bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Why are tapes better than wires in knotless rotator cuff repairs? An evaluation of force, pressure and contact area in a tendon bone unit mechanical model
Authors: Maia Dias Carlos , Gonçalves Sérgio B. , Completo António , Tognini Martina , da Silva Manuel Ribeiro , Mineiro Jorge , Curate Francisco , Ferreira Frederico , Folgado João 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPurposeKnotless repairs have demonstrated encouraging performance regarding retear rate reduction, but literature aiming at identifying the specific variables responsible for these results is scarce and conflictive.The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effect of the material (tape or wire suture) and medial tendon passage (single or double passage) on the contact force, pressure and area at the tendon bone interface in order to identify the key factors responsible for this repairs´ success.MethodsA specific knotless transosseous equivalent cuff repair was simulated using 2 tape or suture wire loaded medial anchors and 2 lateral anchors, with controlled lateral suture limb tension. The repair was performed in a previously validated sawbones® mechanical model. Testing analyzed force, pressure and area in a predetermined and constant size “repair box” using a Tekscan® sensor, as well as peak force and pressure, force applied by specific sutures and force variation along the repair box.ResultsTapes generate lower contact force and pressure and double medial passage at the medial tendon is associated with higher contact area. Suture wires generate higher peak force and pressure on the repair and higher mean force in their tendon path and at the medial bearing row. Force values decrease from medial to lateral and from posterior to anterior independently of the material or medial passage.ConclusionContrary to most biomechanical literature, suture tape use lowers the pressure and force applied at the tendon bone junction, while higher number of suture passage points medially increases the area of contact. These findings may explain the superior clinical results obtained with the use uf suture tapes because its smaller compressive effect over the tendon may create a better perfusion environment healing while maintaining adequate biomechanical stability.
Dietary analysis of the House Swift (Apus nipalensis) in Hong Kong using prey DNA in faecal samples
Authors: Chung Chun Ting , Wong Hok Sze , Kwok Man Long , Meng Qi , Chan King Ming 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundTo understand the dietary composition of the highly aerial swift (Apodidae), ecologists conventionally depend on the morphological identification of prey items from food boluses or stomach contents, but these techniques are often invasive, require expertise in identification, and often cannot produce accurate identifications at the species level.MethodsDNA barcoding was used to analyse the dietary composition of House Swifts (Apus nipalensis) in Hong Kong, China. Faecal samples from five different colonial nest sites were collected between 2019 and 2020. We used universal primers to amplify a region of the cytochrome C oxidase gene from prey DNA in the faecal samples for identification purposes.ResultsTen different orders and 44 families from three different classes of Arthropoda were identified in the collected faecal samples. Hymenoptera, Hemiptera and Diptera were the most prevalent groups of prey found in the samples. Differences in the dietary composition of House Swifts during the breeding (April to September) and non-breeding (October to March) season were also found. Hymenoptera, particularly ants (Formicidae), were predominant in the diet during the breeding season, whereas Diptera and Hemiptera were predominant during the non-breeding season.ConclusionThe prey groups identified in this study were similar to those identified in a previous study of the diet of House Swift, which also suggests a possible role of House Swifts in reducing the numbers of local insect pests. This study demonstrates the usefulness of applying molecular tools for the dietary analysis of aerial feeders. Conserving local forested areas may be crucial for the maintenance of House Swift population.
Pharmacokinetics of duloxetine self-administered in overdose with quetiapine and other antipsychotic drugs in a Japanese patient admitted to hospital
Authors: Adachi Koichiro , Beppu Satoru , Nishiyama Kei , Shimizu Makiko , Yamazaki Hiroshi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundCombinations of antidepressant duloxetine (at doses of 40–60 mg/day) and other antipsychotics are frequently used in clinical treatment; however, several fatal and nonfatal cases of duloxetine overdose have been documented. We experienced a patient who had taken an overdose of duloxetine (780 mg) in combination with other drugs in a suicide attempt.Case presentationThe patient was a 37-year-old man (body weight, 64 kg) with a history of gender identity disorder and depression. He intentionally took an overdose of duloxetine in combination with three other antipsychotic drugs (18 mg flunitrazepam, 850 mg quetiapine, and 1100 mg trazodone) and was emergently admitted to Kyoto Medical Center. The patient’s plasma concentration of duloxetine during ambulance transport was 57 ng/ml, and the level was still as high as 126 ng/mL at 32 h after administration. Duloxetine disappeared most slowly from plasma, in contrast to quetiapine, which was the fastest to clear among the four medicines determined in this patient. The observed concentrations of duloxetine in this overdose patient were generally within the 95% confidence intervals of the plasma concentration curves predicted using a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model.ConclusionEven if more than 1 h (the generally recommended period) has passed after administration of duloxetine in such overdose cases, gastric lavage and/or administration of activated charcoal may be effective in clinical practice up to 6 h because of the typically slow elimination behavior illustrated by the PBPK model. Pharmacokinetic profiles visualized using PBPK modeling can inform treatment decisions in cases of drug overdose for medicines such as duloxetine in emergency clinical practice.
A novel gene signature based on five immune checkpoint genes predicts the survival of glioma
Authors: Zhang Wei , Zhai You , Li Guanzhang , Jiang Tao 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background
Glioma is the most common and fatal type of nerve neoplasm in the central nervous system. Several biomarkers have been considered for prognosis prediction, which is not accurate enough. We aimed to carry out a gene signature related to the expression of immune checkpoints which was enough for its performance in prediction.

