bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
ScotCap – A large observational cohort study
Authors: MacLeod Campbell , Hudson Jemma , Brogan Michelle , Cotton Seonaidh , Treweek Shaun , MacLennan Graeme , Watson Angus J. M. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAimThe aim of this work was to evaluate the performance of colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) in a lower gastrointestinal diagnostic care pathway.MethodThis large multicentre prospective clinical evaluation recruited symptomatic patients (patients requiring investigation of symptoms suggestive of colorectal pathology) and surveillance patients (patients due to undergo surveillance colonoscopy). Patients aged 18 years or over were invited to participate and undergo CCE by a secondary‐care clinician if they met the referral criteria for a colonoscopy. The primary outcome was the test completion rate (visualization of the whole colon and rectum). We also measured the need for further tests after CCE.ResultsA total of 733 patients were invited to take part in this evaluation, with 509 patients undergoing CCE. Of these, 316 were symptomatic patients and 193 were surveillance patients. Two hundred and twenty‐eight of the 316 symptomatic patients (72%) and 137 of the 193 surveillance patients (71%) had a complete test. It was found that 118/316 (37%) of symptomatic patients required no further test following CCE, while 103/316 (33%) and 81/316 (26%) required a colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy, respectively. Fifty‐three of the 193 surveillance patients (28%) required no further test following CCE, while 104/193 (54%) and 30/193 (16%) required a colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy, respectively. No patient in this evaluation was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Two patients experienced serious adverse events – one capsule retention with obstruction and one hospital admission with dehydration due to the bowel preparation.ConclusionCCE is a safe, well‐tolerated diagnostic test which can reduce the proportion of patients requiring colonoscopy, but the test completion rate needs to be improved to match that of lower gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Early Welsh cervical screening programme learning as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic
Authors: Leeson Simon , Evered Andrew , Powell Gareth , Lilly Kate , Singh Neelam , Hillier Sharon , Dunk Louise 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundThe coronavirus pandemic has had a profound impact on the cervical screening programme in Wales for the eligible women, sample takers, and laboratory and colposcopy services.AimsTo explore what changes due to the pandemic have adversely affected screening outcomes in Wales and what lessons can be learned to improve cervical screening in Wales and elsewhere.MethodsA review of the screening performance in 2020 and the first quarter of 2021 in Wales as well as a comparison with other cervical screening programme responses to the pandemic.ResultsA 3 month pause of screening together with a change in a variety of working practices, including social distancing, use of personal protective equipment, use of virtual meetings, and home working have been implemented. The combination of a pause to the issuing of invitations, plus reduced services in primary and secondary care, together with population lockdown, have contributed to longer waiting times for colposcopy and potentially delayed cancer diagnoses. Some programme changes which were being evaluated prior to the pandemic could be developed now to mitigate the impact of the pandemic such as improved information, increased screening intervals for human papillomavirus‐based screening programmes, and home working for call and recall staff.ConclusionsDespite a considerable short‐term interruption to the cervical screening programme, some changes introduced as a result of the coronavirus pandemic could provide key lessons learnt for improvement for cervical cancer prevention services.
Acquisition of the counting principles during the subset‐knower stages: Insights from children's errors
Authors: Cheung Pierina , Toomey Mary , Jiang Yahao Harry , Stoop Tawni B. , Shusterman Anna 
Published: December 2021

