bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of fluorine‐containing side chain on the properties of waterborne polyurethane‐urea
Authors: Zhao Yanqing , Su Yingli , Zou Wangcai , Chen Gang , Deng Yiqing , Cheng Jun , Ren Haisheng , Zhao Qiang 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn order to prepare waterborne polyurethane with excellent water resistance and thermodynamic properties, a series of side chain fluorinated waterborne polyurethane‐urea (FWPU‐UA) was synthesized with polytetramethylene ether glycol,N‐(2‐methyl‐1,3‐propanediol‐2′‐)‐perfluoro‐1‐butanesulfonyl amine (NPBA), isophorone diisocyanate, and isophoronediamine. With the increase of NPBA content, the weight loss temperature, glass transition temperature, and tensile strength of FWPU‐UA were all improved. Gaussian fitting analysis of infrared data and density functional theory simulation proved that the introduction of fluorine side chains increased the interaction of hydrogen bonding in the FWPU‐UA. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated that the aggregation of fluorine atoms on the surface of film were caused by the migration and enrichment of fluorine side chains. Furthermore, the water resistance of polyurethane‐urea film could be significantly improved by adding a small amount of NPBA, and the seven‐day water absorption rate of polyurethane‐urea film was reduced from 30.13% to 12.55%.
Relevance of graphene oxide as nanofiller for geometrical variation in unidirectional carbon fiber/epoxy composite
Authors: Pathak Abhishek K. , Garg Hema , Yokozeki Tomohiro , Dhakate Sanjay R. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractCurved geometry in unidirectional CFRP (UD‐CFRP) demands ideal shape optimization to attain superior performance while maintaining the desired high strength to weight ratio. Herein, the effect of graphene oxide (GO) as the potential filler to improve the mechanical and thermal properties of flat and curved specimens of UD‐CFRP was investigated. The GO was synthesized using Hummer's method and introduced in the epoxy resin by wet transfer technique. Three‐point and four‐point bending analysis of UD‐CFRP showed maximum flexural strength and modulus at 0.3 wt% GO addition in UD‐CFRP. The improved interfacial adhesion of 0.3 wt% GO incorporated UD‐CFRP was realized by calculating storage modulus, reinforcement efficiency factor (r), C‐factor, adhesion factor, cross‐linking density, and glass transition temperature (Tg) from dynamic mechanical analyzer. Fracture analysis by scanning electron microscope showed the superior interlocking in carbon fiber, and epoxy polymer at 0.3 wt% GO addition.
Comparative 13C‐metabolic flux analysis indicates elevation of ATP regeneration, carbon dioxide, and heat production in industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains
Authors: Yatabe Futa , Okahashi Nobuyuki , Seike Taisuke , Matsuda Fumio 
Published: May 2021

AbstractBackgroundVarious industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains are used for specific processes, such as sake, wine brewing and bread making. Understanding mechanisms underlying the fermentation performance of these strains would be useful for further engineering of the S. cerevisiae metabolism. However, the relationship between the fermentation performance, intra‐cellular metabolic states, and other phenotypic characteristics of industrial yeasts is still unclear. In this study, 13C‐metabolic flux analysis of four diploid yeast strains—laboratory, sake, bread, and wine yeasts—was conducted.ResultsWhile the Crabtree effect was observed for all strains, the metabolic flux level of glycolysis was elevated in bread and sake yeast. Furthermore, increased flux levels of the TCA cycle were commonly observed in the three industrial strains. The specific rates of CO2 production, net ATP regeneration, and metabolic heat generation estimated from the metabolic flux distribution were two to three times greater than those of the laboratory strain. The elevation in metabolic heat generation was correlated with the tolerance to low‐temperature stress.ConclusionThese results indicate that the metabolic flux distribution of sake and bread yeast strains contributes to faster production of ethanol and CO2. It is also suggested that the generation of metabolic heat is preferable under the actual industrial fermentation conditions.
