bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Simulated hurricane‐induced changes in light and nutrient regimes change seedling performance in Everglades forest‐dominant species
Authors: May Jeremy L. , Oberbauer Steven F. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWind damage from cyclones can devastate the forest canopy, altering environmental conditions in the understory that affect seedling growth and plant community regeneration. To investigate the impact of hurricane‐induced increases in light and soil nutrients as a result of canopy defoliation, we conducted a two‐way factorial light and nutrient manipulation in a shadehouse experiment. We measured seedling growth of the dominant canopy species in the four Everglades forest communities: pine rocklands (Pinus elliottii var densa), cypress domes (Taxodium distichum), hardwood hammocks, and tree islands (Quercus virginiana and Bursera simaruba). Light levels were full sun and 50% shade, and nutrient levels coupled with an additional set of individuals that were subjected to a treatment mimicking the sudden effects of canopy opening from hurricane‐induced defoliation and the corresponding nutrient pulse. Seedlings were measured weekly for height growth and photosynthesis, with seedlings being harvested after 16 weeks for biomass, leaf area, and leaf tissue N and 13C isotope ratio. Growth rates and biomass accumulation responded more to differences in soil nutrients than differences in light availability, with largest individuals being in the high nutrient treatments. For B. simaruba and P. elliottii, the highest photosynthetic rates occurred in the high light, high nutrient treatment, while T. distichum and Q. virginiana photosynthetic rates were highest in low light, high nutrient treatment. Tissue biomass allocation patterns remained similar across treatments, except for Q. virginiana, which altered above‐ and belowground biomass allocation to increase capture of limiting soil and light resources. In response to the hurricane simulation treatment, height growth increased rapidly for Q. virginiana and B. simaruba, with nonsignificant increases for the other two species. We show here that ultimately, hurricane‐adapted, tropical species may be more likely to recolonize the forest canopy following a large‐scale hurricane disturbance.
A Developing Timeline for Bioethics
Authors: Danis Marion , Baker Robert , Lederer Susan 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThis brief essay describes the purpose, the content, and the development, by a group of Hastings Center fellows and a scholar at the Center, of the Hastings Center Bioethics Timeline. The timeline covers the wide range of contemporary events pertaining to the intersection of bioethics with the medical and biological sciences, health care, and health policy, as well as the medical arts and medical humanities. A collaborative effort that documents events in a collaborative field, the timeline is meant to be updated and edited so that it improves over time.
Giving Voice to the Voiceless in Environmental Gene Editing
Authors: Kofler Natalie , Grogan Colleen M. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractParticipatory deliberation, whereby diverse experts and publics collectively engage in decision‐making, can ensure a more informed and just decision by centering historically marginalized perspectives and engaging a spectrum of value systems. Broad and diverse participation is crucial for the equitable distribution of risks and benefits resulting from complex and uncertain decisions such as environmental gene editing. From an ethical position that gives intrinsic value to the nonhuman and recognizes the interconnectedness of species across generations, we argue that deliberation over environmental gene editing must include the voice of nature and the voice of future generations. Inclusion of these key participant groups can encourage reflection on the human relationship with nature and help safeguard intergenerational equity of decisions reached. By drawing from the legal rights of nature movement, the Boardman River Dams Project, and methods for representative participation, we offer strategies for inclusion of nonhuman nature and future generations in deliberative processes about environmental gene editing and other crucial decisions about our shared environments.
Narratives in Public Deliberation: Empowering Gene Editing Debate with Storytelling
Authors: Chen Kaiping , Burgess Michael M. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractGene editing in the environment must consider uncertainty about potential benefits and risks for different populations and under different conditions. There are disagreements about the weight and balance of harms and benefits. Deliberative and community‐led approaches offer the opportunity to engage and empower diverse publics to co‐create responses and solutions to controversial policy choices in a manner that is inclusive of diverse perspectives. Stories, understood as situated accounts that reflect a person's life experiences, can enable the articulation of nuanced perspectives, diversify how perspectives are communicated, encourage wider participation, open dominant perspectives to challenge, and invite participants to assess appropriate empathy and precaution in collective positions. An emphasis on storytelling in deliberations on gene editing of organisms emphasizes carefully designed recruitment and facilitation to support hearing from a range of perspectives, including those that present a different set of assumptions than those that may be held by experts or other stakeholders, among these, consideration of how to understand our relationships to nature.
