bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sex dependent effect of maternal e-nicotine on F1 Drosophila development and airways
Authors: El-Merhie Natalia , Krüger Arne , Uliczka Karin , Papenmeier Stephanie , Roeder Thomas , Rabe Klaus F. , Wagner Christina , Angstmann Hanna , Krauss-Etschmann Susanne 
Published: February 2021

AbstractE-cigarettes are heavily advertised as healthier alternative to common tobacco cigarettes, leading more and more women to switch from regular cigarettes to ENDS (electronic nicotine delivery system) during pregnancy. While the noxious consequences of tobacco smoking during pregnancy on the offspring health are well-described, information on the long-term consequences due to maternal use of e-cigarettes do not exist so far. Therefore, we aimed to investigate how maternal e-nicotine influences offspring development from earliest life until adulthood. To this end, virgin female Drosophila melanogaster flies were exposed to nicotine vapor (8 µg nicotine) once per hour for a total of eight times. Following the last exposure, e-nicotine or sham exposed females were mated with non-exposed males. The F1-generation was then analyzed for viability, growth and airway structure. We demonstrate that maternal exposure to e-nicotine not only leads to reduced maternal fertility, but also negatively affects size and weight, as well as tracheal development of the F1-generation, lasting from embryonic stage until adulthood. These results not only underline the need for studies investigating the effects of maternal vaping on offspring health, but also propose our established model for analyzing molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways mediating these intergenerational changes.
Feasibility of reintroducing grassland megaherbivores, the greater one-horned rhinoceros, and swamp buffalo within their historic global range
Authors: Jhala Harshini Y. , Qureshi Qamar , Jhala Yadvendradev V. , Black Simon A. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractReintroduction of endangered species is an effective and increasingly important conservation strategy once threats have been addressed. The greater one-horned rhinoceros and swamp buffalo have declined through historic hunting and habitat loss. We identify and evaluate available habitat across their historic range (India, Nepal, and Bhutan) for reintroducing viable populations. We used Species Distribution Models in Maxent to identify potential habitats and evaluated model-identified sites through field visits, interviews of wildlife managers, literature, and population-habitat viability analysis. We prioritize sites based on size, quality, protection, management effectiveness, biotic pressures, and potential of conflict with communities. Our results suggest that populations greater than 50 for rhinoceros and 100 for buffalo were less susceptible to extinction, and could withstand some poaching, especially if supplemented or managed as a metapopulation. We note some reluctance by managers to reintroduce rhinoceros due to high costs associated with subsequent protection. Our analysis subsequently prioritised Corbett and Valmiki, for rhino reintroduction and transboundary complexes of Chitwan-Parsa-Valmiki and Dudhwa-Pilibhit-Shuklaphanta-Bardia for buffalo reintroductions. Establishing new safety-nets and supplementing existing populations of these megaherbivores would ensure their continued survival and harness their beneficial effect on ecosystems and conspecifics like pygmy hog, hispid hare, swamp deer, hog deer, and Bengal florican.
Using noise to augment synchronization among oscillators
Authors: Vaidya Jaykumar , Bashar Mohammad Khairul , Shukla Nikhil 
Published: February 2021

AbstractNoise is expected to play an important role in the dynamics of analog systems such as coupled oscillators which have recently been explored as a hardware platform for application in computing. In this work, we experimentally investigate the effect of noise on the synchronization of relaxation oscillators and their computational properties. Specifically, in contrast to its typically expected adverse effect, we first demonstrate that a common white noise input induces frequency locking among uncoupled oscillators. Experiments show that the minimum noise voltage required to induce frequency locking increases linearly with the amplitude of the oscillator output whereas it decreases with increasing number of oscillators. Further, our work reveals that in a coupled system of oscillators—relevant to solving computational problems such as graph coloring, the injection of white noise helps reduce the minimum required capacitive coupling strength. With the injection of noise, the coupled system demonstrates frequency locking along with the desired phase-based computational properties at 5 × lower coupling strength than that required when no external noise is introduced. Consequently, this can reduce the footprint of the coupling element and the corresponding area-intensive coupling architecture. Our work shows that noise can be utilized as an effective knob to optimize the implementation of coupled oscillator-based computing platforms.
