bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantile causality and dependence between crude oil and precious metal prices
Authors: Shafiullah Muhammad , Chaudhry Sajid M. , Shahbaz Muhammad , Reboredo Juan C. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThis paper examines long‐run dependence and causality between oil and precious metal (gold, silver, platinum, palladium, steel, and titanium) prices across quantiles by exploiting their time series properties with the help of novel econometric techniques. The empirical results for the period 1990–2019 indicate that oil and metal prices are nonstationary across different quantiles and that cointegration patterns differ widely across quantiles. Causality running from oil to metal prices is quantile‐dependent and differs according to the metal, whereas upward and downward movements in metal prices have no causal effect on oil prices. These results have implications for investors and policymakers in terms of portfolio and risk management decisions.
COVID‐19 and obstetric practice: A critical review of the Nigerian situation
Authors: Ijarotimi Omotade A. , Ubom Akaninyene E. , Olofinbiyi Babatunde A. , Kuye‐Kuku Taiwo , Orji Ernest O. , Ikimalo John I. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractObjectiveTo review what is known about COVID‐19 and highlight gaps in the context of Nigerian obstetric practice. Research data on COVID‐19 are understandably sparse in Africa. Nigeria, like most African countries, is battling a disease she is poorly equipped to fight.MethodsThe current available literature on COVID‐19 was reviewed in relation to obstetric practice in the Nigerian context, gaps were identified, and recommendations were made to improve the handling of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Nigerian obstetric practice.ResultsIn and out of hospital, both the obstetrician and the obstetric patient are constantly being put at risk of exposure to the coronavirus because testing and preventive measures are either ineffective or non‐existent.ConclusionThe pandemic has exposed the gross inadequacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system and is therefore a wake‐up call to the need for a complete overhaul of infrastructure and services. The government will do well to increase the budget allocation for health from the current paltry 4.14% to the recommended 15% of the total budget.The Nigerian obstetrician stands a high risk of exposure due to inadequate preventive measures, and testing and diagnostic challenges.
A rapid white blood cell classification system based on multimode imaging technology
Authors: Lv Meng , Zhao Xi , Chen Feng , Yu Ming , Li Chao , Sun Jinggong 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIn order to simplify the complexity of white blood cell classification in existing point‐of‐care testing (POCT) testing equipment, a white blood cell classification detection system based on microfluidic and multimode imaging was constructed. Microfluidic chip was used in the system. A multimodal optical imaging system based on the characteristics of blood samples was designed to obtain eigenvalue extraction of cells. Afterward, a BP neural network model was constructed to realize automatic classification of white blood cells. Finally, 80 human blood samples were classified and detected by this system and compared with the results of Sysmex XE‐5000. The consistency correlation coefficients of white blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils are 1.038, 0.907, 0.549, 0.922 and 1.028, respectively, and the CV values of the four types of white blood cells in the stability test were all below 10%. In this study, a white blood cell classification and detection system with small size, simple operation, fast single‐sample detection, high accuracy, and no maintenance is required. It will provide a solid technical support for the further development of POCT blood cell analysis equipment.
Deep learning protocol for improved photoacoustic brain imaging
Authors: Manwar Rayyan , Li Xin , Mahmoodkalayeh Sadreddin , Asano Eishi , Zhu Dongxiao , Avanaki Kamran 
Published: July 2020

AbstractOne of the key limitations for the clinical translation of photoacoustic imaging is penetration depth that is linked to the tissue maximum permissible exposures (MPE) recommended by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Here, we propose a method based on deep learning to virtually increase the MPE in order to enhance the signal‐to‐noise ratio of deep structures in the brain tissue. The proposed method is evaluated in an in vivo sheep brain imaging experiment. We believe this method can facilitate clinical translation of photoacoustic technique in brain imaging, especially in transfontanelle brain imaging in neonates.
