bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Physicochemical And Antioxidant Activity of Fruit Harvested From Eight Jujube (Ziziphus Jujuba Mill.) Cultivars At Different Development Stages
Authors: Yan Min , Wang Yan , Watharkar Ritesh Balaso , Pu Yunfeng , Wu Cuiyun , Lin Minjuan , Lu Dengyang , Liu Mingzhe , Bao Jingkai , Xia Yilei 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Jujube is a crop highly resistant to drought and salinity, making it the main fruit tree in Xinjiang. The present study was to investigate the effect of development stage on physicochemical and antioxidant activity of fruit harvested from eight jujube cultivars situated in Xinjiang, China. The content of water, ascorbic acid, total polyphenols, catechin, epicatechin, proanthocyanidin and rutin decreased during development of jujube fruit harvested from the eight cultivars, while the contents of fructose, glucose, sucrose, cAMP, and cGMP greatly increased. The antioxidant activity determined by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging decreased through the whole growth phase. After the early stages of development, a regular trend in changes of physicochemical and antioxidant characteristic was identified, while the differences among jujube cultivars gradually reduced with complete fruit development. This work contributes to understanding the changes that take place during the development of jujube fruit, indicating that development stage influenced the change in physicochemical and antioxidant activity more than cultivar, and the initial development stage was found to be rich in AA, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity, whereas the red maturity stage was rich in sugars, cAMP, and cGMP.
Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation During COVID-19: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Ganeshan Smitha , Tse Crystal , Beatty Alexis 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been shown to reduce mortality, morbidity, and hospitalizations. Increasingly, digital tools have augmented the ease of delivering programs outside of the traditional rehabilitation center setting. Because of the need for distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, many cardiac rehabilitation (CR) centers suspended in-person services and pivoted to home-based CR (HBCR). In this study, we qualitatively evaluated implementation of HBCR, which included weekly phone or video visits for individualized exercise plans, nutrition and health education counseling, wellness sessions, and optional mobile phone applications.Methods: Patient participants and staff members (physician, nurses, exercise physiologists, dietician, administrative staff) participated in semi-structured interviews. Two independent reviewers coded interview transcripts for emergent themes and pre-specified themes from the Theory of Planned Behavior, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.Results: A total of 12 patients and 7 staff were interviewed. Narrative descriptions highlighted the isolation, fear, and disruption of life activities during COVID-19. Key facilitators of the HBCR patient experience included strong relationships with staff who served as coaches and sources of accountability and the ability of HBCR to deliver an individually tailored experience within a patient’s home. Important organizational factors for implementation included leadership buy-in, culture of change, and support for staff. Though technology tools facilitated communication and accountability, not all participants embraced technology and some reported challenges with use.Conclusions: Individually tailored HBCR can facilitate access for patients to participate outside of a CR center. Ongoing research is needed to understand the long-term outcomes of flexible delivery models that may include both in-person and remote visits, and the role of technology in these models.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measurement of Entorhinal Cortex in the Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Li Qianqian , Wang Junkai , Liu Jianghong , Wang Yumeng , Liang Peipeng , Li Kuncheng 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Background: Several Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies have shown that the entorhinal cortex (ERC) is the first brain area related to pathologic changes of Alzheimer's disease (AD), even before atrophy of hippocampus (HP). However, Change of ERC morphology (thickness, surface area and volume) in the progression from aMCI to AD, especially in the subtypes of aMCI (single domain and multiple domain, aMCI-s and aMCI-m), however, is still unclear. Methods: ERC thickness, surface area and volume were measured in 29 people with aMCI-s, 22 people with aMCI-m, 18 patients with AD and 26 age-/sex-matched healthy controls. Group comparisons of the ERC geometry measurements (including thickness, volume and surface area) were performed using analyses of covariance (ANCOVA). Furthermore, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis and the area under the curve (AUC) were employed to investigate the classification ability (HC, aMCI-s, aMCI-m and AD from each other).Results: There was a significant ERC thickness decreasing tendency from HC to aMCI-s to aMCI-m to finally AD in both left and right hemispheres (left hemisphere: HC > aMCI-s > AD; right hemisphere: aMCI-s > aMCI-m > AD). For ERC volume, both the AD group and the aMCI-m group showed significantly decreased volume in both sides compared with the HC group. Besides, the AD group also had significantly decreased volume in both sides compared with the aMCI-s group. As for the ERC surface area, no significant difference was identified among the four groups. Furthermore, the AUC results demonstrated that combined ERC parameters (thickness and volume) can better discriminate the four groups from each other than ERC thickness alone. Finally, and most importantly, relative to HP volume, the capacity of combined ERC parameters was better at discriminating between HC and aMCI-s, as well as aMCI-m and AD.Conclusion: ERC atrophy, particularly combination of ERC thickness and volume, might be regarded as a promising candidate biomarker in the early diagnosis of aMCI.
