bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Higher social tolerance in wild versus captive common marmosets: the role of interdependence
Authors: de Oliveira Terceiro Francisco Edvaldo , Arruda Maria de Fátima , van Schaik Carel P. , Araújo Arrilton , Burkart Judith Maria 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSocial tolerance in a group reflects the balance between within-group competition and interdependence: whereas increased competition leads to a reduction in social tolerance, increased interdependence increases it. Captivity reduces both feeding competition and interdependence and can therefore affect social tolerance. In independently breeding primates, social tolerance has been shown to be higher in captivity, indicating a strong effect of food abundance. It is not known, however, how social tolerance in cooperative breeders, with their much higher interdependence, responds to captivity. Here, we therefore compared social tolerance between free-ranging and captive groups in the cooperatively breeding common marmoset and found higher social tolerance (measured as proximity near food, co-feeding, and food sharing) in the wild. Most likely, social tolerance in the wild is higher because interdependence is particularly high in the wild, especially because infant care is more costly there than in captivity. These results indicate that the high social tolerance of these cooperative breeders in captivity is not an artefact, and that captive data may even have underestimated it. They may also imply that the cooperative breeding and foraging of our hominin ancestors, which relied on strong interdependence at multiple levels, was associated with high social tolerance.
Mood alterations in mouse models of Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 1
Authors: Asher Melissa , Rosa Juao-Guilherme , Cvetanovic Marija 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSpinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by abnormal expansion of glutamine-encoding CAG repeats in the Ataxin-1 (ATXN1) gene. SCA1 is characterized by progressive motor deficits, cognitive decline, and mood changes including anxiety and depression, with longer number of repeats correlating with worse disease outcomes. While mouse models have been very useful in understanding etiology of ataxia and cognitive decline, our understanding of mood symptoms in SCA1 has lagged. It remains unclear whether anxiety or depression stem from an underlying brain pathology or as a consequence of living with an untreatable and lethal disease. To increase our understanding of the etiology of SCA1 mood alterations, we used the elevated-plus maze, sucrose preference and forced swim tests to assess mood in four different mouse lines. We found that SCA1 knock-in mice exhibit increased anxiety that correlated with the length of CAG repeats, supporting the idea that underlying brain pathology contributes to SCA1-like anxiety. Additionally, our results support the concept that increased anxiety is caused by non-cerebellar pathology, as Purkinje cell specific SCA1 transgenic mice exhibit decreased anxiety-like behavior. Regarding the molecular mechanism, partial loss of ATXN1 may play a role in anxiety, based on our results for Atxn1 haploinsufficient and null mice.
Diversity unearthed by the estimated molecular phylogeny and ecologically quantitative characteristics of uncultured Ehrlichia bacteria in Haemaphysalis ticks, Japan
Authors: Su Hongru , Onoda Eri , Tai Hitoshi , Fujita Hiromi , Sakabe Shigetoshi , Azuma Kentaro , Akachi Shigehiro , Oishi Saori , Abe Fuyuki , Ando Shuji , Ohashi Norio 
Published: January 2021

AbstractEhrlichia species are obligatory intracellular bacteria transmitted by arthropods, and some of these species cause febrile diseases in humans and livestock. Genome sequencing has only been performed with cultured Ehrlichia species, and the taxonomic status of such ehrlichiae has been estimated by core genome-based phylogenetic analysis. However, many uncultured ehrlichiae exist in nature throughout the world, including Japan. This study aimed to conduct a molecular-based taxonomic and ecological characterization of uncultured Ehrlichia species or genotypes from ticks in Japan. We first surveyed 616 Haemaphysalis ticks by p28-PCR screening and analyzed five additional housekeeping genes (16S rRNA, groEL, gltA, ftsZ, and rpoB) from 11 p28-PCR-positive ticks. Phylogenetic analyses of the respective genes showed similar trees but with some differences. Furthermore, we found that V1 in the V1–V9 regions of Ehrlichia 16S rRNA exhibited the greatest variability. From an ecological viewpoint, the amounts of ehrlichiae in a single tick were found to equal approx. 6.3E+3 to 2.0E+6. Subsequently, core-partial-RGGFR-based phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated sequences of the five housekeeping loci revealed six Ehrlichia genotypes, which included potentially new Ehrlichia species. Thus, our approach contributes to the taxonomic profiling and ecological quantitative analysis of uncultured or unidentified Ehrlichia species or genotypes worldwide.
Effects of marital status on overall and cancer-specific survival in laryngeal cancer patients: a population-based study
Authors: Ding Zhao , Yu Deshun , Li Hefeng , Ding Yueming 
Published: January 2021

