bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and kidney graft outcome
Authors: Kremer Daan , Post Adrian , Gomes-Neto António W , Groothof Dion , Kunutsor Setor K , Nilsen Tom , Hidden Clara , Sundrehagen Erling , Eisenga Michele F , Navis Gerjan , Bakker Stephan J L ,   TransplantLines Investigators
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACT

Background
Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (pNGAL) has been investigated extensively in acute kidney injury. This study investigated its pathophysiological significance and utility as marker for graft failure and mortality in stable kidney transplant recipients (KTR).

Methods
Baseline pNGAL was measured in 698 KTR (58% male, age 53 ± 13 years, estimated glomerular filtration rate 52.4 ± 20.4 mL/min/1.73 m2) at median 5.4 (interquartile range 1.8–12.0) years after transplantation, enrolled in the prospective TransplantLines Food and Nutrition Biobank and Cohort Study.

Results
pNGAL concentrations were higher in males, younger patients, patients with a deceased-donor kidney and higher serum creatinine. Independent of these, pNGAL was positively associated with urinary protein excretion, systemic inflammation parameters and calcineurin inhibitor use. During median follow-up of 5.3 (4.5–6.0) years, death-censored graft failure rates were 3.9%, 7.3% and 25.0% across increasing tertiles of pNGAL (Plog-rank &lt; 0.001). Cox-regression analyses showed no independent associations of pNGAL with mortality, but strong associations with graft failure (hazard ratio, per doubling 4.16; 95% confidence interval 3.03–5.71; P &lt; 0.001), which remained independent of adjustment for confounders. These associations were present only in patients with pre-existent proteinuria and poor kidney function.

Conclusions
pNGAL is associated with parameters of kidney graft damage and with graft failure. The latter association is particularly present in KTR with pre-existent poor kidney function and proteinuria.
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02811835.
Reusable Group Fuzzy Extractor and Group-Shared Bitcoin Wallet
Authors: Ma Jie , Qi Bin , Lv Kewei 
Published: October 2021

AbstractIn this paper, we propose a novel cryptographic primitive named reusable group fuzzy extractor (RGFE) allowing any member of a group to extract and reproduce random strings from a fuzzy and non-uniform source of high entropy (called fingerprint). Any group member can anonymously generate a random string for the group using his fingerprint and can be traced when needed, whereas other members can reproduce the string using their own fingerprints. Moreover, a fingerprint can be repeatedly used to generate multiple random strings. Basing on RGFE, we present group-shared Bitcoin wallet, which can be used by a group of users to receive or spend coins via biometrics in a traceable way.
Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation vs. percutaneous coronary intervention for chronic coronary syndrome: impact on morbidity and mortality
Authors: Buckley Benjamin J R , de Koning Iris A , Harrison Stephanie L , Fazio-Eynullayeva Elnara , Underhill Paula , Kemps Hareld M C , Lip Gregory Y H , Thijssen Dick H J 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Aims
Accumulating evidence questions the clinical value of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). We therefore compare the impact of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) vs. PCI in patients with CCS on 18-month mortality and morbidity, and evaluate the effects of combining PCI with exercise-based CR.

Methods and results
A retrospective cohort study was conducted in March 2021. An online, real-world dataset of CCS patients was acquired, utilizing TriNetX, a global federated health research network. Patients with CCS who received PCI were first compared with patients who were prescribed exercise-based CR. Second, we compared patients who received both CR + PCI vs. CR alone. For both comparisons, patients were propensity-score matched by age, sex, race, comorbidities, medications, and procedures. We ascertained 18-month incidence of all-cause mortality, rehospitalization, and cardiovascular comorbidity [stroke, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and new-onset heart failure]. The initial cohort consisted of 18 383 CCS patients. Following propensity score matching, exercise-based CR was associated with significantly lower odds of all-cause mortality [0.37 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.29–0.47)], rehospitalization [0.29 (95% CI: 0.27–0.32)], and cardiovascular morbidities, compared to PCI. Subsequently, patients that received both CR + PCI did not have significantly different odds for all-cause mortality [1.00 (95% CI: 0.63–1.60)], rehospitalization [1.00 (95% CI: 0.82–1.23)], AMI [1.11 (95% CI: 0.68–1.81)], and stroke [0.71 (95% CI: 0.39–1.31)], compared to CR only.