AbstractStudies on children's understanding of counting examine when and how children acquire the cardinal principle: the idea that the last word in a counted set reflects the cardinal value of the set. Using Wynn's (1990) Give‐N Task, researchers classify children who can count to generate large sets as having acquired the cardinal principle (cardinal‐principle‐knowers) and those who cannot as lacking knowledge of it (subset‐knowers). However, recent studies have provided a more nuanced view of number word acquisition. Here, we explore this view by examining the developmental progression of the counting principles with an aim to elucidate the gradual elements that lead to children successfully generating sets and being classified as CP‐knowers on the Give‐N Task. Specifically, we test the claim that subset‐knowers lack cardinal principle knowledge by separating children's understanding of the cardinal principle from their ability to apply and implement counting procedures. We also ask when knowledge of Gelman & Gallistel's (1978) other how‐to‐count principles emerge in development. We analyzed how often children violated the three how‐to‐count principles in a secondary analysis of Give‐N data (N = 86). We found that children already have knowledge of the cardinal principle prior to becoming CP‐knowers, and that understanding of the stable‐order and word‐object correspondence principles likely emerged earlier. These results suggest that gradual development may best characterize children's acquisition of the counting principles and that learning to coordinate all three principles represents an additional step beyond learning them individually.
Ecogeographical patterns in owl plumage colouration: Climate and vegetation cover predict global colour variation
Authors: Passarotto Arianna , Rodríguez‐Caballero Emilio , Cruz‐Miralles Ángel , Avilés Jesús M. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAimEcogeographical rules link animal colours, especially those produced by melanin pigments, with variation in environmental conditions over wide geographical scales. In particular, Gloger’s rule, coined for endothermic animals in two versions, suggests that tegument darkness should increase at high temperature, as well as in highly humid environments. On the other hand, the thermal melanism hypothesis predicts that darker colourations should be more frequent in colder areas given their thermoregulation benefits.LocationGlobal.Time periodContemporary.Major taxa studiedStrigiformes.MethodsHere, we provide a global comparative test of these contrasting expectations in all extant owls (n = 198 species), a group of nocturnal birds displaying huge variability in the degree of melanin‐based plumage colouration and environmental specialization. Combining analyses at both species and assemblage level, we assessed the climatic and environmental variables explaining variation in plumage lightness and redness across broad geographical gradients.ResultsDarker and redder owl phenotypes are more likely found near the equator. Species and assemblage level analyses reveal that owls have more frequently darker and redder plumages in warmer regions. In addition, owl species living in more vegetated areas are darker, and owl assemblages show darker colours in wetter areas.Main conclusionsGlobal patterns of colour variation in owls do not fit expectations from the thermal melanism hypothesis but support Gloger’s rule. Our findings also stress that several alternative selective forces may explain climatic effects on colouration over large geographical scales. Experimental work is urged to uncover the possible mechanisms behind the detected associations between owl colour and environmental variables.
Aging‐related metabolic changes in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of senescence‐accelerated mouse‐prone 8
Authors: Hoshino Teruhide , Kato Yoshiaki , Sugahara Keisuke , Katakura Akira 
Published: December 2021

AimSarcopenia – aging‐related loss of muscle mass and muscle strength – is a key feature of the frailty model. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the molecular biological changes associated with aging in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of senescence‐accelerated mouse prone 8 mouse model by capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry.MethodsThree groups of senescence‐accelerated mouse prone 8 mice were used, namely, 12‐week‐old (young; n = 5), 40‐week‐old (elderly; n = 5) and 55‐week‐old mice (late elderly; n = 5). The extensor digitorum longus muscle was collected. After preliminary analyses, metabolome analysis was carried out by capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry. Additionally, we examined whether the activity of enzymes in the metabolic pathway fluctuated with aging, by real‐time polymerase chain reaction.ResultsAmong the 116 water‐soluble metabolites associated with the central energy metabolism pathway, changes were observed in 19 metabolites between 12‐ and 40 ‐weeks‐old, in 40 metabolites between 40‐ and 55‐weeks‐old, and in 57 metabolites between 12‐ and 55‐weeks‐old. The fluctuated metabolites that were common among the groups were Val, putrescine and His. The levels of putrescine, associated with cell proliferation, protein synthesis and nucleic acid synthesis, and β‐Ala and His, a component of carnosine that is characterized by its anti‐oxidant and anti‐fatigue effects, decreased with age.ConclusionsWe confirmed that there were two aging‐related metabolic changes in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of senescence‐accelerated mouse prone 8 mice. Based on the changes in metabolites, cell senescence and fatigue in the extensor digitorum longus muscle might increase in old mice compared with those in young mice, showing molecular biological changes with aging. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 160–167.
Cross‐border expansion of digital platforms and transformation of the trade and distribution networks of imported fresh fruits from Southeast Asia to China
Authors: Yang Chun 
Published: December 2021