Same Total Normal Forms Sperm Counts of Males From Lhasa and Shanghai, China
Authors: GU Benhong , WANG Shangren , LIU Feng , SONG Yuxuan , LI Jun , NI Yongtao , CHEN Min , HU Jianlin , Ouzhu Luobu , LI Zheng , LIU Li , LI Xia , LIU Xiaoqiang 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Male infertility may be caused by genetic and/or environmental factors that impair spermatogenesis and sperm maturation. High-altitude (HA) hypoxic environments represent one of the most serious challenges faced by humans that reside in these areas. To assess the influence of the plateau environment on semen parameters, 2,798 males, including 1,111 native Tibetans and 1,687 Han Chinese individuals living in the plains(HCILP) who underwent pre-pregnancy checkups, were enrolled in this study. The semen samples of males were evaluated to determine conventional sperm parameters, sperm morphology, and sperm movement. Reproductive endocrine hormones (REHs) were detected in 474 males, including 221 Tibetans and 253 HCILP. Due to recurrent abortions in partners, the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) of 133 native Tibetans and 393 HCILP individuals was further compared. Luteinizing hormone (LH) (4.94 ± 2.12 vs. 3.29 ± 1.43 U/L), prolactin (11.34 ± 3.87 vs. 8.97 ± 3.48 nmol/L), E2/T (0.22 ± 0.11 vs 0.11 ± 0.05), median total sperm motility (61.20% vs. 51.56%), and DFI (23.11% vs. 7.22%) were higher in males from plateau areas while median progressive motility (PR) (35.60% vs. 41.12%), total number of PR sperms (51.61 vs. 59.63 mil/ejaculate), percentage of normal form sperms (3.70% vs. 6.00%), curvilinear velocity (36.10 vs. 48.97 μm/s), straight-line (rectilinear) velocity (14.70 vs. 31.52 μm/s), estradiol (103.82 ± 45.92 vs. 146.01 ± 39.73 pmol/L), progesterone (0.29 ± 0.27 vs. 2.22 ± 0.84 nmol/L), testosterone (4.90 ± 1.96 vs. 14.36 ± 5.24 nmol/L), and testosterone secretion index (ratio of testosterone to LH) (33.45 ± 22.86 vs 145.78 ± 73.41) were lower than those in males from the plains. There was no difference in median total sperm number (157.76 vs. 151.65 mil/mL), sperm concentration (52.40 vs. 51.79 mil/mL), volume (3.10 vs. 3.10 mL), total normal form sperms (5.91 vs. 6.58 mil/ejaculate, p50), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels (4.13 ± 2.55 U/L vs 3.82 ± 2.35 U/L) between the two groups of males. The REH and sperm parameters of males from HA hypoxic environments were adaptively altered. Although the total number of PR sperm decreased and DFI increased, the Tibetan population that lives at HAs has been found to grown continuously and rapidly. These results supplement prior findings regarding the impact of HA on male reproductive function.
Macrovascular Complications in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: Incidence and Impact on Survival in Kazakhstan
Authors: Sarría-Santamera Antonio , Orazumbekova Binur , Maulenkul Tilektes , Salustri Alessandro , Glushkova Natalya , Makashev Daniyar , Gaipov Abuzhappar 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background and aim: Diabetic patients are at an increased risk for the development of macrovascular complications such as acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke and lower-limb amputations (LLA). This study aimed to explore a. the incidence of hospital admission for macrovascular complications (AMI, stroke, and LLA); b. to assess the impact of hospital admission on survival in a large population with diabetes mellitus living in Kazakhstan. Materials and methods: Retrospective observational study using a nationwide anonymized electronic database of 98.469 hospitalized diabetic patients from Kazakhstan between November 2013 and December 2019. The incidence of hospital admissions for AMI, stroke and LLA were obtained to calculate their all-time cumulative incidence, and survival rate at follow-up. Results: The all-time cumulative incidence of hospital admissions was 1.30% for AMI, 1.94% for stroke and 2.94% for LLA. The incidence of macrovascular complications was statistically significantly higher in males compared to females (p-value<0.05). 29.03% of diabetic patients with AMI, 25.16% with stroke and 29.80% with LLA died during the follow-up period. Individuals with AMI had 3.58 (95% CI 3.20; 4.01) times, with stroke 3.86 (95% CI 3.52; 4.24) times and with LLA 3.63 (95% CI 3.38; 3.88) times higher hazard of 6-year death compared to diabetic patients free of these complications. The stratified survival analysis by sex indicated the lower survival in women than in men, and the lower survival in older age groups. Conclusion: The results from this study shows that cumulative incidence of AMI and stroke among diabetic patients admitted in the hospitals in Kazakhstan between 2013-2019 years was similar to the estimates from other countries, but the incidence of LLA was significantly higher in Kazakhstan. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) in Kazakhstan are at high risk of excess mortality if they suffer from macro-vascular complications. More research is required to explore the reasons for the high incidence of those complications, in order to propose systematic solutions for lowering the incidence and improve survival.
Inter-Laboratory Validation Of An ISO Test Method For Measuring Enzyme Activities In Soil Samples Using Colorimetric Substrates
Authors: Cheviron Nathalie , Grondin Virginie , Marrauld Christelle , Poiroux Francoise , Bertrand Isabelle , Abadie Josiane , Pandard Pascal , Riah-Anglet Wassila , Dubois Caroline , Maly Stanislav , Marques Catarina R , Asenjo Inmaculada Valverde , Alonso Alejandro , Diaz Domingo Marquina , Mougin Christian 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
The evaluation of soil quality requires the use of robust methods to assess biologically based-indicators. Among them, enzyme activities are used for several decades, but there is a clear need to update their measurement methods for routine use, in combining feasibility, accuracy and reliability. To this end, the platform Biochem-Env optimised a miniaturised method to measure enzyme activities in soils using colorimetric substrates in micro-well plates. The standardization of the method was carried out within the framework of ISO/TC 190/SC 4/WG 4 "Soil quality – Biological methods” workgroup, recommending an inter-laboratory evaluation for the publication of a full ISO standard.That evaluation, managed by the platform, was based on the measurement, in six soils of contrasted physicochemical properties, of the ten soil enzyme activities described in the standard. Eight laboratories were involved in the validation study. Only 2.7% of outliers were identified from the analyses of the whole dataset. The repeatability and reproducibility of the method were determined by computing, respectively, the intra-laboratory (CVr,) and inter-laboratory (CVR) coefficients of variation for each soil and enzyme. The mean CVr ranged from 4.5% (Phosphatase) to 9.9% (αGlucosidase), illustrating a reduced variability of enzyme activities within laboratories. The mean CVR ranged from 13.8% (Alkaline Phosphatase) to 30.9% (Phosphatase).Nevertheless, the method was repeatable, reproducible and sensitive. It also proved to be applicable for measuring enzyme activities in different types of soils. These results have been found successful by ISO/TC 190/SC4 and resulted in the publication of ISO 20130:2018 standard.
