bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors and Clinical Profile of Sapovirus-associated Acute Gastroenteritis in Early Childhood
Authors: Vielot Nadja A. , González Fredman , Reyes Yaoska , Zepeda Omar , Blette Bryan , Paniagua Margarita , Toval-Ruíz Christian , Diez-Valcarce Marta , Hudgens Michael G. , Gutiérrez Lester , Blandón Patricia , Herrera Roberto , Cuadra Edwing Centeno , Bowman Natalie , Vilchez Samuel , Vinjé Jan , Becker-Dreps Sylvia , Bucardo Filemón 
Published: January 2021

Background:
Sapovirus is increasingly recognized as an important cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children. We identified risk factors and characterized the clinical profile of sapovirus AGE in a birth cohort in León, Nicaragua.

Methods:
We conducted a case-control study nested within a birth cohort (n = 444). Fieldworkers conducted weekly household AGE surveillance. AGE stools were tested for sapovirus by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction. For each first sapovirus episode, we selected 2 healthy age-matched controls and estimated independent risk factors of sapovirus AGE using conditional logistic regression. We compared clinical characteristics of sapovirus AGE episodes with episodes associated with other etiologies and identified co-infections with other enteric pathogens.

Results:
From June 2017 to July 2019, we identified 63 first sapovirus AGE episodes and selected 126 controls. Having contact with an individual with AGE symptoms and vaginal delivery were independent risk factors for sapovirus AGE. All cases experienced diarrhea, lasting a median 6 days; 23% experienced vomiting. Compared with children with AGE due to another etiology, sapovirus AGE was similar in severity, with less reported fever. Most cases experienced co-infections and were more likely than controls to be infected with diarrheagenic Escherichia coli or astrovirus.

Conclusions:
Sapovirus was a commonly identified AGE etiology in this Central American setting, and symptoms were similar to AGE associated with other etiologies. The association between vaginal delivery and sapovirus is a novel finding. Gut microbiome composition might mediate this relationship, or vaginal delivery might be a proxy for other risk factors. Further investigation into more specific biological mechanisms is warranted.
Cardiovascular disease in children with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Kouri Anne M. , Rheault Michelle N. 
Published: January 2021

Purpose of review
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The cause of CVD in children with CKD is multifactorial and there are new and emerging data regarding prevalence and risk factors for CVD in this population.

Recent findings
A number of recent publications from longitudinal cohort studies of children with CKD have greatly increased our knowledge about the prevalence and risk factors for CVD including hypertension, obesity and dyslipidaemia. Masked hypertension and isolated nocturnal hypertension both correlate with surrogate markers of CVD in children. Obesity and adiposity are associated with an increased risk of CVD. Markers other than BMI such as waist to height ratio and fat-free tissue to fat tissue ratio better correlate with the presence of CVD in children. Dyslipidaemia is extremely prevalent in the paediatric CKD population, but there is a lack of consensus on treatment. More data on the relationship between bone mineral disease and CVD continue to emerge including an association between hyperparathyroidism and isolated nocturnal hypertension.

Summary
Children with CKD have multiple potentially modifiable risk factors for CVD. Research focused on CVD outcomes in children is needed.
Disparities in chronic kidney disease-the state of the evidence
Authors: Clark-Cutaia Maya N. , Rivera Eleanor , Iroegbu Christin , Squires Allison 
Published: January 2021

Purpose of review
The purpose of this review was to assess the prevalence of United States chronic kidney disease (CKD) health disparities, focusing on racial/ethnic groups, immigrants and refugees, sex or gender, and older adults.

Recent findings
There are major racial/ethnic disparities in CKD, with possible contributions from the social determinants of health, socioeconomics, and racial discrimination. Racial/ethnic minority patients experience faster progression to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and higher mortality predialysis, however, once on dialysis, appear to live longer. Similarly, men are quicker to progress to ESKD than women, with potential biological, behavioral, and measurement error factors. There is a lack of substantial evidence for intersex, nonbinary, or transgender patients. There are also strikingly few studies about US immigrants or older adults with CKD despite the fact that they are at high risk for CKD due to a variety of factors.