Exercise improves the quality of slow-wave sleep by increasing slow-wave stability
Authors: Park Insung , Díaz Javier , Matsumoto Sumire , Iwayama Kaito , Nabekura Yoshiharu , Ogata Hitomi , Kayaba Momoko , Aoyagi Atsushi , Yajima Katsuhiko , Satoh Makoto , Tokuyama Kumpei , Vogt Kaspar E. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractExercise can improve sleep by reducing sleep latency and increasing slow-wave sleep (SWS). Some studies, however, report adverse effects of exercise on sleep architecture, possibly due to a wide variety of experimental conditions used. We examined the effect of exercise on quality of sleep using standardized exercise parameters and novel analytical methods. In a cross-over intervention study we examined the effect of 60 min of vigorous exercise at 60% $$\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{2}$$

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max on the metabolic state, assessed by core body temperature and indirect calorimetry, and on sleep quality during subsequent sleep, assessed by self-reported quality of sleep and polysomnography. In a novel approach, envelope analysis was performed to assess SWS stability. Exercise increased energy expenditure throughout the following sleep phase. The subjective assessment of sleep quality was not improved by exercise. Polysomnography revealed a shorter rapid eye movement latency and reduced time spent in SWS. Detailed analysis of the sleep electro-encephalogram showed significantly increased delta power in SWS (N3) together with increased SWS stability in early sleep phases, based on delta wave envelope analysis. Although vigorous exercise does not lead to a subjective improvement in sleep quality, sleep function is improved on the basis of its effect on objective EEG parameters.
Thoracic shape changes in newborns due to their position
Authors: de Gelidi Serena , Bardill Andy , Seifnaraghi Nima , Wu Yu , Demosthenous Andreas , Rahtu Marika , Kallio Merja , Bayford Richard 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe highly compliant nature of the neonatal chest wall is known to clinicians. However, its morphological changes have never been characterized and are especially important for a customised monitoring of respiratory diseases. Here, we show that a device applied on newborns can trace their chest boundary without the use of radiation. Such technology, which is easy to sanitise between patients, works like a smart measurement tape drawing also a digital cross section of the chest. We also show that in neonates the supine position generates a significantly different cross section compared to the lateral ones. Lastly, an unprecedented comparison between a premature neonate and a child is reported.
The comparison of pancreatic and hepatic steatosis in healthy liver donor candidates
Authors: Koyuncu Sokmen Bedriye , Sahin Tolga , Oral Alihan , Kocak Erdem , Inan Nagihan 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and pancreatic steatosis (PS) in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD. 228 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD patients who admitted to the Faculty of Medicine of Demiroglu Bilim University between 2004 and 2019 were included in the study. Demographic, laboratory, histological and radiological findings of the patients were recorded retrospectively. Hepatosteatosis (HS) levels were measured by both CT and biopsy, while PS levels were measured by 3 different CT-based techniques. 89 (39%) of the patients were female and 139 (61%) were male. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.2 ± 4.0. Biochemical parameters were within normal limits. Liver biopsy showed a significant correlation with HS grade on CT scan (p < 0.001). When CT findings were compared, a significant correlation was found between PS and HS (p < 0.05), but there was no correlation between the HS level in biopsy and the pancreatic adiposity on CT (p > 0.05). Our study was the first to compare biopsy-proven NAFLD and PS, and no correlation was found between biopsy-proven NAFLD and PS.
