bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Thermoplastic Blends Based on Poly(Butylene Succinate-co-Adipate) and Different Collagen Hydrolysates from Tanning Industry—II: Aerobic Biodegradation in Composting Medium
Authors: Altieri Roberto , Seggiani Maurizia , Esposito Alessandro , Cinelli Patrizia , Stanzione Vitale 
Published: March 2021

AbstractTwo different raw hydrolyzed collagens (HCs), by-products of the Tannery industry, were investigated in blends with a bioplastic, as poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA), for the production of thermoplastic items for possible applications in agriculture. Chemical characterization of selected PBSA/HC blends and phytotoxicity assays on garden cress seeds (Lepidium sativum L.), used as spy species, were carried out; in addition, biodegradation and disintegration of specimens were assessed under controlled composting conditions at different temperature (58 and 25 °C). Although one of the HC investigated released sodium chloride in the aqueous extract, all PBSA/HC blends, up to 20 wt.% HC, resulted no-phytotoxic and showed considerable amounts of macro- and micro- nutrients for plants (mainly nitrogen). Regardless the amount added, HCs enhanced the biodegradation rate of PBSA/HC blends in compost at 58 °C compared to pure PBSA; lowering the temperature at 25 °C, as expected, biodegradation rate slightly lowered using the same compost. Most disintegration tests, performed on dog bone samples, corroborated the results of the biodegradation tests, thus suggesting that plastic mixtures could reasonably end their life cycle in a composting facility without decreasing the quality and the safety of the resulting compost. The outcomes achieved encourage the use of raw collagen hydrolysates from tanning industry in the production of PBSA-based thermoplastic blends to produce compostable items (mulching films and/or plant pots) for more sustainable uses in agriculture and/or plant nurseries. In addition, the use of these low-cost by-products can lower the cost of final product and give it fertilizing properties for plants given the presence of organic nitrogen in the hydrolysates.
A tumor-promoting role for soluble TβRIII in glioblastoma
Authors: Burghardt Isabel , Schroeder Judith Johanna , Weiss Tobias , Gramatzki Dorothee , Weller Michael 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Purpose
Members of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily play a key role in the regulation of the malignant phenotype of glioblastoma by promoting invasiveness, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, and maintaining stem cell-like properties. Betaglycan, a TGF-β coreceptor also known as TGF-β receptor III (TβRIII), interacts with members of the TGF-β superfamily and acts as membrane-associated or shed molecule. Shed, soluble TβRIII (sTβRIII) is produced upon ectodomain cleavage of the membrane-bound form. Elucidating the role of TβRIII may improve our understanding of TGF-β pathway activity in glioblastoma

Methods
Protein levels of TβRIII were determined by immunohistochemical analyses and ex vivo single-cell gene expression profiling of glioblastoma tissue respectively. In vitro, TβRIII levels were assessed investigating long-term glioma cell lines (LTCs), cultured human brain-derived microvascular endothelial cells (hCMECs), glioblastoma-derived microvascular endothelial cells, and glioma-initiating cell lines (GICs). The impact of TβRIII on TGF-β signaling was investigated, and results were validated in a xenograft mouse glioma model

Results
Immunohistochemistry and ex vivo single-cell gene expression profiling of glioblastoma tissue showed that TβRIII was expressed in the tumor tissue, predominantly in the vascular compartment. We confirmed this pattern of TβRIII expression in vitro. Specifically, we detected sTβRIII in glioblastoma-derived microvascular endothelial cells. STβRIII facilitated TGF-β-induced Smad2 phosphorylation in vitro and overexpression of sTβRIII in a xenograft mouse glioma model led to increased levels of Smad2 phosphorylation, increased tumor volume, and decreased survival

