bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinicopathologic and Proteomic Analysis of Amyloidomas Involving the Ocular Surface and Adnexa
Authors: Jamshidi Pouya , Levi Jonathan , Suarez Maria Jose , Rivera Roxana , Mahoney Nicholas , Eberhart Charles G , Rosenberg Avi , Rodriguez Fausto J 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Ocular amyloidoma is a rare disorder characterized by deposition of insoluble proteinaceous fibrils in the extracellular space of the ocular adnexa. This study details the clinicopathologic features and proteomic characteristics of periocular amyloid deposition.

Methods
Specimens (1991-2020) were retrieved and reviewed. All available H&E slides and special stains were reviewed. Proteomic analysis was performed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) for IgG, IgG4, IgA, IgD, IgM, CD20, CD3, CD138, and κ/λ, as well as chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue.

Results
There were 14 patients (7 men, 7 women). The depositions involved eyelid (n = 3), conjunctiva (n = 8), and orbit (n = 3). All patients were adults with a median age at diagnosis of 56 (range, 39-88) years. The deposits were predominantly λ light chain restricted (n = 6) and mixed light chains (n = 2), and one case was κ predominant. Two of the cases with a mixture of κ and λ light chains had an excess of transthyretin by mass spectrometry. Four of the cases did not have adequate material for proteomic subtyping.

Conclusions
Amyloidomas involving ocular adnexa contain a variety of amyloid-related and immunoglobulin-associated peptides. The λ light chain predominates as in other body sites, but mixed patterns and rarely κ light chain restriction may be encountered.
Successful Implementation of a Rapid Screening Tool for Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome: 5 Years of Experience From a Community Hospital in an Endemic Region
Authors: Oliver Tarrah T , Dyal Jonathan W , Talker Donna L , Safaeian Shahrokh , Yazzie Del , Kofman Aaron D , D’Andrea Shawn M , Saleki Mozafar , Ingall Glynnis B , Choi Mary J , Antone-Nez Ramona 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Hantavirus is endemic in the Four Corners region of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) disproportionately affects the Navajo Nation. We describe the application of a rapid screening tool for identification of HCPS.

Methods
A rapid screening tool for HCPS was implemented at Tséhootsooí Medical Center (TMC) in collaboration with academic partners.

Results
Since its implementation in 2016, 20 TMC staff members have been trained to perform this test, and 189 screens for HCPS have been reported. Although hantavirus infection is rare even in high-risk areas, use of this tool resulted in the identification of 4 acute cases of hantavirus infection.

Conclusions
The results demonstrate the successful implementation of a 5-point screening tool for hantavirus infection in an endemic setting by a laboratory in a small community hospital.
MET Gene High Copy Number (Amplification/Polysomy) Identified in Melanoma for Potential Targeted Therapy
Authors: Ramani Nisha S , Morani Ajaykumar C , Zhang Shengle 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Aberrant expression of the mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (MET) gene has been observed in several malignancies, and drugs targeting the MET gene have been implicated in clinical trials with promising results. Hence, MET is a potentially targetable oncogenic driver. We explored the frequency of MET gene high copy number in melanomas and carcinomas.

Methods
The study group included 135 patients. Tissue microarrays were constructed with 19 melanomas and 116 carcinomas diagnosed from 2010 to 2012. We screened MET gene copy number by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis using probes for MET gene and CEP7 as control.

Results
We found MET gene amplification in 2 (11%) of 19 melanoma cases, whereas 5 (26%) of 19 melanoma cases showed polysomy. For carcinomas, there was no MET gene amplification identified. However, 8 (7%) of 116 cases showed polysomy.

Conclusions
In our study, MET gene amplification was identified in 11% of melanomas and is relatively concordant with few reported studies. However, about 26% of the additional melanoma cases showed MET gene polysomy, which has not been reported as per our knowledge. If these results are validated with further orthogonal studies, more of the melanoma cases could potentially benefit from targeted therapy with MET tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
Performance of the LumiraDx Microfluidic Immunofluorescence Point-of-Care SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test in Asymptomatic Adults and Children
Authors: Drain Paul , Sulaiman Raed , Hoppers Melanie , Lindner Nigel M , Lawson Vicki , Ellis Jayne E 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Objectives
The LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test has previously been shown to accurately detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals symptomatic for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This evaluation investigated the LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test as an aid in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in asymptomatic adults and children.