Conclusions
Compared to PCI, exercise-based CR associated with significantly lower odds of 18-month all-cause mortality, rehospitalization, and cardiovascular morbidity in patients with CCS, whilst combining PCI and exercise-based CR associated with lower incident heart failure only.
Presence of Fe(II) and nitrate shapes aquifer-originating communities leading to an autotrophic enrichment dominated by an Fe(II)-oxidizing Gallionellaceae sp
Authors: Jakus Natalia , Blackwell Nia , Straub Daniel , Kappler Andreas , Kleindienst Sara 
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACT
Autotrophic nitrate reduction coupled to Fe(II) oxidation is an important nitrate removal process in anoxic aquifers. However, it remains unknown how changes of O2 and carbon availability influence the community structure of nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing (NRFeOx) microbial assemblages and what the genomic traits of these NRFeOx key players are. We compared three metabolically distinct denitrifying assemblages, supplemented with acetate, acetate/Fe(II) or Fe(II), enriched from an organic-poor, pyrite-rich aquifer. The presence of Fe(II) promoted the growth of denitrifying Burkholderiaceae spp. and an unclassified Gallionellaceae sp. This Gallionellaceae sp. was related to microaerophilic Fe(II) oxidizers; however, it did not grow under microoxic conditions. Furthermore, we explored a metagenome and 15 metagenome-assembled genomes from an aquifer-originating, autotrophic NRFeOx culture. The dominant Gallionellaceae sp. revealed the potential to oxidize Fe(II) (e.g. cyc2), fix CO2 (e.g. rbcL) and perform near-complete denitrification leading to N2O formation (e.g. narGHJI,nirK/S and norBC). In addition, Curvibacter spp.,Methyloversatilis sp. and Thermomonas spp. were identified as novel putative NRFeOx taxa. Our findings provide first insights into the genetic traits of the so far only known autotrophic NRFeOx culture originating from an organic-poor aquifer, providing the genomic basis to study mechanisms of nitrate removal in organic-poor subsurface ecosystems.
Antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic assessment of new Cu(II)–pq complexes against Aspergillus parasiticus, in dark conditions and under visible irradiation
Authors: Lioli Eutuxia , Kollia Eleni , Markaki Panagiota , Mitsopoulou Christiana A 
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACT
The issue of food contamination by fungi and aflatoxins; constitutes a serious concern not only for human/animal health but also for agriculture and the economy. Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites produced by certain filamentous fungi and contaminate a variety of foodstuffs. In this context, control of fungal growth and aflatoxin contamination appears to be important. The present study aimed to investigate new Cu(I) and Cu(II)–quinoxaline complexes, namely [Cu(2,2´-pq)(NO3)](NO3) (1), [Cu(2,2´-pq)2(NO3)](NO3)·6H2O (2) and [Cu(2,2΄-pq)2](BF4) (3), where 2,2´-pq is 2-(2’-pyridyl quinoxaline), as antifungal agents against Aspergillus parasiticus. All complexes, the ligand and the starting material Cu(NO3)2–3H2O, regardless of the concentration used, caused inhibition of A. parasiticus growth ranged from 8.52 to 33.33%. The fungal growth inhibition was triggered when irradiation in visible (λ &gt; 400 nm) was continuously applied (range 18.36–57.20%). The highest inhibitory activity was exhibited by the complex [Cu(2,2´-pq)2(NO3)](NO3)·6H2O and for this reason, it was selected to be studied for its ability to suppress aflatoxin B1 produced by A. parasiticus. AFB1 production after the irradiation process was found to be suppressed by 25% compared to AFB1 produced in dark conditions.
How much are sites affected by 2-D and 3-D site effects? A study based on single-station earthquake records and implications for ground motion modelling
Authors: Pilz Marco , Cotton Fabrice , Zhu Chuanbin 
Published: October 2021

