bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Corneal endothelial cell changes and surgical results after Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation: ciliary sulcus versus anterior chamber tube placement
Authors: Kim Joo Yeon , Lee Jihei Sara , Lee Taekjune , Seo Duri , Choi Wungrak , Bae Hyoung Won , Kim Chan Yun 
Published: June 2021

AbstractWe compared the changes in corneal endothelial cells and surgical outcomes after Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation with the valve tip inserted either into ciliary sulcus (CS) or anterior chamber (AC). We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients treated with CS AGV (n = 24) and AC AGV (n = 38). We compared the preoperative and postoperative central corneal endothelial cell density (ECD), endothelial cell coefficient of variation (CV), best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), number of glaucoma medications, and postoperative complications in the two groups. Both groups had similar baseline characteristics and follow-up period. At the last follow-up, the AC AGV group had significantly higher mean monthly ECD loss (17.47 ± 11.50 cells/mm2 vs. 6.40 ± 7.69 cells/mm2, p < 0.0001) and greater proportion of mean monthly ECD loss than the CS AGV group (0.84 ± 0.53 vs. 0.36 ± 0.39%, p < 0.0001). Both groups had similar mean monthly CV changes. The qualified success rates at 2 years were 83.3% and 76.3% for the CS AGV and AC AGV groups, respectively. Although similar surgical outcomes including visual acuity, IOP, number of glaucoma medications, and postoperative complications were obtained following CS AGV and AC AGV, corneal ECD loss was higher in the AC AGV group. Thus, CS AGV may be a better surgical option than AC AGV.
Serum lactate dehydrogenase activities as systems biomarkers for 48 types of human diseases
Authors: Wu Yuling , Lu Caixia , Pan Nana , Zhang Meng , An Yi , Xu Mengyuan , Zhang Lijuan , Guo Yachong , Tan Lijuan 
Published: June 2021