Summary
As providers and scientists, we must combat both conscious and unconscious biases, advocate for minority patient populations, and be inclusive and diverse in our treatment regimens and provision of care. We need to acknowledge that sufficient evidence exists to change treatment guidelines, and that more is required to support the diversity of our patient population.
Novel developments in chronic myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Harrington Patrick , de Lavallade Hugues 
Published: January 2021

Purpose of review
Despite unprecedented challenges during the preceding year, there have been a wide range of significant advances in the field of chronic myeloid leukaemia. In this review article we highlight papers reporting on some of the most important developments over the last year, both with regards to the clinical management of patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia, as well as studies that help to increase our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. We have performed a PubMed search to identify important papers and abstracts listed over the last year and have included additional papers published prior to this, where relevant, to provide context.

Recent findings
We comment on novel biomarkers for treatment free remission as well as recent results from second generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI) discontinuation studies. We discuss new techniques that are being used to assess TKI resistance as well as reviewing novel and emerging approaches to the management of resistant patients, including the use of combination therapies.

Summary
This review highlights some of the most important research to have been reported over the last year in the field of chronic myeloid leukaemia, encompassing emerging diagnostic techniques, biomarkers and novel therapeutic options.
Direct visualization of the syndesmosis for evaluation of syndesmotic disruption
Authors: Gosselin-Papadopoulos Nayla , Hébert-Davies Jonah , Laflamme G. Yves , Ménard Jérémie , Leduc Stéphane , Rouleau Dominique M. , Nault Marie-Lyne 
Published: January 2021

Abstract

Objectives:
Radiologic criteria for syndesmosis instability evaluation remain controversial and direct visualization (DV) of the distal tibiofibular articulation is an alternative diagnostic method worthy of further investigation. We speculate that DV is a more accurate way to evaluate syndesmosis instability than fluoroscopy. The purpose of this study is to determine whether syndesmosis instability can accurately be recognized through DV and if this new intraoperative diagnostic method is more sensitive than fluoroscopy in detecting syndesmosis instability.

Methods:
Ten cadaveric ankles were tested using a sequential iatrogenic syndesmosis injury model. Specimens were tested incrementally with the lateral stress test (LST) and the external rotation stress test (ERT). The resulting instability was measured directly and fluoroscopically with a true mortise view by using medial clear space (MCS) and tibiofibular clear space (TFCS).

Results:
DV detected a 2-ligaments injury at a mean diastasis of 3.02 mm (P = 0.0077) and 3.19 mm (P = 0.0077) with the LST and ERT, respectively. Fluoroscopically, TFCS showed a significant diastasis only with a complete syndesmosis rupture while MCS did not show any significant differences.

Conclusions:
DV of the syndesmosis in a cadaver injury model appears to be more sensitive than fluoroscopy in identifying injury, especially incomplete syndesmotic disruption.
Accurate bulk quantitation of droplet digital PCR
Authors: Sun Chen , Liu Leqian , Vasudevan Harish N. , Chang Kai-Chun , Abate Adam R. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractDroplet digital PCR provides superior accuracy in nucleic acid quantitation. The requirement of microfluidics to generate and analyze the emulsions, however, is a barrier to its adoption, particularly in low resource or clinical settings. Here, we report a novel method to prepare ddPCR droplets by vortexing and readout the results by bulk analysis of recovered amplicons. We demonstrate the approach by accurately quantitating SARS-CoV-2 sequences using entirely bulk processing and no microfluidics. Our approach for quantitating reactions should extend to all digital assays that generate amplicons, including digital PCR and LAMP conducted in droplets, microchambers, or nanoliter wells. More broadly, our approach combines important attributes of ddPCR, including enhanced accuracy and robustness to inhibition, with the high-volume sample processing ability of quantitative PCR.
Controlling one’s world: identification of sub-regions of primate PFC underlying goal-directed behavior
Authors: Duan Lisa Y. , Horst Nicole K. , Cranmore Stacey A.W. , Horiguchi Naotaka , Cardinal Rudolf N. , Roberts Angela C. , Robbins Trevor W. 
Published: January 2021