SUMMARY1-D site response analysis dominates earthquake engineering practice, while local 2-D/3-D models are often required at sites where the site response is complex. For such sites, the 1-D representation of the soil column can account neither for topographic effects or dipping layers nor for locally generated horizontally propagating surface waves. It then remains a crucial task to identify whether the site response can be modelled sufficiently precisely by 1-D analysis. In this study we develop a method to classify sites according to their 1-D or 2-D/3-D nature. This classification scheme is based on the analysis of surface earthquake recordings and the evaluation of the variability and similarity of the horizontal Fourier spectra. The taxonomy is focused on capturing significant directional dependencies and interevent variabilities indicating a more probable 2-D/3-D structure around the site causing the ground motion to be more variable. While no significant correlation of the 1-D/3-D site index with environmental parameters and site proxies seems to exist, a reduction in the within-site (single-station) variability is found. The reduction is largest (up to 20 per cent) for purely 1-D sites. Although the taxonomy system is developed using surface stations of the KiK-net network in Japan as considerable additional information is available, it can also be applied to any (non-downhole array) site.
A deep learning-based method to identify and count pelagic and mesopelagic fishes from trawl camera images
Authors: Allken Vaneeda , Rosen Shale , Handegard Nils Olav , Malde Ketil 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Fish counts and species information can be obtained from images taken within trawls, which enables trawl surveys to operate without extracting fish from their habitat, yields distribution data at fine scale for better interpretation of acoustic results, and can detect fish that are not retained in the catch due to mesh selection. To automate the process of image-based fish detection and identification, we trained a deep learning algorithm (RetinaNet) on images collected from the trawl-mounted Deep Vision camera system. In this study, we focused on the detection of blue whiting, Atlantic herring, Atlantic mackerel, and mesopelagic fishes from images collected in the Norwegian sea. To address the need for large amounts of annotated data to train these models, we used a combination of real and synthetic images, and obtained a mean average precision of 0.845 on a test set of 918 images. Regression models were used to compare predicted fish counts, which were derived from RetinaNet classification of fish in the individual image frames, with catch data collected at 20 trawl stations. We have automatically detected and counted fish from individual images, related these counts to the trawl catches, and discussed how to use this in regular trawl surveys.
Pediatric Reference Intervals for Point-of-Care Random Glucose in Healthy Children and Adolescents
Authors: Wilson Siobhan , Earle Hannah , Bohn Mary Kathryn , Hall Alexandra , Adeli Khosrow 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Background
Glucose testing at the point-of-care (POC) is routinely used in the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of diabetic states and other clinical conditions. Accurate reference intervals (RIs) are essential in appropriate clinical decision-making. In this study, RIs were established for random glucose (whole blood) in the Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Pediatric Reference (CALIPER) cohort using 2 POC instruments: the Nova Biomedical StatStrip (handheld glucometer) and Radiometer ABL90 FLEX Plus (benchtop instrument). An analytical comparison was also completed between the 2 POC systems and a laboratory-based analyzer (Ortho Vitros 5600).

Methods
Approximately 400 healthy children and adolescents (birth to 18 years) were recruited with informed consent from community schools or clinics providing care to metabolically stable/healthy children. Random venous samples were collected and run sequentially on the Nova Biomedical StatStrip (whole blood), Radiometer ABL90 FLEX Plus (whole blood), and Ortho Vitros 5600 (serum). RIs and method comparisons between analytical platforms were completed according to CLSI guidelines.

Results
Significantly different glucose concentrations were observed in infancy, requiring age-specific partitioning (0–&lt;1 month, 1–&lt;6 months, 6 months–&lt;19 years) on all platforms. Excellent concordance was observed between POC platforms (Pearson r &gt; 0.90), with a small negative bias. Good comparability was observed between POC and laboratory-based platforms (Pearson r &gt; 0.80).

