bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The presence of smear layer affects the antimicrobial action of root canal sealers
Authors: Zancan R. F. , Di Maio A. , Tomson P. L. , Duarte M. A. H. , Camilleri J. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAimTo assess the chemical and microstructural characteristics of dentine after the use of two irrigation protocols and correlate this with the antimicrobial properties of hydraulic calcium silicate cement (HCSC) sealers and changes to the dentine structure/chemistry after sealer placement.MethodologyTwo irrigation protocols – Protocol A using 2% NaOCl used 5 mL/5 min and Protocol B with 2% NaOCl (5 mL/5 min) followed by 17% EDTA (5 mL/3 min) – were used to prepare dentine. The chemical and microstructural changes following irrigation were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy (n = 5) on dentine obtained from the mid‐root and coronal parts of extracted human teeth. Four sealers (AH Plus, BioRoot, MTA Fillapex, TotalFill) were characterized by SEM/EDS (n = 3). The ability of the sealers to eradicate intratubular Enterococcus faecalis biofilms was assessed by live/dead dye and confocal laser scanning microscopy to measure the percentage of living cells. The effect of combined irrigation and root filling on dentine was assessed by SEM and EDS analysis (n = 5). Statistical analysis was undertaken using one‐way anova and a number of post hoc tests to detect intergroup differences. The F‐test was used for comparison of variances in the microbiology testing.ResultsThe use of NaOCl alone left the smear layer intact, with traces of chlorine remaining on dentine. The use of BioRoot sealer restored the calcium levels of dentine which had been depleted by the irrigation with EDTA. BioRoot exhibited antimicrobial properties against intratubular bacteria even in the presence of smear layer (Protocol A). Smear layer removal improved the bactericidal effect of all sealers and Ca2+ leaching. The use of a chelating agent was important for the intratubular sealer penetration for AH Plus but not the other sealers.ConclusionThe removal of smear layer was necessary for penetration of AH Plus into the dentinal tubules. BioRoot was a more effective sealer in reducing the bacterial load in the dentinal tubules than the other materials tested and the presence of smear layer did not affect its activity.
LmjF.36.3850, a novel hypothetical Leishmania major protein, contributes to the infection
Authors: Zutshi Shubhranshu , Sarode Aditya Yashwant , Ghosh Soumya Kanti , Jha Mukesh Kumar , Sudan Raki , Kumar Sunil , Sadhale Late Parag , Roy Somenath , Saha Bhaskar 
Published: March 2021

