bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
RNAi-mediated silencing of Trichinella spiralis glutaminase results in reduced muscle larval infectivity
Authors: Gao Yuan , Meng Xiaoqing , Yang Xiao , Meng Shi , Han Caixia , Li Xiaoyun , Wang Shuang , Li Wei , Song Mingxin 
Published: March 2021

AbstractTrichinella spiralis is an important foodborne parasitic nematode distributed worldwide that infects humans and animals. Glutaminase (GLS) is an important gene in the glutamine-dependent acid resistance (AR) system; however, its role in T. spiralis muscle larvae (ML) remains unclear. The present study aimed to characterize T. spiralis GLS (TsGLS) and assess its function in T. spiralis ML AR both in vitro and in vivo using RNA interference. The results indicated that native TsGLS (72 kDa) was recognized by anti-rTsGLS serum at the muscle larvae stage; moreover, an immunofluorescence assay confirmed that TsGLS was located in the epidermis of ML. After silencing the TsGLS gene, the relative expression of TsGLS mRNA and the survival rate of T. spiralis ML were reduced by 60.11% and 16.55%, respectively, compared to those in the PBS and control groups. In vivo AR assays revealed that the worm numbers at 7 and 35 days post-infection (dpi) decreased by 61.64% and 66.71%, respectively, compared to those in the PBS group. The relative expression of TsGLS mRNA in F1 generation T. spiralis ML was reduced by 42.52%, compared to that in the PBS group. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the presence of the glutamine-dependent AR system in T. spiralis. Our results indicate that TsGLS plays a crucial role in the T. spiralis AR system; thus, it could be used as a potential candidate target molecule for producing vaccines against T. spiralis infection.
Association between clinical respiratory signs, lung lesions detected by thoracic ultrasonography and growth performance in pre‐weaned dairy calves
Authors: Cuevas-Gómez Inmaculada , McGee Mark , Sánchez José María , O’Riordan Edward , Byrne Nicky , McDaneld Tara , Earley Bernadette 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the main cause of mortality among 1-to-5 month old calves in Ireland, accounting for approximately one-third of deaths. Despite widespread use of clinical respiratory signs for diagnosing BRD, lung lesions are detected, using thoracic ultrasonography (TUS) or following post-mortem, in calves showing no clinical signs. This highlights the limitation of clinical respiratory signs as a method of detecting sub-clinical BRD. Using 53 purchased artificially-reared male dairy calves, the objectives of this study were to: (i) characterise the BRD incidence detected by clinical respiratory signs and/or TUS, (ii) investigate the association between clinical respiratory signs and lung lesions detected by TUS, and (iii) assess the effect of BRD on pre-weaning growth.

Results
Clinical BRD (based on Wisconsin clinical respiratory score and/or rectal temperature > 39.6 ºC) was detected in 43 % and sonographic changes (lung lesions) were detected in 64 % of calves from purchase (23 (SD; 6.2) days of age) until weaning, 53 days post-arrival. Calves with clinical BRD were treated. Sixty-one per cent calves affected with clinical BRD had lung lesions 10.5 days (median) before detection of clinical signs. Moderate correlations (rsp 0.70; P < 0.05) were found between cough and severe lung lesions on arrival day, and between rectal temperature > 39.6 ºC and lung lesions ≥ 2 cm2 on day 7 (rsp 0.40; P < 0.05) post-arrival. Mean average daily live weight gain (ADG) of calves from purchase to weaning was 0.75 (SD; 0.10) kg; calves with or without clinical BRD did not differ in ADG (P > 0.05), whereas ADG of those with severe lung lesions (lung lobe completely consolidated or pulmonary emphysema) was 0.12 kg/d less (P < 0.05) than calves without lung lesions.