Unveiling dose‐ and time‐dependent osteosarcoma cell responses to the γ‐secretase inhibitor, DAPT, by confocal Raman microscopy
Authors: Li Jie , Qin Jie , Zeng Haishan , Li Jing , Wang Kaige , Wang Shuang 
Published: July 2020

AbstractUsing confocal Raman micro‐spectroscopy, this study aims to elucidate the cellular responses of the γ‐secretase inhibitor, N‐[N‐(3,5‐difluorophenacetyl)‐L‐alanyl]‐S‐phenylglycine t‐butyl ester (DAPT), in osteosarcoma (OS) cells in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. The K7M2 murine OS cell line was treated with different DAPT doses (0, 10, 20, and 40 μM) for 24 and 48 hours before investigations. Significant compositional changes (nucleic acids, protein and lipid) after DAPT treatment were addressed, which testified inhibitory effect of DAPT on the growth of OS cells. Moreover, both partial least squares‐discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA) and principal component analysis‐linear discriminant analysis (PCA‐LDA) analyses revealed governing composition variations among groups by distinguishing their spectral characteristics. Furthermore, by adopting leave‐one‐out cross validation method, it is shown that PLS‐DA exhibited more classification capacity than PCA‐LDA algorithm. Hence, by understanding the DAPT‐based cellular variations, the achieved results provided an experimental foundation to establish new DAPT‐based anticancer therapeutic strategies, and preclinical Raman analytical methodologies on drug‐cell interactions.
Delayed Union of a Diaphyseal Forearm Fracture Associated With Impaired Osteogenic Differentiation of Prospectively Isolated Human Skeletal Stem Cells
Authors: Goodnough L Henry , Ambrosi Thomas H , Steininger Holly , DeBaun Malcolm R , Abrams Geoffrey D , McAdams Timothy R , Gardner Michael J , Chan Charles KF , Bishop Julius A 
Published: July 2020

ABSTRACTDelayed union or nonunion are relatively rare complications after fracture surgery, but when they do occur, they can result in substantial morbidity for the patient. In many cases, the etiology of impaired fracture healing is uncertain and attempts to determine the molecular basis for delayed union and nonunion formation have been limited. Prospectively isolating skeletal stem cells (SSCs) from fracture tissue samples at the time of surgical intervention represent a feasible methodology to determine a patient's biologic risk for compromised fracture healing. This report details a case in which functional in vitro readouts of SSCs derived from human fracture tissue at time of injury predicted a poor fracture healing outcome. This case suggests that it may be feasible to stratify a patient's fracture healing capacity and predict compromised fracture healing by prospectively isolating and analyzing SSCs during the index fracture surgery. © 2020 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Genetic analysis of methicillin‐susceptible Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates: High prevalence of multidrug‐resistant ST239 with strong biofilm‐production ability
Authors: Goudarzi Hossein , Goudarzi Mehdi , Sabzehali Fattaneh , Fazeli Maryam , Salimi Chirani Alireza 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe distributions of methicillin‐susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) are divers geographically with different genetic backgrounds. Data related to molecular characteristics of MSSA compare to methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is sparse.MethodsIn this cross‐sectional study, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, virulence genes analysis, biofilm formation, accessory gene regulator (agr) typing, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) characterized on 75 MSSA isolates.ResultsMultidrug‐resistance MSSA was found to be 84%. Forty‐eight (64%) isolates were toxinogenic with 34 and 14 isolates carrying pvl and tst representing 45.3% and 18.7%. The most common SE genes were sed (20%), sec (16%), and sea (16%). Fifty‐five (73.3%) isolates were confirmed as biofilm producer with a markedly high prevalence of fnbA (93.3%), fnbB (86.7%), icaA (65.3%), icaD (53.3%), can (24%), ebp (10.7%), and bap (1.3%). A total of 3 agr types (I, 73.3%; III, 16%; II, 10.7%) and 4 clonal complexes (CCs) and sequence types (STs), namely CC8/ST293 (45.3%), CC/ST22 (28%), CC/ST30 (16%), and CC/ST5 (10.7%) were detected in this study. All the high and low‐level mupirocin resistance strains belonged to ST239 and ST22 strains, respectively. All the fusidic acid‐resistant isolates carried fusC and belonged to ST30.ConclusionsThese findings indicated that ST239 with strong biofilm production ability is the most common type in MSSA strains isolated from patients. It seems that the antimicrobial resistance profiles, toxin, and biofilm formation were closely associated with specific STs. Further studies are required to identify and control of these clonal lineages in our area.
