bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Strong anisotropic enhancement of photoluminescence in WS2 integrated with plasmonic nanowire array
Authors: Han Chunrui , Wang Yu , Zhou Weihu , Liang Minpeng , Ye Jianting 
Published: May 2021

AbstractLayered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have shown great potential for a wide range of applications in photonics and optoelectronics. Nevertheless, valley decoherence severely randomizes its polarization which is important to a light emitter. Plasmonic metasurface with a unique way to manipulate the light-matter interaction may provide an effective and practical solution. Here by integrating TMDCs with plasmonic nanowire arrays, we demonstrate strong anisotropic enhancement of the excitonic emission at different spectral positions. For the indirect bandgap transition in bilayer WS2, multifold enhancement can be achieved with the photoluminescence (PL) polarization either perpendicular or parallel to the long axis of nanowires, which arises from the coupling of WS2 with localized or guided plasmon modes, respectively. Moreover, PL of high linearity is obtained in the direct bandgap transition benefiting from, in addition to the plasmonic enhancement, the directional diffraction scattering of nanowire arrays. Our method with enhanced PL intensity contrasts to the conventional form-birefringence based on the aspect ratio of nanowire arrays where the intensity loss is remarkable. Our results provide a prototypical plasmon-exciton hybrid system for anisotropic enhancement of the PL at the nanoscale, enabling simultaneous control of the intensity, polarization and wavelength toward practical ultrathin photonic devices based on TMDCs.
Dilute pilocarpine test for diagnosis of Adie’s tonic pupil
Authors: Yoo Yung-Ju , Hwang Jeong-Min , Yang Hee Kyung 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWe have compared the diagnostic ability of different concentrations of 0.125% and 0.0625% dilute pilocarpine for detecting denervation supersensitivity in unilateral Adie’s tonic pupil. This retrospective, observational, case–control study involved 117 subjects, consisting of 56 patients with unilateral Adie’s tonic pupil and 61 controls with other causes of unilateral dilated pupils. Subjects underwent the dilute pilocarpine test with one of the two concentrations, 0.125% or 0.0625%. Pupillary light reflex was recorded with a dynamic pupillometer at baseline and at 30–40 min after instilling one of the two concentrations of dilute pilocarpine. Diagnostic accuracy of two different concentrations of the dilute pilocarpine test, 0.125% group versus 0.0625% group, were compared by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Diagnostic ability of the dilute pilocarpine test for detecting denervation supersensitivity in unilateral Adie’s tonic pupil was significantly better in the 0.0625% group than in the 0.125% group (AUC = 0.954 vs. 0.840, respectively, P = 0.047). In the 0.0625% group, the change in maximal pupil diameter of ≥ 0.5 mm after topical pilocarpine instillation showed 100% sensitivity and 82.8% specificity for detecting Adie’s tonic pupil. This study confirmed that pupillary constriction with 0.0625% pilocarpine is better than 0.125% pilocarpine for detecting denervation supersensitivity in Adie’s tonic pupil. Digital pupillometry is a reliable method for assessing denervation supersensitivity in Adie's tonic pupil.
Application of the antitussive agents oxelaidin and butamirate as anti-glioma agents
Authors: Lee Sook-Ja , Yeom Seon-Yong , Lee Jee-Young , Park Chaehwa 
Published: May 2021

AbstractGlioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor with a strong tendency of relapse and resistance to chemotherapy, but we currently lack non-toxic agents that effectively treat GBM. In this study, high-throughput screening of FDA-approved drugs was performed to identify safe and effective molecules and test their effect on GBM cell lines, LN229, U87 and T98G. Cough suppressants, oxelaidin and butamirate inhibited GBM growth. A Ras family GTPase, Ras-related associated with diabetes (RRAD), contributes to activation of STAT3, which is essential for survival and growth of many cancer types. Interestingly, oxelaidin and butamirate did not affect proliferation in RRAD negative GBM cells. Docking simulation analyses revealed selective interactions between oxelaidin and RRAD. The mechanism by which butamirate and oxelaidin inhibits GBM cell growth involves the suppression of STAT3 transcriptional activity, leading to down-regulation of cyclin D1 and survivin. In addition, components of RRAD-associated signaling cascades, including p-EGFR, p-Akt, and p-STAT3, were inhibited upon oxelaidin treatment. Intraperitoneal administration of oxelaidin or butamirate markedly suppressed tumor growth in a glioblastoma xenograft mouse model without significant adverse effects. Our collective findings indicate that oxelaidin and butamirate exert anti-tumor effects in glioblastoma, supporting its utility as a novel therapeutic candidate for glioblastoma.
Effects of 1.5 and 4.3 GHz microwave radiation on cognitive function and hippocampal tissue structure in Wistar rats
Authors: Zhu Ruiqing , Wang Hui , Xu Xinping , Zhao Li , Zhang Jing , Dong Ji , Yao Binwei , Wang Haoyu , Zhou Hongmei , Gao Yabing , Peng Ruiyun 
Published: May 2021