AbstractMost human diseases are systems diseases, and systems biomarkers are better fitted for diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment monitoring purposes. To search for systems biomarker candidates, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), a housekeeping protein expressed in all living cells, was investigated. To this end, we analyzed the serum LDH activities from 172,933 patients with 48 clinically defined diseases and 9528 healthy individuals. Based on the median values, we found that 46 out of 48 diseases, leading by acute myocardial infarction, had significantly increased (p < 0.001), whereas gout and cerebral ischemia had significantly decreased (p < 0.001) serum LDH activities compared to the healthy control. Remarkably, hepatic encephalopathy and lung fibrosis had the highest AUCs (0.89, 0.80), sensitivities (0.73, 0.56), and specificities (0.90, 0.91) among 48 human diseases. Statistical analysis revealed that over-downregulation of serum LDH activities was associated with blood-related cancers and diseases. LDH activities were potential systems biomarker candidates (AUCs > 0.8) for hepatic encephalopathy and lung fibrosis.
Convex restrictions in physical design
Authors: Angeris Guillermo , Vučković Jelena , Boyd Stephen 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIn a physical design problem, the designer chooses values of some physical parameters, within limits, to optimize the resulting field. We focus on the specific case in which each physical design parameter is the ratio of two field variables. This form occurs for photonic design with real scalar fields, diffusion-type systems, and others. We show that such problems can be reduced to a convex optimization problem, and therefore efficiently solved globally, given the sign of an optimal field at every point. This observation suggests a heuristic, in which the signs of the field are iteratively updated. This heuristic appears to have good practical performance on diffusion-type problems (including thermal design and resistive circuit design) and some control problems, while exhibiting moderate performance on photonic design problems. We also show in many practical cases there exist globally optimal designs whose design parameters are maximized or minimized at each point in the domain, i.e., that there is a discrete globally optimal structure.
Western-style diet consumption impairs maternal insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism during pregnancy in a Japanese macaque model
Authors: Elsakr Joseph M. , Zhao Sifang Kathy , Ricciardi Valerie , Dean Tyler A. , Takahashi Diana L. , Sullivan Elinor , Wesolowski Stephanie R. , McCurdy Carrie E. , Kievit Paul , Friedman Jacob E. , Aagaard Kjersti M. ,  Edwards Digna R. Velez , Gannon Maureen 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe prevalence of maternal obesity is increasing in the United States. Offspring born to women with obesity or poor glycemic control have greater odds of becoming obese and developing metabolic disease later in life. Our group has utilized a macaque model to study the metabolic effects of consumption of a calorically-dense, Western-style diet (WSD; 36.3% fat) during pregnancy. Here, our objective was to characterize the effects of WSD and obesity, alone and together, on maternal glucose tolerance and insulin levels in dams during each pregnancy. Recognizing the collinearity of maternal measures, we adjusted for confounding factors including maternal age and parity. Based on intravenous glucose tolerance tests, dams consuming a WSD showed lower glucose area under the curve during first study pregnancies despite increased body fat percentage and increased insulin area under the curve. However, with (1) prolonged WSD feeding, (2) multiple diet switches, and/or (3) increasing age and parity, WSD was associated with increasingly higher insulin levels during glucose tolerance testing, indicative of insulin resistance. Our results suggest that prolonged or recurrent calorically-dense WSD and/or increased parity, rather than obesity per se, drive excess insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction. These observations in a highly relevant species are likely of clinical and public health importance given the comparative ease of maternal dietary modifications relative to the low likelihood of successfully reversing obesity in the course of any given pregnancy.
Integrated bioinformatics analysis revealed the regulation of angiogenesis by tumor cells in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Huo Meisi , Yu Kangkang , Zheng Yahui , Liu Lu , Zhao Hao , Li Xiaoqi , Huang Chong , Zhang Jubo 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality, metastasis accounts for most of the cases. Angiogenesis plays an important role in cancer metastasis, but how tumor cells affect the function of endothelial cells by dictating their microRNA (miRNA) expression remains largely unknown.
Differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were identified through dataset downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and analyzed by GEO2R. We then used online tools to obtain potential targets of candidate miRNAs and functional enrichment analysis, as well as the protein-protein interaction (PPI). Finally, the function of miR-302c-3p was validated through in vitro assay.
In the current study, we found that HCC cells altered miRNA expression profiles of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and miR-302c-3p was the most down-regulated miRNA in HUVECs when they were co-cultured with HCC-LM3 cells. Functional enrichment analysis of the candidate targets revealed that these genes were involved in epigenetic regulation of gene expression, in particular, cytosine methylation. In addition, PPI network demonstrated distinct roles of genes targeted by miR-302c-3p. Importantly, inhibition of angiogenesis, migration and permeability by the most down-regulated miR-302c-3p in HUVECs was confirmed in vitro. These findings brought us novel insight into the regulation of angiogenesis by HCC cells and provided potential targets for the development of therapeutic strategies.
Long- and short-term outcomes of early gastric cancer after endoscopic resection: a retrospective study from China
