bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Flagellin-based electrochemical sensing layer for arsenic detection in water
Authors: Jankovics Hajnalka , Szekér Patrik , Tóth Éva , Kakasi Balázs , Lábadi Zoltán , Saftics András , Kalas Benjamin , Fried Miklós , Petrik Péter , Vonderviszt Ferenc 
Published: February 2021

AbstractRegular monitoring of arsenic concentrations in water sources is essential due to the severe health effects. Our goal was to develop a rapidly responding, sensitive and stable sensing layer for the detection of arsenic. We have designed flagellin-based arsenic binding proteins capable of forming stable filament structures with high surface binding site densities. The D3 domain of Salmonella typhimurium flagellin was replaced with an arsenic-binding peptide motif of different bacterial ArsR transcriptional repressor factors. We have shown that the fusion proteins developed retain their polymerization ability and have thermal stability similar to that of wild-type filament. The strong arsenic binding capacity of the monomeric proteins was confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and dissociation constants (Kd) of a few hundred nM were obtained for all three variants. As-binding fibers were immobilized on the surface of a gold electrode and used as a working electrode in cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments to detect inorganic arsenic near the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) level. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the stable arsenic-binding flagellin variant can be used as a rapidly responding, sensitive, but simple sensing layer in a field device for the MAC-level detection of arsenic in natural waters.
Influence of ultrasound on selected microorganisms, chemical and structural changes in fresh tomato juice
Authors: Starek Agnieszka , Kobus Zbigniew , Sagan Agnieszka , Chudzik Barbara , Pawłat Joanna , Kwiatkowski Michał , Terebun Piotr , Andrejko Dariusz 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe paper presents the possibility of applying ultrasonic technology for inactivation of mesophilic aerobic microorganisms, lactic acid bacteria, coliform bacteria, and yeast with the maintenance of the chemical and structural properties of tomato juice. The research was conducted on fresh tomato juice obtained from the Apis F1 variety. Pressed juice was exposed to high power ultrasound and frequency 20 kHz with three operational parameters: ultrasound intensity (28 and 40 W cm−2), treatment time (2, 5, and 10 min), and product storage time (1, 4, 7 and 10 days). The temperature of the juice during the sonication ranged from 37 to 52 °C depending on the intensity of ultrasound and time of treatment. Effectiveness of the tested microorganisms eradication in the juice depended on the amplitude and duration of the ultrasound treatment. It was shown that the juice exposed to an ultrasonic field with an intensity of 40 W cm−2 for 10 min was microbiologically pure and free from spoilage microorganism even after 10 storage days. No statistically significant differences in pH were found between the untreated juice and the sonicated samples. The ultrasonic treatment was found to change the content of lycopene in small degree (both an increase and a decrease, depending on the processing time) and to induce a small decrease in the vitamin C content. The study suggests that the ultrasonic treatment can be successfully implemented on an industrial scale for the production of not-from-concentrate (NFC) tomato juice.
Optimal control of the COVID-19 pandemic: controlled sanitary deconfinement in Portugal
Authors: Silva Cristiana J. , Cruz Carla , Torres Delfim F. M. , Muñuzuri Alberto P. , Carballosa Alejandro , Area Iván , Nieto Juan J. , Fonseca-Pinto Rui , Passadouro Rui , Santos Estevão Soares dos , Abreu Wilson , Mira Jorge 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has forced policy makers to decree urgent confinements to stop a rapid and massive contagion. However, after that stage, societies are being forced to find an equilibrium between the need to reduce contagion rates and the need to reopen their economies. The experience hitherto lived has provided data on the evolution of the pandemic, in particular the population dynamics as a result of the public health measures enacted. This allows the formulation of forecasting mathematical models to anticipate the consequences of political decisions. Here we propose a model to do so and apply it to the case of Portugal. With a mathematical deterministic model, described by a system of ordinary differential equations, we fit the real evolution of COVID-19 in this country. After identification of the population readiness to follow social restrictions, by analyzing the social media, we incorporate this effect in a version of the model that allow us to check different scenarios. This is realized by considering a Monte Carlo discrete version of the previous model coupled via a complex network. Then, we apply optimal control theory to maximize the number of people returning to “normal life” and minimizing the number of active infected individuals with minimal economical costs while warranting a low level of hospitalizations. This work allows testing various scenarios of pandemic management (closure of sectors of the economy, partial/total compliance with protection measures by citizens, number of beds in intensive care units, etc.), ensuring the responsiveness of the health system, thus being a public health decision support tool.
