bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Wax-oil lubricants to reduce the shear between skin and PPE
Authors: Yap Kian Kun , Murali Manoj , Tan Zhengchu , Zhou Xue , Li Luli , Masen Marc Arthur 
Published: June 2021

AbstractProlonged use of tight-fitting PPE, e.g., by COVID-19 healthcare workers leads to skin injuries. An important contributor is the shear exerted on the skin due to static friction at the skin-PPE interface. This study aims to develop an optimised wax-oil lubricant that reduces the friction, or shear, in the skin-PPE contact for up to four hours. Lubricants with different wax-oil combinations were prepared using beeswax, paraffin wax, olive oil, and mineral oil. In-vivo friction measurements involving seven participants were conducted by sliding a polydimethylsiloxane ball against the volar forearms to simulate the skin-PPE interface. The maximum static coefficient of friction was measured immediately and four hours after lubricant application. It was found that the coefficient of friction of wax-oil lubricants is mainly governed by the ratio of wax to oil and the thermal stability and morphology of the wax. To maintain long-term lubricity, it is crucial to consider the absorption of oil into the PPE material. The best performing lubricant is a mixture of 20 wt% beeswax, 40 wt% olive oil, and 40 wt% mineral oil, which compared to unlubricated skin, provides 87% (P = 0.0006) and 59% (P = 0.0015) reduction in instantaneous and 4-h coefficient of friction, respectively.
Clinical features and prognostic factors in spinal meningioma surgery from a multicenter study
Authors: Kobayashi Kazuyoshi , Ando Kei , Matsumoto Tomohiro , Sato Koji , Kato Fumihiko , Kanemura Tokumi , Yoshihara Hisatake , Sakai Yoshihito , Hirasawa Atsuhiko , Nakashima Hiroaki , Imagama Shiro 
Published: June 2021