Authors: Zhang Qing-Wei , Chen Jin-Nan , Tang Zhao-Rong , Gao Yun-Jie , Ge Zhi-Zheng , Li Xiao-Bo 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background and study aims The aim of the study was to evaluate short- and long-term outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC) in China because no study has yet been conducted to confirm its effectiveness in EGC in China.
Patients and methods A total of 570 EGC samples from 537 patients were collected for evaluation of en bloc, complete, and curative resection using ESD. Data from 302 patients with at least 3 years of active follow-up were collected for analysis of recurrence of EGC and occurrence of metachronous GC (MGC). Short- and long-outcomes of mixed-type and pure differentiated EGC were also compared.
Results En bloc resection rates of 96.0 %, 98.7 %, and 95.2 %, complete resection rates of 91.2 %, 96.6 % and 90.8 %, and curative resection rates of 83.0 %, 96.2 % and 88.2 % were achieved in all EGCs included in the study, those with absolute indication, and those with expanded indication, respectively. As a long-term outcome, recurrence was observed in 1.3 % of patients, 3-year and 5-year recurrence rates being 0.7 % and 1.2 %, respectively. Thirteen patients (4.3 %) exhibited MGCs during follow-up, all of which were resected in a second ESD.
Conclusions The effectiveness of ESD for EGC in China was confirmed, with satisfactory short- and long-term outcomes. With scheduled follow-up, the outcomes for mixed-type EGC can be similar to those for pure differentiated EGC after complete resection without development of lymphovascular invasion.
Management of walled-off necrosis with nasocystic irrigation with hydrogen peroxide versus biflanged metal stent: randomized controlled trial
Authors: Maharshi Sudhir , Sharma Shyam Sunder , Ratra Sandeep , Sapra Bharat , Sharma Dhruv 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background and study aims Walled-off necrosis (WON) is a known complication of acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP). There is no study comparing nasocystic irrigation with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) versus biflanged metal stent (BMS) in the management of WON. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of both the treatment strategies.
Patients and methods This study was conducted on patients with symptomatic WON who were randomized to nasocystic irrigation with H2O2 (Group A) and BMS placement (Group B). Primary outcomes were clinical and technical success while secondary outcomes were procedure time, adverse events, need for additional procedures, duration of hospitalization, and mortality.
Results Fifty patients were randomized into two groups. Group A (n = 25, age 37.8 ± 17.6 years, 16 men) and Group B (n = 25, age 41.8 ± 15.2 years, 17 men). There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The most common etiology of pancreatitis was alcohol, observed in 27 (54 %) patients. Technical success (100 % vs 96 %, P = 0.98), clinical success (84 % vs 76 %, P = 0.76), requirement of additional procedures (16 % vs 24 %, P = 0.70) and adverse events (4 vs 7, P = 0.06) were comparable in both the groups. The duration to clinical success (34.4 ± 12 vs 14.8 ± 10.8 days, P = 0.001) and procedure time (36 ± 15 vs 18 ± 12 minutes, P = 0.01) were longer in Group A compared to Group B.
Conclusions Nasocystic irrigation with H2O2 and BMS are equally effective in the management of WON but time to clinical success and procedure time is longer with nasocystic irrigation.
Hierarchical Ceramic Coating Reduces Adherence of Cells, Blood, Bacteria, and Tissue on Titanium Microsurgical Instruments
Authors: Jaurich Henriette , Becerikli Mustafa , Jung Ole , Zerrer Jörg , Wallner Christoph , Wagner Johannes M. , Dadras Mehran , Jettkant Birger , Schildhauer Thomas A. , Lehnhardt Marcus , Behr Björn 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background Progress in the field of microsurgery allows more detailed reconstructions of the smallest tissue structures. The applied instruments are left with biological residues after coming into contact with body fluids or tissue, leading to compromised surgical precision. Designing of residue-free innovative instruments would reduce the necessity of subsidiary practices and would improve the surgical precision.
Methods We designed a ceramic coating (Lotus ceramic coating system 26—LCC-26) that exhibits self-cleaning surface properties on coated titanium specimens. A titanium surface was modified by blasting technology and electropolishing, followed by applying a high-performance ceramic and sol-gel finish layer. The physical surface characterization was performed by scanning electron microscopy and measuring the contact angle. The cell-repellent properties and cytotoxicity were investigated using live-dead staining, BrdU, and lactate dehydrogenase assay. Furthermore, bacterial and fluid-adhesion tests were performed. Finally, blood compatibility was analyzed according to DIN ISO 10993.
Results The composite system LCC-26 increased the hydrophobic character of the titanium surface (the water contact angle of 74.9 degrees was compared with 62.7 degrees of the uncoated native titanium; p < 0.01) and led to the fluid and cell-repellent properties shown by the reduction in fibroblast adherence by ∼50.7% (p < 0.05), the reduction in Staphylococcus aureus pathogen colonization by 74.1% (p < 0.001), and the decrease in erythrocyte adherence by 62.9% (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the LCC-26 coated titanium microforceps dipped in human whole blood exhibited blood-repellent character (reduction in blood adherence by 46.1%; p < 0.05). Additionally, cyto- and hemocompatibility was guaranteed in direct and indirect tests.
Conclusion Titanium surface modification on surgical instruments exhibits cell, bacteria, and blood-repellent properties with a full guarantee of cyto- and hemocompatibility. Thus, innovatively coated instruments could contribute to increased precision during microsurgical interventions and optimized medical operation routines in the future.
Nonlinear transmission line-driven apparatus for short-pulse microwave exposure of aerosolized pathogens
Authors: Enderich Daniel A. , Hoff Brad W. , Geiler Michael , Geiler Anton , Ottesen Casey , Cohick Zane W. , McConaha Jeremy W. , Pohle Hugh H. , Franzi Matthew A. , Lepell P. David , Montoya Thomas , Schrock James A. , Luginsland John W. , Revelli David , Cox Jason , Irshad Hammad 
Published: June 2021