Analysis of Eddy Effect for Cu and CNT Bundle Based Through-Silicon Vias: Impact on Crosstalk and Power
Authors: Sahu Chopali Chanchal , Anand Shubham , Majumder Manoj Kumar 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
The performance of a three dimensional integrated circuit primarily depends on the filler material used in through silicon via (TSV). The mostly used filler material Cu is primarily facing severe reliability issues due to the skin effect and electromugration related problems at high frequencies. Therefore, in recent, single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT and MWCNT) have been emerged as suitable filler materials in TSV. Additionally, at high frequencies, an electrmagetic force primarly induces to an eddy current that adversely affects the overall performance of a TSV. This paper for the first time demonstrates the impact of eddy current on Cu, bundled SWCNT and MWCNT based TSVs. An accurate RLGC circuit model is proposed by considering the eddy effect at the depletion layer and the silicon substrate region. The equivalent circuit parameters are modelled at 7 nm technology using a three line driver-via-load setup. Using the proposed setup, crosstalk and power disspation are analyzed with and without considering the eddy effect. Irrespective of TSV heights, the MWCNT bundle demonstrates substantially lower crosstalk delay, peak noise and power dissipation in comparison to the Cu and SWCNT bundle based TSVs.
Low Complexity Single Carrier Frequency Domain Detectors for Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT)s
Authors: Aljanabi Amer , Alluhaibi Osama , Ahmed Qasim Zeeshan Zeeshan , Khan Fahd Ahmed , Abbas Waqas Bin , Lazaridis Pavlos 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
This paper proposes low complexity detection for internet of underwater things (IoUT)s communication. The signal is transmitted from the source to the destination using several sensors. To simplify the computational operations at the transmitter and the sensory nodes, a single carrier frequency domain equalizer (SC-FDE) is proposed and amplify-and-forward (AF) protocols are employed. Fast Fourier transform (FFT) and use of cyclic prefix (CP) are also proposed to simplify these algorithms when compared to time-domain equalization. As precise channel data is difficult to capture in underwater communications, the adaptive implementation of FDE is proposed as a solution that can be employed when the channel experiences a fast doppler shift. The two adaptive detectors are based on the least mean-square (LMS) and recursive least square (RLS) principles. Numerical simulations show that the performance of the bit error rate (BER) performance of the proposed detectors is close to that of the ideal minimum mean square error (MMSE).
Transcriptional landscape of human microglia reveals robust gene expression signatures that implicates age, sex and APOE-related immunometabolic pathway perturbations
Authors: Patel Tulsi , Carnwath Troy , Wang Xue , Allen Mariet , Lincoln Sarah , Lewis-Tuffin Laura , Quicksall Zachary , Lin Shu , Tutor-New Frederick , Ho Charlotte , Min Yuhao , Malphrus Kimberly , Nguyen Thuy , Martin Elizabeth , Garcia Cesar , Alkharboosh Rawan , Grewal Sanjeet , Chaichana Kaisorn , Wharen Robert , Guerrero-Cazares Hugo , Quinones-Hinojosa Alfredo , Ertekin-Taner Nilufer 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Microglia have fundamental roles in health and disease, however effects of age, sex and genetic factors on human microglia have not been fully explored. We applied bulk and single cell approaches to comprehensively characterize human microglia transcriptomes and their associations with age, sex and APOE. We identified a novel microglial signature, characterized its expression in bulk data from 1,306 brain samples across 6 regions and in single cell microglia transcriptome. We discovered microglial co-expression network modules associated with age, sex and APOE-ε4 that are enriched for lipid and carbohydrate metabolism genes. Integrated analyses of modules with single cell transcriptomes revealed significant overlap between age-associated module genes and both pro-inflammatory and disease-associated microglial clusters. These modules and clusters harbor known neurodegenerative disease genes including APOE, PLCG2 and BIN1. These data represent a well-characterized human microglial transcriptome resource; and highlight age, sex and APOE-related microglial immunometabolism perturbations with potential relevance in neurodegeneration.