Methods
Gene expression of immune checkpoints in TGGA database was filtrated. The 5 selected genes underwent verification by COX and Lasso-COX regression. Next, the selected genes were included to build a novel signature for further analysis.

Results
Patients were sub-grouped into high and low risk according to the novel signature. Immune response, clinicopathologic characters, and survival showed significant differences between those 2 groups. Terms including “naive,” “effector,” and “IL-4” were screened out by GSEA. The results showed strong relevance between the signature and immune response.

Conclusions
We constructed a gene signature with 5 immune checkpoints. The signature predicted survival effectively. The novel signature performed more functional than previous biomarkers.
Country size bias in global health: cross-country comparison of malaria policy and foreign aid
Authors: Jezek Tomas 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundForeign aid has been shown to be favourably biased towards small countries. This study investigated whether country size bias also occurs in national malaria policy and development assistance from international agencies.MethodsData from publicly available sources were collected with countries as observational units. The exploratory data analysis was based on the conceptual framework with socio-economic, environmental and institutional parameters. The strength of relationships was estimated by the Pearson and polychoric correlation coefficients. The correlation matrix was explored by factor analysis.ResultsMalaria burden is strongly correlated with GDP per capita, total health expenditure per capita, HDI; moderately with latitude, weakly with elevation, urban population share, per capita funding from the Global Fund, PMI USAID, UK government and UNICEF. Small country status is strongly correlated with population size, land area, island status; moderately with development assistance received per capita, weakly with funding per capita from Global Fund, government NMP and PMI USAID. Policy score 1, a variable derived from our factor analysis and related to malaria endemicity, is significantly strongly correlated with the malaria burden, moderately with HDI, GDP per capita, total health expenditure per capita, PMI USAID funding; weakly with island status, urban population share, latitude, coastal population share, total government expenditure and trade openness, Global Fund funding, World Bank funding, UK government funding, and UNICEF funding per capita. Policy score 2, which captures variation not related to malaria endemicity, is significantly weakly related to the ICRG index, PMI USAID funding per capita and small country status.ConclusionsThe results suggest that malaria burden and economic development are bidirectionally related. Economic development can contribute to a reduction in the malaria burden. Country size does not negatively impact malaria burden, but it does account for greater development assistance per capita from selected international agencies. National malaria policy is associated with parameters related to public governance and is modified in small countries. Small country bias is present in the distribution of socio-economic resources and the allocation of foreign aid. Small countries are characterized by distinct environmental and socio-political properties.
The Challenged Sense of Belonging Scale (CSBS)—a validation study in English, Arabic, and Farsi/Dari among refugees and asylum seekers in Germany
Authors: Fuchs Lukas M. , Jacobsen Jannes , Walther Lena , Hahn Eric , Ta Thi Minh Tam , Bajbouj Malek , von Scheve Christian 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThis study introduces and investigates the validity of a brief scale measuring a challenged sense of belonging. The sense of belonging as well as challenges to this sense are important, albeit neglected aspects of social integration and of significance to migration and refugee studies as well as to virtually all other social science contexts. Assessing a challenged or eroded sense of belonging provides important insights into how individuals relate to their environment and whether they feel socially connected or disconnected from it. The construct goes beyond national or cultural identity, instead emphasizing the dynamic processes of emotional attachment. Reviewing the substantial theoretical literature on belonging, we identify four of its key elements: connection, participation, identification, and congruence. Drawing on existing measurement instruments, we propose a brief Challenged Sense of Belonging Scale (CSBS) that addresses each of the four elements and investigate its validity in a unique, multi-lingual random sample of 3783 adult refugees in Germany from various national and cultural backgrounds. We provide evidence for the scale’s validity separately for three main survey languages (English, Arabic, Farsi/Dari) using confirmatory factor analysis, a test of measurement invariance, item test and rest correlations, and correlation analysis to explore convergent validity. Our findings suggest that the scale is a suitable instrument for the assessment of a challenged sense of belonging in a heterogeneous population of refugees.
Potentially large subsurface gas hydrate bodies in the Mexican Ridges, Southwestern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Nandi Papia , Fulton Patrick , Dale James 
Published: February 2021

