bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development of a semi-automated segmentation tool for high frequency ultrasound image analysis of mouse echocardiograms
Authors: Powers Kristi , Chang Raymond , Torello Justin , Silva Rhonda , Cadoret Yannick , Cupelo William , Morton Lori , Dunn Michael 
Published: March 2021

AbstractEchocardiography is a widely used and clinically translatable imaging modality for the evaluation of cardiac structure and function in preclinical drug discovery and development. Echocardiograms are among the first in vivo diagnostic tools utilized to evaluate the heart due to its relatively low cost, high throughput acquisition, and non-invasive nature; however lengthy manual image analysis, intra- and inter-operator variability, and subjective image analysis presents a challenge for reproducible data generation in preclinical research. To combat the image-processing bottleneck and address both variability and reproducibly challenges, we developed a semi-automated analysis algorithm workflow to analyze long- and short-axis murine left ventricle (LV) ultrasound images. The long-axis B-mode algorithm executes a script protocol that is trained using a reference library of 322 manually segmented LV ultrasound images. The short-axis script was engineered to analyze M-mode ultrasound images in a semi-automated fashion using a pixel intensity evaluation approach, allowing analysts to place two seed-points to triangulate the local maxima of LV wall boundary annotations. Blinded operator evaluation of the semi-automated analysis tool was performed and compared to the current manual segmentation methodology for testing inter- and intra-operator reproducibility at baseline and after a pharmacologic challenge. Comparisons between manual and semi-automatic derivation of LV ejection fraction resulted in a relative difference of 1% for long-axis (B-mode) images and 2.7% for short-axis (M-mode) images. Our semi-automatic workflow approach reduces image analysis time and subjective bias, as well as decreases inter- and intra-operator variability, thereby enhancing throughput and improving data quality for pre-clinical in vivo studies that incorporate cardiac structure and function endpoints.
Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in the primary motor cortex and its effects on sensorimotor function: a quasi-experimental single-blind sham-controlled trial
Authors: Lerma-Lara Sergio , De Cherade Montbron Marina , Guérin Mathias , Cuenca-Martínez Ferran , La Touche Roy 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe main aim was to assess the short-term effects of active-tDCS (a-tDCS) in the primary motor cortex (anodal stimulation-M1) on sensorimotor variables. These variables included discriminative sensation through the two-point discrimination (2-PD) test, tactile acuity threshold and pressure pain threshold (PPT), and electromyographic (EMG) activity compared with a sham-tDCS (s-tDCS) in healthy individuals. A total of 100 participants were included. Fifty of the participants received the a-tDCS application of 2 mA for 20 min, whereas the remaining fifty received the s-tDCS. The 2-PD and tactile acuity threshold in thenar eminence of the hand and in the dorsal part of the foot and also, PPT and EMG activity during maximal voluntary contraction in the biceps brachii and rectus femoris were assessed before and after the tDCS application. The a-tDCS intervention was not significantly superior to the s-tDCS in any variable. However, significant within-group pre- and post-intervention differences were found in the a-tDCS, such as the tactile acuity threshold in thenar eminence of the hand, with a small effect size (p = .012, d = 0.20) and in the PPT of the rectus femoris, also with a small effect size (p = .001, d =  − 0.17). Regarding EMG activity, a trend towards greater activity was observed in participants with a-tDCS compared with s-tDCS, which showed a trend towards decreased EMG activity. In fact, although no differences were found between the groups, within-group differences were statistically significant in the biceps brachii pre- and postintervention (p = .023, d =  − 0.16, and p = .002, d = 0.18, respectively), and also in the rectus femoris, only in the a-tDCS, with a small effect size (p = .011, d =  − 0.14). This study showed no significant between-group differences in sensorimotor outcomes. A single session of tDCS in isolation appears to produce immediate effects in healthy participants on sensorimotor function; however, these effects were very small.
Cardiothoracic imaging findings of Proteus syndrome