AbstractSince the late 2000s, digital platforms have developed rapidly and expanded extensively to various industries of the global economy. Existing literature on the rise of digital platforms has primarily focused on the national‐level context, while overlooking their cross‐border dynamics and subsequent effects on the reconfiguration of cross‐border production networks/value chains. Among the agri‐food sector, the fresh fruits sector is one of many that have undergone profound restructuring induced by the increasing penetration of digital platforms. In an attempt at making connections between the insights of the burgeoning platforms and global production networks (GPN)/global value chains (GVC) literatures, this study develops an interconnected analytical framework to examine the cross‐border expansion of China's digital platforms and resultant digital platform‐driven transformation of regional trade and distribution networks/value chains in the evolving regulatory and market conditions in home and host countries. Based on the onsite field investigations in Vietnam, Thailand and China during the late 2018 and early 2020, this study explores the emerging platform conglomerates through domestic intra‐platform and cross‐border interplatform vertical integration and extra‐platform partnership in the cross‐border expansion to the upstream trade and downstream distribution of fresh fruit imports from Southeast Asia toward China's market. The contributions of the article lie in three aspects. First, it enriches the platform literature by incorporating the cross‐border dynamics and expansion of digital platforms. Second, it advances the GPN/GVC literature by highlighting the power of digital platforms as new types of lead firms in the digital transformation of production networks/value chains. Third, it sheds light on the emerging China market‐oriented reconfiguration of the Southeast Asian fresh fruit production networks coordinated by the Chinese platform conglomerates. The analytical framework developed in this study could hopefully be extended to examine digital platform‐driven restructuring of a wider array of industries across variegated territories in the digital global economy.
Interaction Effects Between Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage Systems
Authors: Duijff Rogier , Bloemendal Martin , Bakker Mark 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) is an energy efficient technique to provide heating and cooling to buildings by storage of warm and cold water in aquifers. In regions with large demand for ATES, ATES adoption has lead to congestion problems in aquifers. The recovery of thermal energy stored in aquifers can be increased by reducing the distance between wells of the same temperature while safeguarding individual system performance. Although this approach is implemented in practice, the understanding of how this affects both the recovery efficiency and the needed pumping energy is lacking. In this research, the effect of well placement on the performance of individual systems is quantified, and guidelines for planning and design are developed. Results show an increase in thermal recovery efficiency of individual systems when the thermal zones of wells of the same temperature are combined, which is explained by reduced surface area of the thermal zone over which losses occur. The highest increase of the thermal recovery efficiency is found for systems with a small storage volume and long well screens. The relative increase of the thermal recovery efficiency is 12% for average‐sized systems with a storage volume of 250,000 m3/year, and 25% for small systems (50,000 m3/year). The optimal distance between wells of the same temperature is 0.5 times the thermal radius, following the trade‐off between an increase of the thermal recovery efficiency and the increase in pumping energy. The distance between wells of opposite temperature must be larger than three times the thermal radius to avoid negative interaction.
Platypnoea–orthodeoxia syndrome as an uncommon cause of dyspnoea: a literature review
Authors: Lombardi Marco , Del Buono Marco G. , Princi Giuseppe , Locorotondo Gabriella , Lombardo Antonella , Vergallo Rocco , Montone Rocco A. , Burzotta Francesco , Trani Carlo , Crea Filippo , Sanna Tommaso 
Published: December 2021

AbstractPlatypnoea–orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) is an uncommon but challenging clinical condition characterised by positional dyspnoea (platypnoea) and arterial desaturation (orthodeoxia) in the upright position that improve in the supine position. Since its first description, many cases have been reported and many conditions have been associated with this syndrome. Herein, we review the clinical presentation, pathophysiology, diagnostic work‐up and management of patients with POS, aiming to increase the awareness of this often misdiagnosed condition.
Epigenetic regulation of inflammation by CxxC domain‐containing proteins*
Authors: Onodera Atsushi , Kiuchi Masahiro , Kokubo Kota , Nakayama Toshinori 
Published: December 2021

AbstractEpigenetic regulation of gene transcription in the immune system is important for proper control of protective and pathogenic inflammation. Aberrant epigenetic modifications are often associated with dysregulation of the immune cells, including lymphocytes and macrophages, leading to pathogenic inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Two classical epigenetic markers—histone modifications and DNA cytosine methylation, the latter is the 5 position of the cytosine base in the context of CpG dinucleotides—play multiple roles in the immune system. CxxC domain‐containing proteins, which basically bind to the non‐methylated CpG (i.e., epigenetic “readers”), often function as “writers” of the epigenetic markers via their catalytic domain within the proteins or by interacting with other epigenetic modifiers. We herein report the most recent advances in our understanding of the functions of CxxC domain‐containing proteins in the immune system and inflammation, mainly focusing on T cells and macrophages.
Growth of tungsten bronze phase out of niobate perovskite phase for opto‐ferroelectric applications
Authors: Bai Yang , Prucker Constantin , Khansur Neamul H. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractEngineering the optical bandgaps of classic ferroelectrics from the typical ultraviolet range down to the visible range is an emerging methodology of developing the next‐generation optoelectric and opto‐ferroelectric devices including ferroelectric solar cells, light‐driven transistors and modulators, and multi‐sensors/energy harvesters. Recently, a material interface comprised of a pseudo‐morphotropic phase boundary between the tungsten bronze and perovskite phases of the KNBNNO [(K,Na,Ba)x(Ni,Nb)yOz] has been reported to be an effective approach for bandgap engineering while retaining excellent ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity of the perovskite‐phased KNBNNO. However, this approach requires the compositions of the materials to be determined at the synthesis stage, leaving little room for any further modification of the microstructure and functional properties at the post‐processing stage. This paper presents a post‐processing method, that is, atmospheric annealing in N2 and O2, to grow the necessary tungsten bronze phase out of the perovskite phase in the KNBNNO. This method is advantageous over the previously reported because it enables to grow the tungsten bronze–perovskite interface region independent of the initial composition. The distinctive electrical properties and the giant tunability of photoconductivity of the tungsten bronze phase, the perovskite phase, and the interface are characterized in detail in this paper, supporting the exploitation of fabricating opto‐ferroelectric devices using the reported method which is compatible and comparable with some of the post‐processing methods applied in the silicon industry.
A CRISPR-based nucleic acid detection platform (CRISPR-CPA): Application for detection of Nocardia farcinica
Authors: Qiu Xiaotong , Xu Shuai , Liu Xueping , Han Lu , Zhao Bing , Che Yanlin , Han Lichao , Hou Xuexin , Li Dan , Yue Yuan , Chen Shenglin , Kang Yutong , Sun Lina , Li Zhenjun 
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Aims
To establish a CRISPR-based nucleic acid detection platform and apply it to the detection of Nocardia farcinica.