AbstractMeningiomas are benign tumors that are treated surgically. Local recurrence is likely if the dura is preserved, and en bloc tumor and dura resection (Simpson grade I) is recommended. In some cases the dura is cauterized and preserved after tumor resection (Simpson grade II). The purpose of this study was performed to analyze clinical features and prognostic factors associated with spinal meningioma, and to identify the most effective surgical treatment. The subjects were 116 patients (22 males, 94 females) with spinal meningioma who underwent surgery at seven NSG centers between 1998 and 2018. Clinical data were collected from the NSG database. Pre- and postoperative neurological status was defined using the modified McCormick scale. The patients had a mean age of 61.2 ± 14.8 years (range 19–91 years) and mean symptom duration of 11.3 ± 14.7 months (range 1–93 months). Complete resection was achieved in 108 cases (94%), including 29 Simpson grade I and 79 Simpson grade II resections. The mean follow-up period was 84.8 ± 52.7 months. At the last follow-up, neurological function had improved in 73 patients (63%), was stable in 34 (29%), and had worsened in 9 (8%). Eight patients had recurrence, and recurrence rates did not differ significantly between Simpson grades I and II in initial surgery. Kaplan–Meier analysis of recurrence-free survival showed that Simpson grade III or IV, male, and dural tail sign were significant factors associated with recurrence (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Simpson I resection is anatomically favorable for spinal meningiomas. Younger male patients with a dural tail and a high-grade tumor require close follow-up. The tumor location and feasibility of surgery can affect the surgical morbidity in Simpson I or II resection. All patients should be carefully monitored for long-term outcomes, and we recommend lifelong surveillance after surgery.
Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles attenuate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis via regulating pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines
Authors: Ahmadvand Koohsari Samira , Absalan Abdorrahim , Azadi Davood 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells-extracellular vesicles have been proved in many inflammatory animal models. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the effect of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from human umbilical cord-MSC (hUCSC-EV) on the clinical score and inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines on the EAE mouse model. After induction of EAE in C57Bl/6 mice, they were treated intravenously with hUCSC-EV or vehicle. The clinical score and body weight of all mice was registered every day. On day 30, mice were sacrificed and splenocytes were isolated for cytokine assay by ELISA. Cytokine expression of pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokine by real-time PCR, leukocyte infiltration by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and the percent of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and myelin basic protein (MBP) positive cells by immunohistochemistry were assessed in the spinal cord. Our results showed that hUCSC-EV-treated mice have lower maximum mean clinical score (MMCS), pro-inflammatory cytokines, and inflammatory score in comparison to the control mice. We also showed that hUCSC-EV administration significantly improved body weight and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokines and the frequency of Treg cells in the spleen. There was no significant difference in the percent of GFAP and MBP positive cells in the spinal cord of experimental groups. Finally, we suggest that intravenous administration of hUCSC-EV alleviate induce-EAE by reducing the pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17a, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, and increasing the anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-4 and IL-10, and also decrease the leukocyte infiltration in a model of MS. It seems that EVs from hUC-MSCs have the same therapeutic effects similar to EVs from other sources of MSCs, such as adipose or bone marrow MSCs.
Characterisation of a synthetic Archeal membrane reveals a possible new adaptation route to extreme conditions
Authors: Salvador-Castell Marta , Golub Maksym , Erwin Nelli , Demé Bruno , Brooks Nicholas J. , Winter Roland , Peters Judith , Oger Philippe M. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIt has been proposed that adaptation to high temperature involved the synthesis of monolayer-forming ether phospholipids. Recently, a novel membrane architecture was proposed to explain the membrane stability in polyextremophiles unable to synthesize such lipids, in which apolar polyisoprenoids populate the bilayer midplane and modify its physico-chemistry, extending its stability domain. Here, we have studied the effect of the apolar polyisoprenoid squalane on a model membrane analogue using neutron diffraction, SAXS and fluorescence spectroscopy. We show that squalane resides inside the bilayer midplane, extends its stability domain, reduces its permeability to protons but increases that of water, and induces a negative curvature in the membrane, allowing the transition to novel non-lamellar phases. This membrane architecture can be transposed to early membranes and could help explain their emergence and temperature tolerance if life originated near hydrothermal vents. Transposed to the archaeal bilayer, this membrane architecture could explain the tolerance to high temperature in hyperthermophiles which grow at temperatures over 100 °C while having a membrane bilayer. The induction of a negative curvature to the membrane could also facilitate crucial cell functions that require high bending membranes.