Conclusions
Thoracic ultrasonography detected lung consolidation in calves that did not show signs of respiratory disease. The presence of severe lung lesions was associated with reduced pre-weaning growth. These findings emphasise the importance of using TUS in addition to clinical respiratory scoring of calves for an early and accurate detection of clinical and sub-clinical BRD.
Effects of psychosocial interventions among people cared for in emergency departments after a suicide attempt: a systematic review protocol
Authors: da Silva Ana Paula Coutinho , Henriques Margarida Rangel , Rothes Inês Areal , Zortea Tiago , Santos José Carlos , Cuijpers Pim 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background
The care of the emergency department (ED) for a person after a suicide attempt can act as a protector against future suicidal behavior. For this reason, it is essential that the ED ensure an assistance that involves effective interventions in preventing suicidal behaviors. Among suicidal behaviors, it is known that suicide attempt is one of the most lethal risk factors for consummated suicide. In addition, the risk for further attempts is greater in the period from the immediate post-discharge up to 12 months after the last attempt. This makes the ED a key link in the suicide prevention chain. The purpose of this review is to investigate the effects of psychosocial interventions on suicide prevention, when applied in the ED after a suicide attempt.

Methods
This systematic review protocol was built and registered with the collaboration of a multidisciplinary scientific team. The review will include randomized clinical studies, quasi-experimental trials, and comparative observational studies, all conducted with people (11 years old or more) who have received a psychosocial suicide prevention intervention initiated in the ED after a suicide attempt. The research will be conducted across databases such as Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and DARE. The repetition of a suicide attempt and death by suicide as primary outcomes will be analyzed. The eligibility of the studies and data extraction will be carried out by matched and blind researchers. The risk of bias will be addressed using appropriate instruments. The analyses and synthesis of the results will be both qualitative and quantitative.

Discussion
From a public health point of view, suicide is in itself a public health problem and requires appropriate interventions at different levels of care in order to be prevented. Taking into account that a high percentage of people who died by suicide sought the ED for suicide attempt in the year before their death, the ED is a clinical context with a privileged potential to implement these interventions. Presently, several clinical studies seek to validate interventions to be adopted regarding the prevention of suicidal behavior. Current evidence indicates that different interventions must be strategically combined to reduce suicide attempts and their mortality.

Systematic review registration
PROSPERO registration number CRD42019131040
Asymptotic properties of a population model with Allee effects in random environments
Authors: Zheng Famei , Hu Guixin 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this research, we probe the influences of two common types of stochastic noises in the environment, namely, white noise and telephone noise, and put forward a stochastic differential equation population model with Allee effects. We analyze some asymptotic behaviors of the model, including extermination, persistence and invariant measure. Some vital functions of white noise and telephone noise on these asymptotic behaviors of the model are discovered and numerically expounded.
Note on norm of an m-linear integral-type operator between weighted-type spaces
Authors: Stević Stevo 
Published: March 2021

AbstractWe find a necessary and sufficient condition for the boundedness of anm-linear integral-type operator between weighted-type spaces of functions, and calculate norm of the operator, complementing some results by L. Grafakos and his collaborators. We also present an inequality which explains a detail in the proof of the boundedness of the linear integral-type operator on$L^{p}({\mathbb {R}}^{n})$Lp(Rn)space.
Shifted Jacobi polynomials for nonlinear singular variable-order time fractional Emden–Fowler equation generated by derivative with non-singular kernel
Authors: Heydari M. H. , Avazzadeh Z. , Atangana A. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this work, a nonlinear singular variable-order fractional Emden–Fowler equation involved with derivative with non-singular kernel (in the Atangana–Baleanu–Caputo type) is introduced and a computational method is proposed for its numerical solution. The desired method is established upon the shifted Jacobi polynomials and their operational matrix of variable-order fractional differentiation (which is extracted in the present study) together with the spectral collocation method. The presented method transforms obtaining the solution of the main problem into obtaining the solution of an algebraic system of equations. Several numerical examples are examined to show the validity and the high accuracy of the established method.
Economic development, social integration, and the subjective well-being of residents in the western regions of China: based on the perspective of multi-ethnic China
Authors: Yang Jianke , Wang Qi 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBased on a large sample of survey data collected from 12 Chinese provinces, municipalities directly under the central government and autonomous regions in the western regions of China, this article discusses the subjective well-being of the residents of all ethnic groups in the western regions, along the two dimensions of economic development and social integration. The results show that the overall subjective well-being of all ethnic groups in Western China is good, and the percentage of people who indicated that they often feel happy is generally higher than the percentage of those who often feel unhappy. The residents of ethnic minority status such as the Huis and the Uyghurs experience good subjective well-being more often than residents of other ethnic groups. Microscopic indicators, such as the level of household income, and macroscopic indicators, such as the level of regional economic development, can exert significant positive impacts on the subjective well-being of residents from various ethnic groups. In addition, emotional integration, trust-based integration, and integration through communication—as important variables of social identity and social acceptance—can also have significant positive impacts on improving the subjective well-being of residents of all ethnic groups. The article concludes that, for the residents of all ethnic groups living in the less developed western regions of China, economic development and increased income remain the key means of improving the subjective well-being, and promoting inter-ethnic interactions and strengthening social integration are also positive methods of effectively improving the subjective well-being.
Recovery of photoacoustic images based on accurate ultrasound positioning
Authors: Pan Yinhao , Chen Ningbo , Liu Liangjian , Liu Chengbo , Xu Zhiqiang , Zhang Jianhui 
Published: March 2021