SummaryImpaired detection of causal relationships between actions and their outcomes can lead to maladaptive behavior. However, causal roles of specific prefrontal cortex (PFC) sub-regions and the caudate nucleus in mediating such relationships in primates are unclear. We inactivated and over-activated five PFC sub-regions, reversibly and pharmacologically: areas 24 (perigenual anterior cingulate cortex), 32 (medial PFC), 11 (anterior orbitofrontal cortex, OFC), 14 (rostral ventromedial PFC/medial OFC) and 14-25 (caudal ventromedial PFC), and the anteromedial caudate, to examine their role in expressing learned action-outcome contingencies using a contingency degradation paradigm in marmosets. Area 24 or caudate inactivation impaired the response to contingency change, while area 11 inactivation enhanced it, and inactivation of areas 14, 32 or 14-25 had no effect. Over-activation of areas 11 and 24 impaired this response. These findings demonstrate distinct roles of PFC sub-regions in goal-directed behavior and illuminate the candidate neurobehavioral substrates of psychiatric disorders including obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The impact of C-Tactile Low threshold mechanoreceptors on affective touch and social interactions in mice
Authors: Bourinet Emmanuel , Martin Miquel , Huzard Damien , Jeanneteau Freddy , Mery Pierre-Francois , François Amaury 
Published: January 2021

AbstractAffective touch is necessary for proper neurodevelopment and sociability. However, it is still unclear how the neurons innervating the skin detect affective and social behaviours. To clarify this matter, we targeted a specific population of somatosensory neurons in mice, named C-low threshold mechanoreceptors (C-LTMRs), that appears particularly well suited physiologically and anatomically to perceive affective and social touch but whose contribution to these processes has not yet been resolved. Our observations revealed that C-LTMRs functional deficiency from birth induced social isolation and reduced tactile interactions in adults. Conversely, transient increase in C-LTMRs excitability in adults using chemogenetics was rewarding, temporally promoted touch seeking behaviours and thus had pro-social effects on group dynamics. This work provides the first empirical evidence that specific peripheral inputs alone can drive complex social behaviour, demonstrating the existence of a specialised neuronal circuit originating from the skin wired to promote interaction with other individuals.
Comprehensive mapping of local and diaspora scientists: a database and analysis of 63951 Greek scientists
Authors: Ioannidis John P.A. , Koutsioumpa Chara , Vakka Angeliki , Agoranos Georgios , Mantsiou Chrysanthi , Drekolia Maria Kyriaki , Avramidis Nikos , Contopoulos-Ioannidis Despina G. , Drosatos Konstantinos , Baas Jeroen 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACTResearch policy and planning for a given country may benefit from reliable data on both its scientific workforce as well as the diaspora of scientists for countries with substantial brain drain. Here we use a systematic approach using Scopus to generate a comprehensive country-level database of all scientists in Greece. Moreover, we expand that database to include also Greek diaspora scientists. The database that we have compiled includes 63951 scientists who have published at least 5 papers indexed in Scopus. Of those, 35116 have an affiliation in Greece. We validate the sensitivity and specificity of the database against different control sets of scientists. We also analyze the scientific disciplines of these scientists according to the Science Metrix classification (174 subfield disciplines) and provide detailed data on each of the 63951 scientists using multiple citation indicators and a composite thereof. These analyses demonstrate differential concentrations in specific subfields for the local versus the diaspora cohorts, as well as an advantage of the diaspora cohort in terms of citation indicators especially among top-impact researchers. The approach that we have taken can be applied to map also the scientific workforce of other countries and nations for evaluation, planning and policy purposes.
MoTSE: an interpretable task similarity estimator for small molecular property prediction tasks
Authors: Li Han , Zhao Xinyi , Li Shuya , Wan Fangping , Zhao Dan , Zeng Jianyang 
Published: January 2021