The control of routine fish maneuvers: Connecting midline kinematics to turn outcomes
Authors: Howe Stephen P. , Astley Henry C. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractManeuverability is an important factor in determining an animal's ability to navigate its environment and succeed in predator–prey interactions. Although fish are capable of a wide range of maneuvers, most of the literature has focused on escape maneuvers while less attention has been paid to routine maneuvers, such as those used for habitat navigation. The quantitative relationships between body deformations and maneuver outcomes (displacement of the center of mass and change in trajectory) are fundamental to understanding how fish control their maneuvers, yet remain unknown in routine maneuvers. We recorded high‐speed video of eight giant danios (Devario aquepinnatus) performing routine and escape maneuvers and quantified the deformation of the midline, the heading of the anterior body, and the kinematics of the centroid (a proxy for center of mass). We found that both routine and escape behaviors used qualitatively similar independent body bending events, which we curvature pulses, that propagate from head to tail but show quantitative differences in midline kinematics and turn outcomes. In routine maneuvers, the direction change and acceleration of the fish are influenced by both the magnitude of the bending pulse and by the duration of the pulse, whereas in escape maneuvers, only pulse duration influenced direction change and turn acceleration. The bending pulse appears to be the smallest functional unit of a turn, and can function independently or in combination, enabling a fish to achieve a wide range of complex maneuvers.
Aggravated MRSA pneumonia secondary to influenza A virus infection is derived from decreased expression of IL‐1β
Authors: Shi Yunfeng , Shi Xiaohan , Liang Jingjing , Luo Jinmei , Ba Junhui , Chen Jianning , Wu Benquan 
Published: July 2020

AbstractSecondary methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is a cause of severe pneumonia with high mortality during influenza A virus (IAV) pandemics. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) mount cellular defenses against IAV and MRSA infection, which occurs via the nucleotide‐binding domain‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. However, the activity and function of the NLRP3 inflammasome in MRSA pneumonia secondary to IAV infection remain unclear. To clarify this, we studied MRSA infection secondary to IAV both in vitro and in mouse model. The expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome was evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, Western blot, and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The lung pathology and the rate of weight change were observed. We found that IAV infection for 1 week activated NLRP3 inflammasome. The enhanced expression of NLRP3, caspase‐1, and cleaved caspase‐1 was associated with MRSA infection secondary to IAV, but the expression of interleukin (IL)‐1β decreased in superinfection with MRSA both in vitro and in vivo. The aggravated inflammatory pathology in MRSA pneumonia secondary to IAV infection was associated with decreased expression of IL‐1β. And increased weight loss in MRSA pneumonia secondary to IAV infection was related to decreased concentration of IL‐1β in serum. It infers that superinfection with MRSA reduces expression of IL‐1β someway, and decreased expression of IL‐1β impairs the host immunity and leads to aggravated pneumonia. These results contributed to our understanding of the detailed activity of the NLRP3 inflammasome, IL‐1β, and their relationship with aggravation of MRSA pneumonia secondary to IAV infection. Immunotherapy targeting the IL‐1β signaling pathway could be possible therapeutic strategy for secondary MRSA pneumonia.
