bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Researches of ice-forming efficiency of products of sublimation of pyrotechnic compositions consisting of silver iodide agi particles and zinc oxide nanotubes
Authors: Khuchunaev B M , Baysiev Kh-M Kh , Gekkieva S O , Budaev A Kh 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The article is a continuation of experimental research on the search for new, more effective compositions for active effects on clouds and fogs. The paper also presents the results of studies of the ice-forming efficiency of pyrotechnic compositions based on AgI and zinc oxide nanotubes. The dependence of the specific yield of ice-forming active particles for various zinc contents in the initial composition of AD-1 was revealed.
Self-lubricating nanocomposite coatings using MAO to improve tribological properties of 6061 aluminum alloy
Authors: Cai Hailong , Zhang Chao , Li Hongtao , Jiang Bailing 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
This study aimed to prepare self-lubricating micro-arc oxidation (MAO)/graphite composite coatings on 6061 aluminium alloy by adding graphite nanoparticles into an alkaline electrolyte during the MAO process. The microstructure, phase composition and element distribution of MAO coatings were studied using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS). The results showed that graphite nanoparticles can be coated uniformly in the MAO coatings, and the porosity and surface roughness of the MAO coatings were reduced by the addition of graphite nanoparticles. However, when the content of graphite nanoparticles was more than 6 g l−1, graphite aggregation occurred. The wear resistance of the coatings was investigated using the ball-on-disk friction tester. After incorporating the graphite nanoparticles, the MAO coatings showed excellent self-lubricating properties and a reduction in the friction coefficient during the wear process. In addition, the MAO coatings showed the best result with the addition of 4 g l−1 graphite nanoparticles compared with all the other composite coatings under investigation. In conclusion, the incorporation of graphite nanoparticles improved the wear properties of the MAO coatings.
Centre–periphery approaches based on geography, ecology and historical climate stability: what explains the variation in morphological traits of Bulnesia sarmientoi?
Authors: Camps Gonzalo A , Cosacov Andrea , Sérsic Alicia N 
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Background and Aims
The centre–periphery hypothesis posits that higher species performance is expected in geographic and ecological centres rather than in peripheral populations. However, this is not the commonly found pattern; therefore, alternative approaches, including the historical dimension of species geographical ranges, should be explored. Morphological functional traits are fundamental determinants of species performance, commonly related to environmental stability and productivity. We tested whether or not historical processes may have shaped variations in tree and leaf traits of the Chaco tree Bulnesia sarmientoi.

Methods
Morphological variation patterns were analysed from three centre–periphery approaches: geographical, ecological and historical. Tree (stem and canopy) and leaf (leaf size and specific leaf area) traits were measured in 24 populations across the species range. A principal component analysis was performed on morphological traits to obtain synthetic variables. Linear mixed-effects models were used to test which of the implemented centre–periphery approaches significantly explained trait spatial patterns.

Key Results
The patterns retrieved from the three centre–periphery approaches were not concordant. The historical approach revealed that trees were shorter in centre populations than in the periphery. Significant differences in leaf traits were observed between the geographical centre and the periphery, mainly due to low specific leaf area values towards the geographical centre. We did not find any pattern associated with the ecological centre–periphery approach.