Authors: Mirmomen S. Mojdeh , Arai Andrew E. , Turkbey Evrim B. , Bradley Andrew J. , Sapp Julie C. , Biesecker Leslie G. , Sirajuddin Arlene 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this work, we sought to delineate the prevalence of cardiothoracic imaging findings of Proteus syndrome in a large cohort at our institution. Of 53 individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of Proteus syndrome at our institution from 10/2001 to 10/2019, 38 individuals (men, n = 23; average age = 24 years) underwent cardiothoracic imaging (routine chest CT, CT pulmonary angiography and/or cardiac MRI). All studies were retrospectively and independently reviewed by two fellowship-trained cardiothoracic readers. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. Differences between variables were analyzed via parametric and nonparametric tests based on the normality of the distribution. The cardiothoracic findings of Proteus syndrome were diverse, but several were much more common and included: scoliosis from bony overgrowth (94%), pulmonary venous dilation (62%), band-like areas of lung scarring (56%), and hyperlucent lung parenchyma (50%). In addition, of 20 individuals who underwent cardiac MRI, 9/20 (45%) had intramyocardial fat, mostly involving the endocardial surface of the left ventricular septal wall. There was no statistically significant difference among the functional cardiac parameters between individuals with and without intramyocardial fat. Only one individual with intramyocardial fat had mildly decreased function (LVEF = 53%), while all others had normal ejection fraction.
Detection of differentially culturable tubercle bacteria in sputum using mycobacterial culture filtrates
Authors: Gordhan Bhavna G. , Peters Julian S. , McIvor Amanda , Machowski Edith E. , Ealand Christopher , Waja Ziyaad , Martinson Neil , Kana Bavesh D. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractRapid detection of tuberculosis (TB) infection is paramount to curb further transmission. The gold standard for this remains mycobacterial culture, however emerging evidence confirms the presence of differentially culturable tubercle bacteria (DCTB) in clinical specimens. These bacteria do not grow under standard culture conditions and require the presence of culture filtrate (CF), from axenic cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), to emerge. It has been hypothesized that molecules such as resuscitation promoting factors (Rpfs), fatty acids and cyclic-AMP (cAMP) present in CF are responsible for the growth stimulatory activity. Herein, we tested the ability of CF from the non-pathogenic bacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis (Msm) to stimulate the growth of DCTB, as this organism provides a more tractable source of CF. We also interrogated the role of Mtb Rpfs in stimulation of DCTB by creating recombinant strains of Msm that express Mtb rpf genes in various combinations. CF derived from this panel of strains was tested on sputum from individuals with drug susceptible TB prior to treatment. CF from wild type Msm did not enable detection of DCTB in a manner akin to Mtb CF preparations and whilst the addition of RpfABMtb and RpfABCDEMtb to an Msm mutant devoid of its native rpfs did improve detection of DCTB compared to the no CF control, it was not statistically different to the empty vector control. To further investigate the role of Rpfs, we compared the growth stimulatory activity of CF from Mtb, with and without Rpfs and found these to be equivalent. Next, we tested chemically diverse fatty acids and cAMP for growth stimulation and whilst some selective stimulatory effect was observed, this was not significantly higher than the media control and not comparable to CF. Together, these data indicate that the growth stimulatory effect observed with Mtb CF is most likely the result of a combination of factors. Future work aimed at identifying the nature of these growth stimulatory molecules may facilitate improvement of culture-based diagnostics for TB.
Analysis of biomolecules in cochineal dyed archaeological textiles by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Celis F. , Segura C. , Gómez-Jeria J. S. , Campos-Vallette M. , Sanchez-Cortes S. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractSERS spectroscopy is successfully employed in this work to reveal different components integrating the cochineal colorant employed for dying archaeological textile samples from the Arica Region in North Chile. This analysis was done by in-situ experiments that does not imply the material (colorant and biomolecules) extraction. The spectroscopic analysis of the archaeological textiles by SERS reveals the presence of bands attributed to carminic acid and nucleobases, mainly adenine and guanine. The identification of these biomolecules was also verified in raw cochineal extract and in cochineal dyed replica wool fibers fabricated by us following ancient receipts. The effect of Al on the complexation of carminic acid and other biomolecules was also tested in order to understand the changes induced by the metal interaction on the colorant structure. This study revealed that Al can also complex biomolecules existing in the cochineal extract. In particular, guanine residue seems to interact strongly with the metal, since SERS bands of this residue are enhanced. Furthermore, a theoretical analysis on the interaction of carminic acid and a silver surface was also performed in order to better understand the interaction mechanism between carminic acid and a metal surface that leads to the final SERS spectrum. The results of the present work will be very useful in the identification of different molecules and metal complexes that may be forming part of the cochineal colorant found in archaeological materials.
Searching for small-world and scale-free behaviour in long-term historical data of a real-world power grid
Authors: Hartmann Bálint , Sugár Viktória 
Published: March 2021