Characterization of the volatile organic compounds produced from avocado during ripening by gas chromatography ion mobility spectrometry
Authors: Liu Yijun , Bu Mengting , Gong Xiao , He Jinna , Zhan Yu 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced from avocados during storage may be distinct at different periods, and this difference may be related to their degree of maturity, for which no relevant research has been conducted yet.RESULTSA total of 30 typical target compounds were identified by gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS) combined with principal component analysis (PCA) for the VOCs produced during the post‐harvesting process of avocado. With an increase in storage time, the VOCs content produced by avocado due to ripening continued to increase, and the uptrend was particularly obvious on day 13. The storage time of avocado could be distinguished according to the PC1 and PC2 values in the PCA chart.ConclusionGC–IMS detection combined with PCA was used to establish the fingerprints of VOCs in avocado for the first time. The maturity of avocados was determined by identifying the signal strength of characteristic VOCs, and this method could be of great potential to predict the maturity of fruits in the future. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Contrast‐Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging Features of Focal Chemotherapy‐Induced Sinusoidal Injury in Patients With Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Qin Si , Cui Rui , Wang Yimin , Chen Yao , Huang Yan , Liu Guang Jian 
Published: July 2020

ObjectivesIncreasing studies have reported focal chemotherapy‐induced sinusoidal injury (CSI) mimicking colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) on imaging studies, resulting in unnecessary lobectomy. This study aimed to investigate the contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging features of focal CSI.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated 16 patients who had a pathologic diagnosis of focal CSI and underwent CEUS between January 2013 and January 2019. The images were compared with those obtained from 27 patients with CRLM.ResultsOn CEUS, 14 (87.5%) focal CSIs showed heterogeneous isoenhancement, 1 (6.3%) peripheral hyperenhancement, and 1 (6.3%) homogeneous hyperenhancement during the arterial phase. Compared with the adjacent liver parenchyma, the initial enhancement time of focal CSI was earlier in 2 (12.5%), simultaneous in 9 (56.3%), and later in 5 (31.3%) patients. In the portal and late phases, all of the focal CSI cases showed hypoenhancement compared with the adjacent liver parenchyma. Focal CSI had the following CEUS findings, which were different from those of CRLM: (1) heterogeneous isoenhancement in the arterial phase (87.5% versus 0%; P < .001); (2) an initial enhancement time later than that of the liver parenchyma (mean ± SD, 0.5 ± 1.5 versus −1.5 ± 1.9; P < .001); (3) a longer time to peak (30.5 ± 5.6 versus 22.5 ± 4.4 seconds; P < .001); and (4) a later time to wash‐out (51.0 ± 12.5 versus 35.0 ± 6.2 seconds; P = .002).ConclusionsFocal CSI usually shows heterogeneous isoenhancement in arterial phase and hypoenhancement in portal and late phases on CEUS, with slow contrast wash‐in and wash‐out, which can be helpful in the differential diagnosis with CRLM.
Long term natural restoration creates soil‐like microbial communities in bauxite residue: A 50‐year filed study
Authors: Wu Hao , Tang Tian , Zhu Feng , Wei Xiaomeng , Hartley William , Xue Shengguo 
Published: July 2020

AbstractEcological reconstruction on bauxite residue (tailings) disposal areas is regarded as an effective approach to eliminate potential environmental risks. Establishment of microbial communities and associated functions may improve physical and chemical properties, and may stimulate soil formation in bauxite residue. Spontaneous colonization at a disposal area in Shandong Province, China, over 50 years, indicated that natural weathering can ameliorate residues, and in turn, support the establishment of vegetation communities. Residue samples were collected from unrestored, poorly restored and well restored areas to investigate the development of microbial communities and associated functions. Microbiota significantly developed after long term natural restoration. Microbial biomass, respiration and enzyme activities significantly increased in restored bauxite residue, whereas the metabolic quotient significantly decreased. In addition, the long‐term natural restoration significantly shaped the microbial structure from alkalophilic and halophilic assemblages (Firmicutes and Actinobacteria) to neutrophilic assemblages (Acidobacteria and Planctomycetes). Both microbial communities and associated functions in well restored residue had high similarity with that in natural soil, indicating that long term restoration created diverse soil‐like microbial communities and functions. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that TN, followed by Na+, ESP, SOC, AP and pH were the major influence factors in the development of microbial communities in bauxite residue. These findings provide us a biogeochemical perspective to reveal soil formation in bauxite residue and suggest that nutrient supplement and regulation of salinity‐alkalinity may benefit for the establishment of microbial communities and functions in bauxite residue.