Conclusion
This study established comprehensive pediatric RIs for random glucose (whole blood) on modern POC systems in the CALIPER cohort for the first time. Results demonstrate excellent concordance in glucose values between POC systems and good comparability with a laboratory-based analyzer. These data will assist in more accurate clinical decision-making in pediatric healthcare institutions.
Study of the Unique Characteristics of Multi-Elements of the Wild Astragali Radix from Shanxi Province by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Zhang Junjie , Lin Youming , Wei Xuehong , Li Zhenyu , Li Rongrong 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Background
Astragali Radix (AR) is widely used because of its dual use in medicine and food. Wild Astragali Radix from Hunyuan county of Shanxi province in China is accepted as a geo-authentic medicine with high quality and good medicinal effects. Multi-elements of Astragali Radix partially reflect its efficacy and safety. However, there has been no systemic research about the elemental analysis of geo-authentic Astragali Radix until now.

Objective
In this paper, multi-elemental profiling of Astragali Radix from Gansu, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces in China was carried out.

Methods
A microwave digestion coupled with inductively coupled plasma-MS (ICP-MS), principal component analysis (PCA), and partial-least square-discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) were used for analysis of the unique elemental accumulation ability of Shanxi wild AR.

Results
Compared to the samples from Gansu, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi provinces, and the cultivated samples from Shanxi, for 53 stably detected elements, the concentrations of most elements (Ba, Cs, Ga, La, Pr, and so on) were significantly higher while a few (Cd, Cu, P, W and Zn) were significantly lower in wild Astragali Radix from Shanxi. After binary logistic regression, combinational variable Ba-P was found to be a good marker to distinguish wild Astragali Radix of Shanxi province from the samples with other origins, and the total positive prediction probability of the test samples, both bought from the market and gathered from their original field, could reach 93.8% through external validation using the model.

Conclusion
Multi-elemental analysis coupled with PCA, PLS-DA, nonparametric analysis and binary logistic regression can be a good tool for the identification of wild Astragali Radix from Shanxi province.

Highlights
An ICP-MS method was developed and validated for multi-elements. Fifty-three elements in Astragali Radix from samples with different origins were compared. The wild Astragali Radix from Shanxi had unique elemental characteristics. Combinational variable Ba-P is a good marker to identify wild AR from Shanxi.
The Disposal of COVID-19 Dead Bodies: Impact of Sri Lanka’s Response on Fundamental Rights
Authors: Marsoof Althaf 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
In early 2020, the Government of Sri Lanka decided that all bodies of individuals who had (or were suspected to have) died of COVID-19 should be disposed of by cremation alone. Although this decision appears to be neutral and does not give rise to de jure discrimination, as a matter of fact, it has significantly impacted the religious rights of the Muslim community in Sri Lanka. This is because they firmly believe in the need to bury the dead in a dignified and decent manner—cremation being regarded as a repugnant practice amounting to a desecration of the human body. As such, the Sri Lankan Government’s decision to adopt a cremation-only policy interfered with the right of all Sri Lankan Muslims to manifest their religion or belief as guaranteed by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. Despite there being no scientific evidence to suggest that the burial of COVID-19 victims could give rise to contamination of the surroundings and thereby cause the spread of the virus, the Government of Sri Lanka continued with the policy for almost a whole year. Thereafter, due to international pressure, the Sri Lankan Government decided to allow burials but in a very restrictive manner. The objective of this article is to consider the extent to which the aforementioned decisions of the Sri Lankan Government are consistent with the fundamental rights framework of the country’s Constitution.
Mobilizing Disabled Peoples’ Organizations to Implement Bangladesh’s Disability Law
Authors: Smith Matthew S , Siddiquee Md Rejaul Karim , Stein Michael Ashley , Lord Janet E 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Six years after ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Bangladesh enacted the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2013, which recognized enforceable rights for Bangladeshis with disabilities for the first time and created a novel complaints procedure for seeking remedies outside of court. Yet little had been done to raise awareness of the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act’s rights or its novel procedure, until a collaboration between BlueLaw International, an inclusive development firm, and three Bangladeshi organizations with national scope to empower local disabled peoples’ organizations to advocate for implementation of the law in 7 of Bangladesh’s 64 districts. After three years, this team had filed the first 22 complaints under the novel Section 36 procedure before district-level committees created by the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act. Although to date the outcomes of these complaints have been mixed, disabled peoples’ organization efforts to activate this mechanism have yielded valuable lessons regarding effective advocacy strategies that can inform future disabled peoples’ organization-led efforts. Although prospects for tangible governmental buy-in for effective, countrywide enforcement of the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act may be dim for now, disabled peoples’ organizations have demonstrated their capacity to contribute meaningfully to operationalizing this important vehicle for domestic implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Cannabis Policy in the United States: Implications for Public Health
Authors: Schauer Gillian L 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Introduction
As of January 2021, a total of 36 states and the District of Columbia (DC) have legalized medical cannabis use, and 14 states and DC have legalized adult nonmedical use. This manuscript qualitatively summarizes cannabis policies across states with legal adult use marketplaces.