AbstractLeishmania is a protozoan parasite that resides in mammalian macrophages and inflicts the disease known as leishmaniasis. Although prevalent in 88 countries, an anti‐leishmanial vaccine remains elusive. While comparing the virulent and avirulent L. major transcriptomes by microarray, PCR and functional analyses for identifying a novel virulence‐associated gene, we identified LmjF.36.3850, a hypothetical protein significantly less expressed in the avirulent parasite and without any known function. Motif search revealed that LmjF.36.3850 protein shared phosphorylation sites and other structural features with sucrose non‐fermenting protein (Snf7) that shuttles virulence factors. LmjF.36.3850 was predicted to bind diacylglycerol (DAG) with energy value similar to PKCα and PKCβ, to which DAG is a cofactor. Indeed, 1‐oleoyl‐2‐acetyl‐sn‐glycerol (OAG), a DAG analogue, enhanced the phosphorylation of PKCα and PKCβI. We cloned LmjF.36.3850 gene in a mammalian expression vector and primed susceptible BALB/c mice followed by challenge infection. We observed a higher parasite load, comparable antibody response and higher anti‐inflammatory cytokines such as IL‐4 and IL‐10, while expression of major anti‐leishmanial cytokine, IFN‐γ, remained unchanged in LmjF.36.3850‐vaccinated mice. CSA restimulated LN cells from vaccinated mice after challenge infection secreted comparable IL‐4 and IL‐10 but reduced IFN‐γ, as compared to controls. These observations suggest a skewed Th2 response, diminished IFN‐γ secreting Th1‐TEM cells and increased central and effector memory subtype of Th2, Th17 and Treg cells in the vaccinated mice. These data indicate that LmjF.36.3850 is a plausible virulence factor that enhances disease‐promoting response, possibly by interfering with PKC activation and by eliciting disease‐promoting T cells.
Evaluating working memory outcome measures for children with Down syndrome
Authors: Schworer E. K. , Esbensen A. J. , Fidler D. J. , Beebe D. W. , Carle A. , Wiley S. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundThere is a critical need for the psychometric evaluation of outcome measures to be used in clinical trials targeting cognition in Down syndrome (DS). This study examines a specific cognitive skill that is of particular importance in DS, working memory, and the psychometric properties of a set of standardised measurements to assess working memory in individuals with DS.MethodsNinety children and adolescents ages 6 to 18 years old with DS were assessed on a selection of verbal and visuospatial working memory subtests of standardised clinical assessments at two time points to examine feasibility, distributional qualities, test–retest reliability and convergent validity against a priori criteria. Caregivers also completed an adaptive behaviour questionnaire to address working memory subtests' associations with broader developmental functioning.ResultsThe Stanford Binet‐5 Verbal Working Memory, Differential Ability Scales‐2 Recognition of Pictures, Stanford Binet‐5 Nonverbal Working Memory and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children‐5 Picture Span measures met the most psychometric criteria overall across the full age and IQ range of the study. Although Differential Ability Scales‐2 Recall of Sequential Order and Differential Ability Scales‐2 Recall of Digits Backward met the fewest a priori criteria, follow‐up analyses suggested greater feasibility in specific age and IQ ranges.ConclusionsSeveral working memory measures appear to be psychometrically sound and appropriate for use in clinical trials for children with DS, especially when focusing on raw scores. However, floor effects on standard scores and feasibility of some measures were problematic. Guidelines for use of the working memory subtests with this population are provided.
Taking into account patient preferences in personalised care: Blending types of nursing knowledge in evidence‐based practice
Authors: den Hertog Ria , Niessen Theo 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAims and objectivesTo explore how excellent nurses in hospitals take into account patient preferences in nursing decision‐making in the evidence‐based practice towards personalised care.BackgroundIn evidence‐based practice, nursing decision‐making is based on scientific evidence, evidence of best practice and individual patient preferences. Little is known about how nurses in hospitals take into account patient preferences in nursing decision‐making.DesignQualitative grounded theory.MethodsData collection entailed 27 semi‐structured interviews with nurses designated by their colleagues as excellent caregivers, followed by 57 hours of participant observation. Data analysis was conducted using three‐level coding with constant comparison and theoretical sampling. The COREQ checklist for qualitative research was followed.ResultsA main finding was that participants used three implicit tools to discover patient preferences: establishing a connection, using antennae and asking empathic questions, thus instantly reassuring patients from the very first contact. Their starting point in care was the patient's perception of quality of life wherein they shifted towards their patient's perspective: “Teach me to provide the best care for you in this situation.” During the observations, it was confirmed that the excellent nurses behaved as they had described before.ConclusionExcellent nurses actively turn towards patients’ expectations and experienced quality of life by carefully blending individual sensitive and situation specific patient preferences with scientific evidence and evidence of best practice. In doing so, they are able to balancing more equally patient preferences in to the equation called evidence‐based practice, thus leading to wise decision‐making in personalised nursing care.Relevance to clinical practicePatient preferences become a fully fledged part of nursing decision‐making in EBP when in education and practice, the implicit knowledge of excellent nurses about how to take into account patient preferences to provide personalised care is more valued and taught.
The Emotion of Fear: Its Experience in Situations Involving Animals, Accidents, and Violence and Its Regulation by the Cognitive Reappraisal Strategy
Authors: Prosen Simona , Poljšak Škraban Olga , Slana Ozimič Anka , Repovš Grega , Smrtnik Vitulić Helena 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn the present study, the experience of fear in various stimulus situations (involving animals, accidents, and violence) and its regulation by the cognitive reappraisal strategy in 46 psychology students was analyzed. The students self‐assessed their experience of fear via questionnaires and a computerized task. In the questionnaires, the intensity of the experience of fear in everyday situations and the frequency of cognitive reappraisal strategy use were measured. In the computer application, photos eliciting fear were presented under two conditions: the first involved experiencing the photos and the continuation of this experience, while the second involved experiencing the photos followed by the use of the cognitive reappraisal strategy. The results confirm differences between the various stimulus situations. When measured with the questionnaires, the most intense fear was reported in situations involving accidents, whereas violence triggered the most intense fear while experiencing the photos. When the students continued to experience a photo, their experience of fear intensified significantly, but when they regulated their experience using cognitive reappraisal, their fear decreased. However, the intensity of the regulated fear was not connected to the frequency of the everyday use of cognitive reappraisal, as reported in the questionnaire. The study confirms the importance of contextual factors when experiencing and regulating fear.
Natural history of hepatitis C virus infection in a large national seroconversion cohort in the direct‐acting antiviral agent era: Results from ERCHIVES
Authors: Butt Adeel A. , Yan Peng ,   the ERCHIVES study team
Published: March 2021