AbstractPhotoacoustic microscopy is an in vivo imaging technology based on the photoacoustic effect. It is widely used in various biomedical studies because it can provide high-resolution images while being label-free, safe, and harmless to biological tissue. Polygon-scanning is an effective scanning method in photoacoustic microscopy that can realize fast imaging of biological tissue with a large field of view. However, in polygon-scanning, fluctuations of the rotating motor speed and the geometric error of the rotating mirror cause image distortions, which seriously affect the photoacoustic-microscopy imaging quality. To improve the image quality of photoacoustic microscopy using polygon-scanning, an image correction method is proposed based on accurate ultrasound positioning. In this method, the photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging data of the sample are simultaneously obtained, and the angle information of each mirror used in the polygon-scanning is extracted from the ultrasonic data to correct the photoacoustic images. Experimental results show that the proposed method can significantly reduce image distortions in photoacoustic microscopy, with the image dislocation offset decreasing from 24.774 to 10.365 μm.
Validity and reliability of the revised Arabic language test for 2–4-year-old children: cross-sectional study
Authors: Rifaie Nahla , Hamza Tarek Mohamed Abdel Wahab , Elfiky Yomna Hassan 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background
Language assessment in children using subjective and objective tests has been an issue to discuss. The aim of this study is to revise and prove the validity and reliability of the Arabic language test (ALT) for the age range from 2 to 4 years old. New design of the test format and test pictures was performed and tested on a pilot study of 30 normal children with no language problems, 15 in each 1 year age group, within the same age range of the standardization sample. The standardization sample on which the test was then applied was 400 normal Egyptian children in the age range from 2 to 4 years old 200 at 2–3 years old and 200 at 3–4 years old. Retesting was done on 30 children (15 in each group) to prove test-retest reliability, with an interval of 2 weeks. Validity of the test was done using, internal consistency validity, contrasted group validity, factorial validity, face validity, and judgment validity. In the contrasted group validity, a sample of 40 children with delayed language was used.

Results
All validity tests used gave significant scores that proved the high validity of the newly revised test. Also, reliability tests were highly significant.

Conclusion
The newly revised Arabic language test for 2–4 years old is a reliable and valid test to be used to evaluate language development and to detect language deficits among Egyptian children in the same age range.
Evaluation of the efficacy of pirfenidone in progressive chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Authors: Shebl Eman , Hamdy Tarek 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background
The present data about the treatment of progressive CHP are few and largely based on observational studies and expert opinion. It is suggested that pirfenidone may slow disease progression in cases of CHP as it has some anti-inflammatory in addition to antifibrotic effects, so this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pirfenidone in chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis. This study included 40 adult patients (≥ 18 years) with a diagnosis of chronic progressive hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The included patients were divided into 2 groups 20 patients in each one.
Group 1 received pirfenidone in addition to the conventional treatment
Group 2 was maintained on conventional treatment.
Forced vital capacity (FVC), 6-min walking test (6MWT), oxygen tension in the arterial blood (PaO2), and St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were measured before and after 6 months of a pirfenidone treatment trial.