Conclusions
The decoupled response between leaf and tree traits suggests that these sets of traits respond differently to processes occurring at different times. The geographical and historical approaches showed centres with extreme environments in relation to their respective peripheries, but the historical centre has also been a climatically stable area since the Last Glacial Maximum. The historical approach allowed for the recovery of historical processes underlying variation in tree traits, highlighting that centre–periphery delimitations should be based on a multi-approach framework.
Comprehensive assessment of machine learning-based methods for predicting antimicrobial peptides
Authors: Xu Jing , Li Fuyi , Leier André , Xiang Dongxu , Shen Hsin-Hui , Marquez Lago Tatiana T , Li Jian , Yu Dong-Jun , Song Jiangning 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAntimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a unique and diverse group of molecules that play a crucial role in a myriad of biological processes and cellular functions. AMP-related studies have become increasingly popular in recent years due to antimicrobial resistance, which is becoming an emerging global concern. Systematic experimental identification of AMPs faces many difficulties due to the limitations of current methods. Given its significance, more than 30 computational methods have been developed for accurate prediction of AMPs. These approaches show high diversity in their data set size, data quality, core algorithms, feature extraction, feature selection techniques and evaluation strategies. Here, we provide a comprehensive survey on a variety of current approaches for AMP identification and point at the differences between these methods. In addition, we evaluate the predictive performance of the surveyed tools based on an independent test data set containing 1536 AMPs and 1536 non-AMPs. Furthermore, we construct six validation data sets based on six different common AMP databases and compare different computational methods based on these data sets. The results indicate that amPEPpy achieves the best predictive performance and outperforms the other compared methods. As the predictive performances are affected by the different data sets used by different methods, we additionally perform the 5-fold cross-validation test to benchmark different traditional machine learning methods on the same data set. These cross-validation results indicate that random forest, support vector machine and eXtreme Gradient Boosting achieve comparatively better performances than other machine learning methods and are often the algorithms of choice of multiple AMP prediction tools.
Comprehensive characterization of alternative splicing in renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Yangjun , Wu Xiaoliang , Li Jingzhen , Sun Kui , Li Heng , Yan Libin , Duan Chen , Liu Haoran , Chen Ke , Ye Zhangqun , Liu Mugen , Xu Hua 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Irregular splicing was associated with tumor formation and progression in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and many other cancers. By using splicing data in the TCGA SpliceSeq database, RCC subtype classification was performed and splicing features and their correlations with clinical course, genetic variants, splicing factors, pathways activation and immune heterogeneity were systemically analyzed. In this research, alternative splicing was found useful for classifying RCC subtypes. Splicing inefficiency with upregulated intron retention and cassette exon was associated with advanced conditions and unfavorable overall survival of patients with RCC. Splicing characteristics like splice site strength, guanine and cytosine content and exon length may be important factors disrupting splicing balance in RCC. Other than cis-acting and trans-acting regulation, alternative splicing also differed in races and tissue types and is also affected by mutation conditions, pathway settings and the response to environmental changes. Severe irregular splicing in tumor not only indicated terrible intra-cellular homeostasis, but also changed the activity of cancer-associated pathways by different splicing effects including isoforms switching and expression regulation. Moreover, irregular splicing and splicing-associated antigens were involved in immune reprograming and formation of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Overall, we have described several clinical and molecular features in RCC splicing subtypes, which may be important for patient management and targeting treatment.
The timely overestimation of Spanish GDP in the great recession
Authors: Barba J C , Laborda J , Laborda R 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The inefficient institutional design of the Euro allowed guaranteed bank liabilities to be converted into government debt, deepening the Great-Recession in Southern European countries. A recessive feedback process occurred through an increase in sovereign debt risk premiums in a cycle of global risk aversion. However, there was one fact that limited these negative effects. We refer to the overestimation of Spanish gross domestic product (GDP) in the public accounts for the period 2007–2013. We quantified the unexplained overestimation of Spain’s GDP for the period 2007–2013 using three different methodologies, which leads us to a similar conclusion: Spain’s GDP was overestimated by between 17% and 18%. We demonstrate that this overestimation allowed for significant savings in interest payments through a lower risk premium. This overestimation, unknown to investors, shows that markets are not efficient, and that information is incomplete. It is necessary to understand the role of debt under Hyman Minsky financial instability hypothesis.
Antithrombotic therapy in diabetes: which, when, and for how long?
Authors: Ajjan Ramzi A , Kietsiriroje Noppadol , Badimon Lina , Vilahur Gemma , Gorog Diana A , Angiolillo Dominick J , Russell David A , Rocca Bianca , Storey Robert F 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Cardiovascular disease remains the main cause of mortality in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) and also results in significant morbidity. Premature and more aggressive atherosclerotic disease, coupled with an enhanced thrombotic environment, contributes to the high vascular risk in individuals with DM. This prothrombotic milieu is due to increased platelet activity together with impaired fibrinolysis secondary to quantitative and qualitative changes in coagulation factors. However, management strategies to reduce thrombosis risk remain largely similar in individuals with and without DM. The current review covers the latest in the field of antithrombotic management in DM. The role of primary vascular prevention is discussed together with options for secondary prevention following an ischaemic event in different clinical scenarios including coronary, cerebrovascular, and peripheral artery diseases. Antiplatelet therapy combinations as well as combination of antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents are examined in both the acute phase and long term, including management of individuals with sinus rhythm and those with atrial fibrillation. The difficulties in tailoring therapy according to the variable atherothrombotic risk in different individuals are emphasized, in addition to the varying risk within an individual secondary to DM duration, presence of complications and predisposition to bleeding events. This review provides the reader with an up-to-date guide for antithrombotic management of individuals with DM and highlights gaps in knowledge that represent areas for future research, aiming to improve clinical outcome in this high-risk population.
Left atrial phasic transport function closely correlates with fibrotic and arrhythmogenic atrial tissue degeneration in atrial fibrillation patients: cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking and voltage mapping
Authors: Schönbauer Robert , Tomala Jakub , Kirstein Bettina , Huo Yan , Gaspar Thomas , Richter Utz , Piorkowski Judith , Schönbauer Marie-Sophie , Fiedler Lukas , Roithinger Franz Xaver , Hengstenberg Christian , Mascherbauer Julia , Ulbrich Stefan , Piorkowski Christopher 
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Aims
To characterize the association of phasic left atrial (LA) transport function and LA fibrosis guided by multimodality imaging containing cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) feature tracking and bipolar voltage mapping.