The impact of worst pattern of invasion on the extension of surgical margins in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Köhler Hugo Fontan , Vartanian José Guilherme , Pinto Clóvis Antônio Lopes , da Silva Rodrigues Ivete Fabelo Pereira , Kowalski Luiz Paulo 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundTo evaluate margins for oral carcinoma according to types of invasion front.MethodsRetrospective cohort of 772 patients with worst pattern of invasion (WPOI) graded 1–5. Local recurrence was the outcome of interest.ResultsLocal recurrences occurred in 164 patients (21.2%) and was affected by WPOI type 4/5, margin distance, perineural invasion, and adjuvant radiotherapy. In patients with WPOI types 1/2/3, a cutoff of 1.7 mm was considered ideal margin extent and in patients with WPOI types 4/5, the cutoff was 7.8 mm. Patients below these thresholds had a significantly higher incidence of local recurrence.ConclusionsDifferent WPOI determine the ideal extent of surgical margins as 1.7 mm for patients with types 1–3, and 7.8 mm in patients with types 4/5.
The impact of the Shanghai–Hong Kong stock market connection on corporate innovation: Evidence from mainland China
Authors: He Guanming , Li Xiaorong , Luo Jingbo 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe Shanghai stock market and the Hong Kong stock market were connected by the Chinese government in 2014, allowing Hong Kong investors to trade on a group of stocks on the Shanghai stock market. Using a difference‐in‐differences approach, we examine how this stock market connection affects corporate innovation in mainland China. We argue, and find, that the stock market connection enhances the informational feedback effect of stock prices and involves more‐sophisticated investors' monitoring and advising on firm management, and thereby spurs corporate innovation. We further show that the positive effect of the stock market connection on innovation is more pronounced for non‐state‐owned firms, firms with few political connections, firms with weak intellectual property rights protection or firms that are headquartered in non‐high‐tech economic zones. Our study sheds light on how the opening of a developing stock market to a more developed stock market shapes corporate innovation.
HPV vaccination coverage in women between 15 and 55 years old in Spain: Temporal trend during the period 2007–2020
Authors: Ramírez Mar , de la Fuente Jesús , Andía Daniel , José Hernández Juan , Fiol Gabriel , Torné Aureli 
Published: December 2021

AbstractObjectiveThe objective of this study was to analyse the temporal trend of HPV vaccination coverage (VC) in Spain in women aged 15‐55 years not included in systematic vaccination programmes during the period 2007‐2020.MethodsWe assessed the vaccine coverage rate in this population based on three estimations: 1) annual vaccination coverage with at least one dose (VCR ≥ 1d), 2) annual VC for the full schedule (VCR3d), and 3) cumulative VC for the full schedule (aVCR).ResultsAnnual VCR ≥ 1d and VCR3d were highest in 2008 (2.40% and 0.66% respectively) and subsequently decreased drastically in 2011 (0.55% and 0.15%). From 2017 to 2019 there was an increase from 1.4‐fold to 1.6‐fold, respectively, which decreased in 2020. In relation to aVCR, there was an increasing trend throughout the study period with approximately 4.03% of the study population having been vaccinated against HPV in 2020.ConclusionIn Spain, the cumulative vaccination coverage against HPV in women between 15‐55 years old not included in current vaccination programmes remains very low. Nonetheless, the temporal trend has shown a slight increase in recent years. Despite the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020, no significant negative impact on vaccination coverage has been observed in this population.