Easy three‐dimensional scanning technology for anatomy education using a free cellphone app
Authors: Iwanaga Joe , Terada Satoshi , Kim Hee‐Jin , Tabira Yoko , Arakawa Takamitsu , Watanabe Koichi , Dumont Aaron S. , Tubbs R. Shane 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic has brought difficult times to anatomy educators and medical/dental students. Under normal circumstances, gross anatomy classes give students opportunities to touch and observe human bones and cadaveric tissues, thus enhancing their understanding; such morphology is difficult to learn from textbooks alone. As many studies have shown, three‐dimensional (3D) technologies used in online lectures can serve as alternatives to real specimens for providing knowledge of anatomy. However, such technologies are often expensive. The goal of this study was to create 3D anatomy models for online lectures using a free cellphone app. Free application software (Qlone) was used to create 3D anatomical models. The extracranium and intracranium of adult skull, fetal skull, mandible, temporal bone, second cervical vertebra, and ilium were all scanned and exported to the computer in 3D format. A total of 53 anatomical structures were evaluated by nine observers. Although the 53 structures used in this study did not include all the structures that students need to learn, visibility was good/acceptable for most of the 53. The free and simple 3D scanning app used in this study could enable anatomy educators to provide better content to students during online lectures.
Clinical anatomy considerations on the muscular and vascular components of the midface by ultrasonographic imaging
Authors: Hormazabal‐Peralta Alonso , Lee Kang‐woo , Lee Hyung‐Jin , Choi You‐Jin , Hu Kyung‐Seok , Kim Hee‐Jin 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe first signs of face aging appear in the midface, so procedures such as botulinum toxin and filler injections are performed there. However, no guidelines based on clinical anatomy describing the muscular and vascular components in vivo have been published. The aim of this research was to describe the depths of the midface muscles and the locations of vessels using ultrasonographic (US) imaging. US was applied at 12 landmarks on the midface in 88 volunteers (49 males and 39 females; 19–36 years) to detect sex differences in the depths of muscles and the locations of the vessels. The depths of the orbicularis oculi (OOc), levator labii superioris alaeque nasi (LLSAN), and zygomaticus minor (Zmi) differed significantly with sex at P7 (p = 0.001) and P8 (p = 0.017), P1 (p = 0.028), and P4 (p = 0.035), respectively. The facial artery, facial vein, angular artery, angular vein, and perforator vessels were found at P9, P2 and P10, P1, P1 and P5, and P8, P11 and P12, respectively. The findings indicate that the depths of the OOc, LLSAN, and Zmi muscles differ between the sexes and that the vessels appear at specific landmarks. This information could help in developing anatomical guidelines for several procedures.
The role of comprehensive analysis with circulating tumor DNA in advanced non‐small cell lung cancer patients considered for osimertinib treatment
Authors: Sueoka‐Aragane Naoko , Nakashima Chiho , Yoshida Hironori , Matsumoto Naohisa , Iwanaga Kentaro , Ebi Noriyuki , Nishiyama Akihiro , Yatera Kazuhiro , Kuyama Shoichi , Fukuda Minoru , Ushijima Sunao , Umeguchi Hitomi , Harada Daijiro , Kashiwabara Kosuke , Suetsugu Takayuki , Fujimoto Nobukazu , Tanaka Fumihiro , Uramoto Hidetaka , Yoshii Chiharu , Nakatomi Katsumi , Koh Genju , Seki Nobuhiko , Aoe Keisuke , Nosaki Kaname , Inoue Koji , Takamori Ayako , Kawaguchi Atsushi 
Published: May 2021

AbstractBackgroundEGFR mutations are good predictive markers of efficacy of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR‐TKI), but whether comprehensive genomic analysis beyond EGFR itself with circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) adds further predictive or prognostic value has not been clarified.MethodsPatients with NSCLC who progressed after treatment with EGFR‐TKI, and with EGFR T790 M detected by an approved companion diagnostic test (cobas®), were treated with osimertinib. Plasma samples were collected before and after treatment. Retrospective comprehensive next‐generation sequencing (NGS) of ctDNA was performed with Guardant360®. Correlation between relevant mutations in ctDNA prior to treatment and clinical outcomes, as well as mechanisms of acquired resistance, were analyzed.ResultsAmong 147 patients tested, 57 patients received osimertinib, with an overall response rate (ORR) of 58%. NGS was successful in 54 of 55 available banked plasma samples; EGFR driver mutations were detected in 43 (80%) and T790 M in 32 (59%). The ORR differed significantly depending on the ratio (T790 M allele fraction [AF])/(sum of variant AF) in ctDNA (p = 0.044). The total number of alterations detected in plasma by NGS was higher in early resistance patients (p = 0.025). T790 M was lost in 32% of patients (6 out of 19) after acquired resistance to osimertinib. One patient with RB1 deletion and copy number gains of EGFR, PIK3CA, and MYC in addition to T790 M, showed rapid progression due to suspected small cell transformation.ConclusionsNGS of ctDNA could be a promising method for predicting osimertinib efficacy in patients with advanced NSCLC harboring EGFR T790 M.