AbstractHepatitis C virus (HCV) natural history studies are limited by not knowing the time of infection, small numbers and non‐representative populations. No studies are available from the direct‐acting antiviral agents (DAA) era. We created the largest known cohort of persons with HCV with a known window of seroconversion in the DAA era. We compared the annual cumulative incident events and incidence rate/1000 person‐years of follow‐up for liver cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and mortality from the time of seroconversion among untreated and those treated and attaining a sustained virologic response (SVR). Among 12,881 persons in the final analyses, 10,417 had never been treated for HCV, 2464 (23.6%) were treated with a DAA regimen and 1836 (74.5%) attained SVR. After 9 years of follow‐up, cirrhosis was diagnosed in 17.4% of untreated and 13.6% of the SVR group. Overall, 29.5% in the untreated versus 3.5% in the SVR group died. Incidence rates/1000 person‐years of follow‐up (95% CI) for untreated versus SVR group were 22.7 (21.6, 23.9) versus 19.5 (17.0, 21.9) for cirrhosis (p = 0.03), 0.1 (0.03, 0.2) versus 0.07 (−0.07, 0.2) for HCC (p = 0.74) and 35.4 (34.0, 36.8) versus 4.53 (3.4, 5.7) for mortality (p < 0.0001). After excluding those with alcohol‐related diagnoses at baseline, the difference in cirrhosis was not statistically significant. Cirrhosis and mortality occur early and steadily increase over the first decade after acquiring HCV infection, while HCC is rarely observed. Those treated with a DAA regimen have sharply lower cirrhosis and mortality rates, particularly among those without alcohol abuse or dependence.
Mixotrophic growth of the extremophile Galdieria sulphuraria reveals the flexibility of its carbon assimilation metabolism
Authors: Curien Gilles , Lyska Dagmar , Guglielmino Erika , Westhoff Phillip , Janetzko Janina , Tardif Marianne , Hallopeau Clément , Brugière Sabine , Dal Bo Davide , Decelle Johan , Gallet Benoit , Falconet Denis , Carone Michele , Remacle Claire , Ferro Myriam , Weber Andreas P.M. , Finazzi Giovanni 
Published: March 2021

Summary

Galdieria sulphuraria is a cosmopolitan microalga found in volcanic hot springs and calderas. It grows at low pH in photoautotrophic (use of light as a source of energy) or heterotrophic (respiration as a source of energy) conditions, using an unusually broad range of organic carbon sources. Previous data suggested that G. sulphuraria cannot grow mixotrophically (simultaneously exploiting light and organic carbon as energy sources), its photosynthetic machinery being repressed by organic carbon.

Here, we show that G. sulphuraria SAG21.92 thrives in photoautotrophy, heterotrophy and mixotrophy. By comparing growth, biomass production, photosynthetic and respiratory performances in these three trophic modes, we show that addition of organic carbon to cultures (mixotrophy) relieves inorganic carbon limitation of photosynthesis thanks to increased CO2 supply through respiration. This synergistic effect is lost when inorganic carbon limitation is artificially overcome by saturating photosynthesis with added external CO2.

Proteomic and metabolic profiling corroborates this conclusion suggesting that mixotrophy is an opportunistic mechanism to increase intracellular CO2 concentration under physiological conditions, boosting photosynthesis by enhancing the carboxylation activity of Ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase‐oxygenase (Rubisco) and decreasing photorespiration.