Role of PDK1 in skeletal muscle hypertrophy induced by mechanical load
Authors: Kuramoto Naoki , Nomura Kazuhiro , Kohno Daisuke , Kitamura Tadahiro , Karsenty Gerard , Hosooka Tetsuya , Ogawa Wataru 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPhosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) plays an important role in protein metabolism and cell growth. We here show that mice (M-PDK1KO mice) with skeletal muscle–specific deficiency of 3′-phosphoinositide–dependent kinase 1 (PDK1), a key component of PI3K signaling pathway, manifest a reduced skeletal muscle mass under the static condition as well as impairment of mechanical load–induced muscle hypertrophy. Whereas mechanical load-induced changes in gene expression were not affected, the phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K) and S6 induced by mechanical load was attenuated in skeletal muscle of M-PDK1KO mice, suggesting that PDK1 regulates muscle hypertrophy not through changes in gene expression but through stimulation of kinase cascades such as the S6K-S6 axis, which plays a key role in protein synthesis. Administration of the β2-adrenergic receptor (AR) agonist clenbuterol activated the S6K-S6 axis in skeletal muscle and induced muscle hypertrophy in mice. These effects of clenbuterol were attenuated in M-PDK1KO mice, and mechanical load–induced activation of the S6K-S6 axis and muscle hypertrophy were inhibited in mice with skeletal muscle–specific deficiency of β2-AR. Our results suggest that PDK1 regulates skeletal muscle mass under the static condition and that it contributes to mechanical load–induced muscle hypertrophy, at least in part by mediating signaling from β2-AR.
Genomic mutations and changes in protein secondary structure and solvent accessibility of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 virus)
Authors: Nguyen Thanh Thi , Pathirana Pubudu N. , Nguyen Thin , Nguyen Quoc Viet Hung , Bhatti Asim , Nguyen Dinh C. , Nguyen Dung Tien , Nguyen Ngoc Duy , Creighton Douglas , Abdelrazek Mohamed 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly pathogenic virus that has caused the global COVID-19 pandemic. Tracing the evolution and transmission of the virus is crucial to respond to and control the pandemic through appropriate intervention strategies. This paper reports and analyses genomic mutations in the coding regions of SARS-CoV-2 and their probable protein secondary structure and solvent accessibility changes, which are predicted using deep learning models. Prediction results suggest that mutation D614G in the virus spike protein, which has attracted much attention from researchers, is unlikely to make changes in protein secondary structure and relative solvent accessibility. Based on 6324 viral genome sequences, we create a spreadsheet dataset of point mutations that can facilitate the investigation of SARS-CoV-2 in many perspectives, especially in tracing the evolution and worldwide spread of the virus. Our analysis results also show that coding genes E, M, ORF6, ORF7a, ORF7b and ORF10 are most stable, potentially suitable to be targeted for vaccine and drug development.
Genetic structure of a remnant Acropora cervicornis population
Authors: Canty Steven W. J. , Fox Graeme , Rowntree Jennifer K. , Preziosi Richard F. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAmongst the global decline of coral reefs, hope spots such as Cordelia Bank in Honduras, have been identified. This site contains dense, remnant thickets of the endangered species Acropora cervicornis, which local managers and conservation organizations view as a potential source population for coral restoration projects. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of colonies across three banks within the protected area. We identified low genetic diversity (FST = 0.02) across the three banks, and genetic similarity of colonies ranged from 91.3 to 95.8% between the banks. Clonality rates were approximately 30% across the three banks, however, each genotype identified was unique to each bank. Despite the low genetic diversity, subtle genetic differences within and among banks were demonstrated, and these dense thickets were shown not to be comprised of a single or a few genotypes. The presence of multiple genotypes suggests A. cervicornis colonies from these banks could be used to maintain and enhance genetic diversity in restoration projects. Management of hope spots, such as Cordelia Bank, and the incorporation of genetic information into restoration projects to ensure genetic diversity within out-planted populations, will be critical in the ongoing challenge of conserving and preserving coral reefs.