AbstractPrevious studies have shown that single-frequency microwave radiation can lead to cognitive decline in rats. However, few studies have focused on the combined effects of irradiation with different frequencies of microwaves. Our research aimed to investigate the effects of 1.5 GHz and 4.3 GHz microwave radiation, singly and in combination, on cognitive function and hippocampal tissue structure in rats. A total of 140 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the S group (sham radiation group), L10 group (10 mW/cm2 1.5 GHz group), C10 group (10 mW/cm2 4.3 GHz band group) and LC10 group (10 mW/cm2 1.5 and 4.3 GHz multi-frequency radiation group). For 1–28 days after microwave radiation, we analyzed the average escape latency for the Morris water maze task, electroencephalograms, change in hippocampal tissue structure and ultrastructure, content of the Nissl body in the hippocampus, and activities of lactate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase. Compared to the S group, all exposure groups showed varying degrees of learning and memory decline and hippocampal structural damage. The results showed that 1.5 GHz and 4.3 GHz microwave radiation was able to induce cognitive impairment and hippocampal tissue damage in rats and combined radiation with both frequencies caused more serious injuries, but none of these damaging effects varied with microwave frequency.
Kinetic information from dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI enables prediction of residual cancer burden and prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer: a retrospective study
Authors: Yamaguchi Ayane , Honda Maya , Ishiguro Hiroshi , Kataoka Masako , Kataoka Tatsuki R. , Shimizu Hanako , Torii Masae , Mori Yukiko , Kawaguchi-Sakita Nobuko , Ueno Kentaro , Kawashima Masahiro , Takada Masahiro , Suzuki Eiji , Nakamoto Yuji , Kawaguchi Kosuke , Toi Masakazu 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThis study aimed to evaluate the predictions of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) for prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), especially with residual disease (RD) after preoperative chemotherapy. This retrospective analysis included 74 TNBC patients who received preoperative chemotherapy. DCE-MRI findings from three timepoints were examined: at diagnosis (MRIpre), at midpoint (MRImid) and after chemotherapy (MRIpost). These findings included cancer lesion size, washout index (WI) as a kinetic parameter using the difference in signal intensity between early and delayed phases, and time-signal intensity curve types. Distant disease-free survival was analysed using the log-rank test to compare RD group with and without a fast-washout curve. The diagnostic performance of DCE-MRI findings, including positive predictive value (PPV) for pathological responses, was also calculated. RD without fast washout curve was a significantly better prognostic factor, both at MRImid and MRIpost (hazard ratio = 0.092, 0.098, p < 0.05). PPV for pathological complete remission at MRImid was 76.7% by the cut-off point at negative WI value or lesion size = 0, and 66.7% at lesion size = 0. WI and curve types derived from DCE-MRI at the midpoint of preoperative chemotherapy can help not only assess tumour response but also predict prognosis.
A polyaniline/platinum coated fiber optic surface plasmon resonance sensor for picomolar detection of 4-nitrophenol
Authors: Antohe Iulia , Iordache Iuliana , Antohe Vlad-Andrei , Socol Gabriel 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe paper reports for the first time an innovative polyaniline (PANI)/platinum (Pt)-coated fiber optic-surface plasmon resonance (FO-SPR) sensor used for highly-sensitive 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) pollutant detection. The Pt thin film was coated over an unclad core of an optical fiber (FO) using a DC magnetron sputtering technique, while the 4-NP responsive PANI layer was synthetized using a cost-effective electroless polymerization method. The presence of the electrolessly-grown PANI on the Pt-coated FO was observed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and subsequently evidenced by energy dispersive X-ray analysis. These FO-SPR sensors with a demonstrated bulk sensitivity of 1515 nm/RIU were then employed for 4-NP sensing, exhibiting an excellent limit-of-detection (LOD) in the low picomolar range (0.34 pM). The proposed sensor’s configuration has many other advantages, such as low-cost production, small size, immunity to electromagnetic interferences, remote sensing capability, and moreover, can be operated as a “stand-alone device”, making it thus well-suited for applications such as “on-site” screening of extremely low-level trace pollutants.
Neocortical substrates of feelings evoked with music in the ACC, insula, and somatosensory cortex
Authors: Koelsch Stefan , Cheung Vincent K. M. , Jentschke Sebastian , Haynes John-Dylan 
Published: May 2021

