015 and November 2018 for dogs showing clinical signs associated with cauda equina syndrome. Inclusion criteria included preoperative magnetic resonance imaging, pre- and postoperative computed tomography (CT) and dorsal stabilization, with pedicle screws placed using 3D-printed, patient-specific drill guides and polymethylmethacrylate. Screw placement was evaluated for medial or lateral breaching on postoperative CT.
Results Five dogs met the inclusion criteria. Four had degenerative lumbosacral stenosis and one had discospondylitis. All dogs had failed medical management prior to surgery. Of 32 bicortical pedicle screws placed, 30 were fully contained inside the pedicle and 2 were partially breaching the vertebral canal (less than one-third of the screw diameter). Postoperative CT revealed good alignment of L7-S1 in all planes.
Conclusion This technique enabled an accurate and safe placement of pedicle screws in the lumbosacral region of dogs with lumbosacral disease. Three-dimensional, printed patient-specific drill guides are a safe and effective method of placing pedicle screws in dogs with lumbosacral disease.
Stiffness-tunable robotic gripper driven by dielectric elastomer composite actuators
Authors: Liu Lei , Zhang Junshi , Cai Yong , Li Bo , Liu Geng , Li Pengfei 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
In this article, by utilizing the dielectric elastomer composite actuators (DECAs), we design and fabricate a stiffness-tunable robotic gripper. Firstly, the voltage-induced electromechanical deformation of the DECA is investigated by applying a ramping voltage. Subsequently, effects of different factors, including the jamming pressure, the roughening process of fibers, the ratio of overlapping area of fibers, and the strain-stiffening of DEs, on the output force performance of the DECA are considered, respectively. Afterwards, the grasping and gripping performance is explored by exhibiting a comparison of the gripper with and without stiffness-tunable effect. Finally, the output gripping force of the stiffness-tunable gripper under different jamming pressures and object sizes is investigated. The maximum size limitation of the gripped object and the output force of the robotic gripper (induced by stiffness tunability) are found to be 12 cm and 5 N, respectively.
Temperature-dependent electrorheology of a suspension based on copolymeric P(NIPAM-co-[AMIm]Cl) colloidal particles
Authors: Pan Jun Liang , Jin Xiao , Zhang Zhenlin , Wang Li-Min , Liu Ying Dan , Choi Hyoung Jin 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
A imidazolium-based poly (ionic liquid), poly(1-allyl-3-methyl imidazolium chloride) (P[AMIm]Cl) was combined with the temperature-sensitive polymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) via random copolymerisation of the monomers [AMIm]Cl and NIPAM. The synthesised copolymer was characterised by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Then its stimuli-responsive properties were studied at different electric field strengths and temperatures when it was dispersed in silicone oil. It was found that the colloidal copolymer particles were electro-responsive, showing excellent electrorheological (ER) effect. It was interesting that the ER effect of the copolymer was temperature-dependent. As the temperature increased from 5 °C to 50 °C, the dynamic yield stress of the suspension was found to increase with temperature. The temperature dependence of both yield stress and current density became stronger as the temperature was higher than 30 °C. The significant temperature-dependence of the suspension was attributed to the PNIPAM segment in the copolymer which could be swelled by silicone oil at higher temperature.
Shape memory behaviour of polyacrylamide/MWCNT nanocomposite hydrogel under direct and indirect stimulation
Authors: Norouzi-Esfahany Sonia , Kokabi Mehrdad , Alamdarnejad Ghazaleh 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Shape memory hydrogels are a class of smart materials with the ability of multiple shape forming. Their low stiffness is the main challenge. In this work, pure PAAm and PAAm nanocomposite shape memory hydrogels containing multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were prepared by in-situ radical polymerization. The presence of MWCNT guarantees an enhancement of stiffness and shape recovery of polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogel system as well as its recovery speed from temporary to permanent shape of nanocomposite hydrogel under indirect heat stimulation. By examining the electrical conductivity and rheological properties, the corresponding percolation threshold was obtained at 0.2 wt% of MWCNT. The results of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) showed that the presence of nanoparticles completely fixed the temporary shape of the PAAm nanocomposite hydrogel and increased the shape recovery up to 96%. In direct heat stimulation, by the aid of thermographic camera it was observed that the addition of 0.2 wt% of MWCNT increased the transition temperature of the nanocomposite hydrogel compared to the neat sample. In indirect heat stimulation by applying 100 V and 300 V electrical voltage, complete shape recovery was achieved in 7 min and 2.5 min, respectively.
Analysis of the 1S and 2S states of Λ
Q
and Ξ
Q
with QCD sum rules *
Authors: Wang Zhi-Gang , Wang Hui-Juan 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
In this article, we study the ground states and the first radial excited states of the flavor antitriplet heavy baryon states