Development and Psychometric Assessment of a Manufacturer Independent Knowledge Questionnaire on Real Time Continuous Glucose Monitoring for insulin-treated People with Diabetes
Authors: Schlueter Sandra , Freckmann Guido , Wernsing Marita , Roelver Klaus-Martin , Joerdening Mia , Holder Martin , Heinemann Lutz , Lange Karin 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background To benefit from real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM), users need practical skills and in-depth knowledge to analyze the glucose data appropriately and adapt insulin therapy accordingly. To assess the user’s knowledge about rtCGM, a psychometric knowledge test was developed and evaluated.
Method Experts on the use of rtCGM systems defined central knowledge contents in a Delphi process and developed a knowledge test comprising 40 multiple-choice items. For test-statistical review, people with insulin-treated diabetes and members of diabetes teams answered the knowledge test.
Results The 122 diabetes team members (age 46 (11) years; mean (SD)) and the 111 people with insulin-treated diabetes (age 42 (14) years, diabetes duration 20 (14) years, users of insulin pumps 64 %, previous usage of rtCGM 38 %, HbA1c 8.0 % [95 % CI 7.7–8.3] (64 mmol/mol [60–67]) had different levels of experiences using rtCGM systems. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) of the knowledge test was 0.92 for the whole sample, for people with diabetes 0.94, and for diabetes team members 0.84. Item difficulty ranged between 0.12 and 0.88 in people with diabetes and between 0.27 and 0.97 among diabetes team members. On average, people with diabetes answered 24.1 (9.9) items correctly, diabetes team members 29.2 (5.2) (p < 0.001); people with diabetes and previous rtCGM-experience had a higher knowledge compared to people without previous experience (29.2 (6.2) vs. 21.0 (10.4) (p = 0.001)). The quality of glucose control (measured by HbA1c) of the people with diabetes was significantly associated with the sum-score of the questionnaire (rho = –0.48, p < 0.001).
Conclusion The “rtCGM-Profi-Check” knowledge test provides high internal consistency, high selectivity, and content validity. It is suitable for objective, reliable, and valid assessment of the indispensable knowledge of people with diabetes to use different rtCGM systems successfully. The questionnaire is manufacturer-independent and is suitable to evaluate the needs and success of rtCGM education among persons with diabetes.
Atrial Fibrillation, Oral Anticoagulants, and Concomitant Active Cancer: Benefits and Risks
Authors: Atterman Adriano , Friberg Leif , Asplund Kjell , Engdahl Johan 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Aim To determine to what extent active cancer influences the benefit–risk relationship among patients with atrial fibrillation receiving oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention.
Methods In this cohort study of all patients with atrial fibrillation in the Swedish Patient register during 2006 to 2017, 8,228 patients with active cancer and 323,394 without cancer were followed up to 1 year after initiation of oral anticoagulants. Cox regression models, adjusting for confounders and the competing risk of death, were used to assess risk of cerebrovascular and bleeding events.
Results Among patients treated with oral anticoagulants, the risk for cerebrovascular events did not differ between cancer patients and noncancer patients (subhazard ratio [sHR]: 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.98–1.29). Cancer patients had a higher risk for bleedings (sHR: 1.69, CI: 1.56–1.82), but not for fatal bleedings (sHR: 1.17, CI: 0.80–1.70). Use of nonvitamin K oral anticoagulants was associated with lower risk of both cerebrovascular events and bleedings compared with warfarin.
Conclusion Patients with atrial fibrillation and active cancer appear to have similar net cerebrovascular benefit of oral anticoagulant treatment to patients without cancer, despite an increased risk of nonfatal bleedings. Use of nonvitamin K oral anticoagulants was associated with lower risk of all studied outcomes.
Elite rhetoric can undermine democratic norms
Authors: Clayton Katherine , Davis Nicholas T. , Nyhan Brendan , Porter Ethan , Ryan Timothy J. , Wood Thomas J. 
Published: June 2021

