bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Using Transcriptomics and Metabolomics to Understand Species Differences in Sensitivity to Chlorpyrifos in Japanese Quail and Double-Crested Cormorant Embryos
Authors: Desforges Jean-Pierre , Legrand Elena , Boulager Emily , Liu Peng , Xia Jianguo , Butler Heather , Chandramouli Bharat , Ewald Jessica , Basu Niladri , Hecker Markus , Head Jessica , Crump Doug 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Modern 21st-century toxicity testing makes use of omics technologies to address critical questions in toxicology and chemical management. Of interest are questions relating to chemical mechanisms of toxicity, differences in species sensitivity, and translation of molecular effects to observable apical endpoints. Our study addressed these questions by comparing apical outcomes and multiple omics responses in early–life stage exposure studies with Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) and double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), representing a model and ecological species, respectively. Specifically, we investigated the dose-dependent response of apical outcomes as well as transcriptomics and metabolomics in the liver of each species exposed to chlorpyrifos, a widely used organophosphate pesticide. Our results revealed a clear pattern of dose-dependent disruption of gene expression and metabolic profiles in Japanese quail but not double-crested cormorant at similar chlorpyrifos exposure concentrations. The difference in sensitivity between species was likely due to higher metabolic transformation of chlorpyrifos in Japanese quail compared to double-crested cormorant. The most impacted biological pathways after chlorpyrifos exposure in Japanese quail included hepatic metabolism, oxidative stress, endocrine disruption (steroid and nonsteroid hormones), and metabolic disease (lipid and fatty acid metabolism). Importantly, we show consistent responses across biological scales, suggesting that significant disruption at the level of gene expression and metabolite profiles leads to observable apical responses at the organism level. Our study demonstrates the utility of evaluating effects at multiple biological levels of organization to understand how modern toxicity testing relates to outcomes of regulatory relevance, while also highlighting important, yet poorly understood, species differences in sensitivity to chemical exposure. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:3019–3033. © 2021 SETAC
Abstract
Overview of study design and comparative effect assessment for Japanese quail and double-crested cormorant exposed to chlorpyrifos in ovo.
Evaluation of Different Extraction Methods for the Analysis of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Dried Blood Spots from the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus)
Authors: Griffin Emily K. , Aristizabal-Henao Juan J. , Bowden John A. 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmental contaminants linked to adverse health effects in humans and wildlife. Marine mammals, particularly manatees, have shown potential as sentinels for evaluating the presence and effects of anthropogenic chemicals. However, traditional blood collection techniques with marine mammals can be challenging, highlighting the need for improved strategies. In the present study, four different methods for the extraction of PFAS from dried blood spots were evaluated. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2726–2732. © 2021 SETAC
Morphological Characterization on accessions of Pepper (Capsicum annuum L. and Capsicum frutescens L.) cultivated in Nigeria
Authors: Sunday Oyelakin Abiodun , Omobolaji Olabiyi David , Chiamaka Amaogu Charity , Oluwatobiloba Olabisi Adeola 
Published: July 2021

AbstractImproved cultivars are developed by the breeders due to the variability in characters and availability of redundant diverse genotypes. Many pepper varieties exist in the cultivated land and waste sites in southwest Nigeria but very few had been recommended for breeding and crop improvement. This study was aimed to characterize accessions of pepper varieties from southwest Nigeria using morphological characters with a view to select genotypes with desirable morphological traits for breeding, crop improvement and hybridization. Thirty accessions were characterized using 45 morphological (27 qualitative and 18 quantitative) characters. Qualitative characters were recorded while quantitative characters were measured. Descriptive statistics, Principal component analysis (PCA), correlation coefficients and Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) were carried out using IBM SPSS software package 20.0 version. A wide diversity was observed and measured among pepper varieties on vegetative and reproductive morphological characters. Hence the following genotypes C. frutescens var. maxima (AOS009, AOS023, AOS033), C. annuum var. glabrisculum (AOS010, AOS036), C. frutescens var. baccatum (AOS038), C. frutescens var. chacoense (AOS028), C. frutescens var. minima (AOS040) and unknown variety (AOS019) were identified and are hereby suggested for hybridization and recommended to breeders for crop improvement.