Admission control mechanism for quality of service and security in H.323 voice gateway
Authors: EL‐Ashri Nader K. , Badran Ehab F. , Zaki Amira I. , Badawi Waleed K. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe rapid demand on the VOIP communication lead to the increase of the development of information security and the offered quality. Therefore, information technology has increased the deepening and developing of call admission control (CAC). In which, admission decisions and resource reservations are taken at the edge voice gateway, rather than resources or individual routers within the network. This means that, CAC decision is made before a voice call is established and it depends on the availability of the required call resources to provide suitable quality of service (QoS) for the new call. In this article, a new model for voice network, in order to achieve QoS along with security, is proposed. In the proposed model, the admission control decision is taken place at H.323 voice gateways using resource reservation protocol. It is shown that the admission control decision should be taken at edge H.323 voice gateways. This will lead to provide the accepted security for both, source and destination nodes which were previously authenticated through the identity services engine. It is concluded from the simulation results that the packet loss rate of call flows after implementing the mechanism is almost 0%. In addition, there is no jitter although there is some delay for packet delivery “Latency.” The latency observed by the proposed model is still accepted according to the ITU G.114 standard which recommends a maximum of a 150 ms one‐way latency. All results are tested in GNS3 based simulation to evaluate the performance of voice gateway based upon CAC.
Frequency and type of adverse analytical findings in athletics: Differences among disciplines
Authors: Aguilar‐Navarro Millán , Salinero Juan J. , Muñoz‐Guerra Jesús , Plata María del Mar , Del Coso Juan 
Published: May 2021

AbstractAthletics is a highly diverse sport that contains a set of disciplines grouped into jumps, throws, races of varying distances, and combined events. From a physiological standpoint, the physical capabilities linked to success are quite different among disciplines, with varying involvements of muscle strength, muscle power, and endurance. Thus, the use of banned substances in athletics might be dictated by physical dimensions of each discipline. Thus, the aim of this investigation was to analyse the number and distribution of adverse analytical findings per drug class in athletic disciplines. The data included in this investigation were gathered from the Anti‐Doping Testing Figure Report made available by the World Anti‐Doping Agency (from 2016 to 2018). Interestingly, there were no differences in the frequency of adverse findings (overall,~0.95%, range from 0.77 to 1.70%) among disciplines despite long distance runners having the highest number of samples analysed per year (~9812 samples/year). Sprinters and throwers presented abnormally high proportions of adverse analytical findings within the group of anabolic agents (p < 0.01); middle‐ and long‐distance runners presented atypically high proportions of findings related to peptide hormones and growth factors (p < 0.01); racewalkers presented atypically high proportions of banned diuretics and masking agents (p = 0.05). These results suggest that the proportion of athletes that are using banned substances is similar among the different disciplines of athletics. However, there are substantial differences in the class of drugs more commonly used in each discipline. This information can be used to effectively enhance anti‐doping testing protocols in athletics.
