bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigating friction spin welding of thermoplastics in shear joint configuration
Authors: Bindal Tarun , Saxena Ravindra K. , Pandey Sunil 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe welding of thermoplastic pipes under a shear joint configuration using friction spin welding is investigated. The shear joint configuration consists of two cylindrical and concentric polypropylene plastic parts joined with each other at their interfacing cylindrical surfaces through frictional heat generation. The effects of welding pressure and rotational velocity on the joint overlap distance and joint strength between the parts of polypropylene plastic are evaluated. The study is of a specific application in making plastic pressure vessels and joining of pipes. The joint strength is tested by conducting the hydraulic pressure burst test. The burst test is conducted for welded specimens manufactured using different values of rotational velocity and welding pressure. It is observed that at the constant spin velocities, the welding pressure in the range 64.8 to 65.2 kPa produced better joint strength than the other values of welding pressure in the overall range 64–76 kPa. It is concluded that the suitable welding pressure range to manufacture polypropylene plastic pressure vessels in the shear joint configuration using friction spin welding is 64.5 to 65.2 kPa. Further, it is established that the user can control the joint overlap distance at 64.8 kPa welding pressure by selectively controlling the rotational velocity in the range of 700 to 2500 rpm.
An overview of biomedical platforms for managing research data
Authors: Navale Vivek , von Kaeppler Denis , McAuliffe Matthew 
Published: January 2021

AbstractBiomedical platforms provide the hardware and software to securely ingest, process, validate, curate, store, and share data. Many large-scale biomedical platforms use secure cloud computing technology for analyzing, integrating, and storing phenotypic, clinical, and genomic data. Several web-based platforms are available for researchers to access services and tools for biomedical research. The use of bio-containers can facilitate the integration of bioinformatics software with various data analysis pipelines. Adoption of Common Data Models, Common Data Elements, and Ontologies can increase the likelihood of data reuse. Managing biomedical Big Data will require the development of strategies that can efficiently leverage public cloud computing resources. The use of the research community developed standards for data collection can foster the development of machine learning methods for data processing and analysis. Increasingly platforms will need to support the integration of data from multiple disease area research.
What shall I compare thee to? Legal journals, impact, citation and peer rankings
Authors: Hojnik Janja 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe pressure to distinguish high quality from lower quality law journals is intensifying. To contribute to this debate, citation-based and peer review-based ranking of law journals are paralleled in the paper, using qualitative and quantitative analysis. It is found that all law journals that are considered as journals of the highest quality by legal experts are also ranked highly in Web of Science (WoS) and that 40% of the law journals categorised as ‘internationally leading’ by the peers are not listed in WoS. This paper explores what the editors of some of the internationally leading law journals that are not listed in the WoS think about applying to be listed in it. The paper offers data to support the contention that legal scholarship is characterised by regionalism in academic publishing and citation patterns. It is submitted that there is no perfect indicator of quality, and that no evaluation system will ever convince every legal scholar in the world of its value. WoS could be adopted as a rigorous and internationally recognised index for law journals only if it were aligned more closely with the Leiden Manifesto.
Atrial flutter: yet another cause of arterial desaturation in atrial septal defect
Authors: Gupta Saurabh Kumar , Sachdeva Sakshi , Juneja Rajnish 
Published: January 2021

AbstractPulmonary hypertension is not the only cause of arterial desaturation in patients with atrial septal defect. Arterial desaturation can also occur with normal pulmonary artery pressure making it mandatory to understand the mechanism to avoid erroneous diagnosis. In this report, for the first time, we demonstrate atrial flutter as the cause of arterial desaturation in a patient with large atrial septal defect despite normal pulmonary artery pressure, which was normalised following successful radiofrequency ablation.