RANKL Blockade Reduces Cachexia and Bone Loss Induced by Non-Metastatic Ovarian Cancer in Mice
Authors: Pin Fabrizio , Jones Alexander J , Huot Joshua R , Narasimhan Ashok , Zimmers Teresa A , Bonewald Lynda F , Bonetto Andrea 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACT
Tumor- and bone-derived soluble factors have been proposed to participate in the alterations of skeletal muscle size and function in cachexia. We previously showed that mice bearing ovarian cancer (OvCa) exhibit cachexia associated with marked bone loss, whereas bone-targeting agents, such as bisphosphonates, are able to preserve muscle mass in animals exposed to anticancer drugs. De-identified CT images and plasma samples from female patients affected with OvCa were used for body composition assessment and quantification of circulating cross-linked C-telopeptide type I (CTX-I) and receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL), respectively. Female mice bearing ES-2 tumors were used to characterize cancer- and RANKL-associated effects on muscle and bone. Murine C2C12 and human HSMM myotube cultures were used to determine the OvCa- and RANKL-dependent effects on myofiber size. To the extent of isolating new regulators of bone and muscle in cachexia, here we demonstrate that subjects affected with OvCa display evidence of cachexia and increased bone turnover. Similarly, mice carrying OvCa present high RANKL levels. By using in vitro and in vivo experimental models, we found that elevated circulating RANKL is sufficient to cause skeletal muscle atrophy and bone resorption, whereas bone preservation by means of antiresorptive and anti-RANKL treatments concurrently benefit muscle mass and function in cancer cachexia. Altogether, our data contribute to identifying RANKL as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of musculoskeletal complications associated with RANKL-expressing non-metastatic cancers. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Abstract
RANKL directly impairs muscle mass and function in cancer cachexia.
Tumor-derived factors, including RANKL, drive bone resorption in non-bone metastatic cancer.
Blockade of RANKL and cancer-associated bone resorption results in improved muscle mass and function, even in the absence of bone metastases.
Immunoadsorption and plasma exchange—Efficient treatment options for neurological autoimmune diseases
Authors: Boedecker Simone C. , Luessi Felix , Engel Sinah , Kraus Daniel , Klimpke Pascal , Holtz Stefan , Meinek Myriam , Marczynski Paul , Weinmann Arndt , Weinmann‐Menke Julia 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundTherapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and immunoadsorption (IA) are first or second line treatment options in patients with neurological autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMSOD), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (Guillain‐Barré syndrome), and autoimmune encephalitis.MethodsIn this prospective randomized controlled monocentric study, we assessed safety and efficacy of therapy with IA or TPE in patients with neurological autoimmune diseases. Treatment response was assessed using various neurological scores as well by measuring immunoglobulin and cytokine concentrations. Clinical outcome was evaluated by application of specific scores for the underlying diseases.ResultsA total of 32 patients were analyzed. Among these, 19 patients were treated with TPE and 13 patients with IA. IA and TPE therapy showed a comparable significant treatment response. In patients with MS and NMOSD, mean EDSS before and after treatment showed a significant reduction after treatment with IA.We observed a significant reduction of the pro‐inflammatory cytokines IL‐12, lL‐17, IL‐6, INF‐γ, and tumor necrosis factor alpha during IA treatment, whereas this reduction was not seen in patients treated with TPE.ConclusionsIn summary, both IA and TPE were effective and safe procedures for treating neurological autoimmune diseases. However, there was a trend towards longer therapy response in patients treated with IA compared to TPE, possibly related to a reduction in plasma levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines seen only in the IA‐treated group.
Identity verification using palm print microscopic images based on median robust extended local binary pattern features and k‐nearest neighbor classifier
Authors: Rehman Amjad , Harouni Majid , Karchegani Negar Haghani Solati , Saba Tanzila , Bahaj Saeed Ali , Roy Sudipta 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAutomatic identity verification is one of the most critical and research‐demanding areas. One of the most effective and reliable identity verification methods is using unique human biological characteristics and biometrics. Among all types of biometrics, palm print is recognized as one of the most accurate and reliable identity verification methods. However, this biometrics domain also has several critical challenges: image rotation, image displacement, change in image scaling, presence of noise in the image due to devices, region of interest (ROI) detection, or user error. For this purpose, a new method of identity verification based on median robust extended local binary pattern (MRELBP) is introduced in this study. In this system, after normalizing the images and extracting the ROI from the microscopic input image, the images enter the feature extraction step with the MRELBP algorithm. Next, these features are reduced by the dimensionality reduction step, and finally, feature vectors are classified using the k‐nearest neighbor classifier. The microscopic images used in this study were selected from IITD and CASIA data sets, and the identity verification rate for these two data sets without challenge was 97.2% and 96.6%, respectively. In addition, computed detection rates have been broadly stable against changes such as salt‐and‐pepper noise up to 0.16, rotation up to 5°, displacement up to 6 pixels, and scale change up to 94%.