A system capable of exposing a flowing aerosol stream to short duration (2–4 ns), high-power RF waveforms is described. The system utilizes a C-band gyromagnetic nonlinear transmission line source having peak power outputs ranging as high as 80 kW at a center frequency of 4.2 GHz. RF electric field magnitudes of up to 280 kV/m ± 17% are achieved within the aerosol flow region of the RF exposure apparatus.
Giant exciton-enhanced shift currents and direct current conduction with subbandgap photo excitations produced by many-electron interactions
Authors: Chan Yang-Hao , Qiu Diana Y. , da Jornada Felipe H. , Louie Steven G. 
Published: June 2021

Significance
Shift current, a bulk photovoltaic effect, arises from nonlinear light–matter interaction in a noncentrosymmetric crystal under continuous wave illumination. Although it is a promising mechanism for photocurrent generation without p–n junctions, the short-circuit current (which is related to the power efficiency of a solar cell device) is usually low. It is therefore important to understand the physics of the phenomenon and find materials with strong shift current conductivity. We calculate the shift current conductivity including excitonic effects in a real material (monolayer GeS) from first principles. We show that electron–hole interactions can dramatically enhance and qualitatively change shift current in reduced-dimensional materials. Our results indicate low-dimensional materials are promising candidates for next-generation photovoltaic devices with high efficiencies.
Preferences for nutrients and sensory food qualities identify biological sources of economic values in monkeys
Authors: Huang Fei-Yang , Sutcliffe Michael P. F. , Grabenhorst Fabian 
Published: June 2021

Significance
Preferences for foods high in sugar and fat are near universal and major contributors to obesity. Additionally, human food choices are sophisticated and individualistic: we choose by evaluating a food’s nutrients and sensory features and trading them against quantity and cost. To understand the mechanisms behind human-like food choices, we developed an experimental paradigm in which monkeys chose nutrient rewards offered in varying quantities. Resembling human suboptimal eating, the monkeys’ fat and sugar preferences shifted their nutrient balance away from dietary reference points. Formally defined economic values for specific nutrients and food textures explained the monkeys’ preferences and individual differences. Our findings show how human-like preferences derive from biologically critical food components and open up investigations of underlying neural mechanisms.
Strong evidence for the continued contribution of lead deposited during the 20th century to the atmospheric environment in London of today
Authors: Resongles Eléonore , Dietze Volker , Green David C. , Harrison Roy M. , Ochoa-Gonzalez Raquel , Tremper Anja H. , Weiss Dominik J. 
Published: June 2021

Significance
Lead is a highly toxic element, and low-level environmental lead exposure remains a prime concern due its effects on neurodevelopment in children. It provides a well-researched example of the impact of human activities on environmental quality and the effectiveness of mitigation policies. Using recent and historical data on lead isotopic composition in London airborne particles, we show strong evidence that sources have not changed substantially since the ban in 1999 of leaded gasoline, the main source of environmental lead during the 20th century, suggesting that historical gasoline-derived lead remains an important source of lead in the urban environment due to its persistence and effective remobilization. Novel abatement policies need to be considered if this cycle is to be interrupted.
Symmetric and asymmetric structural evolutions of Te isotopes across the N = 82 shell closure *
Authors: Jiang Hui , Zhou Yi-jie , Lei Yang , Shen Jia-Jie , Bao Man 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Systematic calculations of low-lying energy levels,