AbstractMarital status has long been recognized as an important prognostic factor for many cancers, however its’ prognostic effect for patients with laryngeal cancer has not been fully examined. We retrospectively analyzed 8834 laryngeal cancer patients in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database from 2004 to 2010. Patients were divided into four groups: married, widowed, single, and divorced/separated. The difference in overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of the various marital subgroups were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier curve. Multivariate Cox regression analysis screened for independent prognostic factors. Propensity score matching (PSM) was also conducted to minimize selection bias. We included 8834 eligible patients (4817 married, 894 widowed, 1732 single and 1391 divorced/separated) with laryngeal cancer. The 5-year OS and CSS of married, widowed, single, and separated/divorced patients were examined. Univariate and multivariate analyses found marital status to be an independent predictor of survival. Subgroup survival analysis showed that the OS and CSS rates in widowed patients were always the lowest in the various American Joint Committee on Cancer stages, irrespective of sex. Widowed patients demonstrated worse OS and CSS in the 1:1 matched group analysis. Among patients with laryngeal cancer, widowed patients represented the highest-risk group, with the lowest OS and CSS.
Wastewater COD characterization: RBCOD and SBCOD characterization analysis methods
Authors: Zhang Jingbing , Shao Yuting , Liu Guohua , Qi Lu , Wang Hongchen , Xu Xianglong , Liu Shuai 
Published: January 2021

AbstractWastewater characterization is the basis for process design and operation optimization of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this work, a comprehensive study of the respirometry method has been performed to evaluate the biodegradable organic matters of wastewater. First, the optimal initial substrate to biomass ratio (S0/X0) was confirmed. Second, under the optimal S0/X0, the degradation curves of wastewater carbon oxygen demand (COD) components rapidly biodegradable COD (RBCOD) and slowly biodegradable COD (SBCOD) were obtained. Third, the Mann–Kendall test was performed to confirm the time point (t2) when endogenous respiration levels were reached, and the hydrolysis model was used to determine the time point (t1) of the SBCOD degradation stage. Considering the results, an adequate wastewater COD characterization method for RBCOD and SBCOD has been proposed. This study provides strong support to carry out effective and feasible process design, process diagnosis and optimization capability, can help achieve refined and stable operational management of WWTPs.
Application of wood ash leads to strong vertical gradients in soil pH changing prokaryotic community structure in forest top soil
Authors: Bang-Andreasen Toke , Peltre Mette , Ellegaard-Jensen Lea , Hansen Lars Hestbjerg , Ingerslev Morten , Rønn Regin , Jacobsen Carsten Suhr , Kjøller Rasmus 
Published: January 2021