Significance
Democracies depend on candidates and parties affirming the legitimacy of election results even when they lose. These statements help maintain confidence that elections are free and fair and thereby facilitate the peaceful transfer of power. However, this norm has recently been challenged in the United States, where former president Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked the integrity of the 2020 US election. We evaluate the effect of this rhetoric in a multiwave survey experiment, which finds that exposure to Trump tweets questioning the integrity of US elections reduces trust and confidence in elections and increases beliefs that elections are rigged, although only among his supporters. These results show how norm violations by political leaders can undermine confidence in the democratic process.
Revealing atomic-scale molecular diffusion of a plant-transcription factor WRKY domain protein along DNA
Authors: Dai Liqiang , Xu Yongping , Du Zhenwei , Su Xiao-dong , Yu Jin 
Published: June 2021

Significance
In transcription factors’ search for target genes, one-dimensional diffusion of the protein along DNA is essential. Experimentally, it remains challenging to resolve the individual diffusional steps of protein on DNA. Here, we report mainly all-atom equilibrium simulations of a WRKY domain protein in association with and diffusion along DNA. We demonstrate a complete stepping cycle of the protein for one base pair on DNA within microseconds, along with stochastic motions. Processive protein diffusions on DNA have been further sampled in a coarse-grained model. We have also found preferential DNA-strand association of the domain protein, which becomes most prominent at specific DNA binding, and it can be common for small-domain proteins to balance movements on the DNA with the sequence recognition.
Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum (bacterial leaf streak of corn).
Authors: Triplett Lindsay , Patel Ravikumar 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum (Xvv) is a bacterial pathogen that causes both bacterial leaf streak of maize and sugarcane gumming disease. After decades limited to South Africa, bacterial leaf streak of maize spread rapidly through maize-growing areas of Argentina, Brazil and the USA since 2014. The origin, method and biological underpinnings of this sudden spread are not well understood but are the subject of active research. Effective control methods remain elusive, but sanitation and crop debris management may limit the disease. Yield impact data are not yet available, but lesions may become severe enough to limit plant productivity in some varieties. The pathogen is not currently considered a quarantine threat by the USDA, EPPO or IPPC.
New and novel genetic tools for improving crops
Authors: Suprasanna Penna , Saddhe Ankush , Ghuge Sandip A. , Ingle Krishnanda P. 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
The basic tenet of crop improvement is the novel genetic variability that is achieved through selection, hybridization, mutation and recombination. The new technological innovations of plant breeding offer scope for transforming crop improvement with more precision and resolution. Advances in genomic-based tools and high-throughput phenotyping have enabled the analysis of genetic variation and identification of molecular signatures of agronomic traits. Molecular markers and molecular-marker-assisted breeding have facilitated the speedy selection of new, novel genetic combinations in breeding for high-yielding, stress-tolerant and nutritionally enriched crops. Transgenic methods have revolutionized modification for stress tolerance and higher productivity, and several genetically modified crops are under cultivation. Availability of genome sequencing platforms and genomic resources has significantly contributed to accessing novel genes and validating their functions. Genome-editing tools and recent advances of prime editing are now accessible for precise genetic alteration of plant traits. The new plant breeding tools will certainly foster development of highly productive, improved crop varieties for achieving food security and climate resilience.
Steady state temperature rise in multilayered tissue due to arbitrary periodic SAR using finite difference FFT and transfer function method
Authors: Gajda Gregory B , Paradis Jonathan , Lemay Eric 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Steady state (SS) and transient temperature-rise in tissue from radiofrequency exposure forms the underlying basis for limits in international exposure guidelines. Periodically pulsed or intermittent exposures form a special case of having both peak and average levels, producing temperature-rise oscillations in the SS. Presented here is a method for determining tissue temperature-rise for periodic specific absorption rate (SAR) modulation having arbitrary waveform. It involves the finite difference solution of a form of the Pennes Bioheat Transfer equation (BHTE) and uses the concept of the transfer function and the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). The time-dependent BHTE is converted to a SS harmonic version by assuming that the time-dependent SAR waveform and tissue temperature can both be represented by Fourier series. The transfer function is obtained from solutions of the harmonic BHTE for an assumed SAR waveform consisting of periodic impulses. The temperature versus time response for an arbitrary periodic SAR waveform is obtained from the inverse FFT of the product of the transfer function and the FFT of the actual SAR waveform. This method takes advantage of existing FFT algorithms on most computational platforms and the ability to store the transfer function for later re-use. The transfer function varies slowly with harmonic number, allowing interpolation and extrapolation to reduce the computational effort. The method is highly efficient for the case where repeated temperature-rise calculations for parameter variations in the SAR waveform are sought. Examples are given for a narrow, circularly symmetric beam incident on a planar skin/fat/muscle model with rectangular, triangular and cosine-pulsed SAR modulation waveforms. Calculations of temperature-rise crest factor as a function of rectangular pulse duty factor and pulse repetition frequency for the same exposure/tissue model are also presented as an example of the versatility of the method.
Case Report and Genomic Analysis of Cefiderocol-Resistant Escherichia coli Clinical Isolates
Authors: Price Travis K , Davar Kusha , Contreras Deisy , Ward Kevin W , Garner Omai B , Simner Patricia J , Yang Shangxin , Chandrasekaran Sukantha 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Cefiderocol is a novel siderophore cephalosporin with in vitro activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR), gram-negative bacteria and intrinsic structural stability to all classes of carbapenemases. We sought to identify gene variants that could affect the mechanism of action (MOA) of cefiderocol.