Methods
Asymptomatic individuals at high risk of COVID-19 infection were recruited in 5 point-of-care (POC) settings. Two paired anterior nasal swabs were collected from each participant, tested by using the LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test at the POC, and compared with results from reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays (cobas 6800 [Roche Diagnostics] or TaqPath [Thermo Fisher Scientific]). We calculated positive percent agreement (PPA) and negative percent agreement (NPA), then stratified results on the basis of RT-PCR reference platform and cycle threshold.

Results
Of the 222 included study participants confirmed to be symptom-free for at least 2 weeks before testing, the PPA was 82.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 64.4%-92.1%). The LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test correctly identified 95.8% (95% CI, 79.8%-99.3%) of the samples confirmed positive in fewer than 33 RT-PCR cycles and 100% (95% CI, 85.1%-100%) in fewer than 30 RT-PCR cycles while maintaining 100% NPA.

Conclusions
This rapid, high-sensitivity test can be used to screen asymptomatic patients for acute SARS-CoV-2 infection in clinic- and community-based settings.
Determining Mitochondrial 3243A&gt;G Heteroplasmy Using an ARMS-ddPCR Strategy
Authors: Xu Pu , Jia Manli , Yan Jimei , Yuan Xiangshu , Yu Weidong , Zhou Zhuohua , Fang Hezhi , Gao Feng , Shen Lijun 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Determining mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) A-to-G substitution at nucleotide 3243 (m.3243A&gt;G) heteroplasmy is essential for both precision diagnosis of m.3243A&gt;G–associated mitochondrial disease and genetic counseling. Precise determination of m.3243A&gt;G heteroplasmy is challenging, however, without appropriate strategies to accommodate heteroplasmic levels ranging from 1% to 100% in samples carrying thousands to millions of mtDNA copies.

Methods
We used a combined strategy of amplification-refractory mutation system–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to determine m.3243A&gt;G heteroplasmy. Primers were specifically designed and screened for both ARMS-qPCR and ddPCR to determine m.3243A&gt;G heteroplasmy. An optimized ARMS-qPCR–ddPCR–based strategy was established using artificial standards, with different mixtures of m.3243A-containing and m.3243G-containing plasmids and further tested using clinical samples containing the m.3243A&gt;G mutation.

Results
One of 20 primer pairs designed in the study was omitted for ARMS-qPCR–ddPCR strategy application according to criteria of 85% to 110%, R2&gt; 0.98 amplification efficiency, melt curve with a single clear peak, and specificity for m.3243A and m.3243G artificial standards (|CtWt-CtMut|max). Using plasmid standards with various m.3243A&gt;G heteroplasmy (1%-100%) at low, mid, and high copy numbers (3,000, 104, and 105-107, respectively) and DNA from the blood of 20 patients carrying m.3243A&gt;G with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes, we found that ARMS-qPCR was reliable for determining m.3243A&gt;G at 3% to 100% for low copy number and 1% to 100% for mid to high copy number samples. Meanwhile, ddPCR was reliable for determining m.3243A&gt;G at 1% to 100% at low to mid copy number samples.