AbstractUnderstanding the molecular properties (e.g., physical, chemical or physiological characteristics and biological activities) of small molecules plays essential roles in biomedical researches. The accumulating amount of datasets has enabled the development of data-driven computational methods, especially the machine learning based methods, to address the molecular property prediction tasks. Due to the high cost of obtaining experimental labels, the datasets of individual tasks generally contain limited amount of data, which inspired the application of transfer learning to boost the performance of the molecular property prediction tasks. Our analyses revealed that simultaneously considering similar tasks, rather than randomly chosen ones, can significantly improve the performance of transfer learning in this field. To provide accurate estimation of task similarity, we proposed an effective and interpretable computational tool, named Molecular Tasks Similarity Estimator (MoTSE). By extracting task-related local and global knowledge from pretrained graph neural networks (GNNs), MoTSE projects individual tasks into a latent space and measures the distance between the embedded vectors to derive the task similarity estimation and thus enhance the molecular prediction results. We have validated that the task similarity estimated by MoTSE can serve as a useful guidance to design a more accurate transfer learning strategy for molecular property prediction. Experimental results showed that such a strategy greatly outperformed baseline methods including training from scratch and multitask learning. Moreover, MoTSE can provide interpretability for the estimated task similarity, through visualizing the important loci in the molecules attributed by the attribution method employed in MoTSE. In summary, MoTSE can provide an accurate method for estimating the molecular property task similarity for effective transfer learning, with good interpretability for the learned chemical or biological insights underlying the intrinsic principles of the task similarity.
Robust T1 MRI cortical surface pipeline for neonatal brain and systematic evaluation using multi-site MRI datasets
Authors: Liu Mengting , Lepage Claude , Kim Sharon Y. , Jeon Seun , Kim Sun Hyung , Simon Julia Pia , Tanaka Nina , Yuan Shiyu , Islam Tasfiya , Peng Bailin , Arutyunyan Knarik , Surento Wesley , Kim Justin , Jahanshad Neda , Styner Martin A. , Toga Arthur W. , Barkovich A. James , Xu Duan , Evans Alan C. , Kim Hosung 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACTThe human brain grows the most dramatically during the perinatal and early postnatal periods, during which preterm birth or perinatal injury that may alter brain structure and lead to developmental anomalies. Thus, characterizing cortical thickness of developing brains remains an important goal. However, this task is often complicated by inaccurate cortical surface extraction due to small-size brains. Here, we propose a novel complex framework for the reconstruction of neonatal WM and pial surfaces, accounting for large partial volumes due to small-size brains. The proposed approach relies only on T1-weighted images unlike previous T2-weighted image-based approaches while only T1-weighted images are sometimes available under the different clinical/research setting. Deep neural networks are first introduced to the neonatal MRI pipeline to address the mis-segmentation of brain tissues. Furthermore, this pipeline enhances cortical boundary delineation using combined models of the CSF/GM boundary detection with edge gradient information and a new skeletonization of sulcal folding where no CSF voxels are seen due to the limited resolution. We also proposed a systematic evaluation using three independent datasets comprising 736 preterm and 97 term neonates. Qualitative assessment for reconstructed cortical surfaces shows that 86.9% are rated as accurate across the three site datasets. In addition, our landmark-based evaluation shows that the mean displacement of the cortical surfaces from the true boundaries was less than a voxel size (0.532±0.035mm). Evaluating the proposed pipeline (namely NEOCIVET 2.0) shows the robustness and reproducibility across different sites and different age-groups. The mean cortical thickness measured positively correlated with postmenstrual age (PMA) at scan (p<0.0001); Cingulate cortical areas grew the most rapidly whereas the inferior temporal cortex grew the least rapidly. The range of the cortical thickness measured was biologically congruent (1.3mm at 28 weeks of PMA to 1.8mm at term equivalent). Cortical thickness measured on T1 MRI using NEOCIVET 2.0 was compared with that on T2 using the established dHCP pipeline. It was difficult to conclude that either T1 or T2 imaging is more ideal to construct cortical surfaces. NEOCIVET 2.0 has been open to the public through CBRAIN (https://mcin-cnim.ca/technology/cbrain/), a web-based platform for processing brain imaging data.