An ear and eye for language: Mechanisms underlying second language word learning
Authors: Bisson Marie-Josée , Kukona Anuenue , Lengeris Angelos 
Published: January 2021

AbstractTo become fluent in a second language, learners need to acquire a large vocabulary. However, the cognitive and affective mechanisms that support word learning, particularly among second language learners, are only beginning to be understood. Prior research has focused on intentional learning and small artificial lexicons. In the current study investigating the sources of individual variability in word learning and their underlying mechanisms, participants intentionally and incidentally learned a large vocabulary of Welsh words (i.e., emulating word learning in the wild) and completed a large battery of cognitive and affective measures. The results showed that, for both learning conditions, native language knowledge, auditory/phonological abilities and orthographic sensitivity all made unique contributions to word learning. Importantly, short-term/working memory played a significantly larger role in intentional learning. We discuss these results in the context of the mechanisms that support both native and non-native language learning.
Seasonal Variations of SF6, CO2, CH4, and N2O in the UT/LS Region due to Emissions, Transport, and Chemistry
Authors: Bisht Jagat S. H. , Machida Toshinobu , Chandra Naveen , Tsuboi Kazuhiro , Patra Prabir K. , Umezawa Taku , Niwa Yosuke , Sawa Yousuke , Morimoto Shinji , Nakazawa Takakiyo , Saitoh Naoko , Takigawa Masayuki 
Published: January 2021

AbstractDistributions of trace gases in the atmosphere provide key information on the transport and chemical properties of the Earth's environment. In this study, we examine the observed seasonal variability of SF6, CO2, CH4, and N2O from commercial aircraft‐based measurements in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UT/LS) in combination with atmospheric chemistry‐transport model (ACTM) simulations. We used a dynamical tropopause defined based on maximum PV gradient that better allows for model‐observation comparisons in the UT and LS regions separately. The ACTM simulated the following observed features well: (1) smaller seasonality in SF6 in the UT than in the LS due to seasonal change in the transport processes, (2) large seasonality in CO2 in the UT, in phase with the source‐sink balance on the Earth's surface, (3) pronounced seasonality in CH4 in the UT with opposite phase in the subtropics and Eurasian high latitudes as contrasting phases of source and chemical loss seasonality develop, and (4) small N2O variability in the UT but stratospheric loss produces distinct seasonality in the LS. Vertical profile comparisons of all the species show that ACTM better simulated the photo‐chemically inert CO2 vertical gradients in all seasons, suggesting a realistic representation of the Brewer‐Dobson circulation in the model. The seasonal variabilities of the long‐lived species in the LS can be explained based on age of air derived from CO2 in the older air regime, except for the months of May‐July, when the model mixes UT and LS air more vigorously than suggested by the observations.
Evaluating Empirical Lightning Parameterizations in Global Atmospheric Models
Authors: Stolz Douglas C. , Bilsback Kelsey R. , Pierce Jeffrey R. , Rutledge Steven A. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractLightning fundamentally influences atmospheric chemistry as it is the largest natural source of NOx in the upper troposphere. To include lightning, global models rely on experimental parameterizations. We use global atmospheric model diagnostics (2.0 × 2.5° horizontal resolution, 38°S–38°N, for the years 2012–2013) to evaluate three lightning parameterizations that are based on: (1) cloud top height, (2) vertical ice‐mass flux, and (3) meteorological variables including aerosols. We apply conversions between convective/cloud area and model grid box area in these calculations to compare each parameterization's spatial, temporal, and spectral characteristics with an observed lightning climatology from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Lightning Imaging Sensor. Domain‐wide median values of parameterized lightning differ from observations by a factor of 0.6–3.1. The three parameterizations depict spatial (Pearson correlation (r = 0.80–0.84) and temporal patterns (r = 0.79–0.95) that match observations well. The parameterized median land‐ocean lightning contrast ranges from a factor of 2.82 (using environmental factors with aerosols) to 596.0 (using cloud top height), compared to 22.9 in observations. One‐to‐one comparisons suggest that lightning parameterizations can explain approximately 55%–64% of the observed monthly lightning variance, depending on the parameterization. The highest correlation and minimum error bias statistics (e.g., Logarithmic Mean Bias, LMB) are found for the lightning parameterization that employs environmental factors with aerosols (r = 0.80, LMB = +0.002), whereas comparable correlation and generally higher error bias are found using vertical ice fluxes (r = 0.80, LMB = +0.27) and cloud top height (r = 0.74, LMB = −0.08). We show how the biases in lightning estimates are sensitive to uncertainties in the convective area and suggest ways to minimize bias overall.