DeepACSON automated segmentation of white matter in 3D electron microscopy
Authors: Abdollahzadeh Ali , Belevich Ilya , Jokitalo Eija , Sierra Alejandra , Tohka Jussi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractTracing the entirety of ultrastructures in large three-dimensional electron microscopy (3D-EM) images of the brain tissue requires automated segmentation techniques. Current segmentation techniques use deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) and rely on high-contrast cellular membranes and high-resolution EM volumes. On the other hand, segmenting low-resolution, large EM volumes requires methods to account for severe membrane discontinuities inescapable. Therefore, we developed DeepACSON, which performs DCNN-based semantic segmentation and shape-decomposition-based instance segmentation. DeepACSON instance segmentation uses the tubularity of myelinated axons and decomposes under-segmented myelinated axons into their constituent axons. We applied DeepACSON to ten EM volumes of rats after sham-operation or traumatic brain injury, segmenting hundreds of thousands of long-span myelinated axons, thousands of cell nuclei, and millions of mitochondria with excellent evaluation scores. DeepACSON quantified the morphology and spatial aspects of white matter ultrastructures, capturing nanoscopic morphological alterations five months after the injury.
Lokale und Metastasen -gerichtete Therapieoptionen beim oligometastasierten Prostatakarzinom
Authors: Püllen Lukas , Sprave Tanja , Hadaschik Boris , Wiegel Thomas 
Published: February 2021

ZusammenfassungDie Weiterentwicklung systemischer Therapiekonzepte beim metastasierten Prostatakarzinom haben in der jüngeren Vergangenheit zu einer deutlichen Prognoseverbesserung geführt. Inwieweit durch lokale und/oder gezielte Metastasen-gerichtete Therapien neben Palliation, lokaler Kontrolle und Funktionserhalt ein zusätzlicher prognostischer Nutzen besteht, war lange unklar. Für die lokale Therapie der Prostata besteht aktuell die höchste Evidenz für die Strahlentherapie und zeigt bei „niedriger Metastasen-Tumorlast“ oligometastasierter Patienten einen signifikanten Überlebensvorteil. Metastasen-gerichtete operative oder radioonkologische Konzepte zeigen ebenfalls Möglichkeiten zur Verbesserung der Prognose auf, sind bislang aber noch unzureichend untersucht und sollten daher immer individuell und interdisziplinär diskutiert, dokumentiert und etabliert werden.
Streptococcal Throat Carriage among Primary School Children Living in Uyo, Southern Nigeria
Authors: Edem Kevin B. , Ikpeme Enobong E. , Akpan Mkpouto U. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSurveillance of the carrier state for β-hemolytic streptococcal (BHS) throat infections remains essential for disease control. Recent published works from Sub-Saharan Africa have suggested a changing epidemiology in the burden of BHS throat infections. The objective of the present study was therefore to determine the prevalence and pattern of BHS throat carriage in school-aged children in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. This was a prospective cross-sectional study of 276 primary school children in Uyo. Subjects were recruited by multistage random sampling. Obtained throat swabs were cultured on 5% sheep blood agar. Lancefield grouping on positive cultures was done by using the Oxoid Streptococcal Grouping Latex Agglutination Kit, United Kingdom. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done with the disk diffusion method. Associations were tested with Fischer's exact test. The prevalence of BHS carriage was 3.3%. Group C Streptococcus was identified in 89% of isolates and Group G Streptococcus in 11%. Younger age and larger household size were associated with asymptomatic streptococcal throat infections. Antimicrobial susceptibility was highest with cefuroxime and clindamycin (89% of isolates each), while 78% of isolates were susceptible to penicillin. None of the tested isolates was susceptible to co-trimoxazole. The prevalence of streptococcal throat carriage in the study area was low. There were no Group A Streptococcus isolates suggesting an evolving epidemiology of BHS disease in the study area.
