bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Structural elucidation of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotube—Diferuloylmethane Conjugate: a pre-requisite for validating applications in water purification
Authors: D Angelene Hannah Jebarani , N Gobi , T Devasena 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with its exceptional properties are considered a material of choice for use in various water treatment processes. The functionalization of the CNTs helps fine-tune its properties to achieve desired performances and/or overcome the limitations in processabilty to satisfy the requirements as per the application. Diferuloylmethane (DFM), a plant derived polyphenolic diarylheptanoid is a bioactive compound intriguingly exploited for use in environmental remediation. In this paper we report the functionalization of CNTs with DFM to craft a novel carbon conjugate suitable for use as reinforcement in membrane fabrication. The experimental results showed that the prepared conjugate retained the integrity of nanotube structure on functionalization and also showed lesser agglomeration in comparison to the pristine nanotubes. The formation of conjugate was further confirmed by the changes in functionalities of DFM. The thermal and colloidal stability of the conjugate have also been reported. The prepared conjugate with synchronized properties of the individual constituents is proposed to be an ideal option for enhancing the performance of membranes used in water treatment processes.
Fictional reference: How to Account for both Directedness and Uniformity
Authors: Voltolini Alberto 
Published: July 2021

AbstractIn the old days of descriptivism, fictional reference and non-fictional reference with proper names were treated on a par. Descriptivism was not an intuitive theory, but it meritoriously provided a unitary semantic account of names, whether referentially full or empty. Then the revolution of the new theory of reference occurred. This new theory is definitely more intuitive than descriptivism, yet it comes with a drawback: the referentially full use and the referentially empty use, notably the fictional use, of names are semantically no longer on the same footing. How the use of names from fiction is referentially empty has even been seen as a symptom of its not being a use at all. In this paper, I ask the following question: can one keep the merits of the new theory of reference and still provide a unitary account of both fictional and non-fictional reference with names? My answer is positive, provided that one conceives proper names as a special kind of indexicals.
Renin Angiotensin Blockers and Cardiac Protection: From Basics to Clinical Trials
Authors: Lévy Bernard I , Mourad Jean Jacques 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Despite a similar beneficial effect on blood pressure lowering observed with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) blocker (ARBs), several clinical trials and meta-analyses have reported higher cardiovascular mortality and lower protection against myocardial infarction with ARBs when compared with ACEIs. The European guidelines for the management of coronary syndromes and European guidelines on diabetes recommend using ARBs in patients who are intolerant to ACEIs. We reviewed the main pharmacological differences between ACEIs and ARBs, which could provide insights into the differences in the cardiac protection offered by these 2 drug classes. The effect of ACEIs on the tissue and plasma levels of bradykinin and on nitric oxide production and bioavailability is specific to the mechanism of action of ACEIs; it could account for the different effects of ACEIs and ARBs on endothelial function, atherogenesis, and fibrinolysis. Moreover, chronic blockade of AT1 receptors by ARBs induces a significant and permanent increase in plasma angiotensin II and an overstimulation of its still available receptors. In animal models, AT4 receptors have vasoconstrictive, proliferative, and inflammatory effects. Moreover, in models with kidney damage, atherosclerosis, and/or senescence, activation of AT2 receptors could have deleterious fibrotic, vasoconstrictive, and hypertrophic effects and seems prudent and reasonable to reserve the use of ARBs for patients who have presented intolerance to ACE inhibitors.
Post-54: Reconstructing Civil War Memory in American Literature afterBrown
Authors: LeMahieu Michael 
Published: July 2021