Physiological stress response in free‐living Amazonian caimans following experimental capture
Authors: Duncan Wallice P. , Júnior Janes N. A. , Mendonça Washington C. S. , Santa Cruz Idamara F. , Samonek Jean F. , Morais Ester J. F. , Marcon Jaydione L. , Da Silveira Ronis 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWhen captured, free‐living crocodilians respond by hyperstimulation of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis, which triggers a cascade of downstream events of physiological stress. We examined these responses in two unstressed, and stressed Amazonian caimans,Caiman crocodilusandMelanosuchus niger. Plasma corticosterone levels increased in both stressed caiman species. InM. niger, the levels of this hormone increased 5.2‐fold compared with the basal range values, while inC. crocodilusthis was only 1.7‐fold. After stress,M. nigerneeded more than 6 h to return its corticosterone levels to basal range values, whereas inC. crocodilusjust 0.5 h was enough. Downstream events were characterized by an increase in glucose levels, which is associated with corticosterone increments. Excessive muscle activity resulted in increased plasma lactate content in both species. Lactate levels were also related to plasma calcium concentration, possibly due to the buffering capacity for preventing lactic acidosis. Clearance of excessive lactate load was faster inM. niger(0.5 h) than inC. crocodilus(more than 6 h). Although both caiman species respond in the same way to capture, the amplitude and duration of activation of the HPA axis are different.M. nigermay be potentially more sensitive to acute stress thanC. crocodilus. On the other hand,C. crocodilusneeds more time to recover from the lactic acid load. Our experiment provides a useful diagnostic tool for management and conservation programs, as well as evaluating the impacts of tourism and recreational capture on caimans in the Amazon.
Second primary malignancies in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: Skin, solid organ, haematological and Richter's syndrome
Authors: Shen Yandong , Coyle Luke , Kerridge Ian , Stevenson William , Arthur Christopher , McKinlay Naomi , Fay Keith , Ward Christopher , Greenwood Matthew , Best Oliver Giles , Solterbeck Ann , Guminski Alexander , Shumack Stephen , Mulligan Stephen P. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractChronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is invariably accompanied by some degree of immune failure, and CLL patients have a high rate of second primary malignancy (SPM) compared to the general population. We comprehensively documented the incidence of all forms of SPM including skin cancer (SC), solid organ malignancy (SOM), second haematological malignancy (SHM) and separately Richter's syndrome (RS) across all therapy eras. Among the 517 CLL/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) patients, the overall incidence of SPMs with competing risks was SC 31.07%, SOM 25.99%, SHM 5.19% and RS 7.55%. Of the 216 treated patients, 106 (49.1%) had at least one form of SPM, and 63 of 106 (29.2% of treated patients) developed an SPM 1.5 years (median) after treatment for their CLL. Melanoma accounted for 30.3% of SC. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), including eight metastatic SCCs, was 1.8 times more than basal cell carcinoma (BCC), a reversal of the typical BCC:SCC ratio. The most common SOMs were prostate (6.4%) and breast (4.5%). SHM included seven acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and five myelodysplasia (MDS) of which eight (four AML, four MDS) were therapy‐related. Any SPM occurred in 32.1% of 53 Monoclonal B‐lymphocytosis (MBL) patients. Age‐adjusted standardised rates of SPM (per 100,000) for CLL, MBL and the general Australian population were 2648, 1855 and 486.9, respectively. SPMs are a major health burden with 44.9% of CLL patients with having at least one SPM, and apart from SC, associated with significantly reduced overall survival. Dramatic improvements in CLL treatment and survival have occurred with immunochemotherapy and targeted therapies, but mitigating SPM burden will be important to sustain further progress.
Immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in human immunodeficiency virus‐positive patients in China: A 2‐year retrospective study
Authors: Deng Haohui , Feng Qianchang , Wu Yue , Lin Haowei , Cao Xin , Xiang Fangfei , Li Linghua , Yu Weihua 
Published: December 2021

AbstractCurrently, the studies focused on the immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in Chinese human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐positive patients are limited. In this study, the participants with an initial hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) titer <10 mIU/ml were assigned to Cohort 1 to receive a standard dose of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, and participants with an initial HBsAb titer between 10 and 100 mIU/ml were assigned to Cohort 2 to receive a single reinforced recombinant vaccine. In Cohort 1, the immune and high response rates in HIV‐positive patients were 93.4%/81.4%, 87.4%/51.5%, and 83.2%/40.7% at 1–3 months, 1 year, and 2 years postvaccination. Multivariate analysis showed that only age and HIV RNA status at baseline were independent factors related to sustained immune response at 2 years postvaccination. In Cohort 2, the high immune response rates in HIV‐positive patients were 78.8%, 60.6%, and 51.5% at 1–3 months, 1 year, and 2 years postvaccination. The immune or high response rates did not differ between HIV‐positive patients and healthy controls at 1–3 months postvaccination in these two cohorts; however, HBsAb titers were significantly lower in HIV‐positive patients. This study summarized the 2‐year data of immune response to hepatitis B vaccination and analyzed the factors related to sustained immune response at 2 years postvaccination in Chinese HIV‐positive patients.
Study of scattering characteristic of thin ice‐water layers covered dielectric material utilizing hybrid implicit‐explicit finite difference time‐domain method
Authors: Yan Wenbin , Cao Qunsheng , Wang Yi 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIn the paper, a hybrid implicit‐explicit finite difference time‐domain (HIE‐FDTD) method is applied, and the related calculation formula of the HIE algorithm is derived in detail. Using the HIE‐FDTD method, the scattering characteristics of dielectric objects covered with very thin ice water layers are studied. The dispersive medium model of the mixture of water and ice is expressed in Debye form and can be calculated by the auxiliary difference equation technique. It is found that the change of the scattering characteristics of the water ice mixing layer mainly depends on the proportion of water in the ice water mixture, and describes the process of ice melting into water, which leads to the corresponding changes of reflectivity, transmittance, and absorptivity. Finally, the simulation results show that the HIE‐FDTD method has higher efficiency than the conventional FDTD without losing accuracy.
In vitro solubilization of antibiotic drug sulfamethazine: An investigation on drug–micelle aggregate formation by spectroscopic and scattering techniques
Authors: A Mavani , Ovung Aben , Luikham Soching , Ray Debes , Aswal Vinod K. , Chatterjee Sabyasachi , Bhattacharyya Jhimli 
Published: December 2021

AbstractMicellar solubilization has been used extensively for the dissolution of sparingly soluble drugs for effective drug delivery. Apart from improving the solubility and bioavailability, micelles can help reduce toxicity and improve permeability in the system. In this article, solubilization of a well‐known antibiotic, sulfamethazine (SMZ) upon micellization, is studied by employing various spectroscopic and scattering techniques like, ultraviolet–visible, fluorescence, small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and zeta potential (ZP) studies. The size(s) and charge(s) of the micelles were monitored by SANS and ZP. A positively charged/cationic surfactant, cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and a negatively charged/anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) are used for micelle formation. Regardless of the surfactant type, the solubility of SMZ increases linearly with the increase in the surfactant concentration, as a result of association between the drug and micelles. However, the solubility of SMZ is found to be better with CTAB than SDS. Upon interaction with SMZ, we observed that the critical micelle concentration of CTAB occurred at a lower concentration than that of SDS surfactant. As fitted in the ellipsoidal core–shell model, SANS results also show the formation of charged micelles. This comparative study can help us to select an appropriate medium for SMZ solubilization to improve selective drug delivery in biomedical applications.