Conclusions
These data shed light on the potential tumor-promoting role of extracellular shed TβRIII which may be released by glioblastoma endothelium with high sTβRIII levels.
BODIPY dimers: structure, interaction, and absorption spectrum
Authors: Rybczynski Patryk , Kaczmarek-Kȩdziera Anna 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe object of the present study are BODIPY molecules obtained previously by Piskorz et al. (Dyes Pigm. 178:108322, 2020) for their antimicrobial activity. Structural analysis of the BODIPY dimers is presented in context of the aggregation influence on the photophysical properties. The thorough investigation of the nature of intermolecular interaction in the representative BODIPY dimers is provided together with the decomposition of the interaction energy into the components of well-defined origin according to SAPT procedure. For the model BODIPY systems the careful examination of the interaction nature for the dimer structure based on experimental crystal study as well as fully optimized is given. The tendencies observed in the model dimers are further on investigated for two pairs of BODIPY systems designed for biomedical application. The analyzed molecules are shown to maximize the mutual interaction by the optimization of the stacking dispersion contacts between the aromatic rings of the molecules, therefore producing stable dimers. The estimation of SAPT0 interaction energy components confirms the dominating dispersion character arising from mutual BODIPY core contacts. The influence of the dimerization process on the photophysical properties of the systems studied theoretically depends to the high extend on the dimerization mode and is significant for parallel and antiparallel dispersion-governed dimers.
Untying the knot: imagination, perception and their neural substrates
Authors: Cavedon-Taylor Dan 
Published: March 2021

AbstractHow tight is the conceptual connection between imagination and perception? A number of philosophers, from the early moderns to present-day predictive processing theorists, tie the knot as tightly as they can, claiming that states of the imagination, i.e. mental imagery, are a proper subset of perceptual experience. This paper labels such a view ‘perceptualism’ about the imagination and supplies new arguments against it. The arguments are based on high-level perceptual content and, distinctly, cognitive penetration. The paper also defuses a recent, influential argument for perceptualism based on the ‘discovery’ that visual perception and mental imagery share a significant neural substrate: circuitry in V1, the brain’s primary visual cortex. Current neuropsychology is shown to be equivocal at best on this matter. While experiments conducted on healthy, neurotypical subjects indicate substantial neural overlap, there is extensive clinical evidence of dissociations between imagery and perception in the brain, most notably in the case of aphantasia.
Modeling the effects of capillary pressure with the presence of full tensor permeability and discrete fracture models using the mimetic finite difference method
Authors: Abd Abdul Salam , Zhang Na , Abushaikha Ahmad S. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractCapillary dominated flow or imbibition—whether spontaneous or forced—is an important physical phenomena in understanding the behavior of naturally fractured water-driven reservoirs (NFR’s). When the water flows through the fractures, it imbibes into the matrix and pushes the oil out of the pores due to the difference in the capillary pressure. In this paper, we focus on modeling and quantifying the oil recovered from NFR’s through the imbibition processes using a novel fully implicit mimetic finite difference (MFD) approach coupled with discrete fracture/discrete matrix (DFDM) technique. The investigation is carried out in the light of different wetting states of the porous media (i.e., varying capillary pressure curves) and a full tensor representation of the permeability. The produced results proved the MFD to be robust in preserving the physics of the problem, and accurately mapping the flow path in the investigated domains. The wetting state of the rock affects greatly the oil recovery factors along with the orientation of the fractures and the principal direction of the permeability tensor. We can conclude that our novel MFD method can handle the fluid flow problems in discrete-fractured reservoirs. Future works will be focused on the extension of MFD method to more complex multi-physics simulations.
MIMO-employed coherent photonic-radar (MIMO-Co-PHRAD) for detection and ranging
Authors: Sharma Vishal , Kbashi Hani J. , Sergeyev Sergey 
Published: March 2021