Methods
We report a case of bacteremia in a liver transplant candidate with a strain of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli that was found to be resistant to cefiderocol despite no prior treatment with this antimicrobial agent. Using whole-genome sequencing, we characterized the genomic content of this E coli isolate and assessed for genetic variants between related strains that were found to be cefiderocol susceptible.

Results
We identified several variants in genes with the potential to affect the mechanism of action of cefiderocol.

Conclusions
The cefiderocol resistance in the E coli isolate identified in this study is likely due to mutations in the cirA gene, an iron transporter gene.
Practical utility of mixed methods research in pharmacy practice
Authors: Dalpoas Stacy Elder , Shermock Kenneth M 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Purpose
Our aim was to review key methodological concepts and provide a practical guide to employing mixed methods research to enhance pharmacy practice research.

Summary
Mixed methods research provides multiple organized analytic perspectives to thoroughly investigate complex social and scientific problems in a methodologically rigorous manner. This research design incorporates collection and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data components to create a thorough understanding of a complex question. The 5 most commonly identified reasons for conducting mixed methods research include triangulation, complementarity, development, initiation, and expansion of results. For research questions that benefit from mixed methods research, we review how to structure the study, including timing, sequencing, and prioritization of methods. Illustrative examples from the literature highlight the utility of this methodology for clinical and operational pharmacy research questions.

Conclusion
Mixed methods designs can enhance pharmacy research inquiry, provide a means to understand complicated issues, and uncover optimal interventions.
Evotuning protocols for Transformer-based variant effect prediction on multi-domain proteins
Authors: Yamaguchi Hideki , Saito Yutaka 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Accurate variant effect prediction has broad impacts on protein engineering. Recent machine learning approaches toward this end are based on representation learning, by which feature vectors are learned and generated from unlabeled sequences. However, it is unclear how to effectively learn evolutionary properties of an engineering target protein from homologous sequences, taking into account the protein’s sequence-level structure called domain architecture (DA). Additionally, no optimal protocols are established for incorporating such properties into Transformer, the neural network well-known to perform the best in natural language processing research. This article proposes DA-aware evolutionary fine-tuning, or ‘evotuning’, protocols for Transformer-based variant effect prediction, considering various combinations of homology search, fine-tuning and sequence vectorization strategies. We exhaustively evaluated our protocols on diverse proteins with different functions and DAs. The results indicated that our protocols achieved significantly better performances than previous DA-unaware ones. The visualizations of attention maps suggested that the structural information was incorporated by evotuning without direct supervision, possibly leading to better prediction accuracy.
CLARINET: efficient learning of dynamic network models from literature
Authors: Ahmed Yasmine , Telmer Cheryl A , Miskov-Zivanov Natasa 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Motivation
Creating or extending computational models of complex systems, such as intra- and intercellular biological networks, is a time and labor-intensive task, often limited by the knowledge and experience of modelers. Automating this process would enable rapid, consistent, comprehensive and robust analysis and understanding of complex systems.

Results
In this work, we present CLARINET (CLARIfying NETworks), a novel methodology and a tool for automatically expanding models using the information extracted from the literature by machine reading. CLARINET creates collaboration graphs from the extracted events and uses several novel metrics for evaluating these events individually, in pairs, and in groups. These metrics are based on the frequency of occurrence and co-occurrence of events in literature, and their connectivity to the baseline model. We tested how well CLARINET can reproduce manually built and curated models, when provided with varying amount of information in the baseline model and in the machine reading output. Our results show that CLARINET can recover all relevant interactions that are present in the reading output and it automatically reconstructs manually built models with average recall of 80% and average precision of 70%. CLARINET is highly scalable, its average runtime is at the order of ten seconds when processing several thousand interactions, outperforming other similar methods.

Availability and implementation
The data underlying this article are available in Bitbucket at https://bitbucket.org/biodesignlab/clarinet/src/master/

Supplementary information
Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics Advances online.