Because rising ocean temperatures can destabilize gas hydrate, identifying and characterizing large shallow hydrate bodies is increasingly important to understanding their hazard potential. In the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, reanalysis of 3D seismic reflection data reveals evidence for the presence of six potentially large gas hydrate bodies located at shallow depths below the seafloor. We originally interpreted these bodies as salt because they share common visual characteristics on seismic data with shallow allochthonous salt bodies, including high-impedance boundaries and homogeneous interiors with very little acoustic reflectivity. However, when seismic images are constructed using acoustic velocities associated with salt, the resulting images were of poor quality containing excessive moveout in common-reflection point offset image gathers. Further investigation reveals that using lower valued acoustic velocities results in higher quality images with little or no moveout. We believe that these lower acoustic values are representative of gas hydrate and not of salt. Directly underneath these bodies lies a zone of poor reflectivity, which is typical and expected under hydrate. Observations of gas in a nearby well, other indicators of hydrate in the vicinity, and the regional geologic context support the interpretation that these large bodies are composed of hydrate. The total equivalent volume of gas within these bodies is estimated to potentially be as large as 1.5 gigatons or 10.5 trillion cubic feet, considering uncertainty for estimates of porosity and saturation, comparable with the entire proven natural gas reserves of Trinidad and Tobago in 2019.
Effectiveness of exercise-based interventions in reducing depressive symptoms in people without clinical depression: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Bellón Juan Ángel , Conejo-Cerón Sonia , Sánchez-Calderón Almudena , Rodríguez-Martín Beatriz , Bellón Darío , Rodríguez-Sánchez Emiliano , Mendive Juan Manuel , Ara Ignacio , Moreno-Peral Patricia 
Published: February 2021

BackgroundIn most trials and systematic reviews that evaluate exercise-based interventions in reducing depressive symptoms, it is difficult to separate treatment from prevention.AimsTo evaluate the effectiveness of exercise-based interventions in reducing depressive symptoms in people without clinical depression.MethodWe searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, WOS, SPORTDiscus, CENTRAL, OpenGrey and other sources up to 25 May 2020. We selected randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared exclusively exercise-based interventions with control groups, enrolling participants without clinical depression, as measured using validated instruments, and whose outcome was reduction of depressive symptoms and/or incidence of new cases of people with depression. Pooled standardised mean differences (SMDs) were calculated using random-effect models (registration at PROSPERO: CRD42017055726).ResultsA total of 14 RCTs (18 comparisons) evaluated 1737 adults without clinical depression from eight countries and four continents. The pooled SMD was −0.34 (95% CI −0.51 to −0.17;P< 0.001) and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of this result. We found no statistical evidence of publication bias and heterogeneity was moderate (I2= 54%; 95% CI 22–73%). Only two RCTs had an overall low risk of bias and three had long-term follow-up. Multivariate meta-regression found that a larger sample size, country (Asia) and selective prevention (i.e. people exposed to risk factors for depression) were associated with lower effectiveness, although only sample size remained significant when adjustment for multiple tests was considered. According to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation tool, the quality of evidence was low.ConclusionsExercise-based interventions have a small effect on the reduction of depressive symptoms in people without clinical depression. It could be an alternative to or complement psychological programmes, although further higher-quality trials with larger samples and long-term follow-up are needed.
Hormone Therapy, Mental Health, and Quality of Life Among Transgender People: A Systematic Review
Authors: Baker Kellan E , Wilson Lisa M , Sharma Ritu , Dukhanin Vadim , McArthur Kristen , Robinson Karen A 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
We sought to systematically review the effect of gender-affirming hormone therapy on psychological outcomes among transgender people. We searched PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO through June 10, 2020 for studies evaluating quality of life (QOL), depression, anxiety, and death by suicide in the context of gender-affirming hormone therapy among transgender people of any age. We excluded case studies and studies reporting on less than 3 months of follow-up. We included 20 studies reported in 22 publications. Fifteen were trials or prospective cohorts, one was a retrospective cohort, and 4 were cross-sectional. Seven assessed QOL, 12 assessed depression, 8 assessed anxiety, and 1 assessed death by suicide. Three studies included trans-feminine people only; 7 included trans-masculine people only, and 10 included both. Three studies focused on adolescents. Hormone therapy was associated with increased QOL, decreased depression, and decreased anxiety. Associations were similar across gender identity and age. Certainty in this conclusion is limited by high risk of bias in study designs, small sample sizes, and confounding with other interventions. We could not draw any conclusions about death by suicide. Future studies should investigate the psychological benefits of hormone therapy among larger and more diverse groups of transgender people using study designs that more effectively isolate the effects of hormone treatment.
The effects of the skull on CT imaging of the brain: a skull and brain phantom study
Authors: Cauley Keith A , Yorks Patrick J , Flora Sarah , Fielden Samuel W 
Published: February 2021

Objective:
To investigate the effects of beam hardening by the skull on the measured radiodensity of the brain. To test a hypothesis that these effects of beam hardening are decreased using a monochromatic energy source.