AbstractFrom a cultural fad of Confederate flags to a spate of schools named after Confederate generals, the 1954 Brown v. Board decision revived the memory of the US Civil War. In their collective effort of “massive resistance,” white southerners considered themselves carrying on the legacy of their Confederate ancestors, rebelling against the federal government and insisting upon states’ rights. In response to this revival, many mid-century writers revised Civil War memory. Ralph Ellison, for example, considered the Brown decision as yet another battle in an ongoing Civil War. The works of Black writers such as James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, Pauli Murray, and Margaret Walker, as well as white writers such as Robert Lowell, Carson McCullers, Flannery O’Connor, and Robert Penn Warren, revise Lost Cause cultural narratives as they reconstruct four sites of Civil War memory: monuments, schools, textbooks, and grandparents. Writers in the twenty-first century have extended the interest in Civil War memory, from the essays of Ta-Nehisi Coates to the plays of Suzan-Lori Parks, to the fiction of George Saunders to the poetry of Natasha Trethewey and Kevin Young. The return of Civil War memory in twenty-first-century literature anticipates and represents the resurgence of civil rights protest against ongoing, state-sanctioned racial violence.
Ontoclick: a web browser extension to facilitate biomedical knowledge curation
Authors: Xu Anthony , Venkateswaran Aravind , Zhou Lianguizi , Zankl Andreas 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Motivation
Knowledge curation from the biomedical literature is very valuable but can be a repetitive and laborious process. The paucity of user-friendly tools is one of the reasons for the lack of widespread adoption of good biomedical knowledge curation practices.

Results
Here, we present Ontoclick, a web browser extension that streamlines the process of annotating a text span with a relevant ontology term. We hope this tool will make biocuration more accessible to a wider audience of biomedical researchers.

Availability and implementation
Ontoclick is freely available under the GPL-3.0 license on the Chrome Web Store and on the Mozilla Add-Ons for Firefox Store. Source code and documentation are available at: https://github.com/azankl/Ontoclick.
Looking beneath the surface: the importance of subcortical structures in frontotemporal dementia
Authors: Bocchetta Martina , Malpetti Maura , Todd Emily G , Rowe James B , Rohrer Jonathan D 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Whilst initial anatomical studies of frontotemporal dementia focussed on cortical involvement, the relevance of subcortical structures to the pathophysiology of frontotemporal dementia has been increasingly recognized over recent years. Key structures affected include the caudate, putamen, nucleus accumbens, and globus pallidus within the basal ganglia, the hippocampus and amygdala within the medial temporal lobe, the basal forebrain, and the diencephalon structures of the thalamus, hypothalamus and habenula. At the most posterior aspect of the brain, focal involvement of brainstem and cerebellum has recently also been shown in certain subtypes of frontotemporal dementia. Many of the neuroimaging studies on subcortical structures in frontotemporal dementia have been performed in clinically defined sporadic cases. However, investigations of genetically- and pathologically-confirmed forms of frontotemporal dementia are increasingly common and provide molecular specificity to the changes observed. Furthermore, detailed analyses of sub-nuclei and subregions within each subcortical structure are being added to the literature, allowing refinement of the patterns of subcortical involvement. This review focuses on the existing literature on structural imaging and neuropathological studies of subcortical anatomy across the spectrum of frontotemporal dementia, along with investigations of brain–behaviour correlates that examine the cognitive sequelae of specific subcortical involvement: it aims to ‘look beneath the surface’ and summarize the patterns of subcortical involvement have been described in frontotemporal dementia.
Circulating Cell-Free Mitochondrial DNA in Cerebrospinal Fluid as a Biomarker for Mitochondrial Diseases
Authors: Trifunov Selena , Paredes-Fuentes Abraham J , Badosa Carmen , Codina Anna , Montoya Julio , Ruiz-Pesini Eduardo , Jou Cristina , Garrabou Glòria , Grau-Junyent Josep M , Yubero Dèlia , Montero Raquel , Muchart Jordi , Ortigoza-Escobar Juan D , O’Callaghan Maria M , Nascimento Andrés , Català Albert , Garcia-Cazorla Àngels , Jimenez-Mallebrera Cecilia , Artuch Rafael 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Background
Mitochondrial diseases (MD) are genetic metabolic disorders that impair normal mitochondrial structure or function. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ccfmtDNA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), together with other biomarkers (growth differentiation factor-15 [GDF-15], alanine, and lactate), in a cohort of 25 patients with a molecular diagnosis of MD.