Evaluating the Eurosystem/ECB staff macroeconomic projections: The first 20 years
Authors: Kontogeorgos G. , Lambrias K. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThis work marks a thorough analysis of a confidential real‐time dataset consisting of the Eurosystem/ECB staff macroeconomic projections since their existence. By applying techniques widely employed in the literature of forecast evaluation, we examine their statistical properties with a special emphasis on optimality and rationality. Long‐term GDP projections are biased (tendency to overpredict), do not fully account for available information, and are outperformed by private sector expectations. Inflation projections are optimal and rational on a full‐sample analysis; however, subsample analysis reveals two distinct periods with a persistent and significant bias. Before the financial crisis inflation was persistently underpredicted, while in post‐2013, the bias reverses into overprediction.
Bracteanolide A abrogates oxidative stress‐induced cellular damage and protects against hepatic ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats
Authors: Chao Ting‐Yu , Hsieh Cheng‐Chu , Kuo Yueh‐Hsiung , Yu Ya‐Ju , Wan Cho‐Hua , Hsieh Shu‐Chen 
Published: July 2021

AbstractLiver diseases, including viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer, mostly remain silent until the late stages and pose a continuing threat to millions of people worldwide. Liver transplantation is the most appropriate solution in the case of liver failure, but it is associated with hepatic ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury which severely reduces the prognosis of the patients. In order to ameliorate I/R injury, we investigated the potential of bracteanolide A, from the herb Tradescantia albiflora Kunth in protecting the liver from I/R injury. We first determined the protective effect of bracteanolide A against oxidative stress and DNA damage using HepG2 hepatocyte cell line and then assessed the levels of inflammatory cytokines and antioxidant proteins in response to hepatic insult using an animal model of hepatic I/R injury. The results showed bracteanolide A greatly enhanced cell survival and decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production under H2O2 induction. It also upregulated the expression of nuclear factor (erythroid‐derived 2)‐like2 (Nrf2) and its downstream cytoprotective proteins NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1). Bracteanolide A effectively reduced the severity of liver lesions in I/R‐injured rats revealed by histological analysis and significantly decreased the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), cyclooxygenase‐2, and inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)‐1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α. Bracteanolide A preconditioning effectively protected the liver from I/R damage in the animal model, and this easily applied procedure may provide a new means to ameliorate hepatic I/R injury during liver surgeries.
Coupling relationship between glucose and oxygen metabolisms to differentiate preclinical Alzheimer's disease and normal individuals
Authors: Ding Changchang , Du Wenying , Zhang Qi , Wang Luyao , Han Ying , Jiang Jiehui 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe discovery of preclinical Alzheimer's disease (preAD) provides a wide time window for the early intervention of AD. The coupling relationships between glucose and oxygen metabolisms from hybrid PET/MRI can provide complementary information on the brain's physiological state for preAD. In this study, we purpose to explore the change of coupling relationship among 27 normal controls (NCs), 20 preADs, and 15 cognitive impairments (CIs). For each subject, we calculated the Spearman partial correlation between the fractional amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and the regional homogeneity (ReHo) from functional image (fMRI), and the standard uptake value ratio (SUVR) from [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F‐FDG PET), in the whole‐brain and default mode network (DMN) as a novel potential biomarker. The diagnostic performance of this biomarker was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic analysis. Significant Spearman correlations between the FDG SUVR and the fALFF/ReHo were found in 98% of subjects. For the DMN‐based biomarker, there was a significant decreasing trend for the preAD and CI groups compared to the NC group, whereas no significant difference in preAD based on whole‐brain. The correlation ρ value for the FDG SUVR/ReHo showed the highest area under curve of the preAD classification (0.787). The results imply the coupling relationship changed during the preAD stage in the DMN area.