Methods:
Selected clinical cases were reviewed in illustration. An anthropomorphic skull and brain phantom was created and scanned in a clinical CT scanner with skull, without skull, and with hemicraniectomy. The effects of beam hardening were illustrated by scanning the phantom with mono- and poly-chromatic X-ray sources.

Results:
In clinical cases, the HU values of the brain were consistently lower when the X-ray beam traversed the skull than when it did not. An anthropomorphic skull-and-brain phantom further demonstrated these effects, which were evident with a polychromatic energy source and absent with a virtual monochromatic energy source.

Conclusions:
Beam hardening by the skull lowers the measured HU values of the brain. The effects, which can impact quantitative imaging, may be mitigated by a virtual monochromatic energy source.

Advances in knowledge:
Beam hardening by the skull lowers the measured radiodensity of the brain. The effects may be mitigated by a virtual monochromatic energy source.
New insights about the serine/threonine protein kinase substrates from Mycobacterium tuberculosis using molecular docking, quantum similarity analysis and DFT calculations
Authors: Morales-Bayuelo Alejandro , Sánchez-Márquez Jesús 
Published: February 2021

Background: The protein kinases present in the human body have received a lot of attention because of the interest in their use as therapeutic targets. However, little is known about the protein kinases associated with tuberculosis. For these reasons, this research investigates a new point of view regarding the crystallized serine/threonine protein kinases Pkn A, B and G of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Methods: The conformational analysis shows a DFG-in motif in Pkn B and G and a DFG-out motif in Pkn A. For all the protein kinases that have been studied, the gatekeeper residue is methionine. A study of the protein kinases with their ligands was also conducted to find new insights on the binding site with a series of ligands associated to protein kinases Pkn A, B and G through molecular docking. The residues with hydrogen bonds on the hinge zone of Pkn A are GLU96 and VAL 98, of Pkn B are GLU 93 and VAL 95 and of Pkn G are GLU233 and VAL235. Results: The results show the H-bond acceptor and H-bond donor sites on the hinge zone to all ligands, establishing a structural model of the ligands on the active site with two or three interactions in this zone. This interaction model was validated using density functional theory calculations (by means of net charges and images of the electrostatic potential) and molecular quantum similarity analysis, showing a high correlation between the electronic and steric effects in each ATP complex studied. Conclusions: In this work we can see that the interactions of the hinge zone are characterized by the key factor of one or two H-bonds acceptors and one H-bond donor in the ligands of this zone. The quantum similarity analysis shows good correlation between the steric and electronic effects in each ATP complex.
Portable Wireless Yield Monitoring System on Conventional Rice Combine
Authors: Purti Renny Eka , Yahya Azmi , Ju Oh Yun , Isa Maryam Mohd , Aziz Samsuzana Abdul 
Published: February 2021

Abstract. A simple, portable, and rugged instrumentation system has been successfully developed and field demonstrated to monitor, measure, and record the harvested crop yield and selected machine field performance parameters from the typical rice combines in Malaysia. The complete system comprises of two ultrasonic sensors located at the combine header to measure the cutting width, microwave solid flow, and microwave moisture sensors at the combine clean grain auger to measure the flow rate and moisture content of the cleaned grains going into the grain tank, electromagnetic detector on the combine grain elevator drive shaft to monitor the grain elevator rotational speed, and lastly a DGPS receiver on the combine console roof to indicate the travel speed and geo-position in the field. All these measured parameters were made to display in-real time on the touch panel screen of the embedded system on-board the combine for the interest of the combine operator and also made to display in-real time on the monitor of the toughbook at the on-ground base station for the interest of the system controller. Static calibrations on the individual sensors showed excellent measurement linearity having R2 values within 0.8760 to 1.000 ranges. The wireless communication between the embedded system on-board the combine and the toughbook at the on-ground base station could be sustained to a maximum distance of 185 m apart. Site specific variability maps of crop yield, harvested grain moisture content, combine cutting width, combine traveling speed, combine field capacity, and combine field efficiency within the harvested area could be produced from the data obtained with the instrumentation system using a GIS software. Keywords: Grain harvesting, Paddy mechanization, Precision farming, Wireless data transmission, Yield monitoring.