Methods
Measurement of ccfmtDNA was performed by using droplet digital PCR.

Results
The mean copy number of ccfmtDNA was approximately 6 times higher in the MD cohort compared to the control group; patients with mitochondrial deletion and depletion syndromes (MDD) had the higher levels. We also detected the presence of both wild-type mtDNA and mtDNA deletions in CSF samples of patients with single deletions. Patients with MDD with single deletions had significantly higher concentrations of GDF-15 in CSF than controls, whereas patients with point mutations in mitochondrial DNA presented no statistically significant differences. Additionally, we found a significant positive correlation between ccfmtDNA levels and GDF-15 concentrations (r = 0.59, P = 0.016).

Conclusion
CSF ccfmtDNA levels are significantly higher in patients with MD in comparison to controls and, thus, they can be used as a novel biomarker for MD research. Our results could also be valuable to support the clinical outcome assessment of MD patients.
Blockchain-Based Confidential Multiparty Contract Signing Protocol Without TTP Using Elliptic Curve Cryptography
Authors: Payeras-Capellà M Magdalena , Mut-Puigserver Macià , Cabot-Nadal Miquel À , Huguet-Rotger Llorenç 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Signed information is difficult to manage and this difficulty is even bigger when pieces of signed digital information have to be exchanged in an atomic procedure. Multiparty contract signing is an application of fair exchange of values, where the information to be exchanged are signed versions of a contract. Traditionally, this trust service requires the involvement of a trusted third party (TTP). This is a point of weakness for the generalization of the use of electronic contract signing protocols. Another usual problem for multiparty contract signing is that the protocols for multiparty exchanges are far more complex that those for two-party exchanges. Additionally, it is common that the signers demand protocols that assure the confidentiality of the contract. In this proposal blockchain-based technologies and smart contracts are used to obtain a protocol for electronic contract signing that does not need a TTP in any stage of the procedure. The protocol satisfies the ideal requirements for the contract signing service, even allowing the signature of confidential contracts. Moreover, the proposed solution is far more efficient than previous solutions for fair exchange protocols using blockchain presented up to the date thanks to the use of elliptic curve cryptography.
Association of Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) With the Perennial Weed Physalis longifolia (Solanales: Solanaceae) in the Potato-Growing Regions of Western Idaho
Authors: Reyes Corral Cesar A , Cooper W Rodney , Horton David , Miliczky Eugene , Riebe Jennifer , Waters Timothy , Wildung Mark , Karasev Alexander V 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
The potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc), is a major pest of potato (Solanales: Solanaceae) as a vector of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso). Bactericera cockerelli colonizes potato from noncrop host plants, yet we do not yet know which noncrop species are the primary sources of Lso-infected psyllids. The perennial weed, Physalis longifolia Nutt., is a high-quality host for B. cockerelli and Lso under laboratory conditions but has been overlooked in recent field studies as a source of Lso-infected psyllids. Our current study had four objectives: 1) determine whether P. longifolia is abundant in potato-growing regions of Washington and Idaho, 2) determine whether stands of P. longifolia harbor B. cockerelli and Lso, 3) identify the psyllid haplotypes occurring on P. longifolia, and 4) use molecular gut content analysis to infer which plant species the psyllids had previously fed upon prior to their capture from P. longifolia. Online herbaria and field searches revealed that P. longifolia is abundant in western Idaho and is present at low densities in the Columbia Basin of Washington. Over 200 psyllids were collected from P. longifolia stands in 2018 and 2019, confirming that B. cockerelli colonizes stands of this plant. Gut content analysis indicated that a proportion of B. cockerelli collected from P. longifolia had arrived there from potato. Confirmation that P. longifolia is abundant in certain potato-growing regions of the Pacific Northwest, and that B. cockerelli readily uses this plant, could improve models to predict the risk of future psyllid and Lso outbreaks.
Globalisation in agriculture and food: the role of multinational enterprises
Authors: Scoppola Margherita 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThis paper reviews the state-of-the-art work on agri-food Multinational Enterprises (MNEs), by discussing the current state-of-play and the tools at our disposal to expand knowledge. After a critical discussion of available data, new data from OECD are used to provide a broad overview of the role of MNEs in the agri-food Global Value Chains (GVCs) and to draw a few stylized facts. Data reveals that in the food, beverages and tobacco industry MNE activity is higher than on average, while in agriculture it is lower; North-South flows are increasing as well as the role of MNE in the agri-food GVCs. The review of theoretical and of empirical literature shows how modern trade theories provide us with a strong theoretical background which, together with improved firm-level and country-level data, may help explaining observed patterns and effectively orientate empirical analyses of agri-food MNEs in several directions.
Elite violence and elite numeracy in Africa from 1400 CE to 1950 CE
Authors: Baten Joerg , Alexopoulou Kleoniki 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
How can we trace early African development? The share of rulers’ known birth year has been identified as an indicator of elite numeracy in African regions since 1400, and the share of murdered rulers allows us to gain insights into interpersonal violence behaviour of African elites. From this emerges a dynamic picture of quantitative African history: the absence of elite violence and high elite numeracy developed jointly in sub-Saharan Africa. Some African regions, such as today’s Ethiopia and Angola, took the lead in early development but also experienced severe declines. Development in Africa was, on average, later than in Northwestern Europe.
Rate control drugs differ in the prevention of progression of atrial fibrillation
Authors: Koldenhof Tim , Wijtvliet Petra E P J , Pluymaekers Nikki A H A , Rienstra Michiel , Folkeringa Richard J , Bronzwaer Patrick , Elvan Arif , Elders Jan , Tukkie Raymond , Luermans Justin G L M , van Kuijk Sander M J , Tijssen Jan G P , van Gelder Isabelle C , Crijns Harry J G M , Tieleman Robert G 
Published: July 2021