AbstractNeurobiological models of emotion focus traditionally on limbic/paralimbic regions as neural substrates of emotion generation, and insular cortex (in conjunction with isocortical anterior cingulate cortex, ACC) as the neural substrate of feelings. An emerging view, however, highlights the importance of isocortical regions beyond insula and ACC for the subjective feeling of emotions. We used music to evoke feelings of joy and fear, and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) to decode representations of feeling states in functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) data of n = 24 participants. Most of the brain regions providing information about feeling representations were neocortical regions. These included, in addition to granular insula and cingulate cortex, primary and secondary somatosensory cortex, premotor cortex, frontal operculum, and auditory cortex. The multivoxel activity patterns corresponding to feeling representations emerged within a few seconds, gained in strength with increasing stimulus duration, and replicated results of a hypothesis-generating decoding analysis from an independent experiment. Our results indicate that several neocortical regions (including insula, cingulate, somatosensory and premotor cortices) are important for the generation and modulation of feeling states. We propose that secondary somatosensory cortex, which covers the parietal operculum and encroaches on the posterior insula, is of particular importance for the encoding of emotion percepts, i.e., preverbal representations of subjective feeling.
Global optimization of an encapsulated Si/SiO$$_2$$ L3 cavity with a 43 million quality factor
Authors: Vasco J. P. , Savona V. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWe optimize a silica-encapsulated silicon L3 photonic crystal cavity for ultra-high quality factor by means of a global optimization strategy, where the closest holes surrounding the cavity are varied to minimize out-of-plane losses. We find an optimal value of $$Q_c=4.33\times 10^7$$