We discuss possible implications of these findings for the ecological success of Galdieria in extreme environments and for biotechnological applications.
Influence of Cage Design on Radiological and Clinical Outcomes in Dorsal Lumbar Spinal Fusions: A Comparison of Lordotic and Non‐Lordotic Cages
Authors: Walter Christian , Baumgärtner Tobias , Trappe Dominik , Frantz Sandra , Exner Lisanne , Mederake Moritz 
Published: March 2021

ObjectivesTo evaluate the comparison between lordotic and non‐lordotic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) cages in degenerative lumbar spine surgery and analyze radiological as well as clinical outcome parameters in long‐term follow up.MethodsIn a retrospective study design, we compared 37 patients with non‐lordotic cage (NL‐group) and 40 with a 5° lordotic cage (L‐group) implanted mono‐ or bi‐segmental in TLIF‐technique from 2013 to 2016 and analyzed radiological parameters of pre‐ and postoperative (Lumbar lordosis (LL), segmental lordosis (SL), and pelvic tilt (PT), as well as clinical parameters in a follow‐up physical examination using the Oswestry disability index (ODI), Roland–Morris Score (RMS), and visual analog scale (VAS).ResultsSurgery was mainly performed in lower lumbar spine with a peak in L4/5 (mono‐segmental) and L4 to S1 (bi‐segmental), long‐term follow‐up was on average 4 years postoperative. According to the literature, we found significantly better results in radiological outcome in the L‐group compared to the NL‐group: LL increased 6° in L‐group (51° preoperative to 57° postoperative) and decreased 1° in NL‐group (50° to 49° (P < 0.001). Regarding SL, we found an increase of 5° in L‐group (13° to 18°) and no difference in NL‐group (15°)(P < 0.001). In PT, we found a clear benefit with a decrease of 2° in L‐group (21° to 19°) and no difference in NL‐group (P = 0.008).In direct group comparison, ODI in NL‐group was 23% vs 28% in L‐group (P = 0.25), RMS in NL‐group was 8 points vs 9 points in L‐group (P = 0.48), and VAS was in NL‐group 2.7 vs 3.2 in L‐group (P = 0.27) without significant differences.However, the clinical outcome in multivariate analysis indicated a significant multivariate influence across ODI and RMS of BMI (Wilks λ = 0.57, F [4, 44] = 3.61, P = 0.012) and preoperative SS (Wilks λ = 0.66, F [4, 44] = 2.54, P = 0.048). Age, gender, cage type and postoperative PT had no significant influence (P > 0.05). Intraoperatively, we saw three dura injuries that could be sutured without problems and had no consequences for the patient. In the follow‐up, we did not find any material‐related problems, such as broken screws or cage loosening, also no pseudarthrosis.ConclusionIn conclusion, we think it's not cage design but other influenceable factors such as correct indication and adequate decompression that lead to surgical success and the minimal difference in the LL therefore seemed to be of subordinate importance.
The negative binomial process: A tractable model with composite likelihood‐based inference
Authors: Barreto‐Souza Wagner , Ombao Hernando 
Published: March 2021