AbstractAimsWe hypothesize that in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), verapamil is associated with lower AF progression compared to beta blockers or no rate control.Methods and resultsIn this pre-specified post hoc analysis of the RACE 4 randomized trial, the effect of rate control medication on AF progression in paroxysmal AF was analysed. Patients using Vaughan-Williams Class I or III antiarrhythmic drugs were excluded. The primary outcome was a composite of first electrical cardioversion (ECV), chemical cardioversion (CCV), or atrial ablation. Event rates are displayed using Kaplan–Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression analyses are used to adjust for baseline differences. Out of 666 patients with paroxysmal AF, 47 used verapamil, 383 used beta blockers, and 236 did not use rate control drugs. The verapamil group was significantly younger than the beta blocker group and contained more men than the no rate control group. Over a mean follow-up of 37 months, the primary outcome occurred in 17% in the verapamil group, 33% in the beta blocker group, and 33% in the no rate control group (P = 0.038). After adjusting for baseline characteristics, patients using verapamil have a significantly lower chance of receiving ECV, CCV, or atrial ablation compared to patients using beta blockers [hazard ratio (HR) 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.19–0.83] and no rate control (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.44–0.93).ConclusionIn patients with newly diagnosed paroxysmal AF, verapamil was associated with less AF progression, as compared to beta blockers and no rate control.
The role of bcsE gene in the pathogenicity of Salmonella
Authors: Özdemir Caner , Akçelik Nefise , Neslihan Özdemir Fatma , Evcili İrem , Kahraman Tamer , Gürsel İhsan , Akçelik Mustafa 
Published: July 2021