Q
c

=
4.33
×

10
7

, which is predicted to be in the 2 million regime in presence of structural imperfections compatible with state-of-the-art silicon fabrication tolerances.
Functional display of bioactive peptides on the vGFP scaffold
Authors: Chee Sharon Min Qi , Wongsantichon Jantana , Yi Lau Sze , Sana Barindra , Frosi Yuri , Robinson Robert C. , Ghadessy Farid J. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractGrafting bioactive peptides into recipient protein scaffolds can often increase their activities by conferring enhanced stability and cellular longevity. Here, we describe use of vGFP as a novel scaffold to display peptides. vGFP comprises GFP fused to a bound high affinity Enhancer nanobody that potentiates its fluorescence. We show that peptides inserted into the linker region between GFP and the Enhancer are correctly displayed for on-target interaction, both in vitro and in live cells by pull-down, measurement of target inhibition and imaging analyses. This is further confirmed by structural studies highlighting the optimal display of a vGFP-displayed peptide bound to Mdm2, the key negative regulator of p53 that is often overexpressed in cancer. We also demonstrate a potential biosensing application of the vGFP scaffold by showing target-dependent modulation of intrinsic fluorescence. vGFP is relatively thermostable, well-expressed and inherently fluorescent. These properties make it a useful scaffold to add to the existing tool box for displaying peptides that can disrupt clinically relevant protein–protein interactions.
Random forest-based prediction of stroke outcome
Authors: Fernandez-Lozano Carlos , Hervella Pablo , Mato-Abad Virginia , Rodríguez-Yáñez Manuel , Suárez-Garaboa Sonia , López-Dequidt Iria , Estany-Gestal Ana , Sobrino Tomás , Campos Francisco , Castillo José , Rodríguez-Yáñez Santiago , Iglesias-Rey Ramón 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWe research into the clinical, biochemical and neuroimaging factors associated with the outcome of stroke patients to generate a predictive model using machine learning techniques for prediction of mortality and morbidity 3-months after admission. The dataset consisted of patients with ischemic stroke (IS) and non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) admitted to Stroke Unit of a European Tertiary Hospital prospectively registered. We identified the main variables for machine learning Random Forest (RF), generating a predictive model that can estimate patient mortality/morbidity according to the following groups: (1) IS + ICH, (2) IS, and (3) ICH. A total of 6022 patients were included: 4922 (mean age 71.9 ± 13.8 years) with IS and 1100 (mean age 73.3 ± 13.1 years) with ICH. NIHSS at 24, 48 h and axillary temperature at admission were the most important variables to consider for evolution of patients at 3-months. IS + ICH group was the most stable for mortality prediction [0.904 ± 0.025 of area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC)]. IS group presented similar results, although variability between experiments was slightly higher (0.909 ± 0.032 of AUC). ICH group was the one in which RF had more problems to make adequate predictions (0.9837 vs. 0.7104 of AUC). There were no major differences between IS and IS + ICH groups according to morbidity prediction (0.738 and 0.755 of AUC) but, after checking normality with a Shapiro Wilk test with the null hypothesis that the data follow a normal distribution, it was rejected with W = 0.93546 (p-value < 2.2e−16). Conditions required for a parametric test do not hold, and we performed a paired Wilcoxon Test assuming the null hypothesis that all the groups have the same performance. The null hypothesis was rejected with a value < 2.2e−16, so there are statistical differences between IS and ICH groups. In conclusion, machine learning algorithms RF can be effectively used in stroke patients for long-term outcome prediction of mortality and morbidity.
Evolution of Old World Equus and origin of the zebra-ass clade
Authors: Cirilli Omar , Pandolfi Luca , Rook Lorenzo , Bernor Raymond L. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractEvolution of the genusEquushas been a matter of long debate with a multitude of hypotheses. Currently, there is no consensus on either the taxonomic content nor phylogeny ofEquus.Some hypotheses segregateEquusspecies into three genera,Plesippus,AllohippusandEquus. Also, the evolutionary role of European PleistoceneEquus stenonisin the origin of the zebra-ass clade has been debated. Studies based on skull, mandible and dental morphology suggest an evolutionary relationship between North American PlioceneE. simplicidensand European and African PleistoceneEquus.In this contribution, we assess the validity of the generaPlesippus, AllohippusandEquusby cladistic analysis combined with morphological and morphometrical comparison of cranial anatomy. Our cladistic analysis, based on cranial and postcranial elements (30 taxa, 129 characters), supports the monophyly ofEquus,denies the recognition ofPlesippusandAllohippusand supports the derivation ofEquus grevyiand members of the zebra-ass clade from European stenonine horses. We define the following evolutionary steps directly relevant to the phylogeny of extant zebras and asses:E. simplicidens–E. stenonis–E. koobiforensis–E. grevyi-zebra-ass clade. The North American Pliocene speciesEquus simplicidensrepresents the ancestral stock of Old World PleistoceneEquusand the zebra-ass clade. Our phylogenetic results uphold the most recent genomic outputs which indicate an age of 4.0–4.5 Ma for the origin and monophyly ofEquus.
Hearing brain evaluated using near-infrared spectroscopy in congenital toxoplasmosis
Authors: Bertachini Ana Lívia Libardi , Januario Gabriela Cintra , Novi Sergio Luiz , Mesquita Rickson Coelho , Silva Marco Aurélio Romano , Andrade Gláucia Manzan Queiroz , de Resende Luciana Macedo , de Miranda Débora Marques 
Published: May 2021