and

with the spin-parity

by carrying out operator product expansion up to vacuum condensates of dimension

in a consistent way. We observe for the first time that the higher dimensional vacuum condensates play an important role, and obtain very stable QCD sum rules with variations of the Borel parameters for the heavy baryon states. The predicted masses

,

, and

for the first radial excited states

,

, and

, respectively, are in excellent agreement with the experimental data and support assigning

,

, and

to be the first radial excited states of

,

, and

, respectively. The predicted mass

for

can be confirmed using experimental data in the future.
Inconsistencies in four-dimensional Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity *
Authors: Arrechea Julio , Delhom Adrià , Jiménez-Cano Alejandro 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
We attempt to clarify several aspects concerning the recently presented four-dimensional Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity. We argue that the limiting procedure outlined in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 081301 (2020)] generally involves ill-defined terms in the four dimensional field equations. Potential ways to circumvent this issue are discussed, alongside remarks regarding specific solutions of the theory. We prove that, although linear perturbations are well behaved around maximally symmetric backgrounds, the equations for second-order perturbations are ill-defined even around a Minkowskian background. Additionally, we perform a detailed analysis of the spherically symmetric solutions and find that the central curvature singularity can be reached within a finite proper time.
Study of biomedical properties of Rhizophora mucronata fruit from Rembang, Central Java
Authors: Sibero M T , Sabdono A , Pribadi R , Frederick E H , Wijaya A P , Haryanti D , Siswanto A P , Igarashi Y 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Indonesian in coastal region utilize mangrove ecosystem for aquaculture, fishing ground, firewood source, tourism, nevertheless it is rarely reported as a source of biomedical substances. Rhizophora mucronata is one of the most common mangrove species in Rembang, Central Java. However, study of biomedical prospect of its fruit is neglected. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial activity of R. mucronata fruit extract to inhibit human pathogens (E. coli, S. aureus, M. luteus, T. rubrum, and C. albicans), as well as its anticancer activity against P388 murine leukemia cells. Metabolite profile was characterized through phytochemical test and HPLC. The result showed there was no antimicrobial activity of R. mucronata fruit extract against all human pathogens. Cytotoxic assay indicated a moderate anticancer potential with IC50 value of 398 μg/mL. Phytochemical test indicated the presence of alkaloid, flavonoid, and steroid/triterpenoid in the crude extract.
Potency, status and carrying capacity of coral reef ecosystem for suistainable marine ecotourism development; a case study of small islands in Kepulauan Riau-Indonesia
Authors: Apdillah D , Pratomo A , Azizah D , Nugraha A H , Febrianto T 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
This study aims to provide reliable information to mapping the potential of coral reef ecosystems for development of sustainable marine ecotourism in Benan Island and surrounding areas. The mapping was done by considering the carrying capacity of the environment which includes the limits of the island’s ability to receive several tourists with the intensity of optimum use of natural resources. Approach to the assessment of the potential and status of coral reef ecosystems was carried out to evaluate reef fish and benthic conditions using the LIT transect method and presented spatially using ArGis 10.3. The results showed the status of the coral reefs ecosystem in Benan Island waters and the surrounding areas were categorized as moderate conditions with average live coral coverage were 37.76%. The highest live coral cover reached was 55% in Katang Island. The carrying capacity of the utilization of diving tourism in Benan Island was reached 444 people/day, 69 people/day at Selada Island, 66 people/day at Segenting Island, 234 people/day at Sunda Air Island and 76 people/day at Nopong Island. The carrying capacity of small islands was different from one region to another. Hopefully, this will be able to minimize the vulnerability of small islands to ecosystem degradation.