AbstractSince the introduction of small-world and scale-free properties, there is an ongoing discussion on how certain real-world networks fit into these network science categories. While the electrical power grid was among the most discussed examples of these real-word networks, published results are controversial, and studies usually fail to take the aspects of network evolution into consideration. Consequently, while there is a broad agreement that power grids are small-world networks and might show scale-free behaviour; although very few attempts have been made to find how these characteristics of the network are related to grid infrastructure development or other underlying phenomena. In this paper the authors use the 70-year-long historical dataset (1949–2019) of the Hungarian power grid to perform complex network analysis, which is the first attempt to evaluate small-world and scale-free properties on long-term real-world data. The results of the analysis suggest that power grids show small-world behaviour only after the introduction of multiple voltage levels. It is also demonstrated that the node distribution of the examined power grid does not show scale-free behaviour and that the scaling is stabilised around certain values after the initial phase of grid evolution.
Teachers and Language Outcomes of Young Bilinguals: A Scoping Review
Authors: Ramírez Rica , Huang Becky H. , Palomin Amanda , McCarty Laurenne 
Published: March 2021

PurposeThe present scoping review seeks to fill an important need in the bilingual research and education community by analyzing the recent research literature on how teacher factors potentially influence young bilingual children's language outcomes. The research aims are twofold: synthesize the research findings on teacher factors that influence bilinguals' language development, and identify gaps in the literature to determine future research directions.MethodThe search parameters used in this review included peer-reviewed journal articles from 2000 to 2019 in order to synthesize the most recent empirical work on this topic, a focus on typically developing bilinguals from the age of 3 to 8 years, and research designs that included case studies, descriptive, cross-sectional, quasi-experimental, experimental, longitudinal, mixed methods, and qualitative methods.ResultsA search of major databases for studies on young bilinguals and teachers between 2000 and 2019 combined with multiple levels of screening and review yielded 21 peer-reviewed articles. Four major themes emerged: (a) teacher characteristics, (b) teacher quality, (c) teacher talk, and (d) teacher emotional support.ConclusionsOverall, the results of this synthesis suggest that teachers do in fact influence the language development of young bilinguals. Teacher talk and teacher quality were found to be the two themes that were of most interest in the research community, and the results generally supported the positive effect of teacher quality and teacher talk on language outcomes among bilinguals, with some variability. This review has important implications for teacher training and education in an effort to better serve the growing population of bilingual children.
Cluster optimization in wireless sensor network based on optimized Artificial Bee Colony algorithm
Authors: S. R Deepa , D Rekha 
Published: March 2021