Long‐term stability study and evaluation of intact steroid conjugate ratios after the administration of endogenous steroids
Authors: De Wilde Laurie , Van Renterghem Pieter , Van Eenoo Peter 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe most frequently detected substances prohibited by the World Anti‐Doping Agency (WADA) belong to the anabolic steroids class. The most challenging compounds among this class are the endogenous anabolic steroids, which are detected by quantitative measurement of testosterone (T) and its metabolites with a so‐called “steroid profiling” method. The current steroid profile is based on the concentrations and ratios of the sum of free and glucuronidated steroids. Recently, our group developed a steroid profiling method for the detection of three free steroids and 14 intact steroid conjugates, including both the glucuronic acid conjugated and sulfated fraction. The study aimed at evaluating the long‐term stability of steroid conjugate concentrations and ratios, and the influence of different endogenous steroids on this extended steroid profile. A single dose of oral T undecanoate (TU), topical T gel, topical dihydrotestosterone (DHT) gel, and oral dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) was administered to six healthy male volunteers. One additional volunteer with a homozygote deletion of the UGT2B17 gene (del/del genotype) received a single topical dose of T gel. An intramuscular dose of TU was administered to another volunteer. To avoid fluctuation of steroid concentrations caused by variations in urinary flow rates, steroid ratios were calculated and evaluated as possible biomarkers for the detection of endogenous steroid abuse with low doses. Overall, sulfates do not have substantial additional value in prolonging detection times for the investigated endogenous steroids and administration doses. The already monitored glucuronides were overall the best markers and were sufficient to detect the administered steroids.
Ecological genetics ofJuglans nigra: Differences in early growth patterns of natural populations
Authors: Onofrio Lauren , Hawley Gary , Leites Laura P. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractMany boreal and temperate forest tree species distributed across large geographic ranges are composed of populations adapted to the climate they inhabit. Forestry provenance studies and common gardens provide evidence of local adaptation to climate when associations between fitness traits and the populations' home climates are observed. Most studies that evaluate tree height as a fitness trait do so at a specific point in time. In this study, we elucidate differences in early growth patterns in black walnut (Juglans nigraL.) populations by modeling height growth from seed up to age 11. The data comprise tree height measurements between ages 2 and 11 for 52 natural populations of black walnut collected through its geographic range and planted in one or more of 3 common gardens. We use the Chapman–Richards growth model in a mixed effects framework and test whether populations differ in growth patterns by incorporating populations' home climate into the model. In addition, we evaluate differences in populations' absolute growth and relative growth based on the fitted model. Models indicated that populations from warmer climates had the highest cumulative growth through time, with differences in average tree height between populations from home climates with a mean annual temperature (MAT) of 13°C and of 7°C estimated to be as high as 80% at age 3. Populations from warmer climates were also estimated to have higher and earlier maximum absolute growth rate than populations from colder climates. In addition, populations from warm climates were predicted to have higher relative growth rates at any given tree size. Results indicate that natural selection may shape early growth patterns of populations within a tree species, suggesting that fast early growth rates are likely selected for in relatively mild environments where competition rather than tolerance to environmental stressors becomes the dominant selection pressure.