AbstractWe propose a log‐linear Poisson regression model driven by a stationary latent gamma autoregression. This process has negative binomial (NB) marginals to analyze overdispersed count time series data. Estimation and statistical inference are performed using a composite (CL) likelihood function. We establish theoretical properties of the proposed count model, in particular, the strong consistency and asymptotic normality of the maximum CL estimator. A procedure for calculating the standard error of the parameter estimator and confidence intervals is derived based on the parametric bootstrap. Monte Carlo experiments were conducted to study and compare the finite‐sample properties of the proposed estimators. The simulations demonstrate that, compared with the approach that combines generalized linear models with the ordinary least squares method, the proposed composite likelihood approach provides satisfactory results for estimating the parameters related to the correlation structure of the process, even under model misspecification. An empirical illustration of the NB process is presented for the monthly number of viral hepatitis cases in Goiânia (capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Goiás) from January 2001 to December 2018.
Optimism: Enduring resource or miscalibrated perception?
Authors: Purol Mariah F. , Chopik William J. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThere is a general, widely‐held belief that optimism is always a good thing. While there is much previous research suggesting that optimists enjoy several health and wellness benefits, there is also a large body of research suggesting that optimism is not always advantageous. Perhaps examining how optimism develops and changes across the lifespan may give us insight into how people use optimism and allow us to determine if and when optimism is helpful or maladaptive for them. In the current review, we review evidence debating the benefits and costs of optimism, as well as examine how optimism develops across the lifespan. We discuss how life events may or may not impact the developmental trajectory of optimism. Lastly, we address currently unanswered questions and emphasize the contextual nature of optimism's advantages.
Unloaded Organ Culturing Has a Detrimental Effect on the Axial Mechanical Properties of the Intervertebral Disc
Authors: Zwambag Derek P. , Laird Brigitte N. , DeWitte-Orr Stephanie J. , Gregory Diane E. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Healthy function of intervertebral discs (IVDs) depends on their tissue mechanical properties. Native cells embedded within IVD tissues are responsible for building, maintaining, and repairing IVD structures in response to genetic, biochemical, and mechanical signals. Organ culturing provides a method for investigating how cells respond to these stimuli in their natural architectural environment. The purpose of this study was to determine how organ culturing affects the mechanical characteristics of functional spine units (FSUs) across the entire range of axial loading, including the neutral zone (NZ), using a rat tail model. Rat tail FSUs were organ cultured at 37 °C in an unloaded state in standard culture media for either 1-day (n = 8) or 6-days (n = 12). Noncultured FSUs (n = 12) were included as fresh control specimens. Axial mechanical properties were tested by applying cyclical compression and tension. A novel mathematical approach was developed to fully characterize the relationship between load, stiffness, and deformation through the entire range of loading. Culturing FSUs for 1-day did not affect any of the axial mechanical outcome measures compared to noncultured IVDs; however, culturing for 6 days increased the size of NZ by 112% and decreased the stiffness in NZ, compressive, and tensile regions by 53%, 19%, and 15%, respectively, compared to noncultured FSUs. These results highlight the importance of considering how the mechanical integrity of IVD tissues may affect the transmission of mechanical signals to cells in unloaded organ culturing experiments.
A Concurrent Design Framework for the Ergonomics of Production Processes
Authors: Brown Don R. , Budnick Peter M. , Bloswick Donald S. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Ergonomics is a term derived from the Greek words ergon meaning “work” and nomos, meaning “natural laws of” or “study of.” Ergonomics is therefore defined as the study of the natural laws of work, in particular, the relationship between the worker and the work environment. The work environment includes the workplace, tools, parts, materials and work processes required to combine these elements. The work environment may be as simple as a hammer or as complex as the cockpit of a sophisticated aircraft.
Spatial Reasoning on Form Feature Interactions for Manufacturability Assessment
Authors: Chen Yuh-Min , Miller R. Allen , Lu Shao-Chiung 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
This paper presents the definition, reasoning and representation of part geometry characteristics to support manufacturability assessment. The scope is limited to the extraction of significant items formed from feature interactions for castability and moldability assessment. Reasoning for part geometry characteristics is performed as a refinement procedure. High-level spatial relationships between features - “Is_In” and “Adjacent_To” are first derived to support the specialization of the characteristics of individual features as well as other detailed relationships. The significant items formed from feature interactions are then extracted based on the detailed spatial relationships and geometric details.
Design Representation for Manufacturability Evaluation in CAD: Beyond Feature-Based Design
Authors: Ishii Kos , Miller R. A. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
This paper addresses CAD representation suitable for intelligent programs that evaluate life-cycle concerns. Design for net shape manufacturing serves as a vehicle for our discussion. We argue that feature-based design alone could lead to an unmanageable number of predefined features and tagged data in order to accommodate the different perspectives of the design engineer, tooling engineer, and process engineer. The paper proposes a compromise between full scope feature-based design and pure geometry as the recommended form of design representation. This mode requires methods or formulae to infer information needed for evaluation. There are two types of methods important in manufacturability evaluation: 1) macroscopic search of problems in the entire design, and 2) microscopic evaluation of a local form feature. We illustrate our ideas with two working systems.