Does subsidizing the private for‐profit sector benefit the poor? Evidence from national antimalarial subsidies in Nigeria and Uganda
Authors: Tougher Sarah , Hanson Kara , Goodman Catherine A. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractSubsidising quality‐assured artemisinin combination therapies (QAACTs) for distribution in the for‐profit sector is a controversial strategy for improving access. The Affordable Medicines Facility—malaria (AMFm) was the largest initiative of this kind. We assessed the equity of AMFm in two ways using nationally representative household survey data on care seeking for children from Nigeria and Uganda. First, the delivery of subsidized drugs through the for‐profit sector via AMFm was compared with two alternative mechanisms: subsidized delivery in public health facilities and unsubsidized delivery in the for‐profit sector. Second, we developed a novel extension of benefit incidence analysis (BIA) methods based on the concept of pass‐through, and applied them to Uganda. In Nigeria, the use of subsidized QAACTs from both public health facilities and for‐profit outlets was concentrated among the rich, while in Uganda, the use of QAACTs from both sources was concentrated among the poor. Similarly, the BIA of AMFm found that the intervention was pro‐poor in Uganda. Unsubsidized antimalarials from for‐profit outlets were distributed equally across wealth quintiles in both countries. Private sector subsidies may have a role in bolstering access to effective malaria treatments, including among the poor, but the equity impact of subsidies may depend on context.
mRMR‐based hybrid convolutional neural network model for classification of Alzheimer's disease on brain magnetic resonance images
Authors: Eroglu Yesim , Yildirim Muhammed , Cinar Ahmet 
Published: July 2021

AbstractAlzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative fatal disease characterized by a decrease in mental functions. Although there is no definitive treatment for the disease, there are some treatment methods that delay the course of the disease in case of early diagnosis. Therefore, early diagnosis and classification of the disease are important to determine the most appropriate treatment. The most commonly used method for imaging the brain with a high soft‐tissue resolution is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Brain MRI help in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease with some specific imaging findings. In this study, we aimed to classify Alzheimer's disease in brain MRI using machine learning architectures. An mRMR‐based hybrid CNN was proposed in the study. First, features of MRI in Darknet53, InceptionV3, and Resnet101 models were extracted. These extracted features were concatenated. Then the obtained features were optimized using the mRMR method. SVM and KNN classifiers were used to classify the optimized features. The accuracy value obtained in the proposed model was 99.1%.
Phase‐change memory based on matched Ge‐Te, Sb‐Te, and In‐Te octahedrons: Improved electrical performances and robust thermal stability
Authors: Wang Ruobing , Song Zhitang , Song Wenxiong , Xin Tianjiao , Lv Shilong , Song Sannian , Liu Jun 
Published: July 2021

AbstractPhase‐change memory (PCM) has been developed for three‐dimensional (3D) data storage devices, posing huge challenges to the thermal stability and reliability of PCM. However, the low thermal stability of Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) limits further application. Here, we demonstrate PCM based on In0.9Ge2Sb2Te5 (IGST) alloy, showing 180°C 10‐years data retention, 6 ns set speed, one order of magnitude longer life time, and 75% reduced power consumption compared to GST‐based device. The In can occupy the cationic positions and the In‐Te octahedrons with good phase‐change properties can geometrically match well with the host Ge‐Te and Sb‐Te octahedrons, acting as nucleation centers to boost the set speed and enhance the endurance of IGST device. Introducing stable matched phase‐change octahedrons can be a feasible way to achieve practical PCMs.image
Impact of remote delivery on a pharmacists' patient care process capstone course on the development of patient work‐up skills
Authors: Phillips Beth B. , Palmer Russ , Chastain Daniel B. , Smith Katie , Bland Christopher M. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractIntroductionThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic caused colleges of pharmacy to abruptly change teaching strategies mid‐semester in Spring 2020 due to campus closure and transition to remote learning. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of pandemic‐induced remote learning on student skill acquisition in a third year pharmacy student (P3) Pharmacists' Patient Care Process (PPCP) capstone course.MethodsStudent performance on weekly quizzes and mid‐term and final practical examinations were evaluated before and after implementation of remote learning in 2020 and were compared with a previous class in 2019. Paired and anonymous student perceptions of their skill development were also compared within the same semester and between years. Independent sample and paired Student's t tests were used to compare means, the Pearson correlation was used to identify associations between continuous variables, and nonparametric tests were used to compare ordinal data.ResultsIn 2020, student performance was significantly higher on quizzes at the end of the semester after implementation of remote learning compared with pre‐remote learning (8.2 ± 1.6 vs 7.7 ± 1.8 points, P < .05). Students performed significantly worse on the final examination compared with the mid‐term examination (21.2 ± 5.4 vs 23.4 ± 5.3 points, P < .05) in 2020. Students also performed significantly worse on the final examination in 2020 compared with 2019 (21.3 ± 5.4 vs 23.1 ± 5.4, P < .01). In both 2019 and 2020, students rated their ability to meet course objectives higher at the end of the semester compared with the beginning of the semester (P < .05).ConclusionThe COVID‐19 pandemic‐related changes in course delivery, participation, and assessment had a mixed effect on development of a systematic process for patient work‐up skills using the PPCP. Students progressed throughout the semester on early PPCP patient work‐up skills, but performance decreased when higher level skills or later PPCP steps were assessed and was lower compared with a previous offering of the course.
Inferring financial bubbles from option data
Authors: Jarrow Robert A. , Kwok Simon S. 
Published: July 2021

SummaryFinancial bubbles arise when the underlying asset's market price deviates from its fundamental value. Unlike other bubble tests that use time series data and assume a reduced‐form price process, we infer the existence of bubbles nonparametrically using option price data. Under no‐arbitrage and acknowledging data constraints, we can partially identify asset price bubbles using a cross section of European option prices. In the empirical analysis, we obtain interval estimates of price bubbles embedded in the S&P 500 Index. The estimated index bubbles are then used to construct profitable momentum trading strategies that consistently outperform a buy‐and‐hold trading strategy.
Skipping the skippable: An empirical study with out‐of‐sample predictive relevance
Authors: Munawar Saima , Syed Muhammad Fahim , Syed Ahmed Shoeb , Farooq Sumair , Rehman Asma 
Published: July 2021

AbstractPurposeThis explanatory research aims to describe the factors that impact YouTube ad intrusiveness, value, and avoidance in light of psychological reactance theory.Research DesignThe research has a causal–predictive design. It describes the relationship between the construct with an underpinning theory. Data from a sample of 294 respondents were analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling to test within sample explanatory power and out‐of‐sample prediction power.FindingsThe results show that informativeness does not significantly impact intrusiveness and ad avoidance. Entertainment has a negative direct and mediated impact on ad avoidance. Moreover, irritation was found to moderate the impact of informativeness on intrusiveness negatively. Importance–Performance Map Analysis revealed that entertainment lacks in performance despite being an essential factor. Besides explanatory power, the model has a moderate out‐of‐sample predictive relevance power.Practical ImplicationsThe relative importance of the entertainment and interactive impact of irritation with informativeness is established for the first time in this study. The new finding is a significant contribution to theory while leading to practical implications for the industry.
Morphological and microstructural characteristics of scales in longnose goby Awaous jayakari (Teleostei: Gobiidae): Light and scanning electron microscopy approaches
Authors: Al Jufaili Saud M. , Masoumi Amir Hassan , Esmaeili Hamid Reza , Jawad Laith , Teimori Azad 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe scale morphology of a native goby, Awaous jayakari (Gobiidae) was studied using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. The morphological descriptions were based on the scale's type, shape, and features of the anterior, posterior, and lateral fields. Further characteristics of the focus, circuli, radii, lepidonts, and cteni, were investigated. Morphometric indices were calculated for some scales. Shape variability of scales was high in different regions. However, the majority of scales displayed a polygonal shape (hexagonal and pentagonal). Both ctenoid and cycloid scales were observed in the studied fishes. The ctenoid scale of A. jayakari was peripheral and characterized by the presence of one row of marginally located spines in two completed and uncompleted subtypes. The focus was positioned posteriorly or postero‐centrally. The microscopic examinations revealed the presence of lepidonts of different sizes being very tiny, small, or prominent performing flat, blunt, pointed, short, or truncated shapes. The rostral margin of the scales was convex to moderately flattened and represented striate, scalloped, or waved types. Lateral fields were often flattened in all regions, while convex in the lateral fields of the scales of some individuals. The posterior field showed variations in different regions, for example, tapered and flattened ends. The anterior–posterior axis presented a laterally expanded or an elongated extension. The considerable morphological variation in the scales of various body regions makes it difficult to nominate a typical scale to be used in taxonomic studies. However, the key scales can be used for the comparison of different Awaous species.