AbstractWireless sensor networks (WSNs) have emerged as a potential research area owing to their wide range of applicability in various fields. Critical application areas of WSN include defence and military surveillance, weather monitoring, health care monitoring, and Internet of Things. Extensive research efforts have been made to improve energy and data delivery performance in WSN with different bio‐inspired optimized clustering methodologies such as particle swarm optimization (PSO), and the bacterial foraging algorithm for optimization (BFAO). However, most constrained solutions are limited to data aggregation performance and enhance the energy efficiency of the network to some extent. Therefore, balancing energy and data delivery performance to a greater extent is crucial because of design limitations imposed on existing hierarchical solutions. This article introduces a novel clustering paradigm, namely optimal clustering using the Artificial Bee Colony (OCABC) algorithm, which improves energy efficiency based on a simplified and robust ABC algorithm. The central idea is to increase the network lifetime of the WSN by optimizing the cluster formation process. The implemented structured module of OCABC attempts to overcome challenges encountered in existing baselines. The extensive numerical analysis with respect to significant performance parameters assists in benchmarking the OCABC compared with the PSO and BFAO.
Rescue of codon-pair deoptimized respiratory syncytial virus by the emergence of genomes with very large internal deletions that complemented replication
Authors: Le Nouën Cyril , McCarty Thomas , Yang Lijuan , Brown Michael , Wimmer Eckard , Collins Peter L. , Buchholz Ursula J. 
Published: March 2021

Significance
Synonymous recoding of viral genomes by codon-pair deoptimization (CPD) provides live-attenuated vaccine candidates expected to be genetically stable. However, their actual genetic stability is largely unknown. Under selective pressure, a highly attenuated human respiratory syncytial virus bearing CPD G and F ORFs (called Min B) generated abundant subpopulations of genomes containing large internal deletions (LD genomes). These LD genomes contained the CPD F gene in the first or second promoter-proximal position. This provided increased expression of the F protein, which rescued Min B replication. Thus, defective genomes were specifically selected to complement and rescue the replication of a CPD RNA virus. This study describes a previously unknown mechanism of adaptation of negative-strand RNA viruses.
“Don’t go getting into trouble again!”
Authors: Fanego Teresa 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBuilding on Goldberg’s (2006: 52) observation regarding the existence of “a family of related constructions in English” centred around the verbgo, this article explores the history of the construction exemplified in the title (“Don’t go getting into trouble again!”) and its relation to other members of the network ofgo-constructions. The analysis, conducted using three large corpora, shows that theGoVPingconstruction emerges from two source constructions (one with an –ingparticiple following the verbgoand the other with an infinitive) which exhibit overlap in terms of certain aspects of their form and meaning. From its earliest attestations in the eighteenth century, theGoVPingconstruction has grown increasingly more interpersonal, and has become conventionalized as a marker of admonitive mood (Bybee et al. 1994: 321) which serves to dissuade or limit the performance of an activity that is apprehended as undesirable and counter-normative.
Substances and Your Senses: The Sensory Patterns of Young People within an Alcohol and Drug Treatment Service
Authors: Kelly John , Meredith Pamela Joy , Taylor Michelle , Morphett Amanda , Wilson Hollie 
Published: March 2021