Manduca sextaexperience high parasitoid pressures in the field but minor fitness costs of consuming plant secondary compounds
Authors: Jacobsen Deidra J. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractPlant-herbivore co-evolutionary interactions have led to a range of plant defenses that minimize insect damage and a suite of counter-adaptations that allow herbivores to feed on defended plants. Consuming plant secondary compounds results in herbivore growth and developmental costs but can have beneficial effects such as deterrence or harm of parasitoid enemies. Therefore, the role of secondary compounds on herbivore fitness must be considered in the context of the abundance and level of harm from natural enemies and the costs herbivores incur feeding on plant secondary compounds.In this study, I combined field measurements ofCotesia congregatawasp parasitism pressure with detailed measurements of the costs of plant secondary compounds across developmental stages in the herbivore host,Manduca sexta.I show thatC. congregataparasitoids exert large negative selective pressures, killing 31-57% ofM. sextalarvae in the field.Manduca sextadeveloped fastest during instars most at risk for parasitoid oviposition but growth was slowed by consumption of plant secondary compounds. The negative effects of consuming plant secondary compounds as larvae influenced adult size traits but there were no immune, survival, or fecundity costs.These results suggest that developmental costs experienced byM. sextaherbivores consuming defensive compounds are minor in comparison to the strong negative survival pressures from abundant parasitoid enemies.
Structural characterization of cocktail-like targeting polysaccharides fromEcklonia kuromeOkam and their anti-SARS-CoV-2 activitiesinvitro
Authors: Zhang Shihai , Pei Rongjuan , Li Meixia , Sun Hao , Su Minbo , Ding Yaqi , Chen Xia , Du Zhenyun , Jin Can , Huang Chunfan , Zang Yi , Li Jia , Xu Yechun , Chen Xinwen , Zhang Bo , Ding Kan 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiological agent responsible for the worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Investigation has confirmed that polysaccharide heparan sulfate can bind to the spike protein and block SARS-CoV-2 infection. Theoretically, similar structure of nature polysaccharides may also have the impact on the virus. Indeed, some marine polysaccharide has been reported to inhibit SARS-Cov-2 infectionin vitro, however the convinced targets and mechanism are still vague. By high throughput screening to target 3CLpro enzyme, a key enzyme that plays a pivotal role in the viral replication and transcription using nature polysaccharides library, we discover the mixture polysaccharide 375 from seaweedEcklonia kuromeOkam completely block 3Clpro enzymatic activity (IC50, 0.48 µM). Further, the homogeneous polysaccharide 37502 from the 375 may bind to 3CLpro molecule well (kD value : 4.23 × 10−6). Very interestingly, 37502 also can potently disturb spike protein binding to ACE2 receptor (EC50, 2.01 µM). Importantly, polysaccharide 375 shows good anti-SARS-CoV-2 infection activity in cell culture with EC50values of 27 nM (99.9% inhibiting rate at the concentration of 20 µg/mL), low toxicity (LD50: 136 mg/Kg on mice). By DEAE ion-exchange chromatography, 37501, 37502 and 37503 polysaccharides are purified from native 375. Bioactivity test show that 37501 and 37503 may impede SARS-Cov-2 infection and virus replication, however their individual impact on the virus is significantly less that of 375. Surprisingly, polysaccharide 37502 has no inhibition effect on SARS-Cov-2. The structure study based on monosaccharide composition, methylation, NMR spectrum analysis suggest that 375 contains guluronic acid, mannuronic acid, mannose, rhamnose, glucouronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, xylose and fucose with ratio of 1.86 : 9.56 : 6.81 : 1.69 : 1.00 : 1.75 : 1.19 : 11.06 : 4.31 : 23.06. However, polysaccharide 37502 is an aginate which composed of mannuronic acid (89.3 %) and guluronic acid (10.7 %), with the molecular weight (Mw) of 27.9 kDa. These results imply that mixture polysaccharides 375 works better than the individual polysaccharide on SARS-Cov-2 may be the cocktail-like polysaccharide synergistic function through targeting multiple key molecules implicated in the virus infection and replication. The results also suggest that 375 may be a potential drug candidate against SARS-CoV-2.