ABSTRACT
The effects of the bcsE gene and BcsE protein on bacterial physiology and pathogenicity in SalmonellaTyphimurium and Salmonella Group C1 were investigated. It was observed that biofilm and pellicle formation did not occur in the bcsE gene mutants of wild-type strains. Besides, the ‘rdar’ (red, dry, rough) biofilm morphotype in wild-type strains changed significantly in the mutants. In terms of the bcsE gene, the swimming and swarming motility in mutant strains showed a dramatic increase compared to the wild-type strains. The Salmonella bcsE gene was cloned into Escherichia coli BL21, and the his-tagged protein produced in this strain was purified to obtain polyclonal antibodies in BALB/c mice. The antibodies were showed labeled antigen specificity to the BscE protein. As a result of immunization and systemic persistence tests carried out with BALB/c mice, BscE protein was determined to trigger high levels of humoral and cellular responses (Th1 cytokine production, IgG2a/IgG1 &gt; 1). Systemic persistence in the liver and spleen samples decreased by 99.99% and 100% in the bcsE mutant strains. Finally, invasion abilities on HT-29 epithelial cells of wild-type strains were utterly disappeared in their bcsE gene mutant strains.
The genetic architecture of leaf stable carbon isotope composition inZea maysand the effect of transpiration efficiency on leaf elemental accumulation
Authors: Sorgini Crystal A , Roberts Lucas M , Sullivan Madsen , Cousins Asaph B , Baxter Ivan , Studer Anthony J 
Published: July 2021

AbstractWith increased demand on freshwater resources for agriculture, it is imperative that more water-use efficient crops are developed. Leaf stable carbon isotope composition, δ13C, is a proxy for transpiration efficiency and a possible tool for breeders, but the underlying mechanisms effecting δ13C in C4 plants are not known. It has been suggested that differences in specific leaf area (SLA), which potentially reflects variation in internal CO2 diffusion, can impact leaf δ13C. Furthermore, although it is known that water movement is important for elemental uptake, it is not clear how manipulation of transpiration for increased water-use efficiency may impact nutrient accumulation. Here, we characterize the genetic architecture of leaf δ13C and test its relationship to SLA and the ionome in five populations of maize. Five significant QTL for leaf δ13C were identified, including novel QTL as well as some that were identified previously in maize kernels. One of the QTL regions contains an Erecta-like gene, the ortholog of which has been shown to regulate transpiration efficiency and leaf δ13C in Arabidopsis. QTL for δ13C were located in the same general chromosome region, but slightly shifted, when comparing data from two different years. Our data does not support a relationship between δ13C and SLA, and of the 19 elements analyzed, only a weak correlation between molybdenum and δ13C was detected. Together these data add to the genetic understanding of leaf δ13C in maize and suggest that improvements to plant water use may be possible without significantly influencing elemental homeostasis.
Dissection of quantitative trait loci in the Lachancea waltii yeast species highlights major hotspots
Authors: Peltier Emilien , Bibi-Triki Sabrina , Dutreux Fabien , Caradec Claudia , Friedrich Anne , Llorente Bertrand , Schacherer Joseph 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Dissecting the genetic basis of complex trait remains a real challenge. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has become a model organism for studying quantitative traits, successfully increasing our knowledge in many aspects. However, the exploration of the genotype–phenotype relationship in non-model yeast species could provide a deeper insight into the genetic basis of complex traits. Here, we have studied this relationship in the Lachancea waltii species which diverged from the S. cerevisiae lineage prior to the whole-genome duplication. By performing linkage mapping analyses in this species, we identified 86 quantitative trait loci (QTL) impacting the growth in a large number of conditions. The distribution of these loci across the genome has revealed two major QTL hotspots. A first hotspot corresponds to a general growth QTL, impacting a wide range of conditions. By contrast, the second hotspot highlighted a trade-off with a disadvantageous allele for drug-free conditions which proved to be advantageous in the presence of several drugs. Finally, a comparison of the detected QTL in L. waltii with those which had been previously identified for the same trait in a closely related species, Lachancea kluyveri was performed. This analysis clearly showed the absence of shared QTL across these species. Altogether, our results represent a first step toward the exploration of the genetic architecture of quantitative trait across different yeast species.