Results
The present study showed that in patients with progressive chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, adding pirfenidone to their conventional treatment was associated with significantly higher FVC, 6MWT, SaO2, and PaO2, and significant lower SGRQ score compared to patients who were maintained only on their conventional treatment at 6 months after treatment

Conclusion
Pirfenidone can reduce the progression of chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis and so it can be considered a therapeutic option in its treatment.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04675619.
First report of the invasive snail Pomacea canaliculata in Kenya
Authors: Buddie Alan G. , Rwomushana Ivan , Offord Lisa C. , Kibet Simeon , Makale Fernadis , Djeddour Djamila , Cafa Giovanni , Vincent Koskei K. , Muvea Alexander M. , Chacha Duncan , Day Roger K. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractFollowing reports of an invasive snail causing crop damage in the expansive Mwea irrigation scheme in Kenya, samples of snails and associated egg masses were collected and sent to CABI laboratories in the UK for molecular identification. DNA barcoding analyses using the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene gave preliminary identification of the snails as Pomacea canaliculata, widely considered to have the potential to be one of the most invasive invertebrates of waterways and irrigation systems worldwide and which is already causing issues throughout much of south-east Asia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented record of P. canaliculata in Kenya, and the first confirmed record of an established population in continental Africa. This timely identification shows the benefit of molecular identification and the need for robust species identifications: even a curated sequence database such as that provided by the Barcoding of Life Data system may require additional checks on the veracity of the underlying identifications. We found that the egg mass tested gave an identical barcode sequence to the adult snails, allowing identifications to be made more rapidly. Part of the nuclear elongation factor 1 alpha gene was sequenced to confirm that the snail was P. canaliculata and not a P. canaliculata/P. maculata interspecies hybrid. Given the impact of this species in Asia, there is need for an assessment of the risk to Africa, and the implementation of an appropriate response in Kenya and elsewhere to manage this new threat to agriculture and the environment.
Correlations between the static and anisotropic dynamic elastic properties of lacustrine shales under triaxial stress: Examples from the Ordos Basin, China
Authors: Han Tongcheng , Yu Hongyan , Fu Li-Yun 
Published: March 2021

Shales are abundant and are increasingly important for the hydrocarbon industry as source rocks and unconventional reservoirs. The anisotropic dynamic elastic properties of shales are important in the exploration stage of shale reservoirs whereas their static elastic properties are key for the hydraulic fracturing for the more efficient development of shale gas and oil. However, the correlations between the static and anisotropic dynamic elastic properties that could provide a basis for the seismic methods to potentially evaluate the fracturing ability of shales without the need of cored samples from the borehole are still poorly understood. We have demonstrated, through dedicated simultaneous laboratory measurements of the anisotropic velocities and the strains of samples under triaxial stress, how the static and anisotropic dynamic elastic properties are correlated in seven lacustrine shales from the Ordos Basin, one of the major shale gas plays in China. The results show that the static and anisotropic dynamic elastic properties are stress-dependent. More importantly, the anisotropic velocities are found to be approximately linearly correlated with the axial strains of the samples at differential stress (the difference between axial stress and confining stress) greater than 30 MPa, with the slopes of the linear correlations in excellent linear relationship with Young’s moduli determined from the static elastic measurements. The results not only reveal the internal link between the static and anisotropic dynamic elastic properties of lacustrine shales, but they also pave a potential way for the anisotropic seismic explorations to remotely evaluate the fracturing ability of shales.
Risk Prediction Using Bayesian Networks: An Immunotherapy Case Study in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Gupta Alind , Arora Paul , Brenner Darren , Vanderpuye-Orgle Jacqueline , Boyne Devon J. , Edmondson-Jones Mark , Parkhomenko Elena , Stevens Warren , Dudani Shaan , Heng Daniel Y. C. , Wagner Samuel , Borrill John , Wu Elise 
Published: March 2021