Conclusions
An ARMS-qPCR–ddPCR–based strategy was successfully established for precise determination of m.3243A&gt;G heteroplasmy in complex clinical samples.
Aerosol Analysis Using Handheld Raman Spectrometer: On-site Quantification of Trace Crystalline Silica in Workplace Atmospheres
Authors: Wei Shijun , Johnson Belinda , Breitenstein Michael , Zheng Lina , Snawder John , Kulkarni Pramod 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
A method for aerosol chemical analysis using handheld Raman spectrometer has been developed and its application to measurement of crystalline silica concentration in workplace atmosphere is described. The approach involves collecting aerosol as a spot sample using a wearable optical aerosol monitor, followed by direct-on-filter quantitative analysis of the spot sample for crystalline silica using handheld Raman spectrometer. The filter cassette of a commercially available optical aerosol monitor (designed to collect aerosol for post-shift analysis) was modified to collect 1.5-mm-diameter spot sample, which provided adequate detection limits for short-term measurements over a few tens of minutes or hours. The method was calibrated using aerosolized α-quartz standard reference material in the laboratory. Two Raman spectrometers were evaluated, one a handheld unit (weighing less than 410 g) and the other a larger probe-based field-portable unit (weighing about 5 kg). The lowest limit of quantification for α-quartz of 16.6 μg m−3 was obtained using the handheld Raman unit at a sample collection time of 1 h at 0.4 l min−1. Short-term measurement capability and sensitivity of the Raman method were demonstrated using a transient simulated workplace aerosol. Workplace air and personal breathing zone concentrations of crystalline silica of workers at a hydraulic fracturing worksite were measured using the Raman method. The measurements showed good agreement with the co-located samples analyzed using the standard X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) method, agreeing within 0.15–23.2% of each other. This magnitude of difference was comparable to the inter- and intra-laboratory analytical precision of established XRD and infrared methods. The pilot study shows that for silica-containing materials studied in this work it is possible to obtain quantitative measurements with good analytical figures of merit using handheld or portable Raman spectrometers. Further studies will be needed to assess matrix interferences and measurement uncertainty for several other types of particle matrices to assess the broader applicability of the method.
3D phytomer-based geometric modelling method for plants—the case of maize
Authors: Wen Weiliang , Wang Yongjian , Wu Sheng , Liu Kai , Gu Shenghao , Guo Xinyu 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Geometric plant modelling is crucial in in silico plants. Existing geometric modelling methods have focused on the topological structure and basic organ profiles, simplifying the morphological features. However, the models cannot effectively differentiate cultivars, limiting FSPM application in crop breeding and management. This study proposes a 3D phytomer-based geometric modelling method with maize (Zea Mays) as the representative plant. Specifically, conversion methods between skeleton and mesh models of 3D phytomer are specified. This study describes the geometric modelling of maize shoots and populations by assembling 3D phytomers. Results show that the method can quickly and efficiently construct 3D models of maize plants and populations, with the ability to show morphological, structural and functional differences among four representative cultivars. The method takes into account both the geometric modelling efficiency and 3D detail features to achieve automatic operation of geometric modelling through the standardized description of 3D phytomers. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical and technical basis for the research and application of in silico plants.
Seed morphological traits as a tool to quantify variation maintained inex situcollections: a case study inPinus torreyana
Authors: Di Santo Lionel N , Polgar Monica , Nies Storm , Hodgkiss Paul , Canning Courtney A , Wright Jessica W , Hamilton Jill A 
Published: September 2021