AbstractWood ash is alkaline and contains base-cations. Application of wood ash to forests therefore counteracts soil acidification and recycle nutrients removed during harvest. Wood ash application to soil leads to strong vertical gradients in physicochemical parameters. Consequently, we designed an experimental system where small-scale vertical changes in soil properties and prokaryotic community structure could be followed after wood ash application. A mixed fly and bottom ash was applied in dosages of 3 and 9 t ha−1 to the surface of soil mesocosms, simulating a typical coniferous podzol. Soil pH, exchangeable cations and 16S prokaryotic community was subsequently assessed at small depth intervals to 5 cm depth at regular intervals for one year. Wood ash significantly changed the prokaryotic community in the top of the soil column. Also, the largest increases in pH and concentrations of exchangeable cations was found here. The relative abundance of prokaryotic groups directionally changed, suggesting that wood ash favors copiotrophic prokaryotes at the expense of oligotrophic and acidophilic taxa. The effect of wood ash were negligible both in terms of pH- and biological changes in lower soil layers. Consequently, by micro-vertical profiling we showed that wood ash causes a steep gradient of abiotic factors driving biotic changes but only in the top-most soil layers.
Effect of biomass immobilization and reduced graphene oxide on the microbial community changes and nitrogen removal at low temperatures
Authors: Banach-Wiśniewska Anna , Tomaszewski Mariusz , Hellal Mohamed S. , Ziembińska-Buczyńska Aleksandra 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe slow growth rate and high optimal temperatures for the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria are significant limitations of the anammox processes application in the treatment of mainstream of wastewater entering wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). In this study, we investigate the nitrogen removal and microbial community changes in sodium alginate (SA) and sodium alginate–reduced graphene oxide (SA-RGO) carriers, depending on the process temperature, with a particular emphasis on the temperature close to the mainstream of wastewater entering the WWTP. The RGO addition to the SA matrix causes suppression of the beads swelling, which intern modifies the mechanical properties of the gel beads. The effect of the temperature drop on the nitrogen removal rate was reduced for biomass entrapped in SA and SA-RGO gel beads in comparison to non-immobilized biomass, this suggests a ‘‘protective” effect caused by immobilization. However, analyses performed using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and qPCR revealed that the microbial community composition and relative gene abundance changed significantly, after the implementation of the new process conditions. The microbial community inside the gel beads was completely remodelled, in comparison with inoculum, and denitrification contributed to the nitrogen transformation inside the beads.
Evaluation of a multiparametric MRI radiomic-based approach for stratification of equivocal PI-RADS 3 and upgraded PI-RADS 4 prostatic lesions
Authors: Brancato Valentina , Aiello Marco , Basso Luca , Monti Serena , Palumbo Luigi , Di Costanzo Giuseppe , Salvatore Marco , Ragozzino Alfonso , Cavaliere Carlo 
Published: January 2021

AbstractDespite the key-role of the Prostate Imaging and Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) in the diagnosis and characterization of prostate cancer (PCa), this system remains to be affected by several limitations, primarily associated with the interpretation of equivocal PI-RADS 3 lesions and with the debated role of Dynamic Contrast Enhanced-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI), which is only used to upgrade peripheral PI-RADS category 3 lesions to PI-RADS category 4 if enhancement is focal. We aimed at investigating the usefulness of radiomics for detection of PCa lesions (Gleason Score ≥ 6) in PI-RADS 3 lesions and in peripheral PI-RADS 3 upgraded to PI-RADS 4 lesions (upPI-RADS 4). Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) data of patients who underwent prostatic mpMRI between April 2013 and September 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. Biopsy results were used as gold standard. PI-RADS 3 and PI-RADS 4 lesions were re-scored according to the PI-RADS v2.1 before and after DCE-MRI evaluation. Radiomic features were extracted from T2-weighted MRI (T2), Apparent diffusion Coefficient (ADC) map and DCE-MRI subtracted images using PyRadiomics. Feature selection was performed using Wilcoxon-ranksum test and Minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance (mRMR). Predictive models were constructed for PCa detection in PI-RADS 3 and upPI-RADS 4 lesions using at each step an imbalance-adjusted bootstrap resampling (IABR) on 1000 samples. 41 PI-RADS 3 and 32 upPI-RADS 4 lesions were analyzed. Among 293 radiomic features, the top selected features derived from T2 and ADC. For PI-RADS 3 stratification, second order model showed higher performances (Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve—AUC— = 80%), while for upPI-RADS 4 stratification, first order model showed higher performances respect to superior order models (AUC = 89%). Our results support the significant role of T2 and ADC radiomic features for PCa detection in lesions scored as PI-RADS 3 and upPI-RADS 4. Radiomics models showed high diagnostic efficacy in classify PI-RADS 3 and upPI-RADS 4 lesions, outperforming PI-RADS v2.1 performance.
Clinically relevant variants in a large cohort of Indian patients with Marfan syndrome and related disorders identified by next-generation sequencing
Authors: Nayak Shalini S. , Schneeberger Pauline E. , Patil Siddaramappa J. , Arun Karegowda M. , Suresh Pujar V. , Kiran Viralam S. , Siddaiah Sateesh , Maiya Shreesha , Venkatachalagupta Shrikanth K. , Kausthubham Neethukrishna , Kortüm Fanny , Rau Isabella , Wey-Fabrizius Alexandra , Van Den Heuvel Lotte , Meester Josephina , Van Laer Lut , Shukla Anju , Loeys Bart , Girisha Katta M. , Kutsche Kerstin 
Published: January 2021