transitions, and g factors of even-even tellurium isotopes with mass numbers from 128 to 140 are performed via the nucleon-pair approximation (NPA) of the shell model with phenomenological multipole-multipole interactions. An optimal agreement is obtained between the calculated results and experimental data. The yrast band structures of nuclei below and above the

shell closure are compared and discussed. In particular, the evolutionary differences of

values and

factors, with respect to the symmetry of

, are attributed to the dominant contribution differences in neutron and proton excitations, respectively.
Primary thermometry at 4 K, 14 K, and 25 K applying dielectric-constant gas thermometry
Authors: Gaiser Christof , Fellmuth Bernd 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
This short note is a supplement to the paper ‘Primary thermometry from 2.5 K to 140 K applying dielectric-constant gas thermometry’ (2017 Metrologia
54 141–7). It deals with thermodynamic temperature measurements at the boiling point of the heavy isotope of helium (4He, 4 K) and the triple points of hydrogen (14 K) and neon (25 K). This is of special interest because recent data published in this temperature range have an unexpectedly large spread. The results presented in this short note show that the International Temperature Scale of 1990, ITS-90, is thermodynamically correct at 4 K and 14 K, but too high by about half a millikelvin at 25 K. Furthermore, care is given to two aspects of dielectric-constant gas thermometry in the low-temperature range. First, dielectric-constant gas thermometry can be applied for practical primary thermometry. The measurement of only one isotherm in one day yields a temperature value with an uncertainty order of a few tenths of a millikelvin. Second, the use of recent ab initio values for the virial coefficients of helium as a measuring gas can reduce the efforts significantly. Even one data pair of pressure and dielectric constant can yield a thermodynamic temperature value of uncertainty less than a factor of two larger compared to the uncertainty of the usually used fit evaluation. For 4 K and 25 K, the achieved final uncertainty for T is still larger than the realization uncertainty of T
90. Thereby in the case of 14 K, both uncertainties are comparable.
Simultaneous decoding of cardiovascular and respiratory functional changes from pig intraneural vagus nerve signals
Authors: Vallone Fabio , Ottaviani Matteo Maria , Dedola Francesca , Cutrone Annarita , Romeni Simone , Panarese Adele Macrí , Bernini Fabio , Cracchiolo Marina , Strauss Ivo , Gabisonia Khatia , Gorgodze Nikoloz , Mazzoni Alberto , Recchia Fabio A , Micera Silvestro 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Objective. Bioelectronic medicine is opening new perspectives for the treatment of some major chronic diseases through the physical modulation of autonomic nervous system activity. Being the main peripheral route for electrical signals between central nervous system and visceral organs, the vagus nerve (VN) is one of the most promising targets. Closed-loop VN stimulation (VNS) would be crucial to increase effectiveness of this approach. Therefore, the extrapolation of useful physiological information from VN electrical activity would represent an invaluable source for single-target applications. Here, we present an advanced decoding algorithm novel to VN studies and properly detecting different functional changes from VN signals. Approach. VN signals were recorded using intraneural electrodes in anaesthetized pigs during cardiovascular and respiratory challenges mimicking increases in arterial blood pressure, tidal volume and respiratory rate. We developed a decoding algorithm that combines discrete wavelet transformation, principal component analysis, and ensemble learning made of classification trees. Main results. The new decoding algorithm robustly achieved high accuracy levels in identifying different functional changes and discriminating among them. Interestingly our findings suggest that electrodes positioning plays an important role on decoding performances. We also introduced a new index for the characterization of recording and decoding performance of neural interfaces. Finally, by combining an anatomically validated hybrid neural model and discrimination analysis, we provided new evidence suggesting a functional topographical organization of VN fascicles. Significance. This study represents an important step towards the comprehension of VN signaling, paving the way for the development of effective closed-loop VNS systems.