Methods and results
Consecutive patients presenting for first-time ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) were prospectively enrolled. Each patient underwent CMR prior to the ablation procedure. LA phasic indexed volumes (LA-Vi) and emptying fractions (LA-EF) were calculated and CMR feature tracking guided LA wall motion analysis was performed. LA bipolar voltage mapping was carried out in sinus rhythm to find areas of low voltage as a surrogate for fibrosis and arrhythmogenesis. One hundred and sixty-eight patients were enrolled. Low-voltage areas (LVAs) were present in 70 patients (42%). Contrary to LA volume, CMR based LA-EF [odds ratio (OR) 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80–0.96, P = 0.005] and LA booster pump strain rate (SR) (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97–0.99, P = 0.001) significantly predicted presence and extent of LVA in multivariate logistic regression analysis for patients scanned in SR. In receiver operating characteristic analysis, LA-EF &lt;40% carried a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 76% (area under the curve 0.8; 95% CI 0.71–0.89) to predict presence of LVA. For patients scanned in AF only minimal LA-Vi on CMR (OR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02–1.10; P = 0.002) predicted presence of LVA.

Conclusion
For patients scanned in SR LA-EF and LA booster pump SR are closely linked to the presence and extent of LA LVA.
Evolution and Diversity of Semaphorins and Plexins in Choanoflagellates
Authors: Junqueira Alves Chrystian , Silva Ladeira Júlia , Hannah Theodore , Pedroso Dias Roberto J , Zabala Capriles Priscila V , Yotoko Karla , Zou Hongyan , Friedel Roland H 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Semaphorins and plexins are cell surface ligand/receptor proteins that affect cytoskeletal dynamics in metazoan cells. Interestingly, they are also present in Choanoflagellata, a class of unicellular heterotrophic flagellates that forms the phylogenetic sister group to Metazoa. Several members of choanoflagellates are capable of forming transient colonies, whereas others reside solitary inside exoskeletons; their molecular diversity is only beginning to emerge. Here, we surveyed genomics data from 22 choanoflagellate species and detected semaphorin/plexin pairs in 16 species. Choanoflagellate semaphorins (Sema-FN1) contain several domain features distinct from metazoan semaphorins, including an N-terminal Reeler domain that may facilitate dimer stabilization, an array of fibronectin type III domains, a variable serine/threonine-rich domain that is a potential site for O-linked glycosylation, and a SEA domain that can undergo autoproteolysis. In contrast, choanoflagellate plexins (Plexin-1) harbor a domain arrangement that is largely identical to metazoan plexins. Both Sema-FN1 and Plexin-1 also contain a short homologous motif near the C-terminus, likely associated with a shared function. Three-dimensional molecular models revealed a highly conserved structural architecture of choanoflagellate Plexin-1 as compared to metazoan plexins, including similar predicted conformational changes in a segment that is involved in the activation of the intracellular Ras-GAP domain. The absence of semaphorins and plexins in several choanoflagellate species did not appear to correlate with unicellular versus colonial lifestyle or ecological factors such as fresh versus salt water environment. Together, our findings support a conserved mechanism of semaphorin/plexin proteins in regulating cytoskeletal dynamics in unicellular and multicellular organisms.
Is criminalization the answer? Perspectives of community members and police on menstrual seclusion policy in Far-West Nepal
Authors: Baumann Sara E , Merante Monica M , Wiltrout Christopher T , Cutlip Trevor , Finkel Müge , Maharjan Bipu , Lhaki Pema , Burke Jessica G 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Chhaupadi is a form of menstrual seclusion practiced in Nepal in which women and girls are isolated during their menstrual cycles and follow numerous restrictions. The tradition dates back centuries and can have serious physical and mental health consequences. While the practice was criminalized in 2017 with fines and jail time, this legislative action comes after more than a decade of legal history, from an initial ban in 2006, to declaring it a form of violence against women in 2009, and finally, its criminalization in 2017. Exploring levels of awareness regarding the 2017 chhaupadi criminalization, perceptions of the legal penalties, and whether or not criminalization will lead to behaviour change are imperative next steps for informing the development of evidence-based interventions targeting chhaupadi. In this qualitative investigation conducted in Kalikot district, six focus group discussions and 33 in-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 81 participants. School-going girls, girls who have dropped out of school before completing twelfth grade, mothers, fathers, teachers, health care providers, religious leaders, traditional healers, grandmothers and police participated in the study. The results indicate that criminalization is generally perceived as a positive step for initiating chhaupadi behaviour change, and one-third of participants expressed that they plan to change their behaviours after learning that chhaupadi is publishable with fines and/or jail time. However, accurate information about the criminal code is extremely low and therefore interventions ensuring communities and law enforcement are informed of the criminalization and associated penalties are urgently needed. In addition, even after its criminalization, chhaupadi behaviour change is anticipated to be gradual and is expected to require long-term interventions targeting social pressure associated with upholding the tradition and raising awareness via appropriate trainings, engaging the media, and beyond.
Two steps forward, one step back: the lead up to tobacco plain packaging policy in Turkey
Authors: Selamoğlu Melis , Fawkes Sally , Önal Ayşe Emel , Gleeson Deborah 
Published: February 2021