A clinico-pathological and molecular analysis reveals differences between solitary (early and late-onset) and synchronous rectal cancer
Authors: Perea José , García Juan L. , Corchete Luis , Tapial Sandra , Olmedillas-López Susana , Vivas Alfredo , García-Olmo Damián , Urioste Miguel , Goel Ajay , González-Sarmiento Rogelio 
Published: January 2021

AbstractRectal cancer (RC) appears to behave differently compared with colon cancer. We aimed to analyze existence of different subtypes of RC depending on distinct features (age of onset and the presence of synchronous primary malignant neoplasms). We compared the clinicopathological, familial and molecular features of three different populations diagnosed with RC (early-onset RC [EORC], late-onset RC, and synchronous RC [SRC]). Eighty-five RCs were identified and were evaluated according to their microsatellite instability, CpG Island Methylator Phenotype (CIMP) and chromosomal instability, as assessed by Next Generation Sequencing and microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization approaches. The results were subjected to cluster analysis. SRCs displayed the most specific characteristics including a trend for the development of multiple malignant neoplasms, a greater proportion of CIMP-High tumors (75%) and more frequent genomic alterations. These findings were confirmed by a clustering analysis that stratified RCs according to their genomic alterations. We also found that EORCs exhibited their own features including an important familial cancer component and a remarkable rate of mutations in TP53 (53%). Together, heterogeneity in RC characteristics by age of disease-onset and SRC warrants further study to optimize tailored prevention, detection and intervention strategies—particularly among young adults.
Farnesyl dimethyl chromanol targets colon cancer stem cells and prevents colorectal cancer metastasis
Authors: Husain Kazim , Coppola Domenico , Yang Chung S. , Malafa Mokenge P. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe activation and growth of tumour-initiating cells with stem-like properties in distant organs characterize colorectal cancer (CRC) growth and metastasis. Thus, inhibition of colon cancer stem cell (CCSC) growth holds promise for CRC growth and metastasis prevention. We and others have shown that farnesyl dimethyl chromanol (FDMC) inhibits cancer cell growth and induces apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. We provide the first demonstration that FDMC inhibits CCSC viability, survival, self-renewal (spheroid formation), pluripotent transcription factors (Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2) expression, organoids formation, and Wnt/β-catenin signalling, as evidenced by comparisons with vehicle-treated controls. In addition, FDMC inhibits CCSC migration, invasion, inflammation (NF-kB), angiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF), and metastasis (MMP9), which are critical tumour metastasis processes. Moreover, FDMC induced apoptosis (TUNEL, Annexin V, cleaved caspase 3, and cleaved PARP) in CCSCs and CCSC-derived spheroids and organoids. Finally, in an orthotopic (cecum-injected CCSCs) xenograft metastasis model, we show that FDMC significantly retards CCSC-derived tumour growth (Ki-67); inhibits inflammation (NF-kB), angiogenesis (VEGF and CD31), and β-catenin signalling; and induces apoptosis (cleaved PARP) in tumour tissues and inhibits liver metastasis. In summary, our results demonstrate that FDMC inhibits the CCSC metastatic phenotype and thereby supports investigating its ability to prevent CRC metastases.