AbstractUnderstanding the within- and among-population distribution of trait variation within seed collections may provide a means to approximate standing genetic variation and inform plant conservation. This study aimed to estimate population- and family-level seed trait variability for existing seed collections of Torrey pine (Pinus torreyana), and to use these data to guide sampling of future collections. We quantified variation in 14 seed morphological traits and seedling emergence within and among Torrey pine populations. Using a simulation-based approach, we used estimates of within-population variance to assess the number of maternal families required to capture 95 % of trait variation within each existing seed collection. Substantial structure was observed both within and among Torrey pine populations, with island and mainland seeds varying in seed size and seed coat thickness. Despite morphological differences, seedling emergence was similar across populations. Simulations revealed that 83 % and 71 % of all maternal families within island and mainland seed collections respectively needed to be resampled to capture 95 % of seed trait variation within existing collections. From a conservation perspective, our results indicate that to optimize genetic diversity captured in Torrey pine seed collections, maximizing the number of maternal families sampled within each population will be necessary.
Co-constructing Social Justice: Language Educators Challenging Colonial Practices in Mexico
Authors: López-Gopar Mario E , Schissel Jamie L , Leung Constant , Morales Julio 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThis article involves the work of four language educators/researchers collaborating on an ongoing longitudinal multilingual participatory action research (PAR) project in a Bachelor of Arts (BA) language teaching program in Oaxaca, Mexico. Overall, this PAR project aims at the co-construction of social justice in ELT in Mexico. In particular, it explores an approach that would encourage learners to make full(er) use of their language resources to challenge the colonial othering discourses of inferiority, disability, and backwardness inherent in ELT in Mexico. The analyses reported in this article zooms in on the English learning experiences of three Indigenous background, low-socioeconomic status, female undergraduate students, and their alleged struggle with speaking English in teaching–learning and assessment activities. The purpose of this article is to illustrate how a local English teacher co-constructed social justice with these three students. To fulfill this purpose, we succinctly present the focal students life stories and address three emergent themes: (i) unveiling alienating practices in the classroom; (ii) carving out spaces for multilingualism in the English classroom; and (iii) authoring assessment as a way to enact social justice.
Brazilian Version of Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination—Revised in the Differential Diagnosis of Alzheimer’S Disease and Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia
Authors: Amaral-Carvalho Viviane , Lima-Silva Thais Bento , Mariano Luciano Inácio , de Souza Leonardo Cruz , Guimarães Henrique Cerqueira , Bahia Valéria Santoro , Nitrini Ricardo , Barbosa Maira Tonidandel , Yassuda Mônica Sanches , Caramelli Paulo 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Introduction
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) are frequent causes of dementia and, therefore, instruments for differential diagnosis between these two conditions are of great relevance.

Objective
To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R) for differentiating AD from bvFTD in a Brazilian sample.

Methods
The ACE-R was administered to 102 patients who had been diagnosed with mild dementia due to probable AD, 37 with mild bvFTD and 161 cognitively healthy controls, matched according to age and education. Additionally, all subjects were assessed using the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. The performance of patients and controls was compared by using univariate analysis, and ROC curves were calculated to investigate the accuracy of ACE-R for differentiating AD from bvFTD and for differentiating AD and bvFTD from controls. The verbal fluency plus language to orientation plus name and address delayed recall memory (VLOM) ratio was also calculated.

Results
The optimum cutoff scores for ACE-R were &lt;80 for AD, &lt;79 for bvFTD, and &lt;80 for dementia (AD + bvFTD), with area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) (AUC) &gt;0.85. For the differential diagnosis between AD and bvFTD, a VLOM ratio of 3.05 showed an AUC of 0.816 (Cohen’s d = 1.151; p &lt; .001), with 86.5% sensitivity, 71.4% specificity, 72.7% positive predictive value, and 85.7% negative predictive value.

Conclusions
The Brazilian ACE-R achieved a good diagnostic accuracy for differentiating AD from bvFTD patients and for differentiating AD and bvFTD from the controls in the present sample.
Regression-Based Norms and Validation of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery among Community-Living Older Adults in Singapore
Authors: Siew Savannah K H , Han Madeline F Y , Mahendran Rathi , Yu Junhong 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Objective
The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) is widely used in research and clinical settings. However, little is known about the use of the CANTAB in the local aging context. This study aimed to develop normative data for various CANTAB measures in community-living older adults in Singapore. Normative data were built using the regression-based approach. A secondary aim was to examine the concurrent validity of CANTAB measures with their traditional neurocognitive test counterparts.

Method
A total of 210 older adults (Mage = 67.27 years, SD = 5.45) from an existing cohort study completed standard neurocognitive tests and a CANTAB battery. A total of 160 were normal aging, 46 diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and one diagnosed with Dementia. Older adults with MCI and Dementia were not included in the calculation of norms but were included in other analyses. For the CANTAB battery, regression-based norms were generated for each CANTAB measure, with age, sex, and education included as covariates. Concurrent validity was examined by correlating the CANTAB measures with their traditional neurocognitive counterparts.