Summary
The Turkish government first announced its intention to proceed with tobacco plain packaging legislation in 2011; however, it was 7 years before the legislation passed in December 2018. This study (conducted in 2018 before the legislation was passed) explored the policy context in Turkey between the first announcement that plain packaging legislation would be introduced and the passage of the legislation in 2018, and identified barriers and facilitators influencing its introduction. Publicly available documents relevant to plain packaging in Turkey were analysed. Interviews were conducted in 2018 with ten key informants including academics, bureaucrats in government ministries and leaders of non-government organizations (NGOs). Thematic analysis was undertaken, using a framework for systematically analysing how issues reach the policy agenda. The introduction of plain packaging legislation proved to be problematic, with many false starts and delays. Findings suggest these were mainly due to political barriers including changes in government, tobacco industry opposition and the national economic crisis. However, plain packaging legislation in Turkey managed to advance on the policy agenda, primarily through the collaborative advocacy efforts of NGOs, academics, and leadership from particular tobacco control advocates and politicians. Turkey’s experience provides lessons for the wider uptake of tobacco plain packaging legislation, illustrating the critical importance of building effective coalitions between a range of stakeholders and political support within government while raising public awareness.
Lay summary
This research provides insights into the barriers and facilitators of decision making and action that shaped the process of introducing tobacco plain packaging legislation in Turkey. Major barriers that slowed Turkey’s progress in enacting plain packaging included the financial and national economic crisis in 2018, changes in health ministers and opposition by the tobacco industry. A major facilitator of the policy process was the collaborative advocacy efforts of non-government organizations, academics, politicians and the leadership of certain tobacco control advocates. The insights from this case study may help other low- and middle-income countries to anticipate and successfully navigate the challenges involved in introducing tobacco plain packaging, an important policy measure for reducing the burden of tobacco-related disease in their populations, and its social and economic impacts. Building effective coalitions and fostering and supporting leadership are important strategies for the successful introduction of plain packaging legislation.
Young@Heart clinic: a feasibility study of an undergraduate pharmacy student-led blood pressure and healthy lifestyle clinic
Authors: Nazar Hamde , Rathbone Adam P , Richardson Charlotte , Livsey Lynne , Husband Andrew Kenneth 
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Student-led clinics offer a work-based learning (WBL) opportunity for undergraduate healthcare students to engage with professional activities in a real-life setting. Participation is posited to provide experiential learning and prepare students for clinical practice. This study aims to assess the feasibility of establishing and engaging undergraduate students in one such initiative through the collaboration between one School of Pharmacy and local authority.

Methods
The clinic was developed using a logic model and delivered in 2019–2020. A service specification and training were developed and provided to volunteering undergraduate pharmacy students. Anonymised service data were collected and process outcomes around student and public engagement were recorded to assess feasibility for longer-term embedding into the undergraduate programme.

Key findings
The clinic was operational for 20 days from November 2019 to February 2020. Student volunteers (n = 43, 36.7%) were trained and provided blood pressure screening and healthy living advice to 131 members of the public. Student drop-out occurred due to the voluntary nature of the initiative.

Conclusions
Collaborative working with the local authority facilitated this WBL experience outside conventional clinical environments. The study demonstrated the potential for students to participate in service provision. This offers value to the local population through a health prevention service when a structured approach to the design and delivery of the educational experience is undertaken. The study provides insight into how the WBL can work, what it requires (e.g. resource, preparation), and learning to inform the wider implementation of this WBL into the undergraduate curriculum.