Investigating the network consequences of focal brain lesions through comparisons of real and simulated lesions
Authors: Tao Yuan , Rapp Brenda 
Published: January 2021

AbstractGiven the increased interest in the functional human connectome, a number of computer simulation studies have sought to develop a better quantitative understanding of the effects of focal lesions on the brain’s functional network organization. However, there has been little work evaluating the predictions of this simulation work vis a vis real lesioned connectomes. One of the few relevant studies reported findings from real chronic focal lesions that only partially confirmed simulation predictions. We hypothesize that these discrepancies arose because although the effects of focal lesions likely consist of two components: short-term node subtraction and long-term network re-organization, previous simulation studies have primarily modeled only the short-term consequences of the subtraction of lesioned nodes and their connections. To evaluate this hypothesis, we compared network properties (modularity, participation coefficient, within-module degree) between real functional connectomes obtained from chronic stroke participants and “pseudo-lesioned” functional connectomes generated by subtracting the same sets of lesioned nodes/connections from healthy control connectomes. We found that, as we hypothesized, the network properties of real-lesioned connectomes in chronic stroke differed from those of the pseudo-lesioned connectomes which instantiated only the short-term consequences of node subtraction. Reflecting the long-term consequences of focal lesions, we found re-organization of the neurotopography of global and local hubs in the real but not the pseudo-lesioned connectomes. We conclude that the long-term network re-organization that occurs in response to focal lesions involves changes in functional connectivity within the remaining intact neural tissue that go well beyond the short-term consequences of node subtraction.
Analyzing the G3BP-like gene family of Arabidopsis thaliana in early turnip mosaic virus infection
Authors: Reuper Hendrik , Amari Khalid , Krenz Björn 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe Arabidopsis thaliana genome encodes several genes that are known or predicted to participate in the formation of stress granules (SG). One family of genes encodes for Ras GTPase-activating protein–binding protein (G3BP)-like proteins. Seven genes were identified, of which one of the members was already shown to interact with plant virus proteins in a previous study. A phylogenetic and tissue-specific expression analysis, including laser-dissected phloem, by qRT-PCRs was performed and the sub-cellular localization of individual AtG3BP::EYFP fluorescent fusion proteins expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana epidermal cells was observed. Individual AtG3BP-protein interactions in planta were studied using the bimolecular fluorescence complementation approach in combination with confocal imaging in living cells. In addition, the early and late induction of G3BP-like expression upon Turnip mosaic virus infection was investigated by RNAseq and qRT-PCR. The results showed a high divergence of transcription frequency in the different plant tissues, promiscuous protein–protein interaction within the G3BP-like gene family, and a general induction by a viral infection with TuMV in A. thaliana. The information gained from these studies leads to a better understanding of stress granules, in particular their molecular mode of action in the plant and their role in plant virus infection.
Prognostic significance of bone marrow FDG uptake in patients with gynecological cancer
Authors: Shimura Kotaro , Mabuchi Seiji , Komura Naoko , Yokoi Eriko , Kozasa Katsumi , Sasano Tomoyuki , Kawano Mahiru , Matsumoto Yuri , Watabe Tadashi , Kodama Michiko , Hashimoto Kae , Sawada Kenjiro , Hatazawa Jun , Kimura Tadashi 
Published: January 2021

AbstractWe investigated the prognostic significance and the underlying mechanism of increased bone marrow (BM) 2-(18F) fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose as a tracer (FDG)-uptake in patients with gynecological cancer. A list of patients diagnosed with cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancer from January 2008 to December 2014 were identified. Then, through chart reviews, 559 patients who underwent staging by FDG-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and subsequent surgical resection were identified, and their clinical data were reviewed retrospectively. BM FDG-uptake was evaluated using maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and BM-to-aorta uptake ratio (BAR). As a result, we have found that increased BAR was observed in 20 (8.7%), 21 (13.0%), 21 (12.6%) of cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancer, respectively, and was associated with significantly shorter survival. Increased BAR was also closely associated with increased granulopoiesis. In vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that tumor-derived granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was involved in the underlying causative mechanism of increased BM FDG-uptake, and that immune suppression mediated by G-CSF-induced myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) is responsible for the poor prognosis of this type of cancer. In conclusion, increased BM FDG-uptake, as represented by increased BAR, is an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with gynecological cancer.