AbstractRecently, the photonics-radar technology comes out as an attractive candidate in the arena of smart autonomous transportation, surveillance, and navigation-related applications owing to provide wide-spectra to attain improved and precise radar-resolutions. On the other hand, microwave radars, due to limited bandwidth, are incapable of coping with the demands of next-generation radar technology. Moreover, the atmospheric fluctuations become more prominent at higher frequencies and affect the radar’s performance significantly. Subsequently, the authors develop a 2 × 2 multi-input multi-output (MIMO) employed linear frequency-modulated continuous-wave coherent photonic-radar system (MIMO-Co-PHRAD) using OptiSystem™ and MATLAB™ to attain a prolonged detection-range with an enhanced visibility. The developed MIMO-Co-PHRAD is investigated with heterodyne- and homodyne-detection approaches under weak-to-strong regimes of the atmospheric fluctuations like Rain and Fog. A comparison is also drawn for both the demonstrated MIMO-equipped laser-driven coherent photonic-radar systems. The performance of both the developed MIMO-Co-PHRAD systems is evaluated by measuring the intensity of reflected-echoes, signal-to-noise ratio, and range-Doppler patterns. A contrast with the single-input single-output coherent photonic-radar (SISO-Co-PHRAD) is also established to validate the robustness of the demonstrated MIMO-Co-PHRAD.
Admission criteria for a cardiovascular short stay unit: a retrospective analysis on a pilot unit
Authors: Capone Federico , Molinari Leonardo , Noale Marianna , Previato Lorenzo , Giannini Sandro , Vettore Gianna , Fabris Fabrizio , Saller Alois 
Published: March 2021

AbstractRapid intensive observation (RIO) units have been created to guarantee high standards of care in a sustainable health-care system. Within short stay units (SSUs), which are a subgroup of RIOs, only rapidly manageable patients should be admitted. Physicians are unable to predict the length of stay (LOS) as objective criteria to make such a prediction are missing. A retrospective observational study was carried out to identify the objective criteria for admission within a cardiovascular care-oriented SSU. Over a period of 317 days, 340 patients (age 69.4 ± 14.7 years) were admitted to a pilot SSU within our internal medicine department. The most frequent diagnoses were chest pain (45.9%), syncope (12.9%), and supraventricular arrhythmias (11.2%). The median LOS was 4 days (quartile 1:3; quartile 3:7). Predictors of LOS ≤ 96 h were age < 80, hemoglobin > 115 g/L, estimated glomerular filtration rate > 45 mL/min/1.73 m2, Charlson Comorbidity Index < 3, Barthel Index > 40, diagnosis of chest pain, syncope, supraventricular arrhythmias, or acute heart failure. The HEART (history, ECG, age, risk factors, troponin) score was found to be excellent in risk stratification of patients admitted for chest pain. Blood tests and anamnestic variables can be used to predict the LOS and thus SSU admission. The HEART score may help in the classification of patients with chest pain admitted to an SSU.
A phase-locked loop using ESO-based loop filter for grid-connected converter: performance analysis
Authors: Guo Baoling , Bacha Seddik , Alamir Mazen , Pouget Julien 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAn extended state observer (ESO)-based loop filter is designed for the phase-locked loop (PLL) involved in a disturbed grid-connected converter (GcC). This ESO-based design enhances the performances and robustness of the PLL, and, therefore, improves control performances of the disturbed GcCs. Besides, the ESO-based LF can be applied to PLLs with extra filters for abnormal grid conditions. The unbalanced grid is particularly taken into account for the performance analysis. A tuning approach based on the well-designed PI controller is discussed, which results in a fair comparison with conventional PI-type PLLs. The frequency domain properties are quantitatively analysed with respect to the control stability and the noises rejection. The frequency domain analysis and simulation results suggest that the performances of the generated ESO-based controllers are comparable to those of the PI control at low frequency, while have better ability to attenuate high-frequency measurement noises. The phase margin decreases slightly, but remains acceptable. Finally, experimental tests are conducted with a hybrid power hardware-in-the-loop benchmark, in which balanced/unbalanced cases are both explored. The obtained results prove the effectiveness of ESO-based PLLs when applied to the disturbed GcC.
Ethical Implications of eHealth Tools for Delivering STI/HIV Laboratory Results and Partner Notifications
Authors: Godongwana Motlatso , Chewparsad Juanita , Lebina Limakatso , Golub Jonathan , Martinson Neil , Jarrett Brooke A. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Purpose of Review
eHealth tools are increasingly utilized for communication with patients. Although efficacious and cost-effective, these tools face several barriers that challenge their ethical use in sexual health. We reviewed literature from the past decade to pick illustrative studies of eHealth tools that deliver results of laboratory tests for sexually transmitted infections, including the human immunodeficiency virus, as well as partner notifications. We describe ethical implications for such technologies.

Recent Findings
Our review found that despite widespread research on the use of eHealth tools in delivering laboratory results and partner notifications, these studies rarely measured or reported on the ethical implications. Such implications can be organized according to the four major principles in bioethics: beneficence, patient autonomy, non-maleficence, and justice. The beneficence of eHealth typically measures efficacy in comparison to existing standards of care. Patient autonomy includes the ability to opt in or out of eHealth tools, right-based principles of consent, and sovereignty over healthcare data. To adhere to the principle of non-maleficence, relevant harms must be identified and measured—such as unintentional disclosure of illness, sexual orientation, or sexual activity. Justice must also be considered to accommodate all users equally, irrespective of their literacy level, with easy-to-use platforms that provide clear messages.

Summary
Based on case studies from this review, we developed a list of recommendations for the ethical development and evaluation of eHealth platforms to deliver STI/HIV results to patients and notifications to partners.
1H, 13C, and 15N backbone chemical-shift assignments of SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 1 (leader protein)
Authors: Wang Ying , Kirkpatrick John , zur Lage Susanne , Korn Sophie M. , Neißner Konstantin , Schwalbe Harald , Schlundt Andreas , Carlomagno Teresa 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe current COVID-19 pandemic caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a worldwide health crisis, necessitating coordinated scientific research and urgent identification of new drug targets for treatment of COVID-19 lung disease. The covid19-nmr consortium seeks to support drug development by providing publicly accessible NMR data on the viral RNA elements and proteins. The SARS-CoV-2 genome comprises a single RNA of about 30 kb in length, in which 14 open reading frames (ORFs) have been annotated, and encodes approximately 30 proteins. The first two-thirds of the SARS-CoV-2 genome is made up of two large overlapping open-reading-frames (ORF1a and ORF1b) encoding a replicase polyprotein, which is subsequently cleaved to yield 16 so-called non-structural proteins. The non-structural protein 1 (Nsp1), which is considered to be a major virulence factor, suppresses host immune functions by associating with host ribosomal complexes at the very end of its C-terminus. Furthermore, Nsp1 facilitates initiation of viral RNA translation via an interaction of its N-terminal domain with the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of the viral RNA. Here, we report the near-complete backbone chemical-shift assignments of full-length SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1 (19.8 kDa), which reveal the domain organization, secondary structure and backbone dynamics of Nsp1, and which will be of value to further NMR-based investigations of both the biochemical and physiological functions of Nsp1.
Poincaré Inequality on Subanalytic Sets
Authors: Valette Anna , Valette Guillaume 
Published: March 2021

AbstractLet$$\Omega $$Ωbe a subanalytic connected bounded open subset of$$\mathbb {R}^n$$Rn, with possibly singular boundary. We show that given$$p\in [1,\infty )$$p∈[1,∞), there is a constantCsuch that for any$$u\in W^{1,p}(\Omega )$$u∈W1,p(Ω)we have$$||u-u_{\Omega }||_{L^p} \le C||\nabla u||_{L^p},$$||u-uΩ||Lp≤C||∇u||Lp,where we have set$$u_{\Omega }:=\frac{1}{|\Omega |}\int _{\Omega } u.$$uΩ:=1|Ω|∫Ωu.
Development of a multi-mycotoxin LC-MS/MS method for the determination of biomarkers in pig urine
Authors: Tkaczyk Agnieszka , Jedziniak Piotr 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAn LC-MS/MS method has been developed for the sensitive and selective determination of 35 mycotoxins (biomarkers of exposure) in pig urine samples. Sample preparation includes creatinine adjustment (with the developed LC-UV method) with enzymatic hydrolysis of pig urine samples followed by liquid-liquid (LLE) extraction. The LLE protocol, as well as enzymatic hydrolysis for indirect mycotoxin glucuronides determination, was optimized in this study. Additionally, two other sample preparation protocols were compared with the developed LLE method: immunoaffinity columns and solid-phase extraction cartridges (Oasis HLB). The detection and quantification of the biomarkers were performed using triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.The method was validated with regard to the guidelines specified by the EMEA (European Medicines Agency). The extraction recoveries were higher than 60% for 77% of the analytes studied, with the intra- and inter-day relative standard deviation being lower than 20% for most of the compounds at four different concentration levels. The limits of quantification ranged from 0.1 ng/mL for zearalenone and sterigmatocystin to 8 ng/mL for nivalenol. To the best knowledge of the authors, the matrix effect was evaluated for the first time in this study for six different urine samples, and the coefficient of variation was found to be lower than 15% for most analytes studied. Finally, the developed method was applied to analyse 56 pig urine samples. Deoxynivalenol (1–20 ng/mL), zearalenone (0.1–1.5 ng/mL) and ochratoxin A (1.5–15 ng/mL) were the main analytes detected in these samples. Moreover, the co-occurrence of alternariol monomethyl ether and alternariol in pig urine is reported herein for the first time.
Varying-Coefficient Stochastic Differential Equations with Applications in Ecology
Authors: Michelot Théo , Glennie Richard , Harris Catriona , Thomas Len 
Published: March 2021

AbstractStochastic differential equations (SDEs) are popular tools to analyse time series data in many areas, such as mathematical finance, physics, and biology. They provide a mechanistic description of the phenomenon of interest, and their parameters often have a clear interpretation. These advantages come at the cost of requiring a relatively simple model specification. We propose a flexible model for SDEs with time-varying dynamics where the parameters of the process are nonparametric functions of covariates, similar to generalized additive models. Combining the SDE and nonparametric approaches allows for the SDE to capture more detailed, non-stationary, features of the data-generating process. We present a computationally efficient method of approximate inference, where the SDE parameters can vary according to fixed covariate effects, random effects, or basis-penalty smoothing splines. We demonstrate the versatility and utility of this approach with three applications in ecology, where there is often a modelling trade-off between interpretability and flexibility.Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online.
Spatiotemporal patterns of red fox scavenging in forest and tundra: the influence of prey fluctuations and winter conditions
Authors: Gomo Gjermund , Mattisson Jenny , Rød-Eriksen Lars , Eide Nina E. , Odden Morten 
Published: March 2021

AbstractConcern has been raised regarding red fox (Vulpes Vulpes) population increase and range expansion into alpine tundra, directly and indirectly enhanced by human activities, including carrion supply, and its negative impact on native fauna. In this study, we used cameras on bait stations and hunting remains to investigate how spatiotemporal patterns of red fox scavenging were influenced by abundance and accessibility of live prey, i.e., small rodent population cycles, snow depth, and primary productivity. We found contrasting patterns of scavenging between habitats during winter. In alpine areas, use of baits was highest post rodent peaks and when snow depth was low. This probably reflected relatively higher red fox abundance due to increased reproduction or migration of individuals from neighboring areas, possibly also enhanced by a diet shift. Contrastingly, red fox use of baits in the forest was highest during rodent low phase, and when snow was deep, indicating a higher dependency of carrion under these conditions. Scavenging patterns by red fox on the pulsed but predictable food resource from hunting remains in the autumn revealed no patterns throughout the rodent cycle. In this study, we showed that small rodent dynamics influenced red fox scavenging, at least in winter, but with contrasting patterns depending on environmental conditions. In marginal alpine areas, a numerical response to higher availability of rodents possible lead to the increase in bait visitation the proceeding winter, while in more productive forest areas, low availability of rodents induced a functional diet shift towards scavenging.