Background Substance use disorders (SUD) and trauma histories in adults have been linked with sensory processing patterns that are significantly different from the general population. Nevertheless, no studies have investigated sensory patterns, or the variables with which they are related, in youth with SUD. This study aimed to compare sensory patterns of this sample with normative data and consider associations between sensory patterns and: substance use, trauma, quality-of-life, mental and physical health. Methods A cross-sectional quantitative research design was employed with a sample of 87 young people (mean age = 20.8 years) with SUD voluntarily attending a specialist youth outpatient alcohol and other drug (AOD) service. For participants, the Adolescent Adult Sensory Profile was added to measures routinely collected at the service. Results Participants’ sensory processing patterns for low registration, sensory sensitivity, and sensation avoiding were significantly higher than the normative population, while sensation seeking was both lower and higher. Ninety-one percent reported atypical scores on one or more sensory patterns. High rates of probable Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder (PTSD), psychological distress, and low quality-of-life were also reported, which were meaningfully related with sensory patterns. Conclusion Young people reported complex combinations of sensory processing patterns, with comorbid probable PTSD, psychological distress, and low quality-of-life. Findings reflect studies with adult AOD, trauma, and other clinical conditions, and highlight the potential value of screening for sensory patterns and applying transdiagnostic approaches which simultaneously address substance use, mental health, trauma and sensory needs to optimize outcomes for young people with SUD.
Transfer of learning in a mathematical methods in physics course for undergraduate students of physics
Authors: Arbabifar Fatemeh 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
This study examined the effect of transfer of learning on undergraduate students of physics education. Because mathematical methods are valuable for presenting and solving physics problems, students of physics must learn to use their knowledge of mathematics in a physical context rather than struggling with complicated mathematical problems. This study sought to determine whether or not practice with physics problems by a physics instructor for the course could help the undergraduate students transfer their mathematics knowledge to a physics context. To do this, the experimental and control groups of physics education students were provided with an exam sheet and interviewed about difficulties after passing the course taught by either a physics or mathematics instructor. After completion of the course, the student responses to the exam and interviews were analyzed qualitatively. It was concluded that simply learning mathematics by the control group suppressed their initiative and caused them to resist completing the physics problems. The experimental group felt capable of attempting this kind of problem, but lacked additional factors that prevented them from producing complete solutions.
Modulation of electronic and optical properties of line defected armchair MoS2 nanoribbon by vacancy passivation
Authors: Gholami Rudi Somayeh , Soleimani-Amiri Samaneh 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
In this study, the density functional theory (DFT) is used to investigate the effects of passivating line sulfur vacancies by non-metal species (C, N, O, F, OH and NH2) in armchair MoS2 nanoribbon (AMoS2NR) on its structural, electrical and optical properties. Calculated binding energies show that passivation of line vacancies by oxygen atoms leads to the most stable structures. Electronic calculations show that presence of single line vacancies decreases the bandgap of 0.68 eV in perfect AMoS2NR to 0.62 eV in single line vacant AMoS2NR (SV) and substituting the vacancies with carbon and oxygen (C-SV and O-SV) returns the bandgap to its initial value. It is also shown that passivation of SV with NH2 leads to a semiconductor with a small bandgap of 0.08 eV. However, substituting the vacancies of SV with N, F and OH results in metallic structures. In the case of double line vacant AMoS2NR (DV), the bandgap reduces significantly (0.38 eV) with respect to its perfect counterpart. Similar to what happened in SV, passivating DV with C and O again increases the bandgap to the bandgap of the perfect structure. Furthermore, N-, F-, OH- and NH2-DV show metallic behavior. In addition, we use total, projected and local density of states (TDOS, PDOS and LDOS) analysis to reveal the role of different atoms in different positions on the electronic properties of defective AMoS2NRs. In order to investigate the effect of passivation on the optical properties of defective AMoS2NRs we present the real and imaginary parts of dielectric function spectra. Our results suggest that passivation of line vacancies by different atoms can efficiently tune the absorption of AMoS2NR and open a new path to obtain MoS2-based optoelectronic devices.
Terrace-confined guided growth of high-density ultrathin silicon nanowire array for large area electronics
Authors: Xu Shun , Hu Ruijin , Wang Junzhuan , Li Zheyang , Xu Jun , Chen Kunji , Yu Linwei 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Ultrathin silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are ideal 1D channels to construct high performance nanoelectronics and sensors. We here report on a high-density catalytic growth of orderly ultrathin SiNWs, with diameter down to

D

nw

=
27
±
2

nm

and narrow NW-to-NW spacing of only

S

nw

∼80 nm, without the use of high-resolution lithography. This has been accomplished via a terrace-confined strategy, where tiny indium (In) droplets move on sidewall terraces to absorb precoated amorphous Si layer as precursor and produce self-aligned SiNW array. It is found that, under proper parameter control, a tighter terrace-step confinement can help to scale the dimensions of the SiNW array down to the extremes that have not been reported before, while maintaining still a stable guiding growth over complex contours. Prototype SiNW field effect transistors demonstrate a high I
on/I
off current ratio ∼107, low leakage current of ∼0.3 pA and steep subthreshold swing of 220 mV dec−1. These results highlight the unexplored potential of catalytic growth in advanced nanostructure fabrication that is highly relevant for scalable SiNW logic and sensor applications.