A High-Fish Oil Diet Can Significantly Reshape The Gut Microbiota In Mice
Authors: Sun Han , Chen Dan , Yang Yingyun , Tan Bei , Huang Changzhi , Li Yue , Qian Jiaming 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background: Gut microbiota plays an essential role for human health and recent evidence has revealed the beneficial effects of fish oil supplements on the gut microbiota. The present study was to investigate the influence of fish oil on diet-based gut microbiota changes and colitis in mice and whether pyroptosis plays a role in this process.Results: A high-fish oil diet alleviated colitis, resulted in less weight loss and improved pathological scores. Caspase-1, activated in the dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) group, was suppressed by a high-fish oil diet. AIN-93M significantly decreased the gut microbial diversity of mice, increasing the abundances of Bacteroides and Parabacteroides and decreasing the abundance of Odoribacter. In contrast, gut microbial diversity was maintained in mice fed a high-fish oil diet; the Firmicutes: Bacteroidetes ratio was increased, the abundance of Parabacteroides was increased, and that the abundance of Odoribacter was decreased.Conclusion: AIN-93M can decrease gut microbiota diversity, which may be associated with a potential proinflammatory effect. Fish oil has anti-inflammatory effects. It can also restore and maintain microbial diversity and suppress pyroptosis activation.
Expression Profiles of Plasma IFN Signaling-Related miRNAs (ISR-miRNAs) at the Acute and Recovery Phase of COVID-19
Authors: Wu Jing , Liu Xingxiang , Shao Jianguo , Zhang Yuanyuan , Lu Renfei , Xue Hong , Xu Yunfang , Wang Lijuan , Zhou Hui , Yu Lugang , Yue Ming , Dong Chen 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has brought major harm and challenges to the world. Although many studies have suggested that IFN-I could affect the life cycle of the virus by regulating the expression level of microRNAs, the expression characteristics of plasma IFN-I signaling-related miRNAs at the acute and recovery phase of COVID-19 remain unclear.MethodsDemographic characteristics and fasting blood samples were collected from the acute and recovery phases of 29 COVID-19 patients and 29 healthy controls matched by age (± 5years) and gender (1:1). Expression levels of 12 IFN signaling-related miRNAs were analyzed using RT-qPCR. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG antibody in the convalescent plasma samples was detected using competitive ELISA.ResultsCompared with healthy controls, patients with COVID-19 presented increased levels of miR-29b-3p (~ 5.91-fold), miR-497-5p (~ 2.28-fold), and miR-1246 (~ 7.97-fold), and decreased expression levels of miR-186-5p (~ 6.39-fold) and miR-15a-5p (~ 3.26-fold) at the acute phase of infection. However, the expression levels of miR-29b-3p and miR-1246, which significantly elevated at the acute phase, were not different between individuals at the recovery phase and healthy controls. The expression levels of miR-30b-5p, miR-497-5p, miR-409-3p and miR-548c-5p in convalescent plasma samples were significantly lower than those in healthy controls. However, the concentration of miR-186-5p in the convalescent plasma samples was significantly higher than that in healthy controls and patients with acute infection. Furthermore, competitive ELISA results showed that the plasma level of miR-497-5p at the acute phase positively correlated with RBD-IgG antibody response (r=0.48, P=0.038).ConclusionsThe present study firstly reported that timely and appropriate regulation of IFN signaling-related miRNA expression plays a critical role during both acute and recovery phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, the circulating miR-497-5p level was positively correlated to RBD-IgG antibody response in COVID-19 patients.
Platinum Layers Sandwiched between Black Phosphorous and Graphene for Enhanced SPR Sensor Performance
Authors: Pandaram Maheswari , Santhanakumar Subanya , Veeran Ravi , Balasundaram Rajesh Karuppaiya , Jha Rajan , Jaroszewicz Zbigniew 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Highly sensitivity Surface Plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor consisting of Ag-Pt bimetallic films sandwiched with 2D materials Black Phosphorus (BP) and Graphene over Pt layer in Kretschmann configuration is analyzed theoretically using the Transfer Matrix Method. Numerical results shows that upon suitable optimization of thickness of Ag-Pt and number of layers of BP & graphene, sensitivity as high as 412º/RIU can be achieved for p-polarized light of wavelength 633 nm. This performance can be tuned and controlled by changing the number of layers of BP and graphene. Further, the addition of graphene and heterostructures of black phosphorus not only improved the sensitivity of the sensor but keep the FWHM of the resonance curve much smaller than the conventional sensor utilizing Au as plasmon metal and hence improved the resolution to a significant extent. We expect that this new proposed design will be useful for medical diagnosis, biomolecular detection and chemical examination.