AbstractCongenital toxoplasmosis (CT) is a known cause of hearing loss directly caused by Toxoplasma gondii. Hearing loss might result from sensory, neural, or sensorineural lesions. Early treated infants rarely develop hearing loss, but retinochoroidal lesions, intracranial calcifications and hydrocephalus are common. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the brain evoked hemodynamic responses of CT and healthy infants during four auditory stimuli: mother infant directed speech, researcher infant directed speech, mother reading and researcher recorded. Children underwent Transitionally Evoked Otoacoustic Emission Auditory Testing and Automated Brainstem Auditory Response tests with normal auditory results, but with a tendency for greater latencies in the CT group compared to the control group. We assessed brain hemodynamics with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measurements from 61 infants, and we present fNIRS results as frequency maps of activation and deactivation for each stimulus. By evaluating infants in the three first months of life, we observed an individual heterogeneous brain activation pattern in response to all auditory stimuli for both groups. Each channel was activated or deactivated in less than 30% of children for all stimuli. There is a need of prospective studies to evaluate if the neurologic or auditory changes course with compromise of children outcomes.
Visual response of ventrolateral prefrontal neurons and their behavior-related modulation
Authors: Rozzi Stefano , Bimbi Marco , Gravante Alfonso , Simone Luciano , Fogassi Leonardo 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe ventral part of lateral prefrontal cortex (VLPF) of the monkey receives strong visual input, mainly from inferotemporal cortex. It has been shown that VLPF neurons can show visual responses during paradigms requiring to associate arbitrary visual cues to behavioral reactions. Further studies showed that there are also VLPF neurons responding to the presentation of specific visual stimuli, such as objects and faces. However, it is largely unknown whether VLPF neurons respond and differentiate between stimuli belonging to different categories, also in absence of a specific requirement to actively categorize or to exploit these stimuli for choosing a given behavior. The first aim of the present study is to evaluate and map the responses of neurons of a large sector of VLPF to a wide set of visual stimuli when monkeys simply observe them. Recent studies showed that visual responses to objects are also present in VLPF neurons coding action execution, when they are the target of the action. Thus, the second aim of the present study is to compare the visual responses of VLPF neurons when the same objects are simply observed or when they become the target of a grasping action. Our results indicate that: (1) part of VLPF visually responsive neurons respond specifically to one stimulus or to a small set of stimuli, but there is no indication of a “passive” categorical coding; (2) VLPF neuronal visual responses to objects are often modulated by the task conditions in which the object is observed, with the strongest response when the object is target of an action. These data indicate that VLPF performs an early passive description of several types of visual stimuli, that can then be used for organizing and planning behavior. This could explain the modulation of visual response both in associative learning and in natural behavior.
The lower respiratory tract microbiome of critically ill patients with COVID-19
Authors: Gaibani Paolo , Viciani Elisa , Bartoletti Michele , Lewis Russell E. , Tonetti Tommaso , Lombardo Donatella , Castagnetti Andrea , Bovo Federica , Horna Clara Solera , Ranieri Marco , Viale Pierluigi , Re Maria Carla , Ambretti Simone 
Published: May 2021

AbstractCOVID-19 infection may predispose to secondary bacterial infection which is associated with poor clinical outcome especially among critically ill patients. We aimed to characterize the lower respiratory tract bacterial microbiome of COVID-19 critically ill patients in comparison to COVID-19-negative patients. We performed a 16S rRNA profiling on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples collected between April and May 2020 from 24 COVID-19 critically ill subjects and 24 patients with non-COVID-19 pneumonia. Lung microbiome of critically ill patients with COVID-19 was characterized by a different bacterial diversity (PERMANOVA on weighted and unweighted UniFrac Pr(> F) = 0.001) compared to COVID-19-negative patients with pneumonia. Pseudomonas alcaligenes, Clostridium hiranonis, Acinetobacter schindleri, Sphingobacterium spp., Acinetobacter spp. and Enterobacteriaceae, characterized lung microbiome of COVID-19 critically ill patients (LDA score > 2), while COVID-19-negative patients showed a higher abundance of lung commensal bacteria (Haemophilus influenzae, Veillonella dispar, Granulicatella spp., Porphyromonas spp., and Streptococcus spp.). The incidence rate (IR) of infections during COVID-19 pandemic showed a significant increase of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CR-Ab) infection. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 infection and antibiotic pressure may predispose critically ill patients to bacterial superinfection due to opportunistic multidrug resistant pathogens.