PURPOSE To address the need for more accurate risk stratification models for cancer immuno-oncology, this study aimed to develop a machine-learned Bayesian network model (BNM) for predicting outcomes in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) being treated with immunotherapy. METHODS Patient-level data from the randomized, phase III CheckMate 025 clinical trial comparing nivolumab with everolimus for second-line treatment in patients with mRCC were used to develop the BNM. Outcomes of interest were overall survival (OS), all-cause adverse events, and treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) over 36 months after treatment initiation. External validation of the model's predictions for OS was conducted using data from select centers from the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC). RESULTS Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) for BNM-based classification of OS using baseline data were 0.74, 0.71, and 0.68 over months 12, 24, and 36, respectively. AUC for OS at 12 months increased to 0.86 when treatment response and progression status in year 1 were included as predictors; progression and response at 12 months were highly prognostic of all outcomes over the 36-month period. AUCs for adverse events and treatment-related adverse events were approximately 0.6 at 12 months but increased to approximately 0.7 by 36 months. Sensitivity analysis comparing the BNM with machine learning classifiers showed comparable performance. Test AUC on IMDC data for 12-month OS was 0.71 despite several variable imbalances. Notably, the BNM outperformed the IMDC risk score alone. CONCLUSION The validated BNM performed well at prediction using baseline data, particularly with the inclusion of response and progression at 12 months. Additionally, the results suggest that 12 months of follow-up data alone may be sufficient to inform long-term survival projections in patients with mRCC.
HER2 Expression, Test Deviations, and Their Impact on Survival in Metastatic Gastric Cancer: Results From the Prospective Multicenter VARIANZ Study
Authors: Haffner Ivonne , Schierle Katrin , Raimúndez Elba , Geier Birgitta , Maier Dieter , Hasenauer Jan , Luber Birgit , Walch Axel , Kolbe Katharina , Riera Knorrenschild Jorge , Kretzschmar Albrecht , Rau Beate , Fischer von Weikersthal Ludwig , Ahlborn Miriam , Siegler Gabriele , Fuxius Stefan , Decker Thomas , Wittekind Christian , Lordick Florian 
Published: March 2021

PURPOSE Trastuzumab is the only approved targeted drug for first-line treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive (HER2+) metastatic gastric cancer (mGC). However, not all patients respond and most eventually progress. The multicenter VARIANZ study aimed to investigate the background of response and resistance to trastuzumab in mGC. METHODS Patients receiving medical treatment for mGC were prospectively recruited in 35 German sites and followed for up to 48 months. HER2 status was assessed centrally by immunohistochemistry and chromogenic in situ hybridization. In addition, HER2 gene expression was assessed using qPCR. RESULTS Five hundred forty-eight patients were enrolled, and 77 had HER2+ mGC by central assessment (14.1%). A high deviation rate of 22.7% between central and local test results was seen. Patients who received trastuzumab for centrally confirmed HER2+ mGC (central HER2+/local HER2+) lived significantly longer as compared with patients who received trastuzumab for local HER2+ but central HER2− mGC (20.5 months, n = 60 v 10.9 months, n = 65; hazard ratio, 0.42; 95% CI, 8.2 to 14.4; P < .001). In the centrally confirmed cohort, significantly more tumor cells stained HER2+ than in the unconfirmed cohort, and the HER2 amplification ratio was significantly higher. A minimum of 40% HER2+ tumor cells and a HER2 amplification ratio of ≥ 3.0 were calculated as optimized thresholds for predicting benefit from trastuzumab. CONCLUSION Significant discrepancies in HER2 assessment of mGC were found in tumor specimens with intermediate HER2 expression. Borderline HER2 positivity and heterogeneity of HER2 expression should be considered as resistance factors for HER2-targeting treatment of mGC. HER2 thresholds should be reconsidered. Detailed reports with quantification of HER2 expression and amplification levels may improve selection of patients for HER2-directed treatment.