Linking weather patterns to regional extreme precipitation for highlighting potential flood events in medium‐ to long‐range forecasts
Authors: Richardson Doug , Neal Robert , Dankers Rutger , Mylne Ken , Cowling Robert , Clements Holly , Millard Jonathan 
Published: July 2020

AbstractMedium‐ to long‐range precipitation forecasts are a crucial component in mitigating the impacts of fluvial flood events. Although precipitation is difficult to predict at these lead times, the forecast skill of atmospheric circulation tends to be greater. The study explores using weather patterns (WPs) as a preliminary step in producing forecasts of upper‐tail precipitation threshold exceedance probabilities for the UK. The WPs are predefined, discrete states representing daily mean sea‐level pressure (MSLP) over a European–North Atlantic domain. The WPs most likely to be associated with flooding are highlighted by calculating upper‐tail exceedance probabilities derived from the conditional distributions of regional precipitation given each WP. WPs associated with higher probabilities of extreme precipitation are shown to have occurred during two well‐known flood events: the 2014 Somerset Levels floods in southwest England; and Storm Desmond over the northern UK in December 2015. To illustrate the potential of this WP‐based prediction framework, a forecast guidance tool called Fluvial Decider is introduced. It is intended for use by hydro‐meteorologists in the England and Wales Flood Forecasting Centre (FFC). Forecasts of the MSLP from ensemble prediction systems (EPSs) are assigned to the closest‐matching WP, providing daily probabilistic forecasts of WPs out to the chosen lead time. Combining these probabilities with observed precipitation threshold exceedance probabilities provides a parsimonious tool for highlighting potential periods with increased risk of flooding. Model forecasts using the European Centre for Medium‐range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) EPS highlighted both flood events as being at a higher than average risk of heavy extreme precipitation at lead times of over five days.
Survival of a male patient harboring CASK Arg27Ter mutation to adolescence
Authors: Mukherjee Konark , Patel Paras A. , Rajan Deepa S. , LaConte Leslie E. W. , Srivastava Sarika 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundCASK is an X‐linked gene in mammals and its deletion in males is incompatible with life. CASK heterozygous mutations in female patients associate with intellectual disability, microcephaly, pontocerebellar hypoplasia, and optic nerve hypoplasia, whereas CASK hemizygous mutations in males manifest as early infantile epileptic encephalopathy with a grim prognosis. Here, we report a rare case of survival of a male patient harboring a CASK null mutation to adolescent age.MethodsTrio whole exome sequencing analysis was performed from blood genomic DNA. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and electroencephalogram (EEG) analyses were performed to determine anomalies in brain development, metabolite concentrations, and electrical activity, respectively.ResultsTrio‐WES analysis identified a de novo c.79C>T (p.Arginine27Ter) mutation in CASK causing a premature translation termination at the very N‐terminus of the protein. The 17‐years, and 11‐month‐old male patient displayed profound intellectual disability, microcephaly, dysmorphism, ponto‐cerebellar hypoplasia, and intractable epilepsy. His systemic symptoms included overall reduced somatic growth, dysautonomia, ventilator and G tube dependence, and severe osteopenia. Brain MRI revealed a severe cerebellar and brain stem hypoplasia with progressive cerebral atrophy. EEG spectral analysis revealed a global functional defect with generalized background slowing and delta waves dominating even in the awake state.ConclusionThis case study is the first to report survival of a male patient carrying a CASK loss‐of‐function mutation to adolescence and highlights that improved palliative care could extend survival. Moreover, the genomic position encoding Arg27 in CASK may possess an increased susceptibility to mutations.