Carotid wall imaging with 3D_T2_FFE: sequence parameter optimization and comparison with 3D_T2_SPACE
Authors: Yang Ang , Xiao Xue Hong , Wang Zhi Long , Zhang Yong Xin , Wang Ke Yi 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSimilar to sampling perfection with application-optimized contrast using different flip angle evolutions (SPACE), T2-weighted fast field echo (FFE) also has a black blood effect and a high imaging efficiency. The purpose of this study was to optimize 3D_T2_FFE and compare it with 3D_T2_SPACE for carotid imaging. The scanning parameter of 3D_T2_FFE was optimized for the imaging of the carotid wall. Twenty healthy volunteers and 10 patients with carotid plaque underwent cervical 3D_T2_FFE and 3D_T2_SPACE examinations. The signal-to-noise ratios of the carotid wall (SNRwall) and lumen (SNRlumen), and the contrast-to-noise ratios between the wall and lumen (CNRwall_lumen) were compared. The incidence of the residual flow signal at the carotid bifurcation and the grades of flow voids in the cerebellopontine angle region in the two sequences were also compared. The reproducibility of the two sequences was tested. No significant difference was observed between the two sequences in terms of the SNRwall of healthy individuals and patients (P = 0.132 and 0.102, respectively). The SNRlumen in the 3D_T2_FFE images was lower than that in the 3D_T2_SPACE images. No significant difference was observed between the two sequences in terms of the CNRwall-lumen. The incidence of the residual flow signal at the carotid bifurcation in 3D_T2_FFE was significantly lower than that in 3D_T2_SPACE. The grades of flow suppression in the cerebellopontine angle region in 3D_T2_SPACE was lower than that in 3D_T2_FFE. Both sequences showed excellent inter-and intra-observer reproducibility. Compared to 3D_T2_SPACE, 3D_T2_FFE showed stronger flow suppression while maintaining good imaging quality, which can be used as an alternative tool for carotid imaging.
Maternal stress during pregnancy alters fetal cortico-cerebellar connectivity in utero and increases child sleep problems after birth
Authors: van den Heuvel Marion I. , Hect Jasmine L. , Smarr Benjamin L. , Qawasmeh Tamara , Kriegsfeld Lance J. , Barcelona Jeanne , Hijazi Kowsar E. , Thomason Moriah E. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractChild sleep disorders are increasingly prevalent and understanding early predictors of sleep problems, starting in utero, may meaningfully guide future prevention efforts. Here, we investigated whether prenatal exposure to maternal psychological stress is associated with increased sleep problems in toddlers. We also examined whether fetal brain connectivity has direct or indirect influence on this putative association. Pregnant women underwent fetal resting-state functional connectivity MRI and completed questionnaires on stress, worry, and negative affect. At 3-year follow-up, 64 mothers reported on child sleep problems, and in the subset that have reached 5-year follow-up, actigraphy data (N = 25) has also been obtained. We observe that higher maternal prenatal stress is associated with increased toddler sleep concerns, with actigraphy sleep metrics, and with decreased fetal cerebellar-insular connectivity. Specific mediating effects were not identified for the fetal brain regions examined. The search for underlying mechanisms of the link between maternal prenatal stress and child sleep problems should be continued and extended to other brain areas.
Using machine learning improves predictions of herd-level bovine tuberculosis breakdowns in Great Britain
Authors: Stański K. , Lycett S. , Porphyre T. , Bronsvoort B. M. de C. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIn the United Kingdom, despite decades of control efforts, bovine tuberculosis (bTB) has not been controlled and currently costs ~ £100 m annually. Critical in the failure of control efforts has been the lack of a sufficiently sensitive diagnostic test. Here we use machine learning (ML) to predict herd-level bTB breakdowns in Great Britain (GB) with the aim of improving herd-level diagnostic sensitivity. The results of routinely-collected herd-level tests were correlated with risk factor data. Four ML methods were independently trained with data from 2012–2014 including ~ 4700 positive herd-level test results annually. The best model’s performance was compared to the observed sensitivity and specificity of the herd-level test calculated on the 2015 data resulting in an increased herd-level sensitivity from 61.3 to 67.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 66.4–68.8%) and herd-level specificity from 90.5 to 92.3% (95% CI: 91.6–93.1%). This approach can improve predictive capability for herd-level bTB and support disease control.