Molecular Study of Childhood Steroid-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome: A Hospital-Based Study
Authors: Singh Akanksha , Singh Ankur , Mishra Om Prakash , Prasad Rajniti , Narayan Gopeshwar , Batra Vineeta V , Tabatabaeifar Mansoureh , Schaefer Franz 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSteroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) patients with genetic mutations most commonly have histology of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and do not respond to immunosuppressive drugs. We report the molecular screening results of 18 pediatric SRNS cases presented to our nephrology clinic. Three pathogenic variants have been detected, two previously reported and one novel variant. The reported pathogenic variants have been detected in NPHS1 and NPHS2 genes. A novel pathogenic variant has been detected in the inverted formin 2 gene (INF2) gene. We did not detect any variant of the WT1 gene. There were 13 males. Mean age of study participants at enrollment was 69 months. There were 12 cases of primary SRNS. The mean duration from onset of symptoms to SRNS diagnosis was 13 months. FSGS and minimal change disease (MCD) were present in the same number of cases. The response rate (complete or partial) to immunosuppressive drugs was seen in only one patient in the genetic SRNS group (n = 3), while the response rate in nongenetic cases (n = 15) was 80%. Two nonresponders in the genetic SRNS group had FSGS for histopathology and pathogenic variants (NPHS2 and INF2). The other three nonresponders in the nongenetic SRNS group had both FSGS (n = 1) and MCD (n = 2) histopathology. There were two deaths in the study cohort of the nongenetic SRNS group. This study highlights the screening of the SRNS cohort by a panel of extended genes rather focussing on the three most common genes (NPHS1, NPHS2, and WT1). This further confirms the molecular etiology of SRNS in three cases and extends the list of pathogenic variants of genetic SRNS in the North Indian population. This is the first study in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh in India.
Comparative Evaluation of Hard-Tissue and Soft-Tissue Changes following Fixed Functional Appliance Treatment in a Skeletal Class II Malocclusion Using Forsus and PowerScope
Authors: Shetty Prajwal , Shetty Mukul , Chalapati Maitreyi , Kori Chaitra , Soans Crystal Runa , S. Murali P. 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Introduction The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the skeletal, dentoalveolar and soft-tissue effects of 2 fixed functional appliance; Forsus Fatigue Resistance Device (FFRD) and PowerScope appliance in treating patients with skeletal class II division 1 malocclusion.
Materials and Methods This comparative prospective two-group study included 20 patients with a mean age of 11.2 ± 1.6 years with skeletal class II malocclusion with retrognathic mandible. One group was treated with FFRD, and second group was treated with PowerScope appliance. Lateral cephalograms were evaluated at T1 (pre-functional appliance treatment)) and at T2 (postappliance treatment). Cephalometric values were calculated and assessed to evaluate skeletal, dentoalveolar and soft-tissue changes.
Results Sagittal correction of class II malocclusion appeared to be mainly achieved by dentoalveolar changes in the PowerScope group. The FFRD was able to induce both skeletal and dentoalveolar changes. A favorable influence on facial convexity was achieved by both groups. A significant increase in upper pharynx and lower pharynx dimension was seen in the PowerScope group. A statistically significant decrease in upper lip protrusion, increase in lower lip protrusion, increased nasolabial angle, and decrease in inferior labial sulcus were noted in both the groups. Lower incisors proclined more in the PowerScope group.
Conclusion Both appliances were effective in correcting class II malocclusion. Forsus had more skeletal effects on the mandible, whereas PowerScope had less skeletal effects on the mandible and more dentoalveolar effects, contributing to class II correction. Both groups showed a significant improvement in soft-tissue profile. PowerScope group showed a significant increase in airway dimensions.