Methods and Results
A CRISPR-based nucleic acid detection platform, termed CRISPR-CPA (CRISPR/Cas12a combined with PCR amplification), which employed PCR for pre-amplification of target sequences and CRISPR-Cas12a-based detection for decoding of the PCR amplicons, was developed. To demonstrate its feasibility, CRISPR-CPA was applied to the detection of N. farcinica. A pair of PCR primers and a crRNA, which targeting the conservative and specific part of gyrA of N. farcinica reference strain IFM 10152, were designed according to the principle of CRISPR-CPA. The whole detection process of N. farcinica CRISPR-CPA assay, including sample pre-treatment and DNA extraction (~20 min), PCR pre-amplification (60 min), CRISPR-based detection (10 min), can be completed within 90 min. A total of 62 isolates were used to evaluate the specificity of N. farcinica CRISPR-CPA assay. Clinical specimens were employed to determine the feasibility of the method in practical application. The limit of detection of the N. farcinica CRISPR-CPA assay is 1 pg DNA per reaction in pure cultures and 105 CFU/ml in sputum specimens, which is similar with culture but significantly more timesaving.

Conclusions
The N. farcinica CRISPR-CPA assay is an economic and specific method to detect N. farcinica and provides a high-efficiency tool for screening of pathogens especially of some hard-to-culture and slow-growth infectious agents.

Significance and Impact of the Study
In CRISPR-CPA system, the PCR primers are engineered with a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) site of Cas12a effector and an additional base A was added at the 5′ end of the engineered PCR primer for protecting PAM site, thus the CRISPR-CPA can detect any sequence. Also, we applied CRISPR-CPA to rapidly detect N. farcinica, which is slow-growing bacteria and is firstly detected by a CRISPR-based method.
Nocturnal blood pressure surge in seconds is a new determinant of left ventricular mass index
Authors: Kokubo Ayako , Kuwabara Mitsuo , Ota Yuki , Tomitani Naoko , Yamashita Shingo , Shiga Toshikazu , Kario Kazuomi 
Published: December 2021

AbstractNocturnal blood pressure (BP) surge in seconds (sec‐surge), which is characterized as acute transient BP elevation over several tens of seconds, could be a predictor of target organ damage. However, it is not clear that the severity of sec‐surge is different between sec‐surges induced by sleep apnea (SA) (apnea/hypopnea detected by polysomnography (PSG) or oxygen desaturation) and those induced by non‐SA factors (rapid eye movement, micro arousal, etc.), and sec‐surge variables associate with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) independently of conventional BP variables. The authors assessed these points with 41 patients (mean age 63.2±12.6 years, 29% female) who underwent full PSG, beat‐by‐beat (BbB) BP, and cuff‐oscillometric BP measurement during the night. All patients were included for the analysis comparing sec‐surge severity between inducing factors (SA and non‐SA factors). There were no significant differences in the number of sec‐surges/night between SA‐related sec‐surges and non‐SA‐related sec‐surges (19.5±26.0 vs. 16.4±29.8 events/night). There were also no significant differences in the peak of sec‐surges, defined as the maximum systolic BPs (SBPs) in each sec‐surge, between SA‐related sec‐surges and non‐SA‐related sec‐surges (148.2±18.5 vs. 149.3±19.2 mm Hg). Furthermore, as a result of multiple regression analysis (n = 18), the peak of sec‐surge was significantly and strongly associated with the left ventricular mass index (standardized β = 0.62, p = .02), compared with the mean nocturnal SBPs measured by oscillometric method (β = −0.04, p = .87). This study suggests that peak of sec‐surge could be a better predictor of LVH compared to parameters derived from regular nocturnal oscillometric SBP.