Methods
Data are from state laws and regulations, collected through January 2021, and have been verified with state officials as part of ongoing state policy tracking efforts.

Results
State policies differ in how cannabis products are taxed, where revenues are allocated, restrictions on the types of available products, restrictions on additives and flavors, product packaging and labeling, advertising restrictions, where cannabis can be consumed, and approaches to social equity.

Conclusion
Timely, accurate, and longitudinal state and local cannabis policy data are needed to understand the implications of legalization. Careful study of policy differences across and within states is warranted, as differences may affect public health and consumer safety.
Kinetic simulations of strongly magnetized parallel shocks: deviations from MHD jump conditions
Authors: Haggerty Colby C , Bret Antoine , Caprioli Damiano 
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACT
Shocks waves are a ubiquitous feature of many astrophysical plasma systems, and an important process for energy dissipation and transfer. The physics of these shock waves are frequently treated/modelled as a collisional, fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) discontinuity, despite the fact that many shocks occur in the collisionless regime. In light of this, using fully kinetic, 3D simulations of non-relativistic, parallel propagating collisionless shocks comprised of electron-positron plasma, we detail the deviation of collisionless shocks form MHD predictions for varying magnetization/Alfvénic Mach numbers, with particular focus on systems with Alfénic Mach numbers much smaller than sonic Mach numbers. We show that the shock compression ratio decreases for sufficiently large upstream magnetic fields, in agreement with theoretical predictions from previous works. Additionally, we examine the role of magnetic field strength on the shock front width. This work reinforces a growing body of work that suggest that modelling many astrophysical systems with only a fluid plasma description omits potentially important physics.
Revisiting the giant radio galaxy ESO 422−G028 – I. Discovery of a neutral inflow and recent star formation in a restarted giant
Authors: Zovaro Henry R M , Riseley Chris J , Taylor Philip , Nesvadba Nicole P H , Galvin Tim J , Malik Umang , Kewley Lisa J 
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACT
Giant radio galaxies provide important clues into the life cycles and triggering mechanisms of radio jets. With large-scale jets spanning 1.8 Mpc, ESO 422−G028 (z = 0.038) is a giant radio galaxy that also exhibits signs of restarted jet activity in the form of pc-scale jets. We present a study of the spatially resolved stellar and gas properties of ESO 422−G028 using optical integral field spectroscopy from the Wide-Field Spectrograph (WiFeS). In addition to the majority ${\sim} 13\, \rm Gyr$ old stellar population, ESO 422−G028 exhibits a much younger (${\lesssim} 10\, \rm Myr$ old) component with an estimated mass of $10^{7.6}\, \rm M_\odot$ that is predominantly located in the north-west region of the galaxy. Unusually, the ionized gas kinematics reveal two distinct discs traced by narrow ($\sigma _{\rm H\alpha } \lt 100 \, \rm km\, s^{-1}$) and broad ($\sigma _{\rm H\alpha } \gt 150 \, \rm km\, s^{-1}$) Hα emission, respectively. Both ionized gas discs are misaligned with the axis of stellar rotation, suggesting an external origin. This is consistent with the prominent interstellar Na D absorption, which traces a $1 \!-\! 3 \, \rm M_\odot \, yr^{-1}$ inflow of neutral gas from the north. We posit that an inflow of gas – either from an accretion event or a gas-rich merger – has triggered both the starburst and the restarted jet activity, and that ESO 422−G028 is potentially on the brink of an epoch of powerful active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity.