bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
rTPC and nls.multstart: A new pipeline to fit thermal performance curves in r
Authors: Padfield Daniel , O'Sullivan Hannah , Pawar Samraat 
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Quantifying thermal performance curves (TPCs) for biological rates has many applications to important problems such as predicting responses of biological systems—from individuals to communities—to directional climate change or climatic fluctuations.

Current software tools for fitting TPC models to data are not adequate for dealing with the immense size of new datasets that are increasingly becoming available. We require tools capable of tackling this issue in a simple, reproducible and accessible way.

We present a new, reproducible pipeline in r that allows for relatively simple fitting of 24 different TPC models using nonlinear least squares (NLLS) regression. The pipeline consists of two packages—rTPC and nls.multstart—that provide functions which conveniently address common problems with NLLS fitting such as the NLLS parameter starting values problem. rTPC also includes functions to set starting values, estimate key TPC parameters and calculate uncertainty around parameter estimates as well as the fitted model as a whole.

We demonstrate how this pipeline can be combined with other packages in r to robustly and reproducibly fit multiple mathematical models to multiple TPC datasets at once. In addition, we show how model selection or averaging, weighted model fitting and bootstrapping can be easily implemented within the pipeline.

This new pipeline provides a flexible and reproducible approach that makes the challenging task of fitting multiple TPC models to data accessible to a wide range of users across ecology and evolution.
A roadmap for sampling and scaling biological nitrogen fixation in terrestrial ecosystems
Authors: Soper Fiona M. , Taylor Benton N. , Winbourne Joy B. , Wong Michelle Y. , Dynarski Katherine A. , Reis Carla R. G. , Peoples Mark B. , Cleveland Cory C. , Reed Sasha C. , Menge Duncan N. L. , Perakis Steven S. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAccurately quantifying rates and patterns of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in terrestrial ecosystems is essential to characterize ecological and biogeochemical interactions, identify mechanistic controls, improve BNF representation in conceptual and numerical modelling, and forecast nitrogen limitation constraints on future carbon (C) cycling.While many resources address the technical advantages and limitations of different methods for measuring BNF, less systematic consideration has been given to the broader decisions involved in planning studies, interpreting data, and extrapolating results. Here, we present a conceptual and practical road map to study design, study execution, data analysis and scaling, outlining key considerations at each step.We address issues including defining N‐fixing niches of interest, identifying important sources of temporal and spatial heterogeneity, designing a sampling scheme (including method selection, measurement conditions, replication, and consideration of hotspots and hot moments), and approaches to analysing, scaling and reporting BNF. We also review the comparability of estimates derived using different approaches in the literature, and provide sample R code for simulating symbiotic BNF data frames and upscaling.Improving and standardizing study design at each of these stages will improve the accuracy and interpretability of data, define limits of extrapolation, and facilitate broader use of BNF data for downstream applications. We highlight aspects—such as quantifying scales of heterogeneity, statistical approaches for dealing with non‐normality, and consideration of rates versus ecological significance—that are ripe for further development.
The impact of platelet‐rich fibrin (PRF) on delayed tooth replantation: A preliminary animal study
Authors: Behnaz Mohammad , Izadi Seyed Sadra , Mashhadi Abbas Fatemeh , Dianat Omid , Sadeghabadi Sina , Akbarzadeh Tina , Haeri Ali , Kazem Majid , Younessian Farnaz 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of platelet‐rich fibrin (PRF) placed in delayed replantation of mature extracted teeth. Sixteen intentionally extracted teeth in two mature beagle dogs were selected. In one quadrant of each jaw, the extraction sockets were filled with PRF prior to replantation, and the other quadrant served as control without PRF. All extracted teeth underwent endodontic treatment and dried for 60 min. Thereafter, they were replanted with a flexible splint. After 8 weeks, the animals were euthanised, and the histological sections examined. Less inflammatory root resorption was noted in the PRF group compared to the control (P = 0.031). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to new bone formation, inflammatory status, connective tissue healing and replacement resorption (P > 0.05). Using PRF in the extracted socket before delayed replantation did not provide any significant benefit other than reduced inflammatory root resorption.
Personality traits and bricolage as drivers of sustainable social responsibility in family SMEs: A COVID‐19 perspective
Authors: Anwar Muhammad , Clauß Thomas 
Published: March 2021

AbstractMotivated by the social and environmental challenges resulting from the COVID‐19 pandemic, this research examines the influence of the “big five” personality traits; extroversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism on sustainable social responsibility with a mediating role of bricolage. We collected empirical evidence from 245 family‐owned SMEs. The results indicate that the personality traits do not directly influence sustainable social responsibility, although the traits (except extroversion) influence bricolage. Moreover, we found that open, conscious, and agreeable personalities indirectly contribute to sustainable social responsibility, with bricolage as a mediator. Our findings encourage enterprises to focus on those personality traits during crises (especially COVID‐19) that empower people to effectively manage existing resources (e.g., bricolage) and protect their stakeholders. Family‐owned SMEs need to assign resource utilization tasks to family members having personalities of openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism because these kinds of people have high capacities for bricolage.
Central nervous system diseases related to pathological microglial phagocytosis
Authors: Wang Ke , Li Jiaying , Zhang Yue , Huang Yichen , Chen Di , Shi Ziyu , Smith Amanda D. , Li Wei , Gao Yanqin 
Published: March 2021

AbstractMicroglia are important phagocytes of the central nervous system (CNS). They play an important role in protecting the CNS by clearing necrotic tissue and apoptotic cells in many CNS diseases. However, recent studies have found that microglia can phagocytose parts of neurons excessively, such as the neuronal cell body, synapse, or myelin sheaths, before or after the onset of CNS diseases, leading to aggravated injury and impaired tissue repair. Meanwhile, reduced phagocytosis of synapses and myelin results in abnormal circuit connections and inhibition of remyelination, respectively. Previous studies focused primarily on the positive effects of microglia phagocytosis, whereas only a few studies have focused on the negative effects. In this review, we use the term "pathological microglial phagocytosis" to refer to excessive or reduced phagocytosis by microglia that leads to structural or functional abnormalities in target cells and brain tissue. The classification of pathological microglial phagocytosis, the composition, and activation of related signaling pathways, as well as the process of pathological phagocytosis in various kinds of CNS diseases, are described in this review. We hypothesize that pathological microglial phagocytosis leads to aggravation of tissue damage and negative functional outcome. For example, excessive microglial phagocytosis of synapses can be observed in Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia, leading to significant synapse loss and memory impairment. In Parkinson's disease, ischemic stroke, and traumatic brain injury, excessive microglial phagocytosis of neuronal cell bodies causes impaired gray matter recovery and sensory dysfunction. We therefore believe that more studies should focus on the mechanism of pathological microglial phagocytosis and activation to uncover potential targets of therapeutic intervention.
Review prognosis system to predict employees job satisfaction using deep neural network
Authors: Rustam Furqan , Ashraf Imran , Shafique Rahman , Mehmood Arif , Ullah Saleem , Sang Choi Gyu 
Published: March 2021

AbstractWith the multitude of companies that flourish today, job seekers want to join companies with highly satisfied employees. So, job satisfaction prediction is an important task that helps companies in sustaining or redesigning employee policies. Such predictions not only help in reducing employee attrition but also affect the goodwill and reputation of a company. The higher satisfaction level of current employees attracts potential new employees and confirms the positive policies of a company toward its employees. Job satisfaction prediction can be performed using employee reviews either manually or via automated machine learning algorithms. This study first evaluates four widely used machine learning algorithms, that is, random forest, logistic regression, support vector classifier, and gradient boosting, and then proposes a deep learning model to predict employee job satisfaction level. Experiments are carried out on a dataset that contains text reviews from the employees of Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple. Three feature extraction methods are analyzed as well including term frequency‐inverse document frequency (TF‐IDF), bag‐of‐words (BOW), and global vector for word representation (GloVe). Performance is evaluated using accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, as well as, macro average precision, and weighted average. The performance of the proposed model is compared with state‐of‐the‐art deep learning models. Results demonstrate that the proposed model performs better than both the machine learning and state‐of‐the‐art approaches.
Effect of selenium on thyroid autoimmunity and regulatory T cells in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: A prospective randomized‐controlled trial
Authors: Hu Yifang , Feng Wenwen , Chen Huanhuan , Shi He , Jiang Lin , Zheng Xuqin , Liu Xiaoyun , Zhang Wensong , Ge Yaoqi , Liu Yun , Cui Dai 
Published: March 2021

AbstractSelenium (Se) is an essential trace element in human. Recent studies of Se supplementation on the effect of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) have been reported, but the exact benefit is unclear as well as the underlying immunologic mechanism. We aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of Se supplement in patients with HT, and explore the potential mechanism against thyroid autoimmunity. A prospective, randomized‑controlled study was performed in patients with HT assigned to two groups. Se‐treated group (n = 43) received selenious yeast tablet (SYT) for 6 months, whereas no treatment in control group (n = 47). The primary outcome is the change of thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) or thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb). Second, thyroid function, urinary iodine, Se, Glutathione peroxidase3 (GPx3), and Selenoprotein P1 (SePP1) levels were measured during the SYT treatment. Meanwhile, regulatory T cells (Tregs) and their subsets activated Tregs (aTregs), resting Tregs, and secreting Tregs, as well as Helios and PD‐1 expression on these cells were also detected. The results showed that SYT treatment significantly decreased TPOAb, TGAb, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, accompanied with the increased Se, GPx3, and SePP1, compared with the control group. Subgroup analysis revealed that subclinical HT may benefit more from this treatment in the decrease of TSH levels by interaction test. Moreover, the percentage of aTregs, Helios/Tregs, and Helios/aTregs were significantly higher in the Se‐treated group than control. In conclusion, Se supplementation may have a beneficial effect on thyroid autoantibodies and thyroid function by increasing the antioxidant activity and upregulating the activated Treg cells.
Prescribing trends and clinical characteristics of patients starting antiobesity drugs in the United States
Authors: Suissa Karine , Schneeweiss Sebastian , Kim Dong Wook , Patorno Elisabetta 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAimTo assess the trends in the prescribing of antiobesity medications and the characteristics of patients recently initiating antiobesity drugs.Materials and MethodsWe conducted a population‐based cohort study using claims data from commercial health insurances in the United States. Patients initiating an antiobesity drug between January 2004 and December 2018 were included. Trends in the utilization of antiobesity medications were plotted by year, as a proportion of any antiobesity treatment, and as initiation rates per 100 000. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the characteristics of antiobesity initiators.ResultsFrom 2004 to 2018, 626 216 patients started an antiobesity medication (two per 100 000). Phentermine was the most frequently prescribed (50% in 2018). In recent years (2015‐2018), among 227 692 patients who initiated an antiobesity drug, 51% started phentermine, 19% naltrexone‐bupropion, and 13% liraglutide 3.0 mg. Compared to other agents, the use of liraglutide 3.0 mg increased between 2015 and 2018. The average age of initiators was 45 years, 81% of initiators were female, 32% had hypertension, 25% had dyslipidaemia, and 6% had type 2 diabetes. Time on treatment was generally short (mean 81 days).ConclusionThe overall use of antiobesity medications remained low over the past 15 years and phentermine was the preferred antiobesity agent. Although the use of potentially safer antiobesity agents, for example, liraglutide 3.0 mg, has increased in recent years, phentermine remained the most frequently prescribed agent among middle‐aged adults with a moderate burden of comorbidities.
Recombinant factor VIII Fc for the treatment of haemophilia A
Authors: Hermans Cedric , Mancuso Maria Elisa , Nolan Beatrice , Pasi K. John 
Published: March 2021

AbstractProphylaxis with factor VIII (FVIII) is the current therapeutic approach for people with haemophilia A. However, standard half‐life (SHL) FVIII products must be injected frequently, imposing a substantial burden on the individual and making it difficult to tailor therapy according to patient need and lifestyle, which could impact adherence. Recombinant FVIII Fc fusion protein (rFVIIIFc; Elocta®, Sobi; Eloctate®, Sanofi) is a recombinant fusion protein that undergoes slower clearance from the body than SHL FVIII products. This pharmacokinetic property of rFVIIIFc allows prophylactic administration every 3‐5 days, or once weekly in selected patients, with doses adjusted to patient needs and clinical outcomes. Higher FVIII levels can be achieved maintaining dosing frequency similar to that usually applied with SHL FVIII. This review provides a summary of recent data from the A‐LONG, Kids A‐LONG, ASPIRE and PUPs A‐LONG studies and recently published real‐world experience relevant to rFVIIIFc use in individualised regimens. The review also introduces ongoing studies of rFVIIIFc, including its use for induction of immune tolerance, and discusses some aspects to consider when switching patients to rFVIIIFc and managing ongoing treatment. In summary, rFVIIIFc is suitable for individualised prophylaxis regimens that can be tailored according to patient clinical needs and lifestyle.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex modulates visuospatial distractor suppression
Authors: Jin Zhenlan , Xie Ke , Ni Xuejin , Jin Dong‐Gang , Zhang Junjun , Li Ling 
Published: March 2021

AbstractVisual selective attention allows us to filter relevant inputs from irrelevant inputs during visual processing. In contrast to rich research exploring how the brain facilitates task‐relevant inputs, less is known about how the brain suppresses irrelevant inputs. In this study, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate the causal role of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a crucial brain area for attentional control, in distractor suppression. Specifically, 10‐Hz repetitive TMS (rTMS) was applied to the right DLPFC and Vertex at the stimuli onset (stimuli‐onset TMS) or 500 ms prior to the stimuli onset (prestimuli TMS). In a variant of the Posner cueing task, participants were instructed to identify the shape of a white target while ignoring a white or colored distractor whose location was either cued in advance or uncued. As anticipated, either the location cue or the colored distractor led to faster responses. Notably, the location cueing effect was eliminated by stimuli‐onset TMS to the right DLPFC, but not by prestimuli TMS. Further analyses showed that stimuli‐onset TMS quickened responses to uncued trials, and this TMS effect was derived from the inhibition at the distractor in both visual fields. In addition, TMS over the right DLPFC had no specific effect on the colored distractor compared to the white one. Considered collectively, these findings indicate that the DLPFC plays a crucial role in visuospatial distractor suppression and acts upon stimuli presentation. Besides, it seems the DLPFC contributes more to location‐based distractor suppression than to color‐based one.
Beyond knowledge: Evaluating the practices and precautionary measures towards COVID‐19 amongst medical doctors in Jordan
Authors: Ramadan Mohannad , Hasan Zuheir , Saleh Tareq , Jaradat Mahmoud , Al‐hazaimeh Mohammad , Bani Hani Omar , Al‐Tammemi Ala’a B. , Shorman Enas , Al‐Mistarehi Abdel‐Hameed , Kheirallah Khalid 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundHealth Care Workers (HCWs), including medical doctors, played a pivotal role as a first‐line defence against the COVID‐19 pandemic. Because of high exposure, HCWs are at an increased risk of contracting the disease.AimsThis study aims to assess the level of precautionary measures, both at home and the workplace, amongst medical doctors who were on duty during the national lockdown in Jordan.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was conducted between March 23 and May 1, 2020, utilising a self‐administered web‐based questionnaire to examine a sample of medical doctors (n = 270) working at different healthcare institutions in Jordan. Likert scale was used to code the data and generate means and percentages.ResultsThe most practiced on‐duty precautionary measures were cleaning hands with water and disinfectant for more than 20 seconds (47.4%), followed by proper hygiene before and during meals (38.9%). The most practiced off‐duty measures were taking off clothes before entering the residential place (65.9%) and prohibiting visitors (58.1%). Overall, the mean work protection percentage score was 73.8% (range: 28%‐100%), while the mean home safety percentage score was 71.3% (range: 25%‐100%). Work protection score was positively correlated with the home safety score. Female doctors were found to be more precautious at home than males. Doctors with chronic illness(es) were found to be less precautious than their healthier counterparts. Participants who isolated themselves expressed the highest level of home safety practice. Doctors who reported to smoke were found more precautious at home and doctors who preferred to work during lockdowns were more precautious at the workplace.ConclusionThe level of precautionary behaviour of medical doctors in Jordan was not optimal. More attention and efforts are needed to enhance the adherence of doctors to precautionary guidance. Strengthening the role of infectious disease and infection control units within healthcare settings remains a necessity.
Pleural effusion as an indicator for the poor prognosis of COVID‐19 patients
Authors: Wei Xiao‐Shan , Wang Xu , Ye Lin‐Lin , Niu Yi‐Ran , Peng Wen‐Bei , Wang Zi‐Hao , Zhang Jian‐Chu , Zhou Qiong 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundCoronavirus Disease 19 (COVID‐19) is a global health concern that has become a pandemic over the past few months. This study aims at understanding the clinical manifestations of COVID‐19 patients with pleural effusion.MethodsCOVID‐19 patients were retrospectively enrolled from the Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Pharyngeal swabs from patients were tested using real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Patients with COVID‐19 were divided into two groups based on their computed tomography (CT) scans for the presence of pleural effusion at admission. We compared the clinical features, laboratory findings, scans and clinical outcomes between the two groups.ResultsPleural effusion was observed in 9.19% of the patients. Patients with pleural effusion were more likely to be severe or critical cases. Moreover, patients with pleural effusion were associated with increased mortality. Of the 799 discharged patients, patients with pleural effusion had longer hospital stays and duration of viral shedding since the onset of symptoms as compared with that for patients without pleural effusion. After discharge, 217 patients visited for a follow‐up CT re‐examination at the Union Hospital. The CT scans showed that patients with pleural effusion required a longer time to resolve the lung inflammation after the onset of COVID‐19 as compared with the time required by patients without pleural effusion.ConclusionThis population of patients requires special attention and pleural effusion may be an indicator of poor prognosis in COVID‐19 patients.
Emerging applications of nanotechnologies to probiotics and prebiotics
Authors: Ashaolu Tolulope Joshua 
Published: March 2021

SummaryFervid interests on nanoparticles are increasing within the scientific and non‐scientific communities, as they are utilised in food and non‐food applications. The versatility of emerging applications of nanoparticles makes them potentially harmful to the food, healthcare and environment sectors, and thus necessitates the development of nanonutraceuticals from nutritional substances such as antioxidants, vitamins, fatty acids, fibres, probiotics and prebiotics. This review excavated state of the art on nanotechnology applications such as gold and selenium particles, nanolayers, nanobeads, nanoemulsions and nanofibers to probiotics and prebiotics for the synthesis of anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant and photo‐reactive products among others, and finally delved into other noteworthy considerations like safety. It is concluded that available literature on the current status of nanoprobiotics and prebiotics are exhaustive, despite their huge potentials and applications.