Characterization of ultrasound-mediated delivery of trastuzumab to normal and pathologic spinal cord tissue
Authors: Smith Paige , Ogrodnik Natalia , Satkunarajah Janani , O’Reilly Meaghan A. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractExtensive studies on focused ultrasound (FUS)-mediated drug delivery through the blood–brain barrier have been published, yet little work has been published on FUS-mediated drug delivery through the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB). This work aims to quantify the delivery of the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab to rat spinal cord tissue and characterize its distribution within a model of leptomeningeal metastases. 10 healthy Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with FUS + trastuzumab and sacrificed at 2-h or 24-h post-FUS. A human IgG ELISA (Abcam) was used to measure trastuzumab concentration and a 12 ± fivefold increase was seen in treated tissue over control tissue at 2 h versus no increase at 24 h. Three athymic nude rats were inoculated with MDA-MB-231-H2N HER2 + breast cancer cells between the meninges in the thoracic region of the spinal cord and treated with FUS + trastuzumab. Immunohistochemistry was performed to visualize trastuzumab delivery, and semi-quantitative analysis revealed similar or more intense staining in tumor tissue compared to healthy tissue suggesting a comparable or greater concentration of trastuzumab was achieved. FUS can increase the permeability of the BSCB, improving drug delivery to specifically targeted regions of healthy and pathologic tissue in the spinal cord. The achieved concentrations within the healthy tissue are comparable to those reported in the brain.
Mutations introduced in susceptibility genes through CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing confer increased late blight resistance in potatoes
Authors: Kieu Nam Phuong , Lenman Marit , Wang Eu Sheng , Petersen Bent Larsen , Andreasson Erik 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe use of pathogen-resistant cultivars is expected to increase yield and decrease fungicide use in agriculture. However, in potato breeding, increased resistance obtained via resistance genes (R-genes) is hampered because R-gene(s) are often specific for a pathogen race and can be quickly overcome by the evolution of the pathogen. In parallel, susceptibility genes (S-genes) are important for pathogenesis, and loss of S-gene function confers increased resistance in several plants, such as rice, wheat, citrus and tomatoes. In this article, we present the mutation and screening of seven putative S-genes in potatoes, including two DMR6 potato homologues. Using a CRISPR/Cas9 system, which conferred co-expression of two guide RNAs, tetra-allelic deletion mutants were generated and resistance against late blight was assayed in the plants. Functional knockouts of StDND1, StCHL1, and DMG400000582 (StDMR6-1) generated potatoes with increased resistance against late blight. Plants mutated in StDND1 showed pleiotropic effects, whereas StDMR6-1 and StCHL1 mutated plants did not exhibit any growth phenotype, making them good candidates for further agricultural studies. Additionally, we showed that DMG401026923 (here denoted StDMR6-2) knockout mutants did not demonstrate any increased late blight resistance, but exhibited a growth phenotype, indicating that StDMR6-1 and StDMR6-2 have different functions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the mutation and screening of putative S-genes in potatoes, including two DMR6 potato homologues.
The effect of ivermectin alone and in combination with cobicistat or elacridar in experimental Schistosoma mansoni infection in mice
Authors: Vicente Belén , López-Abán Julio , Chaccour Juliane , Hernández-Goenaga Juan , Nicolas Patricia , Fernández-Soto Pedro , Muro Antonio , Chaccour Carlos 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSchistosoma mansoni is less susceptible to the antiparasitic drug ivermectin than other helminths. By inhibiting the P-glycoprotein or cytochrome P450 3A in mice host or parasites in a murine model, we aimed at increasing the sensitivity of S. mansoni to the drug and thus preventing infection. We assigned 124 BALB/c mice to no treatment, treatment with ivermectin only or a combination of ivermectin with either cobicistat or elacridar once daily for three days before infecting them with 150 S. mansoni cercariae each. The assignment was done by batches without an explicit randomization code. Toxicity was monitored. At eight weeks post-infection, mice were euthanized. We determined number of eggs in intestine and liver, adult worms in portal and mesenteric veins. Disease was assessed by counting granulomas/cm2 of liver and studying organ weight indices and total weight. IgG levels in serum were also considered. No difference between groups treated with ivermectin only or in combination with cobicistat or elacridar compared with untreated, infected controls. Most mice treated with ivermectin and elacridar suffered severe neurological toxicity. In conclusion, systemic treatment with ivermectin, even in the presence of pharmacological inhibition of P-glycoprotein or cytochrome P450 3A, did not result in effective prophylaxis for S. mansoni infection in an experimental murine model.