AbstractMarfan syndrome and related disorders are a group of heritable connective tissue disorders and share many clinical features that involve cardiovascular, skeletal, craniofacial, ocular, and cutaneous abnormalities. The majority of affected individuals have aortopathies associated with early mortality and morbidity. Implementation of targeted gene panel next-generation sequencing in these individuals is a powerful tool to obtain a genetic diagnosis. Here, we report on clinical and genetic spectrum of 53 families from India with a total of 83 patients who had a clinical diagnosis suggestive of Marfan syndrome or related disorders. We obtained a molecular diagnosis in 45/53 (85%) index patients, in which 36/53 (68%) had rare variants in FBN1 (Marfan syndrome; 63 patients in total), seven (13.3%) in TGFBR1/TGFBR2 (Loeys–Dietz syndrome; nine patients in total) and two patients (3.7%) in SKI (Shprintzen–Goldberg syndrome). 21 of 41 rare variants (51.2%) were novel. We did not detect a disease-associated variant in 8 (15%) index patients, and none of them met the Ghent Marfan diagnostic criteria. We found the homozygous FBN1 variant p.(Arg954His) in a boy with typical features of Marfan syndrome. Our study is the first reporting on the spectrum of variants in FBN1, TGFBR1, TGFBR2, and SKI in Indian individuals.
Increased risk of major depressive disorder in sleep apnea patients in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Chia-Min , Kuo Chia-Yu , Wu Meng-Ni , Hung Jen-Yu , Hsu Chung-Yao , Tsai Ming-Ju 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe association between sleep apnea (SA) and depression had been reported in a few previous studies. However, whether SA increases the risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) has not been studied comprehensively in a large-scale study. We performed this population-based cohort study to assess the association between SA and MDD. We identified adult patients having SA from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database and excluded those having MDD before SA diagnosis. Thirty control subjects were randomly selected to match to each SA patient by age and sex. Totally, 10,259 SA patients were matched to 102,590 control subjects. The incidence rate and cumulative incidence of MDD were significantly higher in SA patients than in the control subjects (both p < 0.0001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that SA remained an independent risk factor for incident MDD after adjusting for age, sex, residency, income level, and comorbidities (hazard ratio = 2.9 [95% CI 2.8–3.1], p < 0.0001). In summary, SA patients have an increased risk to develop MDD. Physicians caring for SA patients must pay attention to their psychosocial health status.
Emission characteristics variation of GaAs0.92Sb0.08/Al0.3Ga0.7As strained multiple quantum wells caused by rapid thermal annealing
Authors: Wang Dengkui , Gao Xian , Tang Jilong , Fang Xuan , Fang Dan , Wang Xinwei , Lin Fengyuan , Wang Xiaohua , Chen Rui , Wei Zhipeng 
Published: January 2021

AbstractRapid thermal annealing is an effective way to improve the optical properties of semiconductor materials and devices. In this paper, the emission characteristics of GaAs0.92Sb0.08/Al0.3Ga0.7As multiple quantum wells, which investigated by temperature-dependent photoluminescence, are adjusted through strain and interfacial diffusion via rapid thermal annealing. The light-hole (LH) exciton emission and the heavy-hole (HH) exciton emission are observed at room temperature. After annealing, the LH and HH emission peaks have blue shift. It can be ascribed to the variation of interfacial strain at low annealing temperature and the interfacial diffusion between barrier layer and well layer at high annealing temperature. This work is of great significance for emission adjustment of strained multiple quantum wells.
Introducing winter rice cropping by using non-saline tidal water influx in western basins of South 24 Parganas, India
Authors: Mukherjee Prasun , Das Subhasish , Mazumdar Asis 
Published: January 2021