Soil carbon response to long‐term biosolids application
Authors: Villa Yocelyn B. , Ryals Rebecca 
Published: July 2021

AbstractAstudy was conducted in three agroecosystems in California (Sacramento, Solano, and Merced counties) that received biosolids applications for 20 yr. Management varied in application rates and frequencies, resulting in average cumulative amount of biosolids applied of 74 (Solano), 105 (Merced), and 359 (Sacramento) Mg biosolidsdryha–1, resulting in the addition of 26 (Solano), 36 (Merced), and 125 (Sacramento) Mg biosolids‐C ha–1. Measurements included soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (N) concentrations from 0 to 100 cm and microbial biomass C (MBC) and microbial biomass N (MBN) from 0 to 30 cm in biosolids‐amended and control sites. Biosolids treatments had greater amounts of SOC and total N at all sites, and MBC and MBN were greatest at Sacramento and Solano. The largest increases in SOC were at the site that received the lowest cumulative loading rate of biosolids (Solano), where SOC content to 100 cm was 50% greater in amended soils (p < .001). Net changes in soil C stocks to 30 cm were 0.4 ± 0.1 (Solano), −0.04 ± 0.1 (Merced), and 0.3 ± 0.2 (Sacramento) Mg C ha–1yr–1. These values change when considering deeper soil depths (0–100 cm) to 0.5 ± 0.1 (Solano), 0.2 ± 0.2 (Merced), and 0.216 ± 0.2 (Sacramento) Mg C ha–1yr–1, reflecting differences in C stocks changes in surface and subsurface soils across sites. Rates of C storage per dry Mg of biosolids per year applied were 1 ± 0.2 (Solano), 0.5 ± 0.4 (Merced), and 0.04 ± 0.1 (Sacramento). Our results suggest that local controls on soil C stabilization are more important than amendment application amount at predicting climate benefits and that accounting for soil C changes below 30 cm can provide insight for sequestering C in agroecosystems.
Leukocytes count and profile during early postnatal ontogenesis in domestic cats: Effect of litter size and multiple paternity
Authors: Soboleva Alena S. , Alekseeva Galina S. , Erofeeva Mariya N. , Klyuchnikova Polina S. , Sorokin Pavel A. , Naidenko Sergey V. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractSince blood cells count is the most important indicator of animals’ physiological status, we investigated the effects of age, litter size, and multiple paternity on the total number of white blood cells, the number of their individual types (lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes), and the ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes in domestic cat during early postnatal ontogenesis. The study was conducted on kittens living in outdoor conditions, aged from birth to 6 months. The number of white blood cells was evaluated using a hemoanalyzer, the leukocyte formula and the proportion of cell types were determined manually from blood smears. Age significantly affected the number of leukocytes in the first 3 months of kittens’ age. The number and proportion of neutrophils were the highest after birth and gradually decreased during the first month. Lymphocytes number, on the contrary, increased during this period. Monocytes and eosinophils increased in number in the first 2 months. The litter size affected the number of leukocytes and neutrophils in the first 2 months of life, their number being significantly higher in kittens from the small litters than from the large ones. In kittens from the litters with multiple paternity, the number of leukocytes and the proportion of neutrophils was higher than in litters from a single male. Thus, age, litter size and type of paternity may affect the hematological indices in domestic cats, which must be taken into account during the estimation of the health status of kittens in domestic and wild cats.