Enhancing the multi-functional properties of renewable lignin carbon fibers via defining the structure–property relationship using different biomass feedstocks
Authors: Li Qiang , Hu Cheng , Li Mengjie , Truong Phuc , Li Jinghao , Lin Hao-Sheng , Naik Mandar T. , Xiang Sisi , Jackson Brian E. , Kuo Winson , Wu Wenhao , Pu Yunqiao , Ragauskas Arthur J. , Yuan Joshua S. 
Published: February 2021

Lignin from different biomass feedstock has been explored to make quality carbon fiber. The mechanistic study revealed the β-O-4 linkages of lignin linearly correlated to both mechanical and electroconductive performance of carbon fibers.
Knowing and combating the enemy: a brief review on SARS-CoV-2 and computational approaches applied to the discovery of drug candidates
Authors: Serafim Mateus S.M. , Gertrudes Jadson C. , Costa Débora M.A. , Oliveira Patricia R. , Maltarollo Vinicius G. , Honorio Kathia M. 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Since the emergence of the new severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at the end of December 2019 in China, and with the urge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there have been huge efforts of many research teams and governmental institutions worldwide to mitigate the current scenario. Reaching more than 1,377,000 deaths in the world and still with a growing number of infections, SARS-CoV-2 remains a critical issue for global health and economic systems, with an urgency for available therapeutic options. In this scenario, as drug repurposing and discovery remains a challenge, computer-aided drug design (CADD) approaches, including machine learning (ML) techniques, can be useful tools to the design and discovery of novel potential antiviral inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2. In this work, we describe and review the current knowledge on this virus and the pandemic, the latest strategies and computational approaches applied to search for treatment options, as well as the challenges to overcome COVID-19.
Blue light insertion at night is involved in sleep and arousal-promoting response delays and depressive-like emotion in mice
Authors: Wu Fan , Wu Shuo , Gui Qiuqi , Tang Kaixin , Xu Qiqi , Tao Yue , Chen Meixuan , Cheng Juan , Wang Liecheng , Zhang Lesha 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Light plays a direct crucial role in the switch between sleep and arousal and the regulation of physiology and behaviour, such as circadian rhythms and emotional change. Artificial lights, which are different from natural light sources with a continuous light spectrum, are composed of three single-colour lights and are increasingly applied in modern society. However, in vivo research on the mechanisms of blue light-regulated sleep and arousal is still insufficient. In this work, we detected the effects of inserting white or blue light for 1 h during the dark period on the wheel-running activity and sucrose preference of C57 mice. The results showed that blue light could induce delays in sleep and arousal-promoting responses. Furthermore, this lighting pattern, including blue light alone, induced depressive-like emotions. The c-fos expression in the blue light group was significantly higher in the arcuate hypothalamic nucleus (Arc) and significantly lower in the cingulate cortex (Cg) and anterior part of the paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVA) than in the white light group. Compared with the white light group, the phospho-ERK expression in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) and PVA was lower in the blue light group. These molecular changes indicated that certain brain regions are involved in blue light-induced response processes. This study may provide useful information to explore the specific mechanism of special light-regulated physiological function.
Aidi injection, a traditional Chinese biomedical preparation for gynecologic tumors: a systematic review and PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis
Authors: Li Xue , Xiao Chengming , Qu Kai 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Aidi injection (ADI), a traditional Chinese biomedical preparation, is a promising adjuvant therapy for gynecologic tumors (GTs), including cervical cancer (CC), endometrial cancer (EC), and ovarian cancer (OC). Although studies have reported positively on ADI therapy, its exact effects and safety in GT patients remain controversial. Therefore, a wide-ranging systematic search of electronic databases was performed for this meta-analysis. Data from 38 trials including 3309 GT patients were analyzed. The results indicated that the combination of conventional treatment and ADI markedly improved the patients’ overall response rate (P&lt;0.00001), disease control rate (P&lt;0.00001), and quality of life (P&lt;0.05) compared with conventional treatment alone. Furthermore, patient immunity was enhanced with combined treatment, as indicated by significantly increased percentages of CD3+ (P=0.005) and CD4+ (P&lt;0.00001) and increased CD4+/CD8+ ratio (P=0.001). Most of the adverse events caused by radiochemotherapy such as gastrointestinal issues, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and hepatotoxicity, (P&lt;0.05 for all) were significantly alleviated when ADI was used in the GT patients. However, other adverse events such as nephrotoxicity, diarrhea, alopecia, and neurotoxicity did not significantly differ between the two groups. Overall, these results suggest that the combination of conventional and ADI treatment is more effective than conventional treatment alone.