Energy landscape analysis elucidates the multistability of ecological communities across environmental gradients
Authors: Suzuki Kenta , Nakaoka Shinji , Fukuda Shinji , Masuya Hiroshi 
Published: May 2021

AbstractCompositional multistability is widely observed in multispecies ecological communities. Since differences in community composition often lead to differences in community function, understanding compositional multistability is essential to comprehend the role of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystems. In community assembly studies, it has long been recognized that the order and timing of species migration and extinction influence structure and function of communities. The study of multistability in ecology has focused on the change in dynamical stability across environmental gradients, and was developed mainly for low‐dimensional systems. As a result, methodologies for studying the compositional stability of empirical multispecies communities are not well developed. Here, we show that models previously used in ecology can be analyzed from a new perspective, the energy landscape, to unveil compositional stability in observational data. To show that our method can be applicable to real‐world ecological communities, we simulated assembly dynamics driven by population‐level processes, and show that results were mostly robust to different simulation assumptions. Our method reliably captured the change in the overall compositional stability of multispecies communities over environmental change, and indicated a small fraction of community compositions that may be channels for transitions between stable states. When applied to murine gut microbiota, our method showed the presence of two alternative states whose relationship changes with age, and suggested mechanisms by which aging affects the compositional stability of the murine gut microbiota. Our method provides a practical tool to study the compositional stability of communities in a changing world, and will facilitate empirical studies that integrate the concept of multistability from different fields.
Effect of onion on blood lipid profile: A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Huang Wang , Tang Gang , Zhang Linyu , Tao Jie , Wei Zhengqiang 
Published: May 2021

AbstractBackgroundStudies indicate that onion supplementation may be effective in the treatment of dyslipidemia; however, the results remain controversial. This meta‐analysis was conducted to evaluate potential benefits of onion on lipid profile.MethodsUp to 12 October 2020, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of onion on lipid profile. Mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Meta‐analysis was conducted using the fixed‐effects model.ResultsTen trials with 446 participants in total were included in the meta‐analysis. The pooled findings of 10 studies suggested that onion supplementation significantly improved high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) (MD: 2.29 mg/dl; 95% CI: 0.87, 3.72; I2 = 0%) and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) (MD: −6.64 mg/dl; 95% CI: −10.91, −2.36; I2 = 32%),while onion supplementation did not significantly lower triglycerides (TG) (MD: −6.55 mg/dl; 95% CI: −15.64, 2.53; I2 = 45%). Analysis of nine trials showed a significant reduction in total cholesterol (TC) (MD: −5.39 mg/dl; 95% CI: −10.68, −0.09; I2 = 49%) in patients with onion supplementation compared to the control group.ConclusionIn summary, supplementation of onion was beneficial to control dyslipidemia, including improving levels of HDL, LDL, and TC, but could not reduce TG level. The therapeutic benefits of onion for dyslipidemia need to be treated with caution considering that some of the results are not robust.
Validation of The Edinburgh cognitive and behavioural ALS screen (ECAS) in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: De Icaza Valenzuela Mónica M. , Bak Thomas H. , Thompson Harriet E. , Colville Shuna , Pal Suvankar , Abrahams Sharon 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) was developed to assess cognitive and behavioural changes in an anterior frontotemporal syndrome (executive functions, language, fluency and behaviour), common in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and also assesses posterior cerebral dysfunction (memory and visuospatial abilities).ObjectivesTo validate the ECAS in behavioural variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD) without ALS, as compared with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), against comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. Compare its sensitivity to that of the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE‐III) and investigate behavioural changes in both types of dementia.MethodsRetrospective study of 16 people with bvFTD (without ALS), 32 with AD, and 48 healthy controls completed the ECAS, ACE‐III and extensive neuropsychological assessment.ResultsThe ECAS showed higher sensitivity (94%) and marginally lower specificity (96%) than the ACE‐III for both the bvFTD and AD groups. The anterior composite subscore was sensitive for bvFTD (94%), and slightly less so for AD (84%), while the posterior composite subscore was sensitive for AD (97%), and less so for bvFTD (75%). All people with bvFTD that were impaired on the ECAS total and anterior composite scores were also impaired on the anterior function’s tests of the neuropsychological assessment. A cut‐off of four or more behavioural domains affected differentiated well between the bvFTD and AD groups, while a qualitative analysis of the behavioural interview found different themes between groups.ConclusionsThe ECAS is a valid and sensitive assessment for bvFTD without ALS and for AD. The carer behavioural interview makes it particularly suitable to detect behavioural abnormalities related to frontal lobe disorders