Results
As expected, performance across most CANTAB measures declined significantly with increasing age and decreasing education levels. There were no significant effects of sex on most CANTAB measures. Our study also showed that some CANTAB measures demonstrated good concurrent validity as they significantly correlated with their traditional neurocognitive test counterparts.

Conclusions
We have developed age, sex, and education-specific CANTAB norms for use in the local aging context. The advantages and challenges of using the CANTAB in the local aging context are discussed.
Kinesin family member 2C promotes hepatocellular carcinoma growth and metastasis via activating MEK/ERK pathway
Authors: Ding Qian , Jiang Caihua , Zhou Yajing , Duan Jianping , Lai Jianming , Jiang Min , Lin Dongdong 
Published: September 2021

ABSTRACTThe current work was intended to explore the function and mechanism of Kinesin family member 2C (KIF2C) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, KIF2C expression was at a high level in HCC and indicated poor prognosis. Silencing KIF2C significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion in HCC cells. Furthermore, silencing KIF2C markedly decreased the expression of Snail, Vimentin, p-MEK, and p-ERK, but increased E-cadherin expression in HCC cells. Moreover, we also found that MEK/ERK inhibitor U0126 could enhance the impact on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion induced by silencing KIF2C in HCC. On the contrary, MEK/ERK activator PAF could weaken the impact induced by silencing KIF2C in HCC. Thus, our findings indicate that KIF2C can promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion by activating MEK/ERK pathway in HCC.
Social and physical environment independently affect oviposition decisions inDrosophila
Authors: Churchill Emily R , Dytham Calvin , Bridle Jon R , Thom Michael D F 
Published: September 2021

AbstractIn response to environmental stimuli, including variation in the presence of conspecifics, genotypes show highly plastic responses in behavioral and physiological traits influencing reproduction. Although extensively documented in males, such female responses are rather less studied. We expect females to be highly responsive to environmental variation and to differentially allocate resources to increase offspring fitness, given the major contribution of mothers to offspring number, size, and developmental conditions. Using Drosophila melanogaster, we (a) manipulate exposure to conspecific females, which mothers could use to anticipate the number of potential mates and larval density, and; (b) test how this interacts with the spatial distribution of potential oviposition sites, with females from higher densities expected to prefer clustered resources that can support a larger number of larvae. We found that high density females were slower to start copulating and reduced their copulation duration, the opposite effect to that observed in males. There was a parallel, perhaps related, effect on egg production: females previously housed in groups laid fewer eggs than those housed in solitude. Resource patchiness also influenced oviposition behavior: females preferred aggregated substrate, which attracted more females to lay eggs. However, we found no interaction between prior housing conditions and resource patchiness, indicating that females did not perceive the value of different resource distributions differently when exposed to environments that could signal expected levels of larval competition. We show that, although exposure to consexual competition changes copulatory behaviors of females, the distribution of oviposition resources has a greater effect on oviposition decisions.
Zebra finch song is a very short-range signal in the wild: evidence from an integrated approach
Authors: Loning Hugo , Griffith Simon C , Naguib Marc 
Published: September 2021

AbstractBirdsong is typically seen as a long-range signal functioning in mate attraction and territory defense. Among birds, the zebra finch is the prime model organism in bioacoustics, yet almost exclusively studied in the lab. In the wild, however, zebra finch song differs strikingly from songbirds commonly studied in the wild as zebra finch males sing most after mating and in the absence of territoriality. Using data from the wild, we here provide an ecological context for a wealth of laboratory studies. By integrating calibrated sound recordings, sound transmission experiments and social ecology of zebra finches in the wild with insights from hearing physiology we show that wild zebra finch song is a very short-range signal with an audible range of about nine meters and that even the louder distance calls do not carry much farther (up to about fourteen meters). These integrated findings provide an ecological context for the interpretation of laboratory studies of this species and indicate that the vocal communication distance of the main laboratory species for avian acoustics contrasts strikingly with songbirds that use their song as a long-range advertisement signal.