Posttraumatic Carpal Instability Nondissociative
Authors: Urbanschitz Lukas , Pastor Tatjana , Fritz Benjamin , Schweizer Andreas , Reissner Lisa 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background Posttraumatic midcarpal instability nondissociative (CIND) is an exceptional rare condition, therefore the outcome after different treatment options remains unknown.
Questions The purpose of this study was to investigate the different treatment options for posttraumatic CIND. We also describe the different radiological and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in this patient cohort.
Patients and Methods We present outcomes of 10 patients who developed CIND following acute wrist trauma between 2007 and 2018, 3 with dorsal intercalated segment instability pattern (CIND-DISI) and 7 with volar intercalated segment instability (CIND-VISI) radiographically.
Results Three patients with CIND-VISI had satisfactory outcomes with conservative treatment. Two patients with irreducible CIND-DISI and one with CIND-VISI underwent proximal row carpectomy (PRC), two with reducible CIND-VISI had radiolunate fusion, and two with secondary osteoarthritis had total wrist fusion. All patients with CIND-DISI needed surgery, whereas only four of the seven patients with CIND-VISI needed surgery. On MRI, all three patients with CIND-DISI had rupture of the radiolunate ligament.
Conclusions The data collected in this study may provide the first step toward better understanding of the pathology for this exceptionally rare finding. In CIND-VISI, we have not seen any ligament injury in four patients. Therefore, conservative therapy is more likely to be the first step. In CIND-DISI, we recommend an operative procedure: if detected early, with ligament suture, otherwise by radiolunate fusion, PRC, or total wrist fusion.
Level of Evidence This is a Level IV study.
How metaphoremes emerge
Authors: Tang Xuri 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
According to the dynamic view of metaphor, the complexities of metaphorical expressions are emergent products of
language use. However, this view lacks an explicit mechanism to account for the process. This paper puts forward a model named
single-scope integration network with entrenchment (SINE), and uses if-then rules in the model to explain the
temporal order and regularities that the metaphoremes of a metaphor should follow in their emergence. The validity of the model is
tested in the case studies of Chinese verb metaphors, which reveal four if-then rules that govern the metaphoreme emergence of
Chinese verb metaphors. These if-then rules are obtained via the analysis of the occurrence order of metaphoremes by performing
DepCluster, a machine learning tool for collostruction generation, over a large-scale diachronic corpus. The case studies
demonstrate that the proposed model is applicable to Chinese verb metaphors.
The semantic network of temperature
Authors: Coschignano Serena 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe present study investigates the relation betweentemperatureand non-sensory domains conceptually close to it. Observing metaphorical extensions of the Italian basic temperature termscaldo‘hot’ andfreddo‘cold’, individuated through a collocational analysis performed on the ItTenTen16 corpus, mental operations responsible for the association oftemperaturewith other domains are assessed. Interestingly, many associations are first elaborated ontowarmth/heatand then used to map concepts ontocold. Although conceptual associations are primarily motivated by embodiment, in some cases they stem from a shared “vertical” image-schematic structure:warmthandheatareup, whilecoldisdownon the axis, resembling the configuration of other domains with a positive/negative orientation (e.g.,good/bad). A visual representation of the semantic network oftemperaturehighlights that domains associated withtemperatureare mirrored in its two poles: for instance,highandlow temperatureare associated, respectively, withfriendlinessandunfriendliness.
The internal structure of microprocessors for industrial control and data processing systems
Authors: Antonov A A , Krasnyuk A A 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The fundamental objective of the problem is a comprehensive study of the internal structure of microprocessors for industrial microelectronics, design technology to ensure VLSI efficiency at extremely high temperature levels with external destructive factors. Based on the data we have studied, the main problem of choosing optimal structural solutions for industrial systems based on them, providing the best resistance and fault tolerance of memory and microprocessors under difficult operating conditions, requires a preliminary comparative analysis of various schemes and functional solutions used for IP blocks.