Joint energy and reserve market design with explicit consideration on frequency quality
Authors: Ma Jin , Summers Kate , Wen Fushuan 
Published: February 2021

AbstractEnergy and reserve markets are two important market components in the deregulated power industry. Energy markets provide a platform for generating companies, retailers, and big energy consumers to centrally trade electricity. However, owing to the varying renewable power generation, load variation and unexpected contingencies, energy supply and consumption always embody high uncertainties. Furthermore, due to the lack of low‐cost, large‐capacity energy storage devices, an instant balance between the generation and load is required under these uncertainties. Therefore, the reserve market is set up to address the balance‐disruptive uncertainties intrinsic to the power grid. Although this combined market design reduces the risk of the possible imbalance in energy supply and consumption, it does not guarantee that the frequency of the grid is satisfactory, even in the normal operation. This study analyzes the insufficiency of the energy and reserve market design in addressing frequency quality problems by exploring the root causes for the deteriorating frequency quality in the Australian National Electricity Market. A novel framework that incorporates the frequency quality, control capacity, and control cost to achieve the desired frequency quality is then presented. Case studies through a simple power system and the IEEE 30‐bus system demonstrate the efficacy of the presented methods.
Capacity configuration optimization of standalone multi‐energy hub considering electricity, heat and hydrogen uncertainty
Authors: Hou Hui , Liu Peng , Xiao Zhenfeng , Deng Xiangtian , Huang Liang , Zhang Ruiming , Xie Changjun 
Published: February 2021

AbstractStandalone multi‐energy hub is the next frontier of electric grid modernization. It is vital to optimize the standalone multi‐energy hub capacity configuration to enhance the hub reliability, economic efficiency, and sustainability. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel multi‐objective capacity configuration model for standalone multi‐energy hub considering electricity, heat and hydrogen energy uncertainty. First, the standalone multi‐energy hub model with electricity, heat, and hydrogen energy is established. It takes into account photovoltaic generators, wind generation, combined heat and power units, power to gas, gas boiler and hydrogen storage tank to meet the electrical, thermal and hydrogen energy demands. At the same time, in order to solve the influence of uncertainty on hub capacity configuration, the typical source‐load scenarios are established considering the uncertainty of wind speed, solar radiation and energy demands. On this basis, the objective functions and constraints of the capacity configuration model are presented. The improved hybrid multi‐objective particle swarm optimization algorithm and fuzzy membership function are used to solve the model. Finally, case studies verified the effectiveness and rationality of the proposed model.
Reversible data hiding in encrypted images for coding channel based on adaptive steganography
Authors: Yu Kunliang , Chen Liquan , Wang Yu , Han Jinguang , Zhang Lejun 
Published: February 2021

In this study, a novel reversible data hiding (RDH) in encrypted domain scheme for coding channel based on sliding‐block segmentation and adaptive steganography is proposed. The proposed scheme enriches the residual information with as little additional encryption information as possible to improve the testing error rate of a steganalyser by sliding‐block segmentation with bit stream encryption. The specific encryption process effectively weakens the correlation between the adjacent pixels and minimises the size of key stream bits. The encryption key can be further embedded in the channel code stream before transmitted in the channel. Experimental analysis shows that the image encrypted by the proposed RDH scheme can achieve a peak‐signal‐to‐noise ratio of >50 dB, as the payload is 0.5 bits per pixel (bpp). In terms of security performance, compared with the state‐of‐the‐art methods, their method has a higher testing error rate when the steganalyser is utilised. Even if the payload is 0.5 bpp, the testing error rate is >0.25.