AbstractA population exceeding 3.8 million people in the western region of 24-Parganas (South) is directly or indirectly reliant on agriculture as their primary source of livelihood. The agricultural trend shows a clear lack of multi-cropping with a drop of nearly 30% in rice cultivation during the winter season. Nearly 50% of the region is directly dependent on canals. The introduction of tidal water in the canal network provides an exceptionally economical and highly effective mode of irrigation water supply. The primary aim of the study was to identify the cartographic characteristics and channel hydraulics in the summer season. It was noted that the canals have a wide discharge range of 0.03–540.03 m3/s, average evaporation loss of 9.07 mm/day with a seepage loss ranging from 0.04 to 6.36 m3/s. The tidal water ingress quantity was calculated to be 4.17 Mm3, 5.32 Mm3, 1.88 Mm3 at Diamond Harbour sluice (Sl.), Kulpi Sl. and Kholakhali Sl. respectively. It was denoted that the augmentation of tidal backwater six times monthly would suffice the winter crop water requirement for the majority of the basins. This would result in the production of 172.13 kt which was previously 17.6 kt resulting in an increase of production by 878.01%. The per capita income would also be increased by nearly 978% for the season, resulting in the macro-socioeconomic upliftment of the region.
Supercapacitors based on Ti3C2Tx MXene extracted from supernatant and current collectors passivated by CVD-graphene
Authors: Kumar Sunil , Rehman Malik Abdul , Lee Sungwon , Kim Minwook , Hong Hyeryeon , Park Jun-Young , Seo Yongho 
Published: January 2021

AbstractAn ultrahigh capacity supercapacitor is fabricated using a nano-layered MXene as an active electrode material, and Ni-foil is used as a current collector. The high-quality Ti3C2Tx obtained from supernatant during etching and washing processes improves the specific capacitance significantly. As another strategy, the surface of Ni-foil is engineered by coating chemical vapor deposition-grown graphene. The graphene grown directly on the Ni-foil is used as a current collector, forming the electrode structure of Ti3C2Tx/graphene/Ni. The surface passivation of the current collectors has a high impact on charge-transfer, which in turn increases the capacitance of the supercapacitors. It is found that the capacitance of the graphene-based supercapacitors is more than 1.5 times of the capacitance without graphene. A high specific capacitance, ~ 542 F/g, is achieved at 5 mV/s scan rate based on cyclic voltammetry analysis. Also, the graphene-based supercapacitor exhibits a quasi-rectangular form in cyclic voltammetry curves and a symmetric behavior in charge/discharge curves. Furthermore, cyclic stability up to 5000 cycles is confirmed with high capacitance retention at high scan rate 1000 mV/s. A reduced series resistance with a high limit capacitance is revealed by equivalent circuit analysis with the Nyquist plot.
Effects of aerobic, resistance and concurrent exercise on pulse wave reflection and autonomic modulation in men with elevated blood pressure
Authors: Farinatti Paulo , da Silva Itaborahy Alex , de Paula Tainah , Monteiro Walace David , Neves Mário F. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe acute effects of exercise modes on pulse wave reflection (PWR) and their relationship with autonomic control remain undefined, particularly in individuals with elevated blood pressure (BP). We compared PWR and autonomic modulation after acute aerobic (AE), resistance (RE), and concurrent exercise (CE) in 15 men with stage-1 hypertension (mean ± SE: 34.7 ± 2.5 years, 28.4 ± 0.6 kg/m2, 133 ± 1/82 ± 2 mmHg). Participants underwent AE, RE, and CE on different days in counterbalanced order. Applanation tonometry and heart rate variability assessments were performed before and 30-min postexercise. Aortic pressure decreased after AE (− 2.4 ± 0.7 mmHg; P = 0.01), RE (− 2.2 ± 0.6 mmHg; P = 0.03), and CE (− 3.1 ± 0.5 mmHg; P = 0.003). Augmentation index remained stable after RE, but lowered after AE (− 5.1 ± 1.7%; P = 0.03) and CE (− 7.6 ± 2.4% P = 0.002). Systolic BP reduction occurred after CE (− 5.3 ± 1.9 mmHg). RR-intervals and parasympathetic modulation lowered after all conditions (~ 30–40%; P < 0.05), while the sympathovagal balance increased after RE (1.2 ± 0.3–1.3 ± 0.3 n.u., P < 0.05). Changes in PWR correlated inversely with sympathetic and directly with vagal modulation in CE. In conclusion, AE, RE, and CE lowered central aortic pressure, but only AE and CE reduced PWR. Overall, those reductions related to decreased parasympathetic and increased sympathetic outflows. Autonomic fluctuations